A group of people in charge said they will think again about their rules on flags at the town hall, but they won’t say sorry for flying the Israeli flag, even though some people were upset about it.
Last month, someone climbed up Sheffield Town Hall and changed the flag to a Palestinian one.
The council said they raised the flag to show support because Hamas attacked Israel from the Gaza Strip.
Tom Hunt, the leader, admitted that he knows it made some people feel bad. However, he didn’t want to say sorry because it might make them feel worse.
The Sheffield City Council raised the flag of Israel a few days after a group of Hamas armed fighters unexpectedly entered Israel from Gaza. They caused a surprise attack, resulting in the death of over 1,400 individuals and the taking of over 220 hostages.
Mr Hunt said the decision was made earlier, before Israel fought back with airstrikes. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said that these airstrikes have killed over 9,000 people according to their records.
In a video shared online, you can hear people shouting “take it down” and cheering as a protester lowers the Israeli flag from the tall town hall.
This also led to a petition, where over 1,300 people signed, asking the council to say sorry for what they did. The request was given to the people in charge at a big meeting where Mr. Hunt answered to it.
The leader said that the UK government wanted towns and cities to think about putting up the Israeli flag on government buildings to show support.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said that the flag was raised to support the victims of the Hamas attack and it was not about choosing sides in a long-standing conflict.
He said: “We made the decision with good intentions, and of course, I and others have thought about it over the past few weeks, as the terrible things we witnessed in Israel have been replaced by the terrible things we have seen in Gaza. ”
“It was good to support each other, but I understand that this action hurt some people. ”
Mr Hunt mentioned that the council will look over how it decides when to fly the flag. He also mentioned that this decision is not easy and has caused different reactions and strong emotions.
Tag: Israel
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Sheffield City Council considers flag-flying regulations following criticism
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Let’s expect govt to blame Israeli-Palestinian conflict for Ghana’s economic crisis – Arthur Kennedy
A prominent member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Arthur Kennedy, has voiced his concerns about the government’s habit of using external factors such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, COVID-19, and the Russian-Ukraine war as excuses for Ghana’s economic challenges.
He emphasized the government’s reliance on these external factors to explain its economic difficulties, even though it has received substantial external funding and imposed a COVID-19 tax.
Dr. Arthur Kennedy made these remarks during an interview with Accra-based Citi TV on November 1.
“I have heard that very soon, the NPP [government] will add the Israeli-Palestinian war to the list of excuses [it already has]. Let’s be serious: as a result of COVID-19, the government received $3 billion from external funders. In addition to that, the government imposed a COVID tax that it has yet to remove, yet we keep making COVID the excuse.”
These statements come after positive remarks made about Ghana’s economy by the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva.
She acknowledged significant economic advancements and expressed optimism regarding the disbursement of a $600 million IMF fund tranche. This disbursement is seen as a key factor in enhancing confidence in Ghana’s economic stability.
Government has on numerous occasions blamed the crippling economy on external factors such as COVID-19, Russia-Ukraine war among others.
This has not sat well with a number of Ghanaians, particularly the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who believe the government is trying to evade accountability and its responsibility.
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Gaza sees fierce fighting, more civilians prepare to leave
Overnight, Gaza experienced intense fighting, with a live feed capturing the sounds of explosions and bright flames on the horizon.
The Israeli military reported that it had killed dozens of Hamas fighters, and earlier, they stated that their troops had successfully breached the group’s defensive lines.
Today, more civilians are expected to leave Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The UN noted that more than 400 people used the crossing yesterday, marking the first time since the conflict began.
In response to a heckler during a speech, US President Joe Biden emphasized the need for a “pause” in the fighting to facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Since the 7th of October, when Hamas attacks killed 1,400 people and resulted in the kidnapping of 239 individuals, Israel has been conducting airstrikes in Gaza.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, more than 8,700 people have been killed since Israel’s retaliatory bombings began.
The ministry now reports that 9,061 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the current conflict began on 7 October.
Among the casualties, 3,760 are children, and over 32,000 others have been injured.
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Gaza crossing opens to tourists and injured
Ambulances with very hurt Palestinians have gone from Gaza to Egypt for the first time since the war between Israel and Hamas started.
A total of 110 people with foreign passports have been given permission to leave the area through the Rafah crossing.
The borders of Gaza have been shut since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October.
Officials from western countries say that the border crossing at Rafah is going to keep opening for short periods of time, in order to let people with passports from other countries and civilians who have been hurt, leave.
The officials say that Egypt and Israel will make a list of the people who can go across the border. The embassies of the countries involved will be told about the list in advance so they can get ready to help their citizens.
Information reaching us is that there are around 7,000 people in Gaza who are citizens of two countries.
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that representatives from the British government were prepared to help around 200 British citizens as soon as they were able to depart.
Israel has been attacking Gaza for over three weeks and has now sent soldiers to fight on the ground because Hamas fighters did a surprise attack across the border. During the attack, 1,400 people were killed and 240 were taken captive.
The health department in Gaza reports that over 8,700 people have died in the area. The United Nations says that there is a shortage of food, water, fuel, and medicine because of a blockade by Israel.
On Wednesday morning, people saw ambulances hurrying to Rafah. There were injured children, and one of them had a bandage on their stomach. After the doctors checked their health, they were taken away on beds with wheels.
The BBC’s Rushdi Abu Alouf, who is currently at the crossing, was informed by Palestinian passport control officers that 88 patients who need advanced medical treatment are going to be moved to Egypt.
Around 20 people came to Egypt before the early afternoon.
Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are taking care of many injured people but don’t have enough medical supplies. So, they can’t work on these cases. According to a medic from Gaza’s health ministry named Nassem Hasan, they are unable to operate on these cases.
“Now they are being taken to the Egyptian side, and they will be checked to see if they need to go to a different hospital. ”
Many patients will go to a hospital built by Egyptian authorities in Sheikh Zuweid, which is about 9 miles away from Rafah. Some people will go to permanent hospitals in the nearby town of El-Arish or the city of Ismailia.
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is pleased that Egypt has agreed to allow medical evacuations.
However, he cautioned that we should not lose focus on the much larger needs of many sick people in Gaza. These patients are very delicate and cannot be transported to other places.
We need to make medical aid go faster into Gaza right away. Hospitals should be shielded from being attacked or used by the military.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that over one-third of Gaza’s hospitals are not working properly. The remaining hospitals are also struggling because they are overloaded with a large number of injured people.
Gaza’s health ministry says that over 20,000 people have gotten hurt.
On November 1, 2023, women and children who have passports from other countries are waiting to go from Gaza to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing.
Our reporter mentioned that around 500 people who are citizens of other countries and have citizenship in two countries are also expected to be given permission to enter Egypt on Wednesday.
In the afternoon, an Egyptian TV channel called Al-Qahera News showed a video of the first group of people getting off a bus. The group had many women and young children.
Mohammed Ghalayini, a British scientist from Manchester, was in Gaza visiting his family when the war started. He went with his uncle to the crossing because his uncle’s name was on the list of people who could be evacuated, according to Gaza authorities.
“People are very scared about the situation and if they get an opportunity to leave, they are trying to go away,” he said in an interview with the BBC.
“But it is also difficult to reach the border because there is not enough fuel available,” he explained. I saw people coming to the border on a cart pulled by a donkey, carrying their bags.
More British citizens who plan to cross soon include the parents of Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf.
He was happy to hear that the border was being opened, but he mentioned that his in-laws were stuck without clean water to drink and their supplies were running out quickly. -
Israel and Bolivia cut diplomatic ties over military actions in Gaza
Bolivia is the first country in Latin America to end its diplomatic relationship with Israel because it believes Israel used too much force in their military actions in Gaza.
The nation asked for a stop in fighting and promised to give help to Gaza, which is currently isolated.
An Israeli official said that the action was giving in to terrorism.
Lior Haiat said the Bolivian government is working together with the terrorist group Hamas.
Bolivia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani said that the government decided to end its relationship with Israel because they strongly disapprove of the aggressive and unfair military attacks happening in the Gaza Strip.
He said the country wanted Israel to stop blocking important things like food and water from getting in.
Gaza has been trapped by Israel for many weeks, and people can only get important help occasionally from Egypt’s Rafah crossing.
Mr Haiat commented that Israel disapproves of Bolivia’s support for terrorism and its alliance with the Iranian regime. This reflects the values of the Bolivian government.
People are saying that Iran helped Hamas with their October 7 attacks. Iran’s leaders have celebrated and praised the violence, but they say they were not involved.
Other countries in Latin America have also started taking diplomatic actions against Israel, not just Bolivia.
Chile’s President Gabriel Boric announced on Tuesday that he is calling back the country’s ambassador in Tel Aviv to have discussions. This decision was made because of the unacceptable actions that Israel has taken in the Gaza Strip, which violate International Humanitarian Law.
Chile strongly dislikes and is worried about the military operations happening in Gaza. They believe that these operations are hurting innocent Palestinian people and treating them unfairly.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the same thing on social media.
Mr Petro said that he has chosen to ask our ambassador in Israel to have a discussion. He also mentioned that if Israel continues to kill many Palestinians, we cannot stay there.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva requested a halt to fighting. After hearing about a recent attack by Israel in Gaza, Lula commented on X, saying that it’s the first time he’s seen a war where most of the people who died are children. Please, oh please, stop.Most of the 8,500 people who died in the war in Gaza, according to the health ministry run by Hamas, were adults. However, this number also includes 3,500 children.
Israel has been continually attacking Gaza after the deadly Hamas attack on October 7th, which resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people and the abduction of at least 239 people.
On Tuesday, the US announced that 66 trucks successfully brought aid to Gaza. However, charities are concerned that this may not be sufficient.
The boss of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said that before the war, around 500 trucks would go into Gaza every day.
Bolivia and Israel started being friends again in 2019. It stopped working with the country in 2009 when President Evo Morales was in charge, because they were against what Israel was doing in Gaza.
On Monday, Bolivia’s President Luis Arce said that Israel’s actions in Gaza were very wrong and against the rules of war. He said this after meeting with the Palestinian ambassador to Bolivia, Mahmoud Elalwani. -
Israel is attempting to prevent civilian casualties – President
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has emphatically shielded his country’s tactical tasks in Gaza.
In a BBC interview, he demanded Israel was putting “a gigantic concentration” on decreasing regular citizen losses.
Gotten some information about UN figures that almost 70% of in excess of 8,000 passings were ladies and kids, he said nobody believed them should address the cost.
Be that as it may, he said Israel was battling “a harsh foe which had done stunning outrages”.
On 7 October, Hamas sent off phenomenal assaults on southern Israel, killing in excess of 1,400 individuals and kidnapping in excess of 230 individuals.
Mr Herzog said Israel needed to annihilate Hamas’ foundation.
He blamed the gathering, assigned as a fear based oppressor association by the UK and numerous other Western legislatures, of terminating rockets from inside individuals’ homes.
Israel went after, he said, when it saw “psychological militants who are attempting to go after us or send off things against us”.
Israel’s Middle Easterner neighbors, including nations who enjoy marked harmony settlements with the Jewish state, have cautioned that rising non military personnel setbacks in Gaza would drive the district into a lot more extensive blaze.
“We tune in and we regard them,” he said, yet entirely added that “we, most importantly, need to deal with our residents”.
‘We’re assisting individuals with moving out’
Gotten some information about nearly day to day admonitions from Israel’s nearest partner, the US, to practice alert, he answered that Israel was being mindful and it “couldn’t be estimated in numbers”.
The president likewise said Israel was in day to day touch with the US, UK and other Western partners about acquiring more helpful guide to Gaza.
The US has said 100 trucks a day will before long be permitted to enter southern Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. The UN has more than once cautioned that “main a stream” was overcoming amidst Gaza’s “compassionate calamity”.
The president denied reports that Israel was all the while besieging southern Gaza, where the UN expresses in excess of 1,000,000 Gazans have escaped after Israel over and over cautioned them to leave the northern piece of the domain.
On Monday, UNRWA Official General Philippe Lazzarini cautioned “no spot was protected in Gaza”.
“Genuinely talking, the protected zone in the south is a protected zone,” Mr Herzog said, denying reports from the UN that even its own safe houses had experienced harsh criticism.
“We were working as indicated by the guidelines of global regulation to request that individuals move out to the protected zone, we gave them alarms, we’re assisting them with moving out.”
Gotten some information about Israeli air strikes near Gaza’s clinics, the president determinedly expressed that clinics themselves wouldn’t be designated.
Going to the subject of in excess of 200 prisoners, including many ethnicities, held by Hamas, Mr Herzog said it was Israel’s first concern, as well as the global local area’s, to bring them home.
In any case, he said Israel had still not seen any genuine proposition worth considering in the serious dealings intervened by the Bay province of Qatar.
Representatives informed on the discussions told the BBC last week that the dealings had been pushing ahead until Israel extended its ground activities.
Mr Herzog portrayed his gatherings with the groups of the prisoners as “the most troublesome gatherings I’ve at any point had in my life”.
Also, he discussed Israel’s significant injury.
“My country is in profound misery, individuals of Israel are in profound, uncommon desolation, we are grieving. We’re an alternate country in many regards, right now,” he said.
This was additionally influencing the way in which Israelis saw the future, he said. He wouldn’t be drawn on how Israel sees the eventual fate of Gaza once the conflict closes.
“At the present time, the mental, close to home discussion is major areas of strength for so Israel as far as how we push ahead.”
“This was a reminder on 7 October… reality broke our convictions. We see such outrages and we ask, might we at any point trust anyone?”
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US opposes demands for cease-fire between Israel and Hamas
The US has said no to the idea of stopping the fighting between Israel and Hamas, even though other countries want it. They believe it’s not the best choice at the moment.
National Security spokesperson John Kirby spoke on Monday and suggested that aid be delivered to Gaza by taking breaks from fighting.
Currently, there isn’t enough food, water, fuel, and medicines for the 2. 2 million people living in Gaza. This lack of supplies is putting them in a dangerous situation.
But Israel has promised that there will not be an end to the fighting until Hamas is taken apart.
Calls for a ceasefire mean asking Israel to give up to Hamas, to give in to terrorism. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that this will not occur.
Mr Kirby spoke at a meeting with the press and said that he believes more trucks carrying aid will be able to go into Gaza through Egypt.
He said the US talked to the Israeli government about allowing more trucks to cross the border each day, up to about 100.
On Sunday, around 45 trucks went into Gaza through Egypt’s Rafah Crossing, Mr Kirby mentioned. However, he admitted that additional resources would be necessary.
“He told the press briefing that although we recognize that even with significant improvement, it still won’t be sufficient. ”
Philippe Lazzarini from UNRWA said that before the war, around 500 trucks would go into Gaza every day.
Israel has been attacking Gaza since October 7th in response to the Hamas attacks that caused the death of 1,400 people in Israel and the kidnapping of 229 people by Hamas.
Over 8,300 people in Gaza have died since Israel started bombing in response, says the health ministry run by Hamas.
Yinam Cohen, Israel’s consul general to the Midwest, said on Monday that one woman kept captive by Hamas, Natalie Raanan, had come back home to Chicago.
