The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday’s events as they happen.
New US intel suggests Israel readying to strike Iranian nuclear facilities — report
New intelligence obtained by the United States suggests that Israel is preparing to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, CNN reports, citing multiple US officials familiar with the matter.
It’s not clear whether Israeli leaders have made a final decision, CNN adds, citing the officials.
Foreign Ministry ‘completely rejects’ EU decision to review cooperation deal
Israel rejects a European Union decision to review the bloc’s cooperation deal in a bid to pressure Israel over its intensified offensive in Gaza.
“We completely reject the direction taken in the statement, which reflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein says in a message on X.
Ex-premier Olmert: What Israel ‘is doing now in Gaza, is very close to a war crime’
Former prime minister Ehud Olmert claims that what Israel “is doing now in Gaza, is very close to a war crime.”
Speaking with the BBC, Olmert describes the ongoing conflict as “a war without a purpose — a war without a chance of achieving anything that can save the lives of the hostages.”
He also says the “obvious appearance” of the fighting in Gaza is that thousands of Palestinian civilians are being killed, along with a lot of Israeli troops.
“From every point of view, this is obnoxious and outrageous,” Olmert declares.
“We are fighting the killers of Hamas, we are not fighting innocent civilians,” he continues. “And that has to be clear.”
UAE says Israel has agreed to allow it to send aid that will feed 15K Gazans
Israel has agreed to allow humanitarian assistance from the United Arab Emirates into Gaza, which will initially feed 15,000 people, Abu Dhabi announces following a phone call between Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed and his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar.
“The initiative also includes the provision of essential supplies to support the operation of bakeries in the Strip, as well as critical items for infant care, while ensuring a continuous supply to meet the ongoing needs of civilians,” says the UAE Foreign Ministry’s director of communications, Afra al-Hameli, in a statement.
The Israeli decision appears to be an extension of its damage control after imposing an aid blockade in Gaza from March 2 that has sparked mounting international backlash.
Israel has relied heavily on the UAE’s support for humanitarian aid in Gaza. Abu Dhabi says its assistance amounts to over 40% of the aid that enters the Strip.
Earlier this month, Israel sought to convince the UAE to bankroll a new aid initiative led by the newly founded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Aid groups have pushed back against the effort, saying it fails to address the humanitarian crisis and forces the mass displacement of Gazans, while failing to feed almost 40% of them initially. Emirati officials accordingly told their Israeli counterparts that they could not back the GHF initiative as it currently stood, a source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel.
During today’s call between the foreign ministers, bin Zayed “affirmed the importance of ensuring the urgent, sustainable, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian, relief, and medical assistance to the brotherly Palestinians in the Strip,” the Emirati readout says, adding that the ministers also discussed efforts to reach a hostage release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Released hostage Yarden Bibas says he encountered Yahya Sinwar in tunnel
Released hostage Yarden Bibas describes meeting Yahya Sinwar while in captivity, when the former Hamas leader allowed him to remain with his best friend, David Cunio, who is still held captive in Gaza, for around two weeks before they were separated.
“David is my best friend, he has been with me my whole life,” Bibas tells Channel 12 news.
Bibas says he met Cunio on the day his wife, Sharon Aloni Cunio, and their twin daughters were released from captivity on November 27, 2023, as part of a temporary ceasefire deal.
“He was moved to me in the tunnel. When he saw me for the first time, he was in shock. He thought he saw a ghost. I hugged him, and then he continued to the next place,” Bibas says.
“When Sinwar arrived at the tunnel, I said to him that this is my best friend and I want to stay with him. He said there was no problem, you can stay with him. After around two weeks, they separated us. I don’t know why,” Bibas says.
Sinwar was killed by IDF troops in Gaza in October.