Israeli government moves meetings to ‘secret location’ after Yemen assassinations

Israel moved two scheduled government meetings on Sunday to a "secret and fortified location" following Israeli strikes that killed senior Houthi ministers in Yemen, Israeli media said.

The Houthi group confirmed Saturday that Prime Minister Ahmed Ghalib Al-Rahawi and several ministers were killed in an Israeli strike on Sanaa on Thursday.

Israeli Channel 12 said a government meeting and another for the Security Cabinet were relocated to a "secret and fortified location" and the relocation was communicated to ministers shortly before they convened.

The two meetings are scheduled to discuss several issues, including increased funding for security institutions, the situation in Gaza, potential international recognition of a Palestinian state, and security developments in Lebanon and Syria.

According to Israeli media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Security Cabinet decided to discuss only a comprehensive deal for the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas, rejecting a recent partial deal proposal offered by mediators despite its near-total alignment with Israel's earlier conditions.

Hamas has repeatedly expressed readiness to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for an end to the war, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners, but Netanyahu has insisted on new conditions while continuing plans to reoccupy Gaza.

Israel has killed nearly 63,400 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.