President Joe Biden said Tuesday he told Netanyahu that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing.” Haniyeh lives in exile in Qatar, but it was not clear where he was when he made those comments. Speaking to Al-Masira TV, a channel linked to Yemen’s Houthi militant group, he claimed Hamas had dealt a “resounding blow” to Israel. Late Wednesday, Hamas’ supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh said any plans for Gaza that do not involve Hamas are an “illusion and mirage,” though he said the group is open to halting the fighting. Netanyahu’s government is firmly opposed to Palestinian statehood. It also wants to revive the long-defunct peace process to negotiate the creation of a Palestinian state. wants Abbas’ internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to also govern Gaza, which Hamas seized from it in 2007. The findings signal more difficulties ahead for the American administration’s postwar vision for Gaza and raise questions about Israel’s stated goal of ending Hamas’ military and governing capabilities. Many Palestinians view the octogenarian leader’s administration as corrupt, autocratic and ineffective. Though Hamas’ backing remains a minority, the poll showed overwhelming rejection of Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, with nearly 90% saying he must resign. In Gaza, the militants enjoyed 42% support, up from 38% three months ago. “The situation is catastrophic,” said Ibrahim Arafat, a father of 13 who fled Shijaiyah.īecause of the fighting and Israel’s blockade of Gaza, the health care system and humanitarian aid operations have collapsed in large parts of the territory, and aid workers have warned of starvation and the spread of disease among displaced people.Ī poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found 44% of respondents in the occupied West Bank said they supported Hamas, up from just 12% in September. In the central city of Deir al-Balah, the storm brought cold winds and flooded a shelter area behind a hospital, sending torrents of water coursing between the tents. Heavy rainfall overnight swamped tent camps in Gaza’s south, where Israel has told people to seek refuge, even as that region has also come under daily bombardment. Palestinians evacuate survivors of the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah on Tuesday, Dec. Nothing will stop us, we will continue until the end, until victory, nothing less,” he said in a talk with military commanders. I say this even given the great pain and the international pressure. “We are continuing until the end, there is no question. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a “very difficult day,” but he rejected international calls for a cease-fire. Itzhak Ben Basat, 44, the most senior officer to have been killed in the ground operation, and Lt. When the other soldiers launched a rescue operation, they were ambushed with heavy gunfire and explosives.Īmong the nine dead were Col. The ambush took place Tuesday in Shijaiyah, where Israeli troops searching a cluster of buildings lost communication with four soldiers who had come under fire, the military said. Israeli soldiers wave from a tank near the border between Gaza and southern Israel on Tuesday, Dec. “The situation is getting worse, and we don’t have a safe place to go.” We couldn’t sleep,” Mustafa Abu Taha, a Palestinian agricultural worker who lives in the neighborhood, said by phone. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy.Ĭlashes raged overnight and into Wednesday in multiple areas, with especially heavy fighting in Shijaiyah, a dense neighborhood that was the scene of a major battle during the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas.
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