Israel's ceasefires with Hezbollah and Hamas are both in doubt again

That joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Marco Rubio very clear, the two countries in lockstep and on Iran absolutely joined up in their thinking. The Prime Minister of Israel saying very clearly the Ayatollahs cannot be allowed to get *** nuclear weapon. Marco Rubio doubling down on that. The common theme in all of these challenges. Is Iran It is the single greatest source of instability in the region. Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilizing activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people who call this region home. Iran and by Iran I mean the Ayatollahs. By Iran I mean it's regime. *** regime who, by the way, its people don't support. The people of Iran are victims of that regime. They also spoke about Syria, about Lebanon, that neither of those two countries will be allowed to have *** footing or *** place for forces that would target Israel's security. And on Hamas and Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu is saying the United States, Israel in lockstep and that Hamas could be no more. I want to assure. Everyone who's now listening to us, President Trump and I are working in full cooperation and coordination between us. We have *** common strategy. And we can't always share the details of this strategy with the public, including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released until the last one of them. Israel is determined to achieve all the war objectives we set after the horrific attack on October 7, the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. We will eliminate Hamas's military capability. And its political rule in Gaza, we will bring all our hostages home. And on that all important question of what happens next in the hostage ceasefire negotiations over Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu sending delegation, *** negotiating delegation to Cairo on Monday to discuss the phase one, the 1st 6 weeks part of that deal. The security cabinet here in Israel Monday evening will meet to discuss what to do about phase 2, the much harder to grapple with phase that could bring about an end to the war, and on that, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicating once the Security Council has discussed phase two, then he will instruct his negotiators who have gone to Cairo, how to discuss that further. Nic Robertson, CNN, Jerusalem.

Israel's military says its forces will remain in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon after Tuesday's deadline for their withdrawal under a ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group, as Lebanon's government expressed frustration over another delay.Related video above: US, Israel says Iran threatens the stability of Middle EastA separate ceasefire in Gaza was also in doubt as the region marked 500 days of Israel's war with Hamas, while Israel and the United States sent conflicting signals over whether they want the truce to continue. Talks on the ceasefire's second phase are yet to start.Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said the five locations in Lebanon provide vantage points or are located across from communities in northern Israel, where about 60,000 Israelis are still displaced. He said the "temporary measure" was approved by the U.S.-led body monitoring the truce, which earlier was extended by three weeks.Under the agreement, Israeli forces should withdraw from a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to be patrolled by the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers. The ceasefire has been in effect since November.Israel is committed to a withdrawal in "the right way, in a gradual way, and in a way that the security of our civilians is kept," Shoshani told reporters.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told reporters the ceasefire "must be respected," saying "the Israeli enemy cannot be trusted." He said Lebanese officials were working diplomatically for the withdrawal. Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said Sunday "There can be no excuses" for any delay past Tuesday.Hezbollah began firing rockets, drones and missiles into Israel the day after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. The Israel-Hezbollah conflict boiled over into an all-out war in September as Israel carried out massive waves of airstrikes and killed most of the militant group's senior leaders.Earlier on Monday, Israel's military said its drone strike killed Muhammad Shaheen, head of Hamas' operations in Lebanon. The strike in the port city of Sidon was the deepest inside Lebanese territory since the ceasefire took effect. Associated Press video footage showed a charred vehicle."Now the fear has come back to people," said Ahmed Sleim, a Sidon resident, who worried about a return to war.500 days of war in GazaIsraelis held protests calling for the Gaza ceasefire to be extended so that more hostages abducted in the Oct. 7 attack can be freed.An Israeli official said four bodies are expected to be returned to Israel on Thursday. The official gave no further details and spoke on condition of anonymity because details were being arranged. So far, no bodies have been handed over during the ceasefire's current phase. There was no immediate comment from Hamas.Israeli officials have said they believe eight of the 33 people to be returned in the ceasefire's first phase are dead. Hamas is gradually releasing the 33 in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces have pulled back from most parts of Gaza and allowed a surge of humanitarian aid.This first phase ends in less than two weeks. Negotiations on the more difficult second phase — which would release more hostages and see the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza — should have started two weeks ago."All I care about, all I want, is for my friends to return. There were six of us living in unbearable conditions" Ohad Ben Ami, released a week and a half ago, told Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Families have described loved ones barefoot or in chains."It's just not within the realm of possibility that they're still there," said protester Eleanor Satlow in Jerusalem. Others rallied in Tel Aviv, where newly released hostage Iair Horn told them: "I'm telling you, the hostages don't have time, we don't have time." His brother Eitan is still in Gaza.In the second phase, Hamas would release over 70 remaining hostages — around half believed to be dead — in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners and a lasting ceasefire.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump's administration say they are committed to the eradication of Hamas and the return of all hostages. Those goals are widely seen as incompatible.The militant group, though weakened, remains in control of Gaza. Hamas has said it is willing to relinquish power to other Palestinians but will not accept any occupying force.Israel welcomes Trump's proposalTrump calls for Gaza's population of over 2 million to be permanently relocated to other countries and for the United States to take ownership of the territory. Israel welcomes the plan, while Palestinians and Arab nations have rejected it. Rights groups say implementation would likely violate international law.Egypt is working on a counter-plan to rebuild Gaza without removing Palestinians.Hamas-led militants in their Oct. 7 attack killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. More than half of the hostages have been returned. Eight have been rescued in military operations.Israel's air and ground war has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants."Everything is destroyed, nothing is left in Gaza, Gaza is not fit for life," said one resident, Mohammed Barash, reflecting on 500 days of war.Settlement expansion is set to accelerateA watchdog opposed to Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory said Israel has issued a tender for the construction of nearly 1,000 additional settler homes in the occupied West Bank.Peace Now said the 974 new housing units would allow the population of the Efrat settlement to expand by 40% and further block the development of the nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem.There was no immediate Israeli government comment.Israel has built over 100 settlements across the West Bank, ranging from hilltop outposts to fully developed communities. Over 500,000 settlers live in the West Bank, home to about 3 million Palestinians.The settlers have Israeli citizenship. Palestinians live under military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centers.Israel captured the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want them for their future state.___Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

