Keystone-SDA
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June 16, 2024 – 10:53 am
(Keystone-ATS) The Israeli army announced this morning “a tactical pause” in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it will implement a daily “tactical pause” in military activity in part of the southern Palestinian enclave during daylight hours to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The IDF indicated in a statement that the stop “for humanitarian purposes will take place every day from 8.00 to 19.00 until further notice along the road leading from the Kerem Shalom crossing to Salah al-Din Road and then northwards”.
Israel: 2 more soldiers died yesterday
Meanwhile, the IDF announced that two more soldiers were killed yesterday in combat in the northern Gaza Strip. The 28-year-old and 49-year-old members of the 129th battalion of the 8th reserve armored brigade died when a bomb was detonated against their tank, the armed forces of the Jewish state explained, quoted by local media. Two other soldiers were seriously injured in the attack.
The toll of soldiers killed yesterday in the Palestinian enclave therefore rises to ten. Eight had died in the southern city of Rafah: according to Arab media, Hamas fighters had ambushed their armored vehicle and hit it with rocket launchers. The IDF speak for their part of “an explosive device placed in the area or the fire of anti-tank missiles”.
Thousands in the streets against the government
Like every Saturday for months, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets yesterday in various cities of Israel to demand the release of the hostages and protest against the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. Last night, Benny Gantz also attended a demonstration in Sha’ar HaNegev, southern Israel, less than a week after resigning from the government.
Protesters also gathered outside Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv, where opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the prime minister of “temporizing so that people forget that he is guilty and responsible” for the assault on Hamas.
Arrests in procession against Netanyahu
The Israeli police then announced that twelve people were arrested for violations of public order in last night’s demonstration in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu’s government. Among those arrested was also a photographer for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, who was later released.
Israeli media reports that Itay Ron was freed about an hour after being detained. Videos published on social networks show the reporter grabbed by an officer and pushed towards a bus of arrestees, despite appeals from passers-by that he was a journalist.
