Israel swears USA in for long Gaza war

War in the Middle East - Israel swears USA in for long Gaza war

Israel is coming under increasing pressure from the USA to show more consideration for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, but at the same time is swearing its ally to a very long war.

US President Joe Biden said to Israel: "I want them to focus on how they can save civilian lives. They should not stop pursuing Hamas, but be more careful". At a meeting with the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, in Tel Aviv, Israel's Defense Minister Joav Galant nevertheless made it clear that the war would last "more than a few months" - until the Islamist Hamas was completely destroyed.

Netanyahu: Continue the war until victory

The terrorist organization has built an "underground and above-ground infrastructure that is not easy to destroy", Galant told Sullivan. Following the meeting, Sullivan met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the other members of the war cabinet. According to his office, Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel would continue the war against Hamas "until absolute victory". Following Sullivan's talks, the US government now expects a transition from the "high-intensity" Israeli ground offensive to "more targeted" operations.

This is an issue for "sometime in the near future", National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby said in Washington. "I don't want to commit to a specific date." He also did not want to tell the Islamist Hamas what they would be facing in the coming weeks or months. Kirby did not say what such a military operation might look like and referred to the Israeli government.

Army spokesman: Killing terrorists in tunnels

An Israeli army spokesman gave a brief insight into what Hamas is facing. "We have new combat methods that we will use to kill terrorists," explained Daniel Hagari. Hamas terrorists, and especially their leaders, were hiding underground in their tunnels.

"We will infiltrate, plant explosives in places we know the terrorists frequent and wait for the right moment to kill them underground," Hagari said. "The terrorists will not be safe underground.

Report: Tests to flood the tunnels successful

According to US media reports, Israel's army has also tested the flooding of the tunnels. Seawater was pumped into some of the tunnels to find out whether the method was suitable for the large-scale destruction of the tunnel network. As the "Times of Israel" has now reported on the tests, "they appear to have been successful".

The tunnels extend over many kilometers. According to Israel, a number of terrorists are hiding in them and are also holding hostages from Israel. In order to withstand Israeli bombs from the air, some tunnels extend dozens of meters underground. Many tunnels are booby-trapped to kill Israeli soldiers.

US security advisor holds further talks

Meanwhile, US Security Advisor Sullivan is planning a meeting with Israeli President Izchak Herzog this morning. According to a US government representative, he also wants to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on the same day. Looking ahead to the end of the war and the future of the Gaza Strip, the US government representative spoke of a "number of security forces affiliated with the Palestinian Authority", he told US officials. These could "form a kind of core" in the months after the war. "But that's something we're discussing with the Palestinians and the Israelis and with regional partners," he continued.

The war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups in Israel on October 7. More than 1,200 people were killed and around 240 hostages were taken to Gaza. Israel responded with massive air strikes and began a ground offensive at the end of October. According to the latest information from Hamas, around 18,700 people have been killed in attacks in the Gaza Strip to date.

Army spokesman: Doing everything to retrieve the hostages

In view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, Israel has recently come under increasing international pressure - including from the USA. Meanwhile, Israel continues to worry about the 135 hostages still being held by Hamas. "We will continue to do everything - everything - to bring all the hostages home," said army spokesman Hagari. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called on the Red Cross to exert more pressure to gain access to Hamas hostages.

"You have every opportunity, every right and every expectation to exert public pressure on Hamas," said Netanyahu at a meeting with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, in Tel Aviv. He presented her with a package of medicines and called on the ICRC to "fulfill its mission and deliver them to the hostages in Gaza".

What will be important today

US Security Advisor Sullivan wants to meet with Israeli President Izchak Herzog. He also wants to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on the same day. Meanwhile, UN aid organizations are providing information on the situation in the Gaza Strip in Geneva.