Israel-Hamas war: Rafah invasion update amid ceasefire negotiations | LiveNOW from FOX

LiveNOW from FOX
5 May 202409:01

Summary

TLDRThe ongoing conflict in Gaza remains a focal point of international concern, with a Hamas delegation in Cairo reporting progress in ceasefire talks. However, Israel has not sent a delegation and continues to emphasize its commitment to eliminating Hamas, which is a significant obstacle to a peaceful resolution. The situation is further complicated by the presence of hostages used as leverage by Hamas and the mounting pressure for a resolution to the nearly seven-month-long war. The humanitarian crisis in Northern Gaza is severe, with a top UN official declaring a full-blown famine. The US has warned Israel about its planned offensive into Rafah, where over a million Palestinians are sheltering. The Israeli government faces internal divisions on prioritizing the return of hostages or the complete eradication of Hamas. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis escalates, with the International Red Cross highlighting the dire need for aid due to lack of food, water, and medicine. The situation is further complicated by the potential for Israel to open another front against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon, adding to the complexity of the Middle East conflicts.

Takeaways

  • πŸ“° **Ceasefire Talks**: Egyptian State media reported progress in ceasefire talks for Gaza, although Israel has not sent a delegation.
  • πŸ›οΈ **Israeli Stance**: A senior Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a ceasefire, emphasizing Israel's commitment to invading Rafah.
  • ⏳ **Urgent Situation**: Pressure is mounting to reach a deal to halt the nearly 7-month long war in Gaza.
  • 🌍 **International Concern**: A top UN official has stated there's a full-blown famine in Northern Gaza, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian crisis.
  • πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ **US Warnings**: The US has repeatedly warned Israel, its close ally, about its planned offensive into Rafah.
  • πŸ€” **Differing Priorities**: There is a division among Israelis regarding the number one priority, whether it is to return hostages or to defeat Hamas.
  • πŸ›‘οΈ **Military Strategy**: Israel is planning its final stages of entering Rafah, with Prime Minister Netanyahu ordering the IDF to plan for the evacuation of Palestinians from the area.
  • πŸ‘₯ **Hostage Situation**: Hamas is holding hostages and using them as a human shield in negotiations.
  • πŸ“‰ **Public Dissent**: Protests in Tel Aviv show that many Israelis are unhappy with their government's handling of the hostage situation.
  • πŸ₯ **Humanitarian Crisis**: The crisis in the Rafah area is severe, with a lack of food, water, and medicine leading to a starvation phase for many Palestinians.
  • 🚒 **Aid Obstacles**: Humanitarian aid is being obstructed by security concerns and the fear that supplies may be diverted to Hamas.

Q & A

  • What was the reported progress in ceasefire talks in Cairo?

    -Egyptian State media reported noticeable progress in ceasefire talks for Gaza, with a Hamas delegation present in Cairo.

  • Why hasn't Israel sent a delegation to the ceasefire talks?

    -The script does not provide a specific reason why Israel has not sent a delegation, but it suggests that there is a difference in the parties' positions and objectives in the conflict.

  • What is the difference in the ceasefire demands between Hamas and Israel?

    -Hamas is calling for a permanent ceasefire and the removal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip, while Israel is only offering a temporary 40-day ceasefire and is still committed to wiping out Hamas.

  • What is the significance of hostages in the negotiation process?

    -Hamas is holding hostages, which gives them leverage in the negotiations. The hostages are also used as a human shield and are a key point of contention in the discussions.

  • What is the current state of the humanitarian crisis in Northern Gaza?

    -A top UN official has stated that there is now a full-blown famine in Northern Gaza, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian crisis.

  • What is the US's stance on Israel's planned offensive into Rafah?

    -The US has repeatedly warned its close ally Israel about its planned offensive into Rafah, which is the southernmost city on the border with Egypt.

  • What is the internal conflict within the Israeli government regarding the war?

    -Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing pressure from different factions within his cabinet. Some members are ultra-nationalists pushing for the complete removal of Hamas, while more moderate members want to prioritize the return of hostages.

  • How does the Israeli public feel about the government's handling of the hostages?

    -There have been protests in Tel Aviv, indicating that many Israelis are not pleased with the government's handling of the situation and they want the hostages returned home safely.

  • What are the challenges faced in delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip?

    -Challenges include the lack of a security force to escort aid, the risk of supplies being intercepted by Hamas, and the Israeli fear that aid packages may contain supplies for Hamas. Additionally, the pier for waterborne aid is still under construction.

  • What is the current situation regarding the planned invasion of Rafah by the Israeli military?

    -Israel is planning the final stages of entering Rafah, with Prime Minister Netanyahu ordering the IDF to plan for the evacuation of Palestinians from the area to confront Hamas.

