‘Israel won’t accept Hamas’ demands’

A Palestinian man walks past destroyed cars outside a building that was hit by Israeli strikes in Rafah. Pic/AP

Israel's prime minister says they will not accept Hamas' demands for a cease-fire after the militant group rejected the latest proposal for a truce. Hamas rejected the latest ceasefire proposal late Monday with a statement accusing Israel of ignoring its core demands, including an end to the war and a full withdrawal from Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not give in to Hamas' "delusional" demands and continue to work to destroy the militant group's military and governing capabilities, as well as seek the release of the remaining hostages. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the UN Security Council's calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages emboldened Hamas to reject the deal.

Israel intensifies air strikes on Hamas
Israeli fighter jets struck over 60 Hamas targets across Gaza during the last 24 hours, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday morning. Targets included tunnel shafts, terror infrastructure, and a launching area from where rockets were fired at the Israeli city of Sderot. Security forces also continued a raid on the Shifa Hospital compound in Gaza City. Soldiers eliminated several terrorists in the hospital area and seized weapons.

US and Israeli defense chiefs meet
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with Israel's minister of defence on Tuesday and discuss ways to defeat Hamas other than conducting a ground invasion of Rafah, the Pentagon said. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said that Austin's planned meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is still on, even though Israel abruptly cancelled the visit of a high-level delegation to Washington.

Netanyahu says US ‘abandoned' Israel
Prime Minister Netanyahu accused the US of "abandoning" Israel after it abstained in a vote held Monday by the UN Security Council, which called for a suspension of fighting in Gaza during Ramzan. By not exercising its veto, the US allowed the non-binding resolution to pass. The Prime Minister's Office said, "The US abandoned its policy in the UN. Just days ago, it supported a Security Council resolution that linked a call for a ceasefire to the release of hostages."

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