Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government has set a date for a major ground operation in Rafah, the last remaining Palestinian shelter in Gaza.
The Israeli leader is under pressure both from close ally the US, which sees the promised offensive as a major threat to civilians, and from members of his own coalition, who demand military action. Some 1.3 million people, most of them displaced from other parts of the Palestinian enclave, are estimated to be crammed into the city, which is located at Gaza’s border with Egypt. In a short video statement on Monday night, the prime minister said that achieving a victory over the militant group Hamas “requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen – there is a date.” Earlier in the day, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued an ultimatum to Netanyahu, stating that if he “decides to end the war without a broad attack on Rafah in order to defeat Hamas, he will not have a mandate to continue serving as prime minister.” West Jerusalem has declared the elimination of Hamas, which organized a deadly incursion into southern Israel last October, as its primary goal. Netanyahu has previously claimed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “had eliminated 19 out of 24 of the Hamas battalions”. Last Sunday, the IDF announced that it was pulling most of its ground forces from the southern part of Gaza. The move will give soldiers rest, in preparation for a future mission in the Rafah area, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said. Critics of the Israeli tactics say it is a far cry from the precision-targeting of Hamas militants, which is how West Jerusalem portrays it. Over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in more than six months of hostilities, compared to some 1,200 Israelis killed in the initial Hamas massacre. Last week, Israel targeted a convoy of the humanitarian group World Central Kitchen in a series of drone strikes, which killed seven aid workers. The attack, which the IDF described as a tragic mistake, was ordered despite the group having closely coordinated its mission with the military. US President Joe Biden threatened last Thursday to reconsider Washington’s support for Israel unless it changes its approach. Israel has since reopened a border crossing to allow more aid into Gaza and reported a surge in the number of trucks loaded with crucial supplies entering the blockaded territory, after claiming for months that it was not preventing the flow of aid.
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The Israeli military has destroyed 19 of Hamas’ 24 regional battalions in Gaza over the past six months, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed.
In a statement ahead of a cabinet meeting on Sunday marking six months since the start of the Gaza war, Netanyahu said Israel was “one step away from victory.” “Today we mark six months since the war began… We eliminated 19 out of 24 of the Hamas battalions, including their senior commanders. We killed, wounded or captured a significant number of Hamas terrorists... We destroyed their factories manufacturing rockets, weapons, ammunition,” the prime minister said. The conflict kicked off on October 7 last year with a surprise Hamas raid that claimed the lives of an estimated 1,200 Israelis and saw the capture of more than 200 hostages. Netanyahu promptly declared war on the militant group and vowed to eradicate it. As a result, due to the density of Gaza’s population, over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on the enclave in the following months, with much of the area razed to the ground. In his statement, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel needs to continue fighting until all Hamas militants are eliminated. He noted that Hamas still holds 133 Israeli citizens hostage, and stressed that there will be no talk of a ceasefire until all of them are freed. “There is no war more just than this war, and we are determined to finish it with complete victory. To return all those who were abducted, complete the elimination of Hamas in the entire Gaza Strip, including Rafah, and ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel,” he stated. Israeli and Hamas delegations held ceasefire negotiations brokered by Egypt and Qatar on Sunday in Cairo. According to a report on Al Arabiya TV channel, Hamas’ demands included Israel dropping plans to persecute and eliminate its leaders once the fighting in Gaza stops, as well as a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu called these demands “extreme” and said Israel will not “surrender to them,” as, according to him, they may “endanger our citizens and our soldiers” in the future. Netanyahu’s refusal to strike an agreement with Hamas and thus secure the release of hostages has been brewing discontent among Israelis. Tens of thousands of demonstrators staged a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening to demand Netanyahu’s resignation and for a deal to be reached with the Palestinian militants. Today is the last day of a four-day demonstration in Jerusalem. Close to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, hundreds of demonstrators have camped in tents in recent days.