  • How does the conflict with Hezbollah affect Israel's strategic decisions?

    -Hezbollah poses an existential threat to Israel similar to Hamas. Israel is considering whether to open another active front in Southern Lebanon to rid the area of Hezbollah, in addition to their operations in the Gaza Strip.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ•ŠοΈ Ceasefire Negotiations and the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

This paragraph discusses the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. A Hamas delegation was in Cairo for ceasefire talks, with Egyptian media reporting progress, but Israel has not sent a delegation. There is a significant humanitarian crisis in Northern Gaza, with reports of famine and a need for a ceasefire to allow aid to reach the area. The Israeli government is under pressure to rescue hostages held by Hamas, who are using them as human shields. The situation is further complicated by internal disagreements within the Israeli cabinet regarding priorities, with some members pushing for the complete eradication of Hamas, while others advocate for the safe return of hostages. The speaker, Mr. Ken Gray, emphasizes the complexity of the negotiations and the challenges faced by Prime Minister Netanyahu in balancing these competing interests.

05:02

πŸ₯ Addressing the Humanitarian Crisis Amidst the Conflict

The second paragraph focuses on the humanitarian crisis in the Rafah area of Gaza, with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent reporting that a quarter of Palestinians are in a starvation phase due to a lack of food, water, and medicine. The crisis is exacerbated by security concerns and the diversion of aid supplies by Hamas. The Israelis are also concerned that aid could be used to support Hamas, leading to thorough searches of incoming aid packages. The construction of a pier to facilitate the delivery of supplies via water is mentioned, but it is not yet complete. The speaker discusses the potential for a temporary ceasefire to allow for the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, but also notes the challenges of reaching a long-term agreement given the differing goals of the sides. The paragraph concludes with a mention of the broader conflicts in the Middle East, including the ongoing threat posed by Hezbollah to Israel.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Gaza

Gaza is a self-governing Palestinian territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. In the context of the video, it is the focal point of an ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with discussions of a potential ceasefire and humanitarian crisis.

πŸ’‘Hamas

Hamas is a Palestinian Islamic political organization and militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. The video discusses their role in ceasefire negotiations and their stance on the conflict with Israel.

πŸ’‘Ceasefire

A ceasefire is an agreement to stop fighting temporarily. It is a key concept in the video as it relates to the negotiations between Hamas and Israel, with differing demands for its terms and duration.

πŸ’‘Egyptian State Media

Egyptian State Media refers to the news outlets controlled by the Egyptian government. In the script, they are mentioned as reporting progress in ceasefire talks, highlighting Egypt's role as a mediator in the conflict.

πŸ’‘Humanitarian Crisis

A humanitarian crisis is a situation where basic human needs, such as food, water, and healthcare, are not being met on a large scale. The video discusses the severity of the crisis in Gaza, with references to famine and the challenges of delivering aid.

πŸ’‘International Red Cross

The International Red Cross is an independent, neutral organization that provides humanitarian aid during conflicts. They are mentioned in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

πŸ’‘Hostages

Hostages are individuals who are held captive by another party, usually in a conflict situation. In the video, hostages are discussed as a significant point of negotiation between Israel and Hamas, with their release being a key demand.

πŸ’‘IDF (Israel Defense Forces)

The IDF is the military force of Israel. The video mentions the IDF's commitment to eliminating Hamas and its role in planning operations within the Gaza Strip, including the potential invasion of Rafah.

πŸ’‘Rafah

Rafah is a city located in the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip and is mentioned as a strategic location in the conflict. The video discusses potential military operations by the IDF in Rafah and its significance to the conflict.

πŸ’‘Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel. He is mentioned in the video as being in a difficult position, having to balance the demands of different factions within his government regarding the conflict with Hamas.

πŸ’‘Hezbollah

Hezbollah is a Lebanese political and militant group that is also a significant player in the broader Middle East conflicts. The video briefly touches on the potential for Israel to engage with Hezbollah in addition to its conflict with Hamas.

