On the fourth day of the latest Israeli-Palestinian war, many countries are grappling with missing and killed nationals in the latest Israeli-Palestinian war, which has already claimed at least 1,600 lives and is only expected to escalate.
Here’s the latest:
According to Hamas, the Rafah border crossing is to be evacuated due to bomb threats
The administration of the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side ordered the crews of the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side to immediately evacuate the crossing because of threats to bomb the crossing, said Iyad Al-Bazm, spokesman for the Hamas Ministry of Interior and National Affairs Security, on Tuesday.
Russia says it will talk to Israel and the Palestinians in the hope of reaching a solution
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow had spoken to both Israel and the Palestinians to help find a solution.
Asked about the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow’s claim that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas would soon visit Moscow, Peskov said the visit had been planned before the war. He added that Moscow would announce the date as soon as it was finalized.
Peskov dismissed as “completely unfounded” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that Moscow was interested in fueling the war.
Who says Gaza’s medical supplies have already run out?
GENEVA – The United Nations health agency says medical supplies it had provided at seven hospitals in Gaza have already been depleted as needs soar in the wake of Israel’s military strike against the militant group Hamas.
Spokesman Tarik Jazarevic of the World Health Organization said at a briefing on Tuesday that affiliated hospitals had triggered contingency plans to better deal with the surge in injuries, “but given the number of injuries currently arriving, these hospitals are now stretched beyond their capacity.” .” He said WHO is reprogramming $1 million of its funding to enable the purchase of medical supplies in the local market to fill need gaps.
The health authority has already called for the opening of a humanitarian corridor to allow new supplies to be transported to Gaza.
UN agency for Palestinian refugees reports significant damage from airstrike
BEIRUT – The United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, says the building housing its headquarters in Gaza City was significantly damaged by an airstrike nearby. No casualties were recorded among employees.
UNRWA said on Tuesday that all international UN staff present in Gaza were taking refuge in another building on the same site.
Since October 7, UNRWA recorded both collateral and direct damage to at least 18 of its facilities, including schools housing displaced civilians. As of Tuesday, the UN estimated over 187,500 people had been displaced within the Gaza Strip, and more than 137,000 people were being housed in over 80 UNRWA schools across the Gaza Strip.
4 FRENCH CITIZENS WERE KILLED BY Hamas militant attacks in Israel
PARIS – The French Foreign Ministry has confirmed the deaths of two more French citizens killed in attacks by Hamas militants in Israel, bringing the total number of French victims to four.
The ministry said on Tuesday that another 13 French citizens were missing and that some of them had “very likely” been kidnapped. The ministry had previously stated that there was apparently a 12-year-old among the prisoners.
CYPRUS WILL HELP evacuees FROM ISRAEL TO THEIR HOMECOUNTRIES
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus’ foreign ministry says the eastern Mediterranean island nation is now ready to act as a stopover for foreigners fleeing Israel.
According to a statement, a crisis management team consisting of the ministers of foreign affairs, defense, interior and justice decided to launch a special plan on Tuesday to help evacuees from Israel reach their home countries via Cyprus. This means that Cyprus will provide foreign nationals with accommodation and other facilities to assist with their repatriation.
Because of its proximity to the Middle East and Africa, Cyprus, a member of the European Union, has historically been an ideal transit point for evacuees from war-torn countries. In April, Cyprus welcomed hundreds of UK citizens evacuated from war-torn Sudan before returning to the UK. In 2006, Cyprus hosted tens of thousands of foreigners fleeing the war in Lebanon following Israel’s attack on Hezbollah.
7 JOURNALISTS WERE KILLED IN AIR ATTACKS IN GAZA
The state media office in Gaza announced on Tuesday that seven journalists have been killed since Israeli airstrikes began in Gaza: Ibrahim Lafi, a photographer at Ain Media Company; Muhammad Jarghoun, photographer at Smart Media Office; Muhammad Al-Salhi, freelancer; Asaad Shamlikh, freelancer; Saeed Al-Taweel, editor at Alkhamisa News Network; and Muhammad Subh Abu Rizq and Hisham Al-Nawajaha, photographers at Khbr Press.
More than ten journalists suffered various injuries and contact with journalists Nidal Al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdel-Wahed was lost.
Iran denies claims it played a role in Hamas attacks
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday rejected allegations about his country’s role in Hamas attacks against Israel, but said Iran would continue to support the Palestinians, media reported. It was the first reaction to the war by Khamenei, who has the final say in all state affairs in the country.
However, Khamenei said: “We defend Palestine, we defend the fighting.” He praised the “capable, smart and courageous” young Palestinians. He said the disaster for Israel was due to Israel’s mistakes towards the Palestinians.
AUSTRIA is preparing for the evacuation of Austrian citizens
VIENNA – The Austrian government is preparing to evacuate Austrian citizens who want to leave Israel.
During a visit to Ankara, Turkey, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that an Austrian Air Force transport plane would be sent to Cyprus on Wednesday to pick up Austrians wanting to leave the country, the Austria Press Agency reported. Once you arrive in Cyprus, you can continue your journey on scheduled flights. The Foreign Ministry asked Austrians who want to take evacuation flights To at the embassy in Tel Aviv.
Poland, Hungary and Romania have already flown citizens out of Israel.
The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad said two members were killed
BEIRUT – The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group said Tuesday that two of its members were killed by Israeli fire after crossing from Lebanon into Israel on Monday as part of the Hamas-led attack that began over the weekend. Funerals were scheduled to take place in Ein el-Hilweh on Tuesday.
