Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied across Israel over the weekend to protest the government’s planned expansion of the war to take control of Gaza City.
Aug. 10 Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied across Israel over the weekend to protest the government’s planned expansion of the war in Gaza as the Israeli Defense Forces itself remained split on the issue.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced Friday that the Security Cabinet had approved his proposal « for defeating Hamas », which included the IDF taking control of Gaza City, where a million Palestinians still live.
The Security Cabinet adopted five principles that it said would end the war, including the disarming of Hamas, the return of all Israeli captives, the demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli security control over the enclave and the establishment of a new civil administration.
Hamas, in a statement, condemned the Israeli decision as a « new war crime » that it said amounted to « ethnic cleansing. »
« We warn the criminal occupation that this criminal adventure will cost it dearly. It will not be a walk in the park. Our people and their resistance are resilient to defeat or surrender, and Netanyahu’s plans, ambitions, and delusions will fail miserably », Hamas said.
