Middle East
The Israeli prime minister has declared that he will carry out a devastating military offensive until the hostages are released
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah by saying, “Any mistake will cost you a price you can’t even imagine.”
Nasrallah warned Israel that it would commit “the greatest folly” if it attacked Lebanon, and that escalation at the border would depend on Israel’s behavior towards Lebanon. Nasrallah stressed that all options are on the table and can be pursued at any time. Nasrallah added: “Eliminating Hamas is an unattainable goal, calling on Arab and Islamic governments to assume their responsibilities to stop the war.”
Additionally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying he will proceed with a devastating military attack until the hostages held by Hamas are released.
Netanyahu’s speech on Friday came shortly after meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who is pressuring Israel to temporarily halt its offensive with the aim of improving humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Blinken also urged Israel to do more to protect civilians during its attacks.
In a statement to reporters on Friday, Netanyahu said Israel was moving forward “with all its might” and “rejects a temporary ceasefire that does not include the return of hostages.”
Hamas captured around 240 people in its cross-border attack on October 7, which led to the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas. The attack killed around 1,400 people in Israel, while more than 9,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its strike the same day, according to Palestinian health officials.
In this context, Israeli television i24 News said that the number of Israeli soldiers killed since the start of ground operations in the Gaza Strip has risen to 25 soldiers.
This morning, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, said they had “sniped” an Israeli soldier north of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip.
In a separate statement, the Brigades said they targeted an Israeli force barricaded in a building north of Beit Hanoun with five projectiles, causing the building to catch fire. The Al-Qassam Brigades said their members also surprised an Israeli force in the Al-Amiriya area, northwest of Beit Lahia, and killed four soldiers “from zero distance”.
Two days ago, Netanyahu said the army had achieved important results during the war in the Gaza Strip, but had also suffered “painful” losses, referring to the killing of soldiers when their armored vehicles were targeted in Gaza .