Tag: Israel-Hamas War

Israeli defence chief challenges Benjamin Netanyahu over post-war Gaza plans

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was publicly challenged about post-war plans for the Gaza Strip on Wednesday by his own defence chief, who vowed to oppose any long-term military rule by Israel over the ravaged Palestinian enclave.

The televised statement by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant marked the most vocal dissent from within Israel’s top echelon against Netanyahu during a seven-month-old and multi-front conflict that has set off political fissures at home and abroad.

Netanyahu hinted, in a riposte which did not explicitly name Gallant, that the retired admiral was making “excuses” for not yet having destroyed Hamas in a conflict now in its eight month.

But the veteran conservative premier soon appeared to be outflanked within his own war cabinet: Centrist ex-general Benny Gantz, the only voting member of the forum other than Netanyahu and Gallant, said the defence minister had “spoke(n) the truth”.

While reiterating the Netanyahu government’s goals of defeating Hamas and recovering remaining hostages from the October 7 cross-border rampage by the Islamist faction, Gallant said these must be complemented by laying the groundwork for alternative Palestinian rule.

“We must dismantle Hamas’ governing capabilities in Gaza. The key to this goal is military action, and the establishment of a governing alternative in Gaza,” Gallant said.

“In the absence of such an alternative, only two negative options remain: Hamas’ rule in Gaza or Israeli military rule in Gaza,” he added, saying he would oppose the latter scenario and urging Netanyahu to formally forswear it.

Gallant said that, since October, he had tried to promote a plan to set up a “non-hostile Palestinian governing alternative” to Hamas – but got no response from the Israeli cabinet.

The format of his broadside, a pre-announced news conference carried live by Israeli TV and radio, recalled Gallant’s bombshell warning in March 2023 that foment over a judicial overhaul pursued by Netanyahu was threatening military cohesion.

At the time, Netanyahu announced that Gallant would be fired – but backed down amid a deluge of street demonstrations. Some defence analysts believe Gallant’s prediction was borne out by Hamas’ ability to blindside Israeli forces a few months later.

Asked on Wednesday whether he was worried he may again face being ousted, Gallant said: “I’m not blaming anyone. In a democratic country, I believe, it’s appropriate for a person, especially the defence minister who holds a position, to make it public.”

Gallant’s Gaza criticism recalled that of Israel’s chief ally, the United States, which has sought to parlay the war into a role for the internationally backed Palestinian Authority (PA), which wields limited governance in the occupied West Bank.

Netanyahu has refused this, describing the PA as a hostile entity – and repeated this position in a video statement he issued on social media within an hour of Gallant’s remarks.

Any move to create an alternative Gaza government requires that Hamas first be eliminated, Netanyahu said, finishing with the demand that this objective be pursued “without excuses”.

Netanyahu’s ruling coalition includes ultra-nationalist partners who want the PA dismantled and new Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Those partners have at times sparred with Gallant, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party, over policy.

Netanyahu has said Israel would retain overall security control over Gaza after the war for the foreseeable future. He has stopped short of describing this scenario as an occupation – a status Washington does not want to see emerge – and has signalled opposition to Israelis settling the territory.

Over the last week, Israeli ground forces have returned to some areas of northern Gaza that they overran and quit in the first half of the war. Israel describes the new missions as planned crackdowns on efforts by Hamas holdouts to regroup, while Palestinians see evidence of the tenacity of the gunmen.

Briefing reporters on Tuesday, chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari was asked whether the absence of a post-Hamas strategy for Gaza was complicating operations.

“There is no doubt that an alternative to Hamas would generate pressure on Hamas, but that’s a question for the government echelon,” he responded.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

‘Deeply saddened’ — India on death of retired Colonel Kale in Gaza

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

India on Wednesday said it is “deeply saddened” over the death of Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), the Indian national who was working with the UN in Gaza.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York as well as its mission in Tel Aviv and Ramallah are extending all assistance in the repatriation of mortal remains of Kale to India.