Highlights

Hamas delegation was in Cairo for ceasefire talks, but Israel hasn't sent a delegation yet

Egyptian state media reports noticeable progress in ceasefire talks for Gaza

Senior Israeli official downplays prospects for a full ceasefire while emphasizing commitment to invading Rafah

Pressure has mounted to reach a deal to halt the nearly 7-month long war

Top UN official says there is now a full-blown famine in Northern Gaza

US has repeatedly warned close ally Israel about its planned offensive into Rafah

Hamas is calling for a permanent ceasefire and wants IDF out of Gaza Strip

Israel is only offering a temporary 40-day ceasefire and not giving up presence in Gaza Strip

Israel still committed to idea of wiping out Hamas, the side negotiating with them

Hamas holding hostages and using them as human shields in negotiations

Outside pressure on both sides to come to some type of agreement for a temporary ceasefire

Protests in Tel Aviv against Israeli government's handling of getting hostages home

Israeli military stating they will not stop until Hamas is defeated

Prime Minister Netanyahu caught between ultra-nationalists wanting to rid Gaza Strip of Hamas and moderates wanting hostages home

Humanitarian crisis in Rafah area with quarter of Palestinians in starvation phase

Challenges in getting humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip due to security concerns and Hamas seizing supplies

Israeli military planning final stages of entering Rafah and confronting Hamas

1.2 million Palestinians huddled in southern Gaza Strip where Hamas is located

Palestinians being used as shield by Hamas, similar to hostages

Hezbollah still a problem and Israel considering whether to pursue them in Southern Lebanon

Transcripts

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Gaza as we continue to

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follow the very latest

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of the Israel commas

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wore this morning. a Hamas

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delegation. was in Cairo

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Saturday. as Egyptian State

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media reported noticeable

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progress. in ceasefire talks

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for Gaza, but Israel hasn't

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sent a delegation. and a

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senior Israeli official.

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downplaying prospects for a

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full into the war while

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emphasizing the commitment

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to invading Rafa. pressure

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has mounted to reach a deal

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halting the nearly 7-month

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long War. a top un

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official saying there's now

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a full-blown famine in

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Northern Gaza while the US

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has repeatedly warned close

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Ally Israel about its

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planned offensive into Rafa.

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That's the Southernmost

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city on the border with

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Egypt. Where more than

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1 million Palestinians are

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currently Sheltering joining

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us aside this morning. to

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share the latest on this

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ongoing conflict is senior

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lecturer and Homeland

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Security and criminal

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justice. at the University

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of New Haven, Mr. Ken Gray

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Mr. Kim. Good morning,

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Always a pleasure speaking

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with you. Good morning.

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Janet glad to be with you

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again. so it seems that

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there have been some

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movements when we are

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discussing. ceasefire talks.

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We're hearing from that. um

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those in Cairo eia that the

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talks are coming from the

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Hamas side, but not hearing

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much from the Israelite if

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you could catch us up this

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morning. so the the 2 uh

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sides are still pretty far

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apart. Hamas, uh is

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calling for a permanent.

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ceasefire. and they want

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the IDF out of Gaza Strip.

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Israel on the other hand

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is only offering a

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temporary season for a

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40-day long. ceasefire and

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they are also uh, not uh,

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uh, uh allowing themselves

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to be uh to give up the

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presence. in Gaza Strip.

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Israel. is still committed

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to the idea of wiping out

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the S the Hamas which is the

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side negotiating with them.

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So this is this is going

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to be a difficult. Uh,

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negotiation. uh, the uh

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Hamas is holding all the

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chips in that they are the

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ones that are holding the

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hostages and so that's

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ultimately why they put

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brought hostages back into

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the Gaza Strip. was to use

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them for uh as a human

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shield. and to negotiate

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with them. but uh, there

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is a lot of outside

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pressure being brought to

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bear on both sides to

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come to some type of

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agreement. So we may see

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some type of of uh

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temporary ceasefire come out

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of this. with the exchange

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of hostages for some of

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the hostages for some

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Palestinian prisoners, But

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uh, it's not clear yet

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whether or not these 2 will

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be able to find Common

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Grounds to come to an

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agreement because 1 side

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plans to wipe out the other

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side entirely. uh, and

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totally remove it as a

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force within Gaza Strip.

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great points You're making

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Mr. Cannon 1 of them you

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pointed out is about the

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hostages and as we've seen

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over the weekends, you know.

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uh protests out in um

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hostage Square out in

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Tel Aviv many not

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pleased with the Israeli

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government and they feel

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they've been for lack of

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better words lacks when it

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comes to when those

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hostages home, but as you

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mentioned we can't forget

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the Israeli military from

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the very beginning saying

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they will not stop until

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Hamas is defeated kind of

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a double-edged sword if you

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think about it, you know

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people want the war to end

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but also they want the

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hostages returned home

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safely. Yeah, there is a

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difference in what is the

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number 1 priority? uh among

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the Israelis. uh, some see

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the hostages as the number

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1 priority getting the

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hostages. the the uh

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remaining hostages back to

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Israel. Uh, then there's the

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other side. that uh

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once totally removed Hamas

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as a future threat and so

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that they want to uh,

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push the war. until they

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have neutralized Hamas

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totally. Um, prime minister

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Netanyahu is between

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a rock and a hard place and

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that he has members within

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his cabinet on both sides.

