Live updates (closed)
The Times of Israel liveblogged Saturday’s events as they happened.
Biden: There’d be a Gaza ceasefire ‘tomorrow’ if Hamas frees the hostages
FILE - US President Joe Biden speaks, May 2, 2024, in Wilmington, North Carolina. (AP Photo/David Yeazell, File)
MEDINA, Washington — US President Joe Biden says that a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war is possible “tomorrow” if the terror group released the hostages it holds.
“There would be a ceasefire tomorrow if Hamas would release the hostages,” Biden says at a fundraiser outside Seattle, at the home of a former Microsoft executive, after avoiding the topic at three similar events yesterday.
Rocket warning sirens activated in towns near Lebanon border
Incoming rocket sirens sound in several towns near Israel’s border with Lebanon. Anyone there is instructed to immediately take cover.
US said offering Israel ‘sensitive intel’ on Hamas leaders’ whereabouts if no major Rafah op
Smoke rises above buildings during an early morning Israeli strike on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 11, 2023. (AFP)
As the Biden administration urgently works to prevent a large-scale Israeli offensive in Gaza’s Rafah, a report in The Washington Post says the Biden administration “is offering Israel valuable assistance if it holds back, including sensitive intelligence to help the Israeli military pinpoint the location of Hamas leaders and find the group’s hidden tunnels.”
The report, which cites four people familiar with the US proposals, says the administration has also offered to help put up large tent encampments for Palestinians evacuated from Rafah, and to assist in building infrastructure to provide humanitarian aid.
Anti-Israel protesters clash with Swedish cops outside Eurovision arena; Greta Thunberg escorted away
MALMO, Sweden — Police are pushing back pro-Palestinian demonstrators around the Malmo Arena in southern Sweden, where the Eurovision Song Contest final is taking place, according to AFP reporters
More than a hundred demonstrators, who oppose Israel’s inclusion in the tournament over the war in Gaza against Hamas, wave flags and chant “Free Palestine.”
Some wear keffiyeh, the Arab headdress associated with the Palestinian cause, including some wrapping them around their faces.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg is among them, but stays clear of the altercations between the most aggressive protesters and the large police contingent.
She sat with other activists in a circle, but is later escorted away by police.
BREAKING:
Greta Thunberg detained by the police after joining a large group of anti-Israel protesters clashing with the Swedish police.
The violence is taking place near Malmö Arena where the Eurovision Song Contest just started.
???????????????? pic.twitter.com/7RR6fEteiJ
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 11, 2024
Trump denies report he’s considering Nikki Haley for VP pick
Donald Trump says that former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is not being considered to be his running mate in the November election, dismissing a report by news site Axios.
“Nikki Haley is not under consideration for the VP slot, but I wish her well!” Trump writes on his social media platform Truth Social.
Daughter-in-law of hostage arrested as protesters and police skirmish in Tel Aviv
Police escort a detainee unto a bus at the anti-government protest in Tel Aviv, May 11, 2024. (Iddo Schejter/Times of Israel)
Police and anti-government protesters continue to face off outside the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv, as police soak demonstrators with a water cannon.
The police also arrest Ayelet Metzger, the daughter-in-law of hostage Yoram Metzger, as protesters chant against the police, accusing them of acting at the behest of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Numerous arrests are made, and a bus is brought in to carry off detainees.
One protester is seen being loaded into an ambulance on a stretcher.
WATCH: Eden Golan performs ‘Hurricane’ at the Eurovision as voting open around the world
Eden Golan of Israel performs the song 'Hurricane' during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Israel’s Eden Golan performs her song “Hurricane” at the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Malmo, Sweden.
While those inside the arena all week have reported boos while Golan performs during the semifinal and dress rehearsals, no negative noises can be heard on the live broadcast. Many fans holding Israeli flags can be seen in the audience during the live show.
עדן, מבחינתנו כבר ניצחת pic.twitter.com/n2RseFvO87
— כאן (@kann) May 11, 2024
Golan performs “Hurricane” flawlessly, simply shouting “thank you” at the crowd after she finishes, and then promptly bursting into tears after she exits the stage.
A visibly emotional Eden Golan reacts just after leaving the stage following her Eurovision grand final performance of "Hurricane."
Clip credited to: @kann pic.twitter.com/p3ApjYeYJa
— Amy Spiro (@AmySpiro) May 11, 2024
Performing before Israel was Luxembourg’s Tali, who was born in Jerusalem and is one of the few Eurovision contestants who has agreed to publicly support and be photographed with Golan.
Though Israel appears fifth in the lineup, Golan’s voting number is 6, since the entry ahead of her was disqualified not long before the show.
Voting is live now at www.esc.vote.
‘We want them alive!’ Hundreds rally for hostage deal outside PM’s residence in Jerusalem
Elan Siegel, the daughter of Keith Siegel, speaks to crowd of protesters at hostage families demonstration in Jerusalem's Paris Square on May 11, 2024. (Charlie Summer/Times of Israel)
Hundreds of demonstrators are chanting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his official residence in Jerusalem, accusing the premier and his cabinet of abandoning the hostages in Gaza.
“Alive, alive, we want them alive!” they chant.
Before speakers go up, the demonstrators sing “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem, “in hope that in the coming week, we will receive some good news.”
Ilan Siegel, the daughter of Keith Siegel, tells the crowd that Jerusalem is her father’s favorite city, and says that since October 7, she has avoided visiting the capital.
She tells the protesters what her mother Aviva Siegel, a freed captive, said to her father before being released from Hamas captivity, “‘You will be strong for me, and I will be strong for you.”
“Dad, I really hope that you are staying strong for mom, because she is staying strong for you. She doesn’t rest, she travels from place to place, speaks, yells [on your behalf],” she continues.
The protest, a weekly occurrence, is being held ahead of Israel’s memorial and independence days.
Demonstrators will soon march from Paris Square to the President’s Residence, where more speeches will be delivered by public figures associated with Safeguarding a Shared Home, Jerusalem’s central anti-government protest group.
Protesters clash with police, block traffic on Tel Aviv highway
Skirmishes break out between anti-government demonstrators and police near Democracy Square in Tel Aviv.
The Times of Israel witnesses at least one arrest and extensive shoving by police, as protesters try to circumvent barricades put up near exits to the Ayalon Highway.
Police also try to disperse the crowd using mounted officers and a water cannon.
