edited by Franco Sarcina
A violent earthquake shook Nepal on Friday evening; the preliminary number is over 130 victims and around 150 injured. Red Crescent Appeal: Stop attacks on medical workers. Guterres horrified by attack on ambulances in Gaza
Earthquake in Nepal, over 130 dead
A powerful earthquake shook Nepal on Friday evening. The number is preliminary, but high: over 130 dead and around 150 injured. Jajarkot and West Rukum districts, in the west of the country and close to the epicenter, suffered the most damage. Rescuers are still searching, especially in some remote villages where communications have been lost for many hours. The earthquake – which had a magnitude of 6.4, according to Nepal’s National Seismological Center – was recorded at 11:47 p.m. local time. In Jajarkot alone, there were 92 deaths, including Nalgad municipality deputy mayor Sarita Singh, and 55 injured, some of whom were transported to better-equipped hospitals in nearby towns and others who are being treated at local health facilities. In West Rukum there were 36 casualties and 85 injured. Some small towns like Aathbiskot, Sanibheri, Bheri, Nalgad, Kushe, Barekot and Chedagad were particularly affected. All security forces in the district are involved in the operations. The police and army were also deployed. “Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the earthquake on Friday evening and mobilized all security agencies for immediate rescue and assistance,” a post from the Prime Minister’s Office said. The Nepalese Prime Minister on X. “I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake in Nepal. India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and is ready to provide all possible assistance,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a message on social media. Earthquakes are a common phenomenon in Nepal, a country that lies on the “ridge” where the Tibetan and Indian tectonic plates meet. Every century they move two meters closer together, creating pressure that is released in the form of an earthquake. In 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks killed around 9,000 people.
According to US sources, Hamas hid its militiamen in the ambulances
A US source said that “Hamas has attempted to smuggle its fighters out of Gaza in ambulances via Rafah, slowing efforts to evacuate foreigners.” This was reported by Israeli media, to which the source reported that “Hamas Egypt and the United States provided a list of seriously injured people whom they planned to evacuate along with hundreds of foreigners waiting to leave the country.” The U.S. and Egypt noted that “a third of the names were fighters, none of whom were among the 76 injured and ultimately evacuated Palestinians.”
Israel: The ground operation in Gaza continues
The ground operation in the Gaza Strip continues. The military spokesman said that “soldiers killed dozens of terrorists and destroyed Hamas infrastructure.” Yesterday – explained the spokesman – “there were numerous attempts to attack soldiers from tunnels and military compounds in the north of the Gaza Strip”. During the night, “tank corps and engineers mapped buildings and neutralized explosive devices in a targeted raid in the south of the Gaza Strip.” During the operation, the soldiers faced a “terror cell,” whose members were killed.
Guterres horrified by attack on ambulances in Gaza
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “appalled” by the attack by Israeli forces on an ambulance convoy in Gaza. He said this in a statement, adding that the conflict “must come to an end.” “I am appalled by the reported attack on an ambulance convoy outside Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza. “The images of bodies scattered on the street outside the hospital are heartbreaking,” his statement said.
On Friday evening, the Hamas Ministry of Health announced that 13 people had died in the attack on an ambulance at the entrance to Gaza’s largest hospital, specifically blaming the Israelis. Israel, for its part, confirmed that it had targeted the vehicle, but that it said it was used “by a Hamas terrorist cell.” The ambulance massacre left 13 dead and 26 injured,” said ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidreh. “These ambulances,” he added, “carried several injured people who were to be hospitalized in Egypt.”
Red Crescent Appeal: Stop attacks on medical workers
The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) calls on the international community to intervene to protect civilians and medical teams from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. The objection was made on the profile of The statement comes after Israel admitted attacking an ambulance near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, leaving 15 dead and 60 injured, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza gave. Israel claimed the ambulance was hit because it was used by Hamas. The Palestinian Red Crescent added that Israeli attacks since October 7 have so far killed four rescue workers, injured 21 staff and volunteers and damaged eight ambulances.
Healthcare Gaza, 20 dead in school bombing
At least 20 people were killed in the bomb attack on a school in the north of the Gaza Strip. This was stated by the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip. “Twenty martyrs and dozens of wounded people have arrived at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after a direct attack on a school turned into an improvised camp for displaced people in the al-Saftawy area of northern Gaza Strip,” he said . the Gaza Ministry of Health said in a statement. “Several tank shells fell on the school,” he added.
Franco Sarcina
Deputy Editor in Chief
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