edited by Vittorio Nuti
Nearly 90 injured Palestinians and 450 dual citizens and foreigners left Gaza for Egypt this morning through the Rafah border crossing after Egyptian authorities announced it would be open to the public for the first time. Qatar had negotiated an agreement with Egypt, Israel and Hamas – in coordination with the United States – to release dual nationals and other people with serious health problems. Seven hostages, including three foreigners, died in the Israeli bombing of the Jabaliya refugee camp. Hamas says so. New power outage for phones and internet in the Strip.
Gradually restoring communications and the Internet in some areas of the Gaza Strip
The gradual restoration of communications in the Gaza Strip is underway after the Gaza Strip was again isolated following an hours-long power outage. This was announced by the largest telecommunications operator in Gaza, Paltel, which announced on social networks that landline and mobile phone and Internet services are returning in various areas of the Gaza Strip. Associated Press journalists in Gaza confirmed the recovery. Before today’s blackout, communications had already been disrupted from Friday evening to early Sunday, coinciding with the entry of large numbers of Israeli soldiers into the Gaza Strip for ground operations in what Israel described as a new phase of the war.
According to media reports, the Israeli army is exerting pressure on Gaza City from three sides
(The Israeli army is encircling Gaza City from three land sides: north, center and south. This was reported on Kan public radio, adding that the encirclement is carried out as part of the policy of deepening the land offensive. The military is deployed, he explained in the search for Hamas positions and the neutralization of their militiamen. Military spokesman Daniel Hagari reported that the army was stationed on the outskirts of the city.
Ukraine, bombs in the center of Kherson, one dead and three injured
A Russian bomb attack in the center of Kherson this morning left one man dead and three people injured: the victim was an employee of the city’s military administration. This was announced by the head of the military administration, Roman Mrochko, as Ukrainska Pravda reported. “Russian occupation forces attacked Kherson,” Mrochko said, emphasizing that “the central part of the city” was hit. One person was killed and three others were injured, including employees of the military administration and the city planning department, he added.
In Kiev, 118 villages were hit within 24 hours, a record since the beginning of the year
Russian troops attacked a record 118 settlements in 10 Ukrainian regions in the last 24 hours, Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko announced, Ukrinform reported. “This is the largest number of cities and villages attacked since the beginning of the year,” Klymenko wrote on Telegram.
Media: “First 88 seriously injured people will leave Gaza, then 500 foreigners per day”
First, 88 seriously injured people will leave the Gaza Strip and then the foreigners, 500 per day, writes the BBC, citing five Palestinian passport control officers, ahead of the opening of the Rafah border crossing announced for today. There are 7,000 Palestinians with dual citizenship in Gaza. Egypt must approve the list of all people willing to leave on the other side of the border before they can begin the move.
Khamenei: Israel stops attacks on Gaza
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has called on Israel to stop bombing the Gaza Strip as soon as possible. “What Islamic governments must demand is an immediate end to the crimes in Gaza. They must immediately stop (Israel’s) bombing of the Gaza Strip and block oil and food exports to the Zionist regime,” Khamenei said at a meeting with a group of students in Tehran, IRNA reported. “The world of imperialism has emerged with bombs, military pressure, tragedies and crimes, but you should know that the power of faith with the grace of God will surpass all of these,” the Supreme Leader added.
Secret Service Great Britain, Lancet drones are becoming increasingly important in the Russian arsenal
Russia’s small Lancet drones may have been one of the most effective new capabilities the country has deployed in Ukraine in the last 12 months, the UK Ministry of Defense writes in its daily intelligence update. Traditionally, Moscow has used these drones primarily for reconnaissance, but with their attack capability they represent a radical change in the way Russia uses this category of weapons, says the report published in X. The Lancets by the London-based expert group ZALA Aero Explain , that they are designed to be flown over enemy territory and strike once the target is identified. ZALA also produces the small Orlan 10 drone, which Russia often uses alongside the Lancets for target location. Russia is using Lancets to attack priority targets, and these drones are becoming increasingly important in key counter-battery engagements where they hit enemy artillery, the report said.
Netanyahu: “It is the fairest war, continue until victory”
“Our soldiers have fallen in a war that is no fairer: the war for our homeland,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commenting on the deaths of 12 soldiers in yesterday’s fighting in Gaza. “’It will be a hard war and it will last a long time,’” he stated, expressing his condolences to the families of the fallen. “’I promise the citizens of Israel: we will finish the job and continue until victory,’” he stressed.
See also: Twelve Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since yesterday
Hamas: Seven hostages killed by Israelis in attack on Jabalia camp
The al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, announced today that seven civilian hostages, including three foreign passport holders, were killed in Israeli attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp. Hamas, the armed Islamist group that rules Gaza, has so far released four of the 239 civilians believed to be detained.
