what to remember from Thursday February 15

Israel is preparing a ground offensive in the city of Rafah, despite international pressure for a truce.

After Khan Younes, a city transformed into a field of ruins, Israel is preparing a ground offensive in the city of Rafah, further south, the last refuge for hundreds of thousands of civilians who have fled the fighting. A truce in the fighting still seems out of reach, despite international pressure. Here’s what to remember from February 15.

Israeli soldiers carry out operation in Gaza hospital

The Israeli army announced that it was carrying out an operation in a large hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip, where it said Hamas hostages were being held and where doctors described a desperate situation. Under the fire of fighting between the army and the Palestinian Islamist movement, the Nasser hospital in Khan Younes welcomed thousands of civilians fleeing the war, whose evacuation began in recent days.

The army announced that it was carrying out a “targeted and limited operation” in this hospital, after receiving “credible information” indicating that Hamas had held hostages there “and that there might be bodies of hostages” on the spot.

Talks still ongoing

Negotiations for a truce including new releases of Hamas hostages and Palestinians detained by Israel continue in Cairo, under the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. After a meeting on Tuesday attended by the head of Mossad, the Israeli secret service, the director of the CIA, the Prime Minister of Qatar, and Egyptian officials, these negotiations were to continue until Friday.

Peace plan rejected by two Israeli ministers

Two influential far-right Israeli ministers have firmly rejected the possibility of a peace plan, which Washington and its allies are considering according to some media to free the hostages held in Gaza and move towards the creation of a Palestinian state. According to Washington Postthe Biden administration and a small group of its Arab allies are working on a comprehensive plan intended to establish lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Hezbollah says it fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel

Tension has risen between Israel and Lebanon. Lebanese Hezbollah claimed to have fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel, in response to Israeli raids which left 15 dead, including a Hezbollah military official, the day before in southern Lebanon.

Triggered in the wake of the war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas launched more than four months ago, the deadly exchanges of fire on the Israeli-Lebanese border between Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, and the Israeli army have intensified in recent years. last days.