US warns ‘reoccupation’ of Gaza ‘not good’ for Israel; IDF refuses cease-fire again. Top points

Israel has repeatedly denied cease-fire on its part despite several nations, including the United States, call for ‘humanitarian pauses’ in the Israel-Hamas war, which has now entered the second month.

The Israeli military began to carry out operations inside Gaza’s main city, a region which is believed to have significant presence of Hamas operatives.

US President Joe Biden once again asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ‘pause’ the fighting in Gaza amid fears of the war spiralling into the rest of the Middle-East. Meanwhile, Israel Defence Force (IDF) rejected any cease-fire blaming Hamas of not following its call for the same. “Hamas terrorists tell themselves that there will be a ceasefire. There won’t be one. We are moving forward,” IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.

Moreover, PM Netanyahu earlier revealed that Israel would control Gaza’s security after it suceeds wiping out Hamas, the governing body of the enclave, from the region.

Netanyahu’s recent interview with news channel ABC where he talked about overseeing Gaza’s security has raised concern of a possible reoccupation of the Palestinian enclave. Top White House official John Kirby cited Biden while saying “the President still believes a reoccupation of Gaza by Israeli forces is not good. It’s not good for Israel; it’s not good for the Israeli people.”

The key talking point in the upcoming Group of Seven foreign ministers meet in Tokyo is going to be the Israel-Gaza conflict. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa agreed on the issue at a bilateral meeting in Tokyo late on Tuesday. “This is a very important moment as well for the G7 to come together in the face of this crisis and to speak, as we do, with one clear voice,” Blinken told Kamikawa, according to the State Department.

So far, five hostages have been freed from Hamas’ captivity. However, families of those who are still believed to be stranded in Gaza question on the slow progress on their release. “I want to know that my kids are alive…We don’t know if they are eating. We don’t know if they are drinking. If they are hurt,” mother of two siblings told AP.

Saudi Arabia will host summits of Arab and Islamic nations in coming days to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “In the short term, the objective of bringing these three summits and other gatherings under the leadership of Saudi Arabia would be to drive towards peaceful resolution of the conflict,” Saudi investment minister Khalid Al-Falih said.

Israel will establish a new city named ‘Hanun’, meaning merciful, in the area near Gaza where the Hamas militants launched attacks on October 7. It will consist of a mixed religious and secular population of about 500 families.

US Vice President Kamala Harris discussed the war developments with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and reiterated her support for Israel’s right to defend its citizens and combat terrorism following the Hamas’s attack.