U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, asking him to avoid "further harm to civilians" in Gaza. This was reported by the spokesman of the State Department in Tel Aviv.
"The secretary reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel's right to prevent a repeat of the October 7 terror attacks and stressed the importance of avoiding further civilian harm as well as protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said after the talks between Blinken and Netanyahu.
Lebanon, a Hezbollah leader killed at Tawil's funeral
A senior Hezbollah commander responsible for dozens of drone strikes against northern Israel in recent months, including today's attack on the IDF Northern Command headquarters in Safed, has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon.
Ali Hussein Barji, the commander of Hezbollah's air force in southern Lebanon, was shot in a car in the town of Khirbet Selm, shortly before the funeral of senior Hezbollah commander Wissam al-Tawil, who was killed yesterday.
The Israeli army expands its operations in Khan Yunis. Hamas calls on Muslim countries to send weapons
The Israeli army is expanding operations in Khan Yunis, a Hamas stronghold in the southern Gaza Strip. This was said by the military spokesman according to which in the attacks "about 40 terrorists were killed" and "important tunnel entrances as well as quantities of weapons" were discovered. In Maghazi, the troops identified "Hamas Brigade operatives in the area who were killed." The Israeli Navy then hit "military posts, supply depots and boats used by the Hamas naval force."
The Israeli army announced the death of 4 more soldiers killed in combat in central and southern Gaza. They are Roi Tal (19 years old), reservists David Schwartz (26 years old), Yakir Hexter (26 years old) and Gavriel Bloom (27 years old). The death toll since the start of the operation in the Strip now stands at 180.
Hamas has asked Muslim countries for support by sending weapons. This was stated by a leader of the organization. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Hezbollah claimed to have bombed the Israeli military base 'Dado' near Safad, more than 20 km from the demarcation line with Lebanon, with several armed drones.
In a surprise operation, hundreds of soldiers and agents cordoned off a Jewish settlement area near Bethlehem (West Bank) and then demolished homes in outposts erected near the Pney Kedem settlement. The presence of the military aroused the indignation of Deputy Rothman, leader of the Religious Zionism party. Defense Minister Gallant stressed that he personally ordered that operation, which coincided with the arrival in Israel of U.S. Secretary of State Blinken. The Biden administration has repeatedly expressed concern about settler activities in the West Bank.
Baerbock: "Gaza and the West Bank belong to the Palestinians"
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on a visit to Egypt, part of her mission to the Middle East, said the Gaza Strip and the West Bank "belong to the Palestinian people." On this point, Germany and Egypt "agree," Baerbock said, after meeting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo. This is written by dpa.
Relatives of hostages want to block aid to Gaza
Relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza are heading to the Kerem Shalom crossing with the Gaza Strip with the intention of blocking the place from which humanitarian aid enters daily for the population of the Palestinian enclave. The action - according to media reports - is in protest against Hamas which prevents the Red Cross from visiting the hostages, from becoming aware of their conditions and providing them with medical and humanitarian aid. Shai Wenkert, the father of Omer, a 22-year-old hostage, told Ynet that since October 7, his son "has not seen a doctor, nor received any medication, and it is not possible for hundreds of trucks to enter Gaza now."
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