The war between Israel and Hamas, which entered its 36th day on Saturday, was sparked by the Palestinian Islamist movement’s bloody Oct. 7 attack on Israeli soil from the Gaza Strip it controls.
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• Also read: Hospitals in the Gaza Strip, which are at the center of the fighting, are calling for civilians to be protected
In retaliation, Israel vowed to “destroy” Hamas and relentlessly shell the besieged area, home to 2.4 million Palestinians. The Israeli army launched a ground operation in the Gaza Strip on October 27.
Here are the latest developments:
The Israeli NGO Physician for Human Rights-Israel reported on Saturday that “two premature babies died” after the neonatal intensive care unit was forcibly closed due to a lack of electricity at Al-Chifa Hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip. besieged.
There is also “a real danger to the lives of the 37 other premature babies” in this service, the NGO warns, while fighting between Israeli troops and members of Hamas near this facility in Gaza City is intense and operations are being significantly disrupted .
Fierce fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants continued overnight around Al-Chifa hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip.
Mohammed Abou Salmiya, director of the hospital, told AFP on Saturday morning that “al-Chifa was subjected to heavy artillery fire throughout the night, as were other hospitals in Gaza City.”
AFP
The non-governmental organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) wrote that the establishment was “catastrophic”.
Arab leaders and Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi will meet in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for a joint summit of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
AFP
The Iranian president’s participation marks his first visit to Saudi Arabia since the surprise announcement in March to restore diplomatic ties between the two Middle East heavyweights after seven years of breakdowns.
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In his speech at the opening of the summit, Mr. Raïssi called on Muslim countries to designate the Israeli army as a “terrorist organization” because of its armed operation in the Gaza Strip. He also called on Muslim countries to “arm the Palestinians” if “the attacks in Gaza continue.”
The Palestinian movement Hamas is considered “terrorist” by Israel, the European Union and the United States.
AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron “urges Israel to stop the bombings” that are killing civilians in Gaza, according to an interview with the BBC on Friday evening.
“There is no solution other than a humanitarian pause first” to reach a “ceasefire that protects all civilians who have nothing to do with the terrorists.”
Tens of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of London on Saturday for a pro-Palestinian march that will take place under strict police surveillance this weekend to commemorate the First World War ceasefire.
Hamas’ health ministry said 11,078 people, including 4,506 children, have been killed in Israeli bombings of the Gaza Strip since the start of the war.
AFP
According to a new official figure revised downwards on Friday, 1,200 people have died on the Israeli side since the war began, most of them civilians killed on the day of the Hamas attack.
The Israeli army has reported 37 dead soldiers since the ground offensive began.