It almost looks like a festival site. In addition to speakers, there are music performances, posters with political statements hang everywhere, and the overnight demonstrators can get food and drinks in special tents. But the joy of a festival is certainly not there. People are frustrated and angry with the government. They want elections to be held as soon as possible and Prime Minister Netanyahu to leave. When the war started, there was already dissatisfaction with the prime minister. But then there was the feeling that unity was the most important thing, and that it was not the time for demonstrations against the government. Those days are over, says Ami Dror, one of the organizers of the protest in Jerusalem: "A change is happening. The Israeli people are slowly moving away from their wait-and-see attitude to the view that they want a different government as soon as possible." In recent days, tens of thousands of people have attended the demonstration, which has become the largest anti-government protest since the start of the war. “This government no longer represents the Israeli people, they are so far away from us,” Dror said. The demonstrators believe that Netanyahu is deliberately prolonging the war and blocking a deal with Hamas to remain in power. They blame him for putting his own interests above those of the people. Political analyst Aviv Bushinsky, who was Netanyahu's political assistant for many years, also thinks that the prime minister is not looking for a deal with Hamas: "Hamas wants an end to the war as part of the deal, but that is something Netanyahu does not agree to." will agree. Because above all he wants to destroy Hamas. And he knows that if he does not succeed, the right-wing voters will punish him for it. He will then lose the support of the right, but these are precisely the voters who are now putting him on the have held power." Yet many protesters also say they want to defeat Hamas and win the war. Only they have no confidence that Netanyahu is the man who will bring the war to a successful conclusion. “I want new elections as soon as possible,” says Ilana Kaminka. Her son was in the army and was killed by Hamas on October 7. She carries a flag with his photo on it. “We need leaders who can give us hope. Who present a vision. Leaders who understand how to unite a society. Not people who tear our society apart as they have done from day one.” Netanyahu doesn't want to know anything about elections. He keeps repeating that victory is in sight and that this is not the time for elections. And the fact that such a victory would be achieved under his leadership is crucial for his political survival, says Bushinsky: "Let's say that Netanyahu achieves the ultimate victory. Then he could say that he was indeed responsible for the lack of preparedness on October 7. But that he fought himself back. And he kept his promises." The demonstrators no longer want to wait for that, says a demonstrator who is staying the night in the tent camp. "We are all here to make it clear to Netanyahu that he must leave, we don't want him anymore. He may not listen to us, but we will continue to convey that message." Earlier this month, the US embassy in Russia said it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow,” including concerts. The embassy warned US citizens to avoid large gatherings. On Friday, following reports of the Crocus City Hall attack, it advised US citizens not to travel to Russia.
Starting in November, there has been a steady stream of intelligence that ISIS-K was determined to attack in Russia, according to two sources familiar with the information. ISIS-K stands for ISIS-Khorasan, the terror organization’s affiliate that is active in Afghanistan and the surrounding region. US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the US government had had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow – potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts – and that this is what prompted the State Department to issue the public advisory. “The US government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy,” Watson said. In a speech Tuesday, Putin had blasted the American warnings as “provocative,” saying “these actions resemble outright blackmail and the intention to intimidate and destabilize our society.” In March alone, Russian authorities had thwarted several ISIS-related incidents, according to RIA. On March 3, RIA reported that six ISIS members were killed in a counter-terrorist operation in the Ingush Karabulak; on March 7, it said security services had uncovered and “neutralized” a cell of the banned organization Vilayat Khorasan in the Kaluga region, whose members were planning an attack on a synagogue in Moscow; and on March 20, it said the commander of an ISIS combat group had been detained. A US official said Friday that Washington had no reason to doubt ISIS’ claim that it was responsible for the latest attack. FSB: Moscow attackers had contacts in Ukraine The perpetrators of the attack in Moscow on Friday evening had contacts in Ukraine. Four attackers were on their way to the Ukrainian border when they were apprehended