Amid heightened tensions with Egypt since Israel began its ground operation against Hamas in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday intimated that Egypt was holding Gazan civilians “hostage” by not working with him to reopen the Rafah Border Crossing for humanitarian aid to enter the war-torn enclave, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.

Israel came under pressure Wednesday to accept an independent Palestinian state as Arab countries plan to join a U.S.-led peacekeeping force in wartorn Gaza, Western and Arab officials confirmed Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (Likud) clashed on Wednesday over the future governance of the Gaza Strip after the current war with Hamas, exposing divisions within the ruling Israeli coalition government.

Israeli tanks advanced deeper into eastern Rafah on Tuesday, reaching residential areas of the southern border city, where over a million displaced individuals had sought refuge amid the conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

The Israeli military has intensified its operations in northern and central Gaza and Rafah, urging more neighborhoods to move to designated safe zones over the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, Israeli aircraft struck over 120 Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip, as detailed in a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday.

Israel began its 76th Independence Day with subdued celebrations due to ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The annual torch-lighting ceremony was pre-recorded and broadcast Monday night, marking the first Independence Day since the escalation of hostilities on October 7.

Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have announced they reject Israel’s suggestion that Arab countries control civil administration in the Gaza Strip after the current Israeli-Hamas war there has ended, the Jerusalem Post reports.

At 8 pm local time on Sunday, May 22, Israel came to “a halt for 24 hours” to mark “one of the most difficult Memorial Days since our country’s founding,” Israel’s government said.  

Israel’s government was weighing its options Saturday after the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a Palestinian bid to become a full U.N. member in a move that Israel described as “a prize for Hamas.”

Concerns remained Friday that Israel’s emergency government formed after the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October may soon fall apart due to its inability to reach a hostage deal with Hamas, Israeli sources suggested.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel “is determined” to go into the southern Gaza city of Rafah to destroy the last battalions of Hamas in a war that he admitted had killed 16,000 civilians and 14,000 combatants in Gaza.

Israel’s prime minister signaled to the White House on Thursday that “no amount of pressure” will stop his Jewish nation from defending itself.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu encouraged Israeli artist Eden Golan ahead of the second semifinal of Eurovision, the world’s largest televised song contest, after she was booed and faced with massive anti-Israel protests.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday that Israelis may be facing a “hot summer” as – amid Hamas’ ongoing war against the Jewish state in Gaza – the Hezbollah Lebanese Islamic terror group has stepped up its attacks against Israel in the north, Ynet News reports.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is due to upgrade the Palestinian status at the U.N., granting it almost all statehood rights, Israeli sources and diplomats said Wednesday.