While the tough indirect negotiations continue with an uncertain outcome, Israel is sticking to the planned offensive in Rafah. The USA still has concerns. The news at a glance.
Global hopes that a ceasefire in the Gaza war would be achieved by the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims have not been fulfilled. While millions of Muslims around the world celebrate the festival of breaking the fast today, the tough indirect negotiations over a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza continue – with an uncertain outcome.
Meanwhile, Israel is pushing ahead with its controversial plan for a ground offensive in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. However, according to media reports, Israel’s Defense Minister Joav Galant told his US counterpart Llyod Austin that there was no date for an offensive yet. In doing so, Galant contradicted his Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it was said. Netanyahu publicly stated on Monday that the date for an offensive in Rafah had been set.
Biden criticizes Netanyahu: I think what he is doing is a mistake
Meanwhile, the Spanish-language broadcaster Univision broadcast an interview recorded last week with US President Joe Biden, in which he sharply criticized Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza and urged a ceasefire. “I think what he’s doing is a mistake,” Biden said. He was responding to a question about whether Netanyahu was more concerned about his political survival than Israel’s national interests. Biden continued: “So what I’m demanding is that the Israelis now call for a ceasefire to allow full access to all food and medicine (…) for the next six, eight weeks.” Some media outlets interpreted this statement as a kind of change of course, as Biden did not emphasize that the Islamist Hamas was responsible for a ceasefire. The White House made it clear that this was not the case.
“Our position does not change. The President reiterated our position: We demand an immediate ceasefire that would last at least six weeks under a hostage agreement,” the Times of Israel quoted a White House spokesman as saying. Biden further emphasized in the interview: “I think there is no excuse not to take care of the medical needs and the food needs of these people. That should happen now.” Biden spoke by phone with Netanyahu the day after the interview was recorded. According to the White House, in the conversation Biden threatened Netanyahu with consequences if Israel did not increase protection for civilians.
Reports: Israel is working on evacuation plans for Rafah
Galant said in a phone call with Austin that Israel was currently finalizing plans for the evacuation of the civilian population there, the Israeli newspapers Haaretz, The Times of Israel and the news portal Axios reported. The US government wants to prevent Israel from carrying out a large-scale operation in Rafah. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expects Israel to keep quiet for the time being.
A meeting with an Israeli delegation is planned for next week to discuss the US side’s concerns about such an operation, Blinken said in Washington. “I do not assume that any measures will be taken before these talks,” he emphasized. It is still the belief that a major operation in Rafah would be extremely dangerous for civilians.” The Israeli side has not given the US government a date for a Rafah offensive, said Blinken.
USA: Israel does not present a credible plan for Rafah
From the US government’s perspective, Israel has not presented a convincing plan to protect the civilian population there in the event of a ground offensive. Biden’s security adviser Jake Sullivan said in Washington that he had not yet seen a “credible and feasible” plan for the relocation of the people in Rafah that detailed how the civilians could be accommodated and provided medical care. “So our concerns remain and we must now wait and see what happens and the United States will respond accordingly.” Sullivan emphasized that there are communication channels with the Israeli government.
Blinken: Assessing Israel’s humanitarian steps in the long term
The US government is also taking a wait-and-see approach to Israel’s commitments to improving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. “What matters is results – sustainable results,” Blinken said at a press conference with his British counterpart David Cameron in Washington. “And we will pay close attention to this in the coming days,” emphasized Blinken.
According to Israel, significantly more aid supplies have reached the Gaza Strip in the past few days. 468 trucks carrying humanitarian aid supplies were inspected and driven to Gaza, wrote the Cogat authority, which is responsible for contacts with the Palestinians and humanitarian aid, on the X platform (formerly Twitter). “This is the highest number of trucks carrying aid supplies to the Gaza Strip in one day since the start of the war.”
Hamas circles: Israelis are not interested in a ceasefire
Citing ongoing talks on a ceasefire and the release of hostages, Sullivan said public statements from Hamas were “not exactly encouraging.” However, there is still no response from Hamas to a proposal that is currently on the table, said Sullivan. He spoke to the negotiating partners in Qatar and urged them to seek a response from Hamas.
Hamas circles in the Lebanese capital Beirut said that the negotiations were currently “not going well.” The Israelis are only interested in the “hostage issue” and not in a ceasefire. There is no official information on the status of negotiations. After talks in Cairo, Hamas representatives left the Egyptian capital for consultations with their leadership.
Israel’s military: Hezbollah positions in Syria attacked
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it was once again attacking positions of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Syria. As the army announced, the militia’s military infrastructure was attacked, which, according to precise intelligence findings, was used “on the Syrian front”. “The Syrian regime is held responsible for all activities that take place on its territory,” it said. The information has not yet been independently verified.
Israel’s air force repeatedly bombs targets in neighboring Syria in an attempt to prevent Iran and its allied militias such as Hezbollah from expanding their military influence in the country. Attacks have increased since the Gaza war began.
After the suspected Israeli air strike a few days ago on an Iranian embassy building in Syria, Hezbollah said that the attack would not be without consequences. Iran has also threatened retaliation. Iran is Hezbollah’s biggest supporter. The militia fights against Israel politically, but also with violence.