 News Edition, I'm Penisa Levine coming to you live from Tel Aviv, a major barrage of rockets launched towards southern and central Israel in recent hours. With several interceptions heard as far as Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Ranana and Krasaba, some 50 miles from Gaza, a school in Tel Aviv was struck by shrapnel. All children were already in the shelters, a large fragment also landing on a path in a park in Kiryat Honor, a rocket impact also happening in the sea at the Jaffa Port. Close to the studios here, we will look at those images on your screen right now. You can see that impact in the sea right by the Jaffa Port. Now the rocket sent shortly after Hamas rejected that hostage deal, the terror group laying down its own demands as Israel works to secure the release of some of the 129 hostages held in captivity for nearly 11 weeks since the Hamas terror assault and abduction on the 7th of October. Israel is offering a week-long truce, Hamas wants a full ceasefire. Tensions on the northern front too on this day, two civilians have been lightly injured in a missile attack in Dovev on the Israel-Lebanon border. They were taken to hospital in Spat. So for the latest on this breaking news development, we now cross live to our correspondent Pierre Kloschendler. He joins us from Ashkelon in southern Israel and Pierre, let's start with that major rocket barrage towards southern Israel and central Israel. In recent hours, more than 30 rockets sent towards civilian cities as far as 50 miles from Gaza. Al-Kassim Brigade's claiming responsibility, what is the latest, what can you tell us? Well, we actually saw the launching of those two rocket salvos, very large rocket salvos coming from the central area of the Gaza Strip which we were facing. It came out from the refugee camps of Nuserato or El Buraj, I'm not quite sure, but because they're very very close to one another. But we saw, we heard a huge shriek and then we saw a salvo with a trail of white smoke and sparks of fire. And we saw, according to the inclination of the rocket fire, where it was going to go. And there was no alert where we were standing. So we saw that. And indeed, that's probably a message from Hamas that the talks are going nowhere right now regarding hostage release. And to that exact point, while we're actually talking to you, we've been showing on the screens the rocket impact in the sea close to the Jaffa port as well. Clearly, this barrage stretched very far, also as far north as cities like Herzliya and Kfar Saba as well. And as you say, Pierre Hamas rejecting Israel's proposal for a week-long truth in exchange for some 40 hostages. The terror group has its own conditions. Talk us through what Hamas wants right now. I'm going to talk you through that deal that doesn't happen right now while I'm walking through to show you the proximity of the Gaza Strip because you can see smoke emanating from the Gaza Strip, probably from the Jabalia refugee camp where they're still ongoing strikes. And it shows you the proximity of Ashkelon from the Gaza Strip. Ashkelon was also targeted earlier by the salvo of rockets, but there were no casualties, no damage. Now, regarding the deal, Hamas simply wants a complete stop of the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. They also want a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. And that's a no-go for Israel. Israel has already responded. The offensive will go on until the end of Hamas. The offensive will go on until security is assured for the communities of southern Israel facing the Gaza Strip. And the ground offensive will go on in full force until all the hostages are released. Israel demands that the last group of women and children, and we're talking about the two infants, Ariel and Kvir Bibas, Kvir who three days ago celebrated, so to speak, is 11 months and is two and a half months in captivity. Israel demands the release of those two infants and the women. In addition, they want the release of all the elderly Israelis that are held, as well as the Israelis who sustained wounds during the October 7 massacre. But Hamas demands, of course, the release of hardcore prisoners, those who have, so to speak, blood on their hand because they perpetrated murder on Israelis. And they demand, it seems, a ratio of one hostage release for 10 prisoners to be released from Israeli jails. So the talks are going nowhere right now. But there are a lot of talks and a lot of mediation via Egypt, via Qatar, with the involvement of the U.S. administration through the CIA and from Israel's point of view with the Mossad. And everyone agrees that if the talks come to fruition with a hostage release and with a prisoner release, then it will take a long time before it comes to fruition. Thank you so much. Live from Ashkelon in southern Israel, that's our correspondent Pierre Clush and learn more to come from Pierre in the coming hours. Now for more insight, we welcome to studio our senior diplomatic correspondent, Owen Ultiman. So Owen, there is much to discuss on this day. Let's start with the Hamas statement, rejecting Israel's suggestion of a truce, a deal to release some of the hostages. It's a non-starter now. So what happens next? That happens next, I think, because the negotiation goes on. I don't know that this is shutting down the negotiations, such as making Hamas's opening bid. And you're right, Benita, the opening bid is more extreme than I think most Israelis expected or wanted, but I guess it is further evidence of something that I talked about in my report a few days ago that Hamas has the leverage in this round. It has the leverage because the hostages that we're talking about are not children, whom for Hamas are not only an asset in their perverse logic of wanting to trade them, but also a liability in terms of the damage done to Hamas's international public opinion and holding on to three and four-year-olds. But we're not talking about the kids at the stage. We're talking about other groups of hostages, notwithstanding, of course, the story of the Bebas child and baby. So Hamas has, Israel doesn't have the kind of leverage in this round it did in the other, and also just in terms of the military pressure. There seems to be less incremental military pressure day to day now than there was in October and December. So the leverage there is less on Israel's side than it was. And so the contours of the negotiation are ones that favor Hamas. Israel wants this deal more than Hamas does. And so it is natural and logical for Hamas to take a more extreme position even if this one, let's be honest, is much more extreme than most Israelis, I think, expected or wanted. It's obviously a non-starter from Israel's perspective. The question is, what happens next? Is there more pressure brought to bear on Hamas again? Israel's leaders time after time, it's at the backdrop to these talks, is the military balance of power on the ground? Can Israel do more to drive that military balance of power, to drive it more in Israel's direction, to put more pressure on Hamas and get a different result? It's going to be a question in the days to come. Let's take a closer look at the U.S. pressure, so to speak, President Joe Biden telling reporters that they are pushing for a hostage deal. Let's take a listen to that exchange. Can I say I mean we're going to have a technical difficulty with that, but in effect, what the U.S. leader was saying was, yes, they are pushing for a deal. Now, obviously, amongst the hostages, there are people who have Israeli and American citizenship. Now we have that sound. Let's take a listen to the President. Are we expecting a hostage deal anytime soon? Yes. Well, where? We're pushing it. There's no expectation at this point, but we are pushing. And your reaction to 20,000 dead in Gaza, that death toll reached today, right? So, Owen, we know about meetings in Egypt. We know about meetings in Qatar. And now we're hearing there, Joe Biden saying they are pushing, but seriously and realistically, what kind of impact is Washington having at this juncture? Look, the U.S. can help by maybe putting pressure on Qatar to put pressure on Hamas, for example. But Benita, Israel has plenty of its own incentives and its own reasons to want the deal. It doesn't need on this issue pressure from Washington, right? The pressure here is coming from within Israel's public opinion and, of course, first and foremost from the families. So there are plenty of reasons within Israeli society for the Israeli government on its own to want to get this deal done. But again, not at any cost and certainly not at the cost of losing the war. So obviously, again, that Hamas opening bid is a non-starter. The question is, where do the negotiations go from here? How much leverage does Israel ultimately have? And that, I think, from Israel's perspective, hopefully is a moving target. Because hopefully, from Israel's perspective, more military pressure can be put on Hamas, weakening Hamas's position and forcing Hamas to turn over those hostages more in Israel's terms, at least relatively speaking. Because time is of the essence here right now. And with every passing day, we know that the health conditions, the situation in captivity, we hear more and more reports of how harrowing it has been for the hostages who've come home. So each day is hugely significant as we wait for some kind of outcome, some kind of deal that secures the release of at least some of these hostages. Right, which increases Hamas's leverage, which means Israel could have to pay a higher price and which also explains why Hamas is taking a more extreme stance. At the same time, we can't not talk about that massive rocket barrage happening in recent hours. We saw the images. We know that there was debris that fell on a school in Tel Aviv. Luckily, the children at that school were in the shelter. We know that some debris hit a park. And we also saw dramatic images of that impact in the sea in Jaffa at the port. We're looking at it on our screen right now. Certainly a dramatic moment there as well, very close to the port, very close to the promenade here in Jaffa and close to the studios. We heard a loud boom. Now we know what it was, right? Now we know what it was. You're on the balcony with a certain seizure with your own eyes. Look, the reality is for all the graphicness of this and obviously all the psychology, rocket fire has not been a strategic factor in this war, except since the early days. It hasn't been a strategic factor. Hamas has had other levers, of course, the issue of infiltration in the opening days, of course, October 7th, but also don't forget in the days after that and the fear of infiltration until the IDF was able to control the area on the Gaza border. But Hamas's real levers at this point, Benita, are the hostages of course. That's a major lever on Israel. Maybe the central one at this point and also a very, very important one hurting Israel's image and international public opinion. Our viewers certainly understand this intimately and instinctively, right? That that's a major Hamas lever on Israel because of the Iron Dome system and because of the relatively small threat of rockets compared to the much larger potential threat of infiltration. Rockets haven't been a strategic factor. They're a psychological factor. I suspect Hamas internally a psychological factor. They can go to their public and show there's still quote unquote fighting by committing war crimes and shooting rockets at civilian populations, even if there is a low percentage of those rockets actually causing injury or God forbid death. Although there is that chance and we have seen