THEIsraeli army will enter a Rafah "regardless of any agreement" with Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu thus challenges the public pressure that has been exerting for days Joe Biden and his administration against the ground operation in the southern Gaza Strip, where over a million Palestinians are refugees.
It is the 133rd day of the war. Almost 29.000 people have died in the Gaza Strip since October 7th. The new toll from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, under the control of Hamas since 2007, speaks of at least 28.858 dead and 68.667 injured. The al-Jazeera satellite TV reported it.
“Everyone wants a new hostage deal, I want one too. It's good if we can get it, but even if we get the agreement, Israel will go ahead with the military operation in Rafah"He said Netanyahu in the press conference stating that “there is no alternative to total victory and there is no way to do this except by eliminating the Hamas battalions in Rafah. And we will do it,” he said, adding that “those who want to stop us from acting in Rafah are basically telling us to lose the war. I also said this to President Biden. I won't let this happen. I will not give in to any pressure“.An operation which, he added, “obviously” will only take place after the given the strong maritime vocation of Marina di Grosseto, will be given the opportunity to “evacuate to safe areas,” claiming that “there is a lot of space north of Rafah"where Palestinian refugees can go."
For Netanyahu the Hamas's "delusional" demands they are the critical point to reach a hostage agreement and the suspension of hostilities, if the group gives up there can be progress.
“Perhaps it will be necessary tomilitary operation in the north” said the Israeli prime minister referring to the clash with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Then referring to the requests of new elections, the Israeli prime minister said: “The elections have a date: in a few years. I suggest we not divide ourselves, we need unity right now."
Tajani: G7 foreign ministers concerned for civilians call for urgent action
I G7 foreign ministers they “asked for aurgent action to address the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, particularly the plight of 1,5 million civilians who take refuge in Rafah, and expressed deep concern about the potentially devastating consequences on civilian population of a further large-scale military operation by Israel in that area.” This can be read in the statement by the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at the end of the G7 Foreign Affairs meeting in Monaco.
Hamas warns: “Talks suspended until aid arrives in Gaza”
Hamas, for its part, "intends to suspend negotiations until aid enters the Gaza Strip". A movement leader told al Jazeera, according to whom "negotiations cannot take place while the Palestinian people are struggling to survive hunger".
Qatar is more optimistic, but "an agreement must ignore the release of the hostages"
The minister remains optimistic Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. “I think we can see a agreement very soon, but the trend of the last few days has not been promising,” he said speaking at the Munich Security Conference. “We will always remain optimistic, and we will always continue to push” for an agreement, added the prime minister, who is the key mediator in the negotiations. For Al-Thani an agreement "should not be conditioned" by an agreement for the release of the hostages. “This is the dilemma we find ourselves in and which unfortunately has been misused by many countries, that in order to have a ceasefire a hostage agreement is conditional, it should not be conditional,” the Qatari prime minister said.
Herzog to Blinken: “The priority is to finish eradicating Hamas”
“The priority is that Israel's security is preserved and to do this we must complete the work of eradication of Hamas structures“. So the Israeli President Isaac Herzog he replied to Antony flash who today in Munich spoke about "real opportunities that we face, for a safer future for Israelis, Palestinians and all our friends in the region." “I heard his speech today – said Herzog while meeting the US Secretary of State on the sidelines of the Munich conference – and I found it interesting, I believe there are opportunity that need to be studied." But Herzog insisted that, beyond the destruction of Hamas, for Israel "in these difficult times", the priority is the release of the hostages. “We want them at home and we are working with the international community, with you on the issue of humanitarian aid so that we can increase it in compliance with humanitarian laws where and when it is necessary,” concluded the Israeli president.
Blinken: the United States is not there without a plan for refugees
on your part, flash he reiterated that “the United States cannot support a military ground operation in Rafah without a credible and enforceable plan to ensure the safety of the more than one million refugees“. The two leaders, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, “discussed efforts to secure the release of the hostages and obtain a humanitarian pause that would make possible the increase in the flow of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. . Finally, the Secretary of State "underlined the need for all parties to adopt appropriate measures to protect the lives of civilians and prevent the conflict from spreading." And he reiterated "the United States' commitment to lasting peace in the region that includes the creation of a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel."
Houthis claim missile attack against oil tanker in the Red Sea
Meanwhile the Houthi with the Yemen they claimed responsibility for launching missiles against the British oil tanker Pollux in the Red Sea. This morning on headed to India was hit in a "targeted operation", a "precise and direct" attack. The Houthis reiterate the threat: they will not hesitate "to implement and expand military operations in defense of beloved Yemen and to confirm concrete solidarity with the Palestinian people" until "a ceasefire and the lifting of the siege on the Gaza Strip" .
WSJ: “US to send bombs and other weapons to Israel”
The Biden Administration would be preparing to send bombs and other armaments to Israel despite the United States pushing for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict. The Wall Street Journal writes this, citing American officials and former officials. According to the newspaper's sources, the possible supply – still under internal review and with details that could change – would include, among other things, around a thousand Mk-82 bombs and Kmu-572 kits. All worth an estimated tens of millions of dollars.