But a number of the demonstrators succeed in making it onto the highway, where they proceed to block traffic.
Anti-government demonstration, hostages families protest converge in Tel Aviv
The hostage families protest in Tel Aviv, May 11, 2024. (Iddo Schejter/Times of Israel)
The official portion of the anti-government demonstration has ended, with protest now converging with the hostage families rally on Begin Street.
Family members of hostages held by Hamas speak one after the other outside an entrance to the Kirya military headquarters, calling for an immediate deal to return their loved ones.
Protest organizers call on demonstrators to march southward in the direction of the Ayalon Highway, which some protesters have regularly blocked during the weekly rallies.
WATCH: Eurovision Song Contest grand final kicks off, with Israel performing 5th
Hosts Malin Akerman, left, and Petra Mede during the second semifinal at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The Eurovision Song Contest grand final officially kicks off in Malmo, Sweden, with Israel’s Eden Golan slated to perform in the first half hour.
Golan will perform fifth in the lineup but her voting number is 6, after the Netherlands’ contestant Joost Klein was disqualified following a threatening incident with a Eurovision camerawoman.
The contest is streamed live on YouTube, but is only available there in Eurovision participating countries. Those watching from the US can access the show via streaming platform Peacock.
Voting around the world for the contest is now open, and votes can be cast at www.esc.vote.
Ex-minister whose son was killed fighting on Oct. 7 says cabinet members ‘not righteous enough’
Izhar Shay speaking at the anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv, May 11, 2024. (Lior Segev)
Speakers at the anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv call for the government to resign, criticizing Israel’s political leadership for its conduct on October 7 and subsequent months.
The demonstration’s first speaker is Ayelet Bargour, an activist whose brother, Ziv, died in a car crash while serving in the IDF.
“I can’t visit your grave anymore because they stole my country,” she says in remarks to her brother, a day before Memorial Day. “They’ve brought destruction upon it, they’ve ruined everything good here.”
Izhar Shay, a former science minister whose son Yaron was killed fighting on October 7, slams members of the cabinet.
“Not one of you is righteous enough to say ‘enough,’ to be loyal to the flag and to the country and not to the ruler,” charges Shay.
“I’m trying to grow from this,” says Dr. Eli Golan, who was hospitalized for five months for injuries suffered on October 7. “We can all grow from this. But we cannot recover until all the hostages come home.”
Noga Friedman speaks of her fallen partner, Ido Rosenthal, and his “sucker” personality that always saw him helping others instead of himself.
“Instead of preventing us from fighting for what’s important to us, being a ‘sucker,’ let’s understand what’s important to fight for,” she says.
Military says Israeli forces are striking Hamas targets in Jabaliya
The Israeli military issues a statement saying that it is carrying out strikes and operating against Hamas targets in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya.
The military says it will provide more details soon.
This morning, the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the area, ahead of a planned operation.
The operation is being carried out after the IDF says it identified attempts by Hamas to regroup in Jabaliya.
The IDF estimates there are between 100,000-150,000 Palestinians in the evacuation zone.
European Council president decries ‘unacceptable’ evacuation orders for parts of Rafah
European Council President Charles Michel speaks during an exclusive interview with the Associated Press at the EU Council in Brussels, Friday Oct. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
European Council President Charles Michel calls Israel’s orders for Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah “unacceptable.”
“We call on the Israeli government to respect international humanitarian law and urge not to undertake a ground operation in Rafah,” Michel says in a statement on X. “Crossing points must be fully functioning and allow essential humanitarian assistance to get through amidst raging famine.”
He also says “all efforts must continue to secure an agreement for a lasting ceasefire” and repeats EU calls for a two-state solution.
“The establishment of a viable State of Palestine is key in this respect, side by side in peace and security with Israel as reflected in the UN resolution,” he adds, referring to yesterday’s General Assembly vote upgrading the status of the Palestinian mission to the United Nations.
IDF strikes Hezbollah building in southern Lebanon
Israeli fighter jets struck a building used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon’s al-Amra a short while ago, the military says.
The IDF also confirms that two explosive-laden drones struck an area near Beit Hillel. No injuries were caused in the attack, which Hezbollah claimed for.
Last night, two more drones launched by Hezbollah at Israel were intercepted by air defenses, the IDF adds.
IDF chief said to tell PM that army fighting again in parts of Gaza due to lack of strategy
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend a cadets graduation ceremony at the IDF's officers school in southern Israel, known as Bahad 1, March 7, 2024. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi tore into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during security consultations this weekend for the failure to develop and declare a so-called “day after” strategy for who will rule Gaza after the war, according to Channel 13 news.
“We are now operating again in Jabaliya. As long as there isn’t a diplomatic move to develop a governing body in the Strip that isn’t Hamas, we’ll have to act again and again in other places to dismantle Hamas’s infrastructure,” Halevi is quoted as saying by the network. “It will be a Sisyphean task.”
The report says other senior IDF officials urged political leaders to make decisions and formulate a strategy, without naming them. Additionally, cabinet members reportedly warned Netanyahu that Israel’s conduct and lack of decision-making in the past few weeks was “just risking lives.”
Separately, Channel 12 news reports that Netanyahu also recently tussled with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar over the issue of strategic planning, after the latter told him that he met with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for talks “that took into account all the fronts and considerations.”
“What?! You are holding strategic deliberations with the defense minister?” Netanyahu reportedly responded while interrupting Bar.
“What kind of a question [is that]? Of course,” Bar was said to answer.
The report says Netanyahu then noted that both the Shin Bet and Mossad are subordinate to him, not Gallant, who in turn hit back at the premier.
“You are preventing the defense minister from holding strategic deliberations? Who else will hold them if not us?” Gallant is reported to have said.
According the report, Netanyahu said strategic deliberations “are only held here,” prompting another heated response from Gallant.
“Every time you hold strategic deliberations we come prepared. It’s my duty to hold meetings in order to come here prepared. The problem is that you don’t hold these deliberations.”
Gal Gadot wishes good luck to Eden Golan: ‘Let the haters hate’
Gal Gadot calls Israel’s Eurovision representative Eden Golan to wish her luck ahead of tonight’s grand final and applaud her for standing strong in the face of all the hatred.
