Middle East

Israel strikes Gaza Strip using white phosphorus munitions: Monitor

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Israel is using banned white phosphorus munitions against desperate people in the tightly-besieged Gaza Strip, a human rights monitor says, as the impoverished small territory has been under ceaseless bombardment by the occupying regime for the past five days.

In a post on X on Thursday, Maha Hussaini, director of strategies at the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor in Geneva, said that the Tel Aviv regime was “using internationally-prohibited white phosphorus in Gaza.”

“These munitions are an indiscriminate incendiary weapon that ignite on contact with oxygen. In closed spaces, the toxic fumes can cause asphyxiation & permanent respiratory damage,” she added.

A day earlier, the health ministry in the Gaza Strip confirmed the regime’s deployment of banned white phosphorous munitions against a densely populated neighborhood in the coastal sliver, stressing, “Israeli warplanes use internationally #prohibited_white_phosphorus, destroying al-Karama neighborhood.”

Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency, citing unnamed medical sources in Gaza, reported on Wednesday that Israel, earlier in the day, had targeted the western port area of Gaza with several white phosphorus bombs, resulting in hundreds of cases of suffocation.

The use of white phosphorus shells for direct targeting of enemy positions is prohibited under the 1980 Geneva Convention, which explicitly forbids their use against both humans and the environment, stressing that the practice can amount to war crime and cause widespread fatalities.

This is not the first time that Tel Aviv has targeted the territory with such weapons.

Israel admitted to “using munitions containing white phosphorus” during its 2008-2009 war on Gaza, but the regime denied violating international law by insisting that such weapons were not fired into areas populated by civilians.

Israel launched deadly strikes on the Gaza Strip on October 7, after the resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity.

Hamas says its operation came in response to Israel’s violations at al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East al-Quds and growing settler violence.

UN: 650,000 Gazans face dire water shortages

Separately on Thursday, the United Nations humanitarian office (OCHA) said that Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip since Saturday has inflicted damage on over 12,600 homes in the coastal territory.

It added that 1,000 of these homes were flattened and another 560 housing units sustained serious damage, which rendered them uninhabitable.

Many people in the impoverished sliver face dire shortages of water, fuel and medical supplies, as all 13 hospitals there are only partially operational due to severe shortages of fuel and crucial medical supplies.

It said that the reduction in water supplies due to Israel’s tightening its siege on the strip has resulted in dire water shortages for more than 650,000 people in the territory of 2.3 million.

As sewage systems have been destroyed, fetid wastewater is sent into the streets and posing a health hazard, OCHA added.

No water, fuel for Gaza until Israeli captives return: Minister

In a statement on Thursday, Israeli energy minister Israel Katz said no basic resources, including electricity and fuel, or humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza until Hamas releases all Israelis it captured.

“Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home,” he said on X.

As of Thursday, more than 1,200 people have been killed and thousands more wounded in five days of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, a besieged territory on the Mediterranean.

The United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday warned that Israel’s imposition of a total blockade on the Gaza Strip amounts to a war crime and violates international law.

Middle East

Islamic Jihad commander killed in Israel’s latest airstrikes on Gaza

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A senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement and his family have been martyred in the latest round of Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, as the regime’s relentless onslaught on the besieged enclave enters its sixth consecutive day.

In a statement on Thursday, the Islamic Jihad confirmed that Abdul-Rahman Shehab, a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement, and his family were killed when the Israeli military carried out airstrikes against targets in the Jabalia neighborhood in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli regime’s airstrikes also killed another Palestinian reporter in the Jabalia refugee camp.

According to reports, seven Palestinian journalists and photographers have been killed by Israeli military air raids on Gaza.

In the Thursday attacks, at least 10 Palestinian civilians, including women and children, were killed by an Israeli missile attack on the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City.

Dozens of injuries have also been reported after Israeli warplanes fired four missiles at homes, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency.

These attacks came as the United Nations called for the establishment of a safe corridor to facilitate the delivery of much-needed medical, food, and fuel supplies, essential for powering Gaza’s electricity generation station.

“In previous escalations, there would always be some time, even a half-hour, without airstrikes,” said Nebal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent. “But now, there is not a single minute. That’s why the casualties keep going up and up.”

Heavy casualties were also reported at Gaza hospitals.

According to the latest statistics from Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll has reached 1,354, including scores of children, with 6,049 wounded since Israel began its bombardment of the territory.

Latest on the situation in📍#GazaStrip

🔺Nearly 220,000 people sheltering in 92 @UNRWA schools

🔺At least 340,000 Palestinians have been displaced across📍#GazaStrip

🔺No humanitarian access for food or essential supplies – a water crisis is loominghttps://t.co/ckKvmjSEdD pic.twitter.com/gtqE4aSAu4

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) October 12, 2023

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has reported that nearly 218,600 people are sheltering in 92 UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip. Many others are displaced in government schools and other buildings. In total, at least 340,000 Palestinians have been displaced across Gaza.

The United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday warned that Israel’s imposition of a total blockade on the Gaza Strip amounts to a war crime and violates international law.

