I’ve been following this conflict for more than 208 days…..
I have come to the conclusion that the hards liners in both groups will probably NEVER reach any kind of a ‘deal’ unless one side is FORCED to …
Just when everyone hoped that would be a ‘deal’ ?
Things aren’t….
Israel is under pressure for President Biden* , who see’s American college student’s in conflicts with cops….
Netanyahu has protestor’s in front of his home …..
And?
Hamas is STILL holding hostages and some of its people are going after Israeli troops , while other Hamas fighters are targeting the effort to get food and aid to Gaza without their ok….
Netanyahu HAS been using the threat of a massive operation into Rafah on the Egyptian border to get Hamas to make it a deal…
THAT may NOT work it seems right now…
And?
A Israeli military into Rafah looking for Hamas figures is just gonna make things WORSE for those in Rafah, Israel and President Biden and the Middle East itself….
I’ve said this here before….
The Netanyahu Government will NOT accept a stand alone ‘Two State’ solution for Gaza….
THAT IS what Hamas wants, and wants to control….
And it appears that Hamas is in it till the the last man*….
Still holding hostages…..
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after “in-depth and serious discussions,” the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected. After earlier signs of progress, the outlook appeared to dim as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to resist international pressure to halt the war.
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza after Hamas attacked it. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant claimed Hamas wasn’t serious about a deal and warned of “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza.”
Israel didn’t send a delegation to the talks mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Egyptian state media reported that the Hamas delegation went for discussions in Qatar, where the group has a political office, and will return to Cairo for further negotiations on Tuesday.
Another threat to talks came as Israel ordered the local offices of Qatar’s Al Jazeera satellite news network to close, accusing it of broadcasting anti-Israel incitement. The ban did not appear to affect the channel’s operations in Gaza or the West Bank.
Netanyahu, under pressure from hard-liners in his government, continued to lower expectations for a cease-fire deal, calling the key Hamas demands “extreme” — including the withdrawal of Israel forces from Gaza and an end to the war. That would equal surrender after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 that triggered the fighting, he said.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a statement earlier said the militant group was serious and positive about the negotiations and that stopping Israeli aggression in Gaza is the main priority.
But Israel’s government again vowed to press on with a military operation in Rafah, the southernmost Gaza city on the border with Egypt where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents now seek shelter from Israeli attacks. Rafah is a key entry point for aid…..
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Under a law passed last month, the government can temporarily shutter foreign media outlets that have been found to undermine national security.
Here’s what we’re covering:
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Al Jazeera is shuttered in Israel in what the network called a ‘criminal act.’
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Hamas claims responsibility for a rocket attack that closes a crossing between Israel and Gaza.
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Israeli statements raise concerns about Netanyahu’s commitment to a deal.
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After a U.N. official says there is famine in northern Gaza, Israel pushes back….
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*The Biden administration last week put a hold on a shipment of U.S.-made ammunition to Israel, two Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: It is the first time since the Oct. 7 attack that the U.S. has stopped a weapons shipment intended for the Israeli military.
- The incident raised serious concerns inside the Israeli government and sent officials scrambling to understand why the shipment was held, Israeli officials said.
- President Biden is facing sharp criticism among Americans who oppose his support of Israel. The administration in February asked Israel to provide assurances that U.S.-made weapons were being used by Israel Defense Forces in Gaza in accordance with international law. Israel provided a signed letter of assurances in March.
State of play: The Israeli officials said the ammunition shipment to Israel was stopped last week.
- The White House declined to comment.
- The Pentagon, the State Department and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office didn’t immediately respond to questions.
Driving the news: The Biden administration is highly concerned Israel will invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah where more than one million displaced Palestinians have been taking shelter.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released several statements in recents days saying he intended to order an invasion of Rafah regardless of whether Israel and Hamas reach a deal for the release of hostages being held in Gaza and a ceasefire….
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May 5, 2024 – ISW Press
The Israeli defense minister said that Israel does not believe Hamas will agree to a ceasefire. The Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Israeli forces in the central Gaza Strip on May 5 that he anticipates “a powerful operation in Rafah in the near future” because Israel has “identified signs that Hamas does not intend” to agree to a ceasefire.