“I wanted to call you and tell you that it’s incredible that at your age you’re standing tall and strong and not letting anything get to you,” Gadot says in the video call with Golan. “The strength you have is incredible. You should be so proud of yourself. Let the haters hate. The best way to fight them is with love — go and love, love, love.”
״תני לשונאים לשנוא״: גל גדות בשיחת תמיכה לעדן גולן pic.twitter.com/wkF3FXMhhl
— Ran Boker רן בוקר (@ranboker) May 11, 2024
Amid 24 hours of drama ahead of the final, with renewed calls for Israel to be barred from the contest, a spokeswoman for Kan says Golan and the Israeli delegation are “focused only on tonight’s performance and doing everything for it to be professional and to represent Israel in the most fitting way.”
Following the semifinals, bookies have placed Israel in second place overall and first in the televote. The grand final begins at 10 p.m. Israel time and 9 p.m. local time. Those in non-participating countries can already cast their votes online at www.esc.vote, while those taking part can start voting once the contest begins. The winner will be determined based on a combination of the televote and the jury votes.
Gantz urges PM not to present his Haredi enlistment law: ‘Don’t dismantle Israeli society’
Head of the National Unity party Minister Benny Gantz holds a press conference at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, April 21, 2024. Photo by Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90 *** Local Caption *** כנסת בני גנץ
מסיבת
עיתונאים
מדבר
מדברים
כנסת
ישראל
National Unity leader Benny Gantz urges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to not present his version of an ultra-Orthodox enlistment law to the cabinet this week, arguing that it would harm efforts to recruit yeshiva students into the Israel Defense Forces.
“Prime minister, while the soldiers of the IDF and their commanders are fighting and suffering, on the eve of Memorial Day, the most difficult since the establishment of the state, you are working to introduce a law that does not promote fair service in the country, [and that] will harm recruitment into the IDF, security and Israeli resilience,” Gantz, one of three voting members of the war cabinet, says in a video message.
“I urge you to stop and come to your senses. Bringing such a law is a big mistake at any time, [but] bringing it as you plan, 48 hours after we celebrate the heroism of our fallen will severely damage Israeli society and its resilience,” he continues. “Prime minister — Do not dismantle Israeli society during a war for political reasons.”
Last week, public broadcaster Kan reported that Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs is working on an ultra-Orthodox enlistment outline together with ultra-Orthodox parties allied with Netanyahu.
While details are scant, it appears the proposal is not in line with the demands of Gantz, who together with fellow National Unity member Gadi Eisenkot previously presented his own outline for Haredi recruitment and has stated that he “will not be a partner to exercises and tricks at the expense of the state’s security needs.”
Minister Gantz calls on Netanyahu not to advance ultra-Orthodox enlistment legislation which he says would "harm recruitment into the IDF" pic.twitter.com/2FZ2m3Ccd5
— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) May 11, 2024
Israeli strikes reported in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya after IDF evacuation order
Palestinian media outlets are reporting a series of Israeli strikes in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya.
This morning, the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the area, ahead of a planned operation against Hamas.
طائرات الاحتلال تشن احزمة نارية ثقيلة على جباليا ومعسكر جباليا pic.twitter.com/a7geTdFpCL
— AlHadeel News (@news_hadeel) May 11, 2024
IDF announces soldier killed while battling Hamas in Gaza City’s Zeitoun
Staff Sgt. Ariel Tsym of the Nahal Brigade's 931st Battalion, who the IDF says was killed battling Hamas in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood on May 10, 2024. (Israel Defense Forcs)
The IDF announces the death of a soldier killed during fighting in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood on Friday.
He is named as Staff Sgt. Ariel Tsym, 20, of the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion, from Modiin.
Tsym was killed during a gun battle with Hamas operatives in Zeitoun, according to an initial IDF probe. The incident took place not long after four troops were killed by an explosive device in the same area.
His death brings the toll of slain troops in the IDF’s ground offensive in Gaza and amid operations on the border to 272.
Apparent explosive-laden drone strikes near northern town; Hezbollah claims responsibility
An apparent explosive-laden drone struck an area near the northern community of Beit Hillel, close to the Lebanon border, a short while ago.
Sirens had warned of a suspected drone in the area amid the incident.
Hezbollah takes responsibility for the drone, claiming it targeted a military base and Iron Dome battery in the area.
Egypt said to stop sending aid to Gaza to force Israel from Rafah Crossing
FILE - Humanitarian aid trucks enter the Gaza Strip from Israel through the Kerem Shalom crossing in Rafah, January 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)
Egypt has halted deliveries of aid to the Gaza Strip in protest of the IDF’s takeover of the Rafah Crossing, according to Hebrew media reports.
Walla news site reporter Barak Ravid quotes an Israeli official as saying that Egypt is refusing to send trucks ferrying aid through the Kerem Shalom Crossing between Gaza and southern Israel until the IDF withdraws from the Rafah Crossing, leading to a significant drop in the amount of humanitarian assistance entering the enclave.
Unnamed senior American officials assert that Jerusalem did not properly coordinate with Cairo prior to the operation at Rafah, but say they are pressing the Egyptians to resume the aid deliveries through Kerem Shalom.
A similar report by Channel 12 news says that Israeli officials are concerned that if the aid shipments don’t start up again in the coming days, there could be a serious shortage of goods in Gaza that will lead to fresh international pressure on Israel.
“This is a tough blow. Israel is interested in bringing in humanitarian aid, but without Egyptian cooperation it’s simply impossible,” an Israeli source tells the network. “The Egyptians know this and are relying on the international pressure that will require Israel to stop.”
Protesters convene in Tel Aviv to call for new elections and release of hostages
Anti-government protesters at Democracy Square in Tel Aviv, May 11, 2024. (Iddo Schejter/Times of Israel)
Demonstrators are convening at Democracy Square in Tel Aviv to protest against the government and call for early elections, as well as for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The protest is being organized by Change Generation, a movement founded after the October 7 onslaught to demand the release of hostages and a change in Israeli leadership.
Police have barricaded off chunks of Begin Street and Kaplan Street to contain the demonstration, as well as nearby exits to the Ayalon Freeway to prevent protesters from blocking traffic, as they often do.
Tonight’s speakers include Izhar Shay, a former science minister whose son, Yaron, was killed while fighting Hamas on October 7; Dr. Eli Golan, a doctor from Kfar Azza who was seriously hurt during the attack while escaping from terrorists with her family; Noga Friedman, who lost her husband Ido Rosenthal on October 7; and Ayelet Bergor, one of the protest movement’s leaders.