Kale was killed after the vehicle he was travelling in came under attack in Gaza’s Rafah region on Monday. “We are deeply saddened by the death of Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), Security Coordination Officer in the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS) in Gaza on May 13,” the MEA said.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and dear ones,” it said “Our Permanent Mission to the UN in New York and our Missions in Tel Aviv and Ramallah are extending all assistance in the repatriation of mortal remains to India and continue to be in touch with relevant authorities regarding the investigation into the incident,” the MEA said in a statement.

Also Read: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plays ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ in Kyiv bar; internet reacts

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Israel strike kills Indian staff member of the UN in Gaza: Reports

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Israel military fired at a UN aid vehicle in Rafah, Gaza killed an Indian national Colonel Waibhav Kale, the UN’s first foreign staff member, as per multiple media reports. Kale had joined as a security coordination officer at the UN just two months ago. In 2022, he took premature retirement from the Indian Army, the reports stated.

UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for a full investigation, Al Jazeera reported.

Guterres on social media platform X said a UN vehicle was struck in Gaza, resulting in the death of one person and the the other suffering injuries.

He condemned all attacks on UN personnel and called for an immediate ceasefire in his post.

Today a @UN vehicle was struck in Gaza, killing one of our colleagues & injuring another.
More than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza.
Humanitarian workers must be protected.
I condemn all attacks on UN personnel and reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian…

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 13, 2024

Kale, who was with the 11 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles (11 J&K Rif), killed in Rafah is the “first casualty” among international UN staff in Gaza since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict following the October 7 terror attacks.
Another DSS staffer was injured in the incident when their UN vehicle was struck as they travelled to the European Hospital in Rafah.

Al Jazeera reported heavy ground fighting in the south of Rafah and the north of Jabalia of the Gaza Strip. Citing the UN, it reported that at least 3.6 lakh Palestinians fled Rafah as Israel continues its military operation in the city.

Responding to questions on the incident during the press briefing, Haq said at this point, “We are in the process of informing the relevant governments and the relevant family members, so I wouldn’t share any names or nationalities.” He added that they were “international staff.” Haq confirmed that “this is, in fact, the first international UN casualty.”

While there have been international casualties involving workers for the World Central Kitchen in Gaza, Haq said that “of UN staff, I believe I’ve not been previously aware of an international casualty.” Haq added that the vehicle was headed to the hospital “as part of their regular work, they go to different locations to assess security conditions.

And this was the European hospital in Rafah. When asked for details about how their vehicle was struck, Haq said “This happened fairly recently. We’re still accumulating details. We expect to get reports, including from the relevant authorities.”

He added that close to around 190 UN personnel have been killed in Gaza since October 7, “most of them national staff of the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA.” Haq added that the UN is “going to set up measures for accountability. A lot of that… requires ultimately for an end to the conflict so that we can work these out, but we will be working with the authorities on the ground to get a restitution for all of those who have been killed.” Haq said he did not have the full details of whether the vehicle that was struck was part of a large convoy.

“I believe it was in a convoy that was moving, and this was the DSS vehicle that was hit.” Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X, “We are devastated to learn about the death” of a UN humanitarian worker and injury of another in Gaza.

“Too many civilian and humanitarian lives have paid the price for this war. Ceasefire and work towards peace,” the WHO chief said.

Meanwhile, the White House has said the Joe Biden administration does not view the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel as genocide.

The US military chief for the Middle East also visited Israel to discuss the Gaza war, mainting that US opposes a full-scale attack on Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

Earlier, Israel troops also attacked food aid trucks at Tarqumiyah checkpoint in Hebron, preventig them from reaching the Gaza.

In April, seven members of the World Central Kitchen were killed in an IDF strike in Gaza. One of those killed in the airstrike was Zomi Frankcom, who was of Indian descent, according to reports.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that between October 7, 2023, and May 12, 2024, at least 35,091 Palestinians have been killed and 78,827 injured in Gaza.

More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 33 children, have been killed in Israel, the vast majority on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel.

According to sources from the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI), “Col Waibhav Kale was serving with the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS).”

His vehicle, en route to a hospital, came under attack in Rafah, and another UN staff member was injured. Col. Kale is the first international UN casualty since the beginning of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, it added.

