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2025 March wk2 -- March wk1P3 -- March wk1P2 -- March wk1 -- Feb wk4P2 -- Feb wk4 -- Click here for an overview by week in 2025
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Special reports: Updates February and earlier, 2025-'24: Actual: Nakba survivors see echoes of the past & How is Israel violating the Gaza ceasefire deal? & A Gaza mother’s heartbreak & Netanyahu’s political calculus that sent tanks into Jenin Earlier: Punishing pro-Palestine protests &  Gaza urgently needs a more effective humanitarian approach and More than $50bn needed to rebuild Gaza after Israel’s war on enclave & No, Mr Trump, we will not be “happy” and “safe” elsewhere. & Returning to Gaza, a stranger in my own city & Overview special reports Overview special reports

November 28 - 24 and earler stories, 2024 Is Netanyahu immune from ICC arrest warrant-NO!   TRIBUTES TO MOTHERS AND CHILDREN

Shireen Abu Akleh In commemoration of Shireen Abu Akleh, the 'voice of Al Jazeera' killed while revealing the true face of israel Updated: December 6, 2024: Attacks, arrests, threats, censorship: The high risks of reporting the Israel-Gaza war   Click here for earlier stories/news

March 8 - 3, 2025 Food for thought: "'Gazuantamo riviera bay' incl. trump tower 1.2 and us. drone zyklon b attacks to clean-up the human beasts trash" trump & co-predators. Gino d'Artali Read more and decide for yourself March 6 - 5, 2025 Food for thought: As a weapon of war the former Syrian dictator used the weapon of starvation to try and force the people to "kneel or starve" While starving and refusing to kneel assad had to flee. Alas, history repeats itself through the genociding acts of netanyahu and trump. But... the Palestinians will not kneel and if... they'll prefer to die an honorable death. Gino d'Artali Read more and decide for yourself

March 5 - 4, 2025 Why is America afraid of ‘No Other Land’?... and both, incl. israel, afraid of showing empathy as a human virtue? Read more here NEW: March 5, 2025: Designed to humiliate and Public execution March 6, 2025: Article related to starvation as a war-tactic in Gaza March 5, 2025: Why is America afraid of ‘No Other Land’?... March 4, 2025: Column For Israel, ceasefire is a continuation of war by other means... Opinion: Netanyahu’s plan to deprive and rule in Gaza will fail again AND Ramadan in Gaza: Ruins and unshakable faith

March 4 - February 28, 2025 Food for thought: And I quote: "|the christian| God made me and with it america great again" trump I call that blasphemy pur sang but maybe... their God and with it says 'thnx for the crypto-contribution' so carry on with your genocidal plans. but really, trump spitted his God in the eyes. Will that God be as mercifull like Allah is? the Gazanan Thinker Read more and decide for yourself  Pre-ceasefire & Post-Ceasefire December 30 - 26, 2024 'Betrayed' and 'abandoned' Sixth baby dies from severe cold

 
When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali.



