Israel continues to bomb the Gaza Strip on Friday, January 5, while American diplomatic chief Antony Blinken is expected to travel to the Middle East. On Thursday evening, the Israeli defense minister presented his first post-war plan for the Palestinian enclave: It does not envisage either Hamas or an Israeli government.
What you need to consider:
■ The American Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to the Middle East this Friday where he hopes Avoid a conflagration after eliminating Hamas's number two leader in Lebanon.
■ The Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant unveiled his first plan for post-war Gaza. “After the war goals are achieved, there will be no Israeli civilian population left in the Gaza Strip,” he said.
■ In the night from Thursday to Friday Israeli forces renewed their attacks in the south and center of the Gaza Stripwhere witnesses also reported fierce fighting.
■ According to a new report released by the Hamas Ministry of Health on Thursday, January 4, 22 438 people were killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7th. Most of the dead are women, young people and children. There are almost 60 000 injured. The Israeli army said Thursday it had killed more than 2 000 Palestinian fighters since the end of the ceasefire at the beginning of December. 175 Israeli soldiers According to the latest army figures, there have been deaths since the Israeli army's ground offensive in the Gaza Strip began on October 27, 2020.
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7:18 a.m.: The head of European diplomacy in Lebanon to discuss the situation on the Israeli border
European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell is expected in Lebanon on Friday and into Sunday to discuss the situation on the Israel-Lebanese border and the importance of avoiding regional escalation. “Borrell will reiterate the need to advance diplomatic efforts with the region's leaders,” the EU said in a statement on Friday.
Since the start of the Gaza war, Lebanon's Hezbollah has been involved in an almost daily exchange of fire with Israel.
06:56: Antony Blinken in the Middle East to advocate for increased aid to Gaza and preventing a conflagration
The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, made his fourth trip to the Middle East on Thursday evening since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas. Antony Blinken expects difficult discussions during this new tour, which, in addition to Israel, will take him to five Arab countries – Jordan, Qatar, Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt – as well as the West Bank early next week. Palestinian Authority headquarters, its spokesman Matthew Miller told the press. Antony Blinken flew from Washington to Turkey on Thursday evening, the first stop of this trip is scheduled to last until January 10th, reports AFP.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a tour of the Middle East on Thursday, January 4, 2024. Portal – EVELYN HOCKSTEIN
The US Secretary of State will discuss “immediate steps to significantly increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza,” where the humanitarian situation is described by the United Nations and NGOs as “catastrophic.” “We don’t expect every conversation on this journey to be easy. It is clear that the region faces difficult issues and difficult decisions must be made,” said Matthew Miller. “However, the Secretary of State believes that it is the responsibility of the United States to lead diplomatic efforts to directly address these challenges,” he added.
The American position is delicate: the United States is Israel's main military supporter, but rejects a ceasefire that has been vigorously demanded, particularly by Arab countries. However, Washington is not opposed to humanitarian pauses like the one in November that allowed the release of hostages held by Hamas.
By sending the American Secretary of State to the region again – it will be his fifth official trip to Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7th – the USA wants to maintain the pressure on the Israeli authorities. Despite the limited room for maneuver, US government officials reiterate that behind-the-scenes pressure on Israel is working, but make no secret of their frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and its conduct of the war.
06:26: The Israeli military operation in Gaza will enter a “third phase,” according to the defense minister
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), an American think tank, published its daily situation analysis with maps. “Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip are “concluding the current mission” as part of their “transition to a third phase of operations in this region,” he recalled.
Key information to also note, according to ISW, is that “Israel has moved the evacuation corridor, which runs in a north-south direction, from Salah al-Dine road to the Gaza coastal road.”
Key Takeaways: 1/12 🧵
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reported that Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip are “concluding the current mission” as part of their transition to a third phase of operations there. https://t.co/ajBiIBbz3Q pic.twitter.com/1KDBJu0MOu
— Institute for War Studies (@TheStudyofWar) January 5, 2024
06:00: Israeli Defense Minister presents post-war plan for Gaza
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant presented his first “post-war” plan in the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening. It does not provide for “neither Hamas nor an Israeli civil administration.” Yoav Gallant revealed the outlines of this plan to the press before presenting it to Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet, which has been divided in recent weeks over how to proceed in the war against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which has been in power in Gaza since 2007 was.
According to the plan, operations in the Gaza Strip will “continue until the return of the hostages,” the “dismantling of Hamas's military and government capabilities,” and the “elimination of military threats in the Gaza Strip,” Mr. Galant argued. After that, another phase will begin, that of the “day after” after the war, after which “Hamas will not control Gaza,” according to this plan, which has not yet been adopted by the government at this point.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on Monday for the return of Jewish settlers to Gaza after the war and the “encouragement” of the Palestinian population to emigrate, following a similar call from his far-right colleague Bezalel Smotrich. “After the objectives of the war are achieved, there will be no more Israeli civilians in the Gaza Strip,” Yoav Gallant declared on Thursday, specifying that the Israeli army would, however, “retain its freedom of action” in Gaza to contain any possible “threat.” There.
“The people of Gaza are Palestinians. Therefore, Palestinian entities will bear responsibility [de la gestion] on the condition that there are no hostile actions or threats against the State of Israel,” the defense minister said, without specifying who among the Palestinians would administer this territory of 2.4 million people.
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