IDF says strike in Gaza City killed Islamic Jihad terrorist who took part in Oct. 7
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who participated in the October 7 onslaught was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza City neighborhood of Zeitoun, the military says.
It publishes footage of the strike.
Troops of the 99th Division launched the pinpoint raid in Zeitoun in recent days after the IDF identified Hamas regrouping there.
So far, soldiers have killed numerous gunmen destroyed sites belonging to terror groups and captured weapons, the IDF says.
French Eurovision contest cuts short rehearsal to urge ‘unity by music – but with love, for peace’
Slimane of France performing the song Mon amour during the dress rehearsal for the final at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
As Eurovision continues to be riled by Israel’s participation in the song contest, French singer Slimane cut short his song “Mon Amour” at the dress rehearsal to give a speech urging people to be “united by music, yes — but with love, for peace.”
Tu es l’un des êtres humains les plus extraordinaires que nous ayons eu la chance de rencontrer #Slimane Merci grand Homme. pic.twitter.com/KF3OUL2ruZ
— Saïd Boussif (@SaidBoussif) May 11, 2024
Sirens sound in northern towns due to suspected hostile aircraft
Warning sirens sound in numerous northern communities, as the IDF’s Home Front Command says a hostile aircraft if suspected of entering Israeli skies.
Before final, Eden Golan says proud to rep Israel: ‘Nothing or no one can break me down’
Eden Golan of Israel performs the song 'Hurricane' during the second semifinal at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Amid protests over her inclusion in Eurovision, Eden Golan thanks her supporters in an Instagram post ahead of her performance tonight in the finals.
“I stand on this stage with so much pride. Proud of our song and the hard work we’ve put into it. Proud of my country and the people in it,” she writes.
“I feel your love and support from miles away that nothing or no one can break me down. Tonight i’m sharing OUR voice and going to give the best performance I can. I love you guys sm!!”
Military says it coordinated establishment of new field hospital in central Gaza
A field hospital in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah, in a handout photo issued by the military on May 11, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
The Israeli military and Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announce that they have coordinated the establishment of a new field hospital in the central Gaza Strip, run by the International Medical Corps aid organization.
The hospital was built in the Deir al-Balah area, and began operations in recent days, according to the IDF.
“This coordination is a further part of the IDF and COGAT’s humanitarian efforts to ensure aid, including medical aid, reaches the Gazan civilian population,” the military says in a statement.
Israeli authorities say they coordinated the entry of 150 international medical staff and equipment, including medication, beds, food, water, tents and other materials for the field hospital.
The equipment underwent a security check before entering Gaza via the Kerem Shalom Crossing, the IDF and COGAT say.
Seven other field hospitals were established in Gaza amid the war. The IDF says some of the hospitals were moved to a designated humanitarian zone in recent days, after the military called for the evacuation of eastern Rafah.
In Malmo, demonstrators again protest against Israel’s participation in Eurovision
Pro-Palestinian protesters opposing Israel's participation in Eurovision demonstrate in Malmo, Sweden, on May 11, 2024. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP)
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators opposed to Israel’s participation in Eurovision amid its war with Hamas in Gaza hold a protest in Sweden’s Malmo, ahead of the final there tonight.
Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters opposing Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest demonstrate in Malmo, Sweden, on May 11, 2024. (Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
Some of the protesters demonstrate outside the Malmo Arena, where the song contest is being held. Images from the Swedish city show police escorting some demonstrators away from the area.
This morning in Finland, a group of about 40 protesters stormed the headquarters of public broadcaster YLE, demanding it withdraw from the song contest because of Israel’s participation.
IDF says 2 rockets fired from Gaza in latest attack; no reports of injuries
At least two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel a short while ago, setting off sirens in the Dudaim waste facility near Beersheba, the IDF says.
One of the rockets struck the Dudaim area, while the other hit an open area near the Gaza border community of Be’eri, according to the military.
There are no reports of injuries in the attack.
Egypt refusing to coordinate with Israel on moving aid through Rafah crossing – report
IDF troops and tanks on the Gazan side of the Rafah border crossing on May 7, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
CAIRO — Egypt has refused to coordinate with Israel on the entry of aid into Gaza from the Rafah Crossing due to Israel’s “unacceptable escalation,” Egypt’s state-affiliated Al Qahera News satellite TV reports, citing a senior official.
Rocket warning sirens sound near Beersheba
Air raid sirens sound near Beersheba, a day after a woman was injured in the first Hamas rocket attack on the southern city since December.
Protesting Israel’s inclusion, Norway singer won’t announce country’s points at Eurovision
Alessandra Mele, who represented Norway at last year’s Eurovision, says she will no longer award the Scandinavian country’s points during tonight’s final in Malmo, in protest of Israel’s inclusion in the song competition.
“United by music, Eurovision’s motto, is the reason why I do music,” she says in a video. “But right now, those words are just empty words.”
“There’s a genocide going on and I’m asking you to please open your eyes, open up your heart,” the singer goes on to claim, referring to the ongoing war in Gaza started by Hamas’s October 7 terror massacre.
“Let love lead you to the truth, it’s right in front of your eyes. Free Palestine.”
אירוויזיון 2024 | הזמרת אלסנדרה שייצגה את נורווגיה שנה שעברה והייתה אמורה לחשוף את חלוקת הנקודות השנה, מודיעה (ברגע האחרון) שהיא לא תשתתף בגלל ישראל ו"רצח העם בעזה", כלשונה@mayarachlin pic.twitter.com/xh1jZVz7fi
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 11, 2024
Hours before final, Irish contestant calls for Eden Golan’s ouster from Eurovision
Bambie Thug of Ireland performs the song 'Doomsday Blue' during the dress rehearsal for the final at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
The Kan public broadcaster says that at the request of the European Broadcasting Union, Eden Golan and the rest of Israel’s delegation have been moved to another room at the compound for contestants and their entourages.
A statement from Kan says Golan and the other Israelis “are focused solely on the performance this evening and are making every effort that it be professional and represent Israel in the most honorable and appropriate manner.”
Quoting unnamed members of the delegation, the Ynet news site says the EBU asked the Israelis to move in order to separate Golan from Irish contestant Bambie Thug, “who was mad at Israel.”