Video footage - Children waiting in fear

Video screenshot footage - Israeli attacks on Gaza
Al Jazeera - March 8, 2025 - By Nils Adler
<<Israeli attacks on Gaza kill three as Hamas, Egypt hold ceasefire talks
Israeli drone strikes in Rafah kill three Palestinians amid escalating violence and fragile ceasefire talks in Cairo. Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed three Palestinians and wounded several in the southern governorate of Rafah as Hamas and Egyptian officials meet in Cairo for talks on the future of a precarious ceasefire. On Saturday morning, an Israeli drone targeted a group of people east of Rafah city, killing two Palestinians. Our colleagues on the ground reported that one person was also killed by Israeli fire in at-Tannour, also east of Rafah. Since Friday night, Rafah has been the target of intense Israeli attacks from tanks and drones with shelling impacting residential areas, including al-Jnaina, ash-Shawka and Tal as-Sultan, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 48,453 Palestinians have been killed and 111,860 wounded by Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023. At the same time, the head of the enclave’s Government Media Office reported on Saturday in marking International Women’s Day that 12,316 women have been killed throughout the war. “Women’s Day coincides with the continuation of the Israeli siege and the prevention of aid as women live in catastrophic humanitarian conditions and suffer from starvation and thirst,” Salama Maarouf said.
At least 2,000 women and girls have been permanently disabled due to amputations, according to government data.
Ceasefire talks
Amid the ongoing attacks, a Hamas delegation arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Friday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire. According to the AFP news agency, two senior Hamas members are part of a high-level delegation that is expected to talk to Egyptian officials on Saturday about the next phase of the ceasefire. Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said Palestinians are waiting for any news about the deal. “We know that the first phase of the ceasefire ended on March 1, and Israel and Hamas agreed on a truce for a week. Today, that truce comes to an end,” Khoudary reported. “Palestinians are very anxious and stressed that the second phase of the ceasefire hasn’t taken effect yet. People here are waiting for any news from these negotiations and feel that this ceasefire is fragile.” As Palestinians wait for news of the ceasefire, the Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid is putting immense pressure on people already struggling to get by. “This blockade is suffocating Palestinians. They are saying they never imagined that a ceasefire and Ramadan would come and that they would not be able to cook their favourite dishes,” Khoudary explained, adding that community kitchens are now running out of stock. At the end of February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said humanitarian aid would no longer enter Gaza in retaliation for Hamas not accepting Israel’s proposal for phase one of the ceasefire to be extended.
Meanwhile, more than 50 freed Israeli captives urged Netanyahu to fully implement the Gaza ceasefire and secure the release of those still held in Gaza. “We who have experienced the inferno know that a return to war is life-threatening for those still left behind,” the 56 former captives said in a letter posted on Instagram. “Implement the agreement in full in one single manoeuvre.”>>
SOURCE/Video: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/8/at-least-three-people-killed-in-israeli-attack-on-rafah


Video screenshot footage - Women prepare food for the iftar
Al Jazeera - March 8, 2025 - By Nils Adler
<<LIVE: Israel keeps up Gaza blockade; Muslim nations endorse Egypt-led plan
The international community to take responsibility for ensuring protection for Palestinian women, the Palestinian Authority says, noting at least 12,316 have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza. Four European powers and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation endorse an Egypt-led proposal for Gaza’s reconstructions that counters President Trump’s expulsion proposal.>>
Video: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/3/8/live-israel-kills-two-in-north-gaza-maintains-blockade-on-all-aid


Video screenshot footage - Gaza residents react to Trump’s ‘last warning’
Al Jazeera - March 6, 2025
<<Gaza residents react to Trump’s ‘last warning’ to Hamas
‘What is there left to destroy?’ Palestinians in Gaza brushed off US President Donald Trump’s warning to Hamas that there will be ‘hell to pay’ if Israeli captives in Gaza are not released immediately, in what he called a ‘last warning’ to the group.>>
Video: https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2025/3/6/gaza-residents-react-to-trumps-last-warning-to-hamas


Video screenshot footage - Renewed fears of starvation
Al Jazeera - March 6, 2025
<<Renewed fears of starvation in Ramadan as Israel blocks aid to Gaza
Palestinians in Gaza are struggling this Ramadan amid soaring prices, and many have begun to stockpile food in fear of renewed starvation after Israel violated its ceasefire deal with Hamas and blocked all aid to the Strip.>>
Video: https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2025/3/6/renewed-fears-of-starvation-in-ramadan-as-israel-blocks-aid-to-gaza

France24 - March 5, 2025
<<IFRC |International federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent|: 'It's critical for the Gaza ceasefire to be maintained'>>
Video: https://www.france24.com/en/video/20250305-ifrc-it-s-critical-for-the-gaza-ceasefire-to-be-maintained

France24 - March 3, 2025
<<'It's a war crime to prevent essential life-saving humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza's civilians'>>
Video: https://www.france24.com/en/video/20250303-it-s-a-war-crime-to-prevent-essential-life-saving-humanitarian-aid-from-reaching-gaza-s-civilians