Last week, the UN General Assembly strongly urged Israel and Hamas to temporarily stop fighting for humanitarian reasons. Israel rejected this request with anger.
Mr Lazzarini said on Monday that the system to give aid will not work unless there is a strong desire from politicians to ensure that the supplies being given are helpful and meet the extremely high humanitarian needs.
Israel started the next part of their plan to defeat Hamas on Monday. They sent soldiers to go into Gaza after bombing it for three weeks. -
Anti-Israel crowd takes over Dagestan Airport
Israel has asked Russia to keep all of its citizens safe, including Jews, after a big group of people, some of whom were yelling hateful things about Jewish people, violently entered an airport in Dagestan.
Videos on social media showed a group of angry people running through the Makhachkala airport searching for individuals who had arrived from Tel Aviv.
Some people from the crowd went onto the runway and gathered around the planes.
Russia’s air travel authority, Rosaviatsia, stated that the security forces were able to handle and resolve the situation.
The airport is closed by the authorities and will remain closed until Tuesday, according to Rosaviatsia.
Russian news agencies are reporting that the police have arrested sixty people who are said to be involved in organized crime.
Videos showed many people rushing into the airport building, some with flags from Palestine.
A lot of people in the crowd yelled mean things about Jewish people and some chanted “Allahu Akbar” which means God is greatest.
The news said that a group of people were stopping cars near the airport in Makhachkala. They were asking to see people’s documents in a disorganized manner because they were looking for Israeli passports.
According to the health ministry of the country, twenty people, including a few police officers, got hurt. Some people have really bad injuries and two of them are in very dangerous condition.
Dagestan is a region in Russia where most people follow the Muslim religion. It is located in the northern part of the Caucasus area and has around 3. 1 million residentsIt is situated near the western side of the Caspian Sea. The government announced that they have started a legal case against someone for causing chaos in public.
The Israeli leader’s office said that Russia needs to take strong action against encouraging violence towards Jews and Israelis.
A spokesperson for the US president, Adrienne Watson, said in a message on Twitter “the United States strongly condemns the protests against Jewish people in Dagestan”.
The US strongly supports the Jewish community as we see a rise in antisemitism around the world. The person in charge of the White House National Security Council said that there is no excuse or reason for hatred towards Jewish people.
The government of Dagestan showed their support for Gaza but asked the people to stay calm and not join the protests. Many people all over the world are protesting against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
Dagestan’s Governor Sergei Melikov criticized the mob’s attack on the airport in a message on the messaging app Telegram.
“He wrote that it is wrong to insult and harm strangers by searching their pockets for their passports. ” He strongly disapproved of “acts of violence against women who have children”.
He said that the mob’s actions were like betraying Dagestani patriots, including those who are fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
“What occurred at our airport is unacceptable and law enforcement should investigate and evaluate it properly. ” He said that it will be done.
Israel’s foreign ministry said that the Israeli ambassador in Moscow is collaborating with Russian authorities. They also strongly condemn any actions that might harm Israeli citizens and Jews around the world.
Israel wants the Russian police to protect all Israeli citizens and Jewish people, no matter who they are. They want the police to take strong action against the people causing trouble and making threats towards Jews and Israelis.
On Saturday, a lot of people in the city of Khasavyurt in Dagestan came together outside a hotel because they thought some Israelis were staying there.
The people protesting threw rocks at the windows, and someone posted a sign on the door that said: “People from Israel (specifically Jews) are not allowed to come inside. ”
Afterwards, the police allowed some people to enter the hotel in order to confirm that there were no Israelis present.
Other countries in the North Caucasus are also facing unrest, not just Dagestan.
Over the weekend, someone burned down a Jewish center in the region of Kabardino-Balkaria.
Akhmed Dudayev, who is in charge of giving out information in Chechnya, has asked people not to be influenced by troublemakers.
He wrote on Telegram, “We must stop people from encouraging hatred between different ethnic groups. Stay alert and don’t let yourself be fooled. ” -
No captive would be released until there is truce – Hamas spokesperson
According to a member of a Hamas group visiting Moscow, the hostages captured from Israel during a surprise attack cannot be released until both sides agree to stop fighting, as reported by local media.
The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Abu Hamid said Hamas needed more time to find all the people who had been taken.
“They took many people, mostly regular people, and we need to take time to locate them in Gaza and then let them go,” Hamid said.
Hamas has let go of four hostages until now, citing reasons of humanity. Judith and Natalie Raanan, a mother and daughter, were the first to be released on 20 October. Yocheved Lifschitz, who is 85 years old, and Nurit Cooper, who is 79 years old, were released on Monday.More update on this story soon…
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US claims it opposes truce that would enable Hamas to reorganise
A person from the US state department said to the BBC that the US does not want a ceasefire that would let Hamas take a break and prepare themselves to launch more attacks on Israel.
Matthew Miller said that aside from the attacks on Israel on October 7th, Hamas has been shooting rockets every day, including today and yesterday, at innocent people in Israel.
“He said we would not agree to a ceasefire that lets them keep doing those operations. ”
I think it’s important for parties involved to support and consider having short breaks in fighting so aid can be delivered to those in need. Miller said that they put in a lot of effort to open the Rafah gate in southern Gaza. He was talking about the agreement made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his recent visit to Israel.
When Miller was asked about news that about 50 people being held by Hamas in Gaza were killed during the Israeli airstrikes, he did not say if any Americans were among the people who were killed.
The BBC cannot confirm on its own whether or not Hamas’s statements about the deaths of hostages are true.
Miller said to the BBC that we are unsure about the condition of the people being held as hostages. He also mentioned that Qatar has done important work to free two Americans this week.More update on this story soon…
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Israel vows to carry out more operations in Gaza
The Israeli military carried out a focused operation in northern Gaza during the night. They also announced that they will continue conducting ground raids in the next few days. This happened while the United Nations General Assembly gathered to talk about a resolution suggesting a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons.
A video was shared by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday. It showed tanks and armored vehicles, including a bulldozer, moving on a road near a fence in northern Gaza. The big military vehicles shot cannons, and some damage could be noticed close by.
In an interview with CNN, IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner explained that the raid was a planned and thorough operation to improve conditions for future ground operations. He also mentioned that the IDF fought against and successfully eliminated terrorists who were preparing to launch attacks against us using anti-tank guided missiles.
Israel’s military will continue to carry out attacks in Gaza in the following days, as confirmed by IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari spoke at a press conference that was shown on TV later on Thursday. The ground attacks are meant to eliminate Hamas fighters, prepare for a full-scale invasion, and disable explosive devices and spying stations, according to him.
The attack happened when there was a big problem in Gaza, with many people needing help. This problem got worse because bombs were being dropped every day and Israel stopped fuel from getting into Gaza, which is very important for saving lives. The lack of electricity has seriously affected healthcare, and many people have had to leave their homes because of the bombings.
Israeli attacks have caused the deaths of over 6,850 individuals in Gaza since October 7. This includes thousands of children. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah obtained this information from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
The international community is feeling more and more pressure to convince Israel to let aid into Gaza. The United Nations and some nearby countries are asking for an immediate stop to the fighting, while others want a temporary break to help with humanitarian relief. But the world has not been able to come together to deal with the crisis, even after almost three weeks since the violence started. The violence began after Hamas carried out terrible terror attacks on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 people in Israel and the kidnapping of over 200 people.
Riyad Mansour, the leader of the Palestinian Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, asked a direct question to UN diplomats on Thursday when he told them about Palestinians who were killed in Gaza.
Mansour said that most of the people who were killed are regular people, not soldiers or fighters. “Are you defending this war. ”
Countries who are part of the United Nations are getting ready to vote on a suggested plan made by Jordan for the Arab states. This comes after multiple unsuccessful attempts to agree on something by the United Nations Security Council.
The resolution asks for a stop in the fighting, the freeing of hostages, and for the Palestinian people to not be forced to move from their homes. However, the resolutions made by the General Assembly are not legally required to be followed.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, spoke to a group of diplomats and stated that punishing a whole group of people is not a justified response to defend oneself. He received applause when he expressed concern for the well-being of all individuals, regardless of their religion or nationality.
Gilad Erdan, who represents Israel at the UN, strongly criticized the resolution being discussed. He said that requesting a ceasefire is like trying to prevent Israel from protecting its citizens by eliminating a major threat.
The United States has said no to ceasefire proposals and instead wants short breaks to let humanitarian aid enter Gaza. The US has said that it fully supports Israel’s need to protect itself.
On Thursday, the European Union got together in Brussels and said that there should be breaks in fighting in Gaza to provide help to those in need. However, they didn’t ask for a complete stop to the fighting.
Israel has promised to completely destroy Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza. They have stated multiple times that after the current blockade, they will send in troops for a ground attack. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the War Cabinet of Israel would decide when to take action.
“We are aggressively attacking Hamas,” Netanyahu said on TV, while stating that Israel has already killed thousands of terrorists and there is more to come.
The prime minister admitted that he will be held responsible for the mistakes in intelligence that led to the biggest terrorist attack in Israeli history. He said that this will be thoroughly investigated after the war.
Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, said it has likely killed many of the top leaders in Hamas’ military division since they started attacking Gaza over two weeks ago. CNN cannot confirm Israel’s assessment and Hamas is not providing any comments on the number of fighters killed in Israeli attacks.
Israeli forces announced that they have killed a top Hamas official named Shadi Barud, who was involved in planning the October 7 attacks. This information was shared in a joint statement by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet). The Israeli military recently claimed that their intelligence reports indicate that air strikes have killed a leader of Hamas rocket units named Hassan Al-Abdullah. According to the military, he was in charge of these units in the Khan Younis area of Gaza.
The Israeli military and intelligence agency released a video that they say shows the attacks that caused the death of Barud. The video shows at least two buildings in Gaza that were damaged and seemed to collapse. Hamas hasn’t said anything about the statement.
Israel attacked Hamas targets in Gaza, causing significant damage to the densely populated area, which was already described as a prison by human rights organizations before the current conflict started.New pictures from a satellite company called Maxar have been released. These pictures were taken on October 21. They show that there has been a lot of damage to places in northern Gaza. The houses in some neighborhoods in eastern Beit Hanoun have been completely destroyed. There has also been a lot of damage near the Al Shati Refugee Camp, Atatra, and Izbat Beit Hanoun.
The IDF advised people living in the busy northern area of the Palestinian enclave to leave because there has been intense bombing there. But it is also still attacking areas in the south, and a producer from CNN in Gaza said that there is nowhere safe.
During a press conference on Thursday, Ashraf Al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the health ministry in Gaza, mentioned that 12 hospitals have stopped functioning ever since Israel’s air campaign started. Additionally, 101 medical staff members have unfortunately lost their lives.
He said that Israeli forces purposely made the healthcare system in Gaza fail by stopping fuel and important medical supplies from coming in. Israel is not letting fuel go into Gaza because they believe that Hamas uses it for military reasons instead of for the people.
On Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported that their leader in Gaza, Wael Al-Dahdouh, tragically lost his wife, son, daughter, and grandson in an attack by Israel’s airstrikes. According to Al Jazeera, there was an explosion that happened in a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. The family who lived in the house had been forced to leave their previous home and were staying there for safety. A statement from the family said that a total of 12 Al-Dahdouh family members died in the explosion. This includes nine kids.
The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) confirmed to CNN that they did launch an airstrike in the place where Al-Dahdouh’s family members were killed. They stated that their objective was to destroy Hamas’ terrorist facilities in that area.
The text means that when attacking military targets, it is important to follow the rules of international law. This includes taking steps to prevent innocent civilians from getting hurt.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), since the conflict started, 24 journalists have lost their lives as of Wednesday. According to CPJ, 20 Palestinians, 3 Israelis, and 1 Lebanese journalist were killed.
Busy hospitals about to fail say they have too many injured people coming in every day and doctors have told CNN many times that they don’t have the things they need to take care of them properly, like supplies and electricity. This affects not only those patients, but also others who need oxygen to stay alive.
Videos filmed by CNN journalists showed dead bodies wrapped in bags after bombings and lots of injured people, including kids, in hospitals that were very full.
About 14 million out of the 2 million people in Gaza have had to leave their homes since October 7. Currently, around 629,000 of them are staying in UN shelters, as reported by OCHA. Half of the people in Gaza are kids.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza said on Wednesday that it will have to stop providing aid within a day if it doesn’t receive fuel. This means that the essential help it offers to the local people will stop.
Tom White, the person in charge of helping people in Gaza, said that the workers who give aid will have to choose what kinds of help they can give to people and what they can’t.
“He asked if we supply fuel for desalination plants that create drinking water. He asked if we can provide fuel to hospitals. He asked if we can provide the fuel needed to make bread for the people in Gaza. ”
According to the UN humanitarian office, at least 38 United Nations workers have been killed.
At the same time in Moscow, people from Hamas had a meeting with an important person from the Russian foreign ministry on Thursday, as stated by Russian state media TASS and a statement from Hamas. According to TASS, the talks were about freeing the people who were being held by Hamas and getting Russians out of Gaza.
The Hamas group said they are very happy with what Russian President Vladimir Putin is doing and they think that the Russian diplomats are doing a great job. Mousa Abu Marzouk and Basem Naim, two important leaders of Hamas from Gaza, met with Mikhail Bogdanov, a Russian government official who focuses on the Middle East and Africa.Israel became very angry when they heard about the meeting. Israel is unhappy about the invitation of important Hamas members to Moscow. They believe that this is supporting terrorism and making it seem like the terrible things that Hamas does are okay. Israel wants Russia to kick out the Hamas group right away.
Qatar is trying to help negotiate between Egypt, the US, Israel, and Hamas. The prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar said on Wednesday that they are hopeful for a positive outcome in talks to free the hostages being held by the militant group.
The hostage situation involves people from different countries.
Israel’s government press office stated that out of the total number of hostages being held by Hamas, which is more than half, 135 of them have foreign passports from 25 different countries.
There are 54 people from Thailand, 15 from Argentina, and 12 from Germany and the US included in the group.
Four people who were being held against their will – two from the United States and two from Israel – have been released up until now. Hamas is holding more people captive in Gaza, but negotiations to release them are still happening, according to Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the foreign minister of Qatar.
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he advised Netanyahu to try and free hostages in Gaza before launching a ground invasion if it’s possible.
But Biden clearly said “no” when asked if he had asked his Israeli counterpart to wait before invading the ground while the hostages are held. -
‘There are killings day and night’ – Resident of Gaza
Israel has said that they carried out air strikes on 250 Hamas targets in Gaza over the last 24 hours. Earlier this month, the Israeli army told people in the northern part of the Gaza Strip to go towards the southern area.
But a man from Khan Younis says to Reuters: “The area in the south, below the valley, is not secure. ”
There are a lot of killings happening day and night, lots of killings. Children, young people, and babies are being killed.
Buildings and trees are destroyed. Gaza Strip is not a safe place anywhere. The southern part of the area has been completely destroyed. All of the killings and people being forced to leave their homes are happening there.
“We come from God and we will go back to him. “ -
Israel wants to get rid of Hamas but how?
The Israelis are extremely shocked and deeply affected by the killings that happened on October 7th.
They all pretty much agree on getting rid of Hamas as an enemy.
