Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have denied the United States’ request for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. This development was reported by award-winning American journalist Seymour Hersh.
According to Hersh, the Israeli leadership views a ceasefire and a humanitarian pause as one and the same, simply a temporary halt in bombings. Israel has only allowed breaks in shelling for the purpose of reloading artillery.
Hersh also revealed that Israel is considering the option of flooding Hamas tunnels, further escalating tensions in the region.
The situation in the Middle East deteriorated when thousands of Hamas militants crossed into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7th, taking over two hundred hostages. In response, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets into Israeli territory, announcing the start of Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country is now at war.
The Israeli Defense Forces’ operation, codenamed “Iron Swords,” aims to destroy Hamas. The Israeli Air Force has conducted numerous airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, while the Israeli National Security Council has decided to cut off the supply of essential resources to the region, including water, food, electricity, and fuel.
To prepare for a ground operation in Gaza, Israel has informed the United Nations that 1.1 million Palestinians must evacuate to the south of the region within 24 hours.
Previously, Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to eliminate Hamas, further intensifying the conflict.
