Israeli military wants to keep corridor open
In view of the fierce fighting with the Islamist Hamas in the north of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli armed forces want to continue to allow civilians to flee to the south of the sealed-off coastal strip.
"We will continue to maintain this humanitarian corridor to the south," said military spokesman Daniel Hagari on Wednesday. This also applies to today. According to the statement, an estimated 50,000 people used the evacuation corridor yesterday.
Meanwhile, there was growing concern that the Gaza war could spread to the entire region. In response to the latest attacks by pro-Iranian militias, the US military flew another airstrike in eastern Syria. The target was a weapons depot used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and their allies, said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The USA had already carried out airstrikes against two similar targets in eastern Syria at the end of October. This heightened fears that the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas could escalate into a major conflict.
On October 7, terrorists from Hamas and other groups killed more than 1,400 people in massacres and attacks in the Israeli border area and abducted numerous hostages in the Gaza Strip. In response, the Israeli armed forces carried out air strikes and deployed ground troops in the densely populated coastal strip. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip has risen to more than 10,500. The figures cannot currently be independently verified.
Netanyahu: No ceasefire without release of hostages
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again made a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip conditional on the release of the hostages. "I want to put aside all kinds of false rumors that we hear from all possible directions and make one thing clear: There will be no ceasefire without the release of our hostages," Netanyahu said.
However, it was unclear whether he meant the release of all hostages at once. Earlier, there had been unconfirmed media reports of negotiations on a humanitarian ceasefire in return for the release of up to 15 hostages in the Gaza Strip. A high-ranking member of the Islamist Hamas told the German Press Agency that "serious negotiations" were underway.
UN: Convoy with medical supplies reaches clinic in Gaza Strip
According to the United Nations, a convoy with medical supplies has reached the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip. This is only the second delivery of life-saving supplies to the clinic since the beginning of the Gaza war, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) announced.
Although the delivery is welcome, it is far from sufficient to meet the enormous needs in the Gaza Strip. "The medical conditions in the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip and one of the oldest Palestinian health facilities are catastrophic," the statement said.
Number of UN staff killed in the Gaza Strip rises
The number of United Nations staff killed in the Gaza war has risen to 92. The UN has never recorded so many deaths in one month in any conflict anywhere in the world, said Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in an interview with the Swiss media company Tamedia, as reported by the national news agency Keystone-SDA. He warned of the collapse of public order. More than 700,000 people have now fled to the aid organization's facilities.
US government on the future of Gaza
The US government called for diplomatic talks on the future of the Gaza Strip. "I think what we have are a lot of questions, but not a lot of answers," said National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby on US television station CNN.
"We know what we don't want to see after the conflict in Gaza. We don't want to see Hamas take control. We don't want to see a reconquest by Israel." But what is a good solution for the coastal strip has yet to be found, he said. The USA could not solve the problem alone. "We will have to hold diplomatic talks with the people in the region to find a solution."
Israel: entire division of reservists deployed in the Gaza Strip
According to the military, an entire division of reservists is involved in the Israeli armed forces' ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. A division usually comprises at least 10,000 soldiers.
According to the military, this is the first time since the Lebanon War in 1982 that an entire division of reservists has been deployed in enemy territory. The 252nd Division, which has been operating in the north of the Gaza Strip since Saturday, comprises four infantry brigades and an armored brigade. In addition to the division, other troops are also involved.
What will be important today
France is organizing an international aid conference to mobilize humanitarian support for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. According to the Élysée Palace on Thursday, the meeting with representatives of states and aid organizations will focus on advocating for compliance with international law in the coastal strip and increased humanitarian access. Aid in the areas of water, health, energy and food should be able to reach the people.
New financial commitments to support the population in Gaza are expected at the conference. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Charles Michel, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis are expected to attend the meeting, which will be chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, specifically between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, have led to concerns about the potential escalation of the situation. French President Emmanuel Macron is organizing an international aid conference to mobilize humanitarian support for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, focusing on compliance with international law and increased humanitarian access for areas such as water, health, energy, and food. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip conditional on the release of hostages, indicating that the release of all hostages might be a requirement for a peace agreement.
Source: www.dpa.com
