Israel’s war on Gaza, now in its 212th day, has killed at least 34,683 Palestinians — 70 percent of them babies, children and women — and wounded over 78,018.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected calls to end his deadly offensive on Gaza in return for a hostage swap deal with Hamas. Netanyahu claimed that ending the Gaza war now would keep Hamas in power in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
“Hamas remains entrenched in its extreme positions, first among them the demand to remove all our forces from Gaza, end the war, and leave Hamas in power. Israel cannot accept that,” he said in a video message on X.
The Israeli premier blamed media reports for damaging the Gaza hostage swap negotiations and causing “unnecessary suffering” for families, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
He insisted that Tel Aviv is ready to pause fighting in Gaza in order to secure the release of hostages held by the Palestinian group.
His statements came as a Hamas delegation was holding talks in Egypt for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage swap with Israel.
More updates:
Hamas chief accuses Israel’s Netanyahu of hindering efforts to reach Gaza ceasefire
Hamas chief Ismail Haniya accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining efforts to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
“Hamas is still keen on reaching an agreement that ends the aggression, guarantees Israeli troop withdrawal, and achieves a serious prisoner exchange deal,” Haniya said in a statement.
“The world has become a hostage to an extremist government, which has a huge number of political problems and crimes committed in Gaza,” he added, in reference to Netanyahu’s government.
Haniya accused the Israeli premier of “inventing justifications” to continue his offensive on Gaza.
Al Jazeera condemns Israel’s ‘criminal’ decision to close offices
Qatar-based network Al Jazeera condemned as “criminal” a move by the Israeli government to ban the broadcaster from operating over its coverage of the Gaza war.
“We condemn and denounce this criminal act by Israel that violates the human right to access information,” Al Jazeera said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, in Arabic.
Families of killed soldiers disrupt Israeli government meeting, demand Rafah invasion
Families of Israeli soldiers killed in the Gaza war attempted to disrupt a government meeting in West Jerusalem, according to Israeli media.
Protesters tried to prevent ministers from attending the weekly government meeting amid chants for launching a military offensive in the southern city of Rafah, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.
“We all want to return the hostages to the homeland,” far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said as he showed support for the protesters’ demands.
He claimed that invading Rafah, home to more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, is “the only way to destroy Hamas and restore security.”
Extremist National Security Minister voiced support for calls for launching a ground attack on Rafah.
“I was the only one in the cabinet who voted against bringing aid into Gaza,” he said. “We must insist on entering Rafah now and that there be no illegal deal.”
‘US does not deserve to be Israel’s friend,’ says far-right Israeli minister
An Israeli minister said the US “does not deserve” to be called a friend of Israel.
“I think that the words that were said at the (negotiations) table indicate that the United States pledges on our behalf to stop the war,” said Settlements and National Projects Minister Orit Strock in an interview with Radio North 104.5FM.
“I am very worried this morning,” she added. “Israel is not another star on the American flag, it can and must adhere to its opinion,” said the far-right minister.
Strock added that “the United States does not meet the minimum requirements for being a friend of the State of Israel,” adding that “it does not deserve” to be labeled a friend of Israel.
3 civilians killed in Israeli raid on southern Lebanese town
At least three civilians were killed and others injured in an Israeli raid on a house in neighbouring southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese National News Agency reported that “enemy aircraft raided the town of Mays al-Jabal, targeting a house.”
The agency added that the attack resulted in “the death of three civilians and the injury of several others, including a member of the Civil Defense Center.”
Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo show ‘positive progress’
“Positive progress” has been made in negotiations between Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Egyptian state media has said, but warned against believing reported details of a possible deal.
“A high-level source confirmed that there is positive progress in negotiations regarding reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza,” reported Egyptian Al Qahera News.
But the unnamed source added: “What has been published about the terms of the agreement in the media is inaccurate.”
The source confirmed that “the Egyptian security delegation is continuing its consultations with all parties,” adding that “the return of the displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza is among the terms of the agreement.”
Death toll from Israel’s brutal war on Gaza rises to 34,683
The Health Ministry in Gaza has said that at least 34,683 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory during almost seven months of Israel’s brutal war on the enclave.
The tally includes at least 29 deaths in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 78,018 people have been wounded in Gaza since October 7.
