On the morning of October 7, 2023, the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" launched a surprise attack targeting Israeli army positions in the Gaza Strip. It was able to control a large military base and a number of Israeli sites and observation points spread along the borders of the Strip. Commando units affiliated with the movement also took control of about 20 Israeli settlements within the so-called “Green Line.” This unprecedented operation, according to data announced by the Israeli army so far, resulted in the killing of more than 1,200 Israeli soldiers and civilians, and the wounding of about 3,000 people, including many senior officers. Hamas and other factions also captured more than 130 Israelis.

First: Backgrounds of Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood”

The operation, which Hamas called “Al-Aqsa Flood,” came against the backdrop of the continuing attacks carried out by the right-wing government, the most extreme in the history of Israel, which includes hardened settlers, against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, depriving them of their lands in preparation for their confiscation and Judaization, in addition to repeated settler attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque is protected by the Israeli army and security services. During the past weeks, the Israeli government mobilized about 30 battalions of army forces in the occupied West Bank to deter any Palestinian reaction to settler practices, and in preparation for storming Palestinian camps, towns and cities that are witnessing resistance operations against the occupation forces and settlers. As for the Gaza Strip, Israel has continued its siege since 2006, reducing the rights of Palestinian prisoners, increasing their ill-treatment, and refusing to conclude a prisoner exchange agreement, taking advantage of the weakness of the Arab position and the willingness of many Arab countries to normalize relations with it in isolation from Palestinian rights, and away from the land-for-peace formula. .

Second: A series of Israeli failures

The “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation is of great strategic importance because it establishes a change in the reality that Israel has tried to establish in the Gaza Strip since its unilateral withdrawal from it in 2005. This sudden operation led to the collapse of the Israeli strategy in dealing with Gaza and the rule of the Hamas movement there, as well as the collapse of the “Aqsa Flood” operation. Revealing the catastrophic failure of the various components of the military and security system on which Israel relied to implement its strategy; Which led to it incurring massive human losses amounting to twice its total losses in the 1967 war, the majority of whom fell on the first day of the operation. The failure of the Israeli military and security system exceeded its failure in the October 1973 War, which is known in Israeli terminology as negligence (hamehdal). Whatever the outcome of the war on Gaza, this will have major repercussions within the state apparatus and in Israeli society, and will fuel controversy over who bears responsibility for this unprecedented failure, which resulted in about 4,200 deaths and injuries, in addition to shaking the Israelis’ confidence in their security and military system and its ability. To protect them.

The greatest failure of the security services is recorded in the failure of the Israeli Military Intelligence (Aman) and General Intelligence (Shin Bet) to anticipate the operation or obtain information about it. What increased the bitterness of this intelligence failure, in a country that has long boasted of the strength of its security services and its spying capabilities around the world on both the technical and human levels, is that the failure resulted from the Gaza Strip, which these agencies monitor and collect information about around the clock using various human and electronic means. The second major failure was the fragility of the security wall that Israel built around Gaza, and bet on its ability to prevent Palestinian fighters from penetrating it, as Hamas fighters were able to penetrate it and cross through it in large numbers to more than 20 locations. Since its unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Israel has built a reinforced concrete wall along the Strip’s borders of about 65 kilometers, 7 meters deep into the ground, and 7 meters above it. It has installed the latest electronic monitoring devices on top of it, and has also erected watchtowers on it in various places to monitor... Every movement is behind him.

The third failure was the failure of the Israeli army to protect its military base located near the northern border of the Gaza Strip, and to protect the numerous military points and watchtowers extending along the borders of the Gaza Strip, in addition to its failure to protect more than 20 settlements located on the border of the Gaza Strip, within the so-called “line.” the green"; Hamas military units were able to storm it and impose control over it, causing losses to Israeli army forces and various security services.

It seems that this sudden attack launched by Palestinian fighters, their bold performance, their organizational capabilities, and their military experience, paralyzed the Israeli military and political leadership and caused it to lose its balance. Despite the Israeli army's constant boasting of its constant readiness to confront all emergencies and possibilities and its ability to mobilize enough force to confront any attack within hours of its occurrence, it not only failed to protect its military bases, but also failed to intervene quickly to restore the military sites and Israeli settlements that it took control of. Palestinian fighters continued to move there for no less than two days, while the settlers who were hiding in parts of it cried for help.

The fourth failure was the failure of the Israeli army and various security services to secure the defense of an entertainment party in which several thousand Israeli youth participated. The ceremony was held in an open field a few kilometers away from the Gaza Strip border, near a military base, after its owners obtained all the required security permits. Moreover, the Hamas operation paralyzed the ability of the Israeli military establishment to make decisions and respond to the requirements of the security and military situation, and the confusion extended to other state institutions that were prevented by the shock of the attack from quickly dealing with its results, including the late arrival to the dead and wounded, and the failure to provide Initial information for the families of the dead, wounded and missing, even several days after the start of the operation.

