Hamas says over 700 Gazans killed in past day in widened Israeli strikes
Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 704 people in the past day, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says.
The figure represents a massive increase in the death toll amid what appear to be widening Israeli bombing attacks in the territory.
The death toll from the war stands at 5,791, including 2,360 children, ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra says in a statement. At least 16,297 others were wounded, he says. The figures cannot be verified independently.
Israel says its campaign is aimed at eliminating the Hamas terror group, which sent thousands of gunmen into Israel on October 7, killing some 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 200 more.
Rocket sirens sound in northern towns
Incoming rocket sirens are sounding in the northern towns of Elkosh and Netua, close to the Lebanon border.
The alerts come amid repeated rocket and missile attacks by Hezbollah and allied Palestinian terror groups in southern Lebanon.
Israel: Hamas bid for points off hostage release reminiscent of Nazi’s Theresienstadt
A message sent to Israeli journalists in the name of a “diplomatic source” accuses Hamas of imitating the Nazis in trying to score PR points with its release of two elderly Israeli hostages.
“Just like the Nazis gave engineered and staged tours to the Red Cross of a ‘clean’ concentration camp, to fool the world and present itself as humane, so too does Hamas, while butchering babies, raping women and shooting kids, try to present itself as humane by releasing some hostages it seemingly treated,” the government statement reads, referring to Theresienstadt.
Massive rocket barrage targets Tel Aviv region for third time in hours
Rocket sirens are sounding all over the Tel Aviv region, including the city itself, areas east of the city around Ben-Gurion airport, and towns to the north and south.
The rockets appear to be part of a massive barrage from Gaza aimed at Israel’s most populated areas, the third such volley in under two hours, and it appears to be the largest.
IDF says it struck terror cell in Lebanon and source of anti-tank missile fired at Manara
The IDF says there are no injuries in an anti-tank missile strike from Lebanon at an area near the border kibbutz of Manara.
Separately it says Israeli military aircraft attacked a “terror cell” in Lebanese territory near the Har Dov area and “destroyed weapons used by the cell.”
The army says it also shelled the source of the anti-tank fire toward Manara.
IDF chief: Army ready for Gaza incursion, delayed by ‘tactical, strategic’ factors; Oct. 7 changed our reality
“We’ve prepared for this. The IDF and the Southern Command have prepared quality offensive plans to achieve the goals of the war,” he says. “The IDF is ready for the [ground] maneuver, and we will make a decision with the political echelon regarding the shape and timing of the next stage,” Halevi says.
He says that there are “tactical and even strategic considerations” delaying the ground offensive, but they enable the IDF to better prepare.
“We are making use of every minute to be even more prepared,” he says. “And every minute that passes on the other side, we strike the enemy even more. Killing terrorists, destroying infrastructure, collecting more intelligence for the next stage,” he adds.
Rocket said to hit West Bank settlement
Reports indicate a rocket shot from Gaza may have fallen in or near the West Bank settlement of Alfei Menashe, northeast of Tel Aviv.
The Magen David Adom emergency service reports there are no injuries from the strike.
Large rocket barrage fired at central Israel, northern West Bank
A large rocket barrage is fired from Gaza toward central Israel and the northern West Bank.
Sirens sound in Lod, Rehovot, Nes Ziona and surrounding communities in central Israel. Warnings are also heard in settlements in the northern West Bank, including Elkana.
French officials say military cooperation against Hamas is possible
After French President Emmanuel Macron brings up the idea of expanding the coalition against ISIS to counter Hamas, an Elysee Palace official says in Jerusalem that France is available “to beef up what we are doing in the coalition against ISIS. We are available to include Hamas in the coalition against ISIS depending on what Israel will ask us to deliver.”
“Not every country is fighting on the ground,” the official continues. “Much will depend on conversations we have with our allies.”
At the same time, the official does not rule out the possibility of military cooperation against Hamas or French boots on the ground.
The official also stresses the need to think ahead about restarting a “more crucial, more decisive peace process.”
“If you want to fight effectively and if you want to have everyone with you, you have to offer a political perspective,” the official continues. “We need to know altogether why we are fighting.”
The official says that Macron asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “clarity about the endgame, the modalities with which you operate, the conditions which you create, your political motivation.”
He adds that France wants to “consolidate the perspective of a ceasefire. I know it is very delicate to discuss. But we need again to know where we are going to have the instruments available that can bring back peace and stability.”
Macron proposes international coalition against Hamas
French President Emmanuel Macron calls for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group to be expanded to also fight Hamas after the October 7 assault on Israel.
Macron, speaking after talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, said that countries fighting ISIS “should also fight against Hamas.”
The French leader stressed there must be a “decisive relaunch” of the Palestinian peace process following the Hamas atrocities and Israel’s declaration of war against the terror group.
“decisive relaunch” of the Palestinian peace process...land for peace continues. I expect France to have one or two catastrophes in the near future.
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