Netanyahu Faces Criticism From His War Cabinet, Rejects Talks With Hamas: Latest On Israel’s War On Gaza

The war, now in its eighth month, has killed at least 35,000 Palestinian lives and displaced 80 per cent of the territory's 2.3 million population, often multiple times.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 20 May 2024 2:56 pm

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu interacting with Israeli military personnel | Photo: AP

An Israeli airstrike killed 27 people in central Gaza, mostly women and children, and fighting with Hamas raged across the north on Sunday as Israel’s leaders aired divisions over who should govern Gaza after the war.

The war, now in its eighth month, has killed at least 35,000 Palestinians and displaced 80 per cent of the territory's 2.3 million population, often multiple times.

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Israel’s War On Gaza | Latest Updates

Netanyahu Rejects Plan To Renew Talks With Hamas: Several Israeli media outlets are reporting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has turned down a proposal to resume indirect negotiations with Hamas, put forward by Israeli negotiators. This comes two weeks after Netanyahu’s office rejected a Qatari-Egyptian mediated ceasefire deal that Hamas had accepted. Soon after, Israel launched its long-threatened ground invasion of Rafah, which according to the United Nations has since displaced about 800,000 people.

Al-Awda Hospital Under Siege: Al-Awda Hospital, one of the last functional hospitals in northern Gaza, is under siege by Israeli forces. Israeli forces fired artillery shells at the hospital before surrounding the facility, and bulldozed areas in the vicinity of the hospital. The ongoing siege is preventing civilians and medical staff from entering or leaving the facility. At least 34 people injured in an Israeli strike on Jabalia refugee camp are being treated at the hospital, which has now run out of drinking water.

UN Unable To Monitor Aid Entry Into Gaza: The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has been unable to monitor the entry of aid trucks into Gaza since Israel launched its ground offensive on Rafah city on May 6, and can only track UN trucks entering southern Gaza. The agency’s latest figures show only 69 such trucks have crossed into southern Gaza between May 6 to May 19, an average of fewer than five trucks per day. This is significantly less than the average of 87 UN humanitarian trucks that entered Gaza through the two crossings per day in April.

Jordan FM Urges Probe Into Israeli 'War Crimes': Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has called for an international investigation into Israeli "war crimes" in the Gaza Strip. Speaking at a press conference with UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini, Safadi claimed that "many and documented war crimes have been committed in the Gaza Strip" and demanded a comprehensive international investigation to hold those responsible accountable. Safadi's accusations echo similar claims made by South Africa at the International Court of Justice last week, which accused Israel of having "genocidal" intent against Gazans.

Netanyahu Faces Criticism From His War Cabinet: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces criticism from the other members of his War Cabinet, with main political rival Benny Gantz threatening to leave the government if a plan is not created by June 8 that includes an international administration for postwar Gaza. His departure would leave Netanyahu more reliant on far-right allies who support full military occupation of Gaza and rebuilding of Jewish settlements there. Netanyahu’s critics, including thousands of Israeli protesters, accuse him of prolonging the war and rejecting a cease-fire deal so he can avoid a reckoning over security failures. They also seek early elections in which polls show that Gantz, a political centrist, would likely succeed Netanyahu.