Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that dozens of militants have surrendered in recent days as the Israeli military intensifies its efforts to dismantle Hamas and eliminate its leadership. Netanyahu expressed the belief that the world is witnessing “the beginning of the end” for Hamas and its leader, Yahya Sinwar.
“They lay down their weapons and surrender themselves to our heroic warriors,” Netanyahu said in a video broadcast. “It will take more time, the war is in full swing, (but) I say to the Hamas terrorists it is over. Don’t die for Sinwar. Surrender − now.”
Hamas issued a statement asserting that Israel’s actions, detaining unarmed civilians and surrounding them with weapons, were a “desperate and transparent ploy” to create the illusion that the resolve of the militants was diminishing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s confident statement comes just two days after the U.S. vetoed the U.N. Security Council’s latest historic resolution, which called for an immediate cease-fire. As the Palestinian death toll continues to climb, Israel and its staunchest ally are encountering diminishing global support.
In response to the veto, the U.N. General Assembly has convened an emergency meeting scheduled for Tuesday. During this session, a draft resolution, anticipated to be akin to the one vetoed by the U.S., will be put to a vote. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions cannot be vetoed, but they also lack legal binding force.
Tzachi Hanegbi, the head of Israel’s National Security Council, acknowledged that Palestinian detainees are stripped down to their underwear during arrests, citing security concerns. This revelation, accompanied by photos depicting the stripped individuals, prompted protests from Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the dire living conditions in Gaza, highlighting shortages of essential resources such as food, water, fuel, and safe spaces. He warned of an imminent breakdown in public order, raising the specter of an even more dire situation, including the potential for epidemic diseases and heightened pressure for mass displacement into Egypt.