Since its response began on Saturday, the Israeli army says it has dropped “around 6,000 bombs” on the Gaza Strip, “with a total weight of 4,000 tons of explosives.”
Six days after the unprecedented attack on the Jewish state by the terrorist movement Hamas, the death toll continues to rise: more than 1,200 dead on the Israeli side, more than 1,500 on the Palestinian side. New massacres of civilians are continually being uncovered. Here’s what to remember from the situation on Thursday, October 12th.
Almost 2,800 dead in Israel and the Gaza Strip
According to the Health Ministry, the Hamas attack has left more than 1,200 dead and 3,391 injured in Israel since Saturday. On the social networkThe Gaza Ministry of Health reported 1,537 deaths (including 500 children and 276 women) and 6,612 injuries in the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening.
A thirteenth French national is dead
A balance sheet that is revised upwards every day and a growing concern. At least thirteen French nationals have been killed since Saturday’s attack. “Never since the Nice attack in 2016 have so many French people been murdered by terrorists,” complained Emmanuel Macron in his ten-minute televised address.
A little earlier, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said she had “no news of 17 compatriots whose disappearances are considered very worrying.” There are four children among them. The head of state spoke to relatives who have no news of the missing people. “I’m thinking about the families this evening. I want to tell them that France, together with the Israeli authorities and our partners, is doing everything in its power to return them safely to their homes.”
Families of hostages call on Emmanuel Macron to “do everything possible” to save their loved ones
At a press conference organized in Tel Aviv, the French families of the hostages expressed their sadness. They “begged” Emmanuel Macron to intervene. “I ask France and everyone to intervene to obtain information about my children, but also about all the disappeared,” Batsheva Yahalomi, mother of a 12-year-old boy, Eitan, said in Hebrew. Southern Israel has been missing since Saturday.
A first special flight landed at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport
You are tired but relieved. The first plane to repatriate French nationals from Tel Aviv landed on the tarmac at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport shortly after 9 p.m. There were around 380 passengers on board, especially older and “at risk” people. At the exit they were greeted by Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Transport Minister Clément Beaune. For the head of French diplomacy, “it was important that we show our solidarity with our compatriots in this ordeal.” Further flights are planned for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The first plane repatriating French nationals from Tel Aviv landed on the tarmac of Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport on October 12, 2023. (MEHDI FEDOUACH / AFP)
Catherine Colonna plans to visit Israel on Sunday
“At the request of the President of the Republic, I will travel to the region from Sunday,” said the French Foreign Minister on Thursday evening from Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport. When asked if she would visit Israel, the head of French diplomacy replied “yes.”
The Presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament will visit Israel on Friday. Ursula von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola are making this trip to “express their solidarity with the victims of Hamas terrorist attacks and to meet Israeli leaders,” according to a joint press release.
The French counter-terrorism prosecutor’s office announces the opening of an investigation
The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office announced the opening of an investigation, in particular, into “murders”, “kidnappings and kidnappings” “related to a terrorist enterprise” in relation to the acts suffered by French nationals in the Hamas attack. In its press release, the public prosecutor’s office explains that it made its decision “taking into account the French nationality of certain victims.”
Mahmoud Abbas calls for an “immediate end” to aggression against the Palestinian people
Finally he speaks. In a first public statement since the attack began five days ago, the Palestinian Authority president called for “an immediate end to the aggression” against the Palestinian people. At a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Amman, he also rejected “the practices of killing or mistreating civilians on both sides,” according to a statement from the Palestinian president.
The emergency government and the “war cabinet” were approved by the Israeli parliament
During an extraordinary session broadcast live on Thursday evening, the Israeli parliament ratified the formation of an emergency government and a “war cabinet” with an overwhelming majority of MPs present: 66 yes votes, 4 no votes.
The day before, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz announced that the government would consist of five new ministers from Mr. Gantz’s party. Opposition leader Yaïr Lapid had previously declared his refusal to join this government.
Israel has attacked Gaza with 4,000 tons of explosives since Saturday
Since Israel’s response began on Saturday, “around 6,000 bombs with a total weight of 4,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said in a press release. And added that “hundreds of terrorists” were killed.
In return, the United States will organize flights to evacuate its nationals from Israel starting Friday
“The president has asked his team to ensure that we help American citizens who want to leave Israel,” White House spokesman Jonh Kirby said. “Starting tomorrow, the American government will charter flights to ensure the transport of its citizens from Israel to locations in Europe.