Israel Weighs Sanctions – US Applies Pressure
Hamas Lies Again: No Hostage Bodies Transferred to Israel
13 Bodies of Fallen Hostages Still Held by Hamas, Which Breached Its Commitment and Failed to Transfer Two Bodies on Friday Night; Israel Now Examining Possible Sanctions Against Hamas, While the United States Applies Heavy Pressure on Arab Countries – Security Sources Indicate More Bodies May Be Released Soon
Hamas committed to transferring the bodies of fallen hostages daily, but four days have passed since the last transfer, and it did not hand over hostage bodies on Friday night even though it said it would.
According to a report in Ynet this evening (Saturday night), Israeli security sources have indications that Hamas is under pressure from American pressure and is expected to transfer more fallen soldiers to Israel very soon, though it might not happen tonight.
The United States, according to the report, fully understands that Hamas is lying and continuing to deceive everyone in order to prolong the ceasefire and avoid dealing with the universal demand – that it disarm.
In parallel to the pressure the US is applying on the mediators to "straighten out" Hamas, the US is currently preventing Israel from imposing the sanctions it wants on Hamas and is asking Israel to give the mediators another chance.
As noted, Israel has been required not to impose sanctions for this reason, but it is examining resuming airstrikes or conducting arrests of prisoners released as part of the deal in Judea and Samaria.
Additionally, if Hamas continues its games, Israel is interested in reducing the humanitarian aid entering the Strip daily, among other measures.
Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, visited the American headquarters in southern Israel on Friday. The new headquarters, established to oversee activities in the Gaza Strip, hosted Rubio to observe the operations of American soldiers. Rubio received a security briefing from generals and met with senior IDF officials. Accompanying the tour was Stephen H. Feigin, US Ambassador to the Republic of Yemen – the Western-recognized government based in Aden.
Rubio said:
"A lot of work is happening here ... This is historic – something that has never happened before. We have much to be proud of. There were many challenges but also many opportunities. There will be ups and downs, but we have many reasons to be optimistic. I wanted to come to see the organization and needs here. You see many soldiers here, from other countries and from Israel hosting us. This will continue to grow, and we will provide coordination of humanitarian aid. You will see it expanding. Beyond that, there is the long term: rehabilitation, reconstruction, so we don’t return to a place where October 7 can happen again. We need security for Israel and for the people in Gaza. We want to ensure the ceasefire is maintained, aid enters and is not stolen. We want to create conditions for the stabilization force to enter as quickly as possible, once formed, to provide the stability we need."