The Israeli military has been given the ‘green light’ to enter Gaza whenever it deems necessary, potentially paving the way to a ground invasion in the upcoming hours.
That’s according to a member of the country’s security cabinet who spoke to ABC News on Thursday.
Economy Minister Nir Barakat, told ABC News that the primary objective is to destroy Hamas, even if it takes a year, with hostages and civilian casualties considered secondary. “We shall do all efforts to bring our hostages [back] alive” he stated, but “the first and last priority” is to destroy Hamas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared a video on his official account on social media X, standing alongside Israeli Defense Forces troops, stating, “With the warriors. They are ready.”
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari attributed responsibility for attacks on northern Israel, including those claimed by Palestinian groups, to the Lebanese Hezbollah terror group. He stated that the recent rocket fire on northern Israel, claimed by Hamas, had Hezbollah’s approval.
According to U.S. intelligence sources, the explosion earlier this week at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza is believed to have caused the deaths of anywhere from 100 to 300 people. The document viewed by CNN indicates that there was “only light structural damage at the hospital” and that Israel was not responsible for the explosion.
Bloomberg reported that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated that the government is planning a wartime stimulus program that could be “larger and wider” than the support provided to the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may result in a larger budget deficit this year, possibly reaching 3.5% of the gross domestic product.
The U.S. State Department has issued a bulletin advising American citizens traveling or residing abroad to exercise heightened vigilance and caution due to increased tensions and the potential for terrorist attacks.
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Humanitarian aid remain stuck at the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt, Al Jazeera reported. According to Najla Shawa, a spokesperson for Oxfam in Gaza, the delivery of aids will be a big challenge.
The Palestinian Health Ministry is seeking diesel fuel as a fifth major hospital in Gaza, Yemen al-Saeed Hospital, closed due to fuel shortages. Several other hospitals, including Beit Hanoun, Dora Children's, Karama, and International Eye Hospital, have also shut down due to fuel shortages and air strike damage, according to the ministry.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Cairo to explore strategies for reducing tensions in the Gaza Strip.
Stocks Tumble, VIX Spikes, Gold Draws Haven Flows
Risk sentiment took a strong hit following the latest developments in Israel.
The CBOE Volatility Index, also known as the ‘fear index’ rose over 7%, hitting its highest point since May 2023, while both the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY and the Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ tumbled 0.7%.
Gold and oil prices once again emerged as the outperformers among major assets.
The SPDR Gold Trust GLD rose 1.4% Thursday, while the United States Oil Fund USO, which tracks oil WTI prices, rose 1.9%.
Bonds plummeted, with the iShares 20+ Year Treasury ETF TLT down 1.7%. The Dollar was 0.4% lower.
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