Israel is preparing to attack Gaza after Hamas agreed to a truce. What the media is writing
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- Israel is preparing to attack Gaza after Hamas agreed to a truce. What the media is writing
Israel has called up 60,000 reservists for a new offensive in the Gaza Strip, despite the fact that the conflict with Hamas is increasingly frustrating the military itself. Tel Aviv is expected to accept the offer of Qatar and Egypt for a truce, to which the radical group controlling Gaza has already agreed. At the same time, Israel has lost another Western ally. What the media write about the escalation in the Gaza Strip is in the Izvestia digest.
Bloomberg: Israel to call up 60,000 reservists for offensive in Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing to begin recruiting about 60,000 reservists to step up the offensive in the Gaza Strip against the radical Hamas group, while simultaneously preparing a response to a new cease-fire proposal. The announcement of the draft could be made as early as August 20, the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said. The move will almost double the number of troops in and around the Gaza Strip.
Bloomberg
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently authorized the capture of Gaza City, the de facto capital of the Palestinian Territory, by ground forces in an attempt, he said, to destroy the remaining Hamas strongholds. This decision was criticized by some of Israel's main allies in Europe and many Israelis.
Both groups said Netanyahu must immediately achieve a cease-fire to end the conflict ravaging Gaza. US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu's most important ally, has made it clear that he supports Israel's plans. On August 18, Hamas announced its agreement to a new cease-fire plan proposed by Egypt and Qatar, but Israel has not yet responded.
Associated Press: Qatar calls for truce after Hamas response
Qatar stressed the urgency of concluding a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip after Hamas demonstrated a "positive response" to the Arab proposal, but Israel has not yet expressed its opinion as its military is preparing an offensive in some of the most populated areas of the territory. The prospect of an expanded offensive on Gaza City and other areas where hundreds of thousands of civilians are sheltering has outraged the international community.
Associated Press
Many Israelis, hundreds of thousands of whom rallied on Sunday, fear that the offensive will further endanger the remaining hostages in Gaza. It is believed that only 20 of the 50 survivors remained. "If this (cease—fire) proposal fails, the crisis will escalate," Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari told reporters, adding that Israel had not yet commented on the situation.
Al-Ansari said that Hamas had agreed to the terms under discussion, but declined to disclose details. This cautious assessment came a day after Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatti said they were pushing for a step-by-step agreement and noted that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani had joined negotiations with Hamas.
BBC News: Israel demands release of all hostages in Gaza
Israel is demanding the release of all 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli official said, questioning whether he would accept a new proposal for a 60-day cease-fire, to which Hamas agreed. According to Qatar, it provides for the release of about half of the hostages and is "almost identical" to the US proposal that Israel had previously accepted. Palestinian sources said that as part of the proposal, 10 living and 18 dead hostages will be handed over while the parties negotiate a permanent cease-fire and the return of the remaining hostages.
BBC News
Israel has not openly rejected this [Qatar's] proposal, but Israeli government spokesman David Menser said the country was not interested in "partial deals." "Now everything has changed. The Prime Minister presented a plan for the future of Gaza," Menser said.
Israel estimates that after 22 months of war, only 20 of the 50 hostages are still alive. US Presidential Special Envoy Stephen Witkoff proposed a 60-day truce in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 dead hostages on the first and seventh days in exchange for 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, 1,111 detainees from Gaza and the bodies of 180 Gazans.
Reuters: Israeli reservists are disappointed in the war in Gaza
While Israel is seeking to expand its offensive in the Gaza Strip, the mood in the country has changed during the nearly two-year conflict. There is obvious dissatisfaction among some reservists who are being called up for service again. Shortly after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Israelis abandoned everything — their honeymoons, studies, and a new life abroad — and hurried home to fight. Now some are expressing frustration at political leaders sending them back into battle.
Reuters
According to a study conducted by Agam Labs at the Hebrew University, which examined attitudes towards the new campaign among more than 300 people participating in the current war, 25.7% of reservists said their motivation had significantly decreased compared to the start of the campaign. Another 10% noted that their motivation had decreased slightly. When asked to describe their feelings about the campaign, the largest group of respondents — 47% — expressed negative emotions towards the government and its approach to the war and hostage negotiations.
In March, before the new offensive was announced, the Israeli news agency Ynet reported that the number of reservists who reported for duty was 30% lower than the number requested by the military command. Israelis condemn Netanyahu for failing to reach an agreement with Hamas on the release of the hostages, despite numerous mediation efforts.
The Guardian: Israel and Australia quarreled over recognition of Palestine
On August 18, Netanyahu wrote a letter to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, accusing him of "adding fuel to the fire of anti-Semitism" and condemning the recognition of Palestine, which he called a "policy of appeasement." Netanyahu's letter claimed that "hatred of Jews now reigns on the streets of Australia." This marks a serious escalation of tension between the two countries.
The Guardian
On Wednesday afternoon, Albanese said he would not take Netanyahu's comments personally. "We had a long discussion before the cabinet meeting that took place last Monday morning. Then I clearly outlined to Prime Minister Netanyahu my point of view and Australia's position on the future.… I gave him the opportunity to outline what kind of political solution exists," he told reporters.
The dispute was continued by Australian Interior Minister Tony Burke. He refused to issue a visa to far-right Knesset deputy Simcha Rothman, which drew criticism from Tel Aviv. Burke also stated that "strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry."
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