In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected growing international calls for a ceasefire, affirming that Israel's military campaign against Gaza's ruling Hamas militants would persist with "full force." Netanyahu set a condition for a ceasefire, stating that it would only be possible if all 239 hostages held by militants in Gaza were released, as reported by AP.
The Israeli leader also outlined post-war objectives, emphasizing Gaza's demilitarization and Israel's intention to retain security control in the region. This position contradicts the post-war scenarios advocated by the United States, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken's opposition to an Israeli reoccupation of Gaza.
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As the conflict enters its sixth week, pressure on Israel mounts, particularly with reports of critical fuel shortages affecting Gaza's largest hospital, Shifa. Frantic doctors at Shifa revealed that the last generator had run out of fuel, resulting in the death of a premature baby, another child in an incubator, and four other patients. The hospital's dire situation has prompted international calls to halt the crisis.
While Israel alleges that Hamas has established command posts in and underneath hospitals, using civilians as human shields, medical staff at Shifa deny such claims and accuse Israel of indiscriminate attacks harming civilians. Shifa hospital director Mohammed Abu Selmia reported a loss of power, stating that medical devices stopped and patients, especially those in intensive care, started to die.
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The International Committee of the Red Cross and UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths condemned the situation at Shifa, emphasizing that there can be no justification for acts of war in healthcare facilities. Reports also emerged of Israeli tanks positioned near al-Quds hospital in Gaza City, causing panic among the displaced people sheltering there.
As the conflict unfolds, a 57-nation gathering of Muslim and Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia called for an end to the war in Gaza and immediate humanitarian aid delivery. Netanyahu insisted that the war against Hamas is advancing with full force, rejecting alternative paths to victory.
International differences over the conduct of the conflict continue, with the United States advocating temporary pauses for aid distribution, while Israel permits brief daily evacuation windows for civilians in northern Gaza. The conflict has resulted in the evacuation of more than 150,000 civilians in the past week, with ongoing demonstrations and global outrage against the escalating humanitarian crisis.