Another question to consider is how and when this is accomplished.
I believe more and more people are saying that since four hostages have already been released and Qataris are helping with negotiations, there is a possibility that around 50 more people might be set free. Because of this, they think Israel can take its time and not rush into any decisions.
Netanyahu, being in charge of a country during a war, is a very stressful job. He is dealing with more pressure because he is leading a country that is split and divided even before all of this happened.
So, even though Israelis are coming together to support their flag and agree that they need to remove Hamas, they are not fully supporting Benjamin Netanyahu.
Yes – he has a group of loyal supporters. However, there are some people who strongly believe that he is a big part of the issue – that he caused division in the country while trying to achieve his own goals related to the West Bank area and maintaining his position of power.
He has been accused of doing very bad things that could make him go to jail. His enemies believe that Netanyahu does everything to protect himself politically, and that everything leading up to the invasion is focused on him and Israel. -
Restoring security will take years – Israeli ministry
Benny Gantz, a minister in charge of Israel’s war strategy, says it will take a long time to make the south of Israel safe again after the attack by Hamas on October 7th.
He says this will include actions taken by the military and other methods.
“He says that we will not be destroyed, but our enemies might face a similar outcome. ”More update on this story soon…
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Man in Khan Younis mourns death of one-year-old
More people are dying in Gaza after more bombs were dropped by Israel.
“Why would someone want to harm a one-year-old. ” asks Hassan Abu Najib, a man from Khan Younis, talking to Reuters.
Why is it that in Gaza, a man gets married and hardly gets to spend time with his son before he has to sadly bury his children at a young age, much before they even grow old. Why
Najib says: “They haven’t experienced life yet. “They haven’t even mentioned the word ‘dad’ or know the names of their fathers yet. ”More update on this story soon…
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Israel wants UN chief resign due to remarks made by Hamas
Israel is very upset about what the UN secretary general said about the Gaza war during the Security Council meeting.
António Guterres stated that he strongly condemned the violent attacks carried out by Hamas gunmen in Israel a couple of weeks ago. However, he emphasized the importance of understanding that these attacks did not occur without any reason or cause.
The Israeli ambassador, Gilad Erdan, said that the person is supporting terrorism and asked them to resign right away.
He later said Israel will not give visas to UN officials.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen rejected pleas for a ceasefire and fair response in his country’s actions towards the Hamas attacks, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,400 people and the capturing of 222 individuals.
The health department in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, has reported that over 6,500 individuals have died in the area. This happened after Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery attacks, while also preparing to send troops for a possible ground invasion.
Mr Guterres spoke at a meeting in New York with the UN Security Council on Tuesday. He said that the situation in the Middle East is getting worse quickly and asked everyone involved to treat and keep civilians safe.
“I strongly and clearly disapprove of the shocking and never-before-seen acts of terror committed by Hamas in Israel on October 7th. ” There is no excuse for purposely killing, hurting, or taking civilians as hostages. It is also wrong to shoot rockets at innocent people.
He later spoke to the council and said that it was important to understand that the attacks by Hamas did not happen for no reason. He added that the Palestinian people have been living under a very oppressive occupation for 56 years.
He explained how Palestinians had their land taken away by settlements and affected by violence. Their economy was suppressed, their people were forced to leave, and their homes were destroyed.
Mr Guterres is also worried about the clear breaking of the rules that protect people in times of war that is happening in Gaza.He was worried about the ongoing bombings in Gaza by Israel, and also upset about the high number of innocent people being killed and the complete destruction of neighborhoods.
He mentioned that it is wrong to use civilians as human shields, even though he did not specifically mention Hamas.
He said that protecting people doesn’t mean telling a lot of them to leave without giving them a safe place to go or things they need like food, water, medicine, and fuel. And then still bombing that place.
The leader of the United Nations also asked for a temporary break from fighting so that help can be given to Gaza and the hostages can be freed.
He said that only 62 trucks carrying food, water, and medicine have crossed the border from Egypt since Saturday. He compared this small amount of aid to a tiny drop in a vast ocean of people in need. He also mentioned that if they don’t include fuel, it couldlead to a very bad situation or even a catastrophe.
The UN agency called Unrwa, which helps Palestinian refugees, said that if it doesn’t get fuel, it won’t be able to help the 600,000 people staying in its buildings after Wednesday.
If there is no fuel, hospitals won’t have electricity and drinking water won’t be cleaned or moved.
The foreign minister of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, Riyad al-Maliki, asked for the Israeli government to stop what he described as intentional and organized killings of the two million people living in Gaza.
The foreign minister of Israel criticized Mr. Guterres during his own speech to the Security Council. He asked Mr. Guterres,”What kind of world do you live in. “
Mr Cohen said that the killing of 1,400 men, women, and children by 1,500 Hamas gunmen who entered Israel was a horrible event that will be remembered as an even more cruel act than those done by the Islamic State (IS) group.
“Hamas is like the modern-day Nazis,” Mr. Just like when everyone came together to defeat the Nazis and [IS], we now need to stand together to support Israel in defeating Hamas.
He said that when the UN asks for fairness and stopping fighting, he wants to know how can were spond fairly when babies are killed, women are raped and burned, and a child is beheaded. He also asks how we can agree to stop fighting with someone who has promised to kill and destroy us.
Mr Cohen later posted on X, which used to be called Twitter,saying: “I won’t have a meeting with the UN secretary general. ” After the terrible event on October 7th, it is not appropriate to have a fair and equal way of thinking or dealing with the situation.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN said that Mr. Guterres showed he was “completely out of touch with what is really happening in our area”.
He said that the attacks by Hamas did not happen for no reason. This shows that he understands and supports terrorism and murder. It’s really difficult to understand. It’s really unfortunate that the leader of a group formed after the Holocaust has such terrible opinions. Gilad Erdan expressed his sadness and shock by saying it was a tragedy.
On Tuesday, Mr Erdan told Israeli news website Ynet that he had informed Martin Griffiths, a top UN official, that his request for an Israeli visa was denied.
He can’t come to this area. Their companies always need to hire new people, especially at a time like this. They won’t be allowed.
Robert Jenrick, a government minister from the UK, said that the United Nations chief is incorrect and should take back his statements.
“No one should suggest that there are reasons for Hamas’s attacks, whether intentional or not,” he told ITV. He also mentioned that the UK does not think that Israeli actions in Gaza have violated international law. -
Security personnel in northern Israel remain in place as border firing continues
At a place where people meet below the dividing line, there are stacks of completely new medical supplies ready to be handed out.
There are bags filled with wound dressings and medical supplies placed against a wall, and there are more of them on pallets that are wrapped in plastic nearby.
Local security teams in northern Israel are receiving body armor and medical supplies to assist the soldiers who have taken over the evacuated towns and villages.
This donation of equipment is being given by a charity that promotes working together between Jewish and Christian people.
They are also trying to make bomb shelters better in the northern part. This is because there is frequent fighting between Hezbollah in the south of Lebanon and the IDF forces near the border in Israel.
People are still worried that this war might get worse and involve more countries in the Middle East. -
Israeli military claims to have killed Hamas divers trying to enter Israel from the sea
The Israeli military released a video showing Hamas divers trying to sneak into a place yesterday.
The Israel Defense Forces have stated that two members of Hamas tried to enter Israel by sea near Zikim, which is located just north of the Gaza Strip. They entered a beach in Gaza through a tunnel before attempting to access Israel.
They died because fighter jets and soldiers from Israel’s navy attacked them. The attack also destroyed a place where the bad guys kept their weapons.
The IDF did not say how this attempted sea invasion happened, but they released a video that shows attacks on the water’s surface.
After the IDF gave an update, Hamas’s military group shared a picture on Telegram. The image showed two men wearing scuba diving gear and holding assault rifles.More update on this story soon…
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Irish woman fired over post regarding ‘terrorist state’ of Israel
The Prime Minister of Ireland, Leo Varadkar, said that if a woman was fired for a post on social media about the Israel-Gaza war because of her political beliefs, he would suggest that she consult a lawyer for advice.
Courtney Carey lost her job at an Israeli technology company called Wix. Wix has around 500 employees in its office in Dublin. Courtney got fired because she called Israel a “terrorist state” on social media.
She later expressed that she disapproves of any type of violence, no matter who does it.
The president of Wix, Nir Zohar, said that their company is open-minded and tolerant, and they will never try to restrict anyone’s political opinions.
But, he said that the employee was told not to post anything offensive again after recently posting something similar, and the company later decided to let go of Ms.
The problem was discussed in the Dáil (Irish parliament’s lower house) on Tuesday. Varadkar said that he didn’t know the specifics of the situation, but he advised Ms. Carey to get advice because it’s against Irish employment law to fire someone because of their political beliefs.
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“I think that is not right and I would suggest that the woman should get advice from the WRC, a trade union or a solicitor. It might be considered as unfair firing and there are ways to fix it,” he said.The Irish Times said that Wix made a chat group for employees to talk about supporting Israel’s story on their messaging app, Slack.
The text says that the employees were encouraged to participate in a company project to make videos and campaigns that would change how people around the world think about the Israel-Gaza war.
Mick Barry TD brought up Ms. Carey’s firing in the Irish Parliament and asked the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to comment on the situation.
This could scare many workers in our country who want to speak against a very cruel war. “It also sets a bad example where workers can lose their jobs for sharing their political opinions,” he said.
Richard Boyd Barrett, a member of People Before Profit, found the case very disturbing when he talked about it in the Dáil.
In other places, the deputy prime minister Micheál Martin has said it’s not okay for someone to lose their job just because they have their own opinions.
“We are in a democracy where we can freely discuss and express our thoughts. Everyone has the right to express their opinions, and there are different opinions on these matters,” he said to the reporters on Tuesday.“People unknowingly being prejudiced against Israel”
The conversation is happening at a time when Ireland and Israel are having difficulties in their diplomatic relationship.
Last week, Irish President Michael D Higgins talked to reporters in Italy and said that Israel broke international law when they retaliated against attacks and kidnappings by the Palestinian group Hamas.
Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, was criticized for calling Mr Higgins misinformed in a way that was not helpful.
Ms Erlich also expressed doubts about Ireland’s neutrality on the war. In an interview with the Sunday Independent, she mentioned that there is a strong belief in Israel that Ireland has an unconscious preference for other sides and is unfavorable towards Israel.
In another place, a high-ranking diplomat from Israel claimed that the Republic of Ireland supported Hamas financially. However, this statement was later removed from social media.
Adi Ophir Moaz, who works for the Israeli embassy in Dublin, said on X (previously known as Twitter) that Ireland provided money for the underground passages used for harmful purposes in Gaza.
A representative from the Israeli embassy explained that they deleted the post because it did not reflect the views of Israel or the embassy, and because the wording was incorrect. -
700 Gazans killed in single day – Palestinian officials
The main United Nations group working in Gaza will have to stop its work soon because it doesn’t have enough fuel. This will make the humanitarian crisis worse. According to Palestinian officials, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have already killed over 700 people in just 24 hours.
Fuel supplies that are necessary to keep hospitals, pumps, and desalination systems running, as well as to power bakeries, are almost finished. In response, the UN Secretary General has asked for a ceasefire to happen right away on Tuesday. This has caused a strong disagreement among members of the United Nations, and Israel is calling for the UN Secretary General to step down.
Doctors in hospitals that are extremely busy and about to close have continuously warned that if they don’t receive fuel, many new patients injured by the bombs and babies relying on oxygen will die.
The worsening health situation, lack of cleanliness, and drinking of unclean, salty water are causing concerns of a health emergency where people could die from lack of fluids as the water system breaks down while bombs continue to fall.
UNRWA said on social media that if we don’t get fuel soon, we will have to stop our operations in #GazaStrip starting tomorrow night. According to Juliette Touma, a spokesperson for UNRWA, Gaza requires a minimum of 160,000 liters (42,267 gallons) of fuel each day for basic needs.
Only 8 out of the 20 aid trucks that were supposed to go to Gaza on Tuesday actually went there, according to UNRWA. There is no clear explanation for why the other 12 trucks couldn’t pass through the Rafah crossing.
According to the World Health Organization, six hospitals in Gaza have had to shut down because they ran out of fuel. This happened because of the Israeli siege that began two weeks ago.
The World Health Organization said that there are 1,000 patients who rely on dialysis, 130 premature babies, and other patients who need electricity to survive. These people are at risk of dying or having medical problems if there is no stable and continuous supply of electricity.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday that they will not allow any fuel to enter Gaza. They believe that Hamas will use the fuel for their own needs, like running their systems and carrying out rocket attacks.
The comments contradicted what the IDF Chief of Staff Lt. General Herzi Halevi said that they will ensure that there is enough fuel in the places where it is needed to help treat civilians. We won’t give Hamas any fuel to keep fighting against the people of Israel.
Israel’s leaders have promised to destroy Hamas after their deadly attacks on October 7. During these attacks, 1,400 people, mostly innocent civilians, were killed, and over 200 were kidnapped.
Over 700 people were killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours, which is the highest number in a single day since Israeli attacks on what they called Hamas targets started two and a half weeks ago. This information was shared by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah on Tuesday.
According to the ministry, the people who died were 305 children, 173 women, and 78 elderly individuals.
Around 2 million people, including many children, live in the small coastal strip of Gaza which is only 140 square miles.
Strong feelings were experienced at the UN Security Council on Tuesday when Secretary General António Guterres asked for an immediate stop to fighting in order to protect the wellbeing of people in Gaza. He pointed out that there have been clear disobediences to the rules of humanitarian law.
“According to Guterres, protecting civilians should not involve forcing more than one million people to leave their homes and go to the southern region where there is no place to stay, no food, no water, no medicine, and no fuel. The bombing of the same southern region should also not continue. ”
“It is important to understand that the attacks by Hamas were not isolated incidents,” said Guterres. They have watched their land being taken, their economy being hindered, their people being forced to move, and their homes being destroyed.
He said that the killing and kidnapping done by Hamas on October 7 was very bad, but it doesn’t make it right to punish all the Palestinian people for it. Even in war, there are rules to follow.
The Israeli diplomats quickly reacted in a negative way.
The Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, asked Guterres to step down right away because of his comments. Erdan also said that Guterres is not suitable to lead the United Nations. He shared this message on social media. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who was at the United Nations on Tuesday, said he would not have a meeting with Guterres and that he does not agree with a fair and unbiased approach.
“Cohen wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Hamas should be completely eliminated from the world. ”The situation in Gaza is getting worse and it’s difficult for countries around the world to agree on what to do.
The US has rejected requests for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, told CNN that before a ceasefire can be considered, Hamas needs to release the hostages they are holding in Gaza.
Ongoing discussions are happening to try and free many people who are being kept captive by Hamas in Gaza. CNN reported on Tuesday that the discussions are being made difficult because of various reasons.
The United States, Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and Hamas are having ongoing discussions. Four people who were being held captive have been released. Two of them are from the United States and the other two are from Israel. But now, the goal is to agree on a plan to free a larger number of hostages all at the same time.
Israel has decided not to go into Gaza on foot yet, and the US has asked Israel to wait longer before taking action, so that more people held captive by Hamas can be set free.
