International
Netanyahu reiterates to Blinken his intention to invade Rafah to defeat Hamas
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted at his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his intention to expand his military offensive to Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, as the “only way to defeat Hamas.”
“Today I met with the US Secretary of State. I told him that I greatly appreciate that for more than five months we have been together in the war against Hamas and that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the war zones and, of course, attend to humanitarian needs. We are working on it,” Netanyahu said in a video message.
Blinken arrived this morning in Tel Aviv on his sixth tour of the Middle East since the war began in the Strip to promote a truce agreement and exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, in addition to allowing the entry of more humanitarian aid to the enclave, where half of the population is at risk of imminent famine.
I also told him that we have no way to defeat Hamas without going to Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions that are there. I told him that I hope to have the support of the United States, but if necessary we will do it alone,” said Netanyahu, who does not seem willing to give in in his objective of invading Rafah even if the United States considers it a “red line.”
More than 1.4 million people displaced by violence currently live in Rafah, more than half of the population of the enclave, although Israel claims to have an unrevealed plan to evacuate the civilian population.
After visiting Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Blinken landed in Israel, where as soon as he landed he met with Netanyahu; then with the Minister of the Cabinet of War – and member of the opposition – Benny Gantz; and he plans to meet later with the entire War Cabinet and with representatives of the families of the kidnapped.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, the Israeli Army claimed to have “eliminated” about 150 alleged fighters in its military operation in the Shifa hospital in Gaza City, the largest in the Strip, whose siege began on Monday with the argument that hundreds of militiamen were hiding in it.
“So far, the forces have eliminated more than 150 terrorists in the hospital area, arrested hundreds of suspects and located weapons and terrorist infrastructure,” a military statement reported.
“This is an operation with the largest number of terrorists arrested since the beginning of the war,” Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said last night.
Among the detainees – more than 500 according to the Army – are three senior officials of Hamas in the occupied West Bank and several members of the “chain of command” of Islamic Jihad.
About its military activities in the rest of the Strip, the Army confirmed the attack on a tunnel and a military complex in the center of the Strip, from where on Thursday projectiles were launched towards the Beeri kibutz, in southern Israel.
The Nahal Brigade, which operates in central Gaza, also killed “dozens of terrorists” in recent days, with fire from snipers, tanks and airplanes, according to the military.
In addition, Israeli troops have continued their operations in Jan Yunis, the main city in the south of the enclave, for three and a half months.
International
Pope Francis meets former Gaza hostages
Pope Francis met on Thursday at the Vatican with 16 Israelis who had been held hostage in Gaza for months by the Islamist group Hamas, according to the official Vatican news website.
The group consisted of ten women, four men, and two children, as reported by the same source. Several of the former hostages showed the Argentine pontiff banners or photos of their loved ones who remain in captivity.
Francis had previously met with the families of hostages in April this year and November 2023, but this was the first time he had met with individuals who had personally endured captivity.
Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began, the pope has repeatedly called for the immediate release of Israeli hostages, while also condemning the suffering of the Palestinian population.
The war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Islamist militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,206 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures that include hostages who died in captivity.
Of the kidnapped, 97 are still being held in Gaza, but the Israeli military estimates that 34 of them have died.
The military offensive launched by Israel in response has killed at least 43,736 people in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to data from the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-governed territory.
International
Israeli airstrikes on Damascus kill 15 and injure 16, including women and children
Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on residential buildings in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and its surroundings on Thursday, resulting in at least 15 deaths and 16 injuries, according to Syria’s Ministry of Defense and state television.
The ministry stated that around 3:20 p.m. local time (12:20 GMT), the Israeli military launched an aerial attack from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights, targeting several residential buildings in the Mazzeh neighborhood in western Damascus and the Qudsaya suburb to the northwest of the capital.
The airstrikes “resulted in the death of 15 people and injuries to 16 others, including women and children,” based on initial estimates, in addition to significant damage to private property and civilian buildings, the ministry added.
Meanwhile, state television reported Israeli airstrikes on three buildings in Mazzeh and another on a building in an educational complex located in a residential area of Qudsaya.
Following the strikes, loud explosions were heard throughout the city, and thick plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the targeted locations. Ambulances and emergency services rushed to the scene to attend to the victims.
International
Drug trafficker dies after boat collision with Guardia Civil Vessel in Sanlúca
Three people were on the boat that collided with a Guardia Civil vessel around midnight at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, near the Andalusian city of Cádiz, a spokesperson for the Civil Guard reported.
Two officers sustained “contusions,” the spokesperson explained.
The drug traffickers managed to bring the boat to shore, where one of them was “abandoned” severely injured. The other two fled.
The Civil Guard officers attempted to resuscitate the victim before transporting him to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, but he ultimately died early in the morning.
The other two suspects took advantage of the officers’ absence while they were taking the victim and returned to set their boat on fire.
The collision occurred very close to the site of another accident on September 1, where a drug trafficker died following a Guardia Civil pursuit.
The suspects’ boat traveled “400 meters” before crashing head-on and “at full speed” into the riverbank, where a hundred bundles of hashish were found.
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