JERUSALEM – The Israeli government on Monday denied reports that it had agreed to a ceasefire in at least part of the Gaza Strip to allow humanitarian aid and the escape of people with international passports to Egypt, as the Israeli military continued attacks on Hamas-run areas controlled enclave carried out with rockets.
“There is no ceasefire at this time,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, denying reports that a deal had been brokered to allow foreign nationals gathering near Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt – along with Enabling thousands of Palestinian civilians to escape.
More than a week after Hamas launched its bloody terror attack in southern Israel, killing about 1,400 people and taking nearly 200 hostages, Israel was still preparing on Monday for a widely anticipated ground offensive in Gaza. Gaza officials say the Israeli bombardment has already killed at least 2,802 people and injured more than 10,000 others, with most of the victims being women and children.
Netanyahu’s government has vowed to destroy the Palestinian group, and President Biden said on CBS News’ 60 Minutes that Israel can and must “go after Hamas” but warned that a full occupation of Gaza and the U.S. would be “a big one.” “Would be a mistake” has repeatedly called on Israel to do everything possible to minimize civilian casualties.
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Israel has continuously fired rockets into the densely populated Gaza Strip and completely sealed off its borders since Hamas’ siege on October 7, creating a dire and rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis, aid groups warn.
Thirty US citizens are among those killed in the latest outbreak of violence in the heart of the Middle East, and up to 600 US citizens are believed to be trapped in the Gaza Strip. A US State Department spokesman said Sunday that 13 Americans who were in Israel remained missing.
Hamas has refused to negotiate the release of hostages even as Israeli bombs continue to fall.
Click here to read our previous live blog with updates from the weekend.