Gaza: Fuel supplies rapidly running out in hospitals as death toll surpasses 6,500

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday acknowledged for the first time that he would "have to give answers" for security lapses exposed in the deadly October 7 attacks by Hamas.

"We will examine in detail, we will get to the bottom of it," said Netanyahu, who has faced a barrage of opposition and media criticism after Gaza militants breached Israeli border defences.

"The fault will be examined and everyone will have to give answers, including me. But all this will happen later," the right-wing leader said in a televised address as the Israeli military prepares for a widely expected invasion of the Gaza Strip.

"As prime minister I am responsible for securing the future of the country," he added.

Russia, China veto US Security Council resolution on Israel's Gaza war

Russia and China have vetoed a US-drafted UN Security Council resolution on the war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The draft called for pauses the violence to allow aid access. The United Arab Emirates also voted no, while 10 members voted in favour and two abstained. 

Family members of Al Jazeera Arabic Gaza correspondent Wael Dahdouh were killed in an Israeli airstrike, the media outlet have reported.

Among those killed were his wife, son and daughter.

Macron:  Aid must enter Gaza without obstacles

President Emmanuel Macron, at a joint news conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, said on Wednesday that humanitarian aid must enter into Gaza without obstacles.

Macron said that it was essential to get fuel supplies to hospitals, adding that a French navy ship would arrive soon to help bring support to Gaza hospitals and that a plane will arrive in Egypt with key supplies.

Macron also said that it was necessary to avoid regional escalation following the conflict between Israel and Hamas, adding that a two-state solution was necessary for peace in the Middle East.

"It is not because it is an old idea (a two-state solution) that it is an obsolete idea," he said.

Sisi said he had agreed with Macron to work to contain the crisis in Gaza, introduce aid and seek to prevent other parties from entering the conflict.

Israel warplane kills 20 in strike on residential building in Gaza City

At least 20 people were killed this afternoon and many others were injured when an Israeli warplane targeted and destroyed an inhabited residential building west of Gaza City.

WAFA correspondent said the warplanes fired around 20 missiles at the building, totally destroying it and buildings nearby, killing and wounding those inside.

He said the strike also destroyed roads and a nearby bakery.

At least 20 people were killed this afternoon and many others were injured when an Israeli warplane targeted and destroyed an inhabited residential building west of Gaza City.

WAFA correspondent said the warplanes fired around 20 missiles at the building, totally destroying it and buildings nearby, killing and wounding those inside.

He said the strike also destroyed roads and a nearby bakery.

At least 20 people were killed this afternoon and many others were injured when an Israeli warplane targeted and destroyed an inhabited residential building west of Gaza City.

Warplanes fired around 20 missiles at the building, totally destroying it and buildings nearby, killing and wounding those inside, the Palestinian official news agency Wafa said.

He said the strike also destroyed roads and a nearby bakery.

Israel agrees to US request to delay Gaza invasion

Israel has agreed to delay the ground invasion of Gaza for now, in order for the United States to rush missile defences to the region, US media outlet Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has reported, citing US and Israeli officials.

The Pentagon is working to deploy about 11 air defence systems in the region, WSJ said, including for US troops stationed in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Israeli officials, according to the publication, have agreed to US requests to wait until these systems are in place, potentially within this week. 

(Reuters)

Israel 'using starvation as weapon' against Palestinians: Oxfam

The international charity Oxfam said Israel is using "starvation as a weapon" against desperate Palestinians as the war continued to devastate Gaza.

The NGO said only two percent of food that would usually enter Gaza has actually made it to the territory.

Oxfam also went on to urge food, fuel and water to be delivered to Gaza, which has been put under a complete siege by Israel two weeks ago.

US to send 'entire Iron Dome stockpile' to Israel

The US is planning on sending its entire Iron Dome stockpile, as Washington continues to provide military support for its biggest ally amid the war in Gaza.

Two batteries and more than 300 interceptors owned by the US army will be provided, confirmed a US official to the Israeli daily Haaretz.

Morocco bans anti-Macron demos despite French leader's support for Israel

Authorities in Morocco banned on Tuesday a protest against French President Emmanuel Macron, due to visit the North African country.

The protests were scheduled to be held due to Macron's unwavering support for Israel amid its war in Gaza. 