Ghazi Hamad (Hamas): “They left us no choice but violence”
“There are only two ways: peace or violence. (The President of the PNA, Ed.) Abu Abbas is a man of peace, he is always there to talk, and what has he achieved after 30 years of words? Less than zero. The number of Israeli settlers and confiscations of Palestinian land and isolated parts of the West Bank have increased. It’s not just the policies of Netanyahu’s extremist government. There has never been a good time to concede anything to the Palestinians just to expand Israeli control. They left us no choice but violence.” Ghazi Hamad of the Hamas Political Council explained this in an interview with Corriere della Sera from a “makeshift apartment” in Beirut. “Israel has the arrogance of someone who has the Americans behind them and doesn’t care about international law. Think: Why listen to Hamas when we can defeat them? Well, they were wrong, Operation Al Aqsa is changing the Middle East,” he added. The October 7 attack on Israel was not to prevent Saudi Arabia from recognizing Israel.
“This is a war that has been going on for years. I remember at least six major clashes since 2009. In most cases it was Israel that chose the moment, while now the initiative lies with us. Why? For the violations of Palestinian rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, for the civilians harassed at checkpoints, killed in Jenin, Nablus and Jerusalem, for the inertia of the various mediators (Egyptian, Qatari, UN). “We had to take the ball into our own hands,” explains the Hamas representative. “Israel is not a peaceful state. It has bombed Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran… – he denounces – We have caused a great shock and now we are taking all measures to prevent the problem from spreading beyond these 365 kilometers extends beyond our country. Well, we are no longer the only ones suffering and worrying. We are paying a high price in blood, but it was necessary.”
Seoul, one million artillery ammunition from Pyongyang to Moscow
South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea is supplying over a million artillery shells to Russia, which is involved in the war effort against Ukraine. This was reported by the leaders of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in a closed hearing in the Seoul Parliament in the Yonhap report, which quoted a member present, on developments in Russian-North Korean relations after the summit between leaders Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un. In addition, Pyongyang is said to be in the final stages of preparations for its third attempt to launch a military spy satellite into orbit.
450 injured people or people with dual citizenship and foreigners have already left Gaza
Nearly 90 injured Palestinians and nearly 450 dual citizens and foreigners left Gaza for Egypt this morning through the Rafah border crossing after Egyptian authorities announced it would be opened to the public for the first time on the 26th anniversary of the war between Israel and Hamas an AFP journalist on site reported. Palestinians, dual citizens and foreigners were allowed to enter the border crossing terminal around 8:45 a.m. ET.
Kiev, 18 of 20 drones were shot down during the night, one Kh-59 missile
(Ukrainian air defense forces shot down a Kh-59 cruise missile and 18 of the 20 Shahed-136/131 kamikaze drones launched by Russia in the country during the night: this was announced by the Kiev Air Force, Ukrinform reported. The Kh-59 missiles and part of the drones were fired from the Kursk region of Russia, while the rest of the unmanned aircraft came from the Russian naval base Primorsko-Akhtarsk (southeast). “During the night attack, it was declared as an anti-air attack. “Aircraft alert in most regions of Ukraine “Attack drones were destroyed along the pursuit route by tactical aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, as well as mobile fire groups of the Air Force in cooperation with the air defense of the Defense Forces of Ukraine,” the report reads.
Egypt confirms that 81 seriously injured people can leave the Gaza Strip
Egypt has announced that 81 seriously injured people from the Gaza Strip will be allowed to enter the country and confirmed that the first foreigners can leave the enclave. Numerous ambulances and several wheelchair users are already on site, waiting for the border crossing to open.
Twelve Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since yesterday
The total number of Israeli soldiers killed in hand-to-hand combat with Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours has risen to 12. This was announced by the military spokesman. Ten of the dead belonged to the Givati infantry brigade, the other two were tank drivers.
US command in Israel helps free hostages
Dozens of U.S. commandos have arrived in Israel in recent days to assist in operations to free the 240 hostages captured by Hamas and held in Gaza. Kan public television reported yesterday evening, citing sources in the Pentagon. The broadcaster added that the FBI, State Department and US hostage negotiation experts were already in contact with their Israeli counterparts to give them advice.
The first travelers with foreign passports appear at the Rafah border crossing
Local sources report the entry of the first travelers with foreign passports at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. This is the first time since the war between Israel and Hamas began.
Increased protection in Eilat after attacks from the Red Sea
After repeated attacks from the Red Sea in recent days, including the firing of two surface-to-surface missiles and some drones, Israel has reinforced defenses in the port of Eilat. These threats were neutralized at the Red Sea and “the city of Eilat was never in danger.” Now, the military spokesman reports, the Navy has stationed rocket launchers. Yesterday, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Iran had activated its supporters in the region against Israel, including Yemen’s Houthis. In Eilat, tens of thousands of Israelis are forced to flee the Negev.
General Figliuolo landed in Lebanon
Gen. Francesco Figliuolo, chief of the Joint Forces Operational Command of the Defense General Staff, has just landed in Beirut, Lebanon. During his visit, Figliuolo will meet the Italian soldiers stationed in southern Lebanon as part of the UN mission (Unifil), as well as those of the bilateral mission in Lebanon (Mibil), stationed in Beirut.
Qatar agrees to release more hostages
Qatar has reached an agreement with Egypt, Israel and Hamas – in coordination with the United States – to release an unspecified number of dual nationality hostages and others in serious health conditions from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt. Pan-Arab media reported this, citing sources close to the ongoing negotiations between the parties.
