Tensions intensified following the assassinations of Hezbollah’s senior military commander, Fouad Shokor, in Beirut, and Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran on July 31….reports Asian Lite News
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries urged all actors involved in the current Middle East crisis to refrain from any step that could possibly escalate the conflict further.
“We call on the parties concerned to desist from any initiative that could hinder the path of dialogue and moderation and encourage a new escalation,” the G7 Italian presidency said in a statement on Sunday.
After discussing the latest developments in a videoconference, the ministers expressed “strong concern about recent events that threaten to lead to a regionalisation of the crisis, starting with Lebanon,” according to Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
The G7 extraordinary meeting was called after a recent escalation in the crisis, reports Xinhua news agency.
Tensions escalated after the assassinations of Lebanese group Hezbollah’s senior military commander, Fouad Shokor, in Beirut and Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in the Iranian capital Tehran on July 31.
A few days earlier, a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights had killed 12 children and teens.
Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah blamed Israel for the killings and threatened to retaliate. Israel claimed responsibility for Shokor’s death, saying it was in retaliation to the strike in the Golan, but it did not confirm involvement in the killing of Haniyeh.
Since then, the exchange of fire and rockets ongoing across the Israel-Lebanon border has intensified, and so have the diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis.
“We reaffirmed the priority of a successful conclusion of negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages and confirmed our commitment to intensify humanitarian aid to the populations of the Strip,” the G7 presidency stressed.
Also on Sunday, Italy’s Foreign Minister called on all Italians temporarily in Lebanon to leave the country as soon as possible due to “the worsening situation” and to all citizens to avoid travelling there. Earlier, many other governments, including those of France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Jordan also issued advisories.
The G7 comprises Canada, the US, France, the UK, Italy, Germany and Japan.
The head of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian….reports Asian Lite News
Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in an attack in Iran’s capital, Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday, Press TV reported.
In a statement to Meher News Agency the IRGC said that Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence was targeted in Tehran.
“With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning (Wednesday) the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred,” the statement read.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, held a meeting with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Khamenei took to social media platform X to share pictures of his meeting with Haniyeh.
In a post on X, Khamenei’s office stated, “Imam Khamenei met with Mr. Ismail Haniyah, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, and Mr. Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement.”
In its reply to the post, the Israel Defence Forces posted “Did someone ask for a photo-op of Iran and the leaders of their proxies? Iran’s Khamenei met with Hamas’ Ismail Haniyah and the Islamic Jihad’s Ziyad-al Nakhalah — two of the terrorist organizations who have been attempting to kill Israelis using weapons made and funded by Iran. We can only assume the topics of conversation included how to spend more Iranian money to kill Israelis while wishing Hezbollah’s Nasrallah could join them.”
Ismail Haniyeh who is based in Qatar, was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a Press TV report.
Earlier in April, three sons of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an air strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed. The three sons of the Hamas leader, who were confirmed dead by the Israeli forces, were identified as Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wind and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh.”
In a post on X, IDF on April 10 stated, “IAF aircraft struck Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wing, and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh, both Hamas military operatives, in central Gaza today. The IDF confirms that the 3 operatives are the sons of Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of Hamas’ political bureau.”
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence forces also announced that they had eliminated Fuad Shukr “Sayyid Muhsan”, Hezbollah’s Most Senior Military Commander. According to the IDF, Shukr was Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah’s Right-Hand Man and directed Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel. IDF said he was responsible for the killing of 12 children in Majdal Shams in northern Israel earlier, as well as the killing of numerous Israelis and foreign nationals over the years. The IDF said Shukr was also responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets and UAVs.
The commander “was responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs. He was responsible for force build-up, planning, and execution of terror attacks against the State of Israel,” IDF said.
A strong blast was heard in the Lebanese capital on Tuesday night, and video footage on social media showed mass destruction of a residential building, with rubble scattered in the street.
Lebanese media reported that at least another person was killed in the Israeli attack and 35 were injured.
Stein is a candidate for the Green Party, which advocates on a range of issues, including environmental action and the constitutional rights “of all Americans…reports Asian Lite News
Jill Stein, who is campaigning to stand as a third-party candidate in the US presidential election in November, said that if elected she would immediately halt military support for Israel’s “apartheid government,” and push Israelis and Palestinians to embrace a “genuine peace.”
