Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again rejected Hamas' demands for a ceasefire in Gaza. Despite the pressure from the international community and mounting death toll in Gaza, Netanyahu has stated that Israel "cannot accept" the Palestinian militant group's demands.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu's cabinet voted in favour of shutting down Al Jazeera in Israel. Shortly after the vote to shut down Al Jazeera was passed, raids were carried out at the broadcaster's Israeli office.
With no sign of a truce between Israel and Hamas, here are the latest developments from the war in Gaza as it enters Day 213.
Israel's War On Gaza - Latest Developments
Speaking at a Holocaust Remembrance Day in Jerusalem, Israeli PM Netanyahu has rejected Hamas' demands for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, bringing another round of peace talks to a standstill.
"We are not prepared to accept a situation in which the Hamas brigades come out of their bunkers, take control of Gaza again, rebuild their military infrastructure, and return to threatening the citizens of Israel in the settlements surrounding the southern mountains, in all parts of the count," stated the PM while rejected the truce deal.
Furthermore, Netanyahu also issued a message to fellow world leaders where he decried international condemnation and the "volcanic rise in antisemitism". The Israeli PM also stated that "if Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone".
On Sunday, PM Netanyahu and his cabinet agreed to shut down Al Jazeera in Israel. The Qatari broadcaster has been branded by Israel as a "mouthpiece for Hamas" amid the war in Gaza. Shortly after the cabinet's vote, Israeli police carried out raids at Al Jazeera's office in Jerusalem.
As Israel continues to prepare for its Rafah offensive, the IDF has begun calling on Palestinians in eastern cities of Rafah to evacuate. As per Times Of Israel, the civilians have been told to move to the expanded humanitarian zone in Al Mawasi and Khan Younis.
As the war enters its seventh month, the death toll is Gaza continues to increase. As per the latest figures from the Health Ministry in Gaza, a total of 34,683 Palestinians have been killed since October 7. A majority of the death count has been attributed to women and children.
As tensions increase, Israeli military also reported a rocket attack from Gaza Strip towards the Kerem Shalom border. As per the IDF, the attack results in the death of three soldiers. Hamas claimed responsibility for this attack.
Following Hamas' rocket attack, Israeli authorities closed the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza, which was used to deliver aid into the war-torn strip.
Along with all of these developments, thousands of Israelis marched out in protest on Sunday, demanding the resignation of Benjamin Netanyahu and for the urgent release of hostages in Gaza. As per the latest count from IDF, around 130 hostages still remain captive in the strip. However, around 20 to 30 of these hostages have been presumed dead.
