Hamas-Israel conflict latest: Ground attack in Gaza begins a week after surprise raid at music festival
Here’s the day eight breakdown:
- About 2215 Palestinians have been killed and 8700 wounded in air attacks on Gaza.
- The number of people killed in Israel has reached 1300, with 3400 wounded.
- About 16 Palestinians were killed during protests in the West Bank on Friday, 53 people have died in the West Bank since Hamas’ attack, 1100 have been injured.
- Israeli ground attacks have begun in northern Gaza and the West Bank.
- Thousands of people are fleeing northern Gaza after Israel warned them to leave Gaza City more than 24 hours ago.
- Gaza’s borders are sealed which means residents’ only choice is to flee south towards Egypt.
- About 850 previously registered Australians and their families have left Israel & Palestine.
- The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is assisting 1500 registered Australians remaining in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.
Who are the missing? 120 still held hostage by Hamas
Hamas has threatened to begin killing people kidnapped from Israel during last week’s surprise attack and claimed that 13 of the original 150 captives had already died.
The IDF found bodies of hostages during a foray into Gaza today and it now believes 120 civilians are still being held hostage by Hamas.
Who is still missing?
- Grandmother Yaffa Adar, 85, who was seen in videos being driven away in a golf buggy earlier this week with a defiant look on her face.
- Erez Calderon, 12, who was dressed in his pyjamas when he was snatched by Hamas from a kibbutz in southern Israel. His sister, father and 80-year-old grandmother are also missing.
- Mother-daughter duo Natalie and Judith Raanan who were also taken from the kibbutz.
- Rut Perez, who cannot walk or talk, and her father.
- There are fears an unidentified Australian woman was kidnapped by Hamas.
- 14 Americans remain unaccounted for.
- Four Canadians are missing.
- At least 12 Russian citizens are still missing.
Israeli tanks line up at Gaza border
Israel is poised to launch its ground offensive at the northern half of Gaza.
In addition to its 170,000 strong standing army, the military called up its 300,000 reservists earlier this week.
There are estimates that Hamas has about 30,000 fighters.
On Friday, Gaza City residents were given 24 hours to leave, an indication the IDF will launch a ferocious attack to clear the settlement of Hamas militants.
As Saturday wore on in Israel, armoured vehicles and soldiers were deployed along the Gaza border.
Who are the missing? 120 still held hostage by Hamas
Hamas has threatened to begin killing people kidnapped from Israel during last week’s surprise attack and claimed that 13 of the original 150 captives had already died.
The IDF found bodies of hostages during a foray into Gaza today and it now believes 120 civilians are still being held hostage by Hamas.
Who is still missing?
- Grandmother Yaffa Adar, 85, who was seen in videos being driven away in a golf buggy earlier this week with a defiant look on her face.
- Erez Calderon, 12, who was dressed in his pyjamas when he was snatched by Hamas from a kibbutz in southern Israel. His sister, father and 80-year-old grandmother are also missing.
- Mother-daughter duo Natalie and Judith Raanan who were also taken from the kibbutz.
- Rut Perez, who cannot walk or talk, and her father.
- There are fears an unidentified Australian woman was kidnapped by Hamas.
- 14 Americans remain unaccounted for.
- Four Canadians are missing.
- At least 12 Russian citizens are still missing.
UN children’s agency calls for humanitarian access into Gaza
The UN children’s agency is calling for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip, saying hundreds of thousands of children and their families have started fleeing northern Gaza.
UNICEF said children and families in Gaza have practically run out of food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals, following days of hostilities and cuts to all supply routes.
“The situation is catastrophic, with unrelenting bombing and a massive increase in the displacement of children and families. There are no safe places,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
UNICEF said its staff have continued to respond to the critical needs of children across the Gaza Strip, but access is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous.
The agency said UNICEF staff will stay in southern Gaza to continue to provide support for children in need. - Via AP
Israeli army apologises for death of Reuters journalist
The Israeli army said it was “very sorry” for the death of a Reuters journalist on Friday in southern Lebanon.
Issam Abdallah was killed when missiles from Israel hit her and six others at Alma Al Shaab.
“We are very sorry for the journalist’s death,” military spokesman Richard Hecht said.
The IDF did not assume responsibility for her death but said it was “looking into it” .
Two Hamas commanders behind festival rampage killed
Israel’s military claims it killed two Hamas commanders who were behind the deadly attack at a music festival in Israel a week ago.
The military said it killed Merad Abu Merad, who was the head of the Hamas aerial system, and Ali Qadhi, a company commander of a commando force.
Qadhi was arrested by Israel in 2005 after the kidnapping and murder of Israeli civilians, the IDF said he had been released to the Gaza Strip as part of a prisoner exchange.
Abu Merad was killed in an air strike overnight.
Israel denies use of dangerous ‘white phosphorus’
Human rights activists yesterday accused Israel of using white phosphorus munitions in its military operations, a claim Israel has now denied.
The use of the chemical in warfare is not banned under international law as it has legitimate uses but its harmful effects on humans mean it is tightly controlled.
Videos taken this week showed multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border, Human Rights Watch alleged.
News agencies have also photographed white streaks in the sky above Gaza, claimed to be caused by white phosphorus.
In response, Israel’s military which faced allegations of war crimes when it used white phosphorus smokescreen munitions during its 2008-09 offensive in Gaza said it was currently not aware of the use of weapons containing white phosphorus in Gaza.
What is white phosphorus?
When white phosphorus comes into contact with oxygen, it ignites, producing dense white smoke and burns at 800C (1,470F).
It is sometimes used by militaries to mark areas or as a smokescreen. But it can also be used as a weapon to incinerate enemy positions, making it dangerous to civilians if launched into crowded areas.
In 2013, Israel said it was phasing out the substance in smokescreen munitions but it did not say whether it was reviewing the use of weaponised white phosphorus.
Russia has also been accused of using white phosphorus weapons in Ukraine.
Egypt erects ‘temporary’ blast walls to keep out mass exodus of Palestinians
Egyptian authorities have erected “temporary” blast walls on Egypt’s side of the Rafah crossing point with Gaza, two Egyptian officials say.
The crossing point has been closed since earlier this week after Israeli airstrikes hit close to its Palestinian side.
The officials said the blast walls were erected as part of “precautionary measures” Egypt has taken in recent days over growing concerns about a mass exodus of Palestinians.
One of the officials said the walls will be removed once a deal is reached with Israel to spare the crossing from its airstrikes.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief journalists.
Palestinians were fleeing in a mass exodus after Israel’s military told people to evacuate to the southern part of the besieged territory ahead of an expected ground invasion.
Australia halts rescue flights out of Israel
The Australian Government has halted rescue flights out of Israel over the weekend due to the “highly challenging” and “rapidly changing” situation.
Unfortunately, we have been advised our scheduled flights will not depart Israel today. A further flight will not depart as scheduled tomorrow, Smart Traveller advised at 4.17pm.
“The Australian Government is working to ensure Australians who want to leave can do so as soon as possible,” Smartraveller shared via X.
“We will communicate to registered Australians about next available flights.”
More than 1500 registered Australians remain in Gaza, Israel and the West Bank, Foreign Minister Penny Wong revealed today.
Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government was looking at “alternatives” to get Australians back from the region.
“There is a limit to what I can publicly say,” he said in an appearance on the ABC’s Voice Referendum coverage.
“We’ll continue to work this issue as we are and we’re working it very hard.”
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