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News18
36 minutes ago
- News18
Israel plans new phase of war in Gaza
Last Updated: Jerusalem, Aug 20 (AP) Israel is preparing to launch an expanded military operation in Gaza City, possibly in the coming days, even as negotiators scramble to bring Israel and Hamas to a ceasefire to end 22 months of fighting. The Israeli military said Wednesday that the country's defence minister has approved plans to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gaza's most densely populated areas, and that it would call up 60,000 reservists and lengthen the service of an additional 20,000 reservists currently serving. It comes as human rights groups warn that a humanitarian crisis could worsen in Gaza, where most residents have been displaced, vast neighbourhoods lie in ruins, and communities are facing the threat of famine. A military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said that the military will be operating in parts of Gaza City where the Israeli military has not yet operated and where it believes Hamas is still active. The official said that Israeli troops are already operating in the Zeitoun and Jabaliya neighbourhoods of Gaza City to prepare the groundwork for the expanded operation, which is expected to receive approval from the chief of staff in the coming days. Gaza City is Hamas' main military and governing stronghold and Israeli troops will be targeting Hamas' vast underground tunnel network, the official added. Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas' senior leadership, parts of the militant group are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, the official said. Gaza City operation could begin within days It remains unclear when the operation will begin, but it could be a matter of days. The official said 50,000 reservists will be called up in the coming month, one of the largest mobilizations in months. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently said objective of the war is to secure the release of the remaining hostages and ensure Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel. The planned offensive, first announced earlier this month, has heightened international condemnation of Israel and fuelled fears of another mass displacement among Palestinians. Netanyahu said on August 9 that it would span parts of Gaza City and the central camps. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering in the city and it holds some of the last remnants of critical infrastructure. AP journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but how many will voluntarily flee remains unclear. Some said they were waiting to see how events unfold before moving yet again, and many insist nowhere is safe from airstrikes. Some exhausted reservists question war's goals The call-up comes as a growing campaign of exhausted reservists is accusing the government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home the remaining hostages. The families of the hostages and former army and intelligence chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families of the hostages want an immediate ceasefire and worry an expanded assault could imperil bringing the 50 hostages still in Gaza home. Israel believes that 20 are still alive. The former chiefs are sceptical the goal of completely destroying Hamas is attainable. Former Shin Bet head Yoram Cohen called it a 'fantasy," saying that 'if anyone imagines that we can reach every terrorist and every pit and every weapon, and in parallel bring our hostages home — I think it is impossible." Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Mediation is underway in Cairo as worries grow about humanitarian crisis Mediators and Hamas both said this week that Hamas leaders had agreed to cease-fire terms, though similar announcements have been made in the past that did not lead to ceasefires. An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media said that Israel is in constant contact with the mediators in an effort to secure the release of the hostages. Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will oppose a deal that doesn't include the 'complete the defeat of Hamas." More than 62,000 people have been killed during Israel's 22-month offensive, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Monday. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half of them. In addition to that toll, 154 adults have died of malnutrition-related causes since late June, when the ministry began counting such deaths, and 112 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began. (AP) GRS GRS view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Microsoft workers and activists protest against company's Israel ties, occupy part of campus
Microsoft employees, ex-employees, activists, and local supporters took over the software giant's east campus in Redmond, Washington on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) to protest against Microsoft's ties with Israel and raise awareness about the thousands of Palestinian civilians killed by Israel's army. The protest was coordinated by the No Azure for Apartheid organisation that runs campaigns against Microsoft's business partnerships with the Israeli administration. The protesters, who took over Microsoft's East Campus Plaza, created what they called a 'Liberated Zone' and renamed it as The Martyred Palestinian Children's Plaza. Others displayed symbolic shrouds and art pieces that commemorated Palestinians of all ages who had been killed by Israel's military, such as journalists Shireen Abu Akleh and Anas Al-Sharif, as well as children including five-year-old Hind Rajab. Some held up banners that directly blamed Microsoft for the violence and civilian deaths in Palestine. In a statement posted on its website, No Azure for Apartheid urged Microsoft to cut ties with Israel, call for an end to the genocide and forced starvation, pay reparations to Palestinians, and end discrimination against workers who supported Palestine. Members taking part in the protest interacted with Microsoft employees who were on their lunch break and walking through the plaza, per the group. Microsoft has been previously accused of enabling Israel's wartime violence in Gaza through its contracts with the country. However, Microsoft on May 15 published a post stating that it 'found no evidence to date that Microsoft's Azure and AI technologies have been used to target or harm people in the conflict in Gaza.' Earlier this afternoon, Microsoft workers, former workers, Seattle community members and pro-Palestine protestors arrived at Microsoft's East Campus Plaza to establish a "Liberated Zone" encampment – renaming the plaza to The Martyred Palestinian Children's Plaza. — No Azure for Apartheid (@NoAz4Apartheid) August 20, 2025 However, on August 15, the company added that it was investigating allegations reported by The Guardian newspaper on August 6 related to Microsoft Azure being used by a unit of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). 'The Guardian, on that date, reported that multiple individuals have asserted that the IDF is using Azure for the storage of data files of phone calls obtained through broad or mass surveillance of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. Microsoft's standard terms of service prohibit this type of usage,' said Microsoft in an update to its earlier statement and confirmed it would conduct a review. No Azure for Apartheid claimed that Microsoft's investigation was a 'sham' and called on the company to take immediate action against Israel. 'For 34 years, Microsoft embedded itself in the economy of apartheid and genocide through its Israeli development centers, its acquisitions of Israeli cybersecurity and surveillance start-ups, and its never-ending contracts and deep partnerships with the Israeli military, the Israeli prison service, the Israeli government, and Israeli weapons manufacturers,' claimed No Azure for Apartheid in a statement, adding that Microsoft's technology also powered Israel's mass-surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. 'This deep relationship established Microsoft as the technological backbone to the Israeli genocidal machine through the sale of Cloud and AI digital weapons to the Israeli military,' alleged the organisation. The protesters were later instructed by the police to leave the area.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘Gideon's chariots B': Israeli defense minister approves Gaza city siege plan; calls up 60,000 reservists for operation
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has approved the military's plan to capture Gaza City and authorised the call-up of about 60,000 reservists to support the operation, the Defence Ministry told AFP on Wednesday. Katz's office said the minister met with IDF chief of staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, senior commanders, and Shin Bet officials before authorising the operation. The Israeli military declined to share details on troop movements, saying only that it was 'operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities' while taking 'feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.' The offensive, codenamed 'Gideon's Chariots B,' follows an earlier campaign under the same name in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) took control of 75% of Gaza's territory in an attempt to pressure Hamas into a hostage deal. The announcement comes as mediators intensify efforts to secure a ceasefire in the nearly two-year war. Hamas has approved a framework calling for a 60-day truce, a staggered release of hostages, the freeing of Palestinian prisoners, and provisions for aid to enter Gaza. However, a senior Israeli official said the government remains firm on its demand that all hostages must be released at once. Qatar said the latest proposal was 'almost identical' to an earlier version agreed by Israel, while Egypt stressed that 'the ball is now in its (Israel's) court.' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet publicly commented on the proposal but last week stated that Israel would only accept 'an agreement in which all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war," reported AFP. Responding to the talks, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said his group had 'opened the door wide to the possibility of reaching an agreement, but the question remains whether Netanyahu will once again close it, as he has done in the past.' The war began after Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's response has since killed at least 62,064 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.
