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Israel vows to continue war ahead of ICJ ruling
Israel’s government says nothing will stop it from continuing its war on Gaza ahead of an ICJ ruling expected on Friday.
“No power on Earth will stop Israel from protecting its citizens and going after Hamas in Gaza,” government spokesman Avi Hyman told reporters when asked whether Israel would comply with a possible ICJ ruling against it.
Earlier, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that senior Israeli officials are growing concerned about the verdict. Last week, the ICJ heard arguments from South Africa calling for the body to order an end to Israel’s operations in Rafah.
The officials fear a stern ruling from the ICJ could open Israel up to international sanctions, according to Haaretz.
Gallant: ‘We are strengthening our effort against Rafah’
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said the Israeli army is stepping up operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where a ground offensive has been under way since May 6.
“This action will go on and on, more forces from the ground, more forces from the air, and we will reach our goals,” Gallant said while touring the Gaza coast to inspect the capabilities of the Israeli navy.
Israeli settlers attack flour truck near Nablus
Wafa news agency reports, citing local sources, that a truck loaded with flour near the town of Beira, south of the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, was attacked by a mob of illegal Israeli settlers.
The sources said, according to Wafa, that a mob intercepted the truck and sabotaged part of the shipment. Israeli extremists have been attacking trucks, some containing aid bound for the Gaza Strip and some simply commercial trucks, for several weeks.
It is not clear at this time whether the truck that was just attacked was hauling humanitarian aid.
Israel to increase mandate of negotiating team: Report
In a meeting of the Israeli war cabinet, Netanyahu and other ministers have decided to expand the mandate of Israel’s negotiating team, the Israeli news outlet Walla reports, quoting a senior Israeli official.
However, the official noted that reaching a breakthrough in the negotiations to secure the release of captives held in Gaza is still not certain, the news outlet added.
This month, Hamas said it had accepted mediators’ proposals for a three-phase ceasefire that included the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a return of displaced Palestinians to their homes and an exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners.
In response, the Israeli cabinet said it was sending a delegation to continue talks in Cairo but also signalled it was moving ahead with attacks on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Since then, Israeli forces have seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, which links Gaza to Egypt. The gate, which had served as a major artery for life-saving aid and an entry and exit point for humanitarian workers, has been closed since May 7.
Israel did that last time until Hamas accepted the deal, then Israel quickly scrambled back... (Followed by blaming Egypt for promising too much) It's just more stalling. As long as Netanyahu is in power he will not allow a (lasting) ceasefire.
Benny Gantz backs inquiry into how Hamas attack happened
Benny Gantz, a minister in the Israeli war cabinet, has spoken out in favour of a commission of inquiry to examine how the Hamas attack on October 7 could have happened.
“It is not enough for us to take responsibility for what happened. We must learn the lessons and act so that it never happens again,” he said in a video message on X. “In order for us to do this, the time has come to establish a state commission of inquiry. I intend to soon submit a proposal for a resolution to establish it.”
The comments are another sign of escalating divisions within the war cabinet led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who says Israel must focus on winning the war and only then investigate its failures.
Gantz threatened to resign from the Israeli government at the weekend if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn’t present a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip by June 8.
