KEY POINTS
- Egyptian officials informed Israel hostages have been moved, a report says
- Netanyahu celebrates Knesset majority vote against unilateral recognition of Palestinian state
- Israeli group accuses Hamas of 'systematic and intentional' sexual abuse during Oct. 7 attack
The Israel-Hamas war has entered its 139th day, and amid fierce fighting in the Gaza Strip, Switzerland is looking to ban Hamas and other groups acting on its behalf following the killing of two Swiss nationals during Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.
In the destabilized Red Sea, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received reports of an explosion off the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah.
In Israel, sirens sounded in Eilat on Thursday morning. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it intercepted an aerial target in the Red Sea following the siren alert of incoming rockets and missiles.
Over in the troubled Israeli-Lebanese border, Iranian-backed Hezbollah on Thursday claimed that it had a "busy" day Wednesday as it carried out 13 operations against Israel.
Despite continuing attacks against Israel, Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based Hamas ally, reportedly told the Palestinian terror group that its demands for a ceasefire-hostage deal were unrealistic.
Hopes for a truce agreement were dashed after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was unready to "pay any price" for the release of its hostages at this point. However, war cabinet member Benny Gantz said there were "promising early signs" in negotiations for a ceasefire deal.
The Netanyahu government is under increasing pressure from the West and other countries to reach a deal amid the rising death toll in Gaza. Fighting has only intensified, and Netanyahu repeatedly said the Israeli army will fight until Hamas is eliminated – something the Israeli leader said will bring peace to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to support Israel's right to self-defense, but in recent weeks has expressed opposition to a planned ground operation in Rafah, an overcrowded southern Gaza city. It has also called for a path toward establishing a Palestinian state, a key issue in the violent history of the warring sides.
Houthis claim 'ban' on Israeli-linked ships
The Yemeni Houthi rebel militia on Thursday said it has "banned" Israeli-linked and Israeli-flagged vessels from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea, Reuters reported, citing statements to shipping insurers and companies from the terror group's humanitarian operations coordination center.
In the statements viewed by the outlet, the Houthis also said US and UK-owned ships, or any vessel sailing under the said countries flags are also "banned" from the mentioned global waters.
This comes following what appears to have been a mistaken attack by the rebel militia on a ship that carried humanitarian supplies for the Yemeni public.
Israeli group says Hamas carried out 'systematic, targeted' sexual assaults and rape on Oct. 7
The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI) on Wednesday submitted a report to United Nations "decision-makers" that alleged Hamas carried out "systematic, targeted sexual abuse" and rape when its militants raided Israel on Oct. 7, the Israeli government said in a press release.
"The report finds that the Hamas attack included brutal acts of violent rape, often involving threats with weapons, specifically directed towards injured women. Many rape incidents occurred collectively, with collaboration among the perpetrating terrorists," the ARCCI said.
There were also testimonies, interviews and other sources that indicated Hamas used "sadistic practices" that were aimed at "intensifying the humiliation and fear of sexual abuse," the association added.
This is not the first time Hamas has been accused of sexual abuse as a doctor who worked with former hostages freed during the seven-day truce late in November, revealed that the abductees were not only drugged to keep them silent during their time in captivity. They were also psychologically and sexually abused.
Photos and live footage from the Oct. 7 massacre also pointed to the sexual crimes that Hamas operatives committed when they launched their shock attack in Israel.
"We expect international organizations to take a clear stance; we cannot stand on the sidelines. Silence will be remembered as a historical stain on those who chose to remain silent and deny the sexual crimes committed by Hamas," said Orit Sulitzeanu, CEO of ARCCI.
Netanyahu hails Knesset vote against unilateral Palestinian state recognition
Netanyahu late on Wednesday took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate what he said was a "historic decision" by the Knesset who overwhelmingly voted in support of the Israeli prime minister's proposal to reject "unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state."
A total of 99 out of 120 members voted in favor of the proposal, marking what Netanyahu says is a message to the world that Israel's peace and security will only be achieved through negotiations, "not through unilateral actions."
In a historic decision, the Knesset united overwhelmingly in support of my proposal, with 99 of 120 members voting against the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 21, 2024
This landmark vote underscores our collective resolve: We will not reward terrorism by unilateral…
Egyptian officials reportedly told Israel there won't be another opportunity to rescue hostages: Lebanese report
Senior Egyptian officials have stressed to the Israeli government that it won't get another opportunity to rescue hostages in a military operation since the abductees have been moved to areas that the Israeli army has yet to reach, Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported Thursday, citing a Lebanese report.
The Israeli government has yet to deny or confirm the report.
Two elderly Israeli hostages were rescued from Rafah earlier this month in a ground operation in the overcrowded southern Gaza city.
Read the full story here.
'Promising' signs of progress in hostage deal talks: Gantz
The Israeli war cabinet member said in a Wednesday televised media briefing that there were "promising early signs of progress" in efforts to reach a new truce agreement to free the remaining hostages in Gaza.
"We will not stop looking for a way and we will not miss any opportunity to bring our girls and boys home," he said.
His comments come after Netanyahu said Israel was not ready to "pay any price" in releasing its hostages due to Hamas' "delusional" demands.
Hezbollah pressured Hamas to soften ceasefire demands: Report
Hezbollah's chief Nasrallah, has reportedly, in recent weeks, been asking Hamas to "consolidate" and told its Palestinian ally that its demand to release hundreds of prisoners was "unrealistic," local media reported Thursday, citing Arab affairs commentator Jacky Hugi in an interview with Army Radio.
Hugi said that four months into the war, Nasrallah "has exhausted" Hezbollah's fight against Israel in the northern border. After killing some people in attacks toward northern Israel and driving out multiple communities from their homes, Hezbollah is now "satisfied" with what it has done so it supposedly informed Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh that Hamas needs "to be flexible," as per Hugi.
International Business Times cannot independently verify the information Hugi dispersed.
Hezbollah claims 13 operations against Israel in the last day
Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has been launching a barrage of rockets on a near-daily basis toward Israel since the war in Gaza started, on Thursday claimed that it had "a very busy day" Thursday, carrying out 13 paramilitary operations against Israel.
The Lebanon-based terror group has repeatedly vowed that it will continue targeting northern Israel until the Gaza war ends.
Israel intercepts aerial target from Red Sea
Israel's defense forces on Thursday intercepted an aerial target launched from the Red Sea toward Israel, the IDF announced on X.
This comes following siren alerts earlier in the day in the area of Eilat, a southern Israeli port city that was subject to a drone attack from Syrian territory in November. A school was struck in the said attack, triggering a retaliatory strike from the Israeli army.
Explosion reported west of Houthi-held area in Yemen
The UKMTO said there were reports of "an explosion and a flash sighted in the southern Red Sea" around 40 nautical miles to the west of Houthi-controlled Al Hudaydah in Yemen.
UKMTO DAILY SUMMARY
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) February 21, 2024
1800UTC 20 Feb 24 to 1800UTC 21 Feb 24https://t.co/DQ9L4E6Ddt#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/GXXGOakzlX
This comes amid continuing attacks by Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels toward merchant shipping lanes in the area.
Switzerland to ban Hamas, other groups acting on its behalf
Switzerland on Wednesday announced action to ban Hamas under a draft legislation following the Oct. 7 massacre wherein Hamas operatives raided Israel and killed more than 1,200 individuals, including two Swiss nationals.
The Swiss government said Hamas, "cover or successor" groups under the Palestinian militant organization, and groups or other organizations acting on its behalf "or in is name" will be banned.
The law to ban Hamas will be limited to five years. It has since entered consultation phase.
