‘War of annihilation in Gaza’: Israelis freed after arrest for war criticism
A handful of Israeli anti-occupation organisations such as Breaking the Silence and Standing Together say several members were released from stints in detention stemming from their dissent against expanded Israeli military action in Gaza.
“I was released from prison today after three days in custody for protesting against the war of annihilation in Gaza. I spent three days there because, according to this government, opposing the war is a crime,” Nadav Koenig, a team member of Breaking the Silence, said.
The group Standing Together also said co-director Alon-Lee Green and six other activists were released to house arrest after two days in detention, a penalty the group called an “outrageous attempt to silence opposition at the exact moment the government is expanding the war”.
Israeli expansion of Gaza attack ‘politically motivated’
Israel’s decision to expand its offensive on the war-ravaged Gaza Strip is “100 percent politically motivated”, Meron Rapoport, editor at the Israeli news outlet Local Call, told Al Jazeera.
The Israeli military’s objectives “do not really exist at the moment; it is totally a political move” to intensify the war on the blockaded enclave, he said. “It is quite clear to everyone” the captives will not be released during this intensified assault, Rapoport said.
“I think the idea here is to break down the structure of Palestinian society – what is left of it – to drive the people into some smaller areas in the Gaza Strip,” he added. This is being done to pressure Palestinians into eventually fleeing the Strip, the editor said.
Israel says it will bring senior negotiators back from Qatar
The Israeli government says it will bring senior negotiators back to Israel from Doha for “consultations” as it presses forward with an expansion of military attacks on Gaza.
“Israel has agreed to the American proposal for the return of the hostages, which is based on the Witkoff framework. This proposal was recently conveyed to Hamas via the mediators, even though it is continuing to cling to its refusal,” the office of the prime minister said in a social media post.
“After approximately one week of intensive contacts in Doha, the senior members of the negotiating team will return to Israel for consultations. The working echelon will – at present – remain in Doha.”
Hamas has accused the Israelis of participating in bad faith, putting forward an image of serious negotiation while stepping up the war on Gaza. Israel has said it plans to seize permanent control of the Strip and has advanced plans to expel the Palestinian population.
“No real negotiations have taken place since last Saturday,” Hamas said in a statement.