on Saturday morning, the Russian security service FSB said. The arrests the FSB refers to took place in Bryansk province, several hundred kilometers southwest of Moscow. Bryansk borders both Ukraine and Belarus. The FSB does not say what role these 'Ukrainian contacts' would have played in the attack. Shortly after the attack on Crocus City Hall, the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group claimed responsibility. Employees of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also immediately announced on Friday evening that Kiev had nothing to do with the attack in Moscow. The United States also said on Friday evening that it had no indications that Ukraine was involved in the shooting. What we know so farRussia suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks in its modern history on Friday. At least 60 people were killed and scores injured by a group of gunmen who stormed a large music venue just outside of Moscow. Details are still emerging, but it appears that the attack was well prepared and designed to maximize casualties. Here is what is known so far. A packed venue The terrorists struck at Crocus City Hall, a concert venue located in Krasnogorsk, a settlement on the western outskirts of the Russian capital. It is part of a larger entertainment complex opened in 2009, which also includes a shopping mall and hotel. The concert hall holds up to 7,500 people and was almost packed when the terrorists launched their assault. The popular rock band Picnic was set to perform. Shooting spree According to footage circulating online, some five gunmen took part in the shooting. They appeared to be carrying automatic firearms and had other military gear. They reportedly killed the security guards – who were unarmed – at the main entrance to the venue, and blocked it before continuing their rampage inside. Large blaze follows Once the terrorists reached the concert hall, they reportedly set chairs inside on fire. The blaze spread across the building and reached the roof before firefighters could start combating it. Helicopters were seen pouring large quantities of water on the building following the attack. Dozens killed Russia’s Investigative Committee has said at least 60 people (red. 115) were killed in the attack, and warned that “the number of victims might increase.” Three children have died following the mass shooting at Crocus City Hall, according to hospital data posted on the Moscow Region’s Health Ministry website. A list of the wounded released by the ministry has more than 140 entries, some of whom are yet to be identified. Dozens of the injured are said to be in serious condition. At least 70 ambulances were dispatched to the scene on Friday night, according to officials. Fate of the perpetrators Russian law enforcement did not report any arrests in the wake of the shooting. Commando units were dispatched to the scene, but it was not immediately clear whether they confronted the gunmen inside. Unconfirmed media reports said that several Crocus employees had been detained. Identity of the terrorists
No terrorist group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Senior Ukrainian official Mikhail Podoliak posted a video statement on social media shortly after the news broke. The aide to President Vladimir Zelensky distanced the Ukrainian government from the tragedy, claiming that Kiev does not resort to terrorism in its fight against Russia. ISIS had claimed the attack, but experts say that the claim couldn't be confirmed as by now. However, USA source say that the claim can be legit. Reactions from abroad International organizations and foreign governments, including those that Russia considers unfriendly, have condemned the terrorist attack. White House White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby, who was giving a daily briefing shortly after the incident, called the images from the scene “hard to watch,” adding: “Our thoughts obviously are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack.” Security alerts in March Earlier this month, the US issued a warning to its citizens in Russia, urging them to avoid public places and mass gatherings. The embassy claimed that “extremists” had imminent plans for an attack in Moscow. Several other embassies followed suit, issuing similar alerts. Kirby stressed that Washington had “no advanced knowledge” of Friday’s shooting. Why is Russia a target for ISIS? There is no direct connection between ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) and Russia. In fact, Russia has been involved in conflicts against ISIS, particularly in Syria, where it has supported the Syrian government in its fight against the terrorist group. However, Russia's involvement in the Syrian conflict has also been complex, with various geopolitical considerations beyond just combating ISIS. However, as ISIS has ties with Iraq and Iran supports Russia in it's war against Ukraine. It make that ISIS is behind this attack! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his intention to eliminate the Palestinian Hamas movement in Gaza, despite international efforts to organize a ceasefire.