injuries of course and civilians killed over the course of Israel's conflicts in Gaza. But the reality is strategically the rockets have not really helped Hamas and in a sense, not really haven't really hurt them. And as we keep on hearing the home front command and Daniel Higari regularly saying, even if it's becoming something that the Israeli civilian population is getting used to, nonetheless, people need to adhere to those rules and get as quickly as possible to show. Which is, which is, by the way, one of the reasons that it's less of a strategic threat part of it, of course, is the Iron Dome, but also the fact that the public by and large follows the instructions. And I think just anecdotally people are getting there is, I think, more and more compliance with actually waiting the full 10 minutes or close to it. After the sirens blare, which had been happening less, I think, in the opening week, because I just think anecdotally, it seems to be happening more. And of course that lowers the risk for the public, which is obviously good for all of us, and lowers the strategic impact of the rockets. So again, also a helpful tool for Israelis in fighting this war. And talking about the war and the fact that it clearly is continuing as we've been discussing that deal, the hostage deal is not happening. But we wait to see on the next developments. Let's take a listen to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pointing out that while many countries are calling for an end to this war, he isn't sharing the call for Hamas to surrender. Let's take a listen in his own words. One of the things that's striking to me is that that, understandably, everyone would like to see this conflict end as quickly as possible. But if it ends with Hamas remaining in place and having the capacity and the stated intent to repeat October 7th again and again and again, that's not in the interest of Israel. It's not in the interest of the region. It's not in the interest of the world. And what is striking to me is that even as, again, we hear many countries urging the end to this conflict, which we would all like to see, I hear virtually no one saying demanding of Hamas that it stop hiding behind civilians, that it lay down its arms, that it surrender. This is over tomorrow if Hamas does that. This would have been over a month ago, six weeks ago, if Hamas had done that. And how could it be, how could it be that there are no demands made of the aggressor and only demands made of the victim? So it would be good if there was a strong international voice pressing Hamas. To do what's necessary to end this. And again, that could be tomorrow. Still in the studio, our senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Ultiman and now joining our panel in studio, Colonel in the Reserves, Dr. Moshe Elad, former coordinator to the Palestinian Authority on Security Issues in the IDF, and a lecturer at the Western Galilee Academic College. Thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate you being here in studio. We've been talking right now. Let's start with the hostage deal on the table, Hamas rejecting it outright. Your response, it seems like Israel knows this is a non-starter now. Absolutely. We knew that they're going to play with that. And mostly they're playing on the nerves of the Israeli public. They know exactly what makes us nervous. So I guess that they knew from the very beginning that we won't accept such conditions, you know, to free those people. Or more than that, just stop the war. Why are we there? What was the reason that we came in? Just for the sake of what? So we'll have to stay there. And it's going to be the hard way that we'll have to fight until the last moment and in the meantime to look for the hostages because a deal with Sinwa will be probably at this point perfectly. I guess, you know, no way to have a deal with them. So what does that mean, realistically, for the 129 hostages? There's so much pressure from the families. They've been meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu this week, the war cabinet, vowing to keep doing everything possible, to get them all home safely. What does that mean now if there's no deal? Look, I think that the Israeli government wanted to have this deal. And they did every effort in order to have it. They were even ready to free more people that we couldn't even imagine to do that in the past, just for the sake of those people, to return them, to bring them back home. But if Sinwa puts such a pressure that Israel will have to leave the area in order that we'll have a deal, this won't work. So we have also some red lines in front of us. We can do that. What does it mean? It means that we'll have to continue fighting in Kanyunas, in Rofiah, then maybe return to other places and try to have some good information about where the hostages are and try to rescue them. We've been talking about the fact that obviously time is of the essence here for the hostages. We know that many of them are injured. We know that many of them have been without medication. Well, the Red Cross hasn't got to any of them. So anyone who needed medication in the past time in captivity hasn't had that at all. Who are the players that could put the right pressure to make something happening now? Because, as we keep on saying, time is of the essence for the hostages. If Sinwa and his people from the Hamas leadership would have known, there's a hope. I mean, they would be outside the area and maybe Qatar will take care of them or any other, maybe the Emirates. It might be that the Emirates and Qatar will be those who could put some pressure on these people. But as I understand the case, Sinwa at this point does believe in anything. First of all, he had no idea what's going on. He is sure that he is in a position to dictate to Israel what to do. But I think that the only players, even not Egypt, Qatar, the Manis, the Manis speaks here, and of course the Emirates. And that's the only way I can see now as maybe the last point. Which brings us to the discussion of the day after the war. I'd love your input, Sakhi Hanekbi, making some comments saying that Israel might be able to deal with a revitalized or reinvigorated Palestinian Authority. You know the PA very well. Your thoughts on what it looks like the day after the war? One thing I know that Israel shouldn't stay there because we had very bad experiences both in Gaza and in the West Bank. And why should we do that in order to educate the people, to pay their healthcare? I don't think that we have to be there. We'll have to be there some, let's say a couple of weeks, maybe a month, two months, just in order to see how a new administration, just me who may be an administration that will be built on some so-called Arab countries like Egypt, Jordan, Emirates, Morocco, maybe Qatar, they can raise some money and have some kind of police, let's say a strong police force at that point, to three, four years. And during this year, maybe they will have some elections inside this area and elect some local leadership. But I know that we shouldn't stay there. And if Biden or other will try to convince us that we are the one to stay, this will be a disaster. Now about the PA, I don't think that the PA would be able, as it is now, be able to rule the area, to control it correctly. What they did in West Bank is disastrous. So I guess that they won't be able to do that. Of course, if they have to put together with Hamas, the Israel won't accept it. And therefore, we are stuck also here, not only in the other situation, we are stuck here. We'll have to have a full agreement of Arab countries, moderate countries, not to say you know, French countries, because that's the only way to do that there. When we look at the threat coming out of the northern front at the same time, while we're talking about the PA, we're talking obviously specifically about Hamas and the Gaza Strip, but simmering up north is Hezbollah and Hassan Nasrallah and many suggesting it's a matter of time before Hezbollah gets fully involved in that what has been happening up north, up until now, has just been in effect a sideshow in inverted commas. Your thoughts and your concerns around what Hezbollah might do next? Look, Hezbollah and Nasrallah, especially his Nasrallah, knows exactly if he is going to enter full war, full scale of war, it will be a disaster for Lebanon as well. We might be harmed. You know, we know exactly what happened in 2006 and this might return maybe even worth, however, what is going to be in Lebanon, I don't think that even they can even imagine so. Now, we don't have a choice and I'll tell you why. Those 70,000 people who have their homes in the north, they will have to return. If we as a country, as a state would like them to return, we'll have to provide full security there. Full security means that the Red One forces will have to withdraw after the light any, you know, and it's about what 40 kilometers, I would say, if they don't do that, let's say in a political way, you know, and on the way of the UN and our countries and our mediators and so on will have to take action and action mean war. We don't have another choice, but not now. We are not able to run it in both areas, in both Gaza and Lebanon. So we'll have to, this will have to wait for some time. And what we have now, it's, I would call it attrition war, you know, it's just an attrition war and we'll have to be very careful not to let them win in this attrition war until we'll be able to fully enter a full scale war inside Lebanon. And again, you know the Palestinian Authority very well. Your concern specifically out of the West Bank right now, which hasn't been the focus during this war. The focus has been obviously on what's happening and emanating out of the Gaza Strip, but the West Bank also has persistent threats. Yes. First of all, we don't know what would be expected, you know, life expectancy of Abu Mazen is 88. Sure. What would be the next day after Abu Mazen died? What would be if we're going to see some kind of revolt of Hamas people inside? We don't know all these scenarios. We have five, six, an hour in our mind. What would be there? In any case, Israel has to take care because we have 500,000 people living there in the settlements. And this is a whole game changer. So we'll have to be on alert all the time and make sure and it will be our interest to see that unlike Gaza, in Lebanon, the West Bank will be very careful to see that this area is going to be run correctly and we'll have to help them if we want us to survive this area and we don't want to get into another front. This would be let's say they will have another election. Can be. They will choose somebody. They will lack somebody. That will be fine. Israel will help them. But again, it also a worst case scenario might be that, you know, a full chaos in this area. And this is another game at all. We certainly appreciate your insights on all these developing situations as they are unfolding at the same time. Thank you so much, Dr. Moshe Elad, Colonel in the Reserves. We appreciate you being here in studio and our senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Altman. Always appreciate your insights. Thank you so much, Owen. And with that, we wrap up this edition of our breaking news coverage, but we're back in a bit with more rolling coverage. It will continue shortly. So make sure you stay tuned to I-24 News Breaking News Edition. I'm Benita Levine in Tel Aviv. Thank you for watching. Stay tuned. Israel is in a state of war. Families completely done down in their beds. We have no idea where is she. As our soldiers are fighting on the front line, but the general perception is something that certainly needs to be fought as well. From Israel, with dozens of correspondents throughout the world, brings the truth from Israel to hundreds of millions of people in scores of countries. From emergency and war in Israel, bringing Israel's story to the world, I-24 News Channels, now on Hot. Get through the traffic faster. We can get across town quicker. Ultimately, it's cheaper for the folks who pay to use our services. 