What we know about the three Israeli hostages killed by the Israeli army
Israel says it is still investigating the reasons that led its forces to kill three hostages last week.
Scripps News
The Israeli army stopped a group of soldiers who laughed and smoked a hookah while mocking Palestinians detained in… video Which attracted millions of views on social media.
The video is one of several that have emerged in recent days showing soldiers displaying questionable behavior in Gaza as global opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza grows stronger.
The video shows soldiers laughing and eating snacks while at least seven Palestinians sit blindfolded in the room in the city of Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
“I never imagined Jenin like this. What should I say?” One of the soldiers says to the camera as he smokes a shisha. “Show them what I’ve got here.”
The camera then moves to the Palestinian detainees sitting on the ground.
Israel has occupied this enclave for 16 years, but has drawn Israel’s full military might since October 7, when Palestinian militants surged across the border in a wave of violence that killed 1,200 Israelis. The Gaza Ministry of Health said this week that the death toll in Gaza had exceeded 19,000.
An IDF spokesman told The Associated Press: “The behavior of the soldiers in the videos is deplorable and stands in stark contrast to the values of the IDF.” After a disciplinary hearing, the reservists were suspended until further notice, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity.
Developments:
∎ The UN Security Council was scheduled to vote on Tuesday on a resolution calling for a ceasefire and allowing unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. Talks were ongoing to reach a version that would avoid the United States using its veto power over the resolution sponsored by Arab countries. A similar resolution was vetoed less than two weeks ago.
∎ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with the families of 15 hostages on Tuesday in Tel Aviv. The families of many hostages are pressuring the government to reopen talks with Hamas with the aim of releasing those still detained.
The United Nations postpones the vote on the ceasefire resolution: Austin pushes Israel to “protect” Gaza residents
Hamas leaders said in a statement on Tuesday that Israel’s expanded “punitive” bombing and ground offensive in Gaza constitute war crimes and are fueled by American support, making the United States “an accomplice in these crimes.” The statement said that the attacks will not deter the Palestinians from demanding the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The United States and most of the world support the two-state solution that provides the Palestinians with a homeland. But the United States has also steadfastly supported Israel’s right to crush Hamas, and is helping to provide the weapons needed to do so. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that Israel retain security control over Gaza after the war. The two-state solution did not gain much support among the population of Israel, which constitutes an overwhelming majority of Jews.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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