Israel: Gaza Strip divided into two halves
The Israeli combat units have advanced further in the densely populated Gaza Strip and have now completely divided the coastal area into two halves, according to their own statements. The city of Gaza in the north has been completely encircled, said an army spokesman on Sunday evening. This was a decisive step in the fight against the Islamist Hamas. However, civilians should still be able to flee to the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
According to the Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel, all communication and internet services in Gaza have once again failed. And according to a media report, the Jordanian air force dropped medical supplies over the strip of land sealed off by Israel.
Help from the air
At around midnight, medical supplies and medicines were dropped by parachute over a Jordanian field hospital in Gaza, the newspaper "The Times of Israel" quoted a corresponding announcement by Jordanian King Abdullah II. Israel had imposed an embargo on uncontrolled aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip. It remained unclear whether the aid had reached the hospital. As the newspaper further reported, citing a US source, the operation was carried out in coordination with the USA and Israel. There was initially no confirmation.
Israel is demanding that all aid supplies, which have so far only reached the south of the Gaza Strip via the Egyptian Rafah border crossing, be checked. This is to prevent weapons from being smuggled to the Islamist Hamas, which rules Gaza and carried out an unprecedented large-scale attack on Israel on October 7. Terrorists killed more than 1,400 people on the Israeli side, including many children and young people.
Following an Israeli attack on an ambulance, which according to the army was used by Hamas, travel out of the Gaza Strip has been halted for the time being. Injured Palestinians as well as foreigners and Palestinians with dual citizenship are affected.
Humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic
Aid organizations are complaining that the aid supplies that have so far reached the Gaza Strip by truck are far from sufficient. The humanitarian situation in the densely populated coastal strip, where around 2.2 million people live, continues to be devastating. Meanwhile, the number of United Nations staff killed has risen to 79. Five staff members have been killed in the past 48 hours, the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) announced on Sunday. The number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip rose to 9770, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority.
Israel: Gaza Strip divided into two parts
There is now "a northern Gaza and a southern Gaza", said Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari on Sunday. The units had reached the coast in the southern part of the city of Gaza and were "holding" the area. The air strikes and attacks on the ground had been expanded in the evening. "Tonight we are carrying out an important operation," Hagari continued. According to the Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel, all the main lines for internet and communication connections in Gaza were switched off by the Israelis. There was initially no confirmation of this from the Israeli side.
As reported by the Times of Israel, the UN Security Council is to meet again for an emergency session at the instigation of the United Arab Emirates and China to discuss the latest developments in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Renewed confrontations also on Israel's border with Lebanon
Meanwhile, there were also renewed incidents on Israel's northern border with Lebanon. According to Lebanese security circles and the Hezbollah militia, three children and their grandmother were killed in an attack by an Israeli drone. When asked on Sunday, the Israeli military stated that it had attacked "a suspicious vehicle". It had been "identified as a suspected means of transportation for terrorists". "The claim that there were civilians in the vehicle is currently being investigated," the army said.
According to the army, an Israeli civilian was killed in a Hezbollah attack from Lebanon on Sunday. Hezbollah attacks Israeli military targets and populated areas without distinguishing between civilians and members of the military. Israel's military is prepared for a possible major attack in Lebanon, said Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi on Sunday during a visit to the troops. "We are ready to strike in the north at any time."
Blinken warns militias
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a warning to the pro-Iranian militias during a surprise visit to Iraq on Sunday. "Whoever wants to take advantage of the conflict in Gaza to threaten our people here or elsewhere in the region - don't," Blinken said on Sky News. His visit to Iraq also comes against the backdrop of increasing attacks by pro-Iranian militias on US troops in Iraq.
What is important today
Efforts to achieve a ceasefire for aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip and a reopening of the Rafah border crossing are continuing. According to an Israeli media report, the UN Security Council is to meet again for an emergency session.
Following the Israeli division of the Gaza Strip into two parts, Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, warned pro-Iranian militias not to take advantage of the conflict to threaten civilians in the region. Meanwhile, the Israeli military continues to hold the southern part of the city of Gaza, causing a disruption in communication and internet services due to their actions, as reported by Paltel. The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains critical, with aid supplies falling short and over 9700 Palestinians killed, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority.
Source: www.dpa.com