JERUSALEM —

Related video above: US, Israel says Iran threatens the stability of Middle East

A separate ceasefire in Gaza was also in doubt as the region marked 500 days of Israel's war with Hamas, while Israel and the United States sent conflicting signals over whether they want the truce to continue. Talks on the ceasefire's second phase are yet to start.

Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said the five locations in Lebanon provide vantage points or are located across from communities in northern Israel, where about 60,000 Israelis are still displaced. He said the "temporary measure" was approved by the U.S.-led body monitoring the truce, which earlier was extended by three weeks.

Under the agreement, Israeli forces should withdraw from a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to be patrolled by the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers. The ceasefire has been in effect since November.

Israel is committed to a withdrawal in "the right way, in a gradual way, and in a way that the security of our civilians is kept," Shoshani told reporters.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told reporters the ceasefire "must be respected," saying "the Israeli enemy cannot be trusted." He said Lebanese officials were working diplomatically for the withdrawal. Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said Sunday "There can be no excuses" for any delay past Tuesday.

Hezbollah began firing rockets, drones and missiles into Israel the day after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. The Israel-Hezbollah conflict boiled over into an all-out war in September as Israel carried out massive waves of airstrikes and killed most of the militant group's senior leaders.

Earlier on Monday, Israel's military said its drone strike killed Muhammad Shaheen, head of Hamas' operations in Lebanon. The strike in the port city of Sidon was the deepest inside Lebanese territory since the ceasefire took effect. Associated Press video footage showed a charred vehicle.

"Now the fear has come back to people," said Ahmed Sleim, a Sidon resident, who worried about a return to war.

500 days of war in Gaza

Israelis held protests calling for the Gaza ceasefire to be extended so that more hostages abducted in the Oct. 7 attack can be freed.

An Israeli official said four bodies are expected to be returned to Israel on Thursday. The official gave no further details and spoke on condition of anonymity because details were being arranged. So far, no bodies have been handed over during the ceasefire's current phase. There was no immediate comment from Hamas.

Israeli officials have said they believe eight of the 33 people to be returned in the ceasefire's first phase are dead. Hamas is gradually releasing the 33 in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces have pulled back from most parts of Gaza and allowed a surge of humanitarian aid.

This first phase ends in less than two weeks. Negotiations on the more difficult second phase — which would release more hostages and see the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza — should have started two weeks ago.

"All I care about, all I want, is for my friends to return. There were six of us living in unbearable conditions" Ohad Ben Ami, released a week and a half ago, told Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Families have described loved ones barefoot or in chains.

"It's just not within the realm of possibility that they're still there," said protester Eleanor Satlow in Jerusalem. Others rallied in Tel Aviv, where newly released hostage Iair Horn told them: "I'm telling you, the hostages don't have time, we don't have time." His brother Eitan is still in Gaza.

In the second phase, Hamas would release over 70 remaining hostages — around half believed to be dead — in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners and a lasting ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump's administration say they are committed to the eradication of Hamas and the return of all hostages. Those goals are widely seen as incompatible.

The militant group, though weakened, remains in control of Gaza. Hamas has said it is willing to relinquish power to other Palestinians but will not accept any occupying force.

Israel welcomes Trump's proposal

Trump calls for Gaza's population of over 2 million to be permanently relocated to other countries and for the United States to take ownership of the territory. Israel welcomes the plan, while Palestinians and Arab nations have rejected it. Rights groups say implementation would likely violate international law.

Egypt is working on a counter-plan to rebuild Gaza without removing Palestinians.

Hamas-led militants in their Oct. 7 attack killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. More than half of the hostages have been returned. Eight have been rescued in military operations.

Israel's air and ground war has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants.

"Everything is destroyed, nothing is left in Gaza, Gaza is not fit for life," said one resident, Mohammed Barash, reflecting on 500 days of war.

Settlement expansion is set to accelerate

A watchdog opposed to Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory said Israel has issued a tender for the construction of nearly 1,000 additional settler homes in the occupied West Bank.

Peace Now said the 974 new housing units would allow the population of the Efrat settlement to expand by 40% and further block the development of the nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem.

There was no immediate Israeli government comment.

Israel has built over 100 settlements across the West Bank, ranging from hilltop outposts to fully developed communities. Over 500,000 settlers live in the West Bank, home to about 3 million Palestinians.

The settlers have Israeli citizenship. Palestinians live under military rule, with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population centers.

Israel captured the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want them for their future state.

___

Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

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