Third: The Israeli government’s reactions and calculations

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, announced after consultations with army commanders and members of the security cabinet that Israel was now in a state of war, and called for an end to the differences within Israeli society. The Minister of Security announced the summoning of more than 300,000 reserve forces in preparation for waging a war on the Gaza Strip and the mobilization of large forces on the northern front in anticipation of the possibility of the military situation erupting on the border with Lebanon and to deter Hezbollah from engaging in the war. On the same day, the Israeli government met and assigned the political and security “cabinet,” consisting of 11 ministers, to make the decision to launch war or a major military operation. The political-security cabinet is expected to determine the war goals and inform the Knesset about this in the next few days.

In light of the shaking of Israeli confidence in the government and the army, demands have increased for the formation of a national unity government or an emergency government. These calls were strengthened after the large scale of losses that occurred among the Israelis became clear, the growing desire to heal rifts and reduce the differences that have afflicted society in the past year, and the need to include experienced leaders in the decision-making circle, especially military personnel, such as Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot. They previously served as Chief of Staff of the Army. Indeed, on October 11, Netanyahu announced the agreement to form a “national emergency” government, with the National Camp party led by Gantz, which has 14 members in the Knesset, joining the government. A war “cabinet” was also formed that included Netanyahu, Gantz, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, while former Chief of Staff Eizenkot and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer were assigned to supervise the “cabinet,” and Gideon Sa’ar also joined the government, as one of three ministers who received positions. On behalf of the National Camp Party.

The new "cabinet" will face difficult decisions; First and foremost is precisely defining the goal of this war. There is almost consensus that it should not be like the previous wars launched by Israel against Gaza, and the strategy towards Gaza and Hamas should be radically changed with the aim of eliminating their rule. However, achieving this goal requires the occupation of the Gaza Strip or large parts of it. Because Israel will not be able to resolve the war from the air, no matter how many facilities and buildings it destroys and no matter how many massacres it commits. If Israel chooses to invade the Strip by land, it will entail heavy casualties in an urban war that Hamas is adept at waging. In addition, the infantry forces in the Israeli army are not prepared enough to fight a ground war. There is a big difference between what they do in the West Bank, where they play the role of the police and face groups that are not militarily trained and use old weapons, and what they may face in Gaza, where the units The military affiliated with Hamas and other factions is experienced in urban combat and has better weapons. It seems that Israel has replaced the development of its ground forces in recent years with investment in the air force, cyber, and intelligence. Therefore, it is likely to delay launching a large-scale ground attack on the Gaza Strip, despite the large forces it is amassing on its borders.

Accordingly, there have been repeated calls in recent days from prominent former military commanders, such as Amos Yadlin, former head of military intelligence, and Yisrael Ziv, head of the army operations room and former commander of the Gaza Division, to use the Israeli Air Force for as long a period as possible to strike the infrastructure of Hamas’ rule. And follow the “suburb” principle in destroying the neighborhoods in which the movement is located, targeting its leaders and members without exception, and paving the way to the greatest possible extent for the ground attack in which the various ground forces formations participate, which may not necessarily aim to occupy the entire sector.

Israel hopes that the invasion of the Gaza Strip or parts of it will lead to large losses among Palestinian civilians and is trying to commit more massacres against them. Which may change the positions of the major countries that currently strongly support Israel. Through the intense aerial bombardment campaign, it apparently seeks to displace the population, and to turn them against a rule that has caused them siege, wars, and disasters, according to Israel, so that the people welcome any alternative rule.

If the war ends without eliminating Hamas’s rule, even if the movement suffers heavy losses, the Israeli leadership will face another catastrophic failure added to its series of strategic failures. The survival of Hamas authority means a return to the situation that existed before the operation.

There is a fear in Israel that the war on Gaza, which is likely to be difficult and long, will lead to the expansion of the scope of confrontations into Lebanon, where tension with Hezbollah increases. Which means that Israel may have to engage in a confrontation on two or more fronts. Which leads to massive losses and major destruction to Israeli infrastructure.

The basic assumption of the Israeli security and political leadership is that Hezbollah will not enter this war, and that its military force is prepared to defend its project in Lebanon, mainly the Iranian nuclear project, and to deter Israel from attacking it. But it also believes that Hezbollah will not prevent Palestinian factions present in Lebanon from carrying out limited military operations across the border, and will maintain the existing deterrence equation between it and Israel without entering into a comprehensive war against it. There is also a fear in Israel that an error in estimates or even in calculated reactions between the two parties could lead to a comprehensive confrontation that they do not want. 

Therefore, Israel will keep its forces on the northern front on alert to deter Hezbollah, and to respond to the limited operations carried out by some Palestinian groups in southern Lebanon.

Finally, the fate of the Israeli civilian and military prisoners held by Hamas represents an important knot in the calculations of the military operation that Israel intends to carry out in Gaza. It is estimated that their number reaches 130 prisoners, at the very least, which is the largest number ever to fall into the hands of the Palestinian resistance in the history of the conflict with Israel. Israeli public opinion attaches utmost importance to their fate, which weakens the Israeli government's action against Gaza. Accordingly, the Israeli government tried to give the impression that it was going towards restoring the prestige of deterrence it had lost, even if that led to sacrificing the prisoners. This position came as a result of its realization that it would not be able to bring them back alive without concluding a deal with Hamas, which would include the release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. The Israeli government is not currently ready to make such a deal.

