President Biden has again told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the White House opposes Israel's planned invasion of the Gazan city of Rafah.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Saudi Arabia for the first leg of a Mideast tour to lobby for a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages in Gaza.
White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told ABC, "That's going to be right at the top of the list for Secretary Blinken to keep pushing for this temporary ceasefire. We want it to last for about six weeks. It would allow for all those hostages to get out, and of course to allow for easier aid access to places in Gaza, particularly up in the north."
The website Axios reports the Israeli government has proposed a possible hostage deal with Hamas that includes discussing an end to fighting in exchange for the hostages.
Hamas reportedly has no objections to the deal and is sending a delegation to Cairo.
While ending the war has been a key Hamas demand, right-wing party members of Israel's governing coalition have threatened to leave if it agrees to what they call a "reckless deal."
Today Hamas took credit for launching about 20 rockets from southern Lebanon into northern Israel. The IDF says they were all intercepted.
Thousands demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday, demanding the release of the hostages and the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, after a Hamas propaganda video showed two Israeli hostages in captivity: 47-year-old Israeli Omri Miran and Israeli American Keith Siegel, who said, "I want to tell my family that I love you very much." He then begins to weep during his message.
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In response, Siegel's family released a video with his wife – herself a former hostage who was released in November – saying, "Keith, I love you. We will fight until you return."
An estimated 133 hostages remain in captivity after more than 200 days since the Hamas attack.
Israeli protestor Ely Ellieser said, "This is job number one of the government of Israel, job number one, and they failed dramatically. They should go. All the government. All the 64 members."
Meanwhile, violent pro-Palestinian protests continue on college campuses across the U.S.
Fighting broke out on the UCLA campus amid dueling demonstrations between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters.
UCLA officials say a barrier between the groups was breached, leading to brawls between the two sides.
Pro-Israel demonstrator Marta Marjulies said of pro-Palestinian protestors, "We would like very much for them to understand and learn about the history of Israel. I believe that many of these young people have no idea. They just come because they just follow someone but they don't know what is going on."
On the diplomatic front, Israeli media reports the U.S. is trying to prevent the International Criminal Court from issuing arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials for alleged war crimes.
Netanyahu posted on X, "Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense."
Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.
The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it.
Israel…— Benjamin Netanyahu - (@netanyahu) April 26, 2024
Unidentified Israeli officials said the charges against Israel's leaders would be for allegedly preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and their military's aggressive response to the October 7th Hamas terror massacre.
They believe the court is also considering arrest warrants against leaders of Hamas.
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