Israel has evidence that among the Hamas militants who took part during the October 7 massacres in Israel “there were employees of UNRWA”, the United Nations organization for Palestinian refugees in Gaza. This was stated by military radio, citing information received by the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service. Israel has also collected evidence on the ground, according to the broadcaster, according to which, despite being considered a humanitarian organisation, UNRWA has cooperated with Hamas in ”terrorist activities”.
A summit on Gaza opens today in Aqaba, in southern Jordan, in which King Abdallah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Abu Mazen will participate. The three leaders – according to the Petra agency – will discuss the war and developments in the West Bank. The summit will be held “as part of Jordanian efforts to coordinate positions and press for an immediate ceasefire and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid.”
Meanwhile, Israel has announced the death of another soldier, killed in battle in central Gaza. The military spokesman said this according to which he was reservist Elkana Newlander (24 years old). The toll of soldiers killed in combat since the start of the ground operation in the Strip now stands at 186.
Israel must avoid further harm to civilians in the war it is waging against Hamas in Gaza and which has already caused too many deaths, over 23 thousand so far.
On his fourth mission to Tel Aviv since October 7, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday returned to pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while reiterating his full support for Israel to prevent a new terrorist attack by Palestinian militiamen in the future. Although for the USA the accusation of genocide leveled against the Jewish State in The Hague is “unfounded”the death toll in the Strip, particularly of civilians and children, “is too high”, warned Joe Biden’s envoy. Who, attending an Israeli war cabinet meeting, achieved that a UN delegation visits northern Gaza to take stock of the situation on the ground, particularly humanitarian, and to carry out “an assessment” in view of the return of displaced people to their homes.
For Blinken, “the war in Gaza could end tomorrow if Hamas makes the right decisions” but, he insisted, for “lasting peace” the birth of a Palestinian state is needed, as many countries in the region visited by the head of American diplomacy before his stop in Tel Aviv are calling for. “The point of view expressed by these countries – he explained – is fundamental to putting an end once and for all to a cycle of violence through the realization of Palestinian political rights”. In a nod to US concerns about settler activities, Israel coincided Blinken’s arrival with the surprise eviction of a Jewish settlement near Bethlehem, in the West Bank, and the demolition of homes in some outposts built near the Pney Kedem settlement , while the Foreign Ministry denied that there is a plan to transfer the population of Gaza to Africa: “We are not engaged in examining the feasibility” of this dossier, the spokesperson assured. The minister of the radical right Itamar Ben Gvir – among the supporters of the exit of the Palestinians from the Strip and the return of the settlers – however warned the Secretary of State that “it is not time to talk sweetly with Hamas” but “to use a big stick “.
Video Demonstration in Tel Aviv for the United States to maintain its support
Gallant: ‘Operations in Khan Yunis will intensify. It is essential to increase pressure on Iran’
The operations in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, “will intensify and continue until the Hamas leaders are reached and the hostages recovered”. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Blinken. “The changes in combat tactics in the northern area of the Strip – added Gallant – will allow Israel to achieve its objectives in the war”.
“Increasing pressure on Iran is critical and could prevent regional escalation in additional areas,” Gallant told Blinken. Gallant also defined as “a priority the return to the north of the country of the displaced Israelis” forced to flee by the actions of the Lebanese Hezbollah. “Israel – he confirmed – prefers to achieve this objective through the diplomatic route, but is also preparing military alternatives”.
United Kingdom: Israel may have violated international law in Gaza
“Israel may have taken actions that violate international law in Gaza.” British Foreign Minister David Cameron said this while answering questions from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons. The head of the Foreign Office said he was “concerned” about the conduct of the conflict against Hamas and specified that he had not received explicit indications of any violations.
Israel: ‘the UN has no reason to exist’.
