Israel recalls thousands of reservists for an offensive and put pressure on the Qatari negotiator – Liberation

Israel seems to be on the point to extend his offensive again against Hamas in Gaza. The army began sending mobilization orders to reservists, planning to recall tens of thousands, reported on Saturday May 3 in the evening of Israeli media.

These reservists should replace called or active soldiers across the country as well as in the occupied West Bank so that they can be sent to fight in the Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli army has neither confirmed or denied this information, but according to public television, the Israeli security firm must meet this Sunday with a view to approving the widening of the offensive in Gaza.

Information on the recall of reservists was published after the armed branch Hamas has broadcast an alleged hostage videoSaturday afternoon, in which an elongated man appears, his head and the left arm covered with bandages with brown tasks. Speaking Hebrew, he presents himself as « Prisoner number 24 » But was identified as Maxim Herkin, an Israeli-Russian hostage who will be 37 years old at the end of May.

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahuunder the pressure of his extreme right supporters without which he would lose his majority, but supported by American president Donald Trump, is currently multiplying the comments go to war.

Saturday evening, he attacked Qatar, Emirate who leads with Egypt Mediation for a truce with Hamas and a hostage release agreement held in the Gaza Strip, enjoining it to « Ceep your double game and double language ». « Israel will win this legitimate war with legitimate means »he added, seeming to mean the end of any negotiation.

Qatar « Firmly rejects incendiary declarations » by Benyamin Netanyahu, « Which are contrary to the most basic rules of political and moral responsibility », reacted the spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Affairs, Majed al-Ansari.

Since Israel ended on March 18 to two months from a truce in the war launched by the unprecedented attack in Hamas on October 7, 2023, Benyamin Netanyahu assures that an increased military pressure is the only way to force the Palestinian Islamist movement to make the hostages.

On the contrary, « Any intensification of fighting will place the hostages (…) in an immediate danger »warned the forum of hostage families, Israeli organization of relatives of the captives. « For the vast majority of Israelis The return of the hostages is the first moral priority of the nation ”, added the forum in a press release, deeming still possible to « Achieve an agreement to save lives and prevent more human losses ».

The truce allowed the return of 33 Israeli hostages, including eight dead, in exchange for the release of around 1,800 Palestinians held by Israel. On Saturday evening, a few thousand Israelis once again gathered in Tel Aviv.

Since March 18, Israeli bombing on the Gaza Strip have been daily and the army has regained control of large sections of the territory it had evacuated. On Saturday in the early morning, 11 Palestinians, including three young children were killed in an Israeli strike on the Khan Younès refugee camp in the south of the Gaza Strip, according to help. The army confirmed by ensuring that it has targeted « A Hamas terrorist ».

After improving during the truce, the humanitarian situation of some 2.4 million Palestinians is again catastrophic. Israel has submitted the Gaza Strip to a total blockade since March 2. In the absence of entry of the slightest humanitarian aid since that date, UN officials and NGOs are increasing warnings on a risk of famine.

The attack on Hamas commandos in southern Israel on October 7, 2023 led to the death of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, most civilians, according to an AFP count based on official figures. Of the 251 people kidnapped that day, 58 are still retained in Gaza, 34 of which were declared dead by the Israeli army.

Israel has sworn to destroy Hamas, which took power in Gaza in 2007, and launched a military reprisal campaign having devastated the Gaza Strip and left at least 52,495 dead, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Ministry of Health of Hamas for Gaza, deemed reliable by the UN.