She told Arab News that American policy on the Israel-Palestine conflict is driven by lobbyists, and that anyone who challenges the Israeli government over its responsibility for ethnic cleansing in Palestine is denied their constitutional rights.
Stein is a candidate for the Green Party, which advocates on a range of issues, including environmental action and the constitutional rights “of all Americans.” She said she would halt the “police oppression” of students who stage campus protests demanding an end to what many consider a genocide in Gaza, stop the flow of weapons to Israel’s government, and preserve the rights of Arab and Muslim Americans who “continue to be the victims of racism, violence and Islamophobia.”
She added: “Arab and Muslims have been taken for granted in America. They are victims of racial profiling, Islamophobia and the violence against Arabs in this country. There is an absolute violation of our constitutional rights, by the government, to shut down our dialogue. People are trying to grapple with this genocide we are seeing in live and real time on our iPhones and on our computer screens. We need to talk about it but both the Democrats and the Republicans want to label this discussion as insurrection, as a betrayal and to try to criminalize it,” Stein, a Jewish American physician who grew up during the Vietnam War, said in reference to the police response to the wave of protests by students on hundreds of campuses around the country against the war in Gaza. They send in the riot police and bash the heads of protesters who are simply saying what the highest courts in the land are saying, the international Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court: this is a genocide that is taking place in Gaza, this is against the law and it must be stopped. It is even against US law to send weapons to Israel, which is violating humanitarian rights, which is interfering in the delivery of humanitarian aid. On all counts, it is actually illegal to provide Israel with military support and weapons right now. The people who are standing up to assert our legal values and our human values are being criminalized and being charged with crimes.”
Stein approached 34-year-old Lebanese American Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn in Michigan, to be her vice presidential running mate, before it was pointed out that candidates must be at least 35 years old when they take office, and he would be three months short of meeting this Constitutional requirement.
The political system is broken. Over 60% of us now say the two-party establishment has failed us and we need a party that serves the people.
“The Arab American community is being dealt an incredible injustice,” Stein said, adding that she believes they deserve a stronger political voice and protections from abuse. We need to stand up as Americans on behalf of all of us to assert our rights to a foreign policy that reflects our values. In fact, we need a foreign policy based on international law, human rights and diplomacy. That is what Americans are calling for. But we have a system led by political and economic elites who are used to, basically, fighting their way into domination. We have a foreign policy based on the exercise of raw military power.”
With no firm public response yet from Hamas or Israel to the proposal they received 10 days ago, Blinken started his eighth visit to the region since the conflict began in October …reports Asian Lite News
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his latest trip to the Middle East, where America’s top diplomat urged approval of a ceasefire proposal that faced new uncertainty following Israel’s hostage rescue operation that killed many Palestinians and turmoil in Netanyahu’s government.
With no firm public response yet from Hamas or Israel to the proposal they received 10 days ago, Blinken started his eighth visit to the region since the conflict began in October by meeting with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, a key mediator with the militant Hamas group. He then flew to Israel for talks with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
Blinken once again called on Hamas to accept the plan, which he said has wide international support.
“If you want a ceasefire, press Hamas to say ‘yes,’” he told reporters before leaving Cairo on the trip that also will take him to Jordan and Qatar. Blinken said Israel has accepted the proposal, though Netanyahu has expressed skepticism.
“I know that there are those who are pessimistic about the prospects,” Blinken said, putting the onus on Hamas. “That’s understandable. Hamas continues to show extraordinary cynicism in its actions, a disinterest not only in the well-being and security of Israelis but also Palestinians.”
While President Joe Biden, Blinken and other US officials have praised the rescue of four Israeli hostages on Saturday, the operation resulted in the deaths of 274 Palestinian civilians and may complicate the ceasefire push by emboldening Israel and hardening Hamas’ resolve to carry on fighting in the war that started with its Oct. 7 attack in Israel.
Blinken said the plan is the “single best way” to get to a ceasefire, release the remaining hostages and improve regional security.
In his talks with El-Sisi, Blinken also discussed plans for post-conflict governance and reconstruction in Gaza.
