A few hours after the Wall Street Journal Following information that Tel Aviv has agreed to Washington’s request to postpone the long-announced land invasion of the Gaza Strip, Israel’s Prime Minister addressed citizens to confirm that the “land invasion” will be a reality, on the fixed date. but this will be kept secret. Benjamin Netanyahu launched an investigation into the security failure that enabled Hamas’ October 7 terrorist operation in which he was targeted until after the war. António Guterres, who was targeted by Israeli diplomacy for his statements the day before, clarified his position on the same day that Turkey did, but with regard to Hamas.
The United States reportedly asked Israel to delay the land invasion to strengthen defenses in the region, and the request was taken into account, American and Israeli sources told the newspaper. Wall Street Journal. However, during a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the US president said he had not asked for a postponement of the invasion. “It’s their decision, but I didn’t ask for it,” Joe Biden said. “What I told him was that if it is possible to get these people out safely, he should do it,” he added, referring to the more than 200 hostages.
U.S. military bases have been attacked by drones and missiles 10 times in Iraq and three times in Syria since the 17th, according to Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder. These attacks caused twenty minor injuries. Now that the United States fears that the situation will worsen, strengthening basic protection is a priority. Six air defense systems will arrive in the region – hence the North American request. In addition to Syria and Iraq, American troops are also stationed in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
In a statement to the country, Netanyahu said that Israel is fighting for its survival and as such the two objectives of the war are “to eliminate Hamas, to destroy its military and governance capabilities; and do everything possible to retrieve the hostages. The head of the Government of National Unity confirmed the preparation of the ground operation. “I will not specify when, how, in what number,” but that there was a unanimous decision on the timing of the land invasion by the War Cabinet and the Chief of Staff.
Regarding the security lapses that enabled the Hamas raid that left 1,400 dead, Netanyahu acknowledged for the first time that he, along with other officials, will have to respond to an investigation, but that this will take place after the war .
The day before, Pentagon sources said more material for the Iron Dome defense system would be sent to Israel. According to the HaaretzThe delivery consists of two batteries and 300 interceptors. Joe Biden once again showed himself to be a staunch supporter of Israel, stating that the country has “the right and responsibility to respond to the murder of its people” and that the US will ensure it “has what it needs to defend itself to defend” . But he also criticized “extremist settlers” who “add fuel to the fire” by attacking Palestinians where they have the right.
Biden also reiterated the need for more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, while the Australian government joined German and European diplomacy chiefs in calling for “humanitarian pauses,” as reflected in a US draft resolution in the UN Security Council. vetoed by China and Russia.
The day was also marked by António Guterres’ response to the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations. The Secretary-General was “shocked by the misinterpretations” of the previous day’s statements, in which he said the terrorist attacks “did not take place in a vacuum”. “As if I was justifying Hamas’ terrorist acts. That is not true. It was the exact opposite,” he stated. Tel Aviv retaliated by deciding not to grant visas to UN representatives.
The Israeli government also condemned the Turkish president’s words. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Hamas “is not a terrorist organization, but a group of liberators and guerrillas protecting their country,” as he announced he had canceled a visit to Israel. “The Turkish president’s attempt to defend the terrorist organization and his inflammatory words will not change the horrors that the entire world has witnessed,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
Source: DN
