The meeting of European foreign ministers in Luxembourg. The High Representative brings the Middle East closer to Ukraine. Western leaders reiterated “their support for Israel but called for respect for international humanitarian law.” There would be 222 hostages in the hands of Hamas
Il Foglio: everything you need to know – and nothing more – to understand what is happening after the Hamas attack on Israel
Tajani: “The Italian-Israeli Liliach Le Havron has died”
“I learned of the death of Liliach Le Havron, of Italian-Israeli descent and wife of Evitar Kipnis, whose body was found in recent days,” writes Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X. “Both disappeared after the Hamas attack. I extend my condolences to the children and family. Another day of mourning for Italy.”
Western diplomacy is divided over the ceasefire
“I can say that Member States have supported the idea of a humanitarian pause in Gaza,” EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell said at the end of the Council in Luxembourg. “The ministers are preparing the European Council and I believe that there is sufficient consensus.” On the contrary, the USA is against the ceasefire because “Hamas would benefit from it.” “Right now we want Israel to have everything it needs to defend itself and for the civilian population in Gaza to receive assistance,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in response to a question about calls for a ceasefire. “It would benefit Hamas,” the official said. In a White House briefing, Kirby said Iran was “actively facilitating” attacks on American bases in the Middle East.
Israeli media: “The Red Cross is ready to take 50 hostages”
According to sources in Gaza, an agreement to release some hostages with dual citizenship is currently being concluded through Qatar’s mediation. This is reported by the Israeli broadcaster i24, emphasizing that “the Red Cross is in the process of taking in a group of about 50 kidnapped people with dual citizenship.” According to the sources, the transfer “will take place in the Khan Yunis area in the south of the Gaza Strip.” “If no new obstacles arise, an agreement is expected to be reached in the next few hours,” i24 reports, noting that as part of the operation, Israeli attacks on Gaza have been suspended in the last few hours.
Rumors about the resignation of three ministers against Netanyahu
The Yediot Ahronot newspaper’s website says that “at least three Israeli ministers” are considering the possibility of resigning to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly accept responsibility after Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7. However, the newspaper did not publish their names. The site then published an opinion poll that found 75 percent of Israelis blamed Netanyahu for the country’s complete surprise at the Hamas attack. Today the newspaper also claimed that there are tensions between Netanyahu and the army.
Israeli soldiers train to improve “readiness and capabilities for ground operations.”
The Israel Defense Forces said its troops would take part in training exercises to improve their “readiness and capability for ground operations” in Gaza. “IDF soldiers on duty and reserve duty are conducting a series of training exercises to improve the armed forces’ readiness and capabilities for ground operations in the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
Israel says it carried out raids overnight “along the line of contact” with Gaza
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said heavy bombings were carried out on Gaza overnight to “kill terrorist groups” and locate hostages in the Gaza Strip. “Tank and infantry attacks were also carried out during the night. These are raids that kill terrorist groups and prepare us for the next phase of the war.”
On Sunday, the IDF announced that it had used the “Steel Sting” mortar bomb for the first time since the start of the war to attack a Hamas position “from which rockets were fired into the territory of the State of Israel.”
Iran’s threat to Israel: “We will attack the city of Haifa”
Iranian Revolutionary Guards deputy commander Ali Fadavi said Iran could fire a missile at Haifa “without hesitation.” Already at the beginning of the war, Fadavi had threatened Israel with “a shock wave of the resistance front if its atrocities in Gaza did not stop.”
According to Israel, 800 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank since the war began
Israeli forces say they have arrested 800 wanted Palestinians in the West Bank since the war in Gaza began on October 7, including more than 500 Hamas members. The Israeli military said it arrested 64 people in the West Bank overnight, including 37 Hamas members.
A third convoy of humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing
A third shipment of humanitarian aid has arrived in the Gaza Strip via the border crossing with Egypt. On Saturday and Sunday, 34 trucks carrying food, water, medicine and medical supplies entered Rafah. The Egyptian Red Crescent announced the third aid shipment on social media, adding that it “includes essential medical and relief supplies.”