Al Jazeera - March 6, 2025
<<Hamas accuses Trump of aiding Israel’s Netanyahu in Gaza blockade
Hamas says Trump’s rhetoric helps Israel to tighten Gaza siege, risking starvation for 2.3 million residents.
United States President Donald Trump’s repeated threats against Hamas constitute support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to evade the terms of the Gaza ceasefire and intensify the siege of the strip, the Palestinian armed group says. “Trump’s repeated threats against our people represent support to Netanyahu to evade the agreement and tightens the siege and starvation against our people,” Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanou said on Thursday, the Reuters news agency reported. “The best track to release the remaining Israeli prisoners is by … going into the second phase and compelling it [Israel] to adhere to the agreement signed under the sponsorship of mediators,” he said. Al-Qanou’s comments came after Trump issued a flurry of social media posts on Wednesday, demanding Hamas “release all of the hostages now, not later,” including the remains of dead captives, “or it is OVER for you.” “I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say,” he said. “Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!” The posts were sent after a White House spokesperson confirmed that a US envoy held direct talks with Hamas, a move that signalled a departure from a decades-long US policy of not negotiating with the group, which Washington considers a “terrorist” organisation. Egyptian security officials confirmed to Reuters on Thursday that talks between a Trump envoy and Hamas were also attended by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. The Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which came into effect in January, calls for the remaining captives held in Gaza to be freed in a second phase of the truce, during which final plans would be negotiated for an end to the war. The first phase of the ceasefire ended on Saturday, and Israel has since imposed a blockade on all goods entering Gaza, demanding that Hamas release the remaining captives without beginning the negotiations to end the war. Palestinians say the blockade could lead to starvation among the 2.3 million people living in Gaza’s ruins. Palestinians in Gaza criticised Trump’s latest remarks, which followed his call for residents of the tiny coastal enclave to be resettled elsewhere and for the territory to be developed as a “Middle East Riviera”. “My house is gone, my work is gone, but I will not allow Trump to displace us,” Mohamed Abou Azb, a resident of Khan Younis, told Al Jazeera. “We’re rooted in this land, rooted in Khan Younis, rooted in Gaza. Our life and death are here. We will not bow to the trivialities being said, and we will not leave Gaza.”
Abdallah Abu Rizk, also a resident of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, said Palestinians would never leave. “Over the years, we have remained steadfast in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. We will remain until we die in our land.”>>
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/6/hamas-accuses-trump-of-aiding-israels-netanyahu-in-gaza-blockade

Al Jazeera - March 6, 2025 - By Federica Marsi
<<Israel’s Gaza aid blockade could breach humanitarian law: European nations
UK, France, and Germany demand Israel uphold ceasefire terms, warning its blockade on aid risk breaching humanitarian law.
The blockade of aid to the Gaza Strip announced by Israel last week would risk violating international humanitarian law, three European foreign ministers have said in a statement. In a joint statement published on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany called on the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations, and “to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza”. Israel blocked the entry of aid shipments to Gaza on Sunday, hours after the first phase of its ceasefire deal with the Palestinian group Hamas expired, raising fears of hunger and more hardships during the holy month of Ramadan that began over the weekend. “A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the Government of Israel would risk violating International Humanitarian Law,” the three ministers said. “Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” the statement added, calling on all parties to uphold the ceasefire. Separately, on Wednesday, five European members of the United Nations Security Council, including the UK and France, called on Israel to “immediately let humanitarian aid flow into the Gaza Strip”, urging parties “to find a way forward to the next phases of the ceasefire agreement and hostage release deal”. Rights groups have accused Israel of crimes against humanity and violations of international laws for blocking aid in Gaza. Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70 percent of Gaza’s buildings and roads are damaged after 15 months of nonstop Israeli bombardment. Hamas has accused Israel of reneging on the ceasefire that ended the Gaza war. Israel now wants to extend the first phase of the deal by 50 days instead of entering into the second phase as agreed originally. Israel was supposed to withdraw its forces from the Philadelphi Corridor at the end of the first phase on March 1, but it has refused to do so. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly expected to visit the region in the coming days to end the deadlock.
Desperate need for aid
On Wednesday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it has food supplies for the Palestinian enclave to keep public kitchens and bakeries open for less than two weeks. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza, said the blockading of aid was having “a massive negative impact across the Gaza Strip”. “People have been going hungry here … and the market is depleting,” he said. “We see many of the items that used to be available and common, like flour, medicine and other basic necessities, are now either expensive or unavailable.” Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for the UN’s children’s agency, said the block on humanitarian aid, including vaccines and ventilators for pre-term babies, “will have devastating real-life consequences” for children and their parents. “If we’re unable to bring that in, routine vaccination will come to a standstill,” she said. “Neonatal units won’t be able to care for preterm babies, so this is a real-life consequence that we’ll be dealing with very, very soon if we’re unable to resume the aid supplies coming in.” Bollen, who is in Gaza, said existing supplies have already been largely distributed throughout the enclave. “The first phase of the ceasefire wasn’t just a pause in hostilities … it really was a lifeline for families here,” she added. “The mood here is very depressed; families that I speak with are deeply worried about what the future is going to hold.”>>
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/6/israels-gaza-aid-blockade-could-breach-humanitarian-law-european-nations