Foreign Minister Cohen said outside the United Nations on Tuesday that Israel is determined to bring the hostages back home.
Cohen said that there are babies, twins, and holocaust survivors who are trapped, and our main goal is to bring them back home.
The US military advisers have told Israelis to not have a big ground attack in Gaza. They are also telling Israel to not fight in the cities like they did in Iraq. They want to prevent Israel from being stuck in bloody fighting in each house.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to soldiers on Tuesday and indicated that a ground operation was still planned. He stated that they are entering the next stage, which is imminent. -
Israeli officials claim to have ‘thwarted’ two Hamas drones
We have new information about the two drones that Hamas said they had sent to southern Israel earlier.
The Israeli military says that they spotted and stopped two small flying machines, called drones, that flew over from the Gaza Strip into Israel. This happened near the border of Gaza in the areas known as Nir Oz and Ein HaBesor.
It didn’t say how the drones were stopped or if they were shot down.
In another report, the Israel Defense Forces stated that they successfully stopped a drone that had entered Israel from Lebanon. Once again, not much information was provided. -
Malema urges South Africans to boycott Israeli goods
The Economic Freedom Fighters, a political party in South Africa, held a protest outside the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, the capital city.
Julius Malema, the leader of a political party, recently said that Israel’s government doesn’t care about people and he wants to close the embassy.
Mr Malema also told shops in the country to take away Israeli-made products from their shelves by the end of October.
If they don’t take out products from Israel, we will take them out ourselves. Mr Malema said that we do not want the products of Israel to be sold in South Africa. We do not want to consume food from individuals who are responsible for the deaths of innocent people.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) protested outside Israel’s embassy on Friday.
ANC Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane urged South Africans to stop buying products from Israel to show support for the Palestinians.
Ms Mokonyane repeated South Africa’s request for an urgent stop to fighting in the Middle East.
A woman who spoke for the ANC Women’s League left her job last week. She said the party didn’t understand the “Jewish point of view” in the Israel-Palestine conflict. -
Israel destroys ‘suspicious target’ that penetrated into its territory from Lebanon
As we have reported, since fighting started earlier this month, Israel claims to have attacked 20 Hezbollah “terrorist cells” over the Lebanese border.
According to the IDF, an interceptor missile was fired at a “suspicious target” that had infiltrated Israeli airspace from Lebanon.
According to Israel, their attention has been on the unrest in Gaza and the south of Israel, but there is also unrest at the border with Lebanon.
According to Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israeli military, “eight terrorist cells” have been destroyed in Lebanon over the past 24 hours.
He said that seven of them were destroyed before they could launch anti-tank missiles and rockets.
Additionally, Hagari reported that since battle started on the border earlier this month, 20 Hezbollah cells had been destroyed.
More update on this story soon…
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Israel claims its troops conduct ‘limited raids’ in Gaza
Israel’s military has conducted smaller raids into Gaza in order to attack Hamas and gather information about the hostages that are being held there.
The Israeli bombing of Gaza is still happening, and according to Hamas officials, many people were killed during the night.
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees reports that the situation in southern Gaza is very dire. It has become so bad that some civilians are going back to the northern area, even though they were originally instructed by Israel to escape towards the south.
Over 1,400 Israelis died when Hamas attacked towns near Gaza. They shot and killed innocent people in their houses, on the streets, and even at a music event.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 4,600 individuals have died as a result of Israel’s bombing, which has been led by Hamas. These bombings have destroyed whole neighborhoods.On Sunday, Hamas claimed that they destroyed an Israeli tank in the southern part of Gaza. The IDF, on the other hand, stated that one soldier was killed and two others were injured by an anti-tank missile.
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Pro-Israel demonstration demands hostages’ release
A group of people who support Israel are holding a demonstration to ask for the safe return of hostages from Gaza.
People in London’s Trafalgar Square are protesting and showing pictures of people who are missing. They are also saying the names of these missing people from the steps of the National Gallery.
There were a lot of police officers in the square, making it very safe. This information was reported by a BBC journalist who was there.
A lot of people in the crowd were shouting “bring them back” and holding signs that said “let the hostages go”.
This happened the day after demonstrations supporting Palestine happened in cities all over the UK.
The flag of Israel was seen during the event. After some speeches from MPs and Jewish community leaders, there was a moment of silence and a group prayer.
The president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Marie van der Zyl, who was present, stated: “We need to show the world that these hostages were taken in a cruel and barbaric manner, and they must be set free. ”
The world needs to urge the people who can make a difference to free these innocent hostages who have gone through a lot of pain and suffering. We want the hostages to be able to go back home.
The Communities Secretary, Michael Gove, told Israel to remain strong and said that Britain supports Israel.
Speaking to the people protesting, he said: “It’s impossible to describe the pain of families who have watched their loved ones being brutally killed right before their eyes. There are also relatives who are hopeful that those who were peacefully living in their homes just two weeks ago and are now being held captive by Hamas will be released. ”
Before, families who were sad came together in Trafalgar Square to bring attention to the children who were taken away by Hamas.
Four moms in London arranged a special display. They put a stroller to represent each of the children who were missing.
Hamas, a terrorist group that is not allowed in the UK, US, and European Union, carried out a serious attack against innocent people in Israel on October 7th.
Over 1,400 people died when armed people broke into the Gaza barrier and attacked communities in southern Israel. Survivors said many terrible things happened, like torture and burning bodies. Over 200 individuals were brought to Gaza against their will.
Authorities in Gaza, which is controlled by the militant group Hamas, have reported that over the past two weeks, more than 4,600 individuals lost their lives as a result of airstrikes carried out by Israel in response to attacks from Gaza.
“It makes me very sad. ”
Protester Nivi was at the installation. She shared that her children were at a summer camp in Israel with one of the boys who is believed to be one of the hostages.
She said, “They showed pictures of the people who were taken captive, and my eight-year-old said, ‘Mommy, that’s Ohad. ” Ohad was with me when we were at camp.
“And he asked me, ‘Why is his picture there. And I had to explain to him, ‘Well, he’s one of the children that the mean people took away’, it’s really sad. ” -
At least 1,873 children killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in two weeks
In the past two weeks, there have been Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that resulted in the death of at least 4,651 people. Out of those deaths, 40% were children.
Gaza’s health ministry gave new numbers of people who have died and been injured. They said that 14,245 people have been hurt, and 70% of them are children and women.
Israel attacked Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon during the night and today as the fighting in the area continues for three weeks.
Warplanes attacked places in the trapped Strip and a religious place in the occupied West Bank that is believed to be used by Hamas fighters. They also targeted two airports in Syria.
An Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel is going to have more attacks on Gaza and start a new phase of the war.
In the past few hours, the Israeli military claimed that they attacked a place in Jenin, in the West Bank, believed to be a terrorist hideout. It was reported that a group affiliated with Hamas was inside a mosque at the compound.
Palestinians were told to move from the northern part of Gaza to the southern part.
Israel has been close to starting a ground attack in Gaza for a few days now, as a way to react to Hamas’ violent actions.
Many tanks and a large number of soldiers have gathered at the demarcation line between territories that are occupied. The leaders have talked about a future phase of actions, but they have not given specific details about it. -
Nine Britons have died in Hamas attack on Israel
Based on the prime minister‘s spokesperson, Hamas’s assault on Israel has resulted in the deaths of nine individuals from Britain.
Seven more people are still not found after the attack from Gaza into Israel on October 7.
Until yesterday, the authorities said that seven people from Britain were confirmed dead, and nine were still missing.
A person who speaks for the prime minister said: ‘We can now say for certain that at least nine people from Britain were sadly killed in the terrorist attacks last week.
Seven more British people cannot be found. Some of them might be dead or taken by force.
The UK government has not said how many British people are being held as hostages by Hamas. However, Rishi Sunak, while he was in Israel on Thursday, met two families who have a loved one being kept captive in Gaza. -
Israel-Hamas conflict could spread to the Middle East – Sunak
Rishi Sunak stated that the actions done by Hamas are terrible, and there is no good reason for them. He said this while a large number of people were protesting in central London against Israel’s restriction of movement in the Gaza Strip.
The prime minister came back from a very fast tour of the Middle East where he had urgent discussions with the leaders of Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt about how to stop the situation from getting worse and war from happening.
He emphasized that the fighting between Israel and Hamas could lead to more conflicts in the surrounding area.
The Prime Minister said that everyone they talked to this week strongly believes that we must do everything we can to prevent a spreading conflict in the area.
‘We should continue to aim for a future with peace and stability as we unite against terrorism. ‘
He left just as President Biden announced that President Sisi of Egypt agreed to open the Rafah crossing so that 20 trucks of aid could enter Gaza.
Sunak said that the opening represented what is possible through diplomacy.
He said: ‘The opening of the Rafah crossing into Gaza shows how diplomacy can work, with the US, Israel, and Egypt making an agreement to make sure that essential help gets to the Palestinian people. ‘
We are working closely with Egypt to make sure that the UK helps provide Palestinians with the important things they urgently require, such as food, water, and medicine.
The Prime Minister and the foreign secretary both went on separate trips to Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar at the same time.
James Cleverly said that he wants British people currently stuck in Gaza to be able to leave by using the Rafah crossing. He acknowledged that it is currently not safe for them to do this.
‘At the end, we want the Rafah crossing to be safe enough so that people from other countries in Gaza can go away,’ he said to the Sunday Times.
We will only call British citizens forward to leave Gaza when we are sure they will have enough time to leave safely. But right now, we are not able to do so.
He mentioned that they were working closely with the Egyptian government, Qataris, and other countries in the area, like Israel, to create a stable situation for a considerable period of time. This stability would allow British citizens to have a real chance of leaving the region safely. -
Israel promises to strike Gaza more heavily as Hamas reports 55 deaths overnight
The military of Israel has promised to make air attacks on Gaza more frequent and has advised Palestinians who are still in the northern part of the area to move to the southern part.
A person from the military said that this would help Israel make sure our soldiers are safe in the next parts of the war.
Hamas has reported that 55 people died in airstrikes on Gaza during the night.The Israeli military says it attacked a group of Hamas members who were hiding in a mosque in the West Bank.
Israel has positioned tanks and soldiers at the border with Gaza in preparation for a possible land invasion. However, the exact timing of when this may occur is not known.The UN wants to provide more help to Gaza today. Yesterday, they were able to give necessary supplies to people for the first time since the fighting started.
It has been two weeks since Hamas attacked Israel and caused the deaths of over 1,400 people. Palestinian leaders say that over 4,300 people have died in Gaza since that time.
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Israeli settler attacks on West Bank Palestinians increase
Abed Wadi was putting on his clothes for the funeral when he received a message.
He received a picture from a friend. In the picture, there were some men wearing masks. They were holding axes, a petrol canister, and a chainsaw. The picture had words written on it in both Hebrew and Arabic.
The message said that we are waiting for the rats in Qusra village and we won’t feel sad when they’re gone.
“The day for getting back at someone is approaching. ”
Qusra was a village called Wadi. It was located in the northern part of the West Bank, close to Nablus. The ceremony that day was held for four people from the village who had passed away. Three people died yesterday – Wednesday 11 October – after Israeli settlers went into Qusra and attacked a Palestinian family’s house.
The fourth person was killed in fights with Israeli soldiers afterward.
The next day, the people from Qusra were getting ready to go to a hospital that was thirty minutes away. They planned to bring back the bodies of the people who had died. To accomplish this, they would need to travel over land that has Israeli communities, where the chances of violence are very high even during normal times, and have increased significantly in the past two weeks since Israel started fighting with Hamas.
Wadi stopped using his phone and carried on getting ready. There were four men placed in refrigerators at the hospital who needed to go back to their homes. He said he wouldn’t let a threat stop him. He had heard a lot.
Wadi had no idea that, in a few hours, some extreme Israeli settlers would confront the funeral procession and his own brother and young nephew would be killed.
Wadi, sitting in the cool outdoor area of his family’s house in Qusra, asked, “What would have been the point if we had waited one or two more days. ”
“Do you think the people who came to live here would have gone away after just one day. ”
Based on information from the UN’s humanitarian office, the week after Hamas’s violent attack was the deadliest for Palestinians in the West Bank since 2005. During this time, at least 75 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military or settlers. Additionally, the number of incidents where settlers were violent increased from an average of three per day to eight.
Israeli forces attacked a Palestinian refugee camp and launched a surprise air strike on Thursday 12th. According to Palestinian officials, at least 12 people were killed. Israeli police reported that one officer also lost their life.
The United Nations said this week that there was a high chance of the occupied territory becoming very chaotic and uncontrollable.
Palestinian people who live in the West Bank believe that while everyone is focused on the tragic events happening in Gaza, Israeli settlers are using this as an opportunity to go into villages, forcing out and sometimes hurting or even killing Palestinian civilians.
In three instances, villagers have seen settlers wearing military clothes or being with the Israeli military when they attacked, as shown in videos or confirmed by eyewitnesses.
The first three men who died in Qusra went to protect a family in a house on the edge of the village. Some people in the village said that settlers came to the house and started throwing rocks at it.
They say the people who moved in then started shooting at the Palestinian neighbors who came to help. They killed three young men named Hasan Abu Sorour, Obayda Abu Sorour, and Musab Abu Reda. They also seriously injured many others. Moath Odeh, who was 21 years old, died after fighting with soldiers.
A man and his six-year-old daughter, who lived in the house, were injured when they were shot in the face and stomach. This information comes from two people who helped at a nearby clinic for treating the injured.
One of the people helping at the clinic was Amer Odeh, who is also a cousin of the victims. It was Amer’s responsibility to call Said Odeh, who is the father of Obayda, a 17-year-old.
Amer said in an interview with Said in Qusra on Tuesday that he told him his son was not seriously hurt. “I was unable to surprise him with this news during our phone conversation. ”
Said quickly went to the medical center. “They said my son got hurt, but I couldn’t see him right away,” he remembered with tears in his eyes.
I said I wanted to see my son, and when I went into the room, I sadly saw that he had been killed.The next day, there was going to be a funeral for the four people who died. Abed Wadi tried to forget the picture of men wearing masks and carrying axes and chainsaws. He joined the group of cars that were bringing the bodies from the hospital to Qusra for the funeral.
As the cars and ambulances were driving on the Nablus-Ramallah road, a group of extremist Israeli settlers suddenly attacked the convoy. During the fight, as seen in videos and heard from people who were there, some settlers threw rocks at the group of cars. In response, some people from the funeral cars also threw rocks. Then, the Israeli settlers and soldiers started shooting real bullets.
During a chaotic and violent situation with a lot of random shooting, Abed Wadi got separated from his brother Ibrahim, who is a 63-year-old politician from the Fatah Movement, and Ibrahim’s son Ahmed, who is a 24-year-old studying law. A video shows Ahmed and some others running away from the shooting, but Ahmed gets shot on the road.
Wadi said that they informed him that his nephew got shot two times in his stomach and once in his neck, and his brother got shot in his waist, closer to his heart.
“He said there were no weapons in our funeral procession. ” “Normally, we display the Palestinian flag on our cars, but this time we didn’t even show our flag because we were too scared. ”
People in Qusra village told the BBC this week that they were very scared. Last weekend, the olive season started in the area. However, people who rely on the harvest for money said they won’t go to the groves near the village because they’re scared of settlers shooting at them.
According to information from the United Nations, there was already a large increase in violence from Israeli settlers this year before the Hamas attack. More than 100 incidents were reported each month, and around 400 people were forced out of their land between January and August.
The Israeli organization B’Tselem told the BBC that they have seen settlers trying to take control of land in the West Bank. They believe that these settlers are taking advantage of the fact that most attention is currently on Gaza and northern Israel.
According to information collected by B’Tselem, in the first six days after the Hamas attack, there were at least 46 different times when settlers in the West Bank threatened, physically harmed, or caused damage to Palestinians’ property.
“A large number of families and communities who work as shepherds have left their homes because they were scared and in danger from other people who recently moved into their area,” explained Roy Yellin, a spokesperson for B’Tselem. People who moved to a new place are telling people who already live there that they have to move out by a certain time. They are threatening to hurt them if they don’t leave. And some villages have completely become vacant.
One of the villages was called Wadi al-Siq, it was close to Ramallah. Before, it used to have around 200 Palestinian Bedouin people living there. Abdul Rahman Kaabna, a 48-year-old farmer from Wadi al-Siq, stated that we have been experiencing constant harassment and attacks from settlers for several months. However, since the war began, the number of attacks has increased.
On 9 October, around 60 people, some of them wearing military clothes, attacked the community, as reported by three residents who have now been forced to leave. “Kaabna stated that they used weapons to attack us and made everyone feel scared. ” After that, they allowed us to go outside with our sheep for one hour. But they warned us that if we didn’t leave, they would kill us.
Another resident, Ali Arara, who is 35 years old, said that the people who live there had to walk a distance of more than 10 kilometers, which is equal to 6. 2 miles, in order to get away from the situation. “He said the settlers took everything from our houses. ” My daughter was very scared. They attacked us and took away everything we had.
According to B’Tselem and Yesh Din, another Israeli human rights group that monitors violence in the West Bank, the fear and forced removal of people in Wadi al-Siq has happened in many other communities in the area since October 7th.
In a very surprising event recorded on video recently, a person from Israel who lives in a place they established in Palestinian land went into a village called Al-Tuwani near Hebron. They shot a Palestinian resident who was not carrying any weapons, right in the stomach while a soldier from Israel seemed to be watching without doing anything.
The problem started when two people with weapons, along with a soldier, attacked a house near the village. This information was given by three people living in the village, including the owner of the house.
“Three Israelis visited my house. They were carrying weapons, and one of them was dressed in army attire,” explained Musab Rabai, who is 36 years old.
A person who moved to a new place came inside my home, gave me a forceful push, hit me on the head with a gun, and threatened to shoot me.
Neighbours came to Rabai when he shouted for help, he said. One of the people was Zakriha Adra, who is a father of four children. Adra’s cousin, Basel, recorded a video that shows a settler who is said to have beaten Rabai, along with an Israeli soldier who is standing nearby. The incident happened close to a group of Palestinian neighbors. The person with a weapon comes closer to Adra and hits him with their rifle. They then shoot him in the stomach from a short distance away.
During the interaction, Adra keeps his arms down and doesn’t seem like a threat.The family says that Adra is now in the hospital and is in very bad shape. “Basel, his cousin, said that he survived but the bullet caused a lot of harm to his stomach. ”
Musab Rabai, whose house got attacked, said the shooting happened after several days of threats and the settlers damaging his property.
He said that they have been standing around the village since Saturday with guns and using a bulldozer to destroy trees. The men in the village take turns sleeping for only a few hours at a time. This way, there is always someone awake in case the settlers try to attack.
The BBC reached out to the Yesha Council, a group that represents settlers in the West Bank and other areas, to give their opinion for this story. However, they chose not to comment. Moti Yogev, the temporary leader of the Binyamin Council, which speaks for settlers in the area, said that aggressive settlers were considered to be on the extreme edges of the settler group. “He said that if they are real, they should be treated just like any other criminal. ”
The Israeli army and Israeli police did not give any response when asked for comments multiple times.
Dov Khenin, a former Israeli politician who now advocates for peace, said that the saddest part is that the Israeli military doesn’t react to the violence caused by these extreme settlers. And the violence has a specific goal, to remove these small Palestinian communities and make them leave their homes.
Many Palestinians are afraid that the situation in the West Bank will only become more bad. Israel’s National Security Minister, Itar Ben Gvir, said last week that the government will buy 10,000 rifles for Israeli civilians, including those in West Bank settlements. This could make it harder to tell the difference between armed settlers and military in the occupied territory.
In Qusra, Abed Wadi said he heard about the 10,000 guns. He moved his head from side to side. He said that it wouldn’t make any difference for the people of Qusra.
Wadi was sitting in his outdoor area, with pictures of his brother, nephew, and four other men from the village who died last week on the walls around him.
“He said that we have always seen the settlers holding rifles, and they have been shooting at us for a long time. ”
But he mentioned that something was different now. It appeared that the settlers had become angrier and more extreme. “Wadi said that farm houses are being set on fire, olive trees are being chopped down, cars are being broken into, and land is being stolen. ”
And this is only the place where we live. “He said that if you looked at the next village and the one after, you would see that every village was filled with anger and pain. ” “And it would continue forever. “ -
Arab-Israel citizens forced by war to clarify their nationality
When Aya Najame was a young girl in Haifa, Israel, she would visit Jewish schools to learn about Jewish culture. Jewish kids would also visit Najame’s school to learn about her life.
Around one-fifth of the people living in Israel are Arab citizens or permanent residents. The around 2 million individuals are different from Palestinians who live in the occupied areas of the West Bank and Gaza, but they are not all the same.
Most of the people living in this area follow the Muslim religion, but there is also a significant group of Christian Arabs. Around 15 million people hold Israeli citizenship, but many who live in Jerusalem only have permanent residency and are not full citizens. Some people say they are Arabs, some say they are Palestinians, and some say they are Druze, which is a religious group found in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria.
Some people can speak Hebrew well and live in communities where people from different backgrounds live together, like Haifa. But there are also people who live in towns where only certain types of people live and they feel like they are treated as less important than others because Israeli authorities discriminate against them. Every year, hundreds of people decide to join the Israeli military even though they don’t have to. A lot of people have relatives in the West Bank and Gaza.
According to Najame, Haifa is different from the rest of Israel.
We all live together here, Arabs and Jews. “We collaborate and visit the same locations,” she said to CNN.
“Najame said that Haifa is the most comfortable place. ” When you leave Haifa, you begin to feel uncomfortable. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s just a feeling of discomfort.
Ashraf Ashkar is a 35-year-old Arab Israeli. He has a job at a restaurant in the Arab Wadi Nisnas neighborhood in Haifa. He mentioned that he knows people who are part of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and people who were in the places in Israel that were violently attacked by the Palestinian militant group Hamas recently. “I talk to them a lot. I have a friend who is Arab and just joined the reserves last week,” said Ashkar. He also mentioned that Israel is where he lives.
However, he is also very conscious of his own family background. His family had to leave their village, called Iqrit, which is located north of Haifa. The Israeli army made them go away during the war in 1948. They were promised they could return in a few weeks, but in the end they weren’t allowed to, according to Ashkar. Israel’s highest court decided that the eviction of the families from Igrit was against the law and stated that they should be able to go back to their land. However, before they could go back, the Israeli Defense Forces destroyed the entire village in the 1950s.
“It’s confusing when you feel unsure about where you fit in. ” I try not to think about it too much, Ashkar said.
The Hamas attacks in Israel and the Israeli bombings in Gaza have made tensions worse between different groups. Israeli officials claim that over 1,400 people were killed in the attacks, while Palestinian officials say that more than 4,100 people have been killed in the bombings.
Israel has had a very conservative government since December, which is the most conservative government it has ever had. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some opposition leaders formed an emergency war cabinet to handle the war. The person in charge of national security, Itamar Ben Gvir, is someone who supports terrorism and encourages racism against Arabs. The finance minister is Bezalel Smotrich. He wants to get rid of the Palestinian Authority and take over the West Bank, but he’s not part of the war cabinet. However, he is still performing his duties as a minister.
B’Tselem, an organization in Israel that advocates for human rights in the occupied territories, stated that the strong words used by Gvir and Smotrich have encouraged radical individuals and caused more violence towards Palestinians. This violence is mainly carried out by right-wing groups and Israeli settlers. In September, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that Israeli settlers harmed Palestinians in the West Bank in 216 attacks, causing injuries. There were also 582 incidents where their belongings were damaged.
CNN has requested a response from the IDF about the increase in violence, but they have not been given a reply.
The people who came to live here are showing that they want to harm us. The overall setting is one where we always feel like we will be targeted next. Diane Buttu, a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer residing in Haifa, shared that she believes Palestinians are the next group that could be harmed. She has worked as a legal advisor for the Palestinian side in peace negotiations.
She said that after the Hamas attacks, people started talking very badly about Palestinians. She said that people say things like “people are like animals and they should be killed. ”Buttu explained that as a Palestinian living in Israel, she often feels like people automatically think she is dangerous. The only way I’m not part of the group of human beings is if I first denounce terrorism. I need to show them that I am a human, but I never ask Jewish people to speak out against the settlers’ violence and those attacks, she said. I never tell them to show proof that they are not settlers.
Naim Khoury knows what it feels like to be constantly watched and not trusted by others. The lawyer, who is 39 years old and lives in Haifa, said that even in their city, which is usually seen as a good example of people living together well, they are feeling the negative effects of the violence that happened in October.
Some people are suspicious of us now because we are Arabs. He told CNN that being an Arab often gets associated with being a terrorist. “We strongly dislike terrorists, we strongly dislike all the things they have done, and we feel sad for every life that has been lost. ”
Khoury said he knows lots of people in the military and the police who are his friends. But, they also sometimes experience the same distrust.
“In Haifa, we make an effort to maintain positive relationships and live peacefully together. It’s unfortunate that whenever there’s a security issue, Jews assume that as an Arab, I must have a specific opinion about it. This makes me feel saddened. ”
Abu Nader has been running a small cafe in the ancient part of Jerusalem for almost 50 years. He was born and still lives in the same building where his cafe is located.
Like many Palestinians who live here, he has the right to stay in Israel permanently, but he is not considered a citizen. He said to CNN that he never wanted to become a citizen. “Why do we need rights. ” he said to CNN.
Nader has seven kids – five girls and two boys – and 24 grandkids. Some of the grandkids live in different areas of the city so they can’t always visit him. Sometimes, when there are a lot of problems and disagreements in Jerusalem, the Israeli police limit people from going to the Old City. They only let Palestinians in if they live there or are older than a certain age.
Buttu said that limiting the movements of people who live in a place permanently is one form of unfair treatment. She also mentioned that even individuals who have citizenship can be singled out and mistreated.
She said that there are laws that discriminate against Palestinians with Israeli citizenship. These laws include ones that prevent her and others from moving into certain towns. This is because of an Israeli law that allows admission committees in certain regions to decide who can move into the community. They can reject people if they are seen as not fitting in with the community.
This year, the law was changed to include more households. Now, it applies to settlements with 700 households, instead of the previous 400 households. Adalah, an organization that cares about the rights of the Arab minority in Israel, stated that the new version of the law applies to 41% of all areas and 80% of the state’s land.
If you are a Palestinian living in this country, you have two options: either find a safe place to live and work where you feel protected, can speak Arabic, express your political views freely, and don’t have to be careful with what you say, or completely blend in with the other side. “Buttu said that the space where there is complete discomfort can be found anywhere. ” “But even if you fully blend in, there is still uncertainty. ”
In Nader’s cafe, the coffee he serves is really strong and has a lot of sugar. He makes it in special copper pots that have a long neck, called cezve.
He said that some people call it Turkish coffee, Jerusalem coffee, Palestinian coffee, or Israeli coffee. He personally likes to call it Palestinian coffee when he feels like it. He watched a spoonful of sugar go up from the bottom of the pot. “When I don’t feel like talking about politics, I jokingly refer to it as Jerusalem coffee. ” -
‘There no room for proud Jew’ – Resigned member of ANC
A woman who speaks for the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) has quit her job. She said that the party didn’t understand the “Jewish perspective” in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Gabriella Nechama Farber, who was part of the Gauteng group, shared on social media that she is leaving her position.
She criticized the ANC for taking nine days to criticize Hamas for the “terrible acts” they did in Israel and stated, “a proud Jew cannot feel welcome in the ANC”.
Ms Farber claimed that Minister Naledi Pandor from the Department of International Relations showed her approval or assistance to Hamas after speaking with the group’s leader on the phone recently.
Ms Pandor said she did not support Hamas.
“It is now very clear that the organization cannot support the Jewish people at this time, treat both parties fairly and honestly, or understand my perspective as a Jewish person,” Ms. Farber expressed
Ms Farber finished her letter by saying that she will no longer work for the country as part of the ANC. -
Large increase in hate crimes since Hamas attacks on Israel – Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard, the police force in London, has reported a significant increase in hate crimes, especially those targeting Jews, since the acts of violence by Hamas against Israel.
From October 1 to 18, there were 218 incidents of anti-Semitism in London. This is higher than the 15 incidents that occurred during the same time last year.
The amount of hate crimes against Muslims went up to 101 this year, increasing from 42 incidents the previous year.
The numbers were made public right before a big protest in London supporting Palestine.
The police have said that people are not allowed to gather and protest outside the Israeli embassy.
The police have been informed about hate crimes happening in person and on the internet. These crimes were motivated by both race and religion.
Up until now, the police have arrested 21 people and have been going through 1,400 reports of things that might be against the law on the internet. -
200 hostages remembered at Shabbat dinner table
Almost two weeks have gone by since Hamas unexpectedly attacked Israel. According to Israel, about 200 people were captured and held against their will. This is about 20 kids and at least 10 adults who are older than 60 years old.
On Friday nights, Jewish families all over the world gather together to have a special dinner called Shabbat. Tonight, many Israeli tables will be missing people who usually sit there.
A dinner table has been set up for the hostages at the plaza of the Tel Aviv Museum for Shabbat. There are 200 chairs that are not being used. -
20 children among hostages detained in Gaza – Israeli military
The military of Israel says that there are 20 children who are under 18 years old, among a total of 200 people who have been taken and held against their will in Gaza. These kidnappings occurred after the attacks by Hamas on 7 October.
The Israel Defense Forces have announced that there are about 10 to 20 people over the age of 60 who are being held. Most of these people are still alive.
According to the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, Gaza has become a terrible place for civilians and there is not much time left to bring aid into the area.
The leader of the United Nations, Antonio Gutteres, went to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. He said that he believes the first batch of help will reach Gaza within the next day or two.
Officials from Palestine report that over 4,000 individuals have died in Gaza since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7. As a result of this attack, more than 1,400 people were killed.
On Thursday, a place of worship for Orthodox Christians in Gaza City was attacked. Church officials say that many people seeking shelter were there when it happened.
Israel says its fighter planes attacked a Hamas base that was used to launch rockets at Israel. They are currently examining the situation.