“It’s imperative that there be a plan, and that has to involve security, it has to involve governance, it has to involve reconstruction,” Blinken said.
Netanyahu and his government have resisted calls for any “day after” plan that would bar Israel from having some form of security presence in the territory. Blinken said he would urge Israel to come up with alternatives that would be acceptable.
“It would be very good if Israel put forward its own ideas on this, and I’ll be talking to the government about that,” he said. “But one way or another, we’ve got to have these plans, we’ve got to have them in place, we’ve got to be ready to go if we want to take advantage of a ceasefire.”
The three-phase plan calls for the release of more hostages and a temporary pause in hostilities that will last as long as it takes to negotiate the second phase, which aims to bring the release of all hostages, a “full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza” and “a permanent end to hostilities,” according to an American-drafted resolution put before the UN Security Council. The third phase calls for reconstruction in Gaza.
The Security Council voted Monday to approve the resolution, which welcomes the proposal and urges Hamas to accept it. The vote on the US-sponsored resolution was 14-0, with Russia abstaining.
But Hamas may not be the only obstacle.
Although the deal has been described as an Israeli initiative and thousands of Israelis have demonstrated to support it, Netanyahu has expressed skepticism, saying what has been presented publicly is not accurate and that Israel is still committed to destroying Hamas.
Netanyahu’s far-right allies have threatened to collapse his government if he implements the plan. Benny Gantz, a popular centrist, resigned on Sunday from the three-member War Cabinet after saying he would do so if the prime minister did not formulate a new plan for postwar Gaza.
In the aftermath of the hostage rescue, Netanyahu had urged him not to step down.
Blinken has met with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Gantz and Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on nearly all his previous trips to Israel. Officials said Blinken is expected to meet with Gantz on Tuesday.
Despite Blinken’s roughly once-a-month visits to the region since the war began, the conflict has ground on with more than 37,120 Palestinians killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its counts. Hamas and other militants killed some 1,200 people in the Oct. 7 attack, mostly civilians, and took around 250 people hostage.
The war has severely hindered the flow of food, medicine and other supplies to the Palestinians in Gaza, who are facing widespread hunger. UN agencies say more than 1 million people in the territory could experience the highest level of starvation by mid-July.
In Jordan, Blinken will take part in an emergency international conference on improving the flow of aid to Gaza.
The UNRWA has also said that it was extremely important to conduct an independent investigation into Israeli allegations…reports Asian Lite News
Israel has said that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Near East (UNRWA) is “totally infiltrated” by Hamas and wants it to be replaced by another aid agency.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had conveyed this to the Ambassadors of the UN during a meeting with them on Wednesday at Jerusalem, a statement issued by Israel Prime Minister’s Office said.
Israel had conveyed to the UN and funding countries that 12 UNRWA staff members had directly participated in the October 7 attack when Hamas terrorists swarmed into Israel killing 1,200 people and holding 253 hostage.
Israel has in its report presented before the UN stated that of the 12 UNRWA staff who had directly participated in the attack, seven were UNRWA teachers, two were educational consultants and others were administrative staff of the Agency.
The UNRWA has also said that it was extremely important to conduct an independent investigation into Israeli allegations that 12 of its employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas onslaught against Israel.
According to a statement from Israel Government Press Office, Netanyahu told the UN ambassadors that the UNRWA has been in the service of Hamas, in its schools and many other things.
Israel Prime Minister said: “I say this with great regret because we hoped that there would be an objective and constructive body to offer aid. We need such a body today in Gaza, but UNRWA is not that body.”
A dossier prepared by Israel revealed that during October 7 massacre, an UNRWA teacher was accused of being armed with an anti-tank missile, while another teacher had been accused of filming a hostage being taken captive on October 7.
Another of the staff, who, according to the dossier was an elementary school teacher and had allegedly served as a Hamas commander and participated in the massacre in Kibbutz Be’eri, while a man employed by UNRWA as a social worker was allegedly involved in kidnapping of the body of a soldier.
Several rounds of mediatory talks held at the behest of Qatar, Egypt and the US at Doha, Cairo and Paris seems to be bringing in results….reports Asian Lite News
A ceasefire to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas for release of hostages is likely by the coming week.
