A soldier who was critically injured in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip last week has succumbed to his wounds, the IDF announced over the weekend. He was named as Sgt. Yonatan Aharon Greenblatt, 21, from Beit Shemesh.
Greenblatt, who served in the who served in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade, was critically wounded on July 20 when an anti-tank missile struck the building he was occupying. Despite being rushed to a hospital for treatment, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. His death brings the toll of the IDF ground operation in Gaza to 331.
In related news, Israel has delivered an updated response to the proposed deal for releasing hostages and implementing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Mossad Director David Barnea is expected to fly to Rome Sunday for a four-way summit with top officials from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, as diplomatic efforts to reach a breakthrough gain momentum.
Arab sources report that the talks will include Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate Abbas Kamel, and CIA Director William Burns.
Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official based abroad, has said that the terror group has accepted the "serious proposals put forward by the mediators" but claimed that Israel "is unwilling to halt its aggression and is attempting to pressure us through intensified military operations."
Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper, known for its connections to Hamas, reported that additional meetings are planned in Doha and Cairo this week. Sources informed the newspaper that the Rome meeting will concentrate on Israeli modifications to the most recent proposal, as well as outlining a post-war framework. The sources added that "mediators are crafting proposals to address outstanding issues that remain unresolved."