The US and Israel are exploring multinational force hypotheses for the future of the Gaza Strip
The United States and Israel are considering options for Gaza’s future, including the possibility of a multinational force that could include American troops if Israeli forces manage to oust Hamas, people familiar with the matter said. A second option calls for the creation of a peacekeeping force modeled on the peacekeeping force overseeing the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, while a third option would temporarily place Gaza under United Nations supervision.
The sources spoken to by Bloomberg – who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the issue – stressed that negotiations are still in their early stages and much could change. Some U.S. officials consider the options premature or unlikely. But Secretary of State Antony Blinken alluded to the challenge yesterday when he told a Senate committee that the United States was considering a range of options for Gaza’s future.
Taiwan, 43 aircraft and 7 Chinese warships around the island
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported that it detected 43 Chinese aircraft and 7 warships operating around the island in the 24 hours up to 6 a.m. local time (11 p.m. Tuesday in Italy). The Taipei Armed Forces were monitoring the situation, a statement said, and directed air force aircraft, naval vessels and land-based missile systems to respond to ongoing operations as necessary. Of the identified aircraft, 37 (including six Su-30s and sixteen J-16s) crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the Air Defense Identification Zone (Adiz) in the southwest and southeast of the island. Beijing, which continues to exert high military pressure ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election in January 2024, claims that Taipei is an “inalienable” part of its territory that must be reunified by force if necessary: Recently, Taiwan’s defense minister has reported that China will step up “military intimidation” in 2023, fly more fighter jets around the island and also accelerate ballistic missile deployments. Last week, China’s defense ministry accused the island’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of pushing Taipei into a “dangerous war situation” at an “accelerated pace” over its decision to buy thousands of military drones over the next four years, part of efforts to deter Beijing’s attempts at aggression .
The Rafah border crossing will be opened to foreigners and seriously injured people today
The Rafah border crossing will reopen today to allow foreigners and the seriously injured to leave the Gaza Strip, thanks to Qatar’s mediation between Egypt, Hamas and Israel in coordination with the United States, we read on the Guardian website.
Qatar is today mediating with Israel, Egypt and Hamas over the opening of the Rafah border crossing
According to a source cited by Portal, Qatar, in coordination with the United States, is currently brokering an agreement between Egypt, Hamas and Israel to open the Rafah border crossing later today.
Moscow: “Active efforts are underway to free Russian hostages in Gaza”
Russia is making active efforts to help resolve the issue of the release of Russian hostages seized by Hamas, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “We are making active efforts to resolve the situation,” he said, noting that these involve people who live permanently in Israel.
Israel: 11,000 targets have been hit in Gaza since the war began
Since the beginning of the war, over 11,000 targets in Gaza have been affected by “terrorist organizations.” This was announced by the military spokesman. “During the night – he added – joint forces attacked numerous targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including Hamas command centers and terrorist cells.” The army then recalled that yesterday in Jabaliya, near Gaza City, “numerous terrorists were present “barricaded a building near a school, a medical center and government offices.”
New complete shutdown of internet and communications services in the Gaza Strip
Palestinians reported another widespread disruption to internet and phone service in Gaza in the early hours of today, hours after Israeli airstrikes leveled homes near Gaza City and as ground troops battled Hamas militants in the besieged area.
Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel reported a “total disruption” of internet and mobile services in Gaza, signaling for the second time in five days that residents are largely cut off from the world. Communication also collapsed last weekend when Israeli troops entered Gaza for the first time.
Hamas is ready to release foreigners and wounded Palestinians into Egypt
Hamas said some foreigners and wounded Palestinians were being allowed to leave the Gaza Strip via Egypt for the first time since Israel began its ground invasion of the besieged area.
New mission to Israel for Secretary of State Blinken on Friday
The United States is sending its top diplomat to the Middle East for a new round of negotiations as fighting escalates in Gaza and Israel reaffirms its pledge to destroy Hamas. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel and other countries on Friday. He will try to ease tensions after an Israeli strike killed dozens of people at a Gaza refugee camp, stoking anger in the region. The Israeli military said the refugee camp was being used as a training center by Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the United States.
Eleven Israeli soldiers were killed by an anti-tank missile explosion in the northern Gaza Strip
Eleven Israeli soldiers died when an anti-tank missile exploded in the northern Gaza Strip. The victims are 18 to 24 years old. Also yesterday, two more Israeli soldiers were killed in operations in the Gaza Strip, details of which were not disclosed.
Israeli army: “Air threat intercepted south of Eilat”
“The Israel Defense Forces air defense team intercepted a previously identified air threat in the Red Sea area south of the city of Eilat. There was no threat to civilians and no infiltration into Israeli territory was detected.” The IDF itself reported this on X.
Israel: 9 soldiers killed in fighting in northern Gaza Strip
The Israeli army announced the deaths of nine soldiers in combat in the northern Gaza Strip. Yesterday, the military spokesman announced the death of the first two soldiers from the Givati Brigade.
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