10 News Edition. I'm Benita Levine, coming to you live from Tel Aviv. A major barrage of rockets launched towards southern and central Israel in recent hours. With several interceptions heard as far as Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Ranana and Krasaba, some 50 miles from Gaza. A school in Tel Aviv was struck by shrapnel. All children were already in the shelters. A large fragment also landing on a path in a park in Kiryat Onur. A rocket impact also happening in the sea at the Jaffa Port. Close to the studios here, we will look at those images on your screen right now. You can see that impact in the sea right by the Jaffa Port. Now, the rocket sent shortly after Hamas rejected that hostage deal, the terror group laying down its own demands as Israel works to secure the release of some of the 129 hostages held in captivity for nearly 11 weeks since the Hamas terror assault and abduction on the 7th of October. Israel is offering a week-long truce. Hamas wants a full ceasefire. Tensions on the northern front too on this day. Two civilians have been lightly injured in a missile attack in Dovev on the Israel-Lebanon border. They were taken to hospital in Spat. So, for the latest on this breaking news development, we now cross live to our correspondent Pierre Kloschendler. He joins us from Ashkelon in southern Israel. And, Pierre, let's start with that major rocket barrage towards southern Israel and central Israel. In recent hours, more than 30 rockets sent towards civilian cities, as far as 15 miles from Gaza. Al-Kasim Brigade's gaming responsibility, what is the latest? What can you tell us? Well, we actually saw the launching of those two rocket salvos, very large rocket salvos coming from the central area of the Gaza Strip, which we were facing. It came out from the refugee camps of Nusserato or El Buraj, I'm not quite sure, but because they're very close to one another. But we saw, we heard a huge shriek, and then we saw a salvo with a trail of white smoke and sparks of fire. And we saw, according to the inclination of the rocket fire, where it was going to go. And there was no alert where we were standing. So, we saw that. And indeed, that's probably a message from Hamas that the talks are going nowhere right now regarding hostage release. And to that exact point, while we're actually talking to you, we've been showing on the screens the rocket impact in the sea close to the Jaffa Port as well, clearly this barrage stretched very far, also as far north as cities like Herzliya and Kfar Saba as well. And as you say, Pierre Hamas rejecting Israel's proposal for a week-long truce in exchange for some 40 hostages, the terror group has its own conditions. Talk us through what Hamas wants right now. I'm going to talk you through that deal that doesn't happen right now while I'm walking through to show you the proximity of the Gaza Strip, because you can see smoke emanating from the Gaza Strip, probably from the Jabalia refugee camp, where there's still ongoing strikes. And it shows you the proximity of Ashkelon from the Gaza Strip. Ashkelon was also targeted earlier by the salvo of rockets, but there were no casualties, no damage. Now, regarding the deal, Hamas simply wants a complete stop of the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. They also want a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. And that's a no-go for Israel. Israel has already responded. The offensive will go on until the end of Hamas. The offensive will go on until security is assured for the communities of southern Israel facing the Gaza Strip. And the ground offensive will go on in full force until all the hostages are released. Israel demands that the last group of women and children, and we're talking about the two infants, Ariel and Kvir Bibas. Kvir, who three days ago celebrated, so to speak, is 11 months, is 11 months, and is two and a half months in captivity. Israel demands the release of those two infants and the women. In addition, they want the release of all the elderly Israelis that are held, as well as the Israelis who sustained wounds during the October 7 massacre. But Hamas demands, of course, the release of hardcore prisoners, those who have, so to speak, blood on their hand because they perpetrated murder on Israelis. And they demand it seems a ratio of one hostage release for 10 prisoners to be released from Israeli jails. So the talks are going nowhere right now. But there are a lot of talks and a lot of mediation via Egypt, via Qatar, with the involvement of the U.S. administration through the CIA and from Israel's point of view with the Mossad. And everyone agrees that if the talks come to fruition with a hostage release and with a prisoner release, then it will take a long time before it comes to fruition. Thank you so much. Live from Ashkelon in southern Israel, that's our correspondent, Pierre Closh, and learn more to come from Pierre in the coming hours. Now, for more insight, we welcome to studio our senior diplomatic correspondent, Owen Ultiman. So, Owen, there is much to discuss on this day. Let's start with the Hamas statement rejecting Israel's suggestion of a truce, a deal to release some of the hostages. It's a non-starter now. So what happens next? It happens next, I think, as the negotiation goes on. I don't know that this is shutting down the negotiations, such as making Hamas's opening bid. And you're right, Benita, the opening bid is more extreme than I think most Israelis expected or wanted. But I guess it is further evidence of something that I talked about in my report a few days ago that Hamas has the leverage in this round. It has the leverage because the hostages that we're talking about are not children, whom for Hamas are not only an asset in their perverse logic of wanting to trade them, but also a liability in terms of the damage done to Hamas's international public opinion and holding on to three and four-year-olds. But we're not talking about the kids at the stage. We're talking about other groups of hostages, notwithstanding, of course, the story of the Bebas child and baby. So Hamas has, Israel doesn't have the kind of leverage in this round it did in the other. And also just in terms of the military pressure, there seems to be less incremental military pressure day to day now than there was in October and December. So the leverage there is less on Israel's side than it was. And so the contours of the negotiation are ones that favor Hamas. Israel wants this deal more than Hamas does. And so it is natural and logical for Hamas to take a more extreme position, even if this one, let's be honest, is much more extreme than most Israelis, I think, expected or wanted. It's obviously a non-starter from Israel's perspective. The question is, what happens next? Is there more pressure brought to bear on Hamas? Again, Israel's leaders, time after time, it's at the backdrop to these talks, is the military balance of power on the ground? Can Israel do more to drive that military balance of power, to drive it more in Israel's direction, to put more pressure on Hamas and get a different result? It's going to be a question in the days to come. Let's take a closer look at the U.S. pressure, so to speak, President Joe Biden telling reporters that they are pushing for a hostage deal. Let's take a listen to that exchange. To have a technical difficulty with that, but in effect, what the U.S. leader was saying was, yes, they are pushing for a deal. Now, obviously amongst the hostages, there are people who have Israeli and American citizenship. Now we have that sound. Let's take a listen to the President. Are we expecting a hostage deal any time soon? Yes. Oh, really? Okay. Well, where? I was talking about... We're pushing it. There's no expectation at this point, but we are pushing. And your reaction to 20,000 dead in Gaza, that death toll reached today? So, Owen, we know about meetings in Egypt. We know about meetings in Qatar. And now we're hearing there. Joe Biden's saying they are pushing, but seriously and realistically, what kind of impact is Washington having at this juncture? Look, the U.S. can help by maybe putting pressure on Qatar to put pressure on Hamas, for example. But, Benita, Israel has plenty of its own incentives and its own reasons to want the deal. It doesn't need on this issue pressure from Washington, right? The pressure here is coming from within Israel's public opinion and, of course, first and foremost, from the families. So, there are plenty of reasons within Israeli society for the Israeli government on its own to want to get this deal done, but again, not at any cost and certainly not at the cost of losing the war. And so, obviously, again, that Hamas opening bit is a non-starter. The question is, where do the negotiations go from here? How much leverage does Israel ultimately have? And that, I think, Israel's perspective, hopefully, is a moving target. Because, hopefully, from Israel's perspective, more military pressure can be put on Hamas, weakening Hamas's position and forcing Hamas to turn over those hostages more in Israel's terms, at least relatively speaking. Because time is of the essence here right now. And with every passing day, we know that the health conditions, the situation in captivity, we hear more and more reports of how harrowing it has been for the hostages who've come home. So, each day is hugely significant as we wait for some kind of outcome, some kind of deal that secures the release of at least some of these hostages. Right, which increases Hamas's leverage, which means Israel could have to pay a higher price and which also explains why Hamas is taking a more extreme stance. At the same time, we can't not talk about that massive rocket barrage happening in recent hours. We saw the images. We know that there was debris that fell on a school in Tel Aviv. Luckily, the children at that school were in the shelter. We know that some debris hit a park. And we also saw dramatic images of that impact in the sea in Jaffa at the port. We're looking at it on our screen right now, certainly a dramatic moment there as well, very close to the port, very close to the promenade here in Jaffa, and close to the studios. We heard a loud boom. Now we know what it was, right? Now we know what it was. You're on the balcony. It's certainly seizing with your own eyes. Look, the reality is for all the graphic discs of this, and obviously all the psychology, rocket fire has not been a strategic factor in this war, except since the early days. It hasn't been a strategic factor. Hamas has had other levers, of course, the issue of infiltration in the opening days, of course, October 7th, but also don't forget in the days after that, and the fear of infiltration until the IDF was able to control the area on the Gaza border. But Hamas's real levers at this point, Benita, are the hostages, of course. That's a major lever on Israel, maybe the central one at this point, and also a very, very important one, hurting Israel's image in international public opinion. Our viewers certainly understand this intimately and instinctively, that that's a major Hamas lever on Israel because of the Iron Dome system and because of the relatively small