ISRAEL CARRIES OUT FRESH STRIKE ON GAZA AS PRESSURE GROWS TO FREE MORE HOSTAGES
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More than two months after the October 7 attacks, Israel launched more strikes on Gaza on Sunday as pressure mounted on its leaders to ensure the release of captives still detained in Hamas-controlled territory.
Following the army’s admission that it had erroneously killed three captives in Gaza, relatives of the hostages staged rallies against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, demanding an immediate agreement to ensure their release.
The Israeli authorities have released numbers from Hamas’s October 7 assault into Israel, during which the three were among an estimated 250 individuals taken captive and roughly 1,140 people killed.
According to Hamas, Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed 18,800 people, mostly women and children.
At a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, relatives of hostages gathered to plead with the government for a deal.
“Take us into consideration and come up with a plan now (for negotiation),” said Noam Perry, daughter of hostage Haim Perry, at the protest.
More than 100 of the Israelis and foreigners seized by Hamas and other militants on October 7 were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners during a week-long truce last month, mediated by Qatar.
Netanyahu doubled down on his war effort on Saturday, telling reporters of the three hostages’ deaths: “It broke my heart. It broke the whole nation’s heart.”
“With all the deep sorrow, I want to clarify: the military pressure is necessary both for the return of the kidnapped and for achieving victory over our enemies,” he added.
On Sunday, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, at least 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes on the central city of Deir al-Balah.
Witnesses also reported Israeli air and artillery strikes on the southern municipality of Bani Suhaila east of Khan Yunis, the Gaza Strip’s second city.
On Saturday, Netanyahu appeared to address Qatari efforts towards a new truce.
“We have serious criticisms of Qatar, about which I suppose you will hear in due course, but right now we are trying to complete the recovery of our hostages,” he said.
In a statement, Qatar reaffirmed on Saturday its “ongoing diplomatic efforts to renew the humanitarian pause”.
But Hamas said on Telegram it was “against any negotiations for the exchange of prisoners until the aggression against our people ceases completely”.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said late Saturday he was travelling to Israel, Bahrain and Qatar to highlight Washington’s “commitments to strengthening regional security and stability”.
News platform Axios said Israeli spy chief David Barnea met Friday in an unspecified European location with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who helped negotiate the earlier truce.
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