Operation “Al-Aqsa Deluge” killed Israel’s security, military and intelligence myth, and exposed the fragility of the fortifications and walls it had built to protect itself and isolate it from the besieged Palestinian “other”. There is a basic assumption that Israel still adopts, despite its proven repeated failure, which is that it is possible to continue occupying Palestinian land without paying the price and forcing the Palestinian people to accept this reality. The barbaric and backward instinctive state that prevails in Israel, and the perpetration of more aggression and massacres against the Palestinians, will not subjugate the Palestinian people in Gaza or in other places where they are located, nor will they break their will, and they will continue to struggle to gain their freedom from the occupation, even if Israel succeeds in overthrowing the government. Hamas in Gaza, which is unlikely.

Source: Arab Centre for Research & Studies

Settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque, under heavy protection from the Israeli occupation police.

Local sources reported that dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa from the direction of the Mughariba Gate, and carried out provocative rounds in its courtyards.

At the same time, the occupation forces tightened their military measures at all doors of Al-Aqsa Mosque, preventing citizens from entering it, and even preventing them from being in its vicinity.

As Israel declared war on Hamas and pounded Gaza following Saturday's devastating attack by Hamas Islamist movement, violence has risen in the occupied West Bank, risking escalation after more than a year of continuous flare-ups.

Israeli army have killed at least 27 Palestinians during clashes in the West Bank since Saturday, as Palestinian factions called on people in the Palestinian territory to join the fight against Israel's occupation.

Director of the Accountability Program at Defense for Children International, Ayed Abu Qutaish, said that the Israeli occupation authorities have killed 332 children in the West Bank and Gaza since the beginning of the aggression against the Gaza Strip last Saturday.

He added: Since the beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip, the occupation has been targeting civilians, and according to the Ministry of Health, as of yesterday, Wednesday, 326 children were martyred in the southern governorates, and 6 children in the northern governorates, and the number of martyrs of children and women is unprecedented.

He pointed out that the global movement prepares daily reports that reflect the crimes of the Israeli occupation, including displacement, demolition of residential neighborhoods, and cutting off water, electricity, and communications, in addition to the racist statements of Israeli officials.

Abu Qutaish stressed that the absence of accountability and impunity constitute a green light for the occupation to continue its crimes and the killing of Palestinian children.

He pointed out that the international community gave the green light for the Israeli military operation in Gaza, warning of the impact of the positions of some countries in increasing the number of martyrs of children and women.

The Ministry of Health had announced that 60% of the martyrs in the ongoing aggression against our people for the sixth day in a row were women and children.

Today, Thursday, the occupation forces tightened their military measures in the Hebron Governorate, closing the main roads and entrances and bypass streets.

Local sources confirmed that the occupation forces closed the entrances to the city of Hebron, its towns and camps, and the bypass streets, with an increase in settler attacks on citizens and their vehicles on the bypass roads.

The occupation forces also continued to close several entrances: the town of Bani Naim, Beit Anoun, east of Hebron, the entrance to Ziv, south of Hebron, and the entrance to the town of Halhul, in the north.

The Director General of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee, Imad Hamdan, pointed out that the occupation authorities and settlers worked to isolate a wide geographical area of the Old City starting from the Kiryat Arba settlement in the east, passing through the neighborhoods of Wadi Al-Hussein, Haret Jaber, Al-Salaymeh, Al-Sahla, the Ibrahimi Mosque, and Al-Shuhadaa Street, ending in Tal Rumeida. To the west, this area was surrounded by military gates and concrete blocks, separating it from its geographical and social surroundings, and military regulations and orders were imposed that determined exit from it, entry to it, and the movement of residents there.

Hamdan added, "As soon as the events began in the Gaza Strip, the occupation authorities rushed to exploit opportunities to implement their Judaizing settlement plan, by imposing a curfew on citizens in the besieged area and imposing isolation on it."

He explained that the curfew caused residents to be unable to go to work and practice their normal lives, stressing that the occupation authorities prevented humanitarian organizations and medical teams from reaching them.

The International Monetary Fund said it was closely monitoring developments in Israel and Gaza, and it was too early to assess any economic impact.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of life. We are monitoring this concerning situation closely," an IMF spokesperson said, adding that it was too early to say anything about the economic consequences.

Germany will suspend all development aid to the Palestinian Territories pending the completion of a review to ensure it best serves regional peace and Israel's security, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told legislators. "Our yardstick will be whether and how these projects best serve peace in the region and the security of Israel," he said. "Until that review is complete we will not make available any new development cooperation resources."

He added, "Our criterion will be whether and how these projects best serve peace in the region and Israel's security... Until this review is completed, we will not provide any new resources for development cooperation."

He added: "Unfortunately, we can expect that the suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip will likely increase, but this is also the fault of Hamas, and because of its attack on Israel."

Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun had a phone call with Assistant Minister of the Palestine Department in the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Osama Khedr on the Palestine-Israel situation.