threat of rockets compared to the much larger potential threat of infiltration. Rockets haven't been a strategic factor. They're a psychological factor. I suspect Hamas internally a psychological factor. They can go to their public and show they're still quote unquote fighting by committing war crimes and shooting rockets at civilian populations even if there is a low percentage of those rockets actually causing injury or God forbid death. There is that chance and we have seen injuries, of course, and civilians killed over the course of Israel's conflicts in Gaza. But the reality is strategically the rockets have not really helped Hamas and in a sense, not really, haven't really hurt them. And as we keep on hearing the Home Front command and Daniel Higari regularly saying, even if it's becoming something that the Israeli civilian population is getting used to, nonetheless, people need to adhere to those rules and get as quickly as possible to show. Which is, by the way, one of the reasons that it's less of a strategic threat part of it, of course, is the Iron Dome, but also the fact that the public by and large follows the instructions. And I think just anecdotally, people are getting, there is, I think, more and more compliance with actually waiting the full 10 minutes or close to it after the sirens blare, which had been happening less, I think, in the opening week, because I just think anecdotally, it seems to be happening more. And of course, that lowers the risk for the public, which is obviously good for all of us, and lowers the strategic impact of the rockets. So again, also a helpful tool for Israelis in fighting this war. And talking about the war and the fact that it clearly is continuing, as we've been discussing that deal, the hostage deal, is not happening. But we wait to see on the next developments. Let's take a listen to US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, pointing out that while many countries are calling for an end to this war, he isn't hearing the call for Hamas to surrender. Let's take a listen in his own words. One of the things that's striking to me is that, understandably, everyone would like to see this conflict end as quickly as possible. But if it ends with Hamas remaining in place and having the capacity and the stated intent to repeat October 7th again and again and again, that's not in the interest of Israel. It's not in the interest of the region. It's not in the interest of the world. And what is striking to me is that even as, again, we hear many countries urging the end to this conflict, which we would all like to see, I hear virtually no one saying demanding of Hamas, that it stopped hiding behind civilians, that it laid down its arms, that it surrendered. This is over tomorrow, if Hamas does that. This would have been over a month ago, six weeks ago, if Hamas had done that. And how could it be that there are no demands made of the aggressor and only demands made of the victim? So it would be good if there was a strong international voice pressing Hamas to do what's necessary to end this. And again, that could be tomorrow. Still in the studio, our senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Altman and now joining our panel in studio, Colonel in the Reserves, Dr. Moshe Elad, former coordinator to the Palestinian Authority on Security Issues in the IDF and a lecturer at the Western Galilee Academic College. Thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate you being here in studio. We've been talking right now. Let's start with the hostage deal on the table. Hamas rejecting it outright. Your response, it seems like Israel knows this is a non-starter now. Absolutely. We knew that they're going to play with that and mostly they're playing on the nerves of the Israeli public. They know exactly what makes us nervous. So I guess that they knew from the very beginning that we won't accept such conditions, you know, to free those people or more than that, just stop the war. Why are we there? What was the reason that we came in? Just for the sake of what? So we'll have to stay there and it's going to be the hard way that we'll have to fight until the last moment and in the meantime to look for the hostages because a deal with Sinwa will be probably at this point perfectly. I guess, you know, no way to have a deal with them. So what does that mean realistically for the 129 hostages? There's so much pressure from the families. They've been meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu this week, the war cabinet vowing to keep doing everything possible to get them all home safely. What does that mean now if there's no deal? Look, I think that the Israeli government wanted to have this deal and they did every effort in order to have it. They were even ready to free more people that we couldn't even imagine to do that in the past, just for the sake of those people to return them, to bring them back home. But if Sinwa puts such a pressure that Israel will have to leave the area in order that we'll have a deal, this won't work. So we have also some red lines in front of us. We can't do that. What does it mean? It means that we'll have to continue fighting in Khan Yunus, in Rofiah, then maybe return to other places and try to have some good information about where the hostages are and try to rescue them. We've been talking about the fact that obviously time is of the essence here for the hostages. We know that many of them are injured. We know that many of them have been without medication. Well, the Red Cross hasn't got to any of them. So anyone who needed medication in the past time in captivity hasn't had that at all. Who are the players that could put the right pressure to make something happening now? Because, as we keep on saying, time is of the essence for the hostages. If Sinwa and his people from the Hamas leadership would have known, there's a hope. I mean, they would be outside the area and maybe Qatar will take care of them or any other, or maybe the Emirates. It might be that the Emirates and Qatar will be those who could put some pressure on these people. But as I understand the case, Sinwa at this point does believe in anything. First of all, he had no idea what's going on. He is sure that he is in a position to dictate to Israel what to do. But I think that the only players, even not Egypt, Qatar, the Manis, the Manis speaks here, and of course the Emirates. And that's the only way I can see now as maybe the last point. Which brings us to the discussion of the day after the war. I'd love your input, Sakhi Hanekbi, making some comments saying that Israel might be able to deal with a revitalized or reinvigorated Palestinian Authority. You know the PA very well. Your thoughts on what it looks like the day after the war? One thing I know that Israel shouldn't stay there because we had very bad experiences both in Gaza and in the West Bank. And why should we do that in order to educate the people, to pay their healthcare? I don't think that we have to be there. We'll have to be there some, let's say a couple of weeks, maybe a month, two months, just in order to see how a new administration. You ask me who may be an administration that will be built on some so-called Arab countries like Egypt, Jordan, Emirates, Morocco, maybe Qatar. They can raise some money and have some kind of police, let's say a strong police force at that point to three, four years. And during this year, maybe they will have some elections inside this area and elect some local leadership. But I know that we shouldn't stay there. And if Biden or other will try to convince us that we are the one to stay, this will be a disaster. Now about the PA. I don't think that the PA would be able, as it is now, be able to rule the area, to control it correctly. What they did in West Bank is disastrous. So I guess that they won't be able to do that. Of course, if they have to put together with the Hamas, the Israel won't accept it. And therefore, we are stuck also here not only in the other situation. We are stuck here. We'll have to have a full agreement of Arab countries, moderate countries, not to say friend countries, because that's the only way to do that there. When we look at the threat coming out of the northern front at the same time, while we're talking about the PA, we're talking obviously specifically about Hamas and the Gaza Strip. But simmering up north is Hezbollah and Hassan Nasrallah, and many suggesting it's a matter of time before Hezbollah gets fully involved in that what has been happening up north up until now has just been, in effect, a sideshow in inverted commas, your thoughts and your concerns around what Hezbollah might do next. Look, Hezbollah and Nasrallah, especially Nasrallah, knows exactly if he is going to enter a full war, full scale of war, it will be a disaster for Lebanon as well. We might be harmed. We know exactly what happened in 2006, and this might return maybe even worth. However, what is going to be in Lebanon, I don't think that even they can even imagine. So now we don't have a choice. And I'll tell you why. Those 70,000 people who have their homes in the north, they will have to return. If we as a country, as a state would like them to return, we'll have to provide full security there. Full security means that the Red One forces will have to withdraw after the light any, you know, and it's about what 40 kilometers, I would say, if they don't do that, let's say in a political way, you know, and on the way of the UN and our countries and our mediators and so on will have to take action and action mean war. We don't have another choice, but not now. We are not able to run it in both areas in both Gaza and Lebanon. So we'll have to, this will have to wait for some time. And what we have now, it's, I would call it attrition war. You know, it's just an attrition war. We'll have to be very careful not to let them win in this attrition or until we'll be able to fully enter a full scale war inside Lebanon. And again, you know the Palestinian Authority very well. Your concern specifically out of the West Bank right now, which hasn't been the focus during this war. The focus has been obviously on what's happening and emanating out of the Gaza Strip, but the West Bank also has persistent threats. Yes. First of all, we don't know what would be expect, you know, life expectancy of Abu Mazen is 88. What would be the next day after Abu Mazen died? What would be if we're going to see some kind of revolt of Hamas people inside? We don't know all these scenarios. We have five, six in ours in our mind. What would be there? In any case, Israel has to take care because we have 500,000 people living there in the settlement. And this is this is a whole game changer. So we'll have to be on alert all the time and make sure and it will be our interest to see that unlike Gaza in Lebanon in the West Bank will be very careful to see that this area is going to be run correctly and we'll have to help them if we want us to survive this area and we don't want to get into another front. This would be let's say they will have another election can be they will choose somebody they will lack somebody that will be fine. Israel will help them. But again, it also a worst case scenario might be that, you know, a full chaos in this area and this is another game at all. We certainly appreciate your insights on all these developing situations as they are unfolding at the same time. Thank you so much. Dr. Moshe Elad, Colonel in the reserves. We appreciate you being here in studio and our senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Altman always appreciate your insights. Thank you so much, Owen. And