The Indian Army has not issued an official statement regarding this incident yet. However, they are expected to provide an update on the repatriation of Col. Kale’s mortal remains when possible. The United Nations has called for an investigation into this attack, sources said.

“More than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza, most of them national staff of the UN Relief and Works Agency & UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East),” it said.

With inputs from PTI

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Global Eye: Biden-Netanyahu ties in focus after Israel ignores US warnings on Rafah

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The US-Israel ties are under focus after Tel Aviv ignored US warning about Rafah. A panel of experts on CNBC-TV18’s Global Eye hosted by Parikshit Luthra discusses key issues related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the latest stance from the United States, and the wider humanitarian crisis.

Nimrod Goren, President & Founder of Mitvim, and Co-Founder of Diplomeds suggests that the American support for Israel is strong and the latest frustration on the part of the Biden administration is more with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“It’s more of an issue between Biden and Netanyahu. American support for Israel is strong, has been strong since October 7. But the American administration is very frustrated from the conduct of Prime Minister Netanyahu on multiple issues. It began with the humanitarian issue in Gaza, with the American plans for the day after the war that Netanyahu does not share on issues related to Rafah.”

Goren also pointed out the American desire for a temporary halt in weapon deliveries between Israel and Hamas, despite unsuccessful attempts at brokering such a pause over nearly four months.

Anju Gupta, a Security Analyst & Former DGP pointed at the humanitarian crisis with no end to the fighting visible.

“The war has expanded across the region to the northern part of Israel, to the Red Sea and also targeting of US bases and troops we have seen across Syria, Iraq and Jordan, which have halted in the month of February with some kind of an understanding between the US and Iran. So what we have seen so far is that there is no end to fighting.”

She stated it remains uncertain how long it will take or what efforts will be necessary to effectively address the significant humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing expansion of the conflict across the region and the persistent threat posed by Hamas.

President Joe Biden has made it clear that the US would pause the supply of certain weapons to Israel if the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carry out a large-scale invasion of Rafah. This decision reflects concerns about the potential use of these weapons in densely populated areas and the resulting civilian casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the US warning by vowing to continue the fight alone if necessary. The situation remains tense, with political leaders clashing over decisions that could affect regional stability.

Meanwhile, Israeli and Hamas delegations have left Cairo after inconclusive peace talks. Reports have said Israel has expressed its reservations about the proposed captive release deal and has deemed this round of negotiations over.

Read Here | Israel attacks eastern parts of Rafah, Benjamin Netanyahu vows will fight alone even without help from US

Hamas has rejected the proposal and raised objections on multiple central issues. Hamas added that the ball is now completely in Israel’s court.

Watch the video for full discussion

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Israel attacks eastern parts of Rafah, Benjamin Netanyahu vows will fight alone even without help from US

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Israeli troops bombarded areas of Rafah in Gaza on Thursda, news agency Reuters reported. This comes on the back of Israel PM dismissing US President Joe Biden’s threat to withold weapons from Israel if it attacks the southern Gaza city

In Gaza, Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said their fighters fired anti-tank rockets and mortars at Israeli tanks massed on the eastern outskirts of the city, Reuters reported.

The news agency also quoted a senior Israeli official saying that the latest round of indirect negotiations in Cairo to halt hostilities in Gaza had ended and Israel would proceed with its operation in Rafah and other parts of the Gaza Strip as planned.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also struck a defiant tone against US President Joe Biden after the US withheld a shipment of bombs as a warning to its top Middle East ally not to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

In a first, punchy clip on the social media site X, Netanyahu said: “If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone” and “fight tooth and nail.” He then pivoted to a more conciliatory approach when chatting with Phil McGraw, the American talk show host known as Dr. Phil.

“I’ve known Joe Biden for many years, 40 years and more,” Netanyahu said in the interview Thursday on “Dr. Phil Primetime” broadcast on Merit Street Media. “We often had agreements, but we’ve had our disagreements and we’ve been able to overcome them. I hope we can overcome them now.”

Netanyahu said Israel must go into Rafah to finish off the remaining battalions of Hamas, the US-designated terrorist group that killed 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped about 250 last Oct. 7. He said Hamas will “murder again and again” if allowed to survive in Rafah.