Al Jazeera - March 6, 2025 - By Al Jazeera Staff
<<EXPLAINER
US-Hamas direct talks: What’s happening and what comes next
According to reports, the discussions focused on securing the release of 21-year-old Edan Alexander along with the bodies of four other captives.
The White House has confirmed that the Trump administration engaged in direct talks with Hamas, saying the discussions align with US interests.
Following this, President Donald Trump threatened Palestinians in Gaza with deadly consequences if all captives were not released.
Here is what we know:
What do we know about the US-Hamas direct talks?
The discussions, facilitated by Qatari intermediaries, have reportedly been ongoing for weeks but became more evident in early March 2025. This is the first time in decades that the United States negotiated directly with Hamas, a significant departure from US policy, which ruled out direct engagement with the group that it designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 1997. Instead, it relied on intermediaries – most recently Qatar and Egypt – to communicate with Hamas. They focused on securing the release of 21-year-old Edan Alexander, the only Israeli-American captive still believed to be alive, along with the bodies of four other Israeli Americans who were taken to Gaza on October 7. Axios, which first reported the talks, also said the discussions included a possible broader agreement to release all remaining captives and establish a long-term truce.
The Wall Street Journal reported that talks took place last month in Doha and led to the release of Sagui Dekel Chen, an Israeli-American dual citizen, on February 15.
Who’s Adam Boehler?
Adam Boehler, the US presidential envoy for hostage affairs, led the direct talks with Hamas. He was also a key negotiator on the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first term, working to expand Israel’s normalisation with the Arab world.​
What did Trump say?
Following the report, Trump issued a strong warning to Hamas in a social media post on Wednesday, demanding the immediate release of all captives. He addressed the people of Gaza directly. “Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision,” Trump wrote. He said he would send Israel “everything it needs to finish the job”, and warned, “Not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.” Trump has advocated for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza’s population and the US “take over” of the Palestinian territory, adding later that his “plan” would not allow Palestinians to return to their homes in Gaza. How has Hamas reacted?
There has been no official response by Hamas to the reports of talks. A Hamas official told The Associated Press news agency that the talks focused on releasing Israeli captives and were “promising”. Responding to Trump’s threats, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said they “complicate matters regarding the ceasefire agreement and encourage [Israel] to refrain from implementing its terms”, according to Anadolu news agency. “Hamas implemented all its obligations under phase one, but Israel is avoiding entering phase two,” Qassem added. “The US administration is required to pressure the occupation to enter negotiations for the second phase.”
How many captives are currently held by Hamas?
Israel says 59 captives are still being held in Gaza, 24 of them believed to be alive. It says the bodies of at least 35 others remain in Hamas’s custody. Hamas captured approximately 250 captives during their attack on southern Israel, according to the Israeli government. More than 100 were released during a weeklong truce in late 2023. In February, during the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas released 25 living captives and the bodies of eight more in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was negotiated with mediation from Qatar, Egypt, and the US. Captive-prisoner exchanges, humanitarian aid delivery, and a pause in military operations marked the first phase.
Discussions on advancing to the second phase of the agreement – which involves the release of the remaining 59 captives, a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and a permanent end to the war – have been held up by Israel.
How has Israel reacted to the talks?
The Trump administration reportedly consulted Israel about potential direct engagement with Hamas. However, according to Axios, the Israelis learned about aspects of the talks through other channels. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “Israel was consulted on this matter.”
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office released a statement saying it “expressed its opinion” to the US. Israel’s consul general in New York, Ofir Akunis, told Fox News: “There is a new attitude from the White House … against Hamas. They can talk with Hamas, that’s OK.”
What’s next?
Despite the direct talks, Gaza’s ceasefire is in limbo. Hamas responded to Trump’s threats by saying the US is supporting Netanyahu’s attempts to back out of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and further starve and besiege Palestinians in Gaza. Egypt has also suggested Israel is not looking to fulfil its end of the agreement. “So far, only the first phase has been implemented, but now a party is attempting to back out of its obligations,” Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told the Qatari state news agency QNA on Wednesday. A derailed ceasefire could be disastrous for Palestinians in Gaza who have suffered close to 17 months of Israeli attacks and siege tactics. On Sunday, Israel said it would block all aid into Gaza to pressure Hamas to accept an extension of phase one of the ceasefire, immediately causing food prices in Gaza to shoot up. Even during the ceasefire, locals reported Israeli artillery fire and air attacks on Gaza. The first phase of the ceasefire expired on March 1. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff proposed extending phase one by six weeks. Netanyahu agreed to the proposition, but Hamas opposed it, calling for the deal to proceed to the second phase as previously agreed.>>
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/6/us-hamas-direct-talks-whats-happening-and-what-comes-next


