Day 126 of the Israel-Hamas Gaza War
1. US Secretary of State Blinken Visits Region as Negotiations for a Ceasefire/Hostage Deal Face Obstacles
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire/hostage deal reached a dead-end for now. PM Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ proposal and called it “delusional” and one that would lead to another massacre.
The Hamas proposal called for a three-stage cease-fire plan over 135 days, a split into three 45-day phases, that would lead to an end to the war. This, in response to a proposal by Qatar and Egypt, backed by the US, and to which Israel was inclined to agree.
The Hamas proposal stipulated the release of all female hostages, males under 19, the elderly, sick and wounded in the first stage, in exchange for the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, a much higher ratio than the one Israel declared it will agree to. The remaining living hostages are to be released in the second stage, and the bodies and remains of at least 32 dead hostages, in the third stage. Male and female soldiers are to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners only after Israel withdraws from areas of Gaza.
Amidst the delay in negotiation talks, US secretary of state, Anthony Blinken, visited the region, seeking to advance a new deal, as a new round of talks is scheduled to begin in Cairo next week. Blinken met with PM Netanyahu and defense minister Gallant and expressed his concerns about a potential expansion of Israel’s military campaign to the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza strip, currently densely populated by more than a million Gazan civilians who fled to the area.
At a press conference in Tel Aviv, following his meetings with Israeli senior politicians and security officials, Blinken expressed open, harsh criticism of the rising number of casualties in Gaza, the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need to move forward with a plan for the “day after”. In reference to the rising number of civilian casualties in Gaza, Blinken said: “Israelis were dehumanized in the most horrific way on October 7. The hostages have been dehumanized every day since. But that cannot be a license to dehumanize others.”
Referring to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Blinken reiterated the need to enhance and expand humanitarian aid deliveries for families in Gaza “whose survival depends on deliveries of aid from Israel”. Blinken also alluded to attempts by far-right Jewish demonstrators to block the passage of aid convoys through the Kerem Shalom Israel/Gaza border crossing, and stressed that Israel must ensure the safe passage of aid convoys. He later canceled a planned visit to the Kerem Shalom crossing, since the Israeli government refused to commit to removing right-wing demonstrators from the crossing. Blinken also met with family members of US citizens held captive by Hamas, who voiced their growing concerns for the lives of their loved ones.
Public controversy over the ceasefire/hostage deal negotiations continues. While thousands protested in Jerusalem against a deal and for the rescue of hostages through continuation of the military campaign in Gaza, family members of the hostages and their supporters gathered in Tel Aviv in support of a deal as soon as possible.
2. Total Number of Dead Casualties Among the Hostages is Unclear
The American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal claims that at least 50 of the 136 hostages held by Hamas are dead. Israeli officials announced late Tuesday night that they informed the families of 32, one fifth of the hostages that their loved ones are dead. Israeli health authorities composed a committee of three medical doctors including a pathologist, that have carefully scrutinized short videos frame by frame, analyzed intelligence material and other sources, until they can unanimously agree that without doubt a person is dead, after which the family is notified. There is some confusing and conflicting information and misinformation on the condition of the hostages. Israeli officials based their assumptions on the information that 104 of the hostages are alive and should be released, but some of them may have been killed or died in captivity.
3. A Marked Uproar Among Settlers and Right Wing Supporters Over an Army Training Exercise Caused PM Netanyahu and Chief of Staff to Apologise
The IDF general commanding the West Bank, Yehuda Fox, is under direct attack from government ministers, members of Knesset and other key leaders of the settlers. This resulted from the decision he took to include in a periodic training exercise, a scenario in which extreme settler activists kidnap a Palestinian. It was one of many other scenarios that the soldiers had to train for. The settlers, ministers, MKs, mayors and others, reacted with rage, calling on the chief of staff to fire this general. Their claim was that by including this scenario for training it stained all the settlers, who are good law abiding citizens. Nobody wanted to listen to the explanation that the army trains for many different scenarios and that doesn’t mean that the settlers are suspected of planning to kidnap Palestinians. Later PM Netanyahu was forced to apologise, as did the IDF spokesperson in the name of the army. This incident reflects the power held by the representatives of the settlers in decision making forums and the leverage they have on the government in general and on PM Netanyahu in particular, because he is totally dependent on them for the stability of his administration.
Last week President Biden issued an executive order and imposed economic sanctions on four settlers who are suspected of harassing Palestinian families. Earlier this week Bank Leumi, one of the two most powerful banks in the country blocked the accounts of one of those settlers, and by taking this step it aligned with Biden’s executive order. Right wing leaders attacked the US administration for this decision, and the Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotritch tried to order the Israeli bank not to comply with the American decision. The Head of the National Bank of Israel opposed his call saying that the Israeli bank has no choice but to follow the order, otherwise it will lose its international credibility. European authorities are considering the imposition of similar sanctions.
4. Recently Elected Argentina's President Javier Milei Visits Israel
Javier Milei, Argentina’s far right, libertarian and openly pro-Israel president arrived in Israel this week. This is Milei’s first bilateral visit since his election in December 2023.
Milei met with senior Israeli officials, including foreign minister Israel Katz (Likud), visited President Herzog’s formal residence, and also made a point of visiting the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. Milei also visited Israeli communities near the Gaza border, affected by the Hamas’ October 7th attack.
During his visit, Milei announced his intention to move the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem. Argentina currently does not have an ambassador in Israel. According to the Israeli media, Milei’s personal rabbi, Shimon Axel Wahnish, who accompanied him on his visit, is expected to become Argentina’s envoy to Israel.
While Israeli PM Netanyahu responded warmly to Milei’s statement regarding the relocation of the embassy to Jerusalem, Hamas official sources strongly condemned the move, stipulating that it views it as “an infringement of the rights of our Palestinian people to their land, and a violation of the rules of international law, considering Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian land”.
5. A Vocal, Charged, Highly Visible Clash Between Two Likud Members
The Minister of Regional Cooperation and a Knesset member, both from PM Netanyahu’s Likud Party, were recorded during an ugly exchange of insults. The parties involved were Minister David (Dudi) Amsalem, who serves as a Minister, has a reputation of being very vulgar and vocal, and MK Tally Gotlib, who’s reputation is based on expressing an independent stand, and is known for not having any barriers to her thoughts and expressions. She accused him, in a closed party meeting, saying that she could smell the Vodka from his mouth, he, in turn, said that he doesn’t drink Vodka since he is of Moroccan descent, and may drink Arak. He then opened his mouth close to her face and invited her to smell. Later, after these exchanges were recorded and distributed, they continued to fight inside the Knesset plenum from the podium. Gotlib was not chosen through party primaries and was personally selected by PM Netanyahu, who is also head of the Likud party. She does not always align with party decisions and makes her own voting decisions, which can sometimes make other members of the party angry with her.
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