“We have to achieve victory,” he said. “That means we have to destroy all these battalions, which we will. We face very strong opposition to that, but we’re going to overcome it.”

Netanyahu said Israel would do its utmost to make sure civilians leave Rafah, where more than a million people are sheltering, before any attack. He also criticized the “madness” of pro-Palestinian rallies on US college campuses, saying protesters are “supporting genocide,” adding that this reflected “the sorry state of American higher education.”

On Wednesday, Biden said he would halt additional shipments of offensive weapons to Israel if it launches a ground invasion of Rafah, decrying the potential loss of civilian life as “just wrong.”

“We’re going to continue to make sure Israel is secure in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks that came out of the Middle East recently,” Biden said in an interview with CNN, referring to air-defense weaponry. “But it’s just wrong. We’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells.”

Like Netanyahu, US officials followed sharp criticism with more conciliatory remarks on Thursday.

White House officials insisted the US stands by its ally, while urging Netanyahu to refrain from an assault that could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Spokesman John Kirby reiterated that the administration paused, but didn’t cancel, the shipment of about 3,500 bombs, which he said was limited to specific munitions that could add to the civilian death toll in Gaza.

“The arguments that somehow we’re walking away from Israel flies in the face of the facts,” Kirby told reporters.

There were also indications that the White House hadn’t sought an open confrontation with Netanyahu.

US officials initially planned to inform the Israeli government privately that the US intended to pause the bomb shipment, in order to ramp up pressure on Netanyahu — but not to follow through unless there was a major incursion into urban areas of Rafah. But that plan was foiled when Israeli officials leaked it, people familiar with the situation said.

With inputs from Bloomberg and Reuters

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Joe Biden warns he will hold back more weapons if Israel invades Rafah

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

US President Joe Biden said he would halt additional shipments of offensive weapons to Israel if the country proceeded with a ground invasion of Rafah, decrying the potential loss of civilian life as “just wrong.”

“We’re going to continue to make sure Israel is secure in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks that came out of the Middle East recently,” Biden said in an interview Wednesday with CNN. “But it’s, it’s just wrong. We’re not going to – we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells.”

The remarks came after the US paused delivery of about 3,500 bombs to Israel — including 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) explosives that could cause massive collateral damage in the densely packed southern Gaza city of Rafah — amid mounting frustration over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza. The move marked the Biden administration’s most serious signal of displeasure over the conduct of the ongoing war against Hamas.

“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” Biden said.

Earlier Wednesday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the US is reviewing “other potential weapon systems” as needed. A congressional aide and an administration official, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations, said another pending arms sale has been under review for months — a potential $260 million sale between Boeing Co. and Israel for as many as 6,500 tail-kits to convert unguided bombs into GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions.

Yet even as tension mounts, Biden administration officials and former officials said the moves had a clearly defined goal: exert as much pressure as possible on Israel to scale back or abandon an invasion of Rafah while being careful not to make a total break with Netanyahu’s government.

The administration also wants to preserve space for negotiators who have convened in Cairo this week to keep striving for a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. Officials in those talks include Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, who is trying to bring home a deal whose prospects have whipsawed between hopeful and grim.

“The pause in arms shipments should not be read as a major break in the relationship,” said Mara Rudman, who held senior Middle East diplomatic roles in the Obama and Clinton administrations and is now a professor at the University of Virginia. “Consider it as an element in the mix at a key inflection point — maximizing efforts to reach a cease-fire that brings out hostages, brings in humanitarian relief and starts to build a pathway to greater sanity all around.”

It all comes at a critical juncture in the seven-month old conflict. Biden is facing domestic pressure for a solution with US elections just six months away. At the same time, Israel has begun strikes in Rafah that could either pressure Hamas leaders into signing a cease-fire deal or scuttle the negotiations entirely.

Biden’s decision on the arms supplies marks one of the most significant moments of discord between Israel and its most important ally since Hamas’s October 7 assault, which started the war. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US, killed 1,200 people and abducted about 250 when its fighters stormed into southern Israel from Gaza.