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been gravar and others are

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are with the ultra

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nationalists with the uh

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far right? Who are pushing

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to to totally push on

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through Rafa and rid the

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Gaza Strip of Hamas. while

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the more moderates like

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many gats. uh, uh want to

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get the hostages home. and

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both sides are talking about

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leaving the cabinet and

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calling causing the

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government. to fall if uh,

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if they don't get their

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way, so, again Netanyahu not

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only has voices own opinion

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that he wants to go into

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Rafa, but he is also

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battling 2 different forces

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within his own cabinet. It

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and the protests. continued

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their and uh Israel. against

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uh, the the war efforts

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trying to get the hostages

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home. They want the

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hostages to be the number

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1 priority. Absolutely. and

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as all of this is

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happening we can't forget

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about the humanitarian

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crisis. out in the

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rafah area 1 that is about

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to be invaded yet again.

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um by the Israeli military

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and would the ceasefire Mr.

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Kent help this

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humanitarian crisis to

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allow more people to come

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in and possibly help

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without fear of being

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attacked themselves, or

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do you think that it might

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draw attention away from

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the humanitarian crisis

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since people might not be

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talking about the war? so

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the head of the International

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Red Cross and the red

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crescent said that um

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that a quarter of the

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Palestinians are now in a

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starvation phase. and so

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this humanitarian crisis.

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is at a point where people

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are dying from uh, the the

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lack of food. lack of

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water lack of uh, uh

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medicine This is really a

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a crisis point. and so

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they need to have the

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ability to be able to

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bring humanitarian Aid into

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their the reason they're not

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able to do so at this

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point is multi-fold 1 is

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the fact that uh, there is

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no security Force to

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address uh to um to

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travel with the food as

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it moves in so Hamas has

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been grabbing some of

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those supplies themselves. 2

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is that there's a fear by

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the Israelis that supplies

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for Hamas or being passed

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into uh the Gaza Strip in

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those humanitarian. Aid

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packages, so they are

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searching through all the

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packages. They're searching

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through the the the the

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trucks coming into the

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area. the the pier is still

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under construction with the

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idea of trying to get

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more supplies in through

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the water that way however,

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that's going to still take

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another month to be

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completed. And so uh,

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this humanitarian crisis

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which we've seen to have

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forgotten about over the

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last 3 weeks. uh, continues

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to mount. right now Israel.

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uh is planning their final

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stages of entering into

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Rafa. prime minister

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Netanyahu as uh ordered the

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IDF to to come up with

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the plan to evacuate. the

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Palestinians from the Raa

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area. and so that they can

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enter Rafa and and attack

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Hamas. Um, we will see

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whether or not that is

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even feasible. But uh,

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there's 1.2. million

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Palestinians, huddled down

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at the southern end of the

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Gaza Strip and uh, that is

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also where the Hamas

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battalions are. or

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Battalion is and that um,

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IDF has got to go into Rafa

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if they are going to

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confront. Hamas, but to do

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so the Palestinians are

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being used as a shield

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just like the hostages

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were being used as a

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shield. Mr. Ken always a

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pleasure speaking with you

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here on live now from Fox

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to get the most up-to-date

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and accurate information.

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Thank you so much for joining

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us this morning Is there

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anything else you'd like to

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add before we let you go.

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so uh, you know the uh,

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Hezbollah is still a problem

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here. Uh, and uh Israel has

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got to decide whether

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or not they want to

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pursue Hezbollah. on

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another active front they

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have a another I would refer

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to as a warm front going

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on. uh in the north there.

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Uh, Hezbollah sends missiles

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down. uh, Israel responds

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with either air strikes or

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artillery rounds, but uh

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that has been going on

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throughout this entire

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period with highs and lows

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with the number of

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missiles being exchanged but

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nonetheless Hezbollah poses

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the same type of

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existential threat to

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Israel. that Hamas does and

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so as long as Israel has

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the IDF all manned up they

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are considering whether

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or not they should move

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into Southern Lebanon. and

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rid the area of Hezbollah

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just like they moved into

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the Gaza Strip to try to

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get rid of Hamas. Uh, so I

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think that that is yet to

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be seen whether or not uh,

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Israel opens up another

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active front to the north.

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absolutely, just further

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showing that there are

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several conflicts going on

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in the Middle East and how

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some of them are

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connected. and some are

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separate Mr. Ken Gray

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always a pleasure speaking

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with you here on live now

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You enjoy the rest of your

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Related Tags
Ceasefire TalksGaza ConflictHamas DelegationIsraeli MilitaryHumanitarian CrisisHostage NegotiationMiddle East PoliticsSecurity ConcernsWar EffortsPalestinian CrisisInternational Pressure