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Jordan to run for Speaker again as plans deemed ineffective
Jim Jordan wants to try again to become the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. He plans to ask for a third vote, since Republicans decided not to follow their backup plan.
The congressman from Ohio previously said he would support a temporary plan that lets Patrick McHenry be in charge of the House.
But the Republicans strongly criticized the decision, with some individuals reportedly raising their voices and using profanity during a heated meeting on Thursday.
The main group in Congress called the lower chamber has been without a leader for the last 16 days.
If there is no Speaker, the House cannot pass bills or approve a request for aid to Israel and Ukraine from the White House.
After the meeting on Thursday, Mr. Jordan told reporters that he still wants to be the Speaker and he intends to go to the voting area, gather the votes, and win the competition.
His representative, Russell Dye, said that the House would have another vote to choose the Speaker when it starts working at 10:00 in the morning (local time) on Friday.
However, during the last two days, Mr. Jordan has been unable to receive more than 200 votes in a row. He needs 217 votes to win.
The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has received criticism for using scary tactics and even receiving threats to harm lawmakers from some of the people who support him.
Earlier today, Mr. Jordan told his colleagues that he will not hold any more votes. Instead, he will support Mr. McHenry to handle the House’s business for a month or longer.
Mr McHenry, a politician from North Carolina who often wears a bow tie, was chosen as the temporary Speaker after a surprising vote to remove Kevin McCarthy earlier this month.
He believes that he only has a little power to lead floor votes and choose a permanent Speaker, following the rules set after the 9/11 attacks.
However, lawyers say that if most of the people in the chamber agree to give him more power, then the House can continue to work as it usually does.
Members from both political parties, including two former Republican Speakers, have suggested the possibility of increasing Mr McHenry’s authority until January. This would enable him to oversee important matters related to creating new laws.
This could potentially allow Mr. McHenry to help pass laws to prevent a government shutdown next month, and provide aid to Israel and Ukraine.
Republicans who agree with the idea have said that the House needs to continue with its work instead of prolonging its internal disagreements.
Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida stated that it is important to bring the conservative agenda back on the right path. He has not yet supported Mr.
Nebraska’s Don Bacon, who is against Jordan’s ideas, said: “I fully support McHenry. ” I really like McHenry city.
But many more Republicans became angry about the plan, with emotions running high during a long private meeting.
Matt Gaetz, a congressman from Florida, strongly criticized the proposal to empower Mr. McHenry, calling it a violation of the Constitution.
We have to remain here until we choose a Speaker. If anyone cannot get enough votes, we have to move on to the next person.
Mr Gaetz said that Mr. McCarthy yelled at him and another coworker came at him aggressively in a meeting earlier on Thursday that felt very intense, like a Thanksgiving dinner.
“Mr McCarthy said that the entire conference yelled at him. ” A Republican from California said to reporters when they asked about the argument.Jim Banks, a politician from Indiana who supports conservative ideas, believed that about half of the members of his party would oppose the proposal. He thought that this proposal went against what the people who voted for the Republican party wanted.
Some people, like New York Republican Elise Stefanik, think that if Mr McHenry is elected despite internal opposition, it would lead to a government with the support of Democrats.
“We need to bring Republicans together” to support Mr Jordan, the congresswoman wrote on X.
On Thursday, the Democrats didn’t mention if they would support Mr. McHenry as Speaker.
However, some said they were okay with the idea. Lou Correa from California told the BBC, “We’ve been without a Speaker for a few days. ”
“I heard the rumor is that they will give McHenry power until January – I’m okay with that,” he said.
But several Republicans came out of their party conference saying that the choice is no longer possible.
Mr Jordan wants another Speaker vote. Democrats will likely vote all together for their leader, Hakeem Jeffries, just like they did before.
No one else has been chosen as a replacement for Mr. Jordan or Mr. Jeffries, so the House’s leadership crisis is not going away anytime soon. -
Chinese social media rife with discussion and nationalism over Israel-Hamas conflict
The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas has caused a strong argument on China’s strict social media. This has created a divide between those who believe Israel should defend itself and various voices supporting Palestine. Unfortunately, there has also been an increase in antisemitic opinions.
A lot of people in China have been watching what is happening in the Middle East and sharing their thoughts online since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. This attack resulted in the death of over 1,400 people and the capture of around 200 civilians and military personnel who are now believed to be held in Gaza.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has caused arguments among people using Weibo. Just like in other countries, the war has created different opinions among users, and posts about it are frequently seen by millions of people on Weibo.
But even though there are a lot of posts that support Israel, more people are starting to criticize the things Israel does. At the same time, there is also an increase in very extreme views that are against Jewish people. China’s online censors, who are very influential, have let these extreme views spread.
Deputy Chief of Mission Yuval Waks, who works at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing, mentioned that people in China have been showing strong disapproval towards Israel and, in many situations, expressing hatred towards Jewish people.
“We are worried that this would create a harmful environment that could seriously endanger both Israelis in China and Jews living in China,” expressed Waks.
Last week, a foreigner stabbed an Israeli diplomat in Beijing. The suspect is a 53-year-old businessman and the police are still trying to figure out why he did it.
Waks expressed gratitude for China’s help in taking care of the hurt diplomat and keeping his coworkers safe. However, he requested that the Chinese government strongly denounce Hamas.
China has criticized actions that hurt innocent people, but it hasn’t specifically blamed Hamas or mentioned the group in its statements, unlike many Western countries.
“We are a little sad to see that a country we have a good relationship with is not strongly condemning the situation,” Waks said. He also mentioned that the government’s stance often influences how people talk online.
While Beijing has tried to stay impartial in official statements, the media in China has shown a more biased perspective, often highlighting Israel’s bombings in Gaza and the resulting destruction.
Recently, the government of China has increased its criticism of Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian area. Their top official, Wang Yi, said Israel is going too far in defending itself and demanded a quick end to the fighting.
The United Nations and other groups that help people in need are asking for the fighting to stop in Gaza. They say the situation is getting worse and may become uncontrollable. Palestinian health officials say over 3,700 people have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began. This number includes over 1,500 children and 1,000 women.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke in Beijing on Wednesday. He said on live TV in China that what is happening in Israel cannot be used as a reason to punish all the Palestinian people together.
On Weibo, a lot of popular nationalist influencers who don’t like the West often post messages against Israel that get shared a lot.
Some people have criticized Israel’s actions in the past and during their current war with Hamas. However, there are also others who have spread hateful comments and anti-Semitic conspiracies.
A famous nationalist page with over 2 million followers has shared funny pictures with Adolf Hitler and some of its followers have admired the former leader of Germany, who caused the deaths of millions of Jewish people during World War II.
Some well-known accounts have criticized the close relationship between Israel and the United States.
This well-known account with 6. 6 million followers claimed that Israel did not support China when the US imposed sanctions on it. The account questioned why China would now support Israel.
Xiao Qiang, a research scientist from the University of California Berkeley’s School of Information, explained that in China, big accounts that support the government usually control the online discussions. These accounts try to get attention by making outrageous claims and competing with each other.
“You do everything possible to get people’s attention. ” “He explained that there is a business motive behind it. ”
Xiao said that not having correct information adds to spreading harmful stereotypes. “There isn’t much understanding when you rely solely on government-provided information. ”
There is a problem with hatred towards Jewish people on the internet in China, and it is also seen in some parts of the country’s official media. Lately, some false ideas have become popular, and even official media sources have mentioned them.
Galia Lavi, who helps run a center in Israel focused on Israel-China policies, said that when hateful messages attacking Jewish people are not addressed by authorities online, it is like silently supporting those messages. She made a comparison to China, which has also not criticized Hamas.
She said that when Chinese officials do not criticize Hamas, it means they are supporting it.
More and more people who study China and Israel have noticed that there is more hate towards Jewish people in China. Some Chinese diplomats seem to have noticed this too. On Sunday, Hua Chunying, an Assistant Foreign Minister, wrote on X, a platform similar to Twitter, that “during World War II, China gave home to 20,000 Jewish people in Shanghai. ”
Many people online are critical of Israel, but not everyone feels the same way. On Weibo, some people have criticized Hamas’ “acts of terrorism” and want it to be defeated, while others have felt sorry for both sides.
“Support Israel,” a user wrote in a recent comment, getting 1,600 likes on a post by the Israeli Embassy. This has increased the Embassy’s daily post count.The Israeli diplomatic outpost has been using Chinese social media, according to Lavi from the Diane & Guilford Glazer Israel-China Policy Center in an interview with CNN.
Lavi said that it is expected for the Israeli Embassy to be more busy during these times, as they are trying to inform the world about what has happened.
The Israeli Embassy shared several posts about Noa Argamani, a young Israeli woman who has both Israeli and Chinese heritage. In the videos, she was forcefully separated from her boyfriend by militants during a music festival attack that caused over 260 deaths. Both are now thought to have been kidnapped.
However, although some people had a positive reaction to the post, it also received a lot of negative feedback. A person who strongly supports their own country and has a lot of people following them on social media asked why they should worry about what is happening to Argamani.
The commentator asked if she should ask the Israeli government for help because her whole family is Israeli.
The post got 24,000 likes and was shared over 500 times. Some people said that the Israeli Embassy was using women and children to receive sympathy.
Wendy Zhou, a student doing a PhD in the Chinese internet at Georgia State University, explained that the war has become a big topic of discussion in China online. This is because it allows people to express their political views in a space that is normally controlled tightly by the government.
China does not allow foreign social media platforms and controls or deletes comments that the Chinese Communist Party considers slightly sensitive. Because of this, she said, people who talk about it often say things that “go beyond just the event, mixing in their thoughts about what the Chinese government thinks, what the country’s important goals are, and how the government and society relate to each other. ”
China has been supporting Palestine for a long time, even before it built a strong economic relationship with Israel in recent years. Beijing was one of the first nations to support and acknowledge the Palestinian Authority, and they have consistently supported the Palestinians in voting at the United Nations.
According to Zhou, some of the opinions posted on Weibo can be linked to the widespread dislike of the United States and China’s long-standing backing for the Palestinian cause.
Many comments also mention China’s efforts for peace and make comparisons between the struggles of the Palestinian people and China’s own experiences with colonization in the past. -
More than 3,700 people have died in Gaza – Health officials
We received new numbers from the health ministry in Gaza. They say that since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, at least 3,785 Palestinians have died in Gaza.
They say that out of the people who died, 1,524 were kids, 1,000 were women, and 120 were old.
A total of 12,493 people have been hurt, according to health officials.
This number of deaths includes 471 people who, according to the Gaza health ministry, died on Tuesday at Al-Ahli Arab hospital. Hamas says Israel bombed them, but Israel has evidence showing that a rocket from Gaza was accidentally fired.
The exact number of people who died in that incident is being argued about. A representative from the Israeli foreign ministry said it was a few dozen. -
Israel fires back at Lebanon after missile launch
Our page this morning has talked about the fighting in Gaza, but there is also violence happening in the other part of Israel.
After Hamas attacked on October 7th, Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters have been shooting at each other across the Lebanese border.
Today, the Israeli army said it fired artillery at Lebanon in response to two missiles being shot at a Kibbutz called Manara in the north.
The IDF has reported that no one was hurt in the recent missile attack. They also mentioned that they are using artillery shelling to attack the place from where the missiles were launched. -
Sunak promises to support Israel during its ‘darkest hour’
Rishi Sunak promised to support Israel during its toughest times and expressed his desire for Israel to succeed in its conflict with Hamas.
After a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli counterpart, the Prime Minister said that the Palestinian people are also suffering from the actions of Hamas.
He said that the UK agrees with Israel’s ability to protect itself, as allowed by international law.
Mr Netanyahu said that Israel needs ongoing help for a lengthy period of conflict.
The two leaders are meeting as part of Mr Sunak’s two-day visit to the broader area. Number 10 has stated that he will go to Saudi Arabia later today, along with visiting other cities in the region.
The Israeli Prime Minister compared the Palestinian militant group to the Nazis, and described the conflict with Hamas as a battle that involves all civilized countries.
Israeli warplanes and artillery have been continuously attacking Gaza after an unusual Hamas attack on Israel resulted in the death of over 1,400 people on 7 October.
Gaza is still being restricted, with Israel stopping the delivery of water, electricity, and fuel.
Talking to the press after the meeting with Mr. Sunak said that the UK fully supports Israel’s ability to protect itself, but it should do so while following the laws of the international community.
The UK prime minister said that Israel is being very careful to avoid hurting innocent people, which is completely different from what Hamas is doing.
He also said that he was glad that Israel announced on Wednesday that it would allow aid to enter southern Gaza from Egypt.
Israel has said that it will not let any help go through its own land until the people captured by Hamas in an earlier attack are set free.
After meeting Israel’s president Isaac Herzog before, No 10 said Mr Sunak has expectations for more positive advancements in providing help to Gaza.
Before, the leader of the government said that Israel had experienced a very terrible act of violence committed by Hamas.
The visit is happening right after US President Biden’s visit, because world leaders are working hard to stop the conflict between Hamas and prevent it from affecting the whole area.
After visiting Israel, Mr Sunak will have a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while he is in Saudi Arabia. We have not yet figured out the specific plans for the rest of the trip. -
Sunak calls for advancement in Israel-Gaza aid discussions
Rishi Sunak wants to continue helping Gaza after meeting with the Israeli president, according to Downing Street’s statement.
A spokesperson for the British Prime Minister said that he talked about the problem with President Isaac Herzog after reaching Israel for a two-day trip to the area.
He is also having discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As Western leaders try harder to stop the conflict with Hamas from getting worse.
Downing Street said that Mr. Sunak is pleased with Israel’s announcement on Wednesday about allowing aid to reach southern Gaza from Egypt.
Israel says it will not let any help go through its land until Hamas releases the people it kidnapped during their recent attack.
Mr Sunak and President Herzog both agreed that it is very important to provide immediate help to the people in Gaza who are in need of humanitarian support, according to a spokesperson from 10 Downing Street.
The UK prime minister said that he really hopes that they can make more progress in getting important food, water, and medicine to people.
Mr Sunak expressed gratitude to the Israeli president for helping British citizens affected by the attacks, including the families of British hostages, according to No 10.
The leaders promised to keep working very hard to free them, the statement said.
Western diplomatic trips refer to the visits made by diplomats from Western countries to other countries for the purpose of carrying out diplomatic activities and building relationships.
Before, Mr Sunak said Israel experienced a terrible act of terrorism done by Hamas, and the UK supports Israel.
The visit is happening just after President Biden’s visit, as leaders from around the world are trying harder to stop the conflict with Hamas from spreading to other areas.
After his visit to Israel, Mr. Sunak will go to other important cities in the area. His exact schedule is uncertain because many security and diplomatic elements are involved.
The journey, which happens after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s trip on Tuesday and Mr. Biden’s 24 hours later, shows that the Western leaders are working together.
These countries, called the Quint, include the US, UK, Germany, France, and Italy.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, will come to visit Israel soon.People close to Mr. Sunak said that besides supporting Israel and advocating for humanitarian aid to Gaza, he would also stress the importance of Israel conducting a ground invasion in a calm and measured manner.
Mr Biden’s visit was not the main focus of attention because there was a powerful explosion at a hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday, which caused the loss of lives.
