As the Israel-Hamas war entered its fifth day on Wednesday, 950 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, while the Israeli death toll climbed to 1,200 people. Apart from subjecting innocent lives and civilians to the worst human crimes and atrocities, the war has provoked the world to take sides and thrown geopolitical equations off balance.
Netanyahu makes calls to allies
Over a phone call on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed US military support for Israel, said the White House. The State Department said that President Joe Biden is dispatching his top diplomat on an urgent mission to show US support for Israel. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is expected to arrive on Thursday. PM Narendra Modi also made a call to PM Netanyahu and assured him of Indian solidarity at this difficult hour.
The death and destruction continues
Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes continue reducing buildings and homes to rubble in the Gaza strip neighborhood. The disturbing images of children in Gaza being rushed for medical aid and some lying in a pool of blood made it to social media. Israel even hit the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza strip. The blasts have left people not just homeless but scrambling to find safety amidst the wreckage. In the meanwhile, as Israel vowed retaliation for Hamas' October 6 attack with something, "that would reverberate... for generations," many celebrities and international organizations criticized Israel for its war crimes and blatant disregard for international law. Particularly after Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said on Monday that Israel had ordered a "complete siege" on Gaza. He also added that, "no electricity, no food, no fuel, no water. Everything closed.
Ground offensive coming up in Gaza: Israeli Defence Minister
The Reuters reported that Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has pledged to further escalate the war against Hamas with a ground offensive. In a speech to Israeli troops near the Gaza fence, he reportedly said, "We started the offensive from the air later on we will also come from the ground. We've been controlling the area since day two and we are on the offensive. It will only intensify. Hamas wanted to change and it will get one. What was in Gaza, will no longer be."
Israel deliberately targeting medical staff: Health Ministry in Gaza
Amidst disturbing visuals pointing to atrocities on civilians and kids by Israeli authorities, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has alleged that Israel is, "deliberately targeting" Palestinian medical staff. Al Jazeera Arabic quoted a health ministry spokesman as saying, "Medical teams work in dangerous conditions and we call on international bodies to take effective steps to protect them."
The IDF has been warning the world for years about who Hamas is, now everyone can see for themselves.1/3 pic.twitter.com/xAcryz0ecj
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 10, 2023
Over 2.6 lakh Palestinians displaced: UN
On Wednesday, tossing alarming statistics, the United Nations said that over 2.6 lakh Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced in Israel's retaliatory air strikes over the past five days. "Over 2,63,934 people in Gaza are believed to have fled their homes," the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said.
“Pure panic everywhere you look.”
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 10, 2023
Inside the Gaza siege - a resident’s eyewitness report by Yousef Hammash. pic.twitter.com/NLhKHPWa0X
Fuel running out for Gaza
The sole power plant for Gaza Strip and currently the only provider of electricity will run out of fuel in 10 to 12 hours at the most, said Palestinian Energy Authority Chairman Thafer Melhem to Voice of Palestine Radio on Wednesday.
