2024-03-17 13:14:36
“If we stop the war now” against Hamas “before we have achieved our objectives, it will mean that we have lost the war.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated this, thus responding to the requests of those calling for a stop to hostilities in Gaza. Speaking before the government meeting in Jerusalem, he said: “To our friends in the international community, I say: Are your memories short? Have you so quickly forgotten October 7, the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust?”
Whoever wants elections wants to stop the war. It is the meaning of Netanyahu’s statements, who thus responded, among others, to the leader of the Democratic majority in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, who harshly contested his policy, asking for an early vote. Those who want to stop the war, Netanyahu said, speaking before the government meeting in Jerusalem, do so “by making false accusations against the Israeli Defense Forces, the Israeli government and the Israeli prime minister: they do it by trying to hold elections now, in full of war”.
Then the prime minister pointed the finger at the USA. The comments of US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (who called Benjamin Netanyahu an obstacle to peace in the Middle East) were “totally inappropriate”, said the Israeli prime minister himself. Regarding Schumer’s calls for elections, Netanyahu said that whether or not elections take place in Israel is something “the Israeli government decides on its own.” “It is inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership,” Netanyahu added.
As for an agreement on a truce, “time will tell, but the bizarre demands of Hamas make the agreement much more difficult. We will, however, continue to try because we want to get the hostages back,” Netanyahu said, commenting on the negotiations for a truce agreement during an interview with CNN.
Gaza sources: “Hamas number three hit, but his condition unclear”
Meanwhile, Israeli military forces have struck Hamas number 3 Marwan Issa, but his condition is unclear, informed Palestinian sources quoted by the Times of Israel say. The IDF action took place last week, it is only clarified.
Israeli military forces also announced that they had killed, with snipers and air force support, 18 Hamas militants in the center of the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours. Operations in the area continue, we read in a statement.
Israeli raid against targets in Syria: “Two soldiers injured and material damage”
Israel’s raid against several targets in Syria, the Syrian news agency SANA announced, specifying that the attack caused material damage and injured two soldiers. Damascus military forces shot down some missiles coming from the Golan Heights around 12.45pm (local ota). According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Israeli raids also hit two military sites in the Qalamoun mountains, northeast of Damsco, an area used by Hezbollah militants. It is the 24th attack on Syria by Israel since the beginning of the year.
Hamas: deaths in the Strip have risen to 31,645
In the last 24 hours, “92 martyrs” have died in Israeli attacks and another 130 people have been injured, bringing the number of Palestinian victims in Gaza since October 7 to 31,645. This was announced by the Ministry of Health in the Strip, which also speaks of 73,676 injured.
Nave Open Arms returns to Cyprus: “Open maritime corridor closed for 20 years”
The ship of the Spanish NGO Open Arms returned to Larnaca today, having arrived in Gaza in recent days via a humanitarian maritime corridor with a load of 200 tons of humanitarian aid organized by Wiorld Central Kitchen. “This concludes the first joint humanitarian mission in Gaza with Wck, which landed 200 tons of basic food for the population of the northern Strip. This opens the humanitarian maritime corridor that has been closed for 20 years,” he wrote on X the NGO.
Hamas: deaths in the Strip have risen to 31,645
In the last 24 hours, “92 martyrs” have died in Israeli attacks and another 130 people have been injured, bringing the number of Palestinian victims in Gaza since October 7 to 31,645. This was announced by the Ministry of Health in the Strip, which also speaks of 73,676 injured.
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