Islamic Jihad said in a statement that seven Israeli soldiers were injured in Monday’s cross-border operation, while the Israeli army reported that its troops shot dead several gunmen entering the country from Lebanon. In response to the incident, Israel also increased shelling of southern Lebanon.
ROMANIA REPATRIES HUNDREDS MORE OF ITS CITIZENS FROM ISRAEL
BUCHAREST, Romania – An additional 596 Romanian citizens were repatriated from Israel on four separate flights overnight, according to the Romanian Foreign Ministry. Monday evening’s repatriation comes after around 600 people were flown back to Romania over the weekend, bringing the total to at least 1,200 in recent days after Hamas launched its unprecedented attacks against Israel.
AUSTRIA SUSPECTS THAT THREE OF ITS DUAL-NATIONAL CITIZENS ARE AMONG THOSE KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS
VIENNA – The Austrian government believes that three Austrian-Israeli dual citizens may be among the people kidnapped by Hamas during its attack on Israel.
The Foreign Ministry in Vienna announced on Tuesday that the three were independently in southern Israel. It said there was no official confirmation that they had been abducted and noted that the situation on the ground was still very unclear.
Several countries said their citizens were killed or apparently kidnapped in the attack.
Aid organizations are talking to Egypt about ways to secure humanitarian corridors
CAIRO – The United Nations and other aid agencies were negotiating with Egypt to send humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing between the Strip and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, an Egyptian official and aid workers said Tuesday. They said Egyptian authorities had contacted Israel and the United States to secure humanitarian corridors in the face of Israel’s relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Both the official and the aid worker spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists.
The effort came as Israel cut off the Gaza Strip from food, fuel and other supplies to over two million people in retaliation for a bloody incursion by Hamas militants.
Israel says the parliament and civilian ministries in Gaza are legitimate targets
In a briefing on Tuesday, Israel’s military spokesman said Gaza’s parliament and civilian ministries were legitimate targets of its offensive against Hamas.
Spokesman Richard Hecht also said the Israeli Air Force may not receive the same “level of fidelity” in warning targets of attack because of its overstretch. Asked whether Israel considers Hamas’s civilian government, such as parliament and ministries, as legitimate targets, Hecht said: “If a shooter fires rockets from there, it becomes a military target.”
Around 1,500 bodies of Hamas fighters were found in Israel
The Israeli military said it had largely regained control in the south and “restored full control” of the border. Spokesman Richard Hecht said 1,500 bodies of Hamas fighters had been found on Israeli territory and that no Hamas fighters had entered Israel since Monday evening, although infiltrations were still possible.
Hecht said the military struck hundreds of Hamas targets overnight in Gaza’s City Rimal district, home to many Hamas ministries and government buildings. He said residents were informed of the evacuation via social media before the evacuation strikes, but did not elaborate. He suggested that Palestinians try to leave through the Rafah crossing, but did not specify where they would go or how they would use the crossing, which is regularly closed.
JAPAN COMMITS TO PROTECTING CITIZENS IN CONFLICT AREA
TOKYO – Japan’s top government spokesman vowed Tuesday to do his utmost to protect the safety of a small number of Japanese citizens in the conflict zone and condemned Hamas and Palestinian militants for their attacks on citizens. Japan is also watching developments closely out of concerns about energy supplies. Japan imports more than 90% of its oil from the Middle East.
A vigil in Florida for victims of attacks in Israel erupts into chaos
A vigil for victims of the Israel attacks at the University of Florida turned into chaos due to a misunderstanding and at least five people were injured, officials said.
A crowd was gathering on the Gainesville campus for the “United with Israel” candlelight vigil when someone fainted and others began urging people to call 911, the UF Police Department said in a statement. “The call was misunderstood by the crowd, who dispersed in panic,” the police statement said. Five people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, campus police said.
18 Thais feared dead as the latest war between Israel and Hamas enters its fourth day
BANGKOK – Reports from employers suggest 18 Thais are killed while the number of injured and abducted stands at 9 and 11 on the fourth day of the latest Israel-Hamas war, Thai Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachoke said on Tuesday.
The first group of 15 evacuees are due to board a flight to arrive in Thailand on Thursday, and Thai Ambassador to Israel Pannabha Chandraramya said the embassy was in contact with Israeli authorities regarding kidnapped Thai nationals but was not aware of it been informed of conditions or whereabouts.
Hong Kong will make arrangements for citizens seeking help in Israel
HONG KONG – Hong Kong leader John Lee said Tuesday the government has received requests for help from 28 Hong Kongers and 20 of them have already left Israel. Authorities would remain in touch with the remaining eight and make arrangements according to their needs, he added.
Lee said in his weekly press conference that the government had issued a red exit warning for Israel, meaning people should avoid non-essential travel to the country.
Netanyahu says Israel’s offensive against Hamas will reverberate for generations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel’s aggressive offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has “only just begun.”
Netanyahu made the statement in a nationally televised address as Israel continued a third day of heavy airstrikes on Gaza following Hamas’s unprecedented and deadly invasion of Israel.
“We have just started attacking Hamas,” he said. “What we do to our enemies in the days to come will affect them for generations.”
Israel officially declared war on Sunday. According to authorities on both sides, the hostilities have so far killed about 900 people in Israel and more than 680 people in Gaza.
ISRAEL SAYS deputy commander killed in clashes on Lebanon border
The Israeli military said early Tuesday that an Israeli deputy commander was killed in clashes on the northern border with Lebanon.
The military identified the deputy commander as Alim Abdallah but did not provide the exact circumstances of his death.
Palestinian militants from the Islamic Jihad group slipped into Israel from Lebanon, leading to Israeli shelling of southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group said five of its members were killed and responded with a barrage of rockets and mortars at two Israeli army bases across the border.