The United States stated that the explosion seemed to be from a rocket that Palestinian militants tried to launch but didn’t work. This supports Israel’s explanation of what happened.
The hospital was hit by an Israeli air strike, according to Palestinian officials.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Chancellor Sunak stated that British intelligence agencies are trying to find out who caused the explosion. He advised Members of Parliament not to make hasty decisions without proper evidence.
In a later statement, Mr Sunak said: “The attack on Al-Ahli Hospital should be an important moment for leaders in the area and around the world to work together to prevent more dangerous escalation of conflict.
The prime minister is visiting Gaza because Israel has warned about launching a ground attack there. People are worried about the living conditions in Gaza.
Israeli warplanes and heavy weapons have been attacking Gaza since over 1,400 people died in a huge attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October.
Over 3,000 people have died in many air attacks on Gaza by the Israeli military.
After Hamas attacked, Israel stopped the delivery of fuel, water, food, and medical supplies to the area. They are also asking for the release of many people who were taken hostage into Gaza by Hamas.
Over one million people in Gaza have been forced to leave their homes. Gaza is extremely crowded, and there is not enough of necessary items like food and water.
Mr Sunak said that the UK is working nonstop to rescue hostages who were captured by Hamas.
At least seven people from Britain have been confirmed as dead after the attack on Israel. The UK government said that they are still looking for nine more UK citizens who have not been found.
In the meantime, James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, met with his Egyptian counterpart while he was on his own trip to the Middle East.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said they talked about ways to prevent the conflict from getting worse and how to send help to Gaza. Cleverly will also have meetings with leaders in Turkey and Qatar soon. -
Tunisian protesters cause damage to a historic synagogue
A very old synagogue in Tunisia has suffered a lot of damage because of protests against Israel.
A lot of people saw a video and pictures on social media that showed many protesters burning down a synagogue in the city of Al Hammah in Tunisia.
It is believed to have occurred shortly after a powerful explosion in Gaza on Tuesday that caused the deaths of many people. The Arab world mostly blames Israel for this tragic event. Israel said that a Palestinian militant group accidentally launched a rocket.
The synagogue was damaged in protests in 2011 but is now not used for worship. The tomb of a 16th Century rabbi is located in this place, and it used to be an important site where people would go on pilgrimages.
The American Jewish Committee issued a statement on Wednesday.
It was very scared and upset to see the synagogue on fire and being destroyed.
Our main worry is the safety and happiness of Tunisia’s Jewish community. We are carefully watching the situation and staying in touch with community leaders.
Tunisia has had Jewish people living there for a long time – they were there even before Islam or Christianity arrived in North Africa.
Out of the 100,000 people who were there before Israel was made in 1948, only about 1,500 are still here. -
Sunak in Israel to meet with the government
Rishi Sunak promised to support Israel when he visited the country before his meetings with its leaders.
When the UK prime minister arrived in Tel Aviv, he said that Israelis had experienced a terrible act of terrorism carried out by Hamas earlier this month.
MrSunak is going to have a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog later. This meeting is happening as part of Mr. Sunak’s two-day visit to the region.
He will also use the trip to ask for help for the people in Gaza.
The visit comes right after President Biden’s visit, as leaders from around the world are working harder to stop the fighting between Hamas and prevent it from affecting more countries.
WhenSunak arrived, he told the reporters that he wanted to have a good and useful meeting with Israel’s leaders.
Most importantly, I am here to show my support for the Israeli people.
“You have experienced a very terrible act of terrorism, and I want you to understand that the United Kingdom and I support you. ”
The Prime Minister is being asked to support a request for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.
UK citizens were killed in attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel.
He will meet with Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. One of the things he will do is offer his sympathy for the civilians who have been killed in the war. Afterwards, he will visit other nearby city capitals.
The journey, which happens after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s on Tuesday and Mr Biden’s the next day, shows that the Western leaders are standing together.
They are part of a group called the Quint, which includes the US, UK, Germany, France, and Italy. The leaders of these countries spoke soon after Hamas attacked Israel earlier this month.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, will be coming to visit Israel very soon.
The people with Mr. Sunak say that his visit will mainly be about showing support for Israel in person. He will also ask for help to reach the people in Gaza who need aid, and he will stress the importance of Israel being careful and calm in its approach to a ground invasion.
MrBiden’s visit was overshadowed by a very bad explosion at a hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday.
He said the explosion seemed to have happened because a rocket launched by Palestinian militants didn’t work as planned, which supports what Israel said about the incident.
But Palestinian leaders said that an attack from Israeli fighter jets targeted the hospital.
During the Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Mr Sunak stated that British intelligence agencies were trying to find out who was responsible for the explosion. He advised Members of Parliament not to make hasty conclusions.
In a later statement, Mr. Sunak said: “The attack on Al-Ahli Hospital should be a turning point for leaders in the region and around the world to unite and prevent further dangerous escalation of conflict.
I will make sure that the UK is leading the way in this effort.
It is not known what will happen during the rest of the prime minister’s trip. There are many complicated factors involving security and diplomacy that make it difficult to plan exactly where he will go.
The night before Mr. Sunak’s trip, many people gathered outside Downing Street in London to remember and honor those who died in the hospital explosion.
In another part of the city, King Charles spoke with strong emotion about the importance of being accepting of different religions and showing respect to one another. He mentioned the ongoing conflicts in Israel and Gaza as examples of global unrest.
The prime minister is visiting Gaza because Israel has been warning about a possible attack on the ground. They are worried about the people’s well-being there.
Israeli warplanes and artillery have been continuously attacking Gaza since over 1,400 people died during an unexpected Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th.
Over 3,000 people have lost their lives in many air attacks on Gaza by the Israeli army.
Israel has stopped fuel, water, food, and medical supplies from going into the area since Hamas attacked. They are also asking for the release of many hostages that Hamas took into Gaza.
Over a million people in Gaza have been forced to leave their homes. Gaza is a very crowded place, and there is not enough of important things like food and water.
President Biden said that Israel and Egypt have agreed to let essential aid reach Gaza. But Israel said it won’t let any help go through its own land until Hamas frees the people it’s holding captive.
MrSunak said that the UK is working very hard to rescue people who have been kidnapped by Hamas.
At least seven people from Britain were killed in the attack on Israel. The UK government said that there are nine more UK citizens who have not been found yet.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also had a meeting with the Egyptian counterpart while he was on his trip to the Middle East.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry talked about how different countries are trying to stop the conflict from getting worse and get help to the people in Gaza. Cleverly will also have meetings with leaders from Turkey and Qatar soon. -
Israeli attacks killing hundreds of Palestinians as Gaza crisis spread to the West Bank
Ibrahim Wadi, who is 62 years old, and his son, Ahmad, who is 24 years old, were going to a funeral for four Palestinians who were killed by Israeli settlers in their community in the occupied West Bank. While they were driving in their car, they were attacked.
The dad and son were driving in a small village called Qusra, near Nablus. This village has had a lot of violence lately. On Thursday, while they were driving, some armed settlers shot at them. Relatives told CNN that the men were taken to a hospital close by and passed away shortly after because of their injuries.
At least 61 people, including children, have been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 7. Hamas attacked Israel unexpectedly and it was a first-time occurrence. This information comes from the Palestinian Ministry of Health there. Over 1,250 people have been hurt.
The attack by Hamas has caused the death of over 1,400 people in Israel, mostly ordinary people, and it is believed that at least 199 people are being held captive in Gaza, as reported by Israeli authorities.
Israel has declared a “total blockade” in response to the situation and has attacked multiple areas in the Gaza Strip. This has resulted in the deaths of at least 3,478 people. The health ministry in Gaza, which is under Hamas control, has also mentioned the possibility of a ground invasion. Right now, there is growing tension in the West Bank. Palestinians in the area have been involved in conflicts with both Israeli forces and settlers, and unfortunately, some Palestinians have lost their lives.
Hani Odeh, the mayor of Qusra, said to CNN that Israeli settlers freely move around the village with the support of the Israeli police. He told someone from COGAT, an organization in Israel, that he was going to the funeral with Ahmad and Ibrahim.
A little while ago, the Israeli person advised him to choose a different path instead of the usual one to stay away from the settlers in the area. Surprisingly, the road Odeh and the others were told to go on had settlers on it. Sadly, the settlers ended up shooting and killing Ahmad and Ibrahim while they were in their car.
Odeh said to CNN that he saw the attack from his own car while Israeli soldiers were guarding the street. He approached an officer and asked him to make the settlers go away, but nobody took any action. He explained that it seemed like a trap.
CNN asked COGAT and the IDF for a response to Odeh’s claims, but they haven’t received a reply yet.
BrigadierGeneral Hagari said that anyone who tries to oppose us in Judea and Samaria, which are the Jewish names for the West Bank, will face a strong and powerful response.
CNN talked to people who live in the West Bank and they told CNN that they are scared of violence from the Israeli army and security forces. They are also worried about revenge attacks from the approximately 700,000 Israeli settlers who live in that area. In simple words: Recently, there have been a lot of violent incidents in the West Bank, including attacks by settlers. These incidents have been happening more frequently than before, and one attack was so severe that an Israeli military commander described it as a “pogrom. ”
Even before the fighting with Hamas, there was already a lot of tension in the West Bank. Israel started going into the West Bank after there were many attacks from Palestinians. They were looking for places where they believed militants were gathered. The violence caused a lot of deaths among both Palestinians and Israelis, more than at any time in the past ten years.
Days after the violent incident in Qusra, a town with about 7,000 people, the residents are still shocked and upset. Pictures remembering the six people who died cover the walls of houses and buildings. The air feels very sad and empty.
Cars are set on fire, water pumps are damaged, and electricity lines are broken near an apartment building located at the outskirts of the village where the initial four murders happened. There is broken glass all over the floor, and there are bullet holes on the walls.
On October 11, some people with weapons attacked the building. This made the residents ask for help. When a few neighbors came to the place, the settlers started shooting and killed four people. The people who died were Musa’ab Abu Raidi, who was 19 years old, Obaida Abu Srour, who was 18 years old, Hassan Muhannad, who was 22 years old, and Moath Odesa, who was 29 years old.Rabeea, who is 19 years old, and her younger brother Abdulrahman, who is 12 years old, were in their apartment building. They were really scared as they saw the attack happening. The brothers and sisters, who requested CNN to not mention their last name because they worry about punishment from Israeli settlers, described how settlers threw rocks and shot at the building while they, along with their mother, hid inside.
Their big brother and his 6-year-old daughter got hurt and are getting help at a hospital close by. Odeh, who is the mayor, said in an interview with CNN that there were 12 people, including them, who had to be taken to the hospital following the attack.
Rabeea explains that her brother cannot sleep at night because he is feeling very scared to be by himself. CNN visited the family while they were putting their stuff in boxes and getting ready to relocate to a different village.
I feel really upset. “I want to cry, but what can we do. “”I want to remain here, but we are unable to take any action. ”
They have come here in the past. Seven years ago, Rabeea and Abdulrahman told everyone that their father was killed by Israeli settlers close to Nablus. Their family had to move to Qusra because they were scared of getting attacked. Now, they are feeling very afraid to stay, so they are being forced to leave their home once more.
Israel gained control of the West Bank in 1967 during a war and has occupied it since. Israeli citizens have moved into the area, sometimes with military protection. The people who live there hope that the West Bank will become part of a future Palestinian state.
Many countries believe that these settlements break the rules of international law. However, Israeli governments have promised to continue supporting them. Israel sees the West Bank as an area where there is disagreement about who should control it, and they believe that their actions of building settlements there are allowed by the law.
This year, after the election of a very conservative and extreme government in Israel led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there has been increased violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank.
By mid-September of this year, the United Nations reported that there were 798 incidents caused by settlers in the occupied territory, which resulted in 216 Palestinians getting hurt. During that time, Israeli soldiers caused the death of 179 Palestinians in the West Bank.
The IDF claims that most of the people they target are either suspected of being involved in terrorism or are engaging in violent actions against their troops during raids. However, they do not always provide proof for this claim.
People who have moved to live in a new place have been accused of hurting Palestinians. In addition to killings, these attacks have also involved physical attacks, causing harm to property, and disturbing behavior towards others.
Odeh said that they want to make Palestinians leave their homes and eventually leave the occupied West Bank.
This year, due to global criticism, Netanyahu told Jewish settlers that they can’t take land in the West Bank without the Israeli government’s approval. But with him as the leader, Israel has given permission for a lot of new houses to be built in West Bank settlements.
People in the government who are part of a right-wing group have been accused of causing harm to Palestinians. These government members include National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who are settlers themselves.After Hamas attacked on October 7, Palestinians are facing strict limits on how they can move around the West Bank and between the West Bank and Israel. Israeli military forces have closed off checkpoints and roads, making it difficult for people to travel, as reported by residents speaking to CNN.
Palestinians who live in the West Bank said to CNN that the closure has made a big impact on their daily lives. It has limited their ability to travel for work, school, medical treatment, and other important activities.
During a conversation with US President Joe Biden, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas asked for an immediate stop to attacks on people living in Palestinian areas by settlers in the West Bank. He also emphasized the importance of preventing the killing of innocent people on both sides.
At Ibrahim and Ahmad’s house, which was not far from the apartment building that was attacked in Qusra, their family was very sad on Sunday. They could see an Israeli settlement getting closer to their home. The family includes their wives, daughters, and sisters.
Thank goodness, we are powerful. “And if God allows, we will keep having the energy and calmness,” Khitam Wadi, the wife of Ibrahim and mother of Ahmad, told CNN.
My husband really enjoyed his land. He protected his property. “And we will keep doing the same as long as we are alive,” she said.
Clearly upset, Khitam struggled to explain her sadness. But the younger women in the family, even though they were hurting, were determined to stick to their opinions.
I feel unhappy, obviously. All of this has an impact on me, but it doesn’t make me weaker. Aseel, who is Ibrahim’s daughter and Ahmad’s sister, said that we have always experienced the same thing and nothing has changed in our lives.
This is where we live. My dad showed me how important it is to care about and appreciate my country. I will teach my children the same things. And I will stay forever. -
China’s President pushes two-state solution for Israel-Hamas conflict to end quickly
Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Thursday that a two-state solution, where Palestine becomes an independent country, is the best way to resolve the Israel-Hamas conflict. This is his first public statement about the war that started almost two weeks ago.
China’s leader Xi wants a ceasefire quickly to stop the conflict from getting worse and causing a big humanitarian crisis.
Xi said that China is ready to work with Egypt and Arab nations to find a fair and long-lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.
The leader of Egypt went to Beijing to participate in the Belt and Road Forum, a big event celebrating ten years of Xi’s global infrastructure project.
Xi also commended Egypt for playing a significant part in reducing tensions. He mentioned that China supports Egypt’s efforts to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza.
On Wednesday, Egypt said it would let supplies for people in Gaza come in through the border, with the help of US President Joe Biden and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Biden made an agreement during his 7-hour visit to Israel on Wednesday. This visit was important because it showed strong support for the US friend, Israel, while also asking them to be careful in how they react to the situation in Gaza.