Shortly before the Kan announcement, Bambie Thug complained about the Israeli commentators during their performance, claiming their remarks breached the rules of the contest and that Golan should therefore be disqualified.
“I’m angry with other teams breaching their rules of the EBU, and still being allowed in,” Bambie Thug tells Ireland’s RTE. “So there’s definitely a war drum sounding in my heart to push the performance even more than I have done before.”
A spokesperson for RTE says the Irish broadcaster itself did not log a complaint calling for Golan’s ouster, as Bambie Thug is advocating.
Before speaking with RTE, Bambie Thug posted a story to Instagram saying they didn’t do a dress rehearsal due to “a situation while we were waiting to go to stage for the flag parade rehearsal which I felt needed urgent attention from the EBU,” without elaborating on the incident.
“The EBU have taken this matter seriously and we have been in a discussion about what action needs to be taken,” adds Bambie Thug, who before the semifinal said they were forced by the EBU to remove pro-Palestinian writing from their face and leg.
Ireland has been one of the harshest European critics of Israel over its war against Hamas in Gaza, with Bambie Thug saying prior to the contest that “I think if I wasn’t in the competition, I would also be boycotting.”
Hard-liners firmly in charge of Iran’s parliament after election run-off
An Iranian man votes for the parliamentary runoff elections at a polling station in Tehran, Iran, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s hard-liners have won most of the remaining seats in an election run-off to give them full control over the country’s parliament, authorities say, while not sharing any details on the turnout.
The result, and that of the previous vote in March, gives hard-liners 233 of the 290 seats in Iran’s parliament, according to an Associated Press tally.
Hard-liners seek more cultural and social restrictions based on Islamic sharia, including demanding that women wear the Islamic veil in public. They also express enmity toward the West, particularly the United States.
Those politicians calling for change in the country’s government, known broadly as reformists, were generally barred from running in the election. Those calling for radical reforms or for abandoning Iran’s theocratic system were also banned or didn’t bother to register as candidates.
Vote counting began after the ballots closed late Friday, with the election authority publishing the names of the winners the day after.
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi says the election saw “good participation,” without elaborating.
“All elected people have had a relatively good and acceptable” number of votes, he says.
The result requires approval by a constitutional watchdog. It is expected next week. The new parliament will begin its job on May 27.
The parliament in Iran plays a secondary role in governing the country though it can intensify pressure on the administration when deciding on the annual budget and other important bills. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say in all important state matters.
In March, a total of 25 million ballots were cast, for a turnout of just under 41 percent, the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought Islamists to power.
Eden Golan again booed during rehearsal, hours before Eurovision final
Loud boos are again heard from the crowd in Malmo as Eden Golan rehearses on stage for the last time before performing in tonight’s Eurovision finals.
Golan was also booed during her rehearsal yesterday, but despite the scorn from some parts of the audience, she is considered a favorite to win the contest with her song “Hurricane.”
שעות לפני האירוויזיון: שוב בוז חזק מחלק מהקהל במאלמו בזמן שירה של הישראלית עדן גולן pic.twitter.com/L0JJX7dWNg
— Ran Boker רן בוקר (@ranboker) May 11, 2024
4 rockets fired at Kerem Shalom from Rafah; one intercepted, others hit open areas
Four rockets were launched from southern Gaza’s Rafah at the border community of Kerem Shalom, the military says.
One of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome, while the other three hit open areas, the IDF says.
There are no injuries in the attack.
In recent days, Hamas has repeatedly attacked the Kerem Shalom area and the nearby border crossing.
Rocket sirens activated in Kerem Shalom near Gaza border
Rocket alert sirens are sounding at Kerem Shalom, on the southern end of the border with Gaza.
On Sunday, four IDF soldiers were killed in a Hamas rocket attack on a staging ground near the Kerem Shalom Crossing. The crossing was shuttered until yesterday as a result.
Red Alert [15:00:15] – 1 Alert:
• Gaza Envelope — Kerem Shalom#Israel #RocketAlert #RedAlert pic.twitter.com/nzMwoDUEN5
— ILRedAlert (@ILRedAlert) May 11, 2024
Firefighters battling blaze near Jerusalem-area village
Firefighters are trying to extinguish a large blaze that has broken out near the Jerusalem-area village of Ein Nakuba.
Fire and Rescue Services say that 10 teams are on the scene trying to control the fire, which has quickly broken out due to windy conditions and the local topography.
Firefighting helicopters have also been dispatched to support those on the ground.
עשרה צוותי כיבוי והצלה פועלים כעת לכבות שריפה סמוך ליישובים עין נקובא ואבו גוש@HGoldich
(צילום: דובר כב"ה מחוז ירושלים) pic.twitter.com/ncMG1oc3sx— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 11, 2024
Trump weighing former GOP challenger Nikki Haley as presidential running mate
File: Republican presidential candidate former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during a news conference, in Charleston, South Carolina, March 6, 2024. (Chris Carlson/AP)
Former Republican US presidential candidate Nikki Haley is under active consideration by Donald Trump’s campaign to be his running mate, news site Axios reports, citing unidentified people familiar with the situation.
Trump could pick Haley if he were convinced she could help him win the presidency, avoid a potential prison sentence and cover tens of millions in legal bills if he loses, the report says
Haley, the former South Carolina governor and a former US ambassador to the United Nations, ended her log-shot challenge to Republican presidential frontrunner Trump in March.
She said it was likely Trump – who repeatedly belittled her candidacy – would be the Republican nominee, but did not endorse him.
IDF says soldiers found weapons at health clinic in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood
Weapons found in a health clinic in the Gaza City neighborhood of Zeitoun, May 11, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
Troops operating in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood located a cache of weapons at a health clinic, the military says.
The IDF says dozens of gunmen have been killed and many weapons have been captured amid the ongoing raid in Zeitoun.
In Rafah, troops killed several more Hamas gunmen in the eastern part of the city, as well as located several tunnels, the IDF says.
Also over the past day, the military says airstrikes were carried out against dozens of sites belonging to terror groups, including rocket launchers, observation posts and other infrastructure.
Hamas publishes propaganda video of hostage Nadav Popplewell
Hostage Nadav Popplewell in a Hamas propaganda video aired on May 11, 2024. (Hamas media office)
The Hamas terror group has aired a new propaganda video showing an Israeli hostage in the Gaza Strip.