Read more from TNA's North Africa correspondent Basma El Atti here.

Israel 'deliberately' targeting bakeries in Gaza

Officials in Gaza said that Israel is "deliberately bombing and targeting bakeries" as Tel Aviv struck the only bakery in the al-Mughazi refugee camp in the centre of Gaza, killing at least ten people and wounding dozens of others on Wednesday.

Read more from The New Arab's Gaza correspondent here.

King Abdullah to Macron: 'Urge end to Israel war on Gaza'

Jordan's King Abdullah told French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday that ending Israel's war in Gaza is an urgent necessity and warned there could otherwise be an "explosion" in the wider Middle East.

In a royal court statement, the monarch told Macron Israel should be pressured by global powers to stop its unrelenting bombing campaign in the blockaded Gaza and end its siege of the densely populated enclave of 2.3 million Palestinians.

Macron, who arrived in Amman after holding talks on Tuesday with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, discussed with Abdullah ways to end the war on the basis of a future Palestinian state co-existing with Israel, the statement said.

UN to vote on US, Russia action for Israel-Gaza war

The United Nations Security Council will vote later on Wednesday on rival proposals by the United States and Russia for action on the ongong brutal war waged by Israel on the besieged Gaza Strip, diplomats said.

Both countries seek UN Security Council resolutions to address shortages of food, water, medical supplies and electricity in Gaza. But the United States has called for pauses to allow aid to enter Gaza, while Russia wants a humanitarian ceasefire.

(Reuters)

Israel strikes in southern Syria kill eight soldiers

Israel strikes on Wednesday have killed eight soldiers in the southern city of Daraa following an increase in cross-border fire exchange in the aftermath of Israel's war on Gaza.

Seven others were wounded in the strikes, a war monitor said.

Gaza healthcare system is 'completely out of service'

The healthcare system in Gaza is completely "out of service and is in a state of complete collapse", Palestinian health ministry spokesperson Dr Ashraf al-Qudra said on Wednesday.

The system is a such due to Israel's constant bombardment of hospitals and healthcare facilities, as well as the lack of medical supplies and fuel, he said.

Al-Qudra said an "immediate flow of medical aid and fuel is needed to restore work in hospitals' life-saving departments.

Hezbollah's Nasrallah meets with Hamas, Islamic Jihad leaders

Senior officials of Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have held talks with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah about achieving "real victory" in their war with Israel, the Lebanese group said on Wednesday.

The Hezbollah statement did not specify when or where Nasrallah met with Hamas number two Saleh al-Arouri and Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nakhaleh beyong saying that it was at a undisclosed location in Lebanon.

News of the meeting comes as Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions exchange daily fire with the Israeli army across the Lebanon-Israel border, amid fears of a potential spillover in neighbouring Lebanon.

They discussed what "the axis of resistance must do at this critical stage to achieve real victory in Gaza and Palestine and stop" Israel's "brutal aggression", the statement said.

They also discussed "recent events in the Gaza Strip since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood," and they agreed to "keep coordinating and daily following up on developments," the statement further read.

Hamas 'not a terrorist organisation', Erdogan says

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in his strongest comments yet on the Gaza conflict, said on Wednesday the Palestinian militant group Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people.

Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan also called for an immediate ceasefire between Israeli and Palestinian forces and said Muslim countries must act together to secure a lasting peace in the region.

"Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, it is a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people," he said, using an Arabic word denoting those who fight for their faith.

Erdogan's comments have been criticised by Italy's far-right deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, calling them "disgusting."

Israel strikes Aleppo airport for fourth time since start of Gaza war

Israeli strikes hit Syria's Aleppo airport on Wednesday, a war monitor said, in what was the fourth such incident in two weeks as regional tensions simmer over the Israel's war in Gaza.

"Israel renewed its air aggressions on Syria bombing Aleppo International Airport on Wednesday afternoon," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Syrian regime's transport ministry official Suleiman Khalil said the Aleppo airport runway had been targeted by a strike.

A Syrian military source also said that the attack occurred, adding that it had damaged the airport's runway.

Gaza death toll rapidly increases to 6,546 

The health ministry in the war-torn Gaza Strip said on Wednesday that 6,546 people have been killed in the territory since the outbreak of Israel's war on the besieged enclave over two weeks ago.