The US has stepped up its criticism of Israel in recent months, saying it’s not doing enough to protect civilians and allow aid into the besieged Palestinian territory, parts of which the United Nations says are on the verge of famine. “There have been far too many casualties in this battle space,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in congressional testimony Wednesday. Israel’s bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza have killed almost 35,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Biden’s decision was immediately assailed by the Israelis, who privately expressed deep frustration to the US and warned that it could jeopardize the negotiations at a crucial moment, according to a person briefed on the discussions. The Israelis also told US officials that pressure should be put on Hamas, not on Israel, said the person, who also asked not to be named to speak freely about private discussions.

It was also assailed by Republican lawmakers in Washington, who accused the administration of sending the wrong message to Hamas and other Iran-backed militant groups such as Hezbollah.

The pauses “call into question your pledge that your commitment to Israel’s security will remain ironclad,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a joint letter to Biden Wednesday. “Daylight between the United States and Israel at this dangerous time risks emboldening Israel’s enemies and undermining the trust that other allies and partners have in the United States.”

While the administration has warned against a large-scale Israeli move on Rafah, where there are intact battalions of Hamas fighters, US officials have signaled they would accept a more surgical, targeted campaign. Biden told CNN that Israel’s actions in Rafah – including air strikes near border areas – had not yet crossed the line.

“They haven’t gone into the population centers. What they did is right on the border. And it’s causing problems with, right now, in terms of – with Egypt, which I’ve worked very hard to make sure we have a relationship and help,” he said.

Biden told Netanyahu last month, following the killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers in an Israeli strike, that ongoing US support for the war would depend on new steps to protect civilians.

“I’ve made it clear to Bibi and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support, if in fact they go on these population centers,” Biden said Wednesday, referencing the Israeli prime minister’s nickname.

The US also stopped far short of halting all military aid to Israel. The US recently signed a foreign-aid package that contains billions of dollars of fresh assistance for Israel. The paused bomb shipment isn’t connected to those funds, Austin said. Arms transfers that are under review were drawn from previously appropriated money, and the White House is committed to ensuring Israel gets all the new national security aid, he said.

While the administration’s actions this week might represent the toughest US stance on Israel’s behavior so far, it’s still been handled in a way that shows both sides want to keep the relationship on solid ground, according to Gerald Feierstein, a veteran US diplomat who’s now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.

At the same time, he said, other developments could further strain the US-Israel relationship, including a government memorandum due this week that outlines whether the US believes Israel violated international humanitarian law in Gaza.

“We still see the administration not being willing to risk an open break or an open confrontation with the Israelis,” he said. “A lot of it just depends on how things play out in Rafah and whether it gets worse.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US paused weapons shipment to Israel over Rafah invasion concern

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The US paused a shipment of bombs to Israel over worries about Israel nearing a decision to launch a wide-ranging military offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which President Joe Biden opposes, according to a senior administration official.

The delivery was supposed to contain 3,500 bombs, split roughly evenly between 2,000-pound (907-kilogram) and 500-pound explosives, the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, said.

The official added the administration is worried about the damage the larger bombs could inflict on dense urban settings like Rafah, where more than 1 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The US has not made a final decision about how to proceed with the shipment, according to the official.

The decision, reported earlier by the Associated Press, marks one of the most prominent instances of discord between the US and Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault that killed 1,200 people and saw roughly 250 more taken hostage by the group, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union. The US has long been Israel’s largest and most reliable military backer, but Biden has called on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to protect civilians in Gaza.

Biden told Netanyahu last month, following the killing of aid workers in an Israeli strike, that ongoing US support for the war would depend on new steps to protect civilians.

The US president in April signed a foreign aid package that contained fresh assistance for Israel, but the paused bomb shipment was not connected to those funds, according to the administration official. Arms transfers that are under review were drawn from previously appropriated money and the administration is committed to ensuring Israel gets every dollar of the new national security aid, the official said.

The Biden administration in April began reviewing future transfers of certain armaments as Israeli leaders seemed to close in on a decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Rafah, despite repeated warnings from the US. Discussions between American and Israeli officials over Rafah plans are continuing and have yet to fully address the administration’s concerns, the official said.