In the 10-second clip, the hostage identifies himself as Nadav Popplewell, 51. Popplewell also holds British citizenship.
The terror group says it will publish further information or footage on the hostage soon.
Hamas has previously issued similar videos of hostages it is holding, in what Israel says is deplorable psychological warfare.
Most Israeli media do not carry the video clips themselves.
Dutch public broadcaster pans ‘disproportionate’ move expelling contestant from Eurovision
After Dutch contestant Joost Klein was dropped from Saturday’s Eurovision final, the country’s public broadcaster Avrotros tells AFP in an email that it found the move “disproportionate,” adding that it was “shocked by the decision.”
A representative for Klein did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The European Broadcasting Union said earlier that it was investigating an incident involving Klein after a complaint was made by a female member of the production crew.
“We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member,” the EBU added, an apparent reference to false allegations that the incident had involved the Israeli delegation.
Hamas health ministry updates Gaza death toll to 34,971
At least 34,971 Palestinians have been killed and 78,641 injured in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza since October 7, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says in a statement.
The figures have not been independently verified and include at least 15,000 Hamas gunmen Israel says it has killed in battle. Israel also says it killed some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.
A total of 271 IDF soldiers have been killed in the army’s Gaza ground operation.
Dutch Eurovision entry axed from contest after ‘incident’ with female production crew member
Joost Klein, who represents the Netherlands takes the stage during the dress-rehearsal on the eve of the final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 on May 10, 2024 at the Malmo Arena, Sweden. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP)
MALMO, Sweden — Dutch artist Joost Klein was expelled from the Eurovision Song Contest following a complaint made by a female member of the production crew, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the event, says in a statement.
The EBU says it was investigating an incident involving Klein, 26, whose quirky song “Europapa” had originally made him one of the favorites ahead of tonight’s final.
“We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member,” the EBU adds, an apparent reference to false allegations that the incident had involved the Israeli delegation.
“Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final,” the EBU says. “While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for [Klein] to continue in the Contest.”
“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behavior at our event and are committed to providing a safe and secure working environment for all staff at the Contest,” the organizers say. “In light of this, Joost Klein’s behavior towards a team member is deemed in breach of Contest rules.”
Swedish police says Dutch Eurovision contestant probed for ‘intimidation’ offense
Joost Klein, who represents the Netherlands takes the stage during the dress-rehearsal on the eve of the final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 on May 10, 2024 at the Malmo Arena, Sweden. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP)
MALMO, Sweden (AFP) — Swedish police say they launched a probe into alleged intimidation at Eurovision after the Dutch contestant was mysteriously pulled from rehearsals on the eve of the final.
European Broadcasting Union organizers announced that Dutch competitor Joost Klein had been prevented from rehearsing Friday over an unspecified “incident.”
“The police is investigating intimidation. The offense was committed in the Malmo arena on Thursday evening,” police spokesman Pelle Vamstad tells AFP.
“The suspect, a man, was heard. He is not in detention,” Vamstad adds.
The person who lodged a complaint is involved in Eurovision, police say.
Dutch broadcaster SVT suggests the incident involving Klein had been a confrontation with a photographer.
Dutch broadcasting association AVROTROS says an investigation was continuing and that it was in “constant talks” with the EBU.
During rehearsals, Klein had paraded with other participants ahead of the performances but did not go on stage when it was his turn.
His song “Europapa” is dedicated to his parents, who died when he was young.
At the end of Thursday’s semifinal, the 26-year-old had appeared to object to being placed beside Israeli contestant Eden Golan, at several points covering his face with a Dutch flag.
IDF: Around 300,000 Gazans have left Rafah to ‘humanitarian zone’
This map issued by the IDF, May 11, 2024 shows zones in Rafah that are to be evacuated amid a military offensive in the area. (Israel Defense Forces)
The IDF says it estimates that some 300,000 Palestinians have evacuated southern Gaza’s Rafah to a designated “humanitarian zone” in the al-Mawasi and Khan Younis areas.
This morning, the IDF expanded the number of zones in eastern Rafah that need to be evacuated amid an ongoing operation against Hamas there.
IDF gearing up for fresh op in Gaza’s Jabaliya, as Hamas renews presence there
File: Palestinians walk through the destruction from the Israeli offensive in Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on February 29, 2024. (AP/Mahmoud Essa)
The Israeli military is preparing to launch a new operation in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya, after identifying attempts by Hamas to regroup there.
The IDF estimates there are between 100,000 and 150,000 Palestinians in the evacuation zone. They are being called to move to shelters in western Gaza City.
It will be the second time the IDF is operating in Jabaliya after it was captured during the first months of Israel’s ground offensive against Hamas. The IDF later withdrew from north Gaza.
The evacuation order comes as the IDF continues to operate in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood, after similarly identifying Hamas regrouping there.
Israeli officials: Hostage-truce talks haven’t failed, efforts to ink deal continue alongside military operations
Hostage and truce talks have not completely collapsed and efforts to reach an agreement continue alongside military operations in the Gaza Strip, Israeli officials tell the Ynet news site.
The officials add that indirect talks will resume “if there are answers from Hamas that we can work with.”
IDF calls on Gazans to evacuate additional Rafah neighborhoods as it presses operation
The Israeli military is calling on Palestinians in additional neighborhoods of Rafah to evacuate the area, as it presses on with its operation against Hamas in the city in the southern Gaza Strip.
Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, publishes a list of the new zones that need to be evacuated alongside the announcement.
Last week, the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the eastern outskirts of Rafah, before it pushed into the area. The latest warning covers the Rafah and Shaboura camps and the neighborhoods of Geneina and Khirbat al-Adas.
The civilians are being called to move to an expanded designated “humanitarian zone” in the al-Mawasi and Khan Younis areas.
Adraee also warns Palestinians against moving toward the Israeli border.
Around a million Palestinians, who fled other parts of the enclave during the war, are sheltering in Rafah.
The move comes after the security cabinet voted on Thursday night to approve a “measured” expansion of the IDF’s operation in Rafah.
A separate evacuation order is given for northern Gaza, in the Jabaliya area. In this case, civilians are told to move to shelters west of Gaza City.
“You are in a dangerous combat zone. Hamas is trying to rebuild its capabilities in the area, and therefore the IDF will work with great force against the terror organizations in the area in which you are located,” Adraee says.
