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The Israel-Hamas conflict has triggered tensions across the Middle East.
AFP
The 76th day of the war in Gaza opened with hopes for a potential new hostage deal dashed after Hamas reportedly rejected Israel’s latest offer. Over in Iraq, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said a rocket was fired at an American air base, magnifying fears of a regional spillover from the Israel-Hamas war.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said late Wednesday that Israeli troops completed the takeover of the “Hamas leadership center in the Gaza Strip” after weeks of targeting the so-called “Senior Quarter” of the Palestinian terror group.
Hackers who claimed responsibility for a cyberattack against Iranian gas pumps said they were told fuel station workers were ordered not to discuss the “severity” of the situation.
The United Nations Security Council has once again pushed back a vote on Gaza to Thursday as the council grapples to display a united front amid international pressure.
Even with mounting pressure from the international community to agree to a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said anyone who thinks the IDF will halt military operations against Hamas “is detached from reality.”
The Netanyahu government’s unwavering stance regarding its goal of eliminating Hamas draws from decades of largely violent Israel-Palestine disputes that ultimately erupted on Oct. 7, when Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people in a surprise carnage in Israel.
U.S. President Joe Biden has reiterated Washington’s support for Israel’s right to self-defense but has urged its Middle Eastern ally in recent days to fight with the protection of Gaza civilians in mind.