Video screenshot footage: Voices of Gaza
Al Jazeera - March 6, 2025 - By Federica Marsi
<<LIVE: Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas, Israel maintains Gaza blockade
US President Donald Trump issues what he calls “a last warning” to Hamas to release all Israeli captives held in Gaza, and tells its leaders to leave the Strip. The threat comes as the White House confirms direct talks with Hamas for the first time since 1997 to secure the release of US-Israeli captives and end the war in Gaza.>>
Video: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/3/6/live-trump-issues-last-warning-to-hamas-tells-leaders-to-leave-gaza


Video screenshot footage: Trump threatens Palestinians in Gaza ‘you are DEAD’
Al Jazeera - March 5, 2025 - By Al Jazeera Staff
<<Trump threatens Palestinians in Gaza: If you hold captives, ‘you are DEAD’
US president warns Hamas that there will be ‘hell to pay’ if Israeli captives in Gaza are not released immediately.
“This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance,” Trump wrote. “Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision.” The president’s comment came hours after the White House confirmed that Washington is engaging in talks with Hamas. Trump has been calling for the forced displacement of Gaza’s entire population and for the US to “own” the Palestinian territory. It is unclear how the “beautiful future” Trump promised residents of Gaza would fit into his ethnic cleansing plan. Trump previously said, under his proposal, Palestinians would not be able to return to the territory. “‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose. Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump wrote. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted! I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.” Israel has held on to the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians over the years to use as a bargaining chip, a practice known as necroviolence. Trump has issued similar threats in the past, but Hamas has insisted that the captives will only be released as part of the ceasefire agreement. Responding to Trump’s comments, Hamas said on Thursday that the US president’s words pushed Israel to disregard the terms of a ceasefire in place since January 19. “These threats complicate matters regarding the ceasefire agreement and encourage the occupation to avoid implementing its terms,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasim said in a statement, urging the United States to pressure Israel to enter the ceasefire’s second phase. The first stage of the deal ended last week, but Israel has refused to move forward to the next stage of the ceasefire, which would lead to a permanent end to the war and the release of all captives. Instead, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, backed by Trump, has sought to extend the first phase to free more captives without committing to a lasting ceasefire. Israel has also sealed off Gaza, preventing the entry of any humanitarian assistance, including food, fuel and medicine – a move that has led to an outcry from the United Nations and countries around the world. Netanyahu is already facing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war.>>
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/5/trump-threatens-palestinians-in-gaza-if-you-hold-captives-you-are-dead

