Relatives of hostages are arrested in Tel Aviv. There are serious problems in relations between Israel and its most important ally, the USA. More information in the news blog.
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Netanyahu: Canceled visit to the USA was a signal to Hamas
7:39 p.m.: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the cancellation of a visit by a high-ranking Israeli delegation to the USA by saying he wanted to send a message to Hamas.
According to his office, the Islamist organization is convinced that international pressure will prevent Israel from freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the latest Security Council resolution, Netanyahu said. He wanted to tell the Islamists not to rely on this pressure. This won’t work. “I hope they got the message,” he said.
The Israeli head of government left it open to what extent the cancellation of the delegation visit requested by the US government could help to soften what Netanyahu said was Hamas’ hard line.
Hostage relatives arrested in Israel
3:47 p.m.: Israeli security forces arrested two relatives of hostages held in Gaza on Tuesday. In addition, other demonstrators are said to have been arrested. This is reported by the US broadcaster CNN, citing an Israeli activist group.
The demonstrators blocked a main road near the Ministry of Defense. They called on the Israeli government to do more to secure the release of the hostages. In its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the terrorist group Hamas killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 200 to Gaza. According to Israeli information, 99 hostages are still being held there.
Eleven dead in Israeli attack on Rafah
2:36 p.m.: According to Palestinian information, the Israeli military bombed at least three houses in Rafah on Wednesday night. The health authority in the Gaza Strip said eleven people belonging to a family were killed in one of the air strikes.
Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel
8:22 a.m.: The Lebanese terrorist militia Hezbollah said it fired dozens of rockets at the northern Israeli border town of Kirjet Shmona. It is a response to deadly Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. According to earlier reports, three Hezbollah members were killed. According to security sources, at least seven people were killed in another Israeli attack in southern Lebanon on Wednesday night.
Police in Jordan take action against demonstrators in front of the Israeli embassy
1:54 a.m.: At a demonstration in Jordan’s capital, Amman, police beat and arrested dozens of demonstrators, according to reports from residents. The more than two thousand demonstrators wanted to advance to the heavily guarded Israeli embassy in the Rabae district of Amman. Many demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Oh Hamas, all the people of Jordan are behind you.”
Jordanian authorities are concerned that Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip could lead to an increase in the popularity of the terrorist group Hamas among many Jordanians. They said peaceful protests would be allowed, but they would not tolerate attempts to exploit anger against Israel to cause unrest or attempt to reach border zones with the Israeli-occupied West Bank or Israel.
Security circles: Seven dead in Israeli attack on southern Lebanon
1:32 a.m.: At least seven people were killed in an Israeli attack on Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, security sources told the Reuters news agency.
Gallant emphasizes the importance of Israel’s military edge in the Middle East
1:26 a.m.: Israeli Defense Minister Joaw Gallant told journalists after talks with high-ranking US government officials that the meetings underlined the importance of US-Israeli relations. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining Israel’s qualitative military advantage in the region, including its air force. Gallant spoke to reporters on the second day of his trip to the US, at a time when relations between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reached a low point.