“Two things can be true at once,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier Tuesday, without addressing the weapons-transfer pause. “Israel has a right and a responsibility to defend itself, and we’re going to continue to provide for their security and help them with that. And at the same time, they have a right and obligation to be careful about civilian casualties and getting more humanitarian assistance in.”

Israel’s military moved to take control of the Rafah border crossing into Egypt and ordered some civilians to leave the city so that an attack can get underway. That came after Hamas said it accepted a cease-fire proposal, but Israel rejected it, saying it fell far short of meeting their demands.

While the White House has repeatedly expressed opposition to a Rafah incursion, officials have not indicated publicly that Israel’s current operations in the area have violated Biden’s warnings against a full-scale invasion of the city. White House spokesman John Kirby earlier Tuesday described the existing operation as “limited” and intended to cut off Hamas’s ability to smuggle weapons and money into Gaza.

Israel says reopening Kerem Shalom aid crossing into Gaza

Israel was reopening Kerem Shalom crossing on its border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a statement from the Israeli agency in charge of it said, adding that aid trucks routed through from Egypt were already undergoing security inspections there.

Israel had closed Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday after a Palestinian shelling attack nearby killed four soldiers.Israel was reopening Kerem Shalom crossing on its border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a statement from the Israeli agency in charge of it said, adding that aid trucks routed through from Egypt were already undergoing security inspections there.

Israel had closed Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday after a Palestinian shelling attack nearby killed four soldiers.

With inputs from Reuters

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Israel-Hamas war: Former ambassador warns of imminent humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Israel has confirmed that it has taken control of the Palestinian side of the crossing between Gaza and Egypt. This is the only Gaza border crossing that was not controlled by Israel and has served as the entry point for much of the limited humanitarian aid that has entered Gaza.

Egypt has condemned Israel’s move, calling it a “dangerous escalation.” The country’s military also called on the Israeli side to “stay away” from policies that would threaten a potential truce.

Meanwhile, truce talks are to resume in Cairo after Israel said the terms that Hamas had agreed to were unacceptable. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected it as “far from Israel’s basic requirements.”

Discussing Israel’s recent operations in Rafah and its seizure of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, Anil Trigunayat, a former ambassador, highlighted significant implications. He emphasised that such actions would exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation for the approximately 1.4 million people in Rafah.

“Almost 1.4 million people are there in Rafah at the moment, who have been just pushed around that. So they will be suffering a great deal and as has been feared by everyone, including the United States, which have tried to dissuade Netanyahu from going further ahead into Rafah.”

Read Here | Israel says a ceasefire plan backed by Hamas falls far short

Trigunayat also pointed out the potential strain on the Egypt-Israel peace treaty since 1979, as Egypt has historically limited Palestinian refugees’ entry to avoid the escalation of conflict with Israel.

“Egypt has not allowed a lot of Palestinian refugees to come into its side. Because if any attack they did against Israel, Israel will counter attack and then there will be a possibility of a bigger war between Israel and Egypt, which is what they have been trying to avoid, but it looks like that this is very imminent now,” he said.

Despite frantic efforts by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to negotiate terms, tensions remain high. Trigunayat expressed doubts in relation to Israel’s objectives in Rafah, noting the risk of a disastrous outcome.

Trigunayat added, “If you remember that Netanyahu has said that deal or no deal, we will go into Rafah. Now, because their main objective is somehow they feel that battalions of the Hamas leadership are there and they expect that there are probably remaining hostages in Rafah. They just want to secure them, and I doubt very much that they will be successful in it. But at the same time, there is going to be a disastrous consequence of this.”

He warned of a continued humanitarian catastrophe due to the disruption of aid routes, particularly through Rafah. Additionally, he questioned whether the US has sufficient leverage to influence Israel’s actions.

Watch this video for more

Also Read | India eases advisory for Indians travelling to Iran, Israel as conflict in West Asia de-escalates

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Israel says a ceasefire plan backed by Hamas falls far short

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Palestinian militant group Hamas said it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip, but Israel’s war cabinet unanimously rejected it as “far from Israel’s necessary demands,” dashing hopes for an immediate pause in the fighting.

