Israel is still standing Opposition to the ceasefire in Gaza Until more than 240 hostages held by Hamas are released, but short pauses to allow humanitarian aid to flow are possible, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu in an interview Monday on ABC NewsWorld news tonightHe said that the ceasefire would hinder efforts to free the hostages and delay the end of the war.
Netanyahu said: “There will be no ceasefire, a general ceasefire in Gaza, without the release of our hostages.” “In terms of small tactical stops, an hour here, an hour there. We’ve had them before, I think we’ll check the conditions in order to enable cargo and humanitarian goods to enter, or our hostages, individual hostages to leave.” “.
The Israeli army has been bombing Gaza since Hamas fighters invaded the border on October 7, carrying out a violent attack that killed 1,300 Israelis before they fled back to Gaza with the hostages. The government says the Israeli death toll has since risen to more than 1,400. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 10,000 Palestinians have died.
Developments:
∎ Netanyahu denies Hebrew media claims that he suggested that the pro-democracy movement’s calls for military reservists to refuse service may have encouraged Hamas to launch the attack. Netanyahu said: “Hamas started the war against us because it wants to kill us all, not because of any controversy within us.” On social media.
∎ US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew met with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Jerusalem. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Cohen told Lu that “clear American solidarity and support moves many in Israel and strengthens us in the fight.”
∎ An Israeli fighter jet killed the commander of the Hamas Deir al-Balah Brigade, Wael Asifa, who was responsible for sending Hamas “Nokhba” terrorists into Israeli territory on October 7, the army said.
“We are getting close to them”: Israel rejects Biden’s request for a pause in the war: updates
A moment of silence, other memorials marking a month of war
Flags were lowered at half-staff and a moment of silence was held across Israel to mark one month since the start of the war. Other commemorative events, focusing on hostages held by Hamas, include lighting candles at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, and releasing yellow balloons at a ceremony held at Bar-Ilan University, according to what Israel announced. The Times of Israel reported.
The IDF provided a one-month summary of the war Optimistic assessment Of the progress it has made, saying that Israeli forces “continue to operate inside Gaza every day, eliminating the Hamas chain of command, and completely clearing Gaza of Hamas. We will continue fighting until we restore security to the State of Israel.”
A Palestinian American finally escapes Gaza and returns to his homeland in Texas
Yasser Bitar, 50, a naturalized American citizen, was visiting his family in Gaza City when the Israeli offensive against Hamas began. He was besieged in his native city. For 27 days, he bathed in seawater, searched for fresh drinking water and moved from house to house, trying to flee the area as explosives rained down around him. More than 7,000 miles away in Texas, his family followed every newscast and social media post from Gaza, preparing for the bulletin announcing his death. Even Petar began to doubt the chances of seeing them again. Last week, he exited Gaza, and on Saturday he was reunited with his family in Denton, 40 miles northwest of Dallas.
“I was expecting to die at any moment,” Petar told USA TODAY. “When you hear those air strikes, you think the next one will come to you.” Read his story here.
– Rick Gervais and Sybil Mayes Osterman
Jewish Americans join the fight: Many of them are motivated by the “duty to protect Israel.”
The American Jewish columnist has 5 children serving in the Israeli army
American Jew Michael Freund, columnist for The Jerusalem Post and former deputy communications director for Benjamin Netanyahu. He has five children who serve in the Israeli army. The IDF, the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office all told USA TODAY that they do not track the number of dual citizens and Americans serving in Israel. But Freund said the attacks ignited a collective sense of urgency to unite against an enemy bent on destroying Israel.
“It was a very difficult time,” Freund told USA TODAY. But I am very proud of them for doing their duty to protect Israel’s land, country and people.”
An American stuck in Gaza: Escaping war comes with the painful cost of leaving family behind
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Live updates on Hamas’ war in Israel: Netanyahu is open to short pauses in the war