Zhai Jun said that China is deeply concerned over the current escalation of tensions and violence between Palestine and Israel, and deeply saddened by the high number of civilian casualties caused by the conflict. China opposes and condemns acts that harm civilians, and calls for an immediate ceasefire.

 The root cause of the cycle of conflict between Palestine and Israel is that the Palestine question still has not been settled in a just manner, and the fundamental way out lies in implementing the two-state solution. 

The international community should make earnest efforts to advance the two-state solution with the greatest sense of urgency. China is ready to maintain communication and coordination with Egypt, promote the two parties to the conflict to cease fire and end violence, encourage the international community to form synergy, and provide the Palestinian people with humanitarian support, so as to avoid the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, in particular the Gaza Strip, from being even escalated.

Osama Khedr highly appreciated China's long-standing just position on the Palestine question, and emphasized that a full and just settlement of the Palestine question should be promoted in accordance with relevant resolutions of the United Nations and on the basis of the two-state solution. The international community should shoulder the responsibility to create conditions for restarting the peace process between Palestine and Israel. Egypt looks forward to working with China to make efforts to promote the de-escalation of the situation.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said it urgently needs $104 million, in order to enable its multi-sectoral humanitarian response over the next 90 days.

It indicated that approximately 218,600 people reside in 92 schools affiliated with it in the Gaza Strip.

Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun had a phone call with First Deputy Foreign Minister of Palestine Amal Jadou on the Palestine-Israel situation.

Zhai Jun said that China is deeply saddened by many innocent civilian casualties caused by the current escalation of the Palestine-Israel conflict and deeply concerned over the serious deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Palestine. The most pressing task is to cease fire immediately and protect civilians. 

The international community should earnestly play its role to jointly promote the de-escalation of the situation and provide the Palestinian people with humanitarian assistance. To end the cycle of conflict between Palestine and Israel, it is essential to restart talks for peace on the basis of the two-state solution, establish an independent State of Palestine, and realize peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel. 

China will continue to promote a ceasefire and the end of violence, help relieve the humanitarian crisis, actively advance talks for peace, and play a constructive role in promoting a full, just and lasting settlement of the Palestine question.

Amal Jadou thanked China for upholding a just position on the Palestine question for a long time and actively promoting talks for peace. The current humanitarian situation in Palestine is very grave, and the international community should shoulder the responsibility to promote a ceasefire and the end of violence, restart talks for peace, and establish an independent State of Palestine on the basis of the two-state solution. Palestine trusts China, and hopes that China will continue to play a constructive role under the current circumstances.

Media organizations in the Gaza Strip have stopped working since Wednesday evening due to the running out of fuel to operate their electricity generators and the Internet being almost completely cut off in the Strip.

There are fears that this will impact, over time, the cessation of most institutions, including Arab and international satellite channels, which are threatened with the same fate.

Authorities warned that this would allow the occupation to commit massacres without revealing them.

At least 7 journalists were martyred and a number of others were injured in the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

As the world's attention turned to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Brussels to demand that Western countries continue their aid to his country.

"We talked about Ukraine's defense priorities and how to survive the coming winter," Zelensky told reporters before attending a meeting with NATO defense ministers.

"We need some support from the leaders. That's why I'm here today," he added in the presence of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Zelensky identified air defense systems as one of his priorities, saying, "We need tangible things and we need them at very specific geographical points on our land."

The meeting between NATO and Ukraine ensured more assistance for the Ukrainians to face the coming winter, as Stoltenberg said that the alliance would provide more cold-weather clothing, mine-clearing capabilities, fuel, and medical equipment “to help Ukraine face another difficult winter.”

The new pledge came at a time when clashes between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) captured the world's attention. As of Wednesday, more than 2,000 people had been killed and thousands more injured on both sides.
NATO defense ministers are scheduled to discuss the situation in the Middle East on Thursday, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant is scheduled to join them via video link.

The Commission for the Affairs of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners warned Thursday morning of the dangerous escalation taking place in Israeli prisons and detention centers, which puts the lives of our male and female prisoners in danger and a real threat.

The Commission explained that the Negev Prison Administration’s decision to cut off water and electricity to all sections of the prison from two o’clock yesterday afternoon until this moment is a worrying step of revenge, as it is unthinkable to leave nearly a thousand detainees without water for all these hours, which exceeds the limits of logic.

The Commission calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene immediately to stop this crime, to go immediately to the Negev prison, to force the prison administration to restore water and electricity to all sections, and to pledge not to repeat these retaliatory practices that violate all international norms and conventions.

The Commission stressed that the occupation prison administration must know well that increasing pressure on the prisoners, and trying to vent its anger and the defeat of its army in the ongoing war with the Palestinian resistance factions, will lead to an explosion of the situation inside the prisons and detention centers, and the prisoner movement will not remain silent about these violations and punishments for long.

The Israeli army claimed, on Thursday, that the video published by the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, yesterday, about the settler that was captured and then handed over to the occupation, is old.

Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Israeli military sources as saying that this settler lives in Kibbutz Holit, and was kidnapped with two of her friend’s children who were killed in the attack. Minutes after being transferred to Gaza, she was left at the border and returned to the kibbutz alone, on the same day of the attack, after... Only minutes from her capture.

The sources indicated that it was not delivered yesterday, as Hamas tried to "promote" that. According to him.

Former US President Donald Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday (Wednesday) for what he described as a lack of preparedness for the attack launched by the Hamas movement at the weekend, which killed at least 1,200 people in Israel, according to Reuters.

Trump, who is most likely to win the Republican Party's nomination to run in the 2024 presidential elections, said in an interview with Fox News that Netanyahu was "deeply hurt" by the attack.

He added: “He was not ready.” He was not ready and Israel was not ready. “And in the Trump era, they shouldn’t have been prepared.”

Trump's statements came at a time when Israel is still counting its dead and suffering from one of the most devastating attacks in its history, which prompted it to respond with air strikes on Gaza that killed at least 1,200 Palestinians.

Speaking to his supporters in Florida yesterday evening, Trump once again commented on Israeli security preparedness and pointed out “some things that went wrong last week.”

He continued: “They have to get it right because they are probably fighting a very large force, probably fighting Iran.”

The Israeli army admitted, for the first time, on Thursday, that there were certain indicators the night before the start of the war about movements of Hamas activists.

The Israeli army spokesman said in a press briefing that there was no intelligence warning of such an event.

Daniel Hajri said: We had no warning of such an event.. There were certain signals the night before, but not for such a step and not a warning, and we will examine it carefully, and we will investigate everything.

He added: Following the suspicious signals witnessed in the Gaza Strip the day before the surprise attack, several discussions took place in the army, but they did not reach the impression of a willingness to move against Israel, and for this reason the army did not raise the alert level in the south and did not inform the political level about it. like he said.

During the conference, Hajri claimed that the Israeli army continued its attacks in Gaza and struck Hamas targets after information it obtained from captured militants who were arrested and interrogated. According to his claim.

He claimed that Muhammad Abu Shamala, commander of the Hamas naval commandos in the Rafah Brigade, was assassinated, and Mustafa Shaheen, one of the Al-Qassam activists who documented the attacks, was assassinated, vowing to reach out to everyone behind them.

A White House spokesman told The Washington Post that President Joe Biden based his comments on allegations by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman and media reports from Israel regarding accusations leveled against Hamas about beheading Israelis.

The spokesman said that Biden and American officials had not seen the truth about the photos or independently confirmed these reports.

The Israeli military has not yet confirmed the claim that Hamas beheaded children during the weekend attack. An Army spokesperson told The Intercept on Tuesday that they could not confirm this horrific claim.

It is noteworthy that a local Israeli journalist, named Nicole Zedek, who works for the Israeli “i24 News” network, which is close to the Netanyahu family, claimed that she witnessed this horrific scene and said on the air, “It is difficult to explain exactly the large number of victims that happened here.” “Children with their heads cut off,” but it was later dropped on the X platform.

It later turned out that the news was fabricated by an extremist Israeli settler and distributed to the media.

A US administration official also confirmed the same reports to CNN, stressing that Biden had not seen any photos and what Netanyahu told Biden had not been independently verified.

At least two rockets fell on Thursday morning in settlements in the West Bank.

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, a missile fell in the Ariel settlement in the northern West Bank.

While another missile fell in Tzur Yitzhak, which is close to the Green Line wall with the city of Taybeh.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, claimed responsibility for firing a missile salvo towards Tel Aviv and its environs.

Israel continues to bomb the Gaza Strip for the sixth day in a row since Hamas and Palestinian factions launched a surprise cross-border attack on Israeli towns and cities adjacent to the Strip at dawn last Saturday, leaving at least 1,200 dead on the Israeli side, in addition to the capture of dozens of others.

Palestinian television reported on Thursday that 22 people had been killed as a result of the ongoing Israeli bombing of Gaza, noting that Israeli aircraft and artillery launched “violent” strikes targeting various areas of the Gaza Strip, according to what the “Arab World News Agency” reported.

Later, the Palestinian News and Information Agency reported that 15 people were killed as a result of an Israeli bombing on a house in the Jabalia al-Balad area in the northern Gaza Strip, in addition to dozens of injuries and material damage, which it described as severe.

Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee said on his account on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) today that Israeli forces will continue to strike targets of the “Hamas” movement in Gaza “without stopping.”

Adraee referred to a video recording broadcast by the Qatari Al Jazeera channel of the release of an Israeli settler and two children after being detained in the Gaza Strip for days, saying, “Hamas is changing the truth through the play of publishing a propaganda video through its media mouthpieces.” The truth is clear and obvious, and its features will become more clear in the coming days.”

Footage published by Al Jazeera showed a number of gunmen releasing a woman and two children in the Kibbutz Holit area, according to the network. However, it was not clear whether this step was coordinated with any party.

However, the Israeli news website “Mafzak Life” reported that the Israeli woman is Avital El-Jem and that the two children who were with her when they were detained are her friend’s children, one of whom is four years old and the other six months old. According to the website, the real mother of the two children is still detained in Gaza, and her name is Adi Vital Kablon.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that the number of deaths in the West Bank and Gaza had risen to more than 1,229 people, while stating that the number of injured had reached more than 5,000, according to what Palestinian television reported.

