Key Developments of Day 124 in the War on Gaza Strip
On day 124 of the war on Gaza Strip, the clashes continue between the Palestinian resistance and the Israeli occupation forces amid anticipation of the ceasefire proposal and Hamas’ response to the mediators.
The Gaza Ministry of Health announced that the Israeli occupation forces committed 16 massacres against families in the sector, resulting in 123 martyrs and 169 wounded in the past 24 hours.
This brings the total number of martyrs in the sector to 27,708 and the number of wounded to 67,147.
Hamas Responds to the Ceasefire Framework Proposal
Al Jazeera obtained details of Hamas’s response to the ceasefire framework proposal in Gaza, which it presented to the mediators on Wednesday.
Sources explained that the movement agreed to a framework for a comprehensive and sustainable truce in three stages, each lasting 45 days, including an agreement on the exchange of prisoners and the deceased, ending the blockade, and reconstruction.
Hamas demanded that the discussions for the complete truce end before the start of the second stage, ensuring the Israeli forces exit outside the borders of the sector and the commencement of the reconstruction process.
Netanyahu: No Commitment to Hamas’s Proposal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the complete victory in Gaza is within reach, affirming that his government did not commit to any promises regarding the deal proposed by Hamas for a ceasefire, emphasizing that the negotiations are ongoing.
During a press conference held on Wednesday, Netanyahu reiterated his determination to continue the war until the elimination of Hamas, indicating that achieving Israeli objectives in this war is a matter of months, not years.
He informed U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Israel is on the verge of achieving “complete victory” over Hamas, claiming that achieving “victory” in Gaza will take months, not years.
Resistance Inflicts Losses on the Occupation
The Gaza Strip witnessed fierce clashes between the resistance and Israeli occupation forces in the western neighborhoods of Gaza City and Khan Yunis.
The Al-Qassam Brigades stated that, together with the Al-Quds Brigades, they managed to target a special Israeli force of 10 soldiers holed up in a house west of Khan Yunis.
They added that they targeted the special force with two anti-personnel shells, then engaged in a confrontation with them, resulting in casualties among the Israeli soldiers.
Israel Plans to Extend Military Service
The Israeli occupation army announced its intention on Wednesday to extend military service in the future to increase the number of reserve soldiers, as reported by Israeli media.
In response to the announcement, Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the “Yisrael Beiteinu” party, stated that the deployment of the conscription bill is a “message that divides the people and harms the soldiers and national security.”
A segment of the Jewish youth in Israel refuses to serve in the military, especially in the face of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant previously considered the escalating calls in Israel to reject military service as “threatening the unity of the ranks and dangerous, representing a prize for our enemies,” as he described it.
Blinken Meets Abbas in the West Bank
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel today to take further steps to deliver aid to the sector ravaged by war.
Blinken stated, “I visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, and I believe there is a very positive future in which Israel integrates into the region, addresses its security concerns, and realizes the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
After meeting with Netanyahu and holding an extensive meeting with Israeli security and military officials, Blinken headed to the West Bank, where he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.
Guterres: Attack on Rafah Will Have Serious Consequences
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is entering a “period of chaos,” noting unprecedented divisions in the Security Council and cautioning about the potentially serious regional repercussions of the possible Israeli attack on the densely populated city of Rafah in southern Gaza.
Guterres expressed deep concern about reports indicating that the Israeli army intends to focus on the city of Rafah in the next phase of its attack on the sector.
He cautioned that any ground assault on Rafah, situated on the border with Egypt and densely populated with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, would have “countless regional ramifications,” emphasizing that such action would exacerbate the already humanitarian nightmare with immeasurable regional consequences.
The UN Secretary-General reiterated his call for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” and the release of all “hostages.”
UN Rapporteur to Al Jazeera: Gaza Famine Unprecedented
Francesca Albanese, the UN rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories, stated that Israel had not implemented the International Court of Justice’s ruling to prevent potential genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Albanese explained in an interview with Al Jazeera that Israel disregarded the International Court’s order at the end of last month to cease killing civilians while emphasizing the necessity of taking all measures to prevent genocide in Gaza.
She pointed out that civilians are being killed daily in Gaza, “a matter of great concern to us,” adding that the famine experienced by Gaza residents has no precedent in the world.
Security Council Meeting
The United Nations Security Council convened on Wednesday at the request of Algeria to discuss the International Court of Justice’s ruling that called on Israel to take measures to prevent any potential “genocide” in the Gaza Strip.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement last week that the meeting was held “to give binding force to the ruling of the International Court of Justice regarding the interim measures imposed on the Israeli occupation.”
Saudi Arabia: No Relations with Israel without Conditions
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that the Kingdom would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel unless the independent state of Palestine is recognized, the Israeli aggression on Gaza ceases, and the occupation forces withdraw from it.
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry conveyed the Kingdom’s consistent stance to the administration, stating that “there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless the independent state of Palestine is recognized within the 1967 borders, with its capital in East Jerusalem, the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip is halted, and all Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Gaza Strip.”
