Summary –
- Israeli strikes killed at least 436 Palestinians in the last 24 hours
- More than 5,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Palestine since the conflict broke out.
- Hamas says it released two elderly captives held in Gaza after Qatari and Egyptian mediation.
- Gaza’s Ministry of Health denounces “multiple massacres” by Israel.
- The Pentagon has sent military advisers, including a general versed in urban warfare, to Israel to aid in its planning for the war in Gaza.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Palestinian groups in Gaza are acting without any direction from Tehran after the US accusation.
- Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant tells Israeli forces to prepare for an “air, ground and sea” operation into Gaza, adding that the operation “will come soon”.
- US President Biden held a phone call with Israeli PM Netanyahu, in which he called for the continuous flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Here are the latest updates on the Hamas-Israel conflict –October, 24 2023 – 08:29 AM
Biden urges ‘continuous flow’ of aid to Gaza in call with Netanyahu
US President Joe Biden underscored the need to sustain “a continuous flow” of humanitarian assistance into Gaza in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, the White House said.
Biden also “welcomed the release of two additional hostages from Gaza earlier today, and reaffirmed his commitment to ongoing efforts to secure the release of all the remaining hostages taken by Hamas,” the White House added.
He also updated the prime minister on “US support for Israel and ongoing efforts at regional deterrence, to include new US military deployments,” according to the White House.October, 24 2023 – 08:09 AM
Obama warns some of Israel’s actions in Gaza may backfire
Some of Israel’s actions in its war against Hamas, like cutting off food and water for Gaza, could “harden Palestinian attitudes for generations” and weaken international support for Israel, former US President Barack Obama said on Monday.
In rare comments on an active foreign policy crisis, Obama said any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs of the war “could ultimately backfire.”
“The Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water and electricity to a captive civilian population (in Gaza) threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region,” Obama said.October, 24 2023 – 08:01 AM
China will do utmost to contribute to Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation
China will do its utmost when it comes to contributing to Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation, its foreign minister told his Israeli counterpart in a phone call on Monday, according to Chinese state media.
China will firmly support any resolution as long as it is conducive to peace, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Israel’s Eli Cohen, calling the conflict a “major choice between war and peace”, state media said on Tuesday.
Wang also called for Israel to take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the Middle East, adding that “all countries have the right to self-defence, but they should abide by international humanitarian law and protect the safety of civilians.”
China has condemned violence and attacks on civilians in the conflict, and while Wang has declared Israel’s actions “beyond the scope of self-defence” he has not named Hamas in his comments.October, 24 2023 – 07:45 AM
Hamas frees two Israeli women, US cautions on Gaza invasion
Hamas on Monday said it had freed two Israeli women who were among the more than 200 hostages taken during its Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel while sources said the US had advised Israel to hold off on a ground assault in the Gaza Strip.
“We decided to release them for humanitarian and poor health grounds,” Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the armed wing of the Palestinian group, said on Telegram.
The Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement confirming that the women, whom it named as Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, were handed over to the Israeli military and would be taken to a medical facility.October, 24 2023 – 07:37 AM
Israel promises ‘unrelenting attacks’ on Hamas
Israel’s military said it was preparing for “unrelenting attacks” to dismantle Hamas while former US President Barack Obama warned that “any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs could ultimately backfire.”
Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi issued a statement suggesting that Israel had no intention of curbing its strikes on the densely populated Gaza Strip and hinting that it was well prepared for a ground assault.
“We want to bring Hamas to a state of full dismantling,” Halevi said. “The path is a path of unrelenting attacks, damaging Hamas everywhere and in every way.
“We are well prepared for the ground operations in the south,” he added, referring to southern Israel, which abuts Gaza. “There are tactical, operative, strategic considerations that have provided additional time, and troops who have more time are better prepared, and that is what we are doing now.”
In public, the United States has stressed Israel’s right to defend itself but two sources familiar with the matter said the White House, Pentagon and State Department have stepped up private appeals for caution in conversations with the Israelis.October, 24 2023 – 07:30 AM
5,087 Palestinians including 2,055 children killed in Israeli strikes since 7 Oct
Gaza’s health ministry spokesman said on Sunday that since 7 October, Israeli strikes on Gaza have resulted in the death of 5,087 Palestinians, of which 2,055 were children.
More than 15,273 others have been wounded during the Israeli strikes, reports Arab News.
Hamas officials reported that Israeli strikes overnight and early Monday resulted in at least 70 casualties.
The Israeli military stated that they targeted around 320 military sites in the Gaza Strip in the same time frame. The strikes aimed at tunnels containing Hamas and Islamic Jihad members, operational command centres, military facilities, and observation posts.
