New Delhi: Hours after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said that the country is sending a team of “experts in hostage negotiations” to help Israel and has been in contact with their chief negotiator, Israel clarified Wednesday that “this was not the time for hostage negotiations” as the country is still at war. Israel also said it did not request Canadian support in any such negotiations.
Addressing the global media at an online press conference, Israel foreign ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat said the country was yet to have a definite figure on the number of hostages allegedly taken by Palestinian militant group Hamas, but believed the number to be approximately 100-150, which includes people of various nationalities.
He also spoke of the country receiving international support in its war with Hamas.
As fighting between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas continued for the fifth day Wednesday, IDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner revealed that a review of the circumstances surrounding the breach of the Gaza border and frontline defenses will take place at a later date.
“There will be a time for a review and investigation of the circumstances of what happened on intelligence level, at the physical barriers on the Gaza border, how the first line of defense was overwhelmed and more”, Lerner said, the press conference.
He added: “We will have to review how this penetration happened, but we are not yet ready to talk about it yet. Currently, we are focused on preventing any further attacks.”
Lerner also said that despite the Gaza border being sealed, there is a possibility of Hamas fighters hiding in Israel.
On Saturday, Hamas, which had been in control of the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched an attack on Israel that combined rockets with ground infiltration in what is considered the deadliest incursion in 50 years, catching Israel — and the world — off guard. Since then, Israeli forces have not only been battling Hamas fighters in the southern towns that the gunmen had taken control of, but have also pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation.
According to Israeli authorities, so far, 1,200 Israelis have died, while 2,800 have been injured. In Gaza, 1,100 have died while 5,339 have been injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, there’s been shelling between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah since Sunday, a day after the Hamas attack on Israel. The IDF “needs to be prepared for multiple arenas (of war) and different types of threats”, Lerner said, adding that Israel has enough forces to combat such attacks.
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International support
Taking about the Hamas attack, Haiat said Israel “will do whatever it takes” to win the war.
He also noted that the IDF is engaging with the international military and defense communities to rally support. The United States Wednesday sent its first shipment of ammunition to Israel and is also believed to be supplying interceptors for the country’s Iron Dome defense system.
Israel has been a long-term recipient of US military aid since 2016, having signed a 10-year deal for $38 billion to cover annual grants to buy military equipment and a $5 billion missile defense appropriation.
Haiat also stated that the country has received international support “like never before” since Saturday’s strike, with more than 80 countries having come out in support of the country. Leaders such as US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UK PM Rishi Sunak and others, have voiced support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
“US President Biden’s speech yesterday stated the message what we wanted to hear here in Israel,” Haiat stated, highlighting the “unbreakable support and friendship” between the two countries.
Many countries have also sent representatives to the country since the outbreak of the war with Hamas. These include a bipartisan US Congressional delegation, visit by UK Foreign Minister James Cleverly, Czech Republic Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and more. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also scheduled to visit Israel Thursday.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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