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Israel, 'Jihad' Exchange Threats, Netanyahu Vows ‘Tough Response’

A member of Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas gestures while searching for missing or dead militants after Israel blew up a cross-border tunnel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
A member of Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas gestures while searching for missing or dead militants after Israel blew up a cross-border tunnel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
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Israel, 'Jihad' Exchange Threats, Netanyahu Vows ‘Tough Response’

A member of Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas gestures while searching for missing or dead militants after Israel blew up a cross-border tunnel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
A member of Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas gestures while searching for missing or dead militants after Israel blew up a cross-border tunnel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

For the second time in less than 12 hours, Israel threatened both the Islamic Jihad and Hamas to violently retaliate to any plans or attempts to carry out attacks in response to the bombing of the tunnel on the Gaza Strip border last month, which killed 12 militants from the two movements, including five whose bodies were taken by the Israeli army.
 
These new threats come as calm prevails in the Gaza Strip due to the role assumed by Egypt in preventing the deterioration of the situation for the sake of the success of the Palestinian reconciliation.
 
Speaking at the beginning of a Cabinet session on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to harshly respond to any attack perpetrated by the Palestinian Islamist movements against Israeli areas.
 
“There are those who are still manipulating the idea of launching new attacks on Israel. We will respond harshly to anyone who tries to attack us from any front,” he stated.
 
“I mean all parties, whether factions or organizations, and we will hold (Hamas) responsible for any attack launched against us from the Gaza Strip,” he added.
 
Netanyahu’s remarks came few hours after the Israeli army’s coordinator of government activities, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, warned in a video that Islamic Jihad “will be playing with fire” if it retaliated for the destruction of the tunnel.
 
The Arabic video posted by Mordechai said: “We’re aware of the plot that Palestinian Islamic Jihad is concocting against Israel.”
 
“It is playing with fire on the backs of residents of the Gaza Strip, and at the expense of the internal Palestinian reconciliation and the entire region,” it added.
 
The Israeli army’s coordinator went on to say in his video: “Just to be clear, Israel will respond forcefully and resolutely to any Islamic Jihad reaction whatsoever — not just against Jihad, but also against Hamas.”
 
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Political Analyst Mustafa Ibrahim said that Israel was seeking to distort the Palestinian reconciliation and accuse Hamas and the Islamic Jihad of working for Iranian interests.
 
For his part, Fawzi Barhoum, spokesman for Hamas, said that the recent threats have reflected the Israeli state of panic and confusion towards the reaction of the resistance to the crime of targeting the Palestinians. He added in a brief statement: “The valiant resistance will always stand ready to assume its duty to protect our people and impede the occupation equations.”

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Arab World

Germany’s Merz Announces Gaza Aid Airlift, Mulls Upping Ante on Israel

28 July 2025, Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at a press conference at the Federal Chancellery, after the Security Cabinet meeting on the conflicts in the Middle East. (dpa)
28 July 2025, Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at a press conference at the Federal Chancellery, after the Security Cabinet meeting on the conflicts in the Middle East. (dpa)
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Germany’s Merz Announces Gaza Aid Airlift, Mulls Upping Ante on Israel

28 July 2025, Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at a press conference at the Federal Chancellery, after the Security Cabinet meeting on the conflicts in the Middle East. (dpa)
28 July 2025, Berlin: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks at a press conference at the Federal Chancellery, after the Security Cabinet meeting on the conflicts in the Middle East. (dpa)

Germany will immediately launch an airlift to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza as it considers stepping up pressure on Israel over the "catastrophic" situation in the enclave, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday.

As the death toll from almost two years of war in Gaza nears 60,000, a growing number of people are dying from starvation and malnutrition, Gaza health authorities say, with images of starving children shocking the world and fueling international criticism of Israel over sharply worsening conditions.

Germany, together with the United States, has long remained one of Israel's staunchest allies and largest arms suppliers.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday many people were starving in the enclave, contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who denied there was starvation there.

The German security cabinet convened for more than two hours on Monday to discuss the situation, Merz told a news conference in Berlin. While it welcomed Israel's announcement of a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza as an "important first step", it agreed more must follow.

Asked if the council discussed sanctions like suspending the EU pact governing relations with Israel, a move Germany has in the past rejected, Merz said the council had discussed what options were available.

"We are keeping such steps on the table," he said.

Before making any decisions, however, he would try to speak with Netanyahu later on Monday and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul would travel to the region on Thursday, possibly together with his British and French counterparts. The German government would then reassess the situation over the weekend.

In the meantime, Berlin would do what it could to help alleviate the humanitarian situation, launching an airlift in cooperation with Jordan to deliver aid into Gaza.

"Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will closely coordinate with France and the UK, who are also willing to provide such an airlift for food and medical supplies," he said.

"We know that this can only provide very limited help for the people in Gaza, but it is nonetheless a contribution we are eager to make."

Germany would also prepare for a Gaza reconstruction conference in coordination with regional partners, Britain and France, he said. "No further expulsions from the Gaza Strip must occur."

German officials say their approach to Israel is governed by a special responsibility, known as the Staatsraison, arising from the legacy of the Nazi Holocaust.

They have long believed they can achieve more through diplomatic back channels than public statements. But Merz has come under growing pressure in recent weeks, including from within his own coalition, to take a firmer stance on Israel, and faced broad criticism for failing to join a statement last week by dozens of Western nations condemning the "inhumane killing" of Palestinians.