FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
JERUSALEM – What Benjamin Netanyahu says behind closed doors and open microphones, Bezalel Smotrich downloads on social media: “Qatar protects Hamas and finances terrorism.” Now the prime minister and his ministers of the messianic ultra-right share the roles of the bad cop and the evil police officers. At a meeting with the families of the abductees, which Canale 12 reported on, Bibi defined the role of the small Gulf emirate in mediating the hostages as problematic and, together with the finance minister and leader of the settlers, angered the sheikhs who had conducted the negotiations so far were the most effective mediators. For years they have paid out millions of dollars in cash to fundamentalist leaders, albeit with the approval of Israel's leader, who hoped to buy calm.
Netanyahu's departures unsettled Yossi Cohen, the former head of the Mossad who was sent as a (former) loyalist to the prime minister to secretly discuss normalizing relations with Israel with Arab nations. “If Qatar leaves the negotiating table,” he commented, “we risk reaching an unmanageable level of crisis.” Joe Biden, the American president, sends his intelligence chief: William Burns is coming to Europe to meet the heads of Israeli and Egyptian intelligence as well to meet the Prime Minister of Qatar.
There is an agreement for a 35-day break – reveals the Haaretz newspaper – and an exchange between kidnapped and Palestinian prisoners. David Barnea, the current head of the Mossad, is said to have offered to leave the Gaza Strip for Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, the planner of the October 7 massacres in Israeli villages around the Gaza Strip. While the terrorist organization released a 20-page document claiming a role in the Palestinian Authority at the end of the conflict. A delegation of Houthis from Yemen and Russia's deputy foreign minister also spoke about regional tensions in Moscow.
Today the International Court of Justice in The Hague gives its first response to South Africa's petition accusing Israel of genocide and could call for a cessation of fighting. “We are in favor of a break in the conflict – explains Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during a visit to Jerusalem and Ramallah – but not if it is an anti-Israel proposal and if Hamas continues its rocket attacks.” Netanyahu reiterates that the war, now on its 111th day, “will last until complete victory” and refuses to accept a permanent ceasefire as part of a deal for the hundred or so hostages still held in Gaza. Where the number of deaths is almost 26,000 and the situation for the population is becoming increasingly catastrophic. A video shows how the crowd gathers to collect the aid bags, suddenly shots are fired and the Palestinians flee. The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza accuses the army of hitting the “hungry” people with artillery and claims 20 people died. It is not even clear whether the video is of the same scene, they said Tsahal spokespeople respond that they are investigating. Troops continue to put pressure on Khan Younis and have ordered the evacuation of a UN shelter where 12 people were reportedly killed in a shelling on Wednesday.