Israel and the US are increasingly at odds over the war in Gaza. The distance was confirmed by the visit of the American National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan to Tel Aviv, in the first face to face with the Israeli leadership after President Joe Biden's harsh criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu's government in recent days. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reiterated to Sullivan that «more than a few months are needed to dismantle an organization built for years for terrorist purposes and liberate the Strip. It will be a long war that we will win in the end.” Biden's envoy replied that the timing of the conflict makes a “transition to the next lower intensity phase” necessary within “weeks and not months”.
Israeli soldiers occupy a mosque in Jenin and broadcast Jewish religious songs from loudspeakers
The positions between the two allies therefore remain open to disagreement and the difference of views was reiterated by Netanyahu. «To my American friends – the prime minister explained, choosing his words well – I said that our soldiers did not fall in vain. We are determined to fight until the elimination of Hamas and complete victory.” Then he thanked Washington for the veto at the UN Security Council, the supplies of ammunition and the aid for the release of the hostages.
More nuanced, at the end of the meetings – Sullivan also participated in the war cabinet meeting -, the concepts expressed in the press release from the prime minister's office in which it was explained that «the two sides discussed the continuation of the war until victory and the achievement of common objectives”. Among these, “the destruction of Hamas, the release of the hostages, the dismantling of the military capabilities” of the Palestinian faction and “the end of its control over the Strip”. The meetings also discussed «the threats from Hezbollah coming from the north and those from the Houthis from the south. All this, combined with Hamas, is part of Iran's Axis of Evil.”
Israeli raid on Rafah, some homes destroyed with several deaths. The images shortly after the explosions
Israel is therefore determined to strike the Strip where even today there has been intense fighting in the north and south. In an attempt to increasingly isolate the Hamas leadership from the population exhausted by the war, the Israeli army has distributed leaflets in Arabic in the Palestinian enclave promising compensation to anyone who provides useful information in locating the hiding places of four senior leaders of the faction.
These are obviously the leader Yahya Sinwar (400 thousand dollars), his brother Muhammad Sinwar (300 thousand), the military commander of Khan Yunis Rafa Salameh (200 thousand dollars) and Mohammed Deif, the commander of the military wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades (priced at “just” 100 thousand dollars). Whoever gives information – explained the IDF, also providing a telephone number – will be guaranteed “confidentiality”.
The army then showed images and photos of 70 Hamas operatives arrested after emerging “with weapons in their hands” from the Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza City. But the military also claimed responsibility for a first successful attempt to flood a military tunnel in the northern sector of Gaza with sea water and large pumps. In the Strip, the toll, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health (which does not distinguish between killed civilians and militiamen), has reached at least 18,787 victims, with another 50,897 people injured in the conflict.
New video from the Israeli army: “They are Hamas terrorists captured in a hospital in Gaza”
All communications and internet services were interrupted due, according to the two largest companies Paltel and Jawal, to Israel's “aggression”. While some Arab sources speak of a new attempt by Egypt and Qatar to favor another truce and an exchange of hostages, the Israeli Foreign Minister attacked the Red Cross on the topic of kidnappers, whose president Mirjana Spoljaric arrived for the first time time since October 7 in Israel. “Every day that passes – Cohen denounced – is another failure for the Red Cross”. Tension also remains high in the West Bank: the army operation in Jenin to capture some wanted people led – according to Wafa – to 11 Palestinian deaths in three days. While military spokesman Daniel Hagari announced punishments for soldiers who broadcast Jewish prayers from loudspeakers in the minaret of the local mosque.
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Middle East: Herzog, this is not the time to talk about a two-state solution
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in an interview with the Associated Press that now is not the time to talk about creating an independent Palestinian state when the country's pain from the October 7 Hamas attack is still fresh. «What I want to urge is not to simply talk about a two-state solution. Why? Because there is an emotional chapter here that needs to be addressed. My nation is in mourning. My nation is traumatized,” Herzog said. «To return to the idea of dividing the land, negotiating peace or talking to the Palestinians, we must first of all deal with the emotional trauma we are going through and with the need and demand for a full sense of security for all» , he added.
“Israel briefed Sullivan on military campaign in Gaza”
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was briefed by Israeli authorities on the military campaign in Gaza, including the objectives, phases and conditions for transitioning over time from a high-intensity operation to more surgical operations against Hamas. The White House reports this, underlining that Sullivan confirmed US support for Israel's right to defend itself from Hamas. Sullivan also welcomed increased coordination with the UN, Egypt and other partners on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance and highlighted the importance of expanding the flow of assistance to Gaza.
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