Israel’s defense minister wants new weapons from the USA. But the ally is conflicted about the invasion plans for Rafah. The UN chief finds clear words – the news at a glance.
According to Israeli media reports, there has been some movement in the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages. Israel has accommodated the Islamists with the number of Palestinian prisoners who would be exchanged for 40 Israeli hostages held by Hamas, reported the Channel 12 television station and the walla.co.il portal.
According to his ministry, Defense Minister Joav Galant is leaving for Washington today. The talks with Israel’s most important ally are about a planned ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The USA rejects this because there are currently around 1.5 million people there.
Last word on Hamas
The extent of progress in the negotiations in the Qatari capital Doha, in which the USA, Egypt and Qatar are mediating between Israel and Hamas, was not initially clear. The Israeli delegation had accepted a compromise proposal from the American mediators, it was said.
This must now be approved by Hamas. This could take several days. Observers see as a positive sign that the Israeli delegation leader David Barnea and his team are expected to stay in Doha for the next few days.
The Gaza war was triggered by the attack by Hamas and other groups in southern Israel on October 7th. The terrorists killed 1,200 people in the massacre and kidnapped 250 others as hostages in the Gaza Strip. Israel attacked the coastal area to crush Hamas. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 32,000 Palestinians have died – both civilians and fighters.
Many disagreements between Israel and its ally USA
In view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the sealed-off coastal area, Israel is increasingly exposed to international pressure – including from its ally the USA. The USA and Israel disagree about the ground offensive in Rafah planned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin intends to present alternative military options to the Israeli delegation in Washington. There are fears that a major military offensive could result in a lot of bloodshed.
Netanyahu had already announced the Rafah offensive at the beginning of February and approved the military’s plans for it several times. It was necessary to destroy Hamas’ last four battalions and thus destroy the Islamist organization’s military fighting ability, it was said.
Ground operation in Rafah: Whether and how is still unclear
The civilian population in Rafah will be brought to safety before such an offensive begins. Israel has not yet made it clear exactly how this would work. Military experts in Israel point out that it would take weeks for such an offensive to begin because the military would have to mass much larger forces in Gaza for this purpose.
At the same time, the Israeli guest would like to appear in Washington about new arms purchases. According to a report by the news portal “axios.com”, not only supplies of ammunition and weapons for the Gaza war are on Galant’s wish list, but also long-term needs such as additional F-35 and F-15 fighter jets.
UN chief condemns obstruction of humanitarian aid
UN Secretary-General António Guterres yesterday visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, through which the bulk of humanitarian aid reaches – or should reach – the Gaza Strip. Due to an agreement between Israel and Egypt, every single shipment must be approved by the Israeli military.
Aid organizations accuse Israel of delaying the formal procedures. Israel rejects the allegations and complains that the aid organizations are distributing the goods inefficiently.
In Rafah, Egypt – the city is divided between Egypt and Gaza – Guterres got a firsthand look at the situation when he observed a column of trucks waiting to enter Gaza. “Here we see the heartbreaking and heartlessness of it all,” he said at a news conference outside the border crossing. The blocked aid supplies can be seen on one side of the border, “on the other side the shadow of hunger.” “This is more than tragic, it is a moral disgrace.”
Israelis demonstrate for hostages and against Netanyahu
Thousands of people demonstrated in Israel yesterday evening for the release of hostages held by Hamas and against the Netanyahu government. In Tel Aviv they shouted “Time is running out, bring her home!”, Israeli media reported. The demonstrators set several small fires on the streets in the center of the coastal metropolis and blocked a main road.
The slogans were also directed against Netanyahu, whom critics accuse of failing to manage the crisis following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7th. In addition, the head of government would subordinate the fate of the hostages to the needs of his political survival. As on previous Saturdays, they called for the resignation of the Netanyahu government and new elections. One of the speakers said: “My cousin Ofer has been a prisoner of Hamas for 169 days. And we have been prisoners of our government for 169 days.”
Several hundred people also demonstrated in front of Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem. “Decisive negotiations are taking place in Qatar these days,” said a speaker whose brother is among the hostages. “Israel’s government must not let this opportunity slip away.”