In a short post on social media on Monday Netanyahu claimed Israeli forces had killed a top Hamas leader, and that it is just a matter of time before other group leaders meet the same fate. “On the way to this victory, we already eliminated number four in Hamas. Three, two and one are on the way. They are all dead men, we will reach them all,” Netanyahu said in the 13-second video. The ‘number four’ in Hamas that Netanyahu referred to is likely Saleh al-Arouri, who was killed in an airstrike in the Lebanese capital, Beirut in early January. In his statement, the prime minister “apparently” confirmed that Israel was behind al-Arouri’s assassination, The Times of Israel newspaper wrote. Netanyahu’s remarks come amid an investigation into the fate of Hamas’ number three, Marwan Issa, one of the key figures involved in the militant group’s attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Issa was targeted in an airstrike by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) over the weekend. According to DPA news agency, Netanyahu spoke of ‘numbers one and two’ in reference to the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yehya al-Sinwar, and the head of the al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Deif. Netanyahu’s comments came on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Egypt, Qatar, and the US tried to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas before Monday, and UN chief Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire during Ramadan. The latest figures provided by the Gaza Health Ministry indicate that more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October. Yemen-based Houthi militants could have cut underwater cables in the Red Sea, several media outlets have claimed.
Popular internet platforms owned by Meta – including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads – experienced global disruptions lasting for over two hours on Tuesday. Google services were affected to a lesser extent, with reports claiming that the outrages may have been caused by Houthi militants severing Red Sea cables. Several Asia-based telecom operators warned as early as last week that four underwater internet cables had been severed in the Red Sea. In recent months, the area has seen repeated attacks on civilian cargo ships by Yemeni Houthi militants, who describe the assaults as retaliation for Israel’s military operation against Hamas in Gaza. The Houthis, however, have denied cutting internet cables in the region. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said the company was “aware people are having trouble accessing our services.” In a subsequent message, he put the disruptions down to a “technical issue,” without providing further details. Around the same time, TeamYouTube, part of the broader Google group, said it had received “reports of loading issues” with the platform and was working to address the problem. On Monday, HGC Communications, a Hong Kong-based telecom operator, reported that four submarine internet cables had been “cut,” namely SEACOM, TGN, Africa Asia Europe-One, and the Europe India Gateway. According to the company’s estimates, the incident affected 25% of its internet traffic. HGC Communications assured customers that it had a contingency plan in place, with traffic being rerouted through mainland China and the US. The telecom operator released its first public statement on the incident last Thursday, describing it as an “exceptionally rare occurrence” that had caused a “significant impact on communication networks in the Middle East.” Tata Communications, part of the Indian conglomerate behind the Seacom-TGN-Gulf line, also confirmed to AP that the line had been severed, with “immediate and appropriate remedial actions” underway. Yemen’s Houthi-controlled Telecom Ministry issued a statement denying reports “by the Zionist-linked media outlets” that the armed group was responsible for damage to the cables. The Houthis are “keen to keep all submarine telecom cables… away from any possible risks,” the statement added. A major police operation is underway in Berlin in the investigation of two suspected RAF terrorists, who have been wanted for decades. Two men have been arrested, but their identities have not been released. 130 police officers were deployed for the action. According to German media, shots were heard, but this has not yet been officially confirmed. Heavily armed police units take part in the operation in the Friedrichshain district. Several properties are being searched. The two wanted men are Ernst-Volker Staub (69) and Burkhard Garweg (55), it is still unclear whether they have also been arrested. The two men are wanted for armed robbery, among other things. They were members of the extreme left-wing terrorist movement Red Army Faction (RAF), which committed attacks and murders in Germany in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. This week, Daniela Klette was also arrested in the German capital. She formed a trio together with Staub and Garweg. In addition to Klette, another person was also arrested on Tuesday, but his identity has not yet been released. Weapons and ammunition were found in the house where Klette was staying, German media report. This includes a Kalashnikov, a machine gun and a rocket launcher. DNA from a total of three RAF members was also found, police said. In addition to robberies, Klette is also suspected of attempted murder. The trio has been on international wanted lists for about thirty years. It was taken into account that the three Germans may have been staying in the Netherlands. Evidence of this was found during the investigation into an armed robbery in 2016 in Northern Germany.