Al Jazeera - March 5, 2025
<<Can Egypt’s plan for Gaza backed by Arab League become reality?
Summit follows US President Donald Trump’s beach resort plan.>>
Read more/Video: https://www.aljazeera.com/program/inside-story/2025/3/5/can-egypts-plan-for-gaza-backed-by-arab-league-become-reality

Al Jazeera - March 5, 2025
<<US confirms it held direct talks with Hamas
The US confirmed it held direct talks with Hamas for the first time since 1997, as mediators push to extend Gaza ceasefire to its second phase.>>
Video: https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2025/3/5/us-confirms-it-held-direct-talks-with-hamas

Al Jazeera - March 5, 2025
<<Israel’s new army chief Eyal Zamir says Hamas mission ‘not accomplished’
Outgoing military chief Herzi Halevi calls for a wider examination of the failures on October 7, 2023. Former tank commander Eyal Zamir has been sworn in as Israel’s new military chief amid growing uncertainty over the expired ceasefire in Gaza. Previously director of the defence ministry, the 59-year-old replaces Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, who resigned in January admitting he had failed to fulfil his mandate.
At his swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday at military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Zamir said he was ready for the challenges ahead, noting that while “Hamas has indeed suffered a severe blow … it has not yet been defeated. The mission is not yet accomplished.” Speaking before Zamir, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “determined” to achieve victory in its war. Fighting in Gaza has been halted since January under the first phase of a multistage truce brokered by Qatar and Egypt and supported by the United States that has allowed the exchange of 33 Israeli captives and 5 Thai captives for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. But some Israeli ministers have warned that their forces could resume fighting if there is no agreement on bringing back the 59 captives that remain. Israeli troops have pulled back from some of their positions in Gaza but talks that were intended to agree on a second phase of the truce that would see the release of the remaining living captives and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces before an end to the war have not begun. Israel has called for an extension of the first phase truce until April to allow the release of the remaining captives, while Hamas has insisted on sticking to the agreement made in January, which calls for talks on a permanent end to the war, before agreeing to any more releases.
Inquiries
Zamir’s swearing-in comes as a series of official inquiries have begun to examine the Israeli failures that failed to prevent the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in the attack and approximately 250 others were taken captive in one of the biggest military and security disasters in Israel’s history. Halevi led the military during the Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of the territory, leaving most of the population sheltering in tents or bombed-out buildings. But he announced in January, soon after the Gaza ceasefire deal was agreed, that he would step down from his command, accepting responsibility for the military’s response to the October 7 attack. On Wednesday, as he handed over his command, he called for a wider examination of the failures on October 7, 2023. “The establishment of a state commission of inquiry is necessary and essential – not to place blame, but first and foremost, to understand the root of the problems and allow for correction,” he said. Both the Israel military and the Shin Bet security agency have acknowledged that their failures allowed the attack to take place, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far resisted a more general inquiry that would look at the responsibility of his government. The new commander will also have to respond to accusations from international bodies, including the United Nations, that Israeli troops committed war crimes during the campaign in Gaza. Israel rejects those charges, but it has indicted some individual reservist soldiers for severe abuse of detainees. Israel says Hamas, which has also been accused of war crimes by United Nations bodies, committed multiple atrocities during the October 7 attack and severely abused Israeli captives in Gaza. Hamas denies the accusations.>>
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/5/israel-new-army-chief-eyal-zamir-says-hamas-mission-not-accomplished

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