Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian State in Call With Macron/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ In A call with French President Macron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the creation of a Palestinian state would be “a huge reward for terrorism” and result in a militant-run entity just miles from Israeli cities. An Israeli airstrike hit the entrance of a Gaza field hospital Tuesday, killing a medic and injuring nine others. The strike targeted the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in Muwasi, a region sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. The incident adds to mounting scrutiny of Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities during the ongoing war.
Israeli Airstrike Hits Gaza Hospital Entrance – Quick Looks
- Hospital Targeted: Strike hit northern gate of Kuwaiti Field Hospital in Gaza’s Muwasi region.
- Casualties: One medic killed, nine others wounded—two critically.
- Displacement Zone: Muwasi houses hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in tent camps.
- No Comment: Israeli military has not responded to inquiries.
- Strikes on Hospitals: Israel has targeted multiple medical sites, alleging Hamas uses them for operations.
- Hamas Statement: Group says airstrikes severed contact with guards of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander.
- Netanyahu’s Position: PM opposes Palestinian statehood, warns it would reward “terrorism.”
- Gaza Toll: Over 51,000 Palestinians killed, including many civilians; vast majority displaced.
Netanyahu Rejects Palestinian State in Call With Macron
Deep Look
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — A deadly Israeli airstrike struck the entrance of a field hospital in Gaza on Tuesday, escalating concerns over the targeting of medical facilities amid Israel’s ongoing offensive in the territory.
The strike hit the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in the Muwasi area, a southern coastal strip designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone, now crowded with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians.
Saber Mohammed, a hospital spokesman, confirmed the blast killed one medic and injured nine others, including two patients who are in critical condition. “Everyone affected was either seeking care or providing it,” he said.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the attack, continuing a pattern of limited transparency regarding its strikes on Gaza’s health infrastructure.
Hamas Claims Hostage Site Hit
Hamas said Tuesday that airstrikes in Gaza caused the group to lose contact with a unit guarding 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, who was seen in a video earlier this month that experts say was likely made under duress. Hamas claimed the site holding Alexander suffered a direct hit, and they are still trying to locate the guards and the hostage.
Series of Strikes on Medical Centers
This latest strike adds to a growing list of hospitals targeted during the war. Over the weekend, Al-Ahli Hospital, one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza, was bombed after receiving an evacuation order. One patient died during evacuation efforts. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which runs the hospital, condemned the strike, calling it a violation of international law.
Israel claimed Hamas operated a command center within Al-Ahli, though provided no verifiable evidence. Hospital staff and Hamas officials denied the accusations.
Netanyahu Doubles Down on Two-State Opposition
In a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the notion of Palestinian statehood, calling it a “reward for terrorism.”
Macron, who previously stated France’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state by June, reiterated calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, but did not publicly comment on the recognition plan following the call.
Later in the day, Netanyahu visited northern Gaza, his latest visit to the war zone since the conflict reignited.
Casualties, Displacement and International Pressure Mount
The conflict, which began with Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, has now dragged into its 18th month. Those attacks killed 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and saw 251 hostages taken into Gaza. As of this week, 59 hostages remain, with only 24 believed to still be alive.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has left a devastating toll: Over 51,000 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry. Independent observers, including U.N. agencies, generally consider the ministry’s figures reliable, though Israel contests their accuracy and claims 20,000 of the dead were militants—an assertion yet to be independently verified.
The humanitarian toll is staggering: over 90% of Gaza’s 2 million residents are now displaced, with many facing dire shortages of food, medicine, and shelter.
The Bigger Picture: Palestinian Statehood in Limbo
Internationally, the war has reignited momentum toward a two-state solution. France, Spain, and other European nations have moved toward recognizing a Palestinian state, although such actions are mostly symbolic and unlikely to lead to immediate policy shifts.
Israel captured Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War. Palestinians envision those territories as part of a future independent state, but with negotiations long frozen—especially since Netanyahu’s return to power in 2009—hopes for a diplomatic resolution remain slim.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.