According to Israel Defence Ministry officials, discussions are on at a higher level and a ceasefire leading to the release of a batch of women, elderly and sick Israeli hostages from the custody of Hamas will commence soon.
While Hamas has been insisting on a complete withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for the next round of ceasefire, Israel had backed out of it in total.
Several rounds of mediatory talks held at the behest of Qatar, Egypt and the US at Doha, Cairo and Paris seems to be bringing in results.
Sources in the Israel defense ministry told IANS that Israel side has agreed upon the release of a large number of Palestinians who have been arrested and jailed in Israel in exchange for the hostages in the custody of Hamas.
According to information available after the release of women, sick and elderly civilians in Hamas custody, a second batch of hostages would also be released in which women Israeli soldiers in Hamas custody would be freed.
CIA chief William Burns and Mossad Chief David Burnea were also present in the recent mediatory talks held at Paris and have ironed out certain issues pertaining to ceasefire during their talks with Qatar and Egyptian mediators.
Sources clarified that there could be a one month ceasefire in hostilities but Israel has not agreed for the safe passage of top Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif from Gaza into either Qatar or Turkey.
Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had clearly stated that the Israel army would smoke out Sinwar from his hideout and would kill him.
Instead, the Biden administration said “pauses” to allow aid into Gaza should be considered…reports Asian Lite News
The US does not support current calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war, the White House has said. Instead, the Biden administration said “pauses” to allow aid into Gaza should be considered.
“We do not believe that a ceasefire is the right answer right now,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. “We do not support a ceasefire at this time.”
Washington is “confident” of increasing the number of aid lorries entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt to about 100 a day, Kirby said.
“This first phase that we talked to the Israelis about is trying to get it up to about 100 [lorries] a day. We’re confident that we can get there in coming days,” he said.
Limited aid has entered Gaza from Egypt under a US-brokered deal, but its volume has fallen far short of the hundreds of lorries a day that aid agencies say are needed.
Israel said it was inspecting cargo to prevent weapons smuggling and guarantee that supplies are not seized by Hamas.
Israel declared war on Hamas after it launched an unprecedented wave of attacks inside Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 230 people hostage.
More than three weeks on, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu categorically ruled out a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas on Monday, as ground forces pushed into Gaza and freed one hostage.
“Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism,” Netanyahu said after demands from UN agencies for a truce.
“This will not happen,” he told foreign media, vowing his government would “fight until this battle is won”. The military has released images of Israeli mechanised infantry units grinding through the coastal sands of northern Gaza, while witnesses reported tanks on the outskirts of Gaza city on Monday.
Israel said it hit 600 targets in 24 hours, one of the most intense periods of bombing to date, and that a missing female soldier was rescued from Hamas inside Gaza.
The release of Private Ori Megidish was “secured during a ground operation” inside Gaza the army said, adding she had been reunited with her family in Israel and was “doing well”.
Netanyahu has vowed the war will “eliminate” Hamas, ensuring no possible repeat of the group’s attacks. His government has also promised to free the hostages taken by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups on October 7.
Israel’s campaign has flattened thousands of buildings and Gaza’s 2.4 million residents are under near-continuous bombardment, with little access to water, food, fuel and other essentials.
The UN has repeatedly called for a humanitarian truce in the violence, which the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza claims has killed more than 8,000 people, many of them children. On Monday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said the limited number of aid lorries entering the besieged territory were insufficient to meet the “unprecedented humanitarian needs” there.
“Nearly 70 per cent of those reported killed are children and women,” said UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini. “This cannot be collateral damage.”
Two weeks of full siege followed by the trickle of aid last week mean that basic services are crumbling and that medicine, food and water, and fuel are running out. The streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage, which will cause a massive health hazard very soon, he said.
In the latest blow, the communications blackout over the weekend has aggravated the panic and distress of people, he said.
The blackout meant that people could not communicate with their loved ones inside Gaza to know who was dead and who was alive, that they no longer knew whether they would receive bread from UNRWA, that they felt abandoned and cut off from the rest of the world, he said.
The communications blackout has accelerated the breaking down of civil order. Panic pushed thousands of desperate people to head to the UNRWA warehouses and distribution centers. A further breakdown in civil order will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for UNRWA to continue operating. It will also make it impossible to bring in convoys, he warned.