Al-Aqsa satellite channel quoted the spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza as saying that the number of victims as a result of the Israeli attacks on the Strip reached 1,200 people.

Briefly storming Jenin

Meanwhile, Palestinian TV reported today that Israeli forces withdrew from the city of Jenin in the West Bank after storming it earlier.

The Palestinian News and Information Agency reported that Israeli forces stormed Jenin, while the Israeli newspaper “Jerusalem Post” reported that the Israeli army sent reinforcements to the city after clashes with Palestinians.

The newspaper quoted Israeli media reports that the clashes, which it described as violent, took place during the night between security forces and Palestinians, noting that the army sent reinforcements after the intensity of those clashes escalated.

The Palestinian Information Center later reported that the Jenin Brigade targeted Israeli forces that stormed the city with “dense and successive batches of bullets.”

The Jerusalem Post said that the Israeli army published today the names of 31 soldiers killed in the Hamas attack.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported yesterday, Wednesday, that the army announced that the number of its soldiers killed since the outbreak of fighting with Palestinian factions last Saturday had risen to 189 soldiers. With today's announcement, the total number has risen to 220 dead among the army.

A safe passage for foreigners to leave Gaza

Meanwhile, sources confirmed to the Arab World News Agency (AWP) today that there is a preliminary agreement being formulated to secure a safe passage for the exit of nationals of foreign countries from the Gaza Strip, but they stated that it has not yet been determined whether the exit will take place through the Egyptian Rafah crossing or the Erez crossing.

The sources indicated that Israel has not yet given any approval regarding the entry of food, fuel, and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip. However, a source said that the safe passage route for foreign nationals is expected to be announced this evening.

Earlier today, the American website Axios quoted unnamed American and Israeli officials as saying that the United States is communicating with Egypt and Israel in an effort to provide safe passage for Americans and foreigners to leave Gaza.

The website stated that Israel and Egypt agreed in principle to establish the safe corridor; But he said that the practical implementation of this corridor may be very difficult, because it will require some kind of ceasefire.

Yesterday, NBC News quoted officials in the administration of US President Joe Biden saying that there is coordination with other countries regarding a plan to provide a safe passage for civilians to exit Gaza via Egypt.

Israeli media quoted an Israeli army spokesman to foreign media calling on the people of Gaza to go to Egypt. But another speaker quickly denied the existence of any official Israeli call to direct the residents of the Gaza Strip towards Egyptian territory.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said on Tuesday that Egypt “will not allow the Palestinian issue to be liquidated at the expense of other parties,” after Cairo News TV quoted senior Egyptian sources on Monday warning against pushing the Palestinians toward the Egyptian border and feeding “some parties” calls Mass exodus of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Try to unload the sector

Taher Al-Nono, advisor to the head of the Hamas political bureau, considered safe passage for the displaced in Gaza an Israeli proposal to “empty” the Strip. He said in statements to the Arab World News Agency: “Talking about a safe passage proposal for the displaced are theses proposed by the occupation with which it wants to empty the Gaza Strip... Such issues the occupation aims to create public opinion about.”

He added: “We (in the Hamas movement) have confidence in the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, who are steadfast and steadfast in their land... and we are confident that they will not accept a repeat of the experience of immigration and leaving the Palestinian land.”

In response to a question about any proposed humanitarian truce to bring aid into the Gaza Strip, Al-Nono said: “Hamas calls for the humanitarian, medical and food needs of our Palestinian people to be brought in,” but at the same time he stressed that no truce agreements of any kind have been reached so far.

Media sources reported that Egypt was discussing a proposal for a humanitarian truce that would last four to five hours a day, in which food and medical aid would cross into the Gaza Strip and wounded Palestinians would be transferred to Egyptian hospitals.

In a related context, Al-Nono stressed that his movement welcomes Lebanon’s participation in the confrontation against Israel, saying: “We welcome the participation of any party in the confrontation with the occupation and making it pay a price for its crimes and occupation. This is the battle of Al-Aqsa and our entire nation is called upon to participate in it.”

He considered the presence of more than one front to “confuse Israel and hasten victory,” as he put it.

Al-Nono said that it was too early to talk about a prisoner exchange deal during this period, adding: “We are now fighting a battle, and when it ends, we can talk about all the issues and their details and the demands of the movement... When the war ends, all the issues and demands will be talked about, especially since we “We are still in the beginning.”

Regarding Israel’s promise to eradicate the Hamas movement in this war, Al-Nono considered these threats “the occupation’s illusions, with which it only wants to address Israeli public opinion.” He said, "The resistance and Hamas are rooted in the Palestinian people."

He added: “The occupation has no ability to do this; He received a severe blow and suffered a terrible defeat on the seventh of October (October), and he wants to compensate for himself only by killing civilians, wiping out entire squares, destroying streets, and bombing ambulances, but he is incapable of a real confrontation with the resistance.”

Israel had vowed that its war on the Gaza Strip aimed to “uproot” Hamas.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel said: “We have to uproot Hamas, so that it cannot do anything.” There will be no choice; There is no room to even think about other options; Therefore, the world can use what happened (in Israel) as a model for future attacks.”