with that, we wrap up this edition of our breaking news coverage, but we're back in a bit with more rolling coverage. It will continue shortly, so make sure you stay tuned to I24 News breaking news edition. I'm Vanessa Levine in Tel Aviv. Thank you for watching. Stay tuned. Is in a state of war families completely done down in their beds? We have no idea where she has our soldiers are fighting on the front lines, but the general perception is something that certainly needs to to be fought as well. Vanessa Levine coming to you live from Tel Aviv, a major barrage of rockets launched towards southern and central Israel on this day. This is footage of a rocket landing in the sea near the Jaffa Port on Thursday afternoon. Several interceptions heard as far as Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Ranana and Krosaba, some 50 miles from Gaza. A school in Tel Aviv was struck by shrapnel. All children were already in shelters. A large fragment also landing on a path in a park in Keryat Honor. The rocket sent shortly after Hamas rejected a hostage deal. The terror group laying down its own demands as Israel works to secure the release of some of the 129 hostages held in captivity for nearly 11 weeks since the Hamas terror assault and abduction on the 7th of October. Israel is offering a week long truth Hamas wants a full ceasefire. Tensions on the northern front too on this day. Sirens sounding a short while ago in the Maragalliot area near the Lebanese border. Earlier two civilians likely injured in a missile attack in Dovev on the Israel-Lebanon border. They were taken to hospital in Sfat. So for the latest on the ground let's start in the south. We go to our senior defense correspondent Jonathan Regev. He joins us from southern Israel. So Jonathan, the Al-Kasim's Brigades claiming responsibility for that major rocket barrage towards southern Israel and central Israel in recent hours. More than 30 rockets sent towards cities. Tell us more. What is the latest? It means Benita that they still have abilities mostly underground above the ground. The abilities have practically been destroyed but much of the Hamas abilities are under the ground with the rocket launchers that only the outer tip of the launcher appears above the ground. That is why they're able still to shoot even though this area has been practically conquered by Israel. The overground has been conquered underground. It's a different story and there's still abilities there. It's a long process. It's a difficult process which eventually will happen but it takes a lot of time and yes we saw just today roughly about in what two and a half hours ago that Hamas still has the ability to fire quite a large barrage towards central Israel. Talk us through what's happening inside the Gaza Strip right now. The idea of taking over Gaza city south pushing Hamas out of central Gaza. Is that confirmed? What is the latest on the ground? It's going on. This is now the main project after the overground of northern Gaza has been taken over and now it's central Gaza and pretty soon southern Gaza as well. All that is true above the ground. In each of those locations there's plenty of infrastructures under the ground and taking care of that will be quite difficult costly and will take plenty of time. That rocket barrage we were talking about earlier coming just after Hamas rejected Israel's proposal for that week-long truce in exchange for some 40 hostages. The terror group has its own conditions. It wants a full ceasefire. Break it down. That is true because Hamas is clearly worried by the war, by the ongoing fighting. Hamas is well aware that if the war goes on for more and more weeks it will eventually be devastated. That is why they want to bring the war to an end and of course they have this very big card in their hand which is roughly 130 hostages more or less and they're playing with this card. They know that this is quite a big bargaining chip in their hands. We know the war cabinet will be meeting around five hours from now. We wait to see the outcome and the next moves then. Thank you so much for now. Senior Defense Correspondent Jonathan Regev live from southern Israel and now for more we welcome to studio retired Colonel Amit Assa, a former member of the Israeli Security Agency and our correspondent Robert Swift. Thank you both so much for being here in studio. I'm going to start with you Amit and this hostage deal. Hamas doesn't want to hear anything about it. Your thoughts on the rejection, what it means and what Israel does next. Okay. Again we know a scene while way of thinking. We know that Zinoa is playing with the heart and the values of the Israelis when he's putting faces in front of us. Faces I mean hostages that he is photoring and release these kind of videos to press on the public in Israel to press on our heart to make us believe that we could do something for them and then is open the cards and say I want all. I want all for nothing. So Israel of course is not willing to stop fighting and Israel is getting another way to get out from this situation and to get any kind of negotiation for the hostages and they're breaking it very fast and telling us that they want to stop the war. That means that Zinoa and his people are with the back on the wall. From one hand they're putting something in front of us for us to say yes we want we want some negotiation. From another hand he is not willing to do nothing except stopping the war and this is his goal. So it's very sensitive now we have to see the things from the eyes of Zinoa and his members of command and another thing that is very important to say that leaders of Hamas from the outside not inside Gaza is speaking another way. Hania is telling us yes what Zinoa wants is we are with him and but in another hand he is coming to Egypt and he's signing we want a negotiation. So this kind of thing meaning that there is any kind of disagreement between these two heads of Hamas the outside and the inside and Hania is more a political way of thinking because Hania knows that he have to plan about the next day after the war. Next day after the war he wants to be some political issue or some some political movement or power in the West Bank also. That's why he's putting in the list of the members that he wants to free also people from the Fatah like Barghouti. He wants to be the leader tomorrow and if he wants to be the leader meaning Hamas have to be still on their legs meaning we can't afford to ourselves in the way of thinking of the Hamas that Hamas will break down till the end. So let's us save something and these two movements offer two way of thinking insights in war and outside Hania meaning disagreement from one hand inside is with back to the wall and understanding that the army the IDF is on her neck on their necks and in the other hand Hania from the outside with no secure anything securing himself of course is telling us I want to be the leader of the Palestinian. Interesting discrepancy between one leader who's been living in Qatar in luxury and the other believed to be in a tunnel somewhere in the Gaza Strip. We'll talk about that in more detail in a very short while but we are going to be going soon to our Emily Francis because she's at hostage square in Tel Aviv where families are waiting and they need answers and every day is crucial because as we know Amit people were injured on the 7th of October and then abducted we have heard harrowing stories about what happened in captivity over and above the fact that many people who've been held hostage have medical issues and have been without any medication for all that time. We will talk about how that impacts a potential hostage deal but let's check in with our Emily Francis first in Tel Aviv. Emily what is the latest there what can you share? Hi Benita we just got to hostage square and I just want to know from what you just said there are people here you know with signs with the against the Red Cross we know that Roz Ben-Ami has filed this lawsuit against the Red Cross because for ignoring her pleas for medication they've literally ignored the pleas for many people's medications and we know there are still hostages that are suffered for colitis kidney stones a lot of hostages not just the elderly ones but the younger ones that are not getting the medical attention but I want to switch gears a second because when I got here there was a lovely group of people of members of the Druze community from all over Israel that are here and they are so nice coming to support the hostages they they mainly live in the north and we have a a gentleman named Shadi who is here and kind enough to be convinced to let me interview him first Shadi tell us where you're from and why you all are here. We're from the northern area of the state of Israel we belong to an organization which is called the Fakim Latid horizons for the future and the main reason behind establishing the Fakim Latid was actually to improve the image of the Druze community in the state of Israel and we decided to come here today to Tel Aviv to support the families of the kidnapped people in Gaza and here we are supporting the families. So tell us for our viewers I happen to know a lot about the Druze people but a lot of our viewers in the United States don't know you're a very very special group of people in which you're all over the Middle East and part of what defines the Druze people is that you're loyal you're Arabic speaking but you're loyal to the country in which you live so and even serve in the army so you yourself served in the army as well. Yes exactly we're a minority in the Middle East in the world in general and also in the Middle East we live mainly in the Middle East and we actually support the country that we live in and the reason behind that because we just look for someone who respect us someone who gives us the opportunity to practice our beliefs and the state of Israel gives us this opportunity so that's the main reason why we're supporting the country and this is the only thing that we look for nothing else. Right and for you as a soldier and many others is it something that the Druze young men and women take pride in being in the IDF and fighting for Israel because Israel fights for you? Yes exactly like we as I said we as a minority we support the country that we live in and one of our obligations is actually to support our country and to contribute our role in this country by serving in the army by doing national service which is our girls do this thing. Amazing say hi I know you guys are off the hook and being interviewed so you got a big group to come down here how have you know how have you been been taking this whole situation I know most of you live in the north live in the mountains in a place that's more secure and safe because of you know the history of violence even amongst Arab communities correct? Yes yes like we also feel the tension in the northern areas there's also uh some kind of attacking that we face from the from Lebanon which is in the northern area so we feel the tension we also have soldiers that have been killed in this war Druze soldiers six Druze soldiers so we just find find it really appropriate for us to come here from from the north which is uh it's it's like very far away from this place so we decided to take the time and come here in order to support the families we know that it's hard it's kind of hard just to come all the way from the north here but we decided to do that despite the difficulty and also so more about your organization it seems like you have a real empowered generation all of you young you guys I guess are you know this generation what are your goals