#عاجل ???? نداء إلى جميع السكان والنازحين المتواجدين في منطقة جباليا وأحياء السلام والنور وتل الزعتر ومشروع بيت لاهيا ومعسكر جباليا وعزبة ملين والروضة, والنزهة, الجرن، النهضة، والزهور – توجهوا فورًا إلى المآوي غرب مدينة غزة!
⭕️تتواجدون في منطقة قتال خطيرة. تحاول حماس إعمار… pic.twitter.com/oFYipXMajx
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) May 11, 2024
Report: Efforts being made to renew hostage, truce talks within days in Doha
Family members of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza protest outside the final rehearsal for the official 76th Independence Day ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, May 9, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Diplomats are working to resume indirect talks on a potential truce and hostage deal within a few days in Doha, the London-based New Arab daily reports, citing Egyptian and Western sources.
Sources tell the news outlet that Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has invited Egypt’s Intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and CIA Director William Burns to revive the talks, but it is unclear if they will attend.
Negotiations appeared to break down this week when Hamas on Monday claimed to have accepted a truce agreement with Israel, though it later emerged that the proposal it said had come from Egyptian and Qatari mediators included several elements fundamentally different to those Israel had agreed to.
Jerusalem swiftly rejected the proposal for falling short of its “vital demands,” but okayed dispatching a working-level delegation to the indirect talks in Cairo. After gaps could not be closed, both Israeli and Hamas teams departed Egypt on Friday.
17-year-old shot dead in southern town Segev Shalom
A 17-year-old has been shot dead in the southern town Segev Shalom, police say.
In a statement, police say the teen was declared dead by medics on the scene.
He is not immediately publicly named.
Police say that it is believed that the motive for the killing was a criminal dispute.
Australian FM says Palestinian UN membership bid can ‘build momentum towards peace’
File: Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong speaks during a ceremony to mark the return of four significant cultural heritage items to the Kaurna People from the collection of the Grassi Museum in Leipzig, at Possum Park in Adelaide on May 3, 2024. (MICHAEL ERREY / POOL / AFP)
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the country’s support for a Palestinian bid to become a full United Nations member is part of building momentum to secure peace in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Australia voted on Friday with the overwhelming majority of the U.N. General Assembly in backing a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognizing it as qualified to join and recommending the UN Security Council “reconsider the matter favorably.”
Last month, the United States vetoed a recommendation that “the State of Palestine be admitted to membership” in a Security Council vote.
The question of Palestinian membership is one of the few diplomatic issues where close allies Washington and Canberra differ.
“Much of our region and many of our partners also voted yes,” Wong tells a press conference in Adelaide. “We all know one vote on its own won’t end this conflict – it has spanned our entire lifetimes – but we all have to do what we can to build momentum towards peace.”
Foreign Minister Israel Katz labelled the UN decision a “prize for Hamas,” in a statement released by his office.
Loud boos heard during Eden Golan’s rehearsal for Eurovision finals
In video from Eurovision in Sweden, loud boos can be heard during Israeli contest Eden Golan’s rehearsal before her performance Saturday in the song content’s finals.
שריקות בוז לעדן גולן בחזרת השופטים pic.twitter.com/Fzm0CcBjIG
— ישראל היום (@IsraelHayomHeb) May 10, 2024
Moody’s leaves Israeli credit rating unchanged, outlook still negative
A sign for credit agency Moody's shown on August 13, 2010 in New York. (AP/Mark Lennihan)
In a new report, Moody’s upholds Israel’s A2 credit rating while keeping its outlook at negative, several months after downgrading Israel’s rating a notch and lowering its forecast from stable to negative.
France calls on Israel to end Rafah operation ‘without delay’
France’s foreign ministry denounces the military operation that Israel launched in Rafah this week, calling for Jerusalem to end it “without delay and to return to the path of negotiations.”
A statement from the Quai d’Orsay also calls on Israel to immediately reopen the Rafah Crossing to allow aid to get into Gaza and for “the most vulnerable people” to leave the enclave.
In first since 2003, US agency says earth hit by ‘extreme’ solar storm
WASHINGTON — The planet is experiencing its first “extreme” geomagnetic storm since 2003, a US agency says.
“EXTREME (G5) conditions reached Earth at 6:54 pm EDT. Geomagnetic storming is likely to persist through the weekend as several additional Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejection (CMEs) are in transit,” says NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center on X.
Fuming over report, Democratic senator warns it may fuel calls to further limit weapons to Israel
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland speaks at Prince George's Community College, Center for the Performing Arts, September 14, 2023, in Largo, Maryland. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Progressive Democrats are fuming following the release of the State Department’s report accepting Israel’s assurances that it is using US weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law.
The report did find it “reasonable to assess that Israel has at times used US-supplied weapons in ways that were inconsistent with its obligations, but determined that the administration didn’t have enough information to verify those alleged breaches.
“This report contradicts itself,” Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland says in a briefing with reporters following the release of the report. Van Hollen has been one of the leading critics of Israel’s military campaign on Capitol Hill. Pressure applied by him and other Democrats is seen to have played a major role in US President Joe Biden’s decision to adopt a memo in February requiring all US security aid recipients to provide a written assurance that they’re using American weapons in accordance with international law.
That National Security Memo — known as NSM-20 — required the Biden administration to issue a report to Congress determining whether it accepts assurances from aid recipients that they are complying with international law, which the State Department did Friday right before the start of the weekend in an indication that it wanted the determination to be buried.
The memo ultimately was not used in the way Van Hollen and other progressives had hoped.
“It provides a useful accountability structure, but it will be most useful if judgments can be made based on the facts and the law and not driven by what we wish the facts and the law were,” Van Hollen continues. “They’re ducking a determination on the hard… politically inconvenient cases.”
“The report might create an atmosphere where people will push for more limitations on offensive weapons to Israel,” Van Hollen warns.
But given that Congress is split and a sizeable number of Democrats aren’t as critical of Israel’s military campaign as he is, it is less likely that such limitations will get very far on the Hill.
Sinwar not hiding in Rafah, officials tell ToI, as PM publicly prioritizes IDF op there
Hamas's Gaza Strip leader Yahya Sinwar in a tunnel in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, October 10, 2023 (IDF Spokesman)
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is not hiding in Rafah, two officials familiar with the matter tell The Times of Israel, as the IDF moves to expand its operations in Gaza’s southernmost city.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has elevated a potential IDF operation in Rafah to the top of his public agenda, but targeting Hamas’s leadership is believed to still be a major Israeli war aim as well.
