Top Israeli general says no pause in Gaza fighting without hostage deal
'I estimate that in the coming days we will know whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages,' said army chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, according to a military statement.
'If not, the combat will continue without rest,' he said, during remarks to officers yesterday.
Footage released by the Israeli military showed Zamir meeting soldiers and officers in a command centre.
Of the 251 people who were kidnapped from Israel during Hamas's attack in October 2023, 49 remain in Gaza, 27 of them dead, according to the military.
Palestinian armed groups this week released two videos of hostages looking emaciated and weak.
Negotiations—mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar—to secure a ceasefire and their release broke down last month, and some in Israel have called for tougher military action.
This comes against the backdrop of growing pressure—both internationally and domestically, including from many of the hostages' families—to resume efforts to secure a ceasefire in the nearly 22-month conflict.
Aid agencies have meanwhile warned that Gaza's population is facing a catastrophic famine, triggered by Israeli restrictions on aid.
Zamir nonetheless rejected these allegations out of hand.
'The current campaign of false accusations of intentional starvation is a deliberate, timed, and deceitful attempt to accuse the IDF (military), a moral army, of war crimes,' he said.
'The ones responsible for the killing and suffering of the residents in the Gaza Strip is Hamas.'
Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures.
A total of 898 Israeli soldiers have also been killed since ground troops were sent into Gaza, according to the military.
Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,332 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN. — AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Slovenia bans imports from Israeli settlements over Gaza war
LJUBLJANA: Slovenia on Wednesday announced a ban on imports of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, in a "symbolic measure" designed to ratchet up diplomatic pressure over the war in Gaza. Slovenia's government has frequently criticised Israel over the conflict, and last year moved to recognise a Palestinian state as part of efforts to end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible. "The actions of the Israeli government... constitute serious and repeated violations of international humanitarian law," the government said in a statement on Wednesday. Slovenia "cannot and must not be part of a chain that enables or overlooks" such violations it said includes the "construction of illegal settlements, expropriations, the forced evictions of the Palestinian population." The Slovenian government thus decided to "ban imports of goods originating from Israeli illegal settlements." Its latest move represents a "clear reaction to the Israeli government's policy, which... undermines the possibilities for lasting peace and a two-state solution." "While symbolic", the ban "is a necessary response to the ongoing humanitarian and security situation in Gaza," Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said of the measure. The government said it was also examining a ban on exports of goods from Slovenia "destined for (the) illegal settlements", saying that it would then "decide on further measures." According to the STA news agency, citing a government statement from January, Slovenia did not import any goods from Israeli settlements in 2022 and 2024, respectively. In 2023, imports amounted to some 2,000 euros. Early in July, Slovenia was the first EU country to ban two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country. It declared both Israelis "persona non grata", accusing them of inciting "extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians" with "their genocidal statements." In June 2024, Slovenia's parliament passed a decree recognising Palestinian statehood, following in the steps of Ireland, Norway and Spain, in moves partly fuelled by condemnation of Israel's bombing of Gaza after the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.--AFP
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Israel army chief must follow Gaza decisions says defence minister
JERUSALEM: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz clarified that while army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir may voice his opinions, the military must ultimately follow government directives regarding Gaza. Katz posted on social media platform X, addressing recent Israeli media reports suggesting Zamir opposes plans for a full occupation of Gaza. 'The Chief of Staff has the right and duty to present his stance in proper forums, but once political decisions are made, the army will implement them professionally,' Katz stated. He emphasised his role as defence minister to ensure government decisions are enforced without compromise. Katz linked Hamas's refusal to release hostages as justification for further military actions to achieve war objectives. Chief of Staff Zamir has not publicly commented but reportedly warned against full occupation during a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli broadcaster Kan 11 cited Zamir describing such an occupation as a potential 'trap' during security discussions. Netanyahu is expected to convene his security cabinet on Thursday to finalise next steps in Gaza operations. Media sources anticipate expanded military operations across Gaza, including densely populated areas where hostages may be held. - AFP
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Trump's 40pc tariff targets transshipped goods, with China squarely in the crosshairs
WASHINGTON, Aug 6 — As the United States ramps up tariffs on major trading partners globally, President Donald Trump is also disrupting strategies that could be used — by Chinese companies or others — to circumvent them. Goods deemed to be 'transshipped,' or sent through a third country with lower export levies, will face an additional 40-per cent duty under an incoming wave of Trump tariffs Thursday. The latest tranche of 'reciprocal' tariff hikes, taking aim at what Washington deems unfair trade practices, impacts dozens of economies from Taiwan to India. The transshipment rule does not name countries, but is expected to impact China significantly given its position as a manufacturing powerhouse. Washington likely wants to develop supply chains that are less reliant on China, analysts say, as tensions simmer between the world's two biggest economies and the US sounds the alarm on Beijing's excess industrial capacity. But 'it's a little more about the short-term effect of strengthening the tariff regime than it is about a decoupling strategy,' said Josh Lipsky, chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council. 'The point is to make countries worried about it and then have them err on the side of not doing it, because they know that Trump could then jack up the tariff rates higher again,' he added, referring to tariff evasion. The possibility of a sharply higher duty is a 'perpetual stick in the negotiations' with countries, said Richard Stern, a tax and budget expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation. He told AFP that expanding penalties across the globe takes the focus away from Beijing alone. Alternative supplies Experts have noted that Vietnam was the biggest winner from supply chain diversions from China since the first Trump tariffs around 2018, when Washington and Beijing engaged in a trade war. And Brookings Institution senior fellow Robin Brooks pointed to signs this year of significant transshipments of Chinese goods. He noted in a June report that Chinese exports to certain South-east Asian countries started surging 'anomalously' in early 2025 as Trump threatened widespread levies. While it is unclear if all these products end up in the United States, Brooks cast doubt on the likelihood that domestic demand in countries like Thailand and Vietnam rocketed right when Trump imposed duties. 'One purpose of the transshipment provisions is to force the development of supply chains that exclude Chinese inputs,' said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 'The other purpose is to push back on Chinese overcapacity and force them to eat their own surpluses,' he added. But Washington's success in the latter goal depends on its ability to get other countries on board. 'The transshipment penalties are designed to encourage that,' Reinsch said. Lipsky added: 'The strategy that worked in the first Trump term, to try to offshore some Chinese manufacturing to other countries like Vietnam and Mexico, is going to be a much more difficult strategy to execute now.' China response? Lipsky noted that Beijing could see the transshipment clause as one targeting China on trade, 'because it is.' 'The question is, how China takes that in the broader context of what had been a thawing relationship between the US and China over the past two months,' he added. While both countries temporarily lowered triple-digit tariffs on each other's exports, that truce expires August 12. The countries are in talks to potentially extend the de-escalation, although the final decision lies with Trump. It will be tough to draw a line defining product origins, analysts say. Customs fraud has been illegal for some time, but it remains unclear how Washington will view materials from China or elsewhere that have been significantly transformed. The burden lies with customs authorities to identify transshipment and assess the increased duties. 'That will be difficult, particularly in countries that have close relations with China and no particular incentive to help US Customs and Border Protection,' Reinsch added. — AFP
