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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Rafah operation to continue until Hamas destroyed or hostages freed — Israel’s top brass

"We may compromise in order to bring the hostages home, but if that option is removed, we will act," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said

TEL AVIV, May 7. /TASS/. The military operation in the town of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip will not stop until the Hamas battalions are destroyed in that area or until the release of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip begins, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said as he met with artillery troops near the border with the Palestinian enclave.

"We will not cease operating in Rafah until Hamas is destroyed, or until the first hostage returns home," Gallant wrote on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "We may compromise in order to bring the hostages home, but if that option is removed, we will act," he added.

On May 6, The Times of Israel reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began evacuating civilians from eastern neighborhoods of Rafah in preparation for a planned military operation. On Tuesday, the IDF took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing on the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt. The military launched a targeted counter-terrorism operation in the eastern part of Rafah, the Israeli army's press service said.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when Hamas militants staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering rocket attacks on Gaza as well as some districts in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.

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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Russian servicemen seize British FV104 Samaritan armored ambulance — top brass

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Battlegroup North liberates settlement of Staritsa — Russian Defense Ministry

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Traffic on the Crimean Bridge has been temporarily closed

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Slovak PM's life no longer in danger, top defense official says

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Dominican Republic to hold general election under influence of Haitian factor

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Russia warns US, EU, Kiev they are playing with fire — MFA about Ukrainian strikes

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Energy infrastructure facility suffers damage in Ukraine’s Poltava Region

Ukrainian media outlets reported explosions in the city of Mirgorod

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian drone in Russia’s Belgorod Region — top brass

Air defenses on duty destroyed the Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle over the Belgorod Region, the Defense Ministry reported

Situation in Kyrgyz capital under authorities’ control — top diplomat

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US should explain to Ukraine that military aid won’t last forever — magazine

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Gunfire was heard in the morning near the residence of Vital Kamerhe

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Assassination attempt on Slovak PM Fico was planned in advance — defense minister

It is reported that doctors are doing everything possible to stabilize the patient

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