Jerusalem: As confrontations along Israel's border with Lebanon and Israeli airstrikes inside Syria raised worries of a wider conflict in the region, diplomats worked to ameliorate a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and get foreigners out of the blockaded territory.
With senior Israeli military officers signalling their intent to invade Gaza, Israel’s new emergency wartime government held its first formal meeting, and appeared to be preparing for the invasion. “We will take Hamas apart,” PM Benjamin Netanyahu told his ministers.
Israel launched a series of harsh retaliation airstrikes on Gaza days after Hamas gunmen brutally attacked Israel last weekend, killing more than 1,300 Israelis. Israel's military issued a fresh warning to enclave residents to evacuate south and provided a three-hour opening during the middle of the day for them to escape via Salahuddin Road, a major road. However, Gaza's health ministry declared that hospitals would not be evacuated.
Will demolish Hamas: Netanyahu
Palestinians across Gaza were struggling for survival, with hundreds of thousands heeding Israel’s order to evacuate south. Water ran out at UN shelters and doctors warned many could die as entire hospital facilities would be shut down. The toll from Israeli strikes stood at 2,670 so far, the Gaza health ministry said.
Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting of the emergency cabinet and vowed to “demolish Hamas” as his military readied for ground attack. There were concerns the situation could escalate into a wider conflict across the region.
2 Israeli officers and 10 nepali student died
In a tragic attack carried out by the Palestinian militant group Hamas earlier this month, at least two Israeli women security personnel of Indian descent died, according to community sources. Lieutenant Or Moses, 22, a commander in the Home Front Command, from Ashdod and inspector Kim Dokraker, a Border Police officer in the police’s Central District, were killed in the attack.
Ten Nepali citizens were killed in Kibbutz Alumim, the Himalayan republic's embassy in Tel Aviv said. The Kibbutz was hosting 17 students at the time of the attack.
India backs Palestine state, but slams Hamas
India sought to put its stance on the situation in perspective as it sought adherence to international humanitarian law and urged the international community to fight terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations amid concerns that there would be additional bloodshed in the Israel-Hamas conflict and reports that Israeli forces may invade Gaza.
In a delicate balancing act, as it broke its silence finally, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) reiterated India’s support for a sovereign, independent and viable Palestine state while describing the Hamas assault on Israel that led to the present situation as terrorist attacks.
Indian TV actor says cousin, her spouse killed
TV actor Madhura Naik, known for her work in ‘Naagin, ‘Uttaran’ and ‘Breathe’, said her cousin, Odaya and her husband were killed by Hamas terrorists. She posted on Instagram that the two were killed right in front of their kids.