Israel further delays ceasefire idea after six Hamas hostages die

2024-09-01 14:29:00

The bodies of six hostages kidnapped during the Hamas offensive against Israel on October 7 were found in the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, the army and Shin Bet (internal security service) located and recovered the bodies of hostages Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino in a tunnel in the Rafah area. », listed the Israeli army this Sunday. The discovery was made during a large-scale operation called “anti-terrorist operation”, which began on Wednesday in the northern part of the occupied West Bank and sparked international protests.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately announced that he would Close your account » World leaders offer condolences to Hamas: US President Joe Biden says: Destroyed » With the discovery of six bodies; European diplomacy chief Josep Borrell said: Terrified »; while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer used the term “ shock ”. But while the international community is pushing for a de-escalation of the conflict, Israeli leaders are moving in the opposite direction.

Israel prepares to escalate conflict

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said the hostages were ” Just before we could reach them, Hamas killed them in cold blood. An unnamed Islamist executive argued that the hostages were ” Killed by Israeli occupiers’ shootings and explosions ”, some of which are was part of a list of hostages approved by Hamas for release. »

This rationale has apparently been ignored by the Israeli regime, which is preparing to escalate the conflict and further delay the option of a peace agreement. Benjamin Netanyahu declared that “ The hostage killers didn’t want a deal » Cease-fire and release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. “ We will chase you, we will catch you, we will settle your account “, he said of Hamas. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, which it calls a terrorist movement, just like the United States and the European Union.

Israel-Hamas war: Joe Biden stresses ‘urgency’ of Gaza ceasefire in exchange with Netanyahu

General strike calls for ceasefire

But the bellicosity is not entirely unanimous at home. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, backed by the families of the hostages, called on Sunday for a general strike in Israel on Monday. The goal: to force the government to reach a deal to free the last hostages, which will be impossible if the conflict intensifies. The powerful Israeli trade union center, Histadrut, echoed the call and announced a general strike on Monday to force the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal to release the hundreds of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.

« We must stop this abandonment of hostages. », Arnon Bar-David, chairman of the Histadrut, announced at a press conference. This position is supported by the US allies. There is no doubt that Hamas leaders will pay a price for these crimes. But we will continue to work around the clock to reach an agreement that guarantees the release of the remaining hostages. ”, declared Joe Biden.

More shooting in occupied West Bank

At least 22 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since Wednesday and since the launch of a new operation, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Most of them are militants, all “terrorists,” sweeping the Israeli army. Hamas, which has been in power in Gaza since 2007, and another militant group, Islamic Jihad, said at least 14 of the dead were fighting in their ranks.

“Humanitarian corridor” is Israel’s only concession

In the Gaza Strip, the polio vaccination campaign began on Sunday morning, aiming to vaccinate more than 640,000 children under the age of 10. It currently involves the center of the territory and will include two more phases in other parts. Louise Wateridge, a spokeswoman for the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said at the afternoon’s “ success ” and” Thousands of children vaccinated On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Israel had accepted the Humanitarian Rest » For this event.

deny” Report on a comprehensive ceasefire “To allow the event, Mr Netanyahu’s office said Israel would authorise” Only humanitarian corridors “For children in Gaza, the number of The best vaccine (…) is peace ».

Elsewhere in the Gaza Strip, civil defense reported that an Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza City killed two people and wounded six. Pope Francis on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and aid to the people of Gaza. where many diseases spread ».