However, it is still uncertain when the aid convoy will be permitted to go into Gaza. Additionally, the original agreement for 20 trucks is only a small part of the 100 trucks per day that the World Health Organization states is required.
The fighting started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, causing the death of around 1,400 people. This conflict has highlighted the growing disagreements between powerful countries.
Israel has attacked and trapped Gaza, causing the death of about 3,500 Palestinians, including many children, as reported by local health authorities.
A short time before Biden arrived in Israel, Putin arrived in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum. The leader who was not well connected with other countries was treated as a special guest. They were seated beside Xi and spoke after him at the start of a meeting, which lasted for three hours, between the two leaders.
During their meeting, the two leaders talked about the problem in the Middle East. Putin said it was a big issue that made Russia and China become closer.
China and Russia have asked for the fighting to stop in the increasing conflict and have not directly criticized Hamas. This is very different from the strong support that the US and leaders in Europe have shown for Israel.
Beijing’s decision not to criticize Hamas has made Israel angry and disappointed. US officials have also criticized this decision. China has not criticized Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which has made many European capitals angry.
As the fighting in Israel gets worse, Beijing has shown stronger support for the Palestinians. Over the weekend, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticized Israel for taking actions that he believes go beyond self-defense.
However, China has tried to show itself as a fair peacemaker in the conflict.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that they will be sending Middle East Envoy Zhai Jun to the region this week. His goal is to promote peace talks and encourage a ceasefire.
China really cares about its business with Russia and the Middle East. They want to make sure they can keep buying oil and gas from those places no matter what. -
Israel claims to have evidence Islamist extremists are responsible for Gaza hospital blast
Israel’s military says it has evidence that a group of religious extremists caused a terrible explosion at a hospital in Gaza. It is believed that this explosion resulted in the deaths of approximately 500 individuals.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that the killing at the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital was very bad and unlike anything they had seen before. A lot of women and children were among those who were killed.
This has caused more angry feelings in an area that was already in a bad situation because of Hamas’s violent attack on October 7. This attack led to protests against Israel’s bombing campaign in response.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are rejecting the claim that they are responsible for the incident. They instead believe that Hamas is trying to hide the truth by making a big media campaign and exaggerating the number of victims.
When President Joe Biden came to the country, he said it doesn’t seem like Israel caused the explosion.
‘From what I’ve seen, it seems like the other team did it, not you,’ he said when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari informed journalists that the military has confirmed that the explosion was caused by a rocket that malfunctioned and was fired by the Islamic Jihad group.
He said that Hamas shot many rockets towards Israel at 6. 15pm, and then Islamic Jihad shot another 10 rockets at 6. 59pm – which was when the first reports of an explosion at the hospital came in.
According to Hagari, the main parts of the hospital building are still in one piece. The projectile landed in a parking area, causing a big explosion because there was fuel left inside.
He said that the hospital was not hit by any gunfire from the IDF on land, sea, or air. He also mentioned to the reporters that the rocket was probably shot from a cemetery close by.
The person speaking also said that the militants mentioned an unsuccessful Islamic Jihad in their messages that were intercepted. He also said that this is now being used as a way to spread negative ideas about Israel.
Hagari said that it is not possible to know what happened as fast as Hamas claimed they knew. That should have been the first sign of warning for many.
Unlike Hamas, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) quickly started an investigation that was monitored by their top leaders.
This expert review was done using information, systems, and videos from the air. We made sure to double-check everything.
We have proof that the explosion in al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza was caused by a rocket from Islamic Jihad that went off in the wrong way.
The IDF is explaining why Israel is not to blame for the attack on a hospital in Gaza.One of Benjamin Netanyahu’s top advisers said the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group launched a failed rocket, causing the disaster.
Speaking to Sky News, Mark Regev stated that the statistics are clear. In previous fights, about 33% of the rockets from Islamic Jihad that were aimed at Israel didn’t reach their target and instead landed in Gaza.
Our sources tell us that there was a fire caused by Islamic Jihad near the hospital. It seems that a rocket went wrong and accidentally hit the hospital.
In the recent fighting in 2021, there was a situation where Israel was accused of hitting a target and killing an innocent family.
‘Finally, we were able to show with a video that it was their rocket that was launched and we witnessed the rocket land. ”
Eylon Levy, a spokesperson for the government, told the TV station that they strongly disagree with the numbers presented by Gaza’s health ministry.
He said the country was very doubtful because Hamas quickly announced extremely high numbers after the explosion. He also said that they strongly disagree with those numbers.
Israel is saying that a rocket fired from Gaza hit a hospital in Gaza.
The terror group said that Israel’s accusations were not true.
It means: ‘The claims made by the enemy are not true and have no evidence. ‘
They said Israel told the hospital to leave and a bomb from an Israeli plane caused the explosion.
People came out to march in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, and the West Bank because Khaled Meshaal, who used to be in charge of Hamas, asked them to protest outside embassies everywhere.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group urged for a day full of strong anger against Israel and President Biden’s visit.
The president visited to try to make the area peaceful and support efforts to help the people in Gaza.
But after the hospital workers stopped working, Jordan decided to not have a meeting with him, the President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, and the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Abbas also canceled a meeting with Biden. -
Kenya begins to pull its residents out of Israel
Kenya has started to bring back its people from Israel after the war began 10 days ago.
The first group of 11 people who are being moved to a safer place is expected to come today, as shared by Roseline Njogu, a senior person responsible for helping Kenyan citizens living abroad.
Right now, more than 500 Kenyan citizens are registered with the Kenyan embassy in Israel. Many of them live in places that are safe and not affected by the fighting happening there.
On 7 October, Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip in a way that had never happened before. Israel has responded with attacks on Gaza, and they are likely going to send troops into the area as well.
At the start of the conflict, some people from Kenya left on their own.
According to the East African newspaper, most Kenyans in Israel are students, people on religious trips, or those doing short scientific research programs. -
Russia criticises Israel as divisions among the West grow
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, will meet in Beijing this week. Their meeting is expected to show that they both want a new international order where the United States and its democratic friends do not have all the power.
This meeting is happening between the two most powerful rulers in the world. It is happening at a time when tensions between countries are increasing, especially after Russia invaded Ukraine shortly after the leaders’ last meeting in China in 2022. Additionally, there is a war going on between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which could potentially escalate into a larger conflict and disrupt stability in the Middle East.
Both Beijing and Moscow are unhappy with Israel’s actions and want them to stop fighting. This is another example of how the two countries are working together to show they can lead instead of the US. The US supports Israel‘s right to fight back.
The two men are meeting because it was confirmed that US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday. Biden is expected to strongly support Israel as they try to get rid of Hamas. At the same time, the US wants to find ways to help the people in Gaza who are suffering, and is warning other countries in the region to stay out of the conflict.
Xi and Putin will probably talk about the situation when they meet this week. Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday morning as a special guest for the Belt and Road Forum, which is a rare trip for him because he doesn’t usually travel abroad for diplomatic reasons.
Leaders, representatives, and groups from over 140 countries will attend a special event in China. This event celebrates 10 years since Xi Jinping started a project to fund global infrastructure. It is also a chance for Xi to show China’s increasing global goals.
Experts say that the timing of the forum that took place in Beijing, while Israel is considering a ground invasion of Gaza, gives Putin a chance to divert attention from the conflict in Ukraine.
Moscow plans to propose a resolution to the United Nations Security Council, asking for a ceasefire. The resolution does not specifically mention Hamas. On Friday, the Russian UN representative compared the continuous shelling of Gaza by Israel to the harsh blockade of Leningrad during World War II.
On the opposite side of history, President Joe Biden of the United States said that the attack by Hamas was the most awful killing of Jewish people since the Holocaust.China has decided to send someone to the Middle East to help with negotiations and has criticized actions that hurt innocent people. However, they did not specifically blame Hamas or mention them directly in their statements.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Israel’s actions have gone too far and are no longer justifiable as self-defense.
Both countries’ statements are different from the US’s. The US strongly supports Israel and believes that now is not the right time for a ceasefire.
Xi and Putin will talk about the fighting in Ukraine during their next meeting.
In that fight, China has also tried to be a peacemaker.
However, when it comes to China’s desire to convince the Russian leader to stop invading, Xi might be careful to avoid doing anything that could harm their relationship.
This is because he is probably monitoring changes in world opinion about the conflict, especially in Europe. The upcoming US election next year could also cause a big change in how much support the US gives to Ukraine.
According to Li Mingjiang, a professor at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, we haven’t seen any indication that China wants to use its advantage to pressure Russia.
The Chinese government doesn’t want there to be any distrust at all between Beijing and Moscow.
Putin, who has rarely left the group of countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union since starting his war, is not welcome by Western countries and is being sought by an international court for possible war crimes. Experts say he doesn’t want to go anywhere if he doesn’t feel completely safe. Last week, he went on a trip to Kyrgyzstan, which was the first trip he made outside of Russian-controlled territory this year.
However, even though Putin’s situation has changed since his last visit to Beijing, the two leaders have become more similar in their ideas about how the world should be, which is different from what the West believes. They are trying to convince other countries to support their efforts to change the current global power balance, which they believe is unfair to them.
During an interview before the event, Putin spoke highly of Xi, saying he is a trustworthy leader who handles situations with calmness and practicality. Putin admires Xi’s way of dealing with other countries, which is not forceful or demanding, but rather offers chances for others.
The two leaders, who often talk about how close they are as friends, have gotten together 40 times in the last ten years. They have met two times since the war in Ukraine began. During their last meeting in Beijing, Xi and Putin made a 5,000-word statement saying that they are partners without any restrictions, and they strongly agree against the West.
Li in Singapore said that it will be a great chance for Putin to get attention on a global level and prove that Russia still has a strong ally in China by attending the forum.
“And it’s politically important for China to have a significant international figure like Putin join the BRI summit,” he said. In easier terms, the forum is expected to have leaders from developing and middle income countries that have less influence.
Russia attacked Ukraine and this tested the relationship between China and Russia. Western countries questioned China’s close relationship with Russia and wondered if China’s leader, Xi, knew about Russia’s plan in advance.
Beijing says it is not picking sides in the conflict and wants peace. Lately, it has been trying hard to be a mediator for peace. People are worried because China is very close to Russia, so this has made its relationships with Europe and the United States more tense.
But China, the second largest economy in the world, has also become an important support for Russia, which is facing sanctions. Russia now relies on China for buying goods and energy. The two countries have increased their cooperation in various fields since the war began.
In 2023, the trade between Russia and China reached its highest level ever and kept increasing. Experts say that they have improved security by doing more military exercises together and having frequent official discussions. They have also strengthened their diplomatic relationship, including the state visit of President Xi to Moscow which was an important trip for him.
According to Alex Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, China tries to create a clear separation from Russia when speaking to Western audiences, both in their words and actions.
“(However) even though they don’t officially call it a ‘no limits partnership,’ (the China-Russia relationship) has actually become stronger, more stable, and closer,” he said. -
Israel evacuates residents along border with Lebanon over concern of escalation
Israel’s military is moving 28 communities away from the northern border with Lebanon because the fighting with Hezbollah militants is getting worse.
On Sunday, two people from Israel were killed. They were hit by missiles that came from Lebanon and targeted a village and a military post.
The army said it attacked places where Hezbollah soldiers were located as a reaction.
It also said that Iran, who supports the group, ordered attacks to take attention away from the Gaza war.
Iran said to Israel that if it continues to attack the Palestinian territory, there is a chance of a big conflict happening in that region. This is in response to the militant group Hamas attacking Israel earlier this month.
Hezbollah is a very strong army in Lebanon and has rockets that can reach far into Israel. It had a war with Israel that lasted for a whole month in 2006.
Israeli government minister Benny Gantz visited a community co-ordination centre in the town of Shlomi. During this visit, the BBC asked him if he believed there would be another war with Hezbollah.
“I don’t want it to happen, but we are getting ready for it,” he answered.
The IDF said on Monday that it is helping people living within 2km (1. 2 miles) of the border with Lebanon to leave their homes and stay in paid accommodations provided by the government.
A representative said that the evacuation was done to protect people and to give the military the ability to act if needed.
However, many villages near the border are mostly empty, with only a quarter of the population remaining.
People who live there told the BBC that families had not waited for the official order. Instead, they quickly gathered their belongings and took their children to a safer place in the south.
In a lot of situations, the only people still in the villages are soldiers and local security team members who stayed to assist them.
The towns are very near to the border, and you can see the strong fence made by Israel next to it. In a few of them, you can also notice the Hezbollah observation posts on the opposite side.
On Sunday, there was a lot of fighting in different places along the border line. The IDF and Hezbollah were shooting at each other.
Israel has announced that a civilian has died from an attack by Hezbollah in the ongoing violence. A person in their forties died in a missile attack on the village of Shtula near the border.
Afterwards, an Israeli soldier named Lt Amitai Granot was killed in a missile attack on a military post, as mentioned by Israeli media.
In another incident, a rocket struck the main building of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Unifil, located in the city of Naqoura. Nobody got hurt.
The IDF said it attacked Hezbollah’s military buildings and equipment on Sunday and during the night.
It was also said that nine rockets were shot from Lebanon into Israeli land. Five of them were stopped, and Israel reacted by attacking the places the rockets were launched from.
On Monday, three Israeli soldiers died when they fought against militants from Palestinian Islamic Jihad. These militants came from Lebanon and crossed the border. Later that day, the Israeli army attacked places in Lebanon after mortar fire, and at least three fighters from Hezbollah were killed.
On Friday, a cameraman from Reuters news agency named Issam Abdallah was killed by shellfire while he was reporting near a village called Alma al-Shaab in Lebanon. The IDF is checking if it’s true that Israeli soldiers shot the shell, as claimed by Lebanon.
The Israeli army sent many more soldiers to the border recently. However, the defense minister said they don’t want a war in the north.
If Hezbollah decides to go to war, it will face severe consequences. Very difficult or burdensome. “But if it controls itself, we will show respect and maintain the current situation,” he said.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said that his country sent a message to Israel. The message basically said that if Israel does not stop its cruel actions in Gaza, Iran cannot just watch and do nothing.
He also said that if the war got bigger, the United States would have a lot of problems and lose a lot.
The US announced that they were sending another group of warships to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to prevent any harmful actions against Israel or any attempt to expand the conflict after Hamas attacked. -
Israel refuses to ceasefire in southern Gaza as thousands wait at border crossing
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that there are no plans for a ceasefire to help people from other countries leave southern Gaza and allow humanitarian assistance to enter.
According to news from the US media, there were reports that Egypt may allow people to cross the Rafah border for a few hours starting from 9:00 am local time (6:00 am GMT). However, the border is currently closed.
Many people are coming together and hoping to leave Gaza before they think Israel will attack on foot.
People from the United States who are in Gaza were previously told to go nearer to the crossing.The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, mentioned that the crossing would be open to provide aid, but he did not give details about when it would happen.
At the moment, the Israeli military is moving 28 communities away from the Lebanese border, within a distance of 2km or 1. 24 miles.US President Joe Biden asked Israel to be careful as their military gets ready for a ground attack in Gaza.
Over 1,400 people in Israel died in recent attacks by Hamas. At the same time, around 2,700 people in Gaza were killed in Israel’s retaliatory bombing.