The newspaper’s anonymous sources also attributed a separate incident to Israeli sabotage – an explosion that rocked a chemical factory on the outskirts of Tehran on Thursday, which local officials ruled an accident. The two gas pipelines run for more than 1,000 kilometers and carry around 2 billion cubic feet (57 million cubic meters). The blasts temporarily took out around a sixth of Iran’s daily natural gas production, causing local outages. While Iran has said the damage was minor and the repairs were finished by Wednesday evening, the strikes were a “stark warning” of the kind of damage Israel could inflict, one of the NYT’s sources said. Given the vast distances and varied terrain the pipelines run, and the regular Iranian patrols, inside knowledge of the system would have been needed to carry out the sabotage, an Iranian official told the paper.
Recent strikes by Israel and the US have killed Iranian commanders in Syria and hit ‘Axis of Resistance’ targets in Iraq and Syria. The Axis of Resistance – composed of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Yemen’s Houthis – is an unofficial coalition that opposes US and Israeli influence in the Middle East. While Iran supports the Axis of Resistance, they have categorically denied any involvement with the events of October 7 – when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking another 240 hostage. US forces have begun a new bombing campaign in the Middle East to punish Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups for a series of drone and missile attacks on American military bases in the region.
Washington’s latest airstrikes began around midnight Baghdad time on Saturday and hit more than 85 targets in Syria and Iraq, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. The operation involved “numerous aircraft,” including long-range bombers flown from the US, which dropped over 125 precision munitions on their targets. Those targets included command and control centers, intelligence sites, weapons caches, and supply-chain facilities of Iranian-backed militias, as well as “their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against US and coalition forces,” CENTCOM said. The bombings follow a series of assaults on American military bases in the Middle East, including a drone attack that killed three American soldiers and wounded more than 40 others at secretive US installation in Jordan. That base, called Tower 22, is located near the Syrian and Iraqi borders. The attack on Tower 22 was “planned, resourced and facilitated” by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday. The group consists of multiple militias, including Kataib Hezbollah, which has launched multiple rocket and drone strikes against US forces in the region since the Israel-Hamas war began in October. Media reports in recent days raised concern that Biden was telegraphing his plans and giving the militias too much time to take preparatory steps, such as vacating obvious targets. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin tried to deflect those worries on Friday, denying that the administration was giving Iran too much warning. He said the US response will be “multi-tiered” and insisted that neither he nor Biden would tolerate attacks on American troops. Biden has blamed Iran for supplying the weapons that Islamic militants have used in attacking US forces in the Middle East more than 150 times since the Israel-Hamas war started. He has faced political pressure to respond aggressively, including calls by Republican lawmakers to launch devastating strikes inside Iran. The IRGC’s Quds Force is an elite unit that specializes in guerilla warfare and intelligence-gathering outside Iran. It has sought to drive American forces out of neighboring Iraq since the US invasion in 2003. The UN's new humanitarian coordinator, Sigrid Kaag, said Tuesday that no organization can replace or substitute the "tremendous capacity" of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
"I think you've heard the Secretary-General and other agencies, and they've been very clear. At the moment, beyond political decisions, which are GA (General Assembly) bound, there is no way any organization can replace or substitute the tremendous capacity, the fabric of UNRWA, their ability and their knowledge of the population in Gaza," Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, said during a news conference following a closed session on Gaza at the UN Security Council. Some of UNRWA's staff were allegedly involved in the cross-border attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7. At least 12 countries — Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Finland, Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, the US, France, Austria and Japan — have suspended funding for UNRWA, which was established in 1949 to help Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. UNRWA said it terminated contracts with several employees following the Israeli allegations. The main issues discussed during the UN Security Council session were supply routes to Gaza and distribution across the enclave as well as the establishment of the UN mechanism, according to Kaag. "This is not about counting trucks," she said. "This is about volume, quality, speed and continuous delivery of humanitarian and commercial goods to reach the civilians of Gaza, and the mechanism went up and running and can really help facilitate that. It helps us to track, it helps us to enhance the transparency that we know what's coming in…It helps with the verification and obviously to know if it really reached the civilian population," she added. Several aid workers with the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA helped kidnap Israelis and arm Hamas during its attack on October 7, the New York Times claimed on Sunday citing the contents of a secret Israeli government report.
