Netanyahu's vows as Israel marks 100 days of war: What you need to know
It’s been 100 days since the outbreak of Israel’s war in Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed "nobody will stop us" from destroying Hamas.
His comments suggest Israel would not comply with the International Court of Justice, where it has been accused of genocide and could be ordered to halt its offensive. "Nobody will stop us – not The Hague, not the axis of evil and not anybody else," he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed Netanyahu's vows Sunday, saying the Israeli army is "fighting the most just war in our history" and will not stop until it defeats Hamas.
While Israelis remain strongly supportive of the war, international pressure continues to build in favor of a ceasefire, as the death toll from Israeli bombardment in Gaza climbs.
At least 23,843 people have been killed in the enclave since the latest fighting broke out, with more than 60,000 wounded, according to figures released by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health on Saturday. CNN cannot independently verify the casualty figures due to limited access to the area.
Below are some of the day's other key updates:
- Egypt border: During a news briefing on Saturday, Netanyahu also said the border between Egypt and Gaza must be closed before Israel's war with Hamas is finished. "We’ll destroy Hamas, we’ll demilitarize Gaza, and military equipment and other deadly weapons will continue to enter this southern opening — so of course we need to close it," Netanyahu said. In response, Egypt said it controls its borders "completely."
- Lebanon border fatalities: The Israeli military says soldiers on the northern border with Lebanon have shot four people dead who they say crossed into Israeli territory and opened fire on them. The incident took place in the Har Dov area, also known as the Shebaa Farms, a common flashpoint along the border.
- Rocket launch sites: Israel’s military said it is still uncovering launch sites previously used by militants in Gaza to fire rockets at Israel. It has also insisted that increased pressure is needed in the besieged enclave to dismantle Hamas and ensure the return of hostages. It comes as Israel looks to consolidate its control in northern Gaza.
- "Warning after warning": The UK gave the Houthis “warning after warning” about their actions in the Red Sea before it carried out airstrikes on Yemen alongside the US earlier this week, the UK’s Foreign Secretary said Sunday. “We've given warning after warning,” David Cameron said on the BBC’s "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg," adding that “yet the attacks continued ... We've sent this very clear, very unambiguous message that we are prepared to follow our words and warnings with action.”
- Namibia statement: Namibia rejected Germany's “shocking” support of Israel against genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), according to a statement from the president’s office on Saturday. The statement decried what it called the “genocidal intent of the racist Israeli state against innocent civilians in Gaza,” and cited Germany’s colonial history in the African nation.
No comments: