Netanyahu Vows to ‘Demolish Hamas’ As Israel Readies For Ground Attack; Water Supply to Southern Gaza Restored | Updates – News18

As the Israel-Hamas war entered its ninth day amid intense fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas militants, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday conducted an expanded emergency cabinet meeting and said “Israel will demolish Hamas.”

The White House on Sunday announced that Israel confirmed turning the water supply back on in southern Gaza, which is currently tackling with water shortage.

Energy Minister Israel Katz said the decision to resume the supply was taken after talks between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden.

“This will push the civilian population to the southern (part of the) Strip,” Katz said in a statement, a week after Israel had stopped supplying water to the entire territory as part of a “complete siege” on the Palestinian enclave.

Israel-Palestine Conflict LIVE: Netanyahu Vows to ‘Demolish Hamas’; Israel’s IDF Strikes Rocket Launch Site in Lebanon

In another major development, Egypt said that it plans to host a summit on “the future of the Palestinian cause” given the raging destruction in Gaza due to the war triggered by an unprovoked attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel.

Here are key updates on Israel-Palestine War Day 9:

• US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Sunday said that Israel told him it has turned the water supply back on in southern Gaza and the decision is in line with its regional policy.
• Egypt on Sunday said that it was planning to host a summit on “the future of the Palestinian cause” as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Cairo.
• Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted an expanded emergency cabinet meeting on Sunday, for the first time since the start of the war and said “Israel will demolish Hamas.”
• The Foreign Affairs Minister of France, Catherine Colonna made a support visit to Israel and met the family members of the abductees.
• Two Israeli women security officers of Indian origin were killed in the Israel-Palestine war, official sources confirmed on Sunday.
• Hamas Armed Wing said it fired 20 rockets from Lebanon on Israeli settlements.
• The Israeli Defence Forces said that 9 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory after reports of siren sounds in northern Israel were around.
• Netanyahu visited frontline troops on Saturday, telling them “more is coming” but without specifying when any ground operation would start.
• Military spokesmen Lieutenant Richard Hecht and Daniel Hagari said any ground offensive would be triggered by a “political decision”.
• Pope Francis on Sunday renewed his call for the release of Israeli hostages held by Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers and called for humanitarian corridors to help those under siege in Gaza.
• British PM Rishi Sunak condemned the horror and barbarism unleashed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and pledged continued support to Israel.
• Hamas Health Ministry said that the death toll in Gaza rose to 2,450 on Sunday.
• More than 1,400 people have been killed while 120 have been abducted in Israel since the onset of the Hamas attack, the Israeli prime minister’s office said Sunday.
• Two flights carrying a total of 471 Indians landed in India from Israel on Sunday. A total of four flights have been operated under Operation Ajay.
• Israel’s defence minister said on Sunday that Israel has no interest in waging war with the Lebanese group Hezbollah if it restrains itself.
• The United States said it fears an escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas and the prospect of Iran getting directly involved in it.
• Iran’s Foreign Minister warned Israel of retaliation if the aggression in Gaza doesn’t stop.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to Israel on Monday as his Middle East got extended for days.
• China on Sunday said Israel’s actions in Gaza have gone “beyond the scope of self-defence.”(With inputs from agencies)