More and more civilians are becoming victims of the war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas attackers in the Gaza Strip – including, according to the UN, many children. According to the UN Children’s Fund, 2,360 children alone have died in Israel’s counterattacks since Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel a good two weeks ago. Unicef said early in the morning that 5,364 others were injured, citing unnamed reports.
Meanwhile, a statement critical of Israel by UN Secretary-General António Guterres increased tensions between him and Israel. Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock emphasized Israel’s right to self-defense before the UN Security Council – but also urged Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.
Another rocket alarm in Israel
Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force said it carried out further counterstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Since the start of the war, rockets have been fired repeatedly from the Gaza Strip. While things had been quiet in Tel Aviv for days, the Israeli military reported another rocket alarm in the border area during the night.
Military: Hamas terrorists wanted to return to Israel
According to the Israeli military, Hamas had previously attempted to invade Israel again from the Gaza Strip. It was said that night that an attempt by Hamas terrorists to reach southern Israel from the sea had been thwarted. They were about to leave a tunnel on the coast of the sealed-off enclave. Israel’s air force then bombed the tunnel and a terrorist weapons depot, the military said.
Israel also responds to shelling from Syria
Meanwhile, the Israeli army also attacked military positions in neighboring Syria. As the Israeli military announced on Wednesday morning, warplanes carried out attacks against military infrastructure and mortars of the Syrian army after firing towards Israel the day before. Israel’s air force repeatedly bombs targets in neighboring Syria.
Israel wants to prevent its arch-enemy Iran and its allied militias from expanding their military influence in Syria. Iran is one of Syria’s most important allies. Israeli air force attacks have escalated since the start of the war against the Iran-backed Islamist Hamas.
Terrorists on behalf of Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip, carried out a massacre of civilians in Israel on October 7th. More than 1,400 people died during and in the following days. According to the Israeli army, at least 222 other people were forcibly taken into the Gaza Strip, including several Germans. Four hostages have now been released. Hamas says it will only release more hostages if Israel allows fuel and medicine to be delivered to the Gaza Strip.
UN continues to demand fuel for Gaza
The United Nations complains that the situation of the one million internally displaced people in the Gaza Strip remains dramatic despite some aid deliveries that have now arrived in Gaza. A lack of fuel endangers a humanitarian operation beyond today’s Wednesday. Unicef spoke of “relentless attacks” by the Israelis. At the UN Security Council, UN Secretary General Guterres once again strongly condemned Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel, but at the same time criticized Israel’s attacks and spoke of “clear violations of international humanitarian law.” Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan then angrily called on Guterres to resign.
“The fight is directed against Hamas and not against civilians. That is why it is crucial for us that this fight is carried out in accordance with humanitarian law and with the greatest possible consideration for the civilian population in Gaza,” said Baerbock at the meeting of the UN Security Council yesterday in New York. The lives of all civilians are equally important.
Palestinians: Around 700 dead in one day
Most recently, around 700 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip in just one day, the UN emergency relief office Ocha said overnight, citing the health authority in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas. This is the highest number of casualties recorded in one day since the beginning of the war.
A total of 5,791 Palestinians had died as of yesterday. 2,360 are children and young people – the same number that Unicef also mentioned. This cannot currently be verified independently. In view of the suffering population, Baerbock reiterated her call for a break in the fighting in Gaza – “humanitarian windows” are needed.
USA is working on emergency plan for compatriots
The US government is now working on contingency plans in the event of an escalation of the conflict in order to get Americans out of the region on a large scale if necessary. National Security Council communications director John Kirby said in Washington yesterday: “It would be unwise and irresponsible for us not to think through a wide range of contingencies and options – and evacuations are certainly among them.” Kirby said he couldn’t go into details. However, he emphasized that it was about careful preparation for possible developments.
What is important today
The situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic. The UN is calling for a significant increase in aid deliveries. Meanwhile, Israel’s military continues to prepare a ground offensive. However, according to a US media report, Israel has agreed to postpone it.