The death toll includes 2,704 children. A total of 17,439 people have also been wounded since the conflict erupted on October 7.

Turkey's Erdogan cancels Israel trip over Gaza war

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he was cancelling plans to visit Israel because of its "inhumane" war in Gaza, which has killed 6,055 Palestinians as of Wednesday.

"We had a project to go to Israel, but it was cancelled, we will not go," Erdogan told ruling party lawmakers in parliament.

The Turkish leader did not say when he had intended to visit Israel, where Ankara had been eyeing joining a natural gas pipeline project promoted by the United States.

"Of course, we had good intentions, but (Netanyahu) abused them," Erdogan said.

"If he had continued with good intentions, our relations might have been different, but now, unfortunately, this will not happen either."

Qatar: Negotiations 'ongoing' to free more captives

Qatar's prime minister said on Wednesday there was some progress on hostage negotiations following the release of two more captives on Monday by Hamas.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who is also the minister of foreign affairs, said at a press conference with his Turkish counterpart that he hoped there would be breakthroughs on hostage releases "soon".

Wealthy gas-producer Qatar has had an open dialogue with both Israel and Hamas, which has brought about the release of four hostages held by Hamas.

The Gulf state, in coordination with the US, is leading mediation talks with Hamas and Israeli officials over the hostages' release as Israel prepares a ground assault on the enclave.

Israel kills 21st Palestinian journalist in Gaza

Israel strikes and violence in Gaza has killed journalist Saed al-Halabi after bombardment targeted his home in Jabalia camp, located 4 kilometres north of Gaza City.

Al-Halabi worked for the Al-Aqsa Media Network, Palestinian media said.

تغطية صحفية: "ارتقاء الصحفي في شبكة الأقصى الإعلامية سائد الحلبي بعد قصف طيران الاحتلال منزله في مخيم جباليا". pic.twitter.com/C0QhmAy54B

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) October 25, 2023

Al-Halabi is now the 21st Palestinian journalist to be killed by Israel amid its brutal war on Gaza. Three Israeli and one Lebanese journalist have also been killed.

Palestinian doctors race to save lives in Gaza as Israel strikes hospitals 

Palestinian doctors in Gaza are scrambling to save lives as hospitals in the besieged enclave are casualties increase in Al-Shifa Hospital in the enclave.

"Around the clock, we can witness dozens of such tragic scenes. The Israeli occupation is committed massacres against our people without any mercy of the civilians," one doctor said.

Read more from The New Arab's correspondent in Gaza here.

Death toll in Gaza increases to 6,055

The death toll in war-hit Gaza has now reached 6,055, the Gaza health ministry said on Thursday, amid continued Israeli strikes on the besieged strip.

UN warns of 'halt' to Gaza aid operations

A UN agency warned dwindling fuel supplies could force it to stop aid operations in Gaza on Wednesday, as calls mounted for a humanitarian "pause" in the war.

After 18 days of indisriminate Israeli air strikes and a complete land, sea and air siege of the Palestinian territory, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned operations were at breaking point.

"If we do not get fuel urgently, we will be forced to halt our operations in the Gaza Strip," said the UN agency, which provides aid to 600,000 displaced Gazans.

Aid agencies report hospitals are overwhelmed, generators lack fuel and shelters are heaving under the weight of an estimated 1.4 million displaced - more than half the population.

Since the war began, a few dozen trucks with essential supplies have been allowed to cross the Egyptian border into Gaza, far fewer than needed, according to aid agencies.

Israel war on Gaza affecting regional economies

The raging war waged by Israel on Gaza is already battering the economies of nearby countries, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund told a Saudi investor forum on Wednesday.

"You look at the neighbouring countries - Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan - there the channels of impact are already visible," Kristalina Georgieva said at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

"What we see is more jitters in what has already been an anxious world," Georgieva said.

More than 100 Palestinians killed in West Bank since beginning of Gaza war 

Over 100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been killed since the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza began on October 7, the Palestinian health ministry said on Wednesday.

Israeli strikes killed Palestinians near Jenin's refugee camp, Qalqiya and Qalandia, north of occupied Jerusalem.

Israel has illegally occupied the West Bank since 1967, and has exponentially increased its raids since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to power in December 2022, and since its war on Gaza over two weeks ago.

Read more from our West Bank correspondent Qassam Muaddi here.