for for yourselves and for the future generations of Druze people as you continue to grow? We just want to involve in the Israeli community in the Israeli society that's that's the the main reason behind establishing Ufaqem Latid is to bring the Druze youth the Druze youth just to be involved in Israeli society just to be part of the Israeli society that that's our that's our main goal you're so amazing and here I look at the flag sorry I'm not going to put you under the hook but this is the Druze flag so listen they they have a Druze flag and the Israeli flag you guys are amazing thank you sorry to embarrass you I promise I wouldn't interview but I had to give her some air time all right thank you very much Benita back to you a sign of unity a sign of solidarity Emily Francis live from Tel Aviv more to come from Emily in the coming hours thank you and back in studio I want to pick up correspondent Robert Swift thank you for being here in studio on exactly what we just heard there in that interview with our Emily Francis and that is the persistent threat that happens up north we obviously are focusing much of our time in terms of the Gaza Strip and the developments that are happening there as we speak however no shortage of tensions up north including on this day including just a short time ago about 40 minutes ago there was a rocket sirens again in the north of the country this taking place in Margo Leod which is a community right in the far north of Israel it's literally about 100 meters from the border with Lebanon and there's reports there that five anti-tank missiles were fired at that community and no reports as are yet as to casualties and the IDF also announced in the last hour they it has been conducting attacks against his positions in the just over the border in southern Lebanon using Israeli aircraft to target anti-tank teams and Hezbollah's positions along the border there this comes after earlier in the day there was several attacks again with anti-tank missiles which is persistently the most dangerous weapon that Hezbollah has so far used during the war there was two individuals were injured lightly injured it's understood in one of these attacks and there's also reports that drones were involved in some of those although it's understood that they have been at the time they were intercepted certainly is frightening to see the persistent tensions across that front as well particularly when there is still that sense that Hassan Israel and Hezbollah haven't yet got fully involved and still we are seeing incidents like the one that you are describing right now we will discuss that in more detail in a short while right now though let's go back to something that Emily referred to when we spoke to her from Tel Aviv one of the Israeli hostages released from a harrowing ordeal in captivity at the hands of Hamas is suing the Red Cross 57 year old Razben Ami saying the organization doesn't care about hostages she and her husband were abducted from their home in Kibbutzbury on the 7th of October they were held in Gaza separately her family tried to get medicine she needed to her through the international aid organization it did not respond to their request she was released from captivity in a hostage deal after nearly two months now the Shirat Hadin organization is filing a lawsuit against the international committee of the Red Cross on behalf of the couple Raz's husband had is still being held by the terror group so for more insight it's a pleasure to welcome Nitzana Darshan Lightner the president of the Shirat Hadin law center joining us now from Tel Aviv Nitzana good to see you and it is just unfathomable to think that the Red Cross has not been able to get to any of the hostages throughout this war talk to us about the lawsuit what can you tell us yeah so thank you for having me first of all the lawsuit is filed on behalf of a couple of families of hostages that some of them are released some of them are still in captivity for the allegations against the Red Cross for not acting on behalf of the hostages not going and fulfilling their obligation according to the international law according to the genetic convention to visit the hostages as they supposed to the Red Cross obligation is to visit prisoners hostages in any armed conflict in the world and it's been doing it since its inception except when it comes to Jewish or Israeli victims so our demand now is for the Red Cross to go and see first of all the well-being of the hostages are they aligned what their situation any torture any physical abuse that we know from testimonies of the of the hostages as we release that the hostages in captivity are going through to make sure of their medical conditions and to provide them any medicine that they need a lot of victims a lot of hostages are elderly a lot of hostages are dependent on medicine which are refused to deliver met with the head of the Red Cross band there to deliver medicine to their relatives in captivity in the Red Cross said no sorry good luck what reason was given at SANA this is just incomprehensible many that we have spoken to in recent weeks saying the organization is a neutral one it has a role though and it operates daily in Gaza what reason is given for not doing its basic job and just checking on proof of life or health conditions or handing over of medicines what reason was given so this is this might hurt as a big surprise but the Red Cross is not neutralized the Red Cross is siding with the Palestinians from day one when October 7th happened we into rather than approach the Red Cross call them up urge them to go and visit the hostages to see how many of them there remember nobody knew the number nobody knew was in that was not and the answer that we received from the Red Cross was so sorry we don't act in Gaza it's the Red Crescent that works there and yet at the same time we saw press conferences of the Red Cross representatives in Gaza alerting the war for the bad and poor situation of the Palestinian in Gaza talking about the prisoners that are now sitting in Israeli jails siding and and filling for the children in Gaza for the Palestinian Gaza in November for the hostages of Israelis so we said in a warning letter signed up by 1500 lawyers demanding the Red Cross will go and fulfill its duty and yet there was no response recently we saw that the Red Cross was agreeing for the first time to meet with Israeli officials and meet even with Israeli hostages families and yet not to do anything the one of the conditions of the hostage release seal was that the Red Cross will go and the rest of the hostages and silent nothing the Red Cross unfortunately is not neutralized it was against the Jews from his day of inception even from the Holocaust we know that the Red Cross did not go and visit the Jews that were burned alive in the concentration camps because he saw it as an internal German problem today if you go on the website you will see an apology saying that the Red Cross made him his sake and he should have gotten involved on behalf of the Jews in the concentration camps and he's really really sorry about that I hope that in years from now we will not see a similar apology for not getting involved on behalf of the hostages in Israel I want to remind you that Gilan Shalit said in captivity for five years did not receive one visit of the Red Cross a dark gold in Shaul around two Israeli citizens that went up in Gaza and now arrested by the homeless did not see the shed of the light of the Red Cross Red Cross is not deliberately and right now in its honor as we all know the hostages inside Gaza right now include Kfir Bebas who turned 11 months earlier on in the week unfathomable a baby and the eldest of the hostages there are in their 80s including peace activists including people that fought for coexistence in the country needing their medication being held under the most evil of conditions and the Red Cross can't go and check on a baby and they can't go and check on people in their 80s tell us specifically though about Ryus because we know that she spent nearly two months in those inhumane conditions who we're talking about and she didn't get a medication even though her family tried so hard to get it to her how is she doing right now can you share any updates on her condition unfortunately I can't speak about any of the victims they would prefer to remain in the shade in the shops thank you so much we so appreciate you speaking to us and we so understand the sensitivities as well we wish you all the very best with the lawsuit and we will keep checking in to see if there is some kind of official outcome thank you very much and it's Sanna Darshan Leitner the president of the Shirata Dean Law Center appreciate you being with us on i24 news thank you very much we're having Amit your thoughts yeah Shirata Dean is a very big and good lawyer a group that is working against all the terrorist organization around the world suing them for activity in terror and they are doing very good job in the issue of Red Cross because we know as you said Red Cross is not doing anything and it's against Israeli and Jewish all over the world and we see the difference between treating a terrorist inside the jail of Israel is more treated by by Red Cross than not criminals not terrorists inside Hamas hands that children and the and all the people it's it's amazing it really is another layer to the evil that is unfolding and has been unfolding for 76 days now Robert I want to bring you in on a different angle altogether because we're hearing that Iranians have been trying to recruit Israeli citizens to act as spies on dating sites it's kind of creative tell us more yeah so this is information that the Israel's domestic intelligence service the Shembet has released in the last hour or it's clear for publication in the last hour it's understood that is the Iranian operatives sent messages via social media via the platforms that we all know but also via dating applications and gig economy like casual labor applications as well they were asking people to do various jobs some of them were things like to take a photograph of a specific location or to check the address of a location jobs that in themselves might not have seemed all that large but together were essentially an attempt to collect information to conduct intelligence gathering now it seems that it was a fairly haphazard approach and that many of the individuals that were that many of the individuals that were approached simply ignored the message that they received others actually reported them to the Israeli security services themselves so it doesn't seem like it was the most subtle of approaches you could say your thoughts given your experience in the Israeli security agency on net strategy so to speak yes of course we know that the Iranian are working very hard on the intelligence way to get the information from the inside and this is part of the things that they are doing in the social media and the open sources it's the the basic it's not what we see inside really by sending people spies as we are saying or recruiting people from the IDF or trying to do any kind of activity of intelligence way of thinking but this is all the basic the basic is very easy and it's not surprising because they are they are working intelligence and few levels this is the basic level it's not surprising well we certainly will keep following to see all the latest methods and strategies and terms of this developing security situation retired colonel Amit Assa a former member of the Israeli security agency and correspondent Robert Swift appreciate you being here in studio on this breaking news edition and