Israel launched deadly strikes on the Gaza Strip on October 7, after the resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation al-Aqsa Storm in the occupied territories.

Hamas said its operation came in response to Israel’s violations at al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East al-Quds and growing settler violence.

Middle East

Israel killing Palestinian women, children over defeat to resistance: Raeisi

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi speaks during a visit to Shiraz City, Fars Province, on October 12, 2023. (Photo by president.ir)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi said on Thursday that the Israeli regime is dropping bombs on defenseless Palestinian civilians due to its failure to face off resistance fighters.

“This is not an effort to achieve victory,” Raeisi said on Thursday, referring to the relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military.

“This is a defeat when one chooses to face off women and children,” he said.

The Iranian president said the young Palestinians’ fight to defend their homeland and people is a source of pride for the Islamic Republic and other Muslim nations.

On Saturday, Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the largest military operation against the occupying entity in decades, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

The resistance movement said that its operation came in response to Israel’s violations at al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East al-Quds and growing settler violence.

In response, Israel launched deadly strikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip.

The regime’s authorities also ordered a total blockade of Gaza to compensate for heavy losses suffered during Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll has reached 1,354, including scores of children, with 6,049 wounded since Israel began its bombardment of the territory.

 

Raeisi also said what is happening against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories and the Gaza Strip is an appalling crime and a blatant example of crime against humanity.

“According to international laws and regulations, those who commit these crimes and support them must be held to account,” he said, pointing to the US support for the occupying regime.

Middle East

Qatar warns to cut gas exports if attacks on Gaza continue

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Mehr News Agency cited Qatari informed media sources as saying that the Qatari officials have threatened to stop the exports of gas to the countries of the world if the attack on Gaza does not stop.

Qatari authorities have not confirmed the news so far.

In recent days, in response to its military, security, and intelligence failure against the Palestinians’ Al-Aqsa Storm Operation, the Zionist regime has targeted the residential and infrastructures in the Gaza Strip with brutal attacks using very powerful and advanced bombs and missiles.

According to the latest statistics, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been martyred in the Israeli regime’s barbaric attacks, including 330 children and more than 200 women.

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Middle East

Israeli settler, who called for Palestinians to be ‘wiped out’, behind ‘beheaded babies’ fake news

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The source behind the claim that the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas beheaded babies during its large-scale operation against the Israeli regime is an extremist settler leader who called for a Palestinian town to be “wiped out” earlier this year, according to a report.

Investigative news website, The Grayzone, identified Israeli reserve soldier David Ben Zion as the key source behind the fake news, saying he has a history of inciting violent riots in the occupied West Bank by demanding that the Palestinian town of Huwara be “wiped out.”

“Enough talk about building and strengthening the settlements,” Ben David said in a Twitter post on February 26, 2023. “The deterrence that was lost must return now, there’s no room for mercy.”

Ben alleged in an interview with Israeli outlet i24 News on Tuesday that Hamas fighters “cut heads of children” in the village of Kfar Az near the Gaza Strip.

The allegation quickly made its way to the highest levels of leadership, as if by design, while Western media reported it without a shred of critical scrutiny.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesman said babies and toddlers were found with their “heads decapitated.”

US President Joe Biden also repeated the inflammatory claim, saying he had seen “confirmed pictures” of Hamas fighters beheading children.

However, the White House later clarified that Biden and other US officials have not seen or independently confirmed those claims, adding that the US president’s remarks were based on media reports and on claims from Netanyahu’s spokesperson.

In a statement on Thursday, Hamas categorically denied the allegations, saying the group does not attack civilians.

“Give us one picture that Hamas killed civilians, that Hamas killed children, that Hamas killed women. We don’t kill civilians,” Ghazi Hamad, a member of the political bureau of Hamas said.

On Saturday, Hamas waged the largest military operation against the occupying entity in decades, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

The resistance movement said that its operation came in response to Israel’s violations at al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East al-Quds and growing settler violence.

Israeli media outlets report that more than 1,300 settlers and troops have been killed, while the number of those injured exceeds 3,300.

Following Hamas’ surprise attack, Israel launched deadly strikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials also ordered a total blockade of Gaza to compensate for heavy losses suffered during Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 1,203 Palestinians have been killed and 5,763 wounded since Israel began its bombardment of the already besieged enclave.

Middle East

Arab League urges immediate cessation of Israel war on Gaza

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The Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level held an extraordinary session under the chairmanship of Morocco to consult and coordinate on ways to stop the dangerous escalation and aggression against the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.

The Arab ministers emphasized the centrality of the Palestinian issue, and the necessity of fulfilling all the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, first and foremost their right to self-determination and a safe and dignified life in their independent, sovereign state, with East al-Quds as its capital.

They also called on the Israeli regime to implement its obligations as the occupying power and stop all illegal Israeli measures that perpetuate the occupation.

The minister stressed the need to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip, and immediately allow the entry of humanitarian aid, lunch and fuel into it, and cancel the Israeli regime’s unjust decisions to stop supplying Gaza with electricity and cut off water. 

They emphasized support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land and warning against any attempts to displace them outside it (transfer), adding that the rights of refugees to return and receive compensation must be met.

