Israeli FM threatens to quit government over Netanyahu’s Gaza plan

Pakistan, Turkiye express grave concerns over dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Arab League, OIC reject Israel’s forceful Gaza seizure plans

JERUSALEM: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to discontinue the support for Benjamin Netanyahu lead coalition government, terming their plans to take over Gaza city, “a half-measure”.

According a report by Times of Israel on Saturday, Smotrich regarded Netanyahu’s recent plan for “Victory in Gaza”, a “U-Turn”.

He said that he had worked intensivley with Benjamin Netanyahu to formulate the plans to overthrow Hamas from the Gaza and build strategies to establish their control in Gaza, but now the Israeli prime minister has taken a new direction, other than what had been decided. Smotrich criticised Natenyahu’s government by alleging them to “Succumbed to weakness, let emotion win over reason and decided to do more of the same again”.

He termed latest military strategies hostile to a “complete victory” over Hamas. He spoke that these strategies would only pressure Hamas to agree to a “partial hostage deal”.

Israeli FM argued that this “is not how you win a war”. “Risking troops’ lives as well as international opprobrium in pursuit of such a strategy was an immoral and illogical folly,” he added.

“Unfortunately, for the first time since the war began, I feel that I simply cannot stand behind this decision and support it. My conscience does not allow it”.

He hinted towards a possible lost of faith in the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “lost faith that the prime minister is able and wants to lead the IDF to a decisive victory.”

Pakistan, Turkiye express grave concerns over dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Foreign Minister of Turkiye Hakan Fidan and both leaders reviewed Pak–Turkiye bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on current regional and international developments.

“They also expressed grave concerns at the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. The DPM/FM condemned the Israeli plan for a complete military takeover, calling it a flagrant violation of international law and UNSC resolutions,” Foreign Office Spokesperson, on Sunday, said in a press statement. DPM/FM Dar also stressed the urgent need for providing unimpeded humanitarian assistance, and an end to Israeli impunity.

The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s plans to expand military control over the enclave have pushed Germany to curb arms exports to Israel, a historically fraught step for Berlin driven by a growing public outcry. Conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz, hitherto a staunchly pro-Israel leader, made the announcement on Friday arguing that Israel’s actions would not achieve its stated war goals of eliminating Hamas or bringing Israeli hostages home. It is a bold move for a leader who after winning elections in February said he would invite Benjamin Netanyahu to Germany in defiance of an arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister issued by the International Criminal Court. The shift reflects how Germany’s come-what-may support for Israel, rooted in its historical guilt over the Nazi Holocaust, is being tested like never before as the high Palestinian civilian death toll in Gaza, massive war destruction and images of starving children are chipping away at decades of policy.

Arab League, OIC reject Israel’s forceful Gaza seizure plans

The Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have strongly rejected Israel’s reported plan to establish military control over the Gaza Strip. In a joint statement, both organisations denounced the proposal as a clear violation of international law, stressing that seizing Gaza through force is unacceptable. Hamas also condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statement, describing it as a “coup” against ongoing ceasefire negotiations. The Palestinian resistance group vowed it would never allow Israel to gain full control over the besieged territory. The developments mark a significant escalation in the political and diplomatic pushback against Israel’s intentions in Gaza, amid heightened regional tensions. Agencies