Israel appears far from achieving its goals of crushing Hamas and freeing an estimated 129 hostages still held in Gaza nearly three months after the group’s surprise cross-border attack and the Israeli government’s declaration of war.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says several thousand Hamas fighters remain in northern Gaza, where entire neighborhoods have been blasted into rubble. Heavy fighting is also underway in central Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis, where Israeli officials say Hamas’ military structure is still largely intact.
Gallant on Thursday laid out a personal vision for a scaled-down combat approach in northern Gaza and a proposal for how the territory would be run after the war — with Israel keeping security control while an undefined Palestinian body runs day-to-day administration. His office emphasized the ideas were his own and not official policy.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Beirut on Thursday for the funeral of top Hamas commander Saleh Arouri, who was killed earlier this week in an apparent Israeli airstrike on an apartment in the Lebanese capital.
Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack from Gaza into southern Israel killed around 1,200 people, and some 240 others were taken hostage. Israel’s air, ground and sea assault in Gaza has killed more than 22,300 people, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. The count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Currently:
— Israeli defense minister lays out vision for next steps of Gaza war.
— Blinken heads to the Mideast again as fears of regional conflict surge.
— Israel’s Mossad chief vows to hunt down Hamas members.
— The mother and American uncle of a U.S. service member are rescued from Gaza in a secret operation.
— Find more of news agencies’s coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Here’s what’s happening in the war:
JERUSALEM — Israel’s foreign minister announced Thursday that the Israeli ambassador to Spain will return to Madrid, after a diplomatic spat over Israel’s war in Gaza prompted the ministry to pull her back to Jerusalem.
Israel recalled ambassador Rodica Radian-Gordon in late November after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez questioned the legality of Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Thursday that relations between the two countries had improved since then.
“In light of an improvement in the Spanish government’s statements,” the ministry said, “it was decided that the ambassador will return to Madrid and continue her activities to promote support for the right of the State of Israel to protect its citizens against the terrorist organization Hamas.”
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a U.S. envoy on Thursday that he is seeking a “fundamental change” on Israel’s border with Lebanon.
The comments came days after a suspected Israeli strike on Beirut killed a top Hamas operative, raising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The Lebanese militant group, which provides support to Hamas, has vowed to avenge the killing.
Netanyahu did not specify what his plans entailed, but said he was committed to resettling evacuated residents from Israel’s north back in their homes safely. Netanyahu also said he hopes to resolve the conflict with Lebanon diplomatically but indicated that Israel would not shirk from a wider conflict.
“Israel, after the murderous attack on Saturday of Oct. 7, is determined, bolder and more united than ever before,” said Netanyahu. “Those of our neighbors who have not yet understood this will understand this very well in the future.”
Netanyahu spoke during a meeting with Amos Hochstein, a U.S. envoy who mediates between Israel and Lebanon.
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