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Middle East

Pro Palestine protests: London

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Thousands of people came out in London to support opposing sides amid a flare up of violence in occupied Palestine. Israel’s embassy became the focus of a huge outpouring of support for Palestine.

At the same time, a separate pro Israel vigil was held outside Downing Street, in attendance was the British prime minister, who used the occasion to reiterate his staunch support for Israel’s regime.

There are not two sides to these events. There is no question of balance. I stand with Israel.


Rishi Sunak, British Prime Minister

Pro Palestine protesters use their voice to condemn the occupation, which they say is the bottom line cause for the recent bloodshed.

Many people across the UK are deeply saddened but also very furious, not just the images and videos of intense suffering coming out from occupied Palestine right now, but also at the British authorities themselves.

The UK government, for example, is expressing some extreme pro Israel comments right now throwing their full support behind the regime, which is currently engaged in bombing raids on Gaza, which is targeting very heavily civilian populated areas.

Several senior UK Government ministers have fully committed their support to Israel. The Prime Minister tweeted on Saturday that he was “shocked by this morning’s attacks by Hamas terrorists. Israel has an absolute right to defend itself”, before adding a tweet showing the Israeli flag projected across number 10 Downing Street.

The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, attacked pro Palestine protesters tweeting “there is no place on British streets for demonstrations that glorify terrorism”.

 Others, including the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, added their support to Israel’s right to defend itself, describing Palestinian fighters as terrorists,

Basically it was expected but we didn’t think it would be so severe in the sense of so explicitly supporting Israel when Israel is the occupying power it is violating all the international laws.


And the very fact that just a few weeks ago, British government was telling us that any occupying power must be resisted in the case of Ukraine, and here we have a double standard, that we support one occupying power, Israel, against another in Ukraine, we are supporting the occupied people, so they’re sending mixed messages.


Dr Ismail Patel, Friends of Al-Aqsa

The Gaza Health Ministry says hundreds of Palestinians, including many women and children, have been killed by Israeli strikes.

Hamas said that its operation came in response to Israel’s violations at the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Al Quds and growing settler violence, onlookers can do little more than wait and protest as the conflict looks set to escalate even further.

Middle East

France criminalizes public support for Palestinian resistance

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In the wake of “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm” launched by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, France’s minister of justice has stated that any form of public support for resistance against the Israeli regime is a criminal offense.

In a circular dated Tuesday, Eric Dupond-Moretti argued that the occurrence of the Hamas operation on October 7 “is likely to lead to an increase in anti-Semitic offenses.”

He also urged criminal charges against any public expression of messages that may interpret the attacks by Hamas as a legitimate form of resistance against Israel.

“Any attacks on the physical integrity of people from the Jewish community, damage to places of worship or even comments likely to qualify as an apology for terrorism or direct provocation to acts of terrorism, should be met with a systematic criminal response,” the Justice minister added in his short three-page document.

Waving a Hamas flag during a demonstration may constitute the offense of glorifying terrorism, according to the former criminal lawyer.

“Comments praising the attacks, presenting them as legitimate resistance against Israel” as well as the “public dissemination of messages encouraging people to pass a favorable judgment on Hamas or the Islamic Jihad” also include criminal offenses, he asserted.

Meanwhile, the French police banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration that was supposed to be held in Paris on Thursday and a protest in France’s second city of Lyon scheduled for Wednesday evening.

In justifying the move, the police claimed that holding demonstrations in support of the Palestinian people poses a risk to public order.

Earlier on Wednesday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said anyone in the UK supporting Hamas would be held accountable.

The Western governments, namely the US, Britain, Germany and France, have offered “steadfast support” to Israel amid the regime’s incessant bombing of the besieged Gaza Strip over the past few days.

Israel launched deadly strikes on the coastal area on Saturday after the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement waged a surprise attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying regime.

Hamas said that its operation came in response to Israel’s violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East al-Quds and growing settler violence.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll has reached 1,200, including scores of children. The attacks have also left nearly 5,600 injured.

Gaza is under full Israeli siege and now the only power plant there has shut down due to fuel outage. According to health authorities, overwhelmed hospitals without electricity will have to rely on their emergency generators, which will only last two to four days.

Middle East

Top Iranian, Filipino diplomats discuss Gaza war

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The Al-Aqsa Storm operation launched by the Palestinian Resistance groups against the Zionist regime is a fully Palestinian measure taken in response to the occupation of the Palestinian land, Amir-Abdollahian told the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Philippines Enrique Manalo.

The Philippines’ top diplomat, for his part, expressed concern over the continued violence in the Gaza Strip.

He called on Iran to help determine the whereabouts of a number of Filipino nationals who have gone missing as a result of the conflict. 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Manalo said that his country is ready to expand bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in various fields.

On Saturday, Palestinian Resistance group Hamas launched a large-scale operation with a heavy barrage of rockets in response to the Israeli regime’s desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. The Israeli regime’s military forces also announced it was launching Operation ‘Iron Swords’ in retaliation for the attack.

On Sunday night, Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted to put the regime officially at war.

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