Israel has said it cannot guarantee the safety of journalists documenting the conflict
It was a night of intense bombing of Gaza and clashes on the border. Ground operations have been expanded, even though the Israeli army has specified that this is not an invasion. The Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen refused to accept the draft resolution which the UN General Assembly approved and which was presented by Jordan on behalf of the Arab countries to ask for a humanitarian truce between Israel and the Palestinians. Cohen wrote on: “With the open rejection of the despicable call for a ceasefireIsrael intends to act to eliminate Hamas just as the world acted against the Nazis and ISIS.”
The UN resolution for the truce between Israel and the Palestinians
—
The resolution is not binding because it was approved by the Assembly and not by the Security Council. What he is asking for is to guarantee the entry of aid and prevent forced displacement. The votes in favor were 120, those against 14 and among those against there was Israel and also the United States. 45 countries abstained, including Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan commented on the approval of the resolution by saying that “it is a dark day for the UN, which no longer has a shred of relevance or legitimacy” and that “Israel will not stop the operation until Hamas’ terrorist capabilities are destroyed and our hostages are returned.”
Negotiations failed
—
Al Jazeera reported that the Hamas spokesman, Osama Hamdanspeaking of a possible ceasefire and prisoner exchange, said: “There were negotiations and also political efforts to reach an agreement, but after Israel’s latest raids on Gaza there are no more talks“. Let us remember that Hamas would like a few days of truce in exchange for the release of one hundred Israeli hostages.
Ground offensive
—
Israel launched late last night a larger ground incursion into the Gaza Strip than previous onesbut the spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces Peter Lerner specified that this is not yet the large ground invasion that was announced days ago and added that the Israeli army is doing everything possible to avoid civilian losses, but this it is “a war” that Hamas “started”.
The underground objectives
—
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari made it known that the Israeli air force “is hitting targets located underground in a very significant manner” and also stated that “in addition to the attacks conducted in recent days, Ground forces are expanding their activities. The Israeli defense is acting with great force to achieve the war objectives.” As reported by the Times of Israelthe military wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam brigades, is allegedly countering the Israeli military forces in Gaza and there have been violent clashes near Beit Hanounwhich is located in the north-eastern part of the Gaza Strip, about 6 km from the Israeli city of Sderot, and in Bureijin the central area where there is a Palestinian refugee camp.
CNN, citing Israeli sources, confirmed during the night that the Hamas tunnels in Gaza and the same Israeli forces then showed a map with the five tunnels used by Hamas and which would have been destroyed in these hours by the Israeli air force. These would be the tunnels of North Gaza, Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, on the border with Israel, Gaza and Rafah, where the access gate to Egypt is located, used to bring in the first humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population in the days past. According to the Tel Aviv secret services, some of these tunnels may have been filled with explosives to turn them into traps for Israeli soldiers.
Increasingly intense bombings on Gaza
—
Throughout the night Al Jazeera showed live footage of frequent explosions in Gaza and reported that Israeli airstrikes hit areas around the enclave’s main hospital, however these attacks near Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City They have not been verified by Reuters. That hospital, according to the Israeli army, is used by Hamas as a shield for its tunnels and operations centers, but Hamas has denied this.
Journalists in danger
—
Reuters with France Press contacted the Israeli army to ensure that frontline journalists are not targeted by airstrikes, but the response from the Israel Defense Forces was that they cannot guarantee the safety of journalists, photographers and teleoperators who are covering the war in Gaza because “all Hamas military activities across Gaza will be targeted” and “given the circumstances”, cannot guarantee the safety of journalists.
The position of the United States
—
On the orders of US President Joe Biden, American military jets would Iranian-backed militant groups attacked in Syria that had hit American troops in the country and in Iraq after the October 7 attack. This happens because in the maximum alert on all fronts urged by the Israeli army, the enemy areas around the Jewish state could become active. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the National Security Council John Kirby on CNN he declared that the US administration is “very worried” about a possible escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas. There Transportation Security Administrationthe agency responsible for screening passengers and safeguarding flights in the United States, through its spokeswoman Alexa Lopez, responding to a question from the New York Times asking whether the war between Israel and Hamas had also raised alarm in the US , confirmed that protocol at airports has been tightened “as a consequence of world events”. Furthermore, the USA made an appeal to their compatriots in Lebanonasking them to leave the country immediately.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED