Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has escalated his pledge to invade the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah, which is full of round 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom are displaced from different components of the Gaza Strip.
“It’ll occur. There’s a date,” Netanyahu declared in a video assertion Monday, with out elaborating.
The USA, Israel’s closest ally, has mentioned a floor operation into Rafah can be a mistake and has demanded to see a reputable plan to guard civilians. Netanyahu spoke as Israeli negotiators are in Cairo discussing worldwide efforts to dealer a cease-fire cope with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Israeli troops withdrew Sunday from Khan Younis, one other metropolis in southern Gaza, ending a key section of the conflict. Protection officers say they’re regrouping forward of a push into Rafah.
Palestinians who visited Khan Younis on Monday say the town is now unlivable, providing them little fast likelihood to return. Many have been sheltering in Rafah.
The Palestinian dying toll from the conflict has handed 33,200, with practically 76,000 wounded, Gaza’s Well being Ministry mentioned. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its tally, however says ladies and youngsters make up two-thirds of the useless.
The conflict started Oct. 7 when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and taking round 250 folks hostage.
Presently:
— Palestinians returning to Khan Younis discover an unrecognizable metropolis after Israeli withdrawal.
— These Palestinian moms in Gaza gave beginning Oct. 7. Their infants have identified solely conflict.
— AP Photographs chronicle 6 months of devastation in Gaza conflict with no signal of an finish.
— Israel finds the physique of a hostage killed in Gaza, whereas talks will resume on a cease-fire.
— For households of hostages, it’s a race in opposition to time as Israel’s conflict reaches six-month mark.
— Discover extra AP protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Right here’s the newest:
TURKEY SAYS ISRAEL REJECTED ITS REQUEST TO HELP GAZA AID AIR DROPS
ANKARA, Turkey — Israel has rejected a Turkish request for its army cargo planes to affix a humanitarian help operation for Gaza, Turkey’s overseas minister mentioned Monday, including that Ankara would reply by imposing a sequence of measures in opposition to Israel.
In a televised announcement, Hakan Fidan mentioned Turkey — of the strongest critics of Israel’s army actions in Gaza — would proceed to implement the measures till Israel declares “a cease-fire and permits help to enter into Gaza with out interruption.” The minister didn’t say what these measures would entail.
Fidan mentioned Jordan had authorized NATO-member Turkey’s planes becoming a member of an operation to air drop help, however Israel rejected the request
“There isn’t any excuse for Israel to dam our try to ship help by air to ravenous folks of Gaza,” Fidan mentioned. “Confronted with this example, we determined to take a sequence of latest measures in opposition to Israel. These measures, authorized by our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) can be carried out step-by-step, directly.”
NETANYAHU VOWS TO CARRY OUT RAFAH GROUND INVASION
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has escalated his pledge to invade the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah, declaring: “There’s a date.”
Netanyahu has repeatedly mentioned Israel should ship floor forces into Rafah, saying it’s Hamas’ final stronghold in Gaza.
However the worldwide group, together with the U.S., opposes the operation, saying the roughly 1.4 million civilians searching for shelter there can be in peril.
Israel has insisted it has a plan to guard the civilians.
In a video assertion Monday, Netanyahu mentioned the Rafah operation is important for victory. He mentioned, “It’ll occur. There’s a date,” with out elaborating. He spoke as Israeli negotiators have been in Cairo discussing worldwide efforts to dealer a cease-fire cope with Hamas.
ISRAELI OFFENSIVE IN KHAN YOUNIS DAMAGED MORE THAN HALF OF ALL BUILDINGS IN THE CITY, MAP EXPERTS SAY
JERUSALEM – A pair of mapping specialists say Israel’s offensive within the southern Gaza Metropolis of Khan Younis seems to have left over half of the town’s buildings with injury or destruction seen from house.
As of final week, over 55% of the town’s buildings have been seemingly broken or destroyed, in keeping with an evaluation of Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite tv for pc information by Corey Scher of the CUNY Graduate Heart and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State College. They are saying that accounts for 45,000 buildings.
Nonetheless, the injury in Khan Younis and different components of the Strip’s south is significantly lower than within the north of Gaza, the place the researchers estimate 70% of buildings have been seemingly broken or destroyed.
Israel’s floor and aerial bombardment marketing campaign, begun after the Hamas assault Oct. 7, has wreaked unprecedented injury on the strip, leveling whole condominium buildings and leaving a lot of the territory in ruins, a moonscape from conflict.
Israel withdrew its final floor troops from Khan Younis on Sunday, marking the top of a key section in its conflict in opposition to Hamas.
ISRAEL TO BUY 40,000 TENTS TO EVACUATE PALESTINIANS FROM RAFAH, ISRAELI OFFICIAL SAYS
JERUSALEM — An Israeli official confirms that Israel is buying 40,000 tents to arrange for the evacuation of tons of of hundreds of Palestinians from the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah.
Israel says Rafah is Hamas’ final stronghold and is vowing to ship floor troops into the town. However the worldwide group, together with the U.S., opposes the offensive, saying it will endanger Palestinian civilians.
Greater than 1 million Palestinians, over half of Gaza’s inhabitants, have fled to Rafah after being displaced by combating elsewhere within the territory.
Israel has mentioned it has a plan to evacuate civilians forward of its offensive, and Israel’s Protection Ministry on Monday revealed a young searching for a provider of tents.
The Israeli official, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to talk to the media, mentioned the tents have been a part of the Rafah preparations.
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Related Press author Josef Federman contributed.
ISRAELI ARMY SAYS A PALESTINIAN WOMAN WAS SHOT DEAD ATTEMPTING TO STAB A SOLDIER IN WEST BANK
JERUSALEM — The Israeli military mentioned its forces shot useless a Palestinian ladies within the northern West Financial institution on Monday, after she tried to stab a soldier at a checkpoint.
The military mentioned the incident came about on the Tayasir checkpoint close to the northern West Financial institution city of Tubas.
In an announcement, the Palestinian Well being Ministry recognized the deceased as a younger lady however didn’t state her identify or age.
A minimum of 460 Palestinians in east Jerusalem and the West Financial institution have been killed by Israeli fireplace for the reason that Israel-Hamas conflict erupted six months in the past, in keeping with the Palestinian Well being Ministry.
Many have been shot useless in armed clashes, some whereas trying to stab Israeli forces, and others for throwing stones at troops.
The Related Press has reported on a number of circumstances the place Palestinians have been shot useless for posing no obvious menace to close by troops.
Knife assaults by Palestinian ladies are uncommon.
POPE FRANCIS MEETS WITH FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis met Monday with family of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, marking the six-month anniversary of the assault in southern Israel with an hourlong viewers.
The Vatican launched images of the encounter, exhibiting the family of the a number of of the hostages sitting in a semicircle in entrance of Francis in his personal library within the Apostolic Palace. Every one held a poster with a photograph and the identify of their beloved one.
It was the second time Francis has met with family of the hostages. On Nov. 22, he met with a delegation of Israelis, after which individually a delegation of Palestinians whose family had been harmed throughout the lengthy Mideast battle.
Francis has referred to as for the fast launch of the hostages and a cease-fire in Gaza, and for humanitarian help to urgently attain determined Palestinians.
GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY REPORTS 32 PEOPLE KILLED IN LAST 24 HOURS
CAIRO — The Well being Ministry in Gaza on Monday mentioned the our bodies of 32 folks killed in Israel’s bombardment have been dropped at hospitals within the beleaguered territory up to now 24 hours. Hospitals additionally acquired 47 wounded folks, it mentioned.
The contemporary fatalities introduced the dying toll within the strip to 33,207 for the reason that conflict started on Oct. 7, it mentioned.
The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants, however mentioned two thirds of the useless are kids and girls. The Israeli army says it has killed 12,000 militants, with out offering proof.
The ministry mentioned 75,933 folks have been wounded.
The ministry mentioned many casualties stay beneath the rubble and first responders have been unable to retrieve them amid the relentless bombing.
PAKISTAN AND SAUDI ARABIA CALL ON ISRAEL TO HALT ITS MILITARY OPERATIONS IN GAZA
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have referred to as on Israel to halt its army operations in Gaza and search a peaceable resolution to the battle in step with UN resolutions.
The 2 international locations made the calls for in a joint assertion on Monday after a gathering between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Mecca.
The 2 sides referred to as for worldwide efforts “to halt Israeli army operations in Gaza, mitigate humanitarian affect and underscored the crucial for the worldwide group to stress Israel to stop hostilities, adhere to worldwide legislation, and facilitate unhindered humanitarian help entry to Gaza,” in keeping with the assertion.
In addition they mentioned the necessity for a peace course of in accordance with UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative “geared toward discovering a simply and complete resolution, for the institution of an impartial Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
ISRAELI MILITARY SAYS IT KILLED A HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER IN LEBANON
BEIRUT — Israel’s army says it has killed a commander of Hezbollah’s secretive Radwan Power in southern Lebanon.
Ali Ahmad Hussein is without doubt one of the most senior militants killed since Israel and Hezbollah started exchanging fireplace at first of the conflict in Gaza. His killing comes as regional tensions soar after an obvious Israeli assault final week on Iran’s consulate in Syria, threatening to spark a wider conflagration.
The Israeli army mentioned two different Hezbollah militants have been additionally killed within the strike early Monday.
Hezbollah introduced the dying of Ali Ahmad Hussein however didn’t give any particulars on the circumstances or his position throughout the group, in step with how they announce the deaths of their members.
The Israeli army mentioned he was killed in an Israeli airstrike within the southern Lebanese village of Sultaniyeh. It mentioned in an announcement that Hussein was accountable for finishing up assaults on northern Israel.
Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops have clashed alongside the tense Lebanon-Israel border since Oct. 8. Hezbollah says it will cease firing rockets as soon as a cease-fire is reached within the Gaza Strip that might finish the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Israeli officers have been demanding that the Radwan Power withdraw from the border space as a way to enable tens of hundreds of displaced Israelis to return residence.
