2023-10-28 23:18:00
The war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group, sparked on October 7 by an attack by the Islamist movement from the Gaza Strip, has entered its 22nd day. The Israeli army is still responding by relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip, territory controlled by Hamas since 2007. Here are the latest developments in the conflict.
Gaza declared a “battlefield”
The Israeli army warned that it now considered Gaza City and its surrounding area a battlefield and ordered residents to immediately leave for the south of the area.
According to the spokesperson for Civil Defense in Gaza, Mahmoud Bassal, “hundreds of buildings and houses were completely destroyed” in the nighttime raids. Communications and internet have been cut since Friday in the Palestinian territory.
Rocket fire towards Israel
Rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel, wounding three people, according to doctors.
New assessment on the Palestinian side
The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry said 7,703 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war with Israel, including more than 3,500 children. Due to the absence of journalists in Gaza, these figures are impossible to verify.
In the October 7 attack, 1,400 people were killed by Hamas in Israel, mainly civilians, according to local authorities.
Shows of support
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated across the world in support of the Palestinians, such as in London and New York. In the French capital, the gathering had been banned, which did not dissuade several thousand people from demonstrating shouting “Gaza, Gaza, Paris is with you!” »
A war still “long and difficult”
The war will be “long and difficult,” warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Defeating Hamas is an “existential challenge” not only for Israel, but for “all of Western civilization,” he assured. On Friday evening, the Israeli army intensified its bombings and entered Palestinian territory where it was still operating on the ground on Saturday evening. Now, “the second stage of the war” has begun, according to Mr. Netanyahu.
Hamas wants to exchange hostages for prisoners
Yahya Sinouar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, said he was ready to immediately conclude an exchange of hostages held by the Islamist movement for “all the Palestinian prisoners” incarcerated by Israel. According to the latest count, Israeli authorities have identified 230 people captive in the Gaza Strip. The families of the hostages, the majority Israeli, expressed concern about the fate of their loved ones due to the intense bombings on Gaza. During the day, they were able to meet Benjamin Netanyahu who promised to examine “all options” to free their loved ones. According to him, this is one of the objectives of the war: “to bring the hostages home”.
Israel recalls its diplomats to Türkiye
Israel recalled its diplomats from Turkey in order to “reassess relations” between the two countries, in reaction to “serious statements” from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: “Israel, we declare you before the whole world a war criminal. »
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