“I say this while being fully aware that UNRWA is the last remaining lifeline for the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
The horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel on October 7 were shocking. The relentless bombardments by the Israeli Forces of the Gaza Strip are shocking. The level of destruction is unprecedented, the human tragedy is unbearable, said Lazzarini.
One million people, half the population of Gaza, were pushed from the north of the Gaza Strip toward the south in three weeks. The south, however, has not been spared from bombardment, with significant numbers of people killed, he said. “I have said many times, and I will say it again: no place is safe in Gaza.”
Accusing Israel of ‘massacres in Gaza,’ the representative stated, “Under international law, there is no justification for committing massacres. Israel is, on a daily basis, accused of perpetrating massacres in Gaza.”…reports Asian Lite News
Palestine’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyan Mansour, has slammed Israel, stating that killing more Palestinians will never make Israel more secure as he held the country responsible for the occupation of their land.
During an emergency session at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday, Mansour emphasized, “For 75 years now, Israel has explained, brazenly justified how it had to dispossess us, how it had to occupy our land, how it had to kill our people, all in full impunity.”
He continued, “Killing more Palestinians will never, never make Israel more secure. 75 years of experience should have been proof enough for those who want to learn there is no logic in this world, no moral in this world, and no law in this world that can justify the killing of people innocent children, women and men, as a pretext to make another secure.”
“The whole world is watching. They’re watching us. The events of the last ten days may shape the next ten years in our region and beyond. What happens next is decisive. If anyone thinks this is a situation under control for which you can plan and implement, they are making false and irresponsible assumptions. This is the kind of war where you know how it starts and have no clue how it ends until now,” he added.
Blaming Israel for ‘massacres in Gaza’, the envoy said, “There is no right to commit massacres in international law. Israel is perpetrating massacres in Gaza every single day. For over ten days now, you have witnessed it killing entire families, bomb shelters, schools, hospitals, residential buildings and convoys…You will all say civilian lives should be protected and yet some of you, until now, continue being unable to call for a stop to the assault, to call for an immediate ceasefire…:
“Had this Council called for a ceasefire two days ago and acted accordingly, it would have saved hundreds of lives. Maybe for some, saving hundreds of Palestinian lives is not such an important objective to pursue. But are you sure that Palestinian lives are the only ones you would be saving if you act? We told these Council months ago, act to save lives, all lives. You did not hear us then. Don’t make the same mistake now…This is the kind of war where you know how it starts and have no clue how it ends until now. It can be stopped and it should be stopped immediately. Any further delay is a risk no one should take,” he said.
He did not stop here but further went on denouncing Israel for the Gaza hospital blast.
“…the hospital massacre had such an impact on global public opinion that it had to change tactics and change its original story into a new one. So Israel will deny responsibility for the massacre in the Baptist Hospital Al Ahli, just as it made every effort to deny its responsibility in the killing of Sharina Abu Akli and Muhammad, and in the many massacres it had perpetrated over the decades…,” the envoy added.
The draft resolution on the Israel-Hamas war was not adopted on Wednesday after the United States vetoed the council’s call that would have asked for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza.
Brazil, which headed the ‘call for action’ noted that the focus remains on the critical humanitarian situation on the ground. Brazil’s ambassador to the Security Council, Sergio Franca Danese, stated that his nation responded to a plea from Council members to develop a unified approach to the situation. Brazil is the Security Council’s President for October.
“We heeded the call with a sense of urgency and responsibility, in our view the Security Council had to take action and do so very quickly,” he said, according to the UN News.
“Council paralysis in the face of a humanitarian catastrophe is not in the interest of the international community,” he added.
Notably, 12 members of the UN Security Council voted in favour of the Brazil-led resolution, one (the United States) voted against it, and two (Russia, and the United Kingdom) abstained.
Explaining why the US went for veto, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that “this resolution did not mention Israel’s right of self-defence.”
“Israel has the inherent right of self-defence as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter,” she said, adding that the right was reaffirmed by the Council in previous resolutions on terrorist attacks, “this resolution should have done the same.”
Israel has been striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip since an October 7 assault by Hamas on Israeli communities near the Gaza border that caught Israelis off-guard. Fighting raged for days as the IDF initially struggled to clear out the terrorists.