that is where we wrap up for now I'm Bernice Levine our rolling coverage continues shortly stay tuned thank you for watching is in a state of war families completely done down in their beds we have no idea where she has our soldiers are fighting on the front lines but the general perception is something that certainly needs to to be fought as well in i-24 news get across town that is cheaper for the folks who pay to use our services in news edition I'm Bernice Levine coming to you live from Tel Aviv a major barrage of rockets launched towards southern and central Israel on this day this is footage of a rocket landing in the sea near the Jaffa port on Thursday afternoon several interceptions heard as far as Tel Aviv Herzliya Ranana and Krasaba some 50 miles from Gaza a school in Tel Aviv was struck by shrapnel all children were already in shelters a large fragment also landing on a path in a park in Keryat Honor the rocket sent shortly after Hamas rejected a hostage deal the terror group laying down its own demands as Israel works to secure the release of some of the 129 hostages held in captivity for nearly 11 weeks since the Hamas terror assault and abduction on the 7th of October Israel is offering a week-long truce Hamas wants a full ceasefire tensions on the northern front too on this day sirens sounding a short while ago in the Marigaliot area near the Lebanese border earlier two civilians likely injured in a missile attack in Dovev on the Israel-Lebanon border they were taken to hospital in Svat so for the latest on the ground let's start in the south we go to our senior defense correspondent Jonathan reggae if he joins us from southern Israel so Jonathan the Al-Kasim's Brigades claiming responsibility for that major rocket barrage towards southern Israel and central Israel in recent hours more than 30 rockets sent towards cities tell us more what is the latest it means Benita that they still have abilities mostly underground above the ground the abilities have practically been destroyed but much of the Hamas abilities are under the ground with the rocket launchers that only the the the outer tip of the launcher appears above the ground that is why they're able still to shoot even though this area has been practically conquered by Israel the overground has been conquered underground it's a different story and there's still abilities there it's a long process it's it's a difficult process which eventually will happen but it takes a lot of time and yes we saw just today roughly about an what two and a half hours ago that Hamas still has the ability to fire quite a large barrage towards central Israel talk us through what's happening inside the Gaza Strip right now the idea of taking over Gaza city south pushing Hamas out of central Gaza is that confirmed what is the latest on the ground it's going on this is now the the main project after the overground of northern Gaza has been taken over and now it's central Gaza and pretty soon southern Gaza as well all that is true above the ground in each of those locations there is plenty of infrastructures under the ground and taking care of that it will be quite difficult costly and will take plenty of time that rocket barrage we were talking about earlier coming just after Hamas rejected Israel's proposal for that week long truth in exchange for some 40 hostages the terror group has its own conditions it wants a full ceasefire break it down that is that is true because Hamas is is is clearly worried by the by the war by the ongoing fighting Hamas is well aware that if the if the war goes on for more and more weeks it will eventually be a devastated that is why they want to bring the war to an end and of course they have this very big card in their hand which is roughly 130 hostages more or less and and and they're playing with this card they know that this is quite a big bargaining chip in their hands we know the war cabinet will be meeting around five hours from now we wait to see the outcome and the next moves then thank you so much for now senior defense correspondent jonathan reggae live from southern israel and now for more we welcome to studio retired colonel amit as a former member of the israeli security agency and our correspondent robert swift thank you both so much for being here in studio i'm going to start with you amit and this hostage deal hamas doesn't want to hear anything about it your thoughts on the rejection what it means and what israel does next okay again we know a sinua way of thinking we know that sinua is playing with the heart and the values of the israelis when he's putting faces in front of us faces i mean hostages that he is photoring and release these kind of videos to press on the on the public in israel to press on our heart to make us believe that we could do something for them and then he's opened the cards and say i want all i want all for for nothing so israel of course is not willing to to stop fighting and israel is getting another way to get out from this situation and to get any any kind of a negotiation for for the hostages and they're breaking it very fast and telling us that they want to stop the war that means that sinua and his people are with the back on the wall from one hand they're putting something in front of us for us to say yes we want we want some negotiation from another hand is not willing to do nothing except stopping the war and this is his goal so it's very sensitive now we have to see the things from the eyes of sinua and his members of command and another thing that is very important to say that leaders of hamas from the outside not inside gaza is speaking another way ania is telling us yes what's in our sinua wants is we are with him and but in another hand is coming to egypt and he's signing we want a negotiation so this kind of a thing meaning that there is any kind of disagreement between these two heads of hamas the outside and the inside and ania is more a political way of thinking because ania knows that he have to plan about the next day after the war next day after the war he wants to be some political issue or some some political movement or power in the west bank also that's why he's putting in the list of the members that he wants to free also people form the fatah like barguti he wants to be the leader tomorrow and if he wants to be the leader meaning hamas have to be still on their legs meaning we can't afford to ourselves in the way of thinking of the hamas that hamas will break down till the end so let's us save something and these two movements offer two way of thinking inside sinua and outside ania meaning disagreement from one hand inside is with a back to the wall and understanding that the the army the the IDF is on her neck on their necks and in the other hand ania from the outside with no secure anything securing itself of course is telling us i want to be the leader of the palestinian interesting discrepancy between one leader who's been living in qatar in luxury and the other believed to be in a tunnel somewhere in the gaza strip we'll talk about that in more detail in a very short while but we are going to be going soon to our emily francis because she's at hostage square in tel aviv where families are waiting and they need answers and every day is crucial because as we know amit people were injured on the 7th of october and then abducted we have heard harrowing stories about what happened in captivity over and about the fact that many people who've been held hostage have medical issues and have been without any medication for all that time we will talk about how that impacts a potential hostage deal but let's check in with our emily francis first in tel aviv emily what is the latest say what can you share hi benita we just got to hostage square and i just want to know from what you just said there are people here you know with signs with the against the red cross we know that ras ben ami has filed this lawsuit against the red cross because for ignoring her pleas for medication they've literally ignored the pleas for many people's medications and we know there are still hostages that are suffered from colitis kidney stones a lot of hostages not just the elderly ones but the younger ones that are not getting the medical attention but i want to switch gears a second because when i got here there was a lovely group of people of members of the jews community from all over israel that are here and they are so nice coming to support the hostages they they mainly live in the north and we have a gentleman named shadi who is here and kind enough to be convinced to let me interview him first shadi tell us uh where you're from and why you're all are here we're from the northern area of the state of israel uh we belong to an organization which is called of akim latid horizons for the future and the main reason behind establishing with akim latid was actually to improve the image of the jews community in the state of israel and we decided to come to come here today uh to tell aviv to support the families of the kidnapped people in gaza and uh here we are supporting the families so tell us for our viewers i happen to know a lot about the jews people but a lot of our viewers in the united states don't know you're a very very special group of people in which you know you're all over the middle east and part of what defines the jews people is that you're you're loyal you're arabic speaking but you're loyal to the country in which you live so and even serve in the army so you yourself served in the army as well yes exactly we're a minority in the middle east in the world in general and also in the middle east we live mainly in the middle east and we actually support the country that we live in and the reason behind that because we just look for someone who respect us someone who gives us the opportunity to uh practice our beliefs and the state of israel gives us this opportunity so that's the main reason why we're supporting the country and this is the only thing that we look for nothing else right and for you as a soldier and many others is it's something that that the jews young men and women take pride in being in the idf and and fighting for israel because israel fights for you yes exactly like we as i said we as a minority we support the country that we live in and one of our obligations is actually to support our country and to contribute our role in this country by serving in the army by doing national service which is our girls do do this thing amazing say hi i know you guys are off the hook and being interviewed so you got a big group to come down here how have you know how have you been been taking this whole situation and most of you live in the north live in the mountains in a place that's more secure and safe because of you know the history of violence even amongst arab communities correct yes yes like we also feel the tension in the northern areas there's also uh some kind of attacking that we face from the from Lebanon which is in the northern area so we feel the tension we also have soldiers that have been killed in this war drew soldiers six drew soldiers so we just find find it really appropriate for us to come here from from the north which is it's like very far away from this place so we decided to take the time and come here in order to support the families we know that it's hard it's kind of hard just to come all the way from the north here but we decided to do that despite the difficulty and also so more about your organization it seems like you have a real empowered generation all of you young you guys i i guess are you know this generation what are your goals for for yourselves and for the future generations