Immediate relief

Martin Griffiths, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, today revealed the allocation of nine million dollars to enable immediate relief efforts in the Palestinian territories.

Griffiths said on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) that “the humanitarian conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories are deteriorating.”

At the same time, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip warned today that health services have entered a critical stage, and said that medicines, medical consumables and fuel are about to run out.

The Ministry stressed on its Facebook account the necessity of urgent action to provide safe passage for medical supplies and to leave the wounded and sick “before it is too late.”

The ministry said through its spokesman, Ashraf Al-Qudra: “Hospitals are in a state of full capacity, and the wounded and sick are now lying on the ground as a result of the intensification of the Israeli aggression.”

Yesterday, Wednesday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) requested urgent provision of $104 million to provide life-saving aid in the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement: “An unprecedented humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, and aid to civilians fleeing the bombing must be immediate... It is necessary to ensure that humanitarian aid and protection reach all civilians,” calling on UNRWA donors and partners to increase their financial support to maintain the work of UNRWA. The United Nations agency in Gaza and the region.

Yesterday, Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, Jennifer Austin, announced that 11 members of the UN agency had been killed since the attacks began in the Gaza Strip.

Blinken meets Abbas in Jordan

On the other hand, Hassan Al-Sheikh, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, confirmed today that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in the Jordanian capital, Amman, tomorrow, Friday.

The Sheikh said through his account on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter): “As part of the effort exerted around the clock by the Palestinian leadership to stop this destructive war... Mr. President is scheduled to meet tomorrow, Friday, with the US Secretary of State.”

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority also confirmed earlier that Blinken's visit to Israel and Jordan will include a meeting with Abbas in Amman.

Sources connected to the United States informed the Arab World News Agency (AWP) that Abbas will demand pressure on Israel to open a humanitarian supply route to deliver aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

A source confirmed that there was intense pressure on Abbas to condemn the Hamas attacks in the Gaza Strip as well as his condemnation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. However, the sources did not confirm or deny the possibility of the Palestinian President responding to these pressures, noting his refusal since last Saturday to condemn the Hamas attack.

Blinken will also meet in Amman with Jordanian King Abdullah II.

Blinken arrives today in Israel to meet with its senior leaders. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a press conference on Tuesday that Blinken's visit to Israel will be a message of solidarity and support and to listen directly to the Israelis about the current situation.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi called on Tuesday for an immediate ceasefire between the Palestinians and the Israelis in light of the continued Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.

He also called, at the beginning of a Gulf-European meeting in Muscat, for the release of prisoners on both sides and adherence to international humanitarian law. He stressed addressing the causes of violence between the two parties, and said, “Until the suffering of the Palestinians is properly resolved in accordance with international law, we will not witness peace.”

Meanwhile, Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign affairs official, stressed that the "two-state solution" is the way to achieve progress in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling on the international community to work to find a settlement based on this principle.

The final statement of the meeting of the 27th session of the Joint Ministerial Council between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union, which was read by Borrell, expressed concern about the events in Israel, condemned everything that is happening against civilians, and called for allowing water and food to enter the Gaza Strip.

The Omani minister said at the opening of the joint meeting between the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union in Muscat: “I speak for all of us in calling for restraint, an immediate ceasefire, the release of prisoners on both sides, and adherence to international humanitarian law.” He added, “But the cause of this violence and extremism is what needs to be addressed, and unless there is a solution to the plight and suffering of the Palestinians in accordance with international law, we will not see lasting peace.”

Al Busaidi stressed that “the two-state solution is the only and best way to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.” He pointed out that the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union agreed on the importance of restraint, de-escalation, and the release of civilians detained by all parties. He said: “We are committed to urgently supporting efforts to start a new and meaningful dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis for peace.”

Borrell: Towards solutions to the crisis

For his part, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, stressed the need to unite efforts to defuse the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians.

Prior to the European-Gulf meeting, Borrell said via his account on the “X” platform that it is also necessary to “work to find long-term solutions to the crisis.”

In his speech at the meeting, Borrell stated that the world is witnessing “tragic moments in the history of the Middle East with the escalation of violence between the Palestinian and Israeli sides and the implications of this escalation on the possibility of the two peoples living side by side in peace and security.”

He pointed to the European Union's cooperation with the League of Arab States to find a joint initiative to help revitalize the two-state solution. Noting that this effort cannot replace a real negotiation process between the two parties, and everyone must actively participate to overcome the current impasse.

He stressed the need to seize the opportunity provided by the European-Gulf meeting to explore ways to do everything possible to defuse the ongoing crisis and to look beyond the current day.

The European Union foreign affairs official said: “Although peace now seems much further today than it was a few days ago, and although the chances of peace negotiations seem remote at this stage, they remain the only way to reach a long-term solution that achieves peace and security for the two peoples.” He added: “We in the European Union still believe that the way to achieve progress is the two-state solution.”

He went on to say: “It may be difficult to achieve, but we cannot imagine any other solution, and we look forward to working with our main partners to this end, and to building on what we started in New York last month. Perhaps this development and the lives lost represent a wake-up call for the international community to end this problem and actually engage in the search for a solution to it.”

