Israel orders Al Jazeera to close down as Netanyahu rejects peace talks

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lower down ceasefire talks after refusing to conform to Hamas’s calls for to finish the battle in Gaza.

In talks in Cairo on Saturday, an adviser to Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh stated any deal must embrace an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Whereas Israeli officers didn’t ship a delegation to Cairo, Mr Netanyahu stated the state of Israel “can not settle for” such calls for.

Talking on Sunday, he stated: “We aren’t ready to simply accept a state of affairs by which the Hamas brigades come out of their bunkers, take management of Gaza once more, rebuild their navy infrastructure, and return to threatening the residents of Israel within the settlements surrounding the southern mountains, in all elements of the nation.”

Mr Netanyahu’s crackdown continued on Sunday as he ordered the native places of work of Qatar’s Al Jazeera satellite tv for pc information community to shut.

The order, which incorporates confiscating broadcast tools, stopping the published of the channel’s stories and blocking its web sites, is believed to be the primary time Israel has ever shut down a international information outlet.

In a press release launched shortly after Mr Netanyahu’s, the Hamas chief stated the group was nonetheless eager on reaching a complete ceasefire that ends the Israeli “aggression”, ensures Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, and achieves “a severe” deal to free Israelis being held hostage in alternate for the discharge of Palestinian prisoners.

Mr Haniyeh additionally blamed the Israeli prime minister for “the continuation of the aggression and the growth of the circle of battle, and sabotaging the efforts made via the mediators and numerous events”.

Indicating that this spherical of talks might quickly unwind, a Palestinian official stated: “If Netanyahu doesn’t change his thoughts, there might be no cause to remain. They’ll at all times reconvene if that adjustments.”

In response to Hamas’s calls for, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant stated: “We’re observing worrying indicators that Hamas doesn’t intend to achieve an settlement with us.

“This implies sturdy navy motion in Rafah will start within the very close to future, and in the remainder of the Strip.”

Based on Gaza’s well being ministry, greater than 34,600 Palestinians have been killed, 29 of them previously 24 hours, and greater than 77,000 have been wounded in Israel’s assault on the besieged enclave since Hamas killed 1,200 folks in a shock assault on 7 October.

An additional blow to peace negotiations was struck on Sunday when Israel additionally closed the principle crossing level for delivering desperately wanted humanitarian help for Gazans ravenous after nearly seven months of battle.

The Israeli navy reported 10 projectiles have been launched on the crossing in southern Israel and stated its fighter jets later struck the supply.

Hamas stated it had been focusing on Israeli troopers within the space. Israel’s Channel 12 TV channel stated 10 folks have been wounded, three critically. It was unclear how lengthy the crossing can be closed.

The assault got here shortly after the top of the UN World Meals Programme asserted there was a “full-blown famine” in devastated northern Gaza, probably the most outstanding warnings but of the toll of restrictions on meals and different help getting into the territory.