The war in Gaza is causing tension and will lead to the visit of Blinken to Israel
The Israeli raid on the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza is a “precise” demonstration of the Israeli-Israeli conflict, and the U.S. response to the Gaza crisis
The official told NPR that there will be a meeting between the Prime Minister and the ministers from the war cabinet. The group is expected to discuss cease-fire negotiations and Netanyahu’s desire to launch an operation in the area where most of the population has been displaced.
On Monday, an Israeli raid on the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza occurred for the second time since Israel and Hamas began fighting.
With the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continuing to spiral, the Israel military’s statement that the raid was a “precise” operation adds to the need for cease-fire calls before the arrival of deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday.
The US will introduce a new resolution on Gaza to the UN Security Council according to a draft obtained by NPR. The U.S. is expecting a vote as early as Friday. The United States has rejected calls for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. This new draft includes language that supports a cease-fire tied to a hostage release.
A number of women and children who were using the hospital for shelter have been forced to flee as a result of the Israeli attacks.
One witness, who wished to remain anonymous out of concerns for their safety, told NPR the upper floors of the surgical ward of the hospital had caught fire. Ezzeddine Lulu, a medical student at Al-Shifa, posted a video on Instagram from inside the facility, and said the hospital is without water, electricity and food.
The Israeli military said no civilians have been killed since the start of the operation, and that troops have supplied food, water and generators for the hospital.
The raid on Al-Shifa has so far killed “over 140 terrorists” and netted more than 250 arrests of individuals that troops have identified as Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters, according to Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Israeli authorities say weapons have also been uncovered and that “hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists” were found hiding in the hospital, including “senior officials” of the terrorist groups.
Among those captured was Mahmoud Qawasmeh, a senior Hamas operative tied to the 2014 kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens: Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar, and Naftali Fraenkel, according to news reports. He was arrested and brought back to Israel for questioning, the Israeli intelligence agency Shin Bet said.
“The latest policies of the U.S. administration threaten the fight against terrorism,” states the campaign. Hamas is strengthened in its war against Israel according to the latest policies of the Biden administration. Everyone who supports the end of the war must support Israel.
Schumer criticized Netanyahu in a speech last week. In his remarks, Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish American leader, criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the war and called for a new election in Israel.
Republicans, however, are embracing Netanyahu, who spoke to Senate Republicans via video conference this week during the party’s weekly closed lunch meeting. House Speaker Mike Johnson invited Netanyahu to address Congress.
Many Israelis are upset with Netanyahu’s inability to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, while a part of the population is unhappy with the Biden administration’s latest positions.
Biden and Netanyahu spoke Monday, in their first call in over a month, during which Biden urged his Israeli counterpart not to go through with an attack on Rafah.
President Biden requested that he provide proposals from his side in the humanitarian sphere, and also on other topics. And as I have said – there have been times when we have agreed with our friends, and there have been times when we have not agreed with them,” Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday about his call with Biden. ” In the end, we have always done what is vital for our security and this is what we will do this time as well.”
A week from now, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant will be in the U.S. at the invitation of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. White House officials and members of Congress will also be meeting with Gallant and others.
Israel and the U.S. Face a “major credibility problem” in the aftermath of the Gaza war: a statement from Israel’s foreign ministry
Blinken’s work has yet to bring “any tangible results” for Gaza and has given Israel more time to “escalate its aggression against our people,” the ministry said in a statement.
The mothers of service members currently fighting in the war decided to launch a new campaign against Biden and Harris. A new banner from the group that reads “Don’t Run With Sinwar” depicts Biden, Harris and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar together in an attempt to highlight how the administration’s actions are benefiting Hamas.
Jaclyn Diaz reported from Tel Aviv. Several people contributed to this report, including Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv, Anas Baba in Rafik, and Michele Kelemen in Washington, D.C.
“The Israelis seemed oblivious to the fact that they are facing major, possibly generational damage to their reputation not just in the region but elsewhere in the world,” the memo says. The Israelis are making a big mistake with writing off their reputation damage and missing the forest for the trees.
Assistant Secretary of State Bill Russo, overseeing global public affairs in the State Department, told Israeli foreign ministry officials in a call on March 13 that both the U.S. and Israel face a “major credibility problem” as a result of the “unpopular” Israeli military offensive in Gaza, according to a U.S. readout of the conversation.
Palestine’s plight as a result of the war is reflected in the stark differences between the nations’ views, as Israel and its closest ally disagree on Israel’s conduct.
“It risks killing more civilians, it risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance, it risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardizing its long-term security and standing,” Blinken said.
According to last week’s memo obtained by NPR, Israeli foreign ministry Deputy Director General Emmanuel Nahshon disagreed with the U.S. assessment that Israel’s global reputation was damaged. He said public opinion polls showed that most people in the US and Europe still support Israel.
The Israeli government has solicited influencers to help target social media users in the U.S. and Europe to counter denial about atrocities committed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. Israel plans a similar social media campaign soon in Egypt, Jordan and Gulf Arab countries, the memo said.
According to the State Department memo, Israeli foreign ministry officials said the “silver lining” is that it allows Israel to see who its real friends are.
The war started in Israel and ended in Palestine. It was sparked by the Hamas-led ambush on southern Israel — the deadliest day in Israeli history — when thousands of attackers from Gaza took nearly 250 hostages and killed more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israel.
