4-11-2023 (JERUSALEM) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the idea of a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, vowing to continue the military operation until Hamas releases over 200 hostages. This comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel to appeal for a pause in the conflict and greater protection of Palestinian civilians.
Despite Blinken’s efforts, he left Israel without achieving a temporary ceasefire. On Saturday, he is scheduled to hold talks with the foreign ministers of five Arab countries in Jordan, who have expressed growing concern over the rising civilian casualties in the conflict that has now entered its fifth week.
During his meeting with Netanyahu, Blinken discussed the possibility of “humanitarian pauses” to secure the release of hostages and facilitate aid distribution to Gaza’s population. However, Netanyahu firmly stated that there would be no temporary truce unless Hamas releases the Israeli and foreign hostages it had taken during its attacks on October 7.
While both Israel and the United States have ruled out a blanket ceasefire, President Joe Biden has expressed support for “temporary, localized” pauses. In the midst of ongoing fighting and airstrikes, Israel has started expelling thousands of Palestinian workers back to Gaza.
Palestinian workers who were previously blocked in Israel since October 7 are now being forced to return to Gaza. The decision to sever contact with Gaza and halt the employment of Palestinian workers was made by the Israeli security cabinet. The United Nations Human Rights Office has expressed deep concern over these expulsions, highlighting the uncertainty faced by the workers who may not even have homes to return to.
The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s violent raids on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 people, primarily civilians, according to Israeli officials. The health ministry in Gaza, governed by Hamas, reports that more than 9,227 people have died in Israeli bombardments, mostly women and children.
In Washington, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warned Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group, against taking advantage of the ongoing conflict. Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, broke his weeks-long silence and blamed the United States for the conflict, accusing Washington of obstructing a ceasefire.
As tensions escalate, Netanyahu cautioned Hezbollah against attacking Lebanon, emphasizing that any misstep would lead to an unimaginable price.
