Netanyahu says Israel won’t wait for permission to act
Assalamu alaikum - JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will not wait for anyone’s permission to carry out strikes in Gaza or Lebanon, even though ceasefires have been agreed.
“Israel is an independent state. We will defend ourselves by our own means and we will continue to determine our fate,” Netanyahu told government ministers. “We do not seek anyone’s approval for this. We control our security.” His comments came after visits by senior US officials aimed at strengthening the ceasefire in Gaza.
Israeli forces said they conducted a “targeted strike” in central Gaza on Saturday against an individual they claimed was planning an attack on troops. A US-backed ceasefire is currently in place between Israel and Hamas, just over two years after the Gaza conflict began, but both sides accuse each other of violations.
Israel said the target was linked to Islamic Jihad. The group responded that the Israeli allegation about a planned attack was “a false claim,” and did not confirm whether any of its members were killed.
Witnesses reported a drone struck a car and set it on fire; local medics said four people were wounded and there were no immediate reports of deaths. Other witnesses said Israeli tanks shelled eastern parts of Gaza City. The Israeli military had not immediately answered requests for comment.
Several Israeli news outlets reported that, in a change from previous policy, Egypt had been allowed into Gaza to help identify the remains of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks that led to the conflict. Hamas has said it will return all abducted hostages as part of the ceasefire deal, but the remains of 13 people are still in the enclave.
The Prime Minister’s Office had not immediately replied to requests for comment.
May Allah grant peace and protection to civilians and guide leaders toward a just and lasting resolution.
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