of jews people as you continue to grow we just want to involve in the israeli community in the israeli society that's that's the the main reason behind establishing of akim latin is to bring the jews youth the jews youth just to be involved in israel society just to be part of israeli society that that's our that's our main goal you're so amazing in here look at the flag sorry i'm not going to put you under the hook but this is the jews flag so listen they have a jews flag and the israeli flag you guys are amazing thank you sorry to embarrass you i promise i wouldn't interview but i had to give her uh some air time all right thank you uh very much bonita back to you a sign of unity a sign of solidarity emily francis live from tel aviv more to come from emily in the coming hours thank you and back in studio i want to pick up correspondent robert swift thank you for being here in studio on exactly what we just heard there in that interview with our emily francis and that is the persistent threat that happens up north we obviously are focusing much of our time in terms of the gaza strip and the developments that are happening there as we speak however no shortage of tensions up north including on this day including just a short time ago about 40 minutes ago there was a rocket sirens again in the north of the country this taking place in margilliot which is a community right in the far north of israel it's literally about 100 meters from the border with lebanon there's reports that five anti-tank missiles were fired at that community and no reports as are yet as to casualties the idf also announced in the last hour the it has been conducting attacks against hezbollah positions in the just over the border in southern lebanon using israeli aircraft to target anti-tank teams and hezbollah's positions along the border there this comes after earlier in the day there was several attacks again with anti-tank missiles which is persistently the most dangerous weapon that hezbollah has so far used during the war there was two individuals were injured injured it's understood in one of these attacks and there's also reports that drones were involved in some of those although it's understood that they have been at the time they were intercepted certainly is frightening to see the persistent tensions across that front as well particularly when there is still that sense that hezbollah haven't yet got fully involved and still we are seeing incidents like the one that you are describing right now we will discuss that in more detail in a short while right now though let's go back to something that emily referred to when we spoke to her from tel aviv one of the israeli hostages released from a harrowing or deal in captivity at the hands of hamas is suing the red cross 57-year-old rasben ami saying the organization doesn't care about hostages she and her husband or had were abducted from their home in kibbutz berry on the 7th of october they were held in gaza separately her family tried to get medicine she needed to her through the international aid organization it did not respond to their request she was released from captivity in a hostage deal after nearly two months now the shurat haden organization is filing a lawsuit against the international committee of the red cross on behalf of the couple ras's husband had is still being held by the terror group so for more insight it's a pleasure to welcome nitzana darshan lightner the president of the shurat haden law center joining us now from tel aviv nitzana good to see you and it is just unfathomable to think that the red cross has not been able to get to any of the hostages throughout this war talk to us about the lawsuit what can you tell us yeah so thank you for having me first of all the loss is five on behalf of a couple of families of hostages that some of them are released some of them are still in captivity for the allegations against the red cross for not acting on behalf of the hostages not going and fulfilling their obligation according to the international law according to the genetic convention to visit the hostages as they supposed to the red cross obligation is to visit prisoners hostages in any armed conflict in the world and it's been doing it since its inception except when it comes to Jewish or Israeli victims so our demand now is for the red cross to go and see first of all the well being of the hostages are they aligned what their situation um to stop any torture any physical abuse that we know from testimonies of the of the hostages as we're released that the hostages in captivity are going through to make sure of their medical conditions and to provide them any medicine that they need a lot of victims a lot of hostages are elderly a lot of hostages are dependent on medicine which are refused to deliver laws some families that met with a head of the red cross bad pair to deliver medicine to their relatives in captivity and their own cross said no sorry good luck what reason was given it's Sanna this is just incomprehensible many that we have spoken to in recent weeks saying the organization is a neutral one it has a role though and it operates daily in Gaza what reason is given for not doing its basic job and just checking on proof of life or health conditions or handing over of medicines what reason was given so this is this might hurt as a big surprise but the red cross is not neutralized the red cross is siding with the Palestinians from day one when october 7th happened we into rather than approach the red cross call them up urge them to go and visit the hostages to see how many of them they're remember nobody knew the number nobody knew was in that was not um and the answer that we received from the red cross was so sorry we don't act in Gaza it's the red crescent that works there and yet at the same time we saw press conferences of the red cross representatives in Gaza alerting the world for the bad and poor situation of the Palestinian in Gaza talking about the prisoners that announced sitting in Israeli jails siding and and filling for the children in Gaza for the Palestinian in no one word for the hostages of the Israelis so we said in a warning letter signed up by 1500 lawyers demanding the red cross will go and fulfill its duty and yet there was no response recently we saw that the red cross um it was agreeing for the first time to meet with Israeli officials and meet even with Israeli hostages families and yet not to do anything the one of the conditions of the hostage release seal was that the red cross will go and the rest of the hostages and silent nothing the red cross unfortunately is not neutralized it was against the Jews from east day of inception even from the Holocaust we know that the red cross did not go and visit the Jews that were burned alive in the concentration camps because he saw it as an internal German problem today if you go on the website you will see an apology saying that the red cross made it is safe and you should have gotten involved on behalf of the Jews in the concentration camps and he's really really sorry about that I hope that in years from now we will not see a similar apology for not getting involved on behalf of the hostages in Israel I want to remind you that Gilan Shalit said in captivity for five years did not receive one visit of the red cross a dark gold in Shaul or on two Israeli citizens that went up in Gaza and now arrested by the Holocaust did not see the shed of the light of the red cross red cross is not deliberately working and right now on its banner as we all know the hostages inside Gaza right now include Kfir Bibas who turned 11 months earlier on in the week unfathomable a baby and the eldest of the hostages there are in their 80s including peace activists including people that fought for coexistence in the country needing their medication being held under the most evil of conditions and the red cross can't go and check on a baby and they can't go and check on people in their 80s tell us specifically though about Ryus because we know that she spent nearly two months in those inhumane conditions who we're talking about and she didn't get a medication even though her family tried so hard to get it to her how is she doing right now can you share any updates on her condition unfortunately I can't speak about any of the victims they would prefer to remain in the shade in the source thank you so much we so appreciate you speaking to us and we so understand the sensitivities as well we wish you all the very best with the lawsuit and we will keep checking in to see if there is some kind of official outcome thank you very much Nitsana Daishan Leitner the president of the Shirata Dean Law Center appreciate you being with us on i24 news thank you very much we're having Amit your thoughts yeah Shirata Dean is a very big and good lawyer a group that is working against all the terrorist organization around the world assuming them for a activity in terror and they are doing very good job in the issue of Red Cross because we know as you said Red Cross is not doing anything and it's against Israeli and Jewish all over the world and we see the difference between treating a terrorist inside the the jail of Israel is more treated by by Red Cross than not criminals not terrorists inside Hamas hands that are children and the and all the people it's it's amazing it really is another layer to the evil that is unfolding and has been unfolding for 76 days now Robert I want to bring you in on a different angle all together because we're hearing that Iranians have been trying to recruit Israeli citizens to act as spies on dating sites it's kind of creative tell us more yeah so this is the information that the Israel's domestic intelligence service that Shembet has released in the last hour or it's clear for publication in the last hour it's understood that is that Iranian operatives sent messages via social media via the platforms that we all know but also via dating applications and gig economy like casual labor applications as well they were asking people to do various jobs some of them were things like to take a photograph of a specific location or to check the address of a location jobs that in themselves might not have seemed all that large but together were essentially an attempt to collect information to conduct intelligence gathering now it seems that it was a fairly haphazard approach that many of the individuals that were that many of the individuals that were approached simply ignored the message that they received others actually reported them to the Israeli security services themselves so it doesn't seem like it was the most subtle of approaches you could say your thoughts given your experience in the Israeli security agency on that strategy so to speak yes of course we know that the Iranian are working very hard on the intelligence way to get the information from the inside and this is part of the things that they are doing in the social media and the open sources it's the the basic it's not what we see inside really by sending people as spies as we are saying or recruiting people from the IDF or trying to do any kind of activity of intelligence way of thinking but this is all the basic the basic is very easy and it's not surprising because they are working intelligence and few levels this is the basic level it's not surprising well we certainly will keep following to see all the latest methods and strategies in terms of this developing security situation retired colonel Amit Assa a former member of the Israeli security agency and correspondent Robert Swift appreciate you being here in studio on this breaking news edition and that is where we