AUSTRALIA APPOINTS EX-DEFENSE CHIEF TO LOOK INTO ISRAELI STRIKE THAT KILLED 7 AID WORKERS
MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia has appointed retired nationwide protection chief Mark Binskin to look into how Israel Protection Forces got here to kill seven World Central Kitchen help staff, together with Australian Zomi Frankcom, in Gaza final week.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned Monday he anticipated Israel would totally cooperate with Binskin as Australia’s particular adviser on Israel’s response to the missile strikes on three help automobiles.
“We’d anticipate that somebody of Mr. Binskin’s stature, frankly, can be given each cooperation from the Israel Protection Forces and the Israeli authorities,” Albanese instructed Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“We don’t discover the reasons to be passable so far,” Albanese added.
The seven help staff’ deaths had “shaken the world,” Albanese mentioned, including it’s “unacceptable” that nearly 200 help staff have died for the reason that battle started in October final 12 months.
Binskin, who served as Australian Protection Power chief from 2014 to 2018, will advise the federal government on the “sufficiency and appropriateness of steps taken by the Israeli authorities” in response to the deadly assault, which the Israeli army has described as a tragic error, a authorities assertion mentioned.
PALESTINIAN PRISONER CONVICTED IN 1984 KILLING OF ISRAELI SOLDIER DIES OF CANCER, ISRAEL SAYS
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli authorities say a Palestinian prisoner convicted within the 1984 killing of a soldier has died in a hospital after he was battling most cancers.
Walid Daqa, who was an Israeli citizen, was sentenced to life in jail following the killing of soldier Moshe Tamam. The Palestinian Prisoners Membership, which represents former and present prisoners, mentioned he was slated for launch subsequent 12 months. He was one of many longest-serving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israeli media mentioned he died Sunday.
The plight of prisoners in Israeli jails is deeply delicate to Palestinians, a lot of whom have family who’ve served time in Israeli prisons. Their circumstances in jail are carefully adopted and deaths whereas in custody, even beneath pure circumstances, can heighten tensions, that are already excessive amid the conflict in Gaza.
The destiny of the prisoners is beneath notably shut watch now as a result of Israel is anticipated to launch many as a part of a deal that emerges between it and Hamas meant to carry a couple of cease-fire within the conflict and the discharge of hostages taken captive into Gaza.
The prisoners membership mentioned Israel had excluded Daqa from all earlier prisoner trade offers, as he had been characterised as a high-risk prisoner.
Hamas accused Israel of “deliberate medical negligence” in Daqa’s dying. In an announcement Monday, Israel’s Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir mentioned Daqa died of pure causes.
ISRAEL PULLS SOME OF ITS TROOPS OUT OF SOUTHERN GAZA
JERUSALEM — Israel’s army introduced Sunday it had withdrawn its forces from the southern Gaza metropolis of Khan Younis, wrapping up a key section in its floor offensive in opposition to the Hamas militant group and bringing its troop presence within the territory to one of many lowest ranges for the reason that six-month conflict started.
However protection officers mentioned troops have been merely regrouping as the military prepares to maneuver into Hamas’ final stronghold, Rafah. “The conflict in Gaza continues, and we’re removed from stopping,” mentioned the army chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.
Native broadcaster Channel 13 TV reported that Israel was making ready to start evacuating Rafah inside one week and the method might take a number of months.
Nonetheless, the withdrawal was a milestone as Israel and Hamas marked six months of combating. Army officers, talking on situation of anonymity beneath military coverage, mentioned a “important power” remained in Gaza to proceed focused operations together with in Khan Younis, hometown of the Hamas chief, Yehya Sinwar.
AP video in Khan Younis confirmed some folks returning to a panorama marked by shattered multistory buildings and climbing over particles. Vehicles have been overturned and charred. Southern Gaza’s most important hospital, Nasser, was in shambles.
ISRAEL FINDS BODY OF HOSTAGE KILLED IN GAZA
CAIRO — Israel’s army says it has recovered the physique of a 47-year-old farmer who was held hostage in Gaza.
Israel’s military mentioned Saturday it discovered the physique of Elad Katzir and believed he was killed in January by militants with Islamic Jihad, one of many teams that entered southern Israel within the Oct. 7 assault, killed greater than 1,200 folks and took about 250 hostages. Katzir was kidnapped from Nir Oz, a border group that suffered a number of the heaviest losses.
The invention renewed stress on Israel’s authorities for a deal to get the remaining hostages freed, and hundreds gathered in Tel Aviv to name for a deal in addition to early elections. Hostages’ households have lengthy feared time is working out. A minimum of 36 hostages have been confirmed useless. About half of the unique quantity have been launched.
“He might have been saved if a deal had occurred in time,” Katzir’s sister Carmit mentioned in an announcement. “Our management is cowardly and pushed by political issues, and that’s the reason (a deal) didn’t occur.”
Israelis are divided on the method by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his authorities. Per week in the past, tens of hundreds of Israelis thronged central Jerusalem within the largest anti-government protest for the reason that conflict started.