“Only a complete victory will guarantee the elimination of Hamas and the return of our hostages.”. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this, adding: “As Prime Minister of Israel, I support this position with determination, even in the face of enormous international and domestic pressure. It was this stubbornness of mine that prevented a Palestinian state for years, which posed an existential threat to Israel. As long as I am prime minister, this will be my position.”
The Israeli Prime Minister leaves no room for interpretation. “I have made clear to President Biden Israel’s determination to achieve all war objectives and ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.” Benjamin Netanyahu said this, adding that “after the elimination of Hamas,” “there will be no one in Gaza who finances or investigates terrorism or sends terrorists.” The Gaza Strip must be demilitarized and remain under full Israeli security control.” Netanyahu then rejected Hamas' demands for the release of the hostages, i.e. “the end of the war, the withdrawal of the IDF, the release of murderers and rapists and his remaining in power.”
Learn more ANSA agency Netanyahu freezes Biden, thousands in Tel Aviv against the government – News – Ansa.it Guterres: “Rejection of the 2-state solution unacceptable” (ANSA)
Video tunnel found in Khan Yunis “where some hostages were”
Guterres, Israel's killings of civilians are unprecedented
“During my tenure as Secretary General, Israel’s military operations have spread mass destruction and killed civilians on an unprecedented scale. This is heartbreaking and completely unacceptable. The Middle East is a powder keg, we must do everything we can to prevent the conflict from flaring up again in the region.” This was said by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the G77 + China summit in the Ugandan capital Kampala, as the Guardian reported.
London, Netanyahu's rejection of a Palestinian state is disappointing
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state is “disappointing.” This was stated by British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, quoted by the Guardian. “I find it disappointing to hear Benjamin Netanyahu say that he does not believe in a two-state solution. Honestly, as far as I know, he's said that his entire political career. I don't think we believe in that.” “We will get to a solution unless we have two states,” Shapps said in an interview with Sky News this morning, adding that the UK would continue to support the two-state solution and that “there is no other option”.
Hamas: “Over 25,000 dead in Gaza since war began”
The death toll in Gaza since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas has exceeded 25,000, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry announced. A total of 25,105 people have been killed since October 7th.
For its part, the Israeli army announced the death of a soldier, Uriel Aviad Silberman, which occurred yesterday during fighting in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The total number of Israeli soldiers killed on the ground since land operations began in the Gaza Strip, i.e. from the end of October, has risen to 195.
Israel reportedly killed between 20 and 30 percent of Hamas combat troops in the Gaza Strip. That's the U.S. intelligence estimate – taken from the Wall Street Journal – which is “slightly lower” than Israel's, which estimates it killed 10,000 Hamas militants, including 1,000 in the Oct. 7 attack. According to the same sources, Hamas still has enough ammunition to continue fighting for months and is trying to restore its military presence in parts of Gaza City
A tunnel was found in Gaza where hostages were being held
A tunnel where some of the Hamas hostages in Gaza were previously held “in harsh and inhumane conditions”: This was discovered – according to military spokesman Daniel Hagari – by soldiers under the house of a Hamas leader in Khan Yunis, in the south of the Strip.
A large room was found in the tunnel – at a depth of about 20 meters – in which about 20 hostages were held, some of whom were later released. Drawings by the little girl Emilia Aloni, who was also released, were also found.
To enter the building, the soldiers fought and killed Hamas militants, Hagari said.
In the underground space discovered by the Israeli army in the tunnel network in Khan Yunis, DNA traces of Israeli hostages captured on October 7 at Kibbutz Nir Oz were found. The daughter-in-law of one of the hostages, octogenarian Yoram Metzger, said this on Israeli private television Channel 12. “There was no blood, but DNA traces in the clothing,” he specified.
His 78-year-old wife, Tamar, was captured with him and released in November. Last month, Hamas released a video in which Yoram Metzger appeared in poor physical condition along with two other elderly hostages. According to the military spokesman, around twenty Israeli prisoners were held for a certain time in this cell – with no light and little air – whose fate is unknown.
“I don’t know where they are now,” Metzger’s daughter-in-law added. “There are several elderly people in precarious health. It is clear that they are at risk of not making it out alive.”
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