Israel has had some success on this front, killing Hamas military wing deputy commander Marwan Issa — considered the terror group’s No. 3 leader in Gaza — along with other senior commanders in recent months. But Sinwar and his deputy — military wing chief Mohammed Deif — have remained elusive, despite repeated claims by Israeli officials that the IDF was closing in on them.
The two officials speaking to The Times of Israel were unable to say with certainty where Sinwar is currently located, but they cited recent intelligence assessments that placed the Hamas leader in underground tunnels in the Khan Younis area, some five miles north of Rafah.
An third official — an Israeli one — asserted that Sinwar is still in Gaza.
IDF ground forces began operating in Rafah on Monday, launching a targeted operation in the eastern part of the city aimed at taking over the Gaza side of the border crossing with Egypt. The security cabinet voted Thursday to approve a measured expansion of the Rafah operation in what is aimed at remaining within the scope of what Washington is willing to accept.
US President Joe Biden said he would stop sending certain offensive weapons to the IDF if Israel went forward with a major ground offensive in the population centers of the city where over one million Palestinians are sheltering. He already withheld a shipment of high payload bombs last week amid fears they’d be used in Rafah.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Left) at the Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, May 5, 2024. (Kobi Gideon/ GPO) and Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar speaks during a rally marking Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day, in Gaza City, April 14, 2023. (Mohammed Abed / AFP)
Netanyahu has pledged to launch a major offensive in Rafah for months, arguing that the operation is essential for defeating Hamas, which has four of its remaining six active battalions located in the city.
But one of the officials speaking to The Times of Israel said many Hamas fighters in Rafah have fled northward as Israeli threats of an invasion intensified in recent weeks.
While Israel says 18 of Hamas’s 24 battalions have been dismantled, the terror group’s fighters have managed to regroup and return to areas previously cleared by the IDF.
The IDF was operating in the Gaza City neighborhood of Zeitun this week for the third time since the war’s outbreak, with security officials warning that the IDF would be forced to continue playing this game of cat and mouse with Hamas until the Israeli government advances a viable alternative to Hamas rule.
While much of the security establishment would like to see the Palestinian Authority — or at least Palestinians linked to the PA — fill the vacuums that the IDF is briefly creating through its operations throughout the Strip; Netanyahu has rejected the idea outright, as his far-right allies have pushed for Israel to permanently occupy the Strip and re-establish settlements there.
Absent a diplomatic strategy to compliment the military operations, many of the IDF’s achievements on the ground have been short-lived, the Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
Emirati FM rails at Netanyahu for suggesting UAE might help to manage Gaza after war
Then-opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu meets with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed in Tel Aviv on September 16, 2022. (Benjamin Netanyahu/Twitter)
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed tears into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for suggesting that Abu Dhabi might assist local Palestinians in the management of Gaza after the war.
Netanyahu was asked in a Thursday interview with Dr. Phil who he’d like to see run Gaza after Hamas.
“We’ll probably have to have some kind of civilian administration by Gazans who are not committed to our destruction, possibly with the aid of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other countries that I think want to see stability and peace,” Netanyahu responded, while clarifying that Israel would maintain the right to enter Gaza as necessary to root out remnant terror elements.
Bin Zayed tweets the UAE’s denunciation of Netanyahu’s comments “calling on the state to participate in civil administration of the Gaza Strip, which is under Israeli occupation.”
“The UAE stresses that the Israeli prime minister does not have any legal capacity to take this step, and the state refuses to be drawn into any plan aimed at providing cover for the Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip,” he adds.
“The UAE affirms that when a Palestinian government is formed that meets the hopes and aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people and enjoys integrity, competence and independence, the state will be fully prepared to provide all forms of support to that government,” Bin Zayed says.
Emirati leaders have repeatedly asserted that they will not take part in the post-war management of Gaza absent Israel commitment to create a pathway to a future two-state solution — a framework Netanyahu opposes.
Some officials have suggested that Abu Dhabi has privately shown more flexibility.
US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that five Arab countries “are prepared to help rebuild Gaza, prepared to help transition to a two-state solution… to maintain the security and peace while they’re working out a Palestinian Authority that’s real and not corrupt.”
Biden said he didn’t want to name. the five countries “because I don’t want to get them in trouble,” but he clearly appeared to be referring to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar.
Those five countries have established a forum in coordination with the US to craft a post-war vision for Gaza aimed at an eventual end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Biden report finds Israeli vows on lawful use of US arms credible, but ‘reasonable’ to assess otherwise
Illustrative: A picture taken in southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip on December 7, 2023, shows an Israeli fighter jet dropping flares over Gaza. (Menahem KAHANA / AFP)
In a highly anticipated and somewhat convoluted report to Congress, the Biden administration says it finds Israel’s assurances credible and reliable that it will use US weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law, amid its ongoing war in Gaza against Hamas.
However, in the strongest such statement from Biden officials, the State Department report also says it’s “reasonable” to assess that Israel has used US-supplied weapons in instances that are “inconsistent” with its international humanitarian law obligations, but that it does not have complete information to verify that American weapons were used in specific actions that were alleged to be breaches of international humanitarian law.
The State Department was asked to deliver to Congress under a new National Security Memorandum (NSM) that US President Joe Biden issued in early February, whether it finds credible Israel’s assurances that its use of American weapons does not violate US or international law.
“Embassies Bogota, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Nairobi, Abuja, Mogadishu, and Kyiv obtained the required assurances signed by the designated representatives of their respective countries, which were in turn reviewed by the State Department in order to determine credibility and reliability by March 24, 2024,” the State Department writes.
“While in some countries there have been circumstances over the reporting period that raise serious concerns, the USG currently assesses the assurances provided by each recipient country to be credible and reliable so as to allow the provision of defense articles covered under NSM-20 to continue,” the report states.
It notes, however: “Israel has not shared complete information to verify whether US defense articles covered under NSM-20 were specifically used in actions that have been alleged as violations of IHL or IHRL in Gaza, or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the period of the report.”
And it adds: “Nevertheless, given Israel’s significant reliance on US-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles covered under NSM-20 have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its IHL obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm.”
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