New harsh attack by Israel on the UN. Ambassador Gilad Erdan spoke in the General Assembly about the Israeli baby Kfir, a Hamas hostage, who celebrated his first birthday in captivity. “And you prefer to discuss the ceasefire?”, he shouted, promising that his country will continue to fight to defend itself. “An organization that does not take a stand when a one-year-old child is taken hostage is an accomplice of terrorists and has no reason to exist,” he said, again pointing the finger at the UN for “continuing to focus on the ceasefire in Gaza and on aid and not on hostages.”
Israel, in response to a request from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will allow a UN delegation to visit the north of the Strip of Gaza so he can see the state of the infrastructure up close and determine the needs in the area. This was decided, cited by the media, by the Israeli war cabinet in which Blinken himself participated. The UN – the media recalled – has repeatedly expressed concern about hunger in the Strip and the difficult access to food for many people in the Palestinian enclave.
Lebanon, a Hezbollah leader killed at Tawil’s funeral
A senior Hezbollah commander, responsible for dozens of drone attacks on northern Israel in recent months, including today’s attack on the IDF Northern Command headquarters in Safed, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in south of Lebanon. The Times of Israel reports it.
Ali Hussein Barjithe commander of Hezbollah’s air force in southern Lebanon was shot in a car in the town of Khirbet Selm, shortly before the funeral of senior Hezbollah commander Wissam al-Tawil, who was killed yesterday.
Video Lebanon, the funeral of Hezbollah leader Wissam Tawil
The Israeli army expands operations to Khan Yunis. Hamas asks Muslim countries to send weapons
The Israeli army is expanding operations in Khan Yunisa Hamas stronghold in the south of the Strip. The military spokesman said this according to which in the attacks “about 40 terrorists were killed” and “important tunnel entrances as well as quantities of weapons” were discovered. In Maghazi, the troops – continued the spokesperson – identified “Hamas Brigade operatives in the area who were killed”. The Israeli Navy then struck “military posts, supply depots and boats used by the Hamas naval force”.
The Israeli army announced the death of 4 more soldiers killed in combat in central and southern Gaza. They are Roi Tal (19 years old), reservists David Schwartz (26 years old), Yakir Hexter (26 years old) and Gavriel Bloom (27 years old). The toll of soldiers who have died since the start of the operation in the Strip is now 180.
Hamas has asked Muslim countries for support by sending weapons. A leader of the organization declared this. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Hezbollah claimed to have bombed the Israeli military base ‘Dado’ near Safad, more than 20 km from the demarcation line with Lebanon, with several armed drones.
Video Gaza, the Al-Quds Brigades fire mortar shells at the Israeli army
In a surprise operation, hundreds of soldiers and agents isolated a Jewish settlement area near Bethlehem (West Bank) and then demolished the homes in some outposts built near the Pney Kedem colony. The presence of the military aroused the indignation of MP Rothman, leader of the Religious Zionism party. Defense Minister Gallant underlined that he personally ordered that operation, which coincided with the arrival of US Secretary of State Blinken in Israel. The Biden administration has repeatedly expressed concern about settler activities in the West Bank.
Baerbock: “Gaza and the West Bank belong to the Palestinians”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on a visit to Egypt, part of her Middle East mission, said that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank “belong to the Palestinian people”. On this point, Germany and Egypt “are in agreement”, Baerbock said, after meeting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo. Dpa writes it.
Relatives of the hostages want to block aid to Gaza
Relatives of the Israeli hostages in Gaza are headed to the Kerem Shalom crossing with the Strip with the intention of blocking the place from which humanitarian aid enters daily for the population of the Palestinian enclave. The action – according to the media – is in protest against Hamas which prevents the Red Cross from visiting the hostages, understanding their conditions and providing them with medical and humanitarian aid. Shai Wenkert – father of Omer, a 22-year-old hostage – told Ynet that since October 7 his son “has not seen a doctor, nor received drugs, and it is not possible that hundreds of trucks are now entering Gaza”.
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2024-01-10 10:22:00
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