The prevailing assessment among Israeli officials is that the non-binding decision could come as soon as Friday. A significant concern is that injunctions from The Hague could precipitate a similar resolution by the UN Security Council, where Israel would again require a United States veto to block it.
The disturbing abduction video of the female Israeli hostages is making waves all over the world. CNN featured the video as the top headline; The Daily Mail, Telegraaf, Bild, and others covered the story extensively.
The original subtitles show a Hamas terrorist referring to the young Israeli female captives using a vulgar Arabic phrase that translates as "sex slaves" – a term from early Islam. Reuters' translations rendered this simply as "the cheap ones" – a sanitized version – citing 'discrepancies' between audio and Israel-provided subtitles.
According to the reports, Prime Minister Netanyahu received four separate warning letters from the Military Intelligence Directorate between March and July 2023 regarding Israel's enemies' perception of the damage to cohesion in Israel and its impact on Israel and the military in particular.
Gallant is said to have temporarily delayed the move in an effort to leverage ongoing political negotiations to boost enlistment of Haredi men through cooperation rather than confrontation.
The alleged strike comes after the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet holds overnight discussions instructing the negotiating team to continue efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Female field observers were kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base on Oct. 7 by Hamas. Five are seen in the abduction video released on Wednesday at the request of their families – Agam Berger, Liri Elbag, Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, and Naama Levi, who have been held captive for 229 days. Here are their stories.
Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during Trump's presidency, plans to tour Israeli communities near the Gaza border as well as the north of the country during her visit beginning Monday, according to Danny Danon, the former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations
At the hostages’ families' request, the IDF has released footage of the female field observers' kidnapping. "This is the most horrifying video I've seen about the hostages so far. It really shows the depth of their evil,” the cousin of one of the hostages says.
“Misreporting happens in a context where anti-Israel extremists are trying, and sometimes succeeding, at hijacking the conversation," said senior research analyst.