The dossier allegedly details Israel’s claims about 12 UNRWA employees said to have been involved in the raid. Seven were teachers with the agency and two more worked at its schools in other capacities, while the other three were a clerk, social worker, and storeroom manager. Ten of the workers were also allegedly members of Hamas, whose civilian wing remains the legally elected government of Gaza despite its classification as a terrorist group by Israel, while another was said to be affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. A school counselor from Khan Younis supposedly worked with his son to kidnap an Israeli woman, while a social worker from Nuseirat reportedly removed a dead Israeli soldier’s body back to Gaza and helped distribute vehicles and ammunition ahead of the raid. Another three men allegedly received text messages summoning them to meeting points on October 7, with one ordered to bring rocket-propelled grenades. Two US officials told the New York Times that while they had been briefed on the Israeli allegations, they had not verified the details. Washington was nevertheless first to cut off UNRWA’s funding on Friday, followed by Canada and over half a dozen more on Saturday. Because UNRWA lacks any emergency cash reserves, it may have to curtail the vital services it provides to some 5 million Palestinians starting in February. The funding cutoff comes at a precarious time for Gaza’s residents, many of whom already face hunger and starvation. Over 85% of them have been displaced from their homes since the war began, according to the UN. Israel’s accusations came just days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take action to prevent genocide in Gaza, including by allowing more aid deliveries to reach the territory’s besieged residents. While the ruling indicated the court found South Africa’s genocide case against Israel to have some merit, it stopped short of issuing an immediate demand for a ceasefire. Israel had been sitting on the information regarding the UNRWA workers for weeks, three unnamed diplomats told Israel Hayom on Saturday, claiming the government had kept it quiet because “there was an understanding in the Israeli political system that UNRWA must be preserved in Gaza, because it is the only functioning body in Gaza and without it, the chaos would be even greater.” However, Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Saturday called for UNRWA to be “replaced with agencies dedicated to genuine peace and development,” demanding the resignation of its director, and Israel has previously claimed the agency is a Hamas front. The UN launched a probe into the allegations, and immediately terminated staff members suspected of terrorist activity, but Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Western nations not to penalize all relief workers indiscriminately. Egypt remains committed to the Palestinian cause and rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinians, reiterated Minister of Defence and Military Production Mohamed Zaki during his meeting with UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag.
The meeting, which took place in Cairo on Wednesday, was attended by top military officials. It addressed developments in Gaza and outlined strategies for coordinating efforts to ensure a continuous flow of humanitarian assistance and relief materials to the population facing severe shortages of basic necessities due to ongoing military operations, read a statement by the Egyptian military spokesperson. "Zaki affirmed Egypt's steadfast stance in supporting the Palestinian cause in accordance with the provisions of international legitimacy," the statement noted, adding that the minister "strongly rejected any attempts to displace the Palestinian people." The defence minister expressed Egypt’s desire to coordinate with regional and international parties to effect de-escalation in Gaza and alleviate the humanitarian suffering of its residents, the statement added. Kaag hailed Egypt's efforts to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, expressing hopes that the international endeavours would result in a ceasefire. This is Kaag's first visit to the region since her appointment on 26 December 2023 under Security Council Resolution 2720, meant to facilitate, coordinate, and monitor the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Kaag met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry on Tuesday. During their meeting, Shoukry stressed Egypt's support for Kaag’s role and efforts to facilitate her duties, including the swift launch of a UN mechanism to expedite the dispatch of humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza. Last week, the Israeli defence team speaking before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) claimed that Egypt is responsible for preventing the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip through the Rafah border crossing. The claim was refuted by several Egyptian official statements. On Sunday, the head of Egypt’s State Information Service Diaa Rashwan stated that the major hurdle for the swift delivery of aid to Gaza over the past 100 days has been the deliberate delays imposed by Israeli authorities inspecting aid material at border crossings. Rashwan said Egypt's Rafah crossing has never been closed for a moment during the 100-day war, noting that Egypt, via several official statements, has called on Israel to stop hindering humanitarian aid under the pretext of inspection delays. Egypt’s private and public contributions comprise 82 percent of total aid delivered to Gaza, which in total has reached 9,000 aid-loaded trucks until Sunday. Since October 2023, Israel has launched a relentless military campaign on the Gaza Strip that has killed at least 24,285 Palestinians, with 61,154 reported injuries, according to the Palestinian health ministry's latest figures. Israeli intelligence organizations have been working in collaboration with their European counterparts to counter Hamas in Europe, they announced via the Prime Minister's Office on Saturday evening. Hamas has been working with criminal elements to procure drones for planned attacks across Europe and the Middle East, as ordered by the senior Hamas leadership. In December, the security services and police in Denmark and Germany announced the arrest of an extensive network of Hamas operatives in Europe, those arrested have since had legal proceedings opened against them. Further arrests came earlier this week in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. More information regarding the arrests in Europe is restricted due to the ongoing legal cases in the respective countries. The assassination of Saleh Arouri earlier this month is linked to the arrests, with the claim being that he was involved in ordering operations across Europe and the Middle East. The two other men killed in the strike that killed Arouri were Samir Fandi and Azzam Akre, both fellow senior Hamas commanders. Akre had commanded Khalil al-Kharaz the former deputy commander of Hamas forces in Lebanon until his assassination in November. Kharaz was in charge of the Hamas cells operating in Europe, the very same ones arrested by European security services, which had been involved in the purchase of drones for planned attacks. Kharaz is claimed to have been involved in building relations with a Danish street gang called "LTF - Loyal To Familia," who were banned by Denmark in 2021.
LTF is charged with working on behalf of Hamas in Europe, including but not limited to Denmark, Germany, and Sweden, with some members now believed to be operating out of Lebanon. The use of local criminal gangs as a facade for terror activity is a common element of Iranian intelligence and terror operations, often used to maintain a space for denial of involvement. The integration of inter-organizational resources in Israel and across the world led to a comprehensive and in-depth picture of Hamas's terrorist activity development, including details about Hamas's actions and targets of attacks. The intelligence also revealed who was involved in implementing terror activity, from the Hamas commanders in Lebanon to the last member in their operational infrastructure. One piece of information discovered was about an intention to attack the Israeli embassy in Sweden, this required the purchase of drones and the use of criminal organizations close to Hamas in Europe. "Hamas draws inspiration from the terrorist activities of the Iranian regime, and like it, aims to hit Israeli, Jewish, and Western targets at any cost," the PMO said in a press release. "The Mossad, the Shin Bet, and the IDF, in partnership with international security and enforcement bodies, will continue to work to thwart the terrorist intentions.of Hamas and all terrorist organizations, to come to terms with them anywhere in the world for the security of the State of Israel and the Jewish people." According to the Mossad. Israel’s intelligence agency. the Palestinian militant group Hamas is running a network of operatives tasked with carrying out terrorist attacks in European countries.
The statement came after seven people were arrested last month in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands on suspicion of planning to target Jewish sites. “Hamas terrorist organization has acted to expand its violent activity abroad in order to attack innocents around the world,” Mossad and the Israel Security Agency said in a statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Saturday. It added that the militants planned to attack the Israeli Embassy in Sweden and sought to purchase drones. The suspects arrested in Europe last month were part of a larger Hamas network coordinated from Lebanon, Israeli officials said, adding that Hamas had planned to enlist the help of “criminal organizations” on the continent. Danish prosecutor Anders Larsson confirmed that the case stemming from the December arrest “has links to Hamas,” Danish police told AFP on Friday. The group itself has not commented on the matter, but said in the past that it only commits attacks in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. As Israel marks 100 days of its war with Hamas, Netanyahu addressed the nation on Sunday, reiterating that the operation in Gaza will continue until Israel completely neutralizes the threat coming from Hamas. “Nobody will stop us – not The Hague, not the axis of evil and not anybody else,” Netanyahu said, referring to the genocide case brought before the International Court of Justice by South Africa. Israel rejected the accusations of indiscriminately killing Palestinians, speaking during the first day of hearings on Thursday. The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, when the Palestinian militants carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel responded by declaring war on Hamas and vowing to “eradicate” the group. More than 23,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, according to the local Hamas-run government. |
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