Casualties in Israeli raid on southern Lebanese town
Several civilians have been killed and others injured in an Israeli raid that targeted a house in the town of Mays al Jabal in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese National News Agency reported that “enemy aircraft raided the town of Mays al Jabal, targeting a house.”
The agency added that the attack resulted in “the deaths of civilians and the injury of a member of the Civil Defence Centre.”
In a separate report, the agency said Israel targeted the outskirts of the southern town of Alma al Shaab with artillery shells.
“The outskirts of the town of Alma al Shaab in the western sector were subjected to Israeli enemy shelling this morning (Sunday),” it noted.
Two Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza
At least two Palestinians have been killed and several others injured in Israeli attacks targeting various areas in Gaza.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said: “Two Palestinian civilians were killed and others were injured in Israeli airstrikes today (Sunday) targeting the northern and central regions of the Gaza Strip.”
It added that “one civilian was killed and several others were injured in the Israeli artillery shelling on the neighbourhoods of Al Zaytoun, Tal Al Hawa, and Sheikh Ajleen in Gaza City.”
“In Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza, a civilian was killed in an Israeli air strike targeting a gathering of civilians,” it also said.
Israel arrests 25 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank raids
The Israeli army has rounded up 25 more Palestinians in military raids in the occupied West Bank, prisoners’ affairs groups have said.
According to a joint statement by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces since October 7 to 8,575.
During the Israeli arrest campaigns, the Israeli forces beat and abused Palestinians and damaged their homes and property, the statement also said.
Gaza ceasefire talks to continue in Egypt amid Israeli attacks
Talks for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli onslaught in the besieged enclave are expected to resume today.
Palestinian group Hamas says it rejects any deal that fails to end the war in the Palestinian territory and accused Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu of “personally hindering” an agreement.
Earlier, Qatari, Egyptian and US mediators met a Hamas delegation in Cairo and a senior Hamas source close to the negotiations told AFP news agency there would be “a new round” of talks on Sunday.
Negotiators, seeking to halt Israel’s devastating seven-month war on the enclave, have proposed a 40-day pause in the fighting and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
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38 percent of Americans believe US doing too much to support Israel
Nearly four in 10 Americans said the US is doing too much to support Israel in the onslaught in Gaza. An April 25 – 30 survey of 2,260 adults by US News Ipsos revealed that Americans are divided on the US’ Israel policies.
The survey revealed that 38 percent said the US was doing too much to support Israel, 20 percent saw too little US support for Israel and 40 percent said Washington’s backing is about right.
It showed that 37 percent trust former President Donald Trump more than President Joe Biden to handle the issue; 29 percent trust Biden more, an eight-point gap.
While 33 percent of respondents said they did not trust either, 1 percent did not express an opinion.
OIC members call for immediate ceasefire in Israel’s Gaza war
Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Egypt have called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli onslaught in the besieged enclave.
The OIC summit started on Saturday in the Gambian capital Banjul.
The two-day summit, with the theme “Enhancing unity and solidarity through dialogue for sustainable development,” will address global issues, notably the current situation in Palestine and the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza, which has so far killed over 34,600 people.
During the summit, three key documents — a draft Palestinian resolution, draft Banjul statement, and the draft final document — will be presented to the Council of Foreign Ministers and subsequently to the summit for discussion.
Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinian gatherings in West Bank
Illegal Jewish settlers have launched multiple attacks targeting Palestinian gatherings in Jericho and the northern Jordan Valley, according to a Palestinian government report that documented 347 settler attacks in the occupied West Bank in April.
The Al Baidar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights said in a statement that Israeli settlers twice attacked the Arab al Mleihat Bedouin community in northern Jericho.
“A group of extremist settlers invaded the Arab al-Mleihat community northwest of Jericho for the second time within one day,” said the organisation supervisor Hassan Mleihat.
Albanians demand international community stop Israel’s war on Gaza
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Albania have gathered in Tirana to demand the international community stop supporting Israel’s war on Gaza.
“Stop the genocide in Gaza!” protesters came together in Skanderbeg Square upon the call of non-governmental organizations and marched along First Zog Boulevard.
Protesters condemned Israel’s attacks on Palestinians and demanded the massacre be stopped.
Protesters carried Albanian and Palestinian flags as well as chanted slogans such as “Stop the bombardment of Gaza!”, “Stop Israel’s war crimes in Gaza!”, “Stop the blockade of Gaza!” and “Stop the killing of children!”
Courtesy: TRTWORLD AND AGENCIES