Israel vowed to continue “its operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas” but also said it will send a delegation to meet with mediators “to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement.” In a statement later Monday, the Israel Defense Forces announced fresh airstrikes against Hamas targets in the Rafah area.

The Israeli response followed hours after Hamas had posted a statement to Telegram saying that Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political office, had accepted a Qatari and Egyptian cease-fire proposal. Questions were raised almost immediately about the details, with both US and Israeli officials saying they were studying the Hamas response.

Benny Gantz, a centrist who joined the war cabinet, said in a post on Telegram that the proposal offered by Hamas “does not correspond to the dialogue that has taken place so far with the mediators and has significant gaps.” He said an Israeli delegation nonetheless will meet with negotiators in Cairo.

Hamas and Israel have been negotiating via Qatar, Egypt and the US on an agreement that would see the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians detained in Israeli jails. It would also include a pause in fighting.

Israeli cabinet minister Itamar Ben Gvir was the first Israeli official to address the Hamas response to the cease-fire proposal, saying it was no more than a trick. “Hamas’ shenanigans have only one answer: an immediate order to occupy Rafah! Increasing military pressure, crushing Hamas, and proceeding to its ultimate defeat,” Ben Gvir said in a post on X.

Tensions Increased

Those talks had stalled over the weekend over the Iran-backed militant group’s insistence that any truce be permanent, leading to the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Israel has said it must eliminate Hamas before ending the war.

Tensions also increased after Hamas killed four Israeli soldiers with a rocket barrage on Sunday on the border crossing of Kerem Shalom, one of its worst missile attacks in weeks. Israel has insisted on a phased approach to any cease-fire, saying Hamas must first commit to the release of about three dozen hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

“I want it to succeed, but the cold, sort of cool analyst in me says the fundamental divide between the two combatants — Israel and Hamas — make it more likely that we’ll see many more weeks, if not months, of violence than we’ll see some sort of off-ramp to a diplomatic settlement,” said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute who previously worked at the US National Security Council.

At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will go ahead with its invasion of Rafah, in Gaza’s south, where Israeli forces say Hamas still holds sway. Earlier Monday, Israel told some civilians to move out of parts of Rafah, a possible prelude to a long-expected attack on the city where more than a million Palestinians have sought shelter from the war.

The Israel Defense Forces “will act with extreme force against terrorist organizations in your areas of residence,” a spokesman said on X on Monday morning. He urged residents of eastern Rafah to go north to an “expanded humanitarian area” near Khan Younis, another city in Gaza.

Large numbers of people started leaving Rafah in cars, on foot and on horse-drawn carriages. A spokesman for the Israeli military said its Air Force struck 50 targets in Rafah Monday.

President Joe Biden has called a Rafah invasion a “red line,” and he and other top US officials have repeatedly warned that Israel must not launch such an attack without protecting civilians. During a visit to Tel Aviv last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “we’ve not seen such a plan.’

Biden and Netanyahu spoke on Monday. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Biden had again made clear the US view about “operations in Rafah that could potentially put more than a million innocent people at greater risk.”

If a cease-fire had been reached, it would have brought about a halt in fighting between Israel and Hamas for the first time since a similar accord in late November. The impasse could allow talks to begin regarding a permanent truce, while letting much-needed aid be delivered to Gaza’s war-ravaged population. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Israeli army tells Palestinians to temporarily evacuate parts of Rafah ahead of an expected assault

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Israeli army has told Palestinians to begin evacuating eastern Rafah, according to an Israeli Defense Force statement on Monday, signalling that a ground invasion is imminent.

People were told to move to Muwasi, an Israeli-declared humanitarian area near the coast. The army said it had expanded assistance into the area, including field hospitals, tents, food and water.

The announcement comes amid fragile cease-fire talks and ahead of a highly anticipated ground offensive that Israel has been vowing to undertake for months to weed out the remaining Hamas militants.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant claimed Hamas wasn’t serious about a deal and warned of “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah.”

His comments came after Hamas attacked Israel’s main crossing point Sunday for delivering assistance, killing three soldiers.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow