© Reuters. Members of the crew and port personnel examine the cargo ship loaded with humanitarian help for Gaza within the port of Larnaca, Cyprus March 16, 2024. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
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By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ari Rabinovitch
CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed worldwide stress on Sunday and mentioned he would stick to the navy marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in Gaza, the place help businesses say famine is looming, whereas ceasefire talks have been set to renew.
Talking at a cupboard assembly, Netanyahu mentioned Israel would push into Rafah, the final comparatively protected place within the tiny, crowded Gaza enclave after greater than 5 months of warfare.
“We are going to function in Rafah. This may take a number of weeks, and it’ll occur,” he mentioned, with out clarifying if he meant the assault would final for weeks or would start in weeks.
Israel’s allies have repeatedly urged Netanyahu to not assault Rafah, the place greater than 1,000,000 displaced individuals from different elements of the devastated enclave have sought shelter, and not using a plan to guard civilians.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in Jordan earlier than a deliberate go to to Israel, mentioned an assault on Rafah would make regional peace “very troublesome” and that efforts now have been “about guaranteeing we come to a long-lasting ceasefire”.
Netanyahu hit out on the stress from allies, saying: “Are your reminiscences that brief? Have you ever so rapidly forgotten October 7, essentially the most horrific bloodbath of Jews because the Holocaust? Are you so fast to disclaim Israel the precise to defend itself in opposition to the Hamas monsters?”.
He has mentioned Israel has a plan to evacuate civilians from Rafah, however help businesses and Israel’s allies stay sceptical.
Hamas fighters killed 1,200 individuals and seized 253 hostages within the Oct. 7 assault in line with Israeli tallies, triggering a large assault on Gaza.
Israel’s air and floor marketing campaign within the enclave has killed greater than 31,600 individuals say well being authorities in Hamas-run Gaza, pushed a lot of the inhabitants from their properties and introduced them to the brink of famine in line with help businesses.
A supply aware of the truce talks in Qatar advised Reuters the pinnacle of Israel’s Mossad intelligence company would be a part of the delegation attending the negotiations with Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators.
Hamas offered a brand new ceasefire proposal final week together with an alternate of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Israel’s safety cupboard is to satisfy to debate it earlier than the delegation leaves.
Netanyahu has already mentioned the proposal was based mostly on “unrealistic calls for”, however a Palestinian official aware of mediation efforts mentioned probabilities for a deal appeared higher with Hamas having given extra particulars on the proposed prisoner swap.
“The mediators felt constructive about Hamas’ new proposal. Some in Israel felt the group made some enchancment on its earlier place and it’s now within the arms of Netanyahu alone to say whether or not an settlement is imminent,” mentioned the official, who requested to not be named.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, in an obvious reference to the negotiations, mentioned the safety institution “is dedicated to exhausting each risk and prepared to make the most of each risk, together with the present one, to return the hostages to their households”.
AID DELIVERY
Vans of flour have reached northern Gaza for distribution to areas which have had no help in 4 months, Palestinian media reported on Sunday.
A convoy of 12 vans arrived within the north on Saturday – six in Gaza Metropolis and 6 within the Jabalia refugee camp – carrying provides to even be distributed to the northernmost areas of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, the media and residents mentioned.
The Hamas-linked Dwelling Entrance media outlet reported that the help was distributed by the “Widespread Committees”, a bunch that features leaders of highly effective clans in Gaza. A Hamas supply mentioned the route was secured by Hamas safety personnel.
Support businesses have warned that pockets of Gaza already face famine, with hospitals within the north reporting youngsters dying of malnutrition and dehydration.
An Israeli strike in a single day killed 12 individuals in a single home in Deir al-Balah within the centre of the tiny, crowded Gaza Strip, the well being ministry mentioned, amongst 92 individuals it mentioned had been killed within the earlier 24 hours.
