The Israel Defense Forces now controls Gaza’s main border crossing with Egypt in the city of Rafah. Israel’s military carried out airstrikes overnight in Rafah. The IDF operation commenced on Monday as Hamas offered a counterproposal for a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange. The negotiations aimed at getting a ceasefire in place appear to be ongoing.
ISIS still conducts large-scale attacks like the one in Russia last month that killed about 130 people. In Syria, where the group originated, it continues to be active. One strategy to contain ISIS has been to hold thousands of people in detention camps in northeastern Syria.
As war continues in Gaza, Israelis and Palestinians are also fighting. A recent Israeli military raid on a Palestinian refugee camp killed at least 10 people. Israel said it was a counterterrorism operation against Hamas. The raid led to a general strike staged by Palestinians across the West Bank where, since Oct. 7, 2023, tensions and violence have increased.
Hamas’ deadly attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, left about 1,200 people dead, and about 250 taken as hostages. Some of those hostages were released after negotiations with Hamas last November. Most of the world first saw the terrifying videos and images from a music festival where hundreds had gathered for the weekend. Host Marco Werman traveled to the Nova music festival site and two other areas where Hamas struck.
The biggest issue in Israel today is the fate of the 133 hostages still held captive in Gaza. Israel says, according to military intelligence, 33 of them are dead. Demonstrators have held sit-ins, marches and protests almost every day over the past six months demanding their return. The World’s Marco Werman spoke with Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was taken hostage on Oct. 7. They have just returned from a trip to the US where they met with top officials.
As Israel’s war in Gaza continues, its impact on the lives of Palestinians in the occupied territories of the West Bank can be felt acutely in terms of water access. The World’s host Marco Werman visited one Palestinian farming area just outside the city of Ramallah to learn more.