More than 1,400 Israelis were killed and over 4,100 more injured. At least 199 hostages were taken to Gaza.
On Tuesday evening, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, held a joint press conference with ambassadors from the Arab Group, a bloc of 20 Arab countries. Mansour called for an immediate ceasefire and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of lying about who is at fault for the hospital strike.
The UAE, which was initially supportive of Israel following Hamas’s Oct 7 attacks, has since fallen back into its role as the voice of the Arab world in the Security Council. The Emiratis issued a statement on Tuesday evening that “strongly condemns the Israeli attack that resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of people.” (ANI)
Israeli tanks and troops deployed near Gaza, indicating a potential ground assault on Hamas…reports Asian Lite News
As a “ground offensive” of the besieged Gaza Strip loomed, hundreds of Israeli tanks were deployed near the border in south Israel on Thursday, waiting for the all-clear from the country’s political establishment and the military top brass.
Israeli tanks and troops mounted on armoured vehicles were deployed in the region, seeming to suggest that a ground assault on Hamas in their backyard, Gaza, could begin any time soon.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said four rockets of nine launched from Lebanese territory were intercepted, adding that several anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanon towards Israeli forces.
The IDF added that in response to the attacks, Israeli forces targeted the site in Lebanon from where rockets were fired into Israel and also struck at Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure using tank fire.
The Israeli forces also claimed to have thwarted and dismantled a terrorist cell using a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) of the IDF.
As Israel gears up for an all-out ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, one of the biggest challenges they face is Hamas’ extensive underground tunnel network in the area. Several experts have warned that in the event of a ground offensive, Israel will lose the clear advantage it has over Hamas in terms of firepower, as it will have to fight the enemy on its terrain.
The densely populated area with a network of tunnels is likely to pose a security challenge for the IDF as it prepares for a ground assault.
An Israel Defence Forces spokesperson on Wednesday said they were striking parts of the tunnel network, but it won’t be an easy battle.
Earlier, during a joint press briefing with US President Joe Biden, Netanyahu said the crimes that the Hamas terrorists perpetrated on civilians in Israel included rape, burning, kidnapping, and targeting small children, adding that the death toll from the Hamas terror attacks stood at 1,400 and was likely to mount.
“October 7 is another day that will live in infamy,” said Netanyahu.
He reiterated President Biden’s statement that “Hamas is worse than ISIS.”
He added, “On Oct 7 Hamas murdered 1400 Israelis in a single day….October 7th, is another day that will live in infamy. Mr President, you rightly said that Hamas is worse than ISIS. The civilised world must unite to defeat Hamas.”
Additionally, The United States deployed two carrier strike groups, each consisting of an aircraft carrier, its planes, and several escort warships, which appeared to have deterred Hezbollah from attacking Israel in a major war, The New York Times reported.
According to the NYT report, quoting American officials, the US and Israeli Intelligence agencies are working to determine whether Israel’s expected ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip could prompt Hezbollah to launch a large-scale military campaign against Israel from Lebanon.
The US-based daily reported that the officials have assessed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah does not want an all-out war with Israel, for fear of the damage it would do to his group and Lebanon. U.S. officials said that assessment could change as more intelligence is gathered and events unfold.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has vetoed proposals from his government of a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah, according to American officials and others briefed on the discussions.
Earlier, the US Defence Department reiterated its full support to Israel in the ongoing war on Hamas, saying that the US Secretary of Defence was in continuous touch with the Israeli authorities and leaders.
The US Department of Defence (DOD) said in a statement, “Since meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and members of the Israeli War Cabinet in Tel Aviv on Friday, Austin has remained fully engaged with the country’s leaders as the US works ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself from further attacks.”
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement, “Since leaving Israel, he has held calls with MOD Gallant … on a near daily basis and will likely have another call today”, adding, “We are working to meet Israel’s needs, which include air defence, precision-guided munitions, artillery and medical supplies.”
In addition to quickly sending military aid to Israel, the US has bolstered its presence in the region to deter further aggression.
Over the weekend, US Defence Secretary Austin directed the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean last week.
