Gaza war
Israeli army: 9,000 terrorists killed so far – Hamas continues to hold 130 hostages
Israeli soldiers from a tank unit on the border with the Gaza Strip
© Menahem Kahana / AFP
Israel continues the Gaza war despite increasing pressure at home and abroad. Meanwhile, the situation in the Red Sea remains tense. There are still concerns about a wildfire. An overview of the night’s events and a look ahead to the day.
Israel’s army says it has killed thousands of terrorists and dozens of their leaders in the Gaza war, but it still holds more than 130 hostages. So far, around 9,000 terrorists from the Islamist Hamas and other terrorist groups have been “eliminated”, according to a data list published by the army on the occasion of the 100th day of the war on Sunday. To the relatives of those still in the Addressing hostages held in the Gaza Strip, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in the evening: “We cannot measure the extent of your pain, but we know that the return of your loved ones, our loved ones, is our moral compass.”
Meanwhile, the US military says it has once again fended off a rocket from Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the south of the Red Sea. The Houthis, who are enemies of Israel, fired the anti-ship cruise missile on Sunday around 4:45 p.m. local time in the direction of a US Navy destroyer, the responsible regional command of the US military announced on the night of Monday on the X platform, formerly Twitter . The missile was intercepted by the US Air Force near the Yemeni coast off Hodeidah. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
Biden recalls the fate of the hostages
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked ships with alleged Israeli connections in the Red Sea. Large shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the important trade route. Because of the Houthis’ actions, the USA and Great Britain recently attacked rebel positions in Yemen, supported by the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Bahrain.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden recalled the fate of the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip. “For 100 days they have lived in fear for their lives, not knowing what the next day will bring,” Biden wrote in a statement on Sunday. The president renewed his pledge to remain in close contact with partners in Qatar, Egypt and Israel to return all hostages, including six U.S. nationals, to their families. A 24-hour rally ended Sunday evening in the center of the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv, with relatives of the hostages calling for more decisive efforts to release them.
On October 7, 2023, terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups carried out a massacre in southern Israel. They killed 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 240 others to the Gaza Strip. Since then, Israel has been trying to destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip with air strikes and a ground offensive. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, nearly 24,000 people have been killed in the area. This number, which cannot be independently verified, does not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
Australia’s foreign minister calls for a permanent ceasefire
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong spoke out in favor of a permanent ceasefire. “Australia wants to see steps towards a viable ceasefire,” Wong said on Monday before departing for a trip to Israel and Jordan, the West Bank and the United Arab Emirates. A ceasefire should never be “one-sided,” she added, according to Australian news agency AAP. Wong also called for safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access and better protection for civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Because of the high number of civilian deaths and the continued catastrophic humanitarian situation, Israel is under increasing international pressure. During a ceasefire in November, 105 hostages were released in return for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Israel estimates that more than 130 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, although 25 of them are believed to be no longer alive. According to Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi, Israel’s army wants to further increase military pressure on Hamas. “Pressure that will lead to the dismantling of Hamas and the return of the hostages,” he said.
Defense Minister: Hamas wants to bring war to the West Bank
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under increasing pressure domestically because of the hostage issue, vowed his people to fight for a long time. Army spokesman Hagari said on Sunday evening: “There are no shortcuts here; it takes time and, above all, endurance.” According to Defense Minister Joav Galant, Hamas now wants to take the Gaza war to the West Bank.
With its terrorist attack, Hamas did not succeed in demoralizing the Israelis or driving a wedge between Israel and the USA, Galant said on Sunday at a meeting with commanders in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. That’s why they are now planning to “set fire” to the West Bank and the Temple Mount, a holy site for both Jews and Muslims.
Tensions and conflicts in the West Bank have worsened since the start of the Gaza war. On Sunday, the Israeli military shot and killed two teenagers near Ramallah, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The Israeli army announced on Sunday evening that its soldiers had opened fire on two Palestinians who were said to have thrown an explosive device at a military base.