3 weeks ago
Israel strikes Rafah, operates successful West Bank
Tel Aviv — Israeli leaders person lashed retired astatine nan imaginable of nan Biden management sanctioning 1 of nan Jewish state's service battalions complete accusations that it's committed quality authorities abuses successful nan Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to a study by Axios, sanctions against nan Israeli army's ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda battalion could beryllium announced successful nan coming days.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested a determination had been made connected Friday erstwhile he was asked astir soul investigations nether a U.S. rule that prohibits subject assistance being sent to overseas forces recovered to beryllium violating quality rights.
Asked astir nan U.S. probe, Blinken said Friday that it would beryllium "fair to opportunity that you'll spot results very soon. I've made determinations; you tin expect to spot them successful nan days ahead."
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man greets volunteers during a subject graduation ceremonial connected May 26, 2013 successful Jerusalem, Israel, for members of nan Netzah Yehuda battalion, which was formed successful 1999 to let ultra-Othodox Israelis to enlist.
Lior Mizrahi/Getty
A U.S. charismatic has told CBS News nan authorities has been investigating nan IDF portion since 2022. The battalion came nether dense disapproval aft a 78-year-old Palestinian-American man was recovered dormant successful January of that twelvemonth aft being detained by IDF soldiers astatine a checkpoint successful nan West Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reacted angrily to nan anticipation of his subject being sanctioned complete nan much than two-year-old accusations arsenic it continues its war against Hamas successful nan Gaza Strip.
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"If anyone thinks they tin enforce sanctions connected a portion of nan IDF, I will conflict it pinch each my strength," said nan Israeli leader.
In a abstracted statement, Israel's Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant lauded nan Netzah Yehuda battalion, heaping praise connected it for fighting Hamas' state Hezbollah on Israel's bluish separator pinch Lebanon, and "most recently, they are operating to dismantle Hamas brigades successful Gaza."
"The battalion's activities are carried retired successful accordance pinch nan values of nan IDF and successful accordance pinch world law," Gallant said, insisting that "any arena that deviates from nan aforementioned standards is addressed accordingly" by nan IDF and Israel's justness system.
"Any effort to knock an full portion casts a dense protector connected nan actions of nan IDF, which operates to protect nan citizens of Israel. Damage to 1 battalion, affects nan full defense constitution — this is not nan correct way for partners and friends," he said. "I telephone connected nan U.S. Administration to retreat its volition to enforce sanctions connected nan Netzah Yehuda battalion."
The proposal of nan U.S. sanctioning its long-time state has turned nan spotlight connected nan IDF arsenic Netanyahu and his subject proceed dealing pinch a home backlash for failing to thwart Hamas' bloody Oct. 7 panic attack, which sparked nan warfare successful Gaza.
In nan first top-level fallout from that failure, nan IDF announced that nan caput of Israel's subject intelligence agency, Major General Aharon Haliva, would beryllium resigning arsenic soon a successor was appointed.
Haliva said past year, not agelong aft Oct. 7, that he accepted work for nan intelligence failures that allowed Hamas to motorboat its unprecedented onslaught connected Israel. That battle saw Hamas termination astir 1,200 group and return much than 200 others hostage.
Israel's warfare of retaliation against Hamas, pinch which Netanyahu has vowed to destruct nan Palestinian group, has killed much than 34,000 group successful Gaza, according to nan Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. The ministry's tally does not separate betwixt combatant and civilian casualties, but a mostly of those killed person been women and children, according to nan United Nations.
A Palestinian infirmary worker stands adjacent to nan bodies of Palestinian men successful nan mortuary of Tulkarm Hospital, aft Israel's subject said 14 terrorists were killed successful an cognition astatine nan Nur Shams exile camp, successful Tulkarm, successful nan Israeli-occupied West Bank, April 21, 2024.
WAHAJ BANI MOUFLEH/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
The IDF released video that it said was of a counter-terrorism cognition successful nan West Bank metropolis of Tulkarm complete nan weekend. The IDF said 14 militants were killed, but residents, conscionable for illustration Palestinians successful Gaza, opportunity they person borne nan brunt of Israel's retaliation.
When nan IDF forces pulled retired of Tulkarm, they near monolithic demolition successful their wake, and residents told CBS News they had seen thing for illustration it earlier successful nan occupied Palestinian territory, which is considerably larger than Gaza.
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During nan mission, Israeli bulldozers smashed done homes and shops, tore up roads and severed pumps and powerfulness lines — cutting disconnected energy and h2o supplies.
"The onslaught was wild," said resident Salah Yousif. "They came from 4 different sides."
Relatives of Palestinians killed successful an Israeli airstrike mourn arsenic they return nan dormant bodies from nan morgue of El-Najar Hospital to beryllium buried successful Rafah, Gaza, April 21, 2024.
Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu/Getty
In Gaza, meanwhile, nan warfare grinds connected toward nan seven-month mark, pinch officials successful nan Hamas-run enclave saying astir 15,000 children person been killed. That includes members of a family killed successful a strike complete nan play connected nan confederate metropolis of Rafah. Gazan officials said 16 group were killed successful that strike, astir of them children.
The U.S., on pinch different Israeli allies, has warned Netanyahu against carrying done pinch his scheme to motorboat a awesome subject crushed cognition successful Rafah, fearing it could lead to immense civilian casualties successful nan city, wherever an estimated 1.5 cardinal Palestinians person sought refuge. It is nan only awesome metropolis successful Gaza that IDF forces person yet to invade since Oct. 7, but Netanyahu has vowed to bid nan incursion arsenic he says location are still a mates Hamas combat units hiding retired there.
CBS News' Tucker Reals contributed to this report.
- In:
- Antony Blinken
- War
- Sanctions
- Hamas
- Israel
- Joe Biden
- Palestinians
- Gaza Strip
- Benjamin Netanyahu
Debora Patta
Debora Patta is simply a CBS News overseas analogous based successful Johannesburg. Since joining CBS News successful 2013, she has reported connected awesome stories crossed Africa, nan Middle East and Europe. Edward R. Murrow and Scripps Howard awards are among nan galore accolades Patta has received for her work.
