Israel at war day 493
- IDF Spokesperson: "In accordance with the assessment of the situation, it was decided to raise alertness and impose a curfew for combat forces and operational formations in the Southern Command sector. In addition, it was decided to significantly reinforce forces."
Hamas senior Osama Hamdan to Al Jazeera: "Israel is deliberately disrupting the terms of the agreement, and now there is no choice but to respond. Abu Obeidah's announcement is a warning step to Israel, and we understand its importance and its positive implications. Our goals are clear, and we hope to continue the second phase, which will establish a permanent ceasefire."
- Israel understands that Hamas is preparing to blow up the deal, and therefore, the IDF Southern Command issued an alert order for forces in the region to be ready to launch an attack if the ceasefire agreement collapses. If this happens - the maneuvering divisions are prepared to launch an immediate attack, with a quantity of fire not seen since the beginning of the war.(Channel 14)
-Here is the real reqson Hamas is breaking the deal: Hams spokesman Hazem Qassem in an interview with the Qatari Al-Arabi channel: "Trump's talk about his plan to uproot our people from the Gaza Strip - the American administration shares responsibility for disrupting the agreement that was reached. We oppose the scenario of expelling the Palestinians."(Jewish warrior)
- Egyptian security sources to Reuters: "The mediators fear the agreement's collapse. The continuation of the talks has been postponed until a clear indication from the US about the continuation of the phased plan." The sources added that Hams has accused the mediators of "Israel not implementing the ceasefire" and claimed that "US guarantees are no longer in place following Trump's displacement plan."
- Defense Minister Israel Katz responds to Hamas’s announcement on postponing the release of Israeli hostages until further notice, saying it is an “outright violation of the ceasefire.” “I instructed the IDF to prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza and to protect the [border] communities. We will not return to the reality of October 7,” he adds.
-Announcement from the Israeli Directorate of Hostages in the Prime Minister's Office: “All families of the abductees were updated this evening following Hams' announcement. It was emphasized to the families that the State of Israel insists on upholding the agreement in its entirety and views any violation seriously”
- Hamas says hostage-prisoner exchange scheduled for Saturday will be delayed over alleged Israeli truce violations
By Charlie Summers
- Trump says Palestinians will not have a right to return to Gaza under his plan to take over the territory.
- Medical personnel: The amount of food given to the Israeli captives who were returned was the minimum that could keep them alive without dying of hunger.
- Kremlin spokesman did not rule out Trump's Gaza plan: "We need to hear more details; many questions remain unanswered."
- PM Netanyahu: "I met 20 times with Presidents of the US, but the historic meeting with President Trump was the most significant one, the most friendly one that I have ever had with any US President, and I estimate it was the most significant one in our history. Our meeting lasted 5 hours."
- Will the Palestinians have the right to return?" Trump replied that they would not have the option to return, adding: "We're talking about a permanent place for them. It will be years before they can return. I think I can make a deal with Egypt and Jordan. We give them billions every year."
- Prime Minister Netanyahu admits in an interview with Newsmax: *We have delayed but not stopped Iran on its path to obtaining nuclear weapons. They are days away from enriching the uranium required for a bomb*
- PM Netanyahu to the opposition: "If I had surrendered to you, we would not be standing here as dreamers—we would be standing here as clueless. We know the meaning of a complete victory, and we will not give it up."
Shas Chairman Minister Aryeh Deri told the opposition: “It's hard for you to hear, but it's true." Deri sided with Netanyahu, who said: "The heads of the security establishment said at the beginning of the war that we should assume that we wouldn't be able to return the hostages, not even one. I had a different view and am working to return all of them."