KEY POINTS
- Egyptian officials informed Israel hostages have been moved, a report says
- Netanyahu celebrates Knesset majority vote against unilateral recognition of Palestinian state
- Israeli group accuses Hamas of 'systematic and intentional' sexual abuse during Oct. 7 attack
The Israel-Hamas war has entered its 139th day, and amid fierce fighting in the Gaza Strip, Switzerland is looking to ban Hamas and other groups acting on its behalf following the killing of two Swiss nationals during Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.
In the destabilized Red Sea, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received reports of an explosion off the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah.
In Israel, sirens sounded in Eilat on Thursday morning. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it intercepted an aerial target in the Red Sea following the siren alert of incoming rockets and missiles.
Over in the troubled Israeli-Lebanese border, Iranian-backed Hezbollah on Thursday claimed that it had a "busy" day Wednesday as it carried out 13 operations against Israel.
Despite continuing attacks against Israel, Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based Hamas ally, reportedly told the Palestinian terror group that its demands for a ceasefire-hostage deal were unrealistic.
Hopes for a truce agreement were dashed after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was unready to "pay any price" for the release of its hostages at this point. However, war cabinet member Benny Gantz said there were "promising early signs" in negotiations for a ceasefire deal.
The Netanyahu government is under increasing pressure from the West and other countries to reach a deal amid the rising death toll in Gaza. Fighting has only intensified, and Netanyahu repeatedly said the Israeli army will fight until Hamas is eliminated – something the Israeli leader said will bring peace to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to support Israel's right to self-defense, but in recent weeks has expressed opposition to a planned ground operation in Rafah, an overcrowded southern Gaza city. It has also called for a path toward establishing a Palestinian state, a key issue in the violent history of the warring sides.
Houthis claim 'ban' on Israeli-linked ships
The Yemeni Houthi rebel militia on Thursday said it has "banned" Israeli-linked and Israeli-flagged vessels from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea, Reuters reported, citing statements to shipping insurers and companies from the terror group's humanitarian operations coordination center.
In the statements viewed by the outlet, the Houthis also said US and UK-owned ships, or any vessel sailing under the said countries flags are also "banned" from the mentioned global waters.
This comes following what appears to have been a mistaken attack by the rebel militia on a ship that carried humanitarian supplies for the Yemeni public.
