► The Israeli army increases its attacks on the Gaza Strip
The Israeli army announced on Friday, October 27, that it had “very significantly” intensified its attacks on the Gaza Strip in the evening, on the 21st day of its war against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. According to Israel’s public television channel Kan, these are the “largest Israeli attacks” against the Gaza Strip since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.
“We will continue to strike in Gaza City and its surrounding areas,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari added in a televised statement. He also stated that the Israeli army would “expand its ground operations in the Gaza Strip” on Friday evening. This is a continuation of “the series of strikes of the last few days,” he said.
► According to Hamas, internet and communications were disrupted in the Gaza Strip
While the Israeli army carried out heavy bombardments in the north of the Gaza Strip, especially in Gaza City, on Friday evening, there were communications and internet outages in the enclave, according to the Hamas government.
The bombings “by air, sea and land” were “the most violent since the beginning of the war,” said the press service of the Hamas government ruling in Gaza, accusing Israel of “preparing massacres.”
In response to these attacks, the military branch of Hamas announced via Telegram that it would fire “barrels of rockets at the occupied territories (Israel, editor’s note) in response to the massacres of civilians” in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
► Hamas calls on the world to “act immediately”
Palestinian Hamas, which is in power in the Gaza Strip, called on the world to “act immediately” to stop Israeli bombings of the Palestinian territory, which intensified significantly on Friday evening.
“We call on Arab and Muslim countries and the international community to accept their responsibilities and act immediately to stop the crimes and massacres against our people,” the Palestinian Islamist movement said in a statement.
► Antonio Gutteres fears “an unprecedented avalanche of human suffering”
“Without fundamental change, the people of Gaza will suffer an unprecedented avalanche of human suffering,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday.
“Everyone has to take responsibility. This is a moment of truth, history will judge us,” he said in a statement read by his spokesman, stressing that “the humanitarian system in Gaza is facing total collapse, with unimaginable consequences. for more than 2 million civilians.”
► Emmanuel Macron calls for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Friday, October 27, after a European summit in Brussels, for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in the war between Israel and Hamas in order to organize the “protection” of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.
“We fully recognize the right and legitimate desire to combat terrorism. We are ready to help. However, we consider that the complete blockade, the indiscriminate bombing and even more the prospect of a massive land operation are unlikely to adequately protect the civilian population (…) A humanitarian ceasefire is useful today to be able to protect those on the ground, the bombings have suffered,” said the head of state during a press conference.
He also assured that he wanted to evacuate French nationals in the Gaza Strip “as quickly as possible.”
► The Israeli army accuses Hamas of “waging war from hospitals” in Gaza.
Palestinian Hamas, which is in power in Gaza, has denied using hospitals in its war with Israel, as the Israeli army has claimed.
“The claims of the enemy army spokesman are completely unfounded,” Hamas leader Ezzat al-Risheq said in a statement, specifically denying that “Hamas leaders are on the underground floor of al-Shifa Hospital,” the largest in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army had previously accused the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas of “waging war from hospitals” in the Gaza Strip.
“There is fuel in hospitals and Hamas is using it for its terrorist infrastructure,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari further accused. “Terrorists move freely” in hospitals in Palestinian territory, he added, repeating Israeli accusations that Hamas is using Gaza’s population as “human shields.”
► Almost 29,000 people were displaced in Lebanon
Nearly 29,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since violence began on the border with Israel, according to new figures released Friday by a specialized United Nations agency.
In a report, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicates that the escalation on the Israel-Lebanese border has displaced 28,965 people, mostly in southern Lebanon, which borders Israel. This represents a 37% increase in the number of displaced people compared to the last IMO report on Tuesday (21,000 displaced).
► First Red Cross medical team in Gaza since the start of the war
A Red Cross medical team entered the Gaza Strip for the first time since the start of the war, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Friday.
According to the ICRC, this team includes several doctors specializing in war injuries who are accompanying a humanitarian convoy of several aid trucks.
► Hamas Health Ministry announces death toll at 7,326
Hamas’ health ministry said Friday that 7,326 people, including more than 3,000 children, have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the war with Israel began.
According to this daily report published by the Ministry of Health, nearly 19,000 people have been injured since Israel’s attacks began on October 7 in retaliation for the unprecedented attacks on its territory by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
Earlier in the day, a senior UN official stressed that the death figures published by Gaza authorities had “never been disputed” in previous conflicts, while Washington questioned their credibility.
► “Many will soon die” because of the siege imposed by Israel, the UN says
The head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned on Friday that “many (people) will soon die” in Gaza due to the siege imposed by Israel. The population urgently needs “significant and continuous” help, warned Philippe Lazzarini.
“Basic services are collapsing, medicines are running out, food and water are running out,” he said. Philippe Lazzarini also said his organization had confirmed the deaths of 57 of its employees in the small Palestinian territory.
► Half of Israelis are against an immediate ground offensive
Almost half of Israelis would be against an “immediate” military ground operation in the Gaza Strip, according to a poll published on Friday by the daily Maariv.
When asked “Should the army immediately conduct a ground operation in Gaza or should it be better to wait?”, 49% of respondents said that it would be necessary to wait, while 29% of respondents believe that this operation should be launched immediately.
Last week, 65% of people surveyed by the same institute said they supported a military invasion of Gaza, according to Maariv. This previous survey did not focus on the immediate nature of this offensive.
► Ground invasion by the Israeli army into the central part of the Gaza Strip
The Israeli army announced Friday morning that its infantry, supported by “hunters and drones,” carried out a “targeted raid in the central sector of the Gaza Strip” against Hamas targets.
The soldiers then left the Palestinian territory without injuries, the army said in a statement. In addition to this raid, the army said it had bombed Hamas sites “across the Gaza Strip.”
► US military attacks two Iranian Revolutionary Guard facilities in Syria
The United States carried out strikes on Thursday against two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and “related groups,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced.
“These self-defense and precision strikes are in response to a series of sustained and largely failed attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iran-backed militias,” Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
► Rocket injures five people in Egyptian border town
Five people were injured when a rocket hit Taba, an Egyptian city on the border with Israel, on the night of Thursday to Friday, media and witnesses report.
“As part of the current escalation in Gaza, a rocket crashed in Taba, injuring five people and damaging a residential building,” reports AlQahera News, a television channel close to Egyptian intelligence. Witnesses confirmed that a rocket landed in the city on the Red Sea and the northeastern tip of Sinai, where there is a border crossing into Israel.
► EU heads of state and government call for “humanitarian corridors” and “breaks”
European leaders expressed “concern” about the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, calling for the establishment of “humanitarian corridors” and “breaks” to respond to humanitarian needs.
In a 19-point statement, the Twenty-Seven also stressed that the EU supported the organization of an “international peace conference” that would take place “soon”.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 74 aid trucks from neighboring Egypt arrived in six days in the 362 km2 Palestinian territory, which was under a “complete siege” that has left its 2.4 million residents without water, food and Electricity withdrawn (OCHA) on Thursday evening.