– A possible arrest warrant from the ICC against Israeli commanders and heads of state would be a scandal of historic proportions.
This is what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says in a video broadcast speech on Tuesday afternoon, according to Reuters.
– If this happens, it will be a disgrace to humanity, an act of anti-Semitic hatred, he continues.
Netanyahu goes on to say that no decision by the ICC will in any way affect Israel’s decision to achieve their goal of the war: to bring the hostages home and a total victory over Hamas.
At 19.45 on Tuesday, Haaretz writes, citing anonymous sources, that Hamas demands guarantees in an agreement that Israel will not attack in the coming months. This should be a criterion for releasing the Israeli hostages, the newspaper writes further.
Fears arrest warrant: “Unusually stressed”
– Going in anyway
Earlier Tuesday, Netanyahu said Israel is entering Rafah to eliminate Hamas, with or without a ceasefire and hostage deal.
He also claims, according to several Israeli media, including Ynet, that Israel has begun to evacuate civilians from the city, which is the last major city in Gaza where Israel has not carried out a ground invasion.
On Tuesday evening, the UN’s head of emergency aid, Martin Griffiths, says that an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah is imminent and that it will mean more trauma and death for the population.
Hamas is said to have received a proposal which involves a truce for 40 days if all Hamas hostages in Gaza are released. On Tuesday, a Hamas source is said to have stated to the Saudi Arabian television channel Al Arabiya that the proposal from Israel reflects some of the conditions for an agreement set by Hamas.
At the same time, Netanyahu denied on Tuesday that a ceasefire would be the end of the war.
In a statement on Tuesday, the White House says that there can be no doubt about Israel’s seriousness in the effort to get a new hostage agreement in place.
– A hostage agreement would mean six weeks without fighting anywhere, says the White House, according to Reuters.
Massive demonstrations
More emergency help
The White House states that Israel will open a new border crossing into Gaza this week. This happens after a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden.
At the same time, the White House states that the work on a temporary and provisional port facility to bring more emergency aid into Gaza is on track, and that it is expected to be able to receive emergency aid within the next few days.
The US has always been clear that this port cannot replace emergency aid with trucks.
According to the US, over 200 trucks now cross into Gaza daily.
The UN’s emergency aid chief says on Tuesday evening that the fact that Israel has now made improvements in terms of the emergency aid that is allowed in cannot be used as part of preparing or defending a full invasion of Rafah.
