Latest news with #Haaretz
Middle East Eye
5 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Israeli opposition chief calls Gaza takeover plan 'disastrous'
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said the security cabinet's approval to take over Gaza City was a "disaster that will lead to many more disasters," Haaretz reported. According to Lapid, far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich convinced the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into "a move that will kill the hostages and many soldiers, will cost Israeli taxpayers tens of billions and will destroy Israel's diplomatic relations". "This is exactly what Hamas wanted: For Israel to end up stuck in Gaza without a goal, in a useless occupation, the point of which no one understands," he said.
Days of Palestine
6 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Haaretz: 'Gideon's Chariots' Turned Into Political, Financial Failure
DayofPal– The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz reported that the 'Gideon's Chariots' operation carried out by the Israeli occupation army in the Gaza Strip turned into a major failure that cost the Israeli occupation both politically and financially, without achieving the objectives declared by war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the newspaper, the cost of the operation reached approximately $7.3 billion and resulted in the death of 40 Israeli soldiers. However, the outcomes were entirely contrary to what the Israeli occupation had declared. Hamas hardened its stance instead of backing down and forced the Israeli government to reconsider a comprehensive deal that would include the release of all prisoners in exchange for ending the aggression and proposing disarmament in Gaza. The newspaper pointed out that the operation, led by five military divisions, failed to achieve its goals and instead contributed to creating a politically pressured environment both domestically and internationally against Israel. The scenes emerging from Gaza triggered a 'political tsunami,' leading to a growing international wave of recognition for the State of Palestine, along with academic and commercial decisions in the West to cease cooperation with Israel, resembling a gradual boycott. In this context, the paper recalled Netanyahu's statements during the early months of the war, where he repeatedly claimed he wanted Gaza to become a 'boring subject' to the world. However, the situation has completely reversed, and Gaza has become a focal point of global attention, particularly due to increasing scenes of hunger and humanitarian collapse. This even prompted former U.S. President Donald Trump to say: 'There is real hunger, and that can't be faked.' The paper confirmed that recognition of the operation's failure is gradually taking shape within Israel, especially as the financial burdens of reserve forces increase. The number of soldiers jumbed from 50,000 to about 100,000, costing around $584 million per month, doubling the allocations originally approved in the budget. These burdens come in addition to the cost of Operation 'People Like a Lion' carried out by the Israeli army in Iran, which amounted to $6.42 billion. This has further strained the public treasury and caused major disruptions in the structure of the 2025 national budget, particularly concerning the military's financial plan. According to the newspaper, the losses were not limited to the economic front but extended to academic and commercial relations with Europe. The paper predicted this deterioration would worsen if the political deadlock regarding the captives and halting the war continues. Haaretz stressed that economic considerations were absent at the beginning of the aggression, but the continued war and its ballooning costs have brought these considerations back to the forefront, especially in light of the positions of far-right ministers, led by Bezalel Smotrich, who called for the complete occupation of the Gaza Strip and the imposition of military rule by force 'without any regard.' The paper noted that Smotrich, despite being the Finance Minister, has not presented any actual financial plan to support such a scenario. His ministry has not held any discussions regarding a potential military rule budget and has merely approved millions of dollars in allocations related to logistics supporting U.S. aid to Gaza. The newspaper concluded that the continuation of the aggression or moving toward the military rule option will cost Israel a 'fantastical' price, noting that economic collapse, declining living standards, and growing political isolation have become real threats, ones that Hamas fully understands, which is why it shows no concern over Israel's threats to impose military rule on Gaza. Shortlink for this post:
Roya News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
"Israel" army chief defies leadership, opposes Gaza escalation
"Israeli" army chief Eyal Zamir stated Thursday that the military will continue expressing its professional stance "without fear," opposing any expansion of the war in Gaza, in what some Hebrew media described as a clear challenge to the political leadership. According to the Hebrew daily Haaretz, Zamir told the General Staff during a situation assessment: "We are not dealing with theories, but with life-and-death issues. We will continue to act with responsibility and integrity, with only the state's security and interests in mind." His statements come amid escalating tensions between the military leadership and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Zamir warned ministers that expanding the war would endanger the lives of the remaining captives held in Gaza. He cautioned that a wide-scale military operation could prompt captors to abandon or neglect both the living captives and the bodies of those already killed, potentially leading to the permanent loss of some captives. Beyond the threat to the captives, Zamir and the military leadership outlined other heavy costs of expanding the fighting: Troop exhaustion: Regular and reserve soldiers are already severely fatigued after months of combat. Equipment depletion: Military vehicles and gear have undergone significant wear. Reserve system strain: A full-scale occupation of Gaza would require calling up large numbers of reservists for extended service, despite record-low response rates to recent mobilization calls since October 7. Just two days ago, Zamir presented Netanyahu with plans for a gradual expansion of operations, again stressing that a full occupation would greatly endanger the captives.
NBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
New photos show scale of destruction in Gaza as Israel weighs expanded military operation
On Monday this week, officials from Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the Israeli leader had decided to 'occupy all of the Gaza Strip, including areas where hostages may be held.' The statement was shared in Hebrew and the term used can be translated to mean both 'occupy' and 'conquer." Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for clarification on the intended definition. Recent research from Israel's Hebrew University, reported in Haaretz, estimates that about 70 percent of all structures in Gaza have been made uninhabitable. While Israel had fought numerous conflicts in Gaza since Hamas militants took over the enclave in 2007, the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks that left 1,200 dead and saw 250 taken hostage triggered a war of unprecedented ferocity in the territory. Israel's military operation has forced most of the territory's residents to be displaced multiple times, and killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, according to local health officials. The world's leading body on hunger, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, has sounded the alarm that the 'worst-case scenario of famine' is now unfolding in the Palestinian enclave. With a ceasefire elusive and some dozens of hostages still being held by militant groups in Gaza, Israel is weighing an expansion of the military campaign. Netanyahu held a three-hour long 'limited security discussion' on Tuesday, according to his office, in which the Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff presented different options for continuing the offensive in Gaza. Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet at 6:30pm local time, or 11:30am ET, on Thursday to consider those different options, an Israeli official told NBC News. The Times of Israel reports that the cabinet is expected to sign off on a phased plan that would initially focus on seizing the central area of Gaza City, before expanding aid distribution centers in coordination with the United States. The operation could take place over up to five months, according to the report. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the hostages in Gaza, says more than 80 percent of Israelis want a comprehensive deal for the return of the hostages and an immediate end to the war. 'Six hundred and seventy days, almost two years since October 7th, and we keep hearing only promises,' the group said in a statement on Wednesday. Einav Tsangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Tsangauker, called on people to gather outside the cabinet meeting Thursday to protest against expanding the military operation. "Anyone who talks about a comprehensive agreement doesn't go conquering the Strip while putting hostages and soldiers in danger," she wrote in a post on X. There are 50 hostages who remain captive in Gaza, with just over 20 believed to be alive as of late June, according to Netanyahu's office.
Days of Palestine
7 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Gaza Detainee Dies Shackled in Secret Israeli Custody
DaysofPal – A Palestinian prisoner from the Gaza Strip has died under suspicious circumstances inside a secret Israeli interrogation facility run by the Internal Security Agency (Shin Bet), the Israeli newspaper Haaretz has revealed. The man, a 40-year-old resident of Gaza, died in January 2024 after falling from a height while being held with his hands tied in a Shin Bet detention center. Israeli authorities have up until now concealed his death. Haaretz reported that the man's body was transferred without any identifying information and registered simply as 'unknown,' despite the Shin Bet reportedly knowing his identity. An autopsy confirmed injuries consistent with a fall, along with marks indicating he had been handcuffed for an extended period. Israeli investigative sources claimed he died while attempting to escape the facility, even though his hands were restrained. The Ministry of Justice later announced that its investigation had concluded with 'no criminal suspicions,' even though the death occurred in state custody, raising serious concerns about negligence or worse. The Shin Bet has not commented on the incident. According to the report, at least six Palestinian detainees have died under Shin Bet interrogation since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023. Systematic Abuse in Custody The latest death comes amid mounting evidence of widespread abuse of Palestinian detainees, especially those from Gaza. Since October 7, Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians, many under the classification of 'illegal combatants', a designation that strips them of international legal protections and allows indefinite detention in secretive military camps beyond any civilian oversight. The Prisoners' Media Office in Gaza confirmed that nine detainees were released by Israeli authorities on Monday and transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital via the Kissufim crossing. The released prisoners have reportedly shown signs of severe physical and psychological abuse. The occupation authorities classify some 1,747 prisoners from Gaza as 'illegal combatants,' a dangerous designation used to strip them of international legal protection and allow them to be held in closed military camps that are not subject to any oversight. Testimonies collected by Palestinian human rights groups describe beatings, medical neglect, solitary confinement, and deprivation of food and healthcare. Senior Israeli government officials, including far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, either condone or overlook many of these violations. Experts in international law warn that these practices may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Yet, the international response remains muted, with many Western governments continuing their support for Israel's military campaign despite overwhelming evidence of systemic abuse. According to a Palestinian human rights report published Sunday, the number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel has reached around 10,800 as of July 2025, the highest since the Second Intifada in 2000. This includes 49 women and 450 children. Shortlink for this post:
