Israel-Hamas war, Gaza genocide

[SvennoJ]

Gaza City occupation plan will lead to Israel’s total isolation: Ex-Israeli diplomat

Alon Liel, former director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, says the plan to take over Gaza City will isolate Israel even further.

“We complain here that countries are recognising Palestine, but by this decision we are not recognising the whole international community [which] thinks that this war should come to an end, and Israel is doing the opposite,” Liel told Al Jazeera.

“So, I’m very sad as a diplomat that Israel is ignoring the whole world, and I am worried about the implications because it will bring to a total isolation of Israel,” Liel said.

There is a widespread feeling in Israel, the former official said, that the US would back Israeli authorities on any policies, something that “gives Israel a lot of confidence”.

Liel added that countries that are allies of Israel should speak out because “if there is an international consensus, the United States will have to pay attention to it”.

Gantz says Israel must accept permanent ceasefire in alternative plan

Benny Gantz, a former member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet, says he has an alternative vision to the government’s plan that does not “waste the tremendous achievements” of the Israeli army in Gaza.

He wrote in a post on X that as a first step, Israel must announce that in exchange for the return of all captives, it “will be willing to agree to a permanent ceasefire”.

As long as this is not accepted by Hamas, he said, Israel must “eliminate Hamas leaders anywhere in the world” and “raid every Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip as long as there is no danger to the hostages”.

The chairman of the National Unity party said Israel must reach an agreement with the US and Arab countries to establish who will govern Gaza and tell Palestinians in Gaza they can leave via Egypt, Jordan or the Israeli port of Ashdod.

“Whoever wants to leave – let them go,” he wrote, adding that in any case, “Israel will have the right to act.”

Alternative plan that still includes ethnic cleansing and no input from the people in Gaza to form a government...

Hamas expresses readiness for ‘comprehensive deal’ to release all Israeli captives

The Palestinian group says it has shown flexibility through Egyptian and Qatari mediators to make the Gaza ceasefire “a success”.

It said in a statement published on Telegram that it is “ready for a comprehensive deal to release all occupation prisoners in exchange for stopping the war and withdrawing its forces”.

“We warn the occupation that occupying Gaza City is an adventure that will cost it a heavy price and will not be a picnic,” it added, warning that there would be no surrender.

“Netanyahu’s plans and illusions will fail,” Hamas concluded.

Israeli army chief conducts Gaza strategy assessment, plans deepening operations for captives’ return

Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has held a situation assessment with senior officers in the Southern Command.

“As part of the situation assessment, they discussed the current fighting situation and the formulation of plans and preparations for the continuation of the fighting in the Gaza Strip,” a military statement read.

Zamir said that in the coming days, the Israeli army “will deepen operational planning” to create conditions for the return of the remaining captives and the “collapse of Hamas”.

The statement was released after Israeli media reported that Zamir had opposed Netanyahu’s plan to take control of Gaza City, citing exhaustion among Israeli soldiers and the danger the fighting would pose to the captives.

Trying the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.