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After evacuation order, Israeli army announces strikes on Rafah
The Israeli military says it is currently conducting targeted strikes against targets belonging to Hamas in the eastern part of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
‘The country will burn’: Families of Israeli captives demand a deal
Several families of Israeli captives held in Gaza have blocked the major Begin Road in Tel Aviv to demand that authorities agree to a deal to bring back their loved ones.
In a televised interview with Channel 12 that is being widely shared online, the mother of captive Matan Zangauker directly addressed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say he needs to be a “leader” and reach an agreement.
“If our government and prime minister miss this chance, which is probably my last chance to see Matan return home and for other families to see their loved one return home, I will bring out all Israelis,” said Einav Zangauker.
“The streets will burn, the country will burn… You cannot play like this with people’s lives.”
‘Ball in Israel’s hands,’ ‘very, very tough decision’ for Netanyahu
Gideon Levy, a columnist with Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, says Hamas “took a brilliant step” that has left Israel “embarrassed”.
“Hamas said very clearly, ‘We agree to a deal,’ which nobody of us knows exactly the details, and now the ball is in Israel’s hands and Israel has to decide,” he told Al Jazeera.
“For Netanyahu, this is a very, very tough decision because he might lose his government. On the other hand, if he says no, it’s very clear that Israel wants war and not the hostages,” Levy said.
The analyst noted the situation has reached “a very critical” stage, at which there is no time for any postponement.
“Netanyahu has to decide what does he prefer: a government that continues to stay in power, God knows what for, … or taking a brave decision, saying yes to the deal, releasing the hostages, putting an end to this war – which didn’t do anything good in Israel and for sure not to the Palestinians – and trying to create a new reality in Gaza,” Levy said.
“That’s his choice. Knowing him, he will not choose the better one.”
And this is why democracy is just a sham. If it eventually comes down to one man for the biggest decisions, then what is the point of democracy.
‘Cautious optimism in occupied West Bank’
Nour Odeh, an analyst based in Ramallah, says Palestinians are “waiting on pins and needles” in the occupied West Bank to hear what Israel has to say after Hamas “threw a curveball” by suddenly announcing it has accepted a mediator ceasefire proposal.
“They want to see what will come out of Tel Aviv, is this going to be for real, will this ceasefire materialise? A lot of hope is hinging on that and people fear those last hours and last minutes carry a lot of risk,” she told Al Jazeera.
Odeh said Netanyahu is in a bind right now and that Israeli authorities are under pressure from the administration of US President Joe Biden. “I think we have to caution that Biden applies pressure on Israel, but only so much. The feeling is that he will find a way to kind of wiggle Netanyahu out of a difficult spot if he needs to,” she added.
“There’s a lot riding on this ceasefire, not just for Palestinians, not just for Israelis, but also for the Biden administration, which needs calm right now to get its house in order in preparation for the Democratic [National] Convention [in August].”
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