According to the Israeli Defense Forces, 222 hostages are still in the hands of Hamas
The Israeli army has released a new update on the number of hostages held by the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza: 222 people are still being held hostage in the Gaza Strip. “The number is updated and changed based on intelligence information, but also due to the fact that there are a significant number of foreign nationals,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said. “It took us longer to classify them and figure out who they are. That’s why the number has increased in the last few days.”
An Israeli soldier is killed in a Hamas ambush on Israeli territory
The Israeli Defense Forces have confirmed the death of an Israeli soldier and the wounding of three other soldiers during a patrol and search operation for missing people in the Kissufim area in the south of the country, a municipality not far from the Gaza Strip. Hamas claimed responsibility for the ambush.
The Israel Defense Forces said an anti-tank missile was fired at an Israeli tank and vehicle. Israeli troops then returned fire and struck the terrorist cell.
From Ukraine to Israel: “Russia is taking advantage of the situation,” says Borrell
According to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, “The war in Israel and Ukraine has different roots and consequences, but equally causes earthquakes around the world. “Russia is certainly taking advantage of this situation.” The accusations are doubling “Standards existed before the war and now they are returning: we must be very careful to show the same concern to every civilian killed,” he said upon his arrival at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. “Of course, we strongly support Israel because it has suffered one of the worst attacks against the Jewish people, but we must also take into account the murder of the Palestinians, who are also victims of Hamas,” he concluded.
Western diplomacy is working to prevent the conflict from spreading, says Tajani
For Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, “a de-escalation” of violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip is necessary, which also includes “stopping rocket launches by Hamas and Hezbollah.” The minister, now in Luxembourg, stressed that “Hamas must not do whatever it wants” to achieve a ceasefire and that “Israel, which has the right to defend itself,” however, “does so “We must act proportionately and not indiscriminately against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.”
According to Antonio Tajani, the risks of an expansion of the conflict in the Middle East are “present” and therefore care is being taken to ensure that this does not become a reality. “All of us, the United States and the EU, are working through the diplomatic channel and Italy has taken a leading role: the aim is to prevent a conflagration in the Middle East,” Tajani added. “The diplomatic route is always worthwhile,” he explained.
“We have no signs of planned attacks in our country, but that does not mean we should lower our guard,” he concluded
When will there be a land offensive in Gaza?
After the Hamas attacks on October 7, Israel bombed Gaza and massed troops at the border. The land offensive seemed imminent in the first days of the war. However, it has not yet been carried out. It will be?
Lt. Col. Peter Lenner told the BBC that planning would take into account efforts to release the dozens of Hamas hostages and that “the ground offensive, if it takes place, will come at the best time.”
Instead, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told the ABC that “the war may end soon. Hamas just has to surrender and release the hostages.” If Hamas refuses, Conricus added, “we will probably have to intervene and it will be necessary to complete the land operation. The end of this war will only come when Hamas is crushed and no longer able to threaten Israeli civilians.” “.
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Hezbollah continues to attempt to attack Israel from Lebanon
An Israeli plane hit two Hezbollah cells in Lebanon on the night of Sunday to Monday. This was announced by the command of the Israel Defense Forces. The first was shot down near the Israeli border town of Mattat, the other in the disputed Shebaa Farms region. Both set up equipment to fire rockets and anti-tank missiles toward Israel.
Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Aitaroun, a village in southern Lebanon located about 13 kilometers northeast of Mattat. However, it is not clear whether it refers to the same issue.
“Israel has the right to defend itself, but it must respect international humanitarian law,” Western leaders say
The leaders of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany and Italy spoke on Sunday about the Israel-Gaza conflict and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the White House said President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and other leaders reaffirmed “their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism,” but “respect for international humanitarian law, including the right to terrorism,” demanded “protect civilians.”
The note also said that Western leaders “welcomed the release of the two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages” as well as “the announcement of the first humanitarian convoys to reach Palestinians in Gaza and pledged to continue to do so.” to coordinate with partners in the region to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical supplies and other assistance necessary to meet humanitarian needs.”