Gaza Strip cut in 2, ready to attack north: Israel
What's the story
Israel's military has said it cut the Gaza Strip into two pieces and is ready to attack northern Gaza at any moment.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said, "Troops reached the coastline and are holding it."
He added they were carrying out widespread strikes on Palestinian terror group Hamas's infrastructure, both below and above the ground.
He said, "Our hostages are our top priority. We will not let the world forget the October 7 massacre."
Context
Why does this story matter?
Gaza is a Palestinian territory governed by Hamas since 2007 and has reportedly been besieged by Israel since 1967, alongside the West Bank.
On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,400 people and taking 240 hostages, following which Israel launched retaliatory strikes on Gaza, killing 9,770, including over 4,000 children.
Palestinians fear Israel will drive them out or exterminate them to take over Gaza and erase the Palestinian state from the map on the pretext of handling the hostage crisis.
Details
Netanyahu vetoes ceasefire calls
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vetoed calls for a ceasefire until Hamas releases its hostages.
Netanyahu said Israel will continue its offensive until Hamas is defeated and that their enemies and allies should remove "ceasefire" from their lexicon.
The United States (US) has backed Israel rejecting a ceasefire, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying it would allow Hamas to regroup and carry out further attacks.
Meanwhile, he has called for "humanitarian pauses" instead of a ceasefire.
What Next?
Arab leaders call Israel's action 'genocide'
On a diplomatic spree, Blinken reportedly met leaders in the region, including the West Bank, the Palestinian territory under Israeli occupation since 1967.
Palestine's President Mahmud Abbas denounced Israel's offensive, calling it a genocide, while other Arab leaders accused Israel of committing war crimes.
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, "It cannot be justified under any pretext...it will not bring Israel security, it will not bring the region peace."
Moreover, Blinken agreed Palestinians shouldn't be forcibly removed from Gaza.