Round-Up: Israel Begins to Withdraw Out of Gaza Ahead of Tisha B’Av
JERUSALEM (Worthy News)– Over the weekend, Israel completed its demolition of Hamas terror tunnels and began withdrawing its troops from the Gaza Strip ahead of Tisha B’Av, which begins Monday night. Meanwhile, the U.N. condemned Israel for not sharing its Iron Dome technology with Hamas, saying Israel committed war crimes by not “protecting” Gazan citizens from misfired Hamas rockets that land within the Gaza Strip. Last week, there were scores of misfired rockets by Hamas that killed dozens of Palestinian citizens. On the diplomatic front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the White House not to ‘second guess’ him on dealing with Hamas.
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Hamas, PA officials in Cairo solidify agreement on conditions for ceasefire – Ynet News
A delegation from Palestinian groups, including militant organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad, met in Cairo on Sunday for indirect ceasefire talks with Israel to be conducted through Egyptian officials, Egyptian and Palestinian sources said.
Netanyahu to White House: Don’t ‘second guess me again’ – Washington Times
Following the quick collapse of the cease-fire in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the White House not to force a truce with Palestinian militants on Israel.
Sources familiar with conversations between Netanyahu and senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry, say the Israeli leader advised the Obama administration “not to ever second guess me again” on the matter. The officials also said Netanyahu said he should be “trusted” on the issue and about the unwillingness of Hamas to enter into and follow through on cease-fire talks.
U.N. condemns Israel, U.S. for not sharing Iron Dome with Hamas – Washington Times
The United Nations slammed Israel for possibly committing war crimes in its fight against Hamas — and then backed that accusation by suggesting the Jewish nation ought to be sharing its Iron Dome defensive technology with the very terror group it’s fighting.
Italian Journalist Defies Hamas: ‘Out of Gaza Far From Hamas Retaliation: Misfired Rocket Killed Children in Shati’ – Algeminer
Italian journalist Gabriele Barbati said he was able to speak freely about witnessing a Hamas misfire that killed nine children at the Shati camp, confirming the Israel Defense Forces version of events, but only after leaving Gaza, “far from Hamas retaliation.”
Hamas says Israel can’t achieve calm without agreeing to cease-fire ‘on our terms’ – Jerusalem Post
Responding to the Israeli cabinet’s decision early Saturday to refrain from sending a delegation to Cairo for cease-fire talks, Hamas said that any halt in fighting would have to be attained “on our terms.”
Palestinians present Egypt with draft of Gaza truce demands – Times of Israel
A Palestinian delegation including Hamas presented its joint demands on Sunday to Egyptian mediators in Cairo for a truce with Israel, including an end to the Gaza blockade, officials said.
Hamas declares victory as Israel withdraws from Gaza under U.S. pressure – World Tribune
Israeli infantry and armored units have been withdrawing from the Gaza Strip amid plans to suspend the offensive against Hamas and its Palestinian militia allies. The Israeli military said it was close to demolishing all of Hamas’ weapons tunnels, including those that penetrate Israel.
Israel withdraws most ground troops from Gaza – Times of Israel
Israel withdrew most of its ground troops from the Gaza Strip on Sunday in an apparent winding down of the nearly monthlong operation against Hamas that has left more than 1,800 Palestinians and more than 60 Israelis dead.
IDF wipes out remaining known Hamas tunnels in Gaza – Jerusalem Post
IDF ground forces completed work to destroy the last of Hamas’s known cross-border tunnels on Sunday, and struck some 70 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets across the Strip.
Many units withdrew to staging areas in Gaza, though some remained behind, taking up defensive lines inside the Strip to protect Israeli villages.
US says ‘appalled’ by latest Israeli shelling of UN facility – Jerusalem Post
The United States came out with its harshest criticism to date of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, calling the shelling of a United Nations Relief and Works Agency facility in Gaza on Sunday “disgraceful.”
Hamas Issues ‘Terrorism 101 Handbook’ – Washington Free Beacon
Hamas has been disseminating to its followers in the Gaza Strip a detailed terrorism training manual that teaches would-be bombers how to make explosives and conceal them in household items such as televisions, according to documents seized by the Israeli military during recent raids.
Wiretapped: Israel Eavesdropped on John Kerry in Mideast Talks – Spiegel
New information indicates that Israeli intelligence eavesdropped on telephone conversations by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Sources told SPIEGEL the government then used the information obtained from the calls during negotiations in the Mideast conflict.
Rick Perry: Obama not showing enough support for Israel – Washington Examiner
Texas Gov. Rick Perry slammed the Obama administration Sunday for creating doubts about the U.S. commitment to Israel, as the Middle East ally remains locked in a bloody conflict with Hamas.
Op-Ed: An unavoidable war, unfinished – Times of Israel
After four weeks, the Israel-Hamas war may be entering a new phase. Israel’s leadership hopes that it is winding down militarily, and is partially redeploying its military forces, even though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stressed that “all options” remain open. We can begin to draw some interim conclusions, but for now the fighting continues, and there are no guarantees that the worst is over.
Op-Ed: Israel’s Gaza operation is a diplomatic turning point – Ynet News
US President Barack Obama faced White House reporters on Friday night, exhausted and dispirited. His face was lined with wrinkles, his voice cracked, his words were cut off. His entire appearance conveyed disappointment.