The Navy units are part of a broader bolstering of US forces in the region. Last week, the Air Force announced the deployment of F-15 and F-16 fighter squadrons and A-10 attack squadrons to the region, according to a US Department of Defence press release. (ANI)
Hundreds of people, including the sick, wounded, and forcibly displaced from their residences, were being accommodated at Al Ahli Baptist Hospital….reports Asian Lite News
The Arab Nations have strongly condemned the alleged Israeli attack that targeted Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip resulting in the death of at least 500 people and injury of several others.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its deep regret for the loss of life and conveys its condolences to the families of the victims, wishing a swift recovery for all those injured.
The Ministry also stressed the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and to ensure that civilians and civilian institutions are not targeted. The Ministry further underlined the importance of the protection of civilians, according to international humanitarian law, international treaties for the protection of civilians and human rights, and the need to ensure that they are not targeted in conflict.
The UAE called on the international community to intensify efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life, to avoid further fuelling the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to advance all efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, while preventing the region from being pulled into new levels of violence, tension and instability.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also condemned the attack. The Secretary-General of the OIC Hissein Taha called the attack a “war crime” and a “crime against humanity.”
Taha held the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes, terrorist practices, and brutal attacks against the Palestinian people, which contradict all human values and constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
The Muslim World League (MWL) also denounced the act “in the strongest terms.”
MWL chief Sheikh Abdulkarim Al-Issa denounced in a statement this “brutal crime that devoids its perpetrators of all religious and human values, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities towards protecting civilians from these horrific massacres.”
Condeming the attack in the “strongest terms”, Saudi Arabia termed the attack “brutal” and called it “a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, including international humanitarian law,” according to foreign ministry.
The ministry also denounced Israel for its “continuous attacks against civilians despite many international appeals” to stop.
“This dangerous development forces the international community to abandon double standards and selectivity in applying international humanitarian law when it comes to Israeli criminal practices. It requires a serious and firm stance to provide protection for defenseless civilians,” a ministry statement said.
The Kingdom also stressed the necessity of opening safe corridors immediately to deliver food and medicine to civilians trapped in Gaza, and said it holds Israeli forces fully responsible for their continued violation of all international norms and laws, the Arab News reported.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi issued a statement on Tuesday, saying: “I condemn in the strongest of terms Israel’s bombardment” on a hospital in Gaza, and calling it a “clear violation of intl law.”
Kuwait on Tuesday “strongly condemned and denounced the Israeli occupation forces’ barbaric airstrike on the Baptist Al-Ahli Hospital in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of innocent civilians were killed,” the state news agency said.
“The occupation forces targeting of hospitals and public facilities is a violation of the International Humanitarian Law,” a statement by the foreign ministry said.
Qatar’s foreign ministry also issued a statement in which it strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike saying, “the expansion of Israeli attacks over the Gaza Strip to include hospitals, schools, and other population centers is a dangerous escalation.”
Jordan’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Tuesday strongly condemning the Israeli attack. King Abdullah said Israel’s bombing of the Gaza hospital was a “massacre” and a “war crime” that one cannot be silent about.
Israel Denies Responsibility
The Israel Defence Forces on Wednesday posted a video on social media which included multiple shots showing the deadly Gaza hospital explosion, saying it was caused by a “failed rocket launch” and not an airstrike.
The IDF posted the 30-second video on X and said : “A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City.
“IAF (Israel Air Force) footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation.”
Using images showing fire damage to several vehicles in the hospital parking lot, the IDF video suggests that a fire broke out at the hospital as the result of the failed rocket launch, reports CNN.
The IDF added that there were no visible signs of craters or significant damage to buildings that would result from an airstrike.
Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said the “first packet of information” was “evidence that clearly supports the fact that it could not have been an Israeli bomb”.
“There was no collateral or significant damage to the buildings around it. No crater, and nothing that is similar to locations where Israeli bombs have struck.”
Conricus also acknowledged that the IDF was slow to release information because it took hours for the Israeli military to “investigate and get to the bottom of the situation”.
The Islamic Jihad movement however, has denied Israel’s assertions that a failed rocket launch was responsible, claiming that it does not use public facilities such as hospitals for military purposes.
In a statement published on Wednesday , the group called the Israeli accusations as “false and baseless”.
