ISRAEL-U.S.: Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters on Saturday surrounded the White House with a red banner meant to evoke a "red line" that the Biden administration allegedly set and overlooked on Israel's actions in Rafah. Some protesters carried pro-Hamas posters and insignia, and a statue of French General Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau was defaced with graffiti.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the news of the four hostages rescued Saturday, and said that "the only thing standing in the way of achieving this cease-fire is Hamas. It is time for them to accept the deal."
U.S. Central Command said on Sunday that the Gaza humanitarian pier was not used in Israel's hostage rescue operation: "An area south of the facility was used by the Israelis to safely return the hostages to Israel. Any such claim to the contrary is false."
Vice President Kamala Harris, addressing Israel's rescue operation at the Michigan Democratic Party dinner on Saturday, told the crowd: "Thankfully, four of those hostages were reunited with their families tonight. And we mourn all of the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today."
Speaking on the Palestinian casualties of the Israeli operation on CNN, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: "The exact number, we don't know, but innocent people were killed and that is heartbreaking." He added that the U.S. "did not participate militarily in this operation" and declined to detail intelligence-related matters. Sullivan told CBS that cease-fire negotiators are still waiting for an official response from Hamas.
■ LEBANON: Hezbollah said on Saturday that it had fired a salvo of Falaq-2 rockets at a military command center in northern Israel for the first time.
Rockets and a drone fired from Lebanon sparked fires in parts of Israel's north on Sunday. Firefighters are currently operating in the northern part of the Golan Heights, and blazes near Kfar Szold and Nahal Hermon have been brought under control.
■ WEST BANK: The Palestinian Red Crescent reported six Palestinians were wounded by settlers and the Israeli army in the village of Urif, near Nablus. The Red Crescent said four were hit by live fire. The Israeli army said it shot in response to stone throwing and that a fire suspected to be arson broke out earlier near the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar. While extinguishing the fire, the army said settlers arrived and threw rocks at Palestinians.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the news of the four hostages rescued Saturday, and said that "the only thing standing in the way of achieving this cease-fire is Hamas. It is time for them to accept the deal."
U.S. Central Command said on Sunday that the Gaza humanitarian pier was not used in Israel's hostage rescue operation: "An area south of the facility was used by the Israelis to safely return the hostages to Israel. Any such claim to the contrary is false."
Vice President Kamala Harris, addressing Israel's rescue operation at the Michigan Democratic Party dinner on Saturday, told the crowd: "Thankfully, four of those hostages were reunited with their families tonight. And we mourn all of the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today."
Speaking on the Palestinian casualties of the Israeli operation on CNN, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: "The exact number, we don't know, but innocent people were killed and that is heartbreaking." He added that the U.S. "did not participate militarily in this operation" and declined to detail intelligence-related matters. Sullivan told CBS that cease-fire negotiators are still waiting for an official response from Hamas.
■ LEBANON: Hezbollah said on Saturday that it had fired a salvo of Falaq-2 rockets at a military command center in northern Israel for the first time.
Rockets and a drone fired from Lebanon sparked fires in parts of Israel's north on Sunday. Firefighters are currently operating in the northern part of the Golan Heights, and blazes near Kfar Szold and Nahal Hermon have been brought under control.
■ WEST BANK: The Palestinian Red Crescent reported six Palestinians were wounded by settlers and the Israeli army in the village of Urif, near Nablus. The Red Crescent said four were hit by live fire. The Israeli army said it shot in response to stone throwing and that a fire suspected to be arson broke out earlier near the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar. While extinguishing the fire, the army said settlers arrived and threw rocks at Palestinians.