Saudi Arabia, the Chairman of the Islamic Summit in its current session and the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, called for an urgent extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee at the ministerial level, to study the military escalation in Gaza and its surroundings and the worsening conditions that threaten civilians and the security and stability of the region.

For its part, the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation renewed its condemnation of the Israeli military aggression, which led to the death of hundreds of martyrs and wounded among the Palestinian people.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation stressed that the continuation of the Israeli occupation, its failure to adhere to international legitimacy resolutions, and the escalation of its attacks and daily crimes against the Palestinian people, their land and holy sites, and the deprivation of their legitimate rights are the main reason for instability.

The organization held the Israeli occupation responsible for the escalation, calling at the same time on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibilities towards stopping the Israeli aggression, providing international protection for the Palestinian people, and sponsoring a serious political process in order to end the Israeli occupation, and embodying the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. Its capital is East Jerusalem on the lines of June 4, 1967, and a just and comprehensive peace can be achieved on the basis of the vision of the two-state solution, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.

1. By late Wednesday, the number of displaced people in Gaza had risen by an additional 75,000 people from the figure given 24 hours earlier, reaching 338,934, the UN's humanitarian agency said.
2. 
   
3. More than 338,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations said, as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave.
4. 
   
5. "Mass displacement across the Gaza Strip continues," the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in a statement sent on Thursday.
6. 
   
7. By late Wednesday, the number of displaced people in Gaza had risen by an additional 75,000 people from the figure given 24 hours earlier, reaching 338,934, it said.
8. 
   
9. The announcement came as Israel pounded the Gaza Strip -- a densely populated enclave of 2.3 million people.
10. Israeli forces said 1,200 people were killed in the onslaught -- the worst in the country's history.
11. In Gaza, officials reported more than 1,000 people have been killed in Israel's sustained campaign of air and artillery strikes.

On Thursday morning, the Israeli occupation forces launched an arrest campaign in the West Bank, targeting at least 55 citizens, distributed among the governorates of: Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, Jericho, Ramallah, Qalqilya, and Jerusalem.

The Prisoners' Club said that since October 7, the occupation has arrested more than 200 citizens of the West Bank

The Prisoners' Club said that some of the detainees are former prisoners who were subjected to arrest, including those who spent years in occupation prisons.

He added that this campaign of arrests comes in light of the comprehensive aggression launched by the occupation against our people, as the arrests constituted, and continue to be, the consistent and systematic policy used by the occupation to abuse citizens, take revenge on them, and undermine any escalating resistance against it.

The Prisoners' Club pointed out that the occupation has arrested more than 200 citizens from the West Bank since October 7, the date of the Battle of the Resistance (Al-Aqsa Flood).

It is worth mentioning that since the beginning of this year, the occupation has arrested more than 5,600 citizens.

For the sixth day in a row, the Israeli occupation forces continue to commit massacres in the Gaza Strip.

Several neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip were subjected to major destruction after being bombed randomly, which led to the death of dozens of citizens, the majority of whom were children and women who were safe in their homes.

The resistance in Gaza launched rocket salvoes towards Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Beersheba and Haifa, while the Israeli occupation announced the formation of a national emergency government to fight Hamas.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced on Wednesday/Thursday night that the number of martyrs had risen to more than 1596 and injuries to 7212 since Saturday dawn.

The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz called for an exchange deal with the Palestinian resistance under which the prisons would be whitewashed.

The Hebrew newspaper said: “We must conclude a prison exchange and whitewash deal immediately, and Netanyahu must not try to save the honor of the army at the expense of Israeli children and infants.”

Haaretz added: "We must not wait or delay, as every second puts the lives of our prisoners in Gaza at risk. We must negotiate now and pay the price."

It continued: "We must pay every price required for a prisoner exchange deal without delay, and without imaginary maneuvers or cleverness from the most reckless government in the history of Israel."

The Palestinian resistance was able to capture dozens of soldiers and settlers while carrying out the first attack of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood last Saturday.

The foreign ministers of the Arab countries at their emergency meeting at the headquarters of the League of Arab States today called for the immediate cessation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the Strip and its surroundings.

The Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level held an extraordinary session under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Morocco, and at the invitation of it and the State of Palestine at the headquarters of the League of Arab States to consult and coordinate on ways to stop the dangerous escalation and aggression against the Gaza Strip.

A statement issued at the conclusion of its meeting said:

“Emphasizing the centrality of the Palestinian issue, and the necessity of fulfilling all the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, first and foremost their right to self-determination and a safe and dignified life in their independent, sovereign state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital,

“Emphasizing its adherence to a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution as a strategic option to protect the region and all its countries, peoples and future from the danger of violence and wars and their devastating repercussions,

“Reaffirming all its previous decisions on the Palestinian issue,

“Decide

“1) Emphasizing the immediate cessation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the Strip and its surroundings, calling on all parties to exercise restraint, warning of the catastrophic humanitarian and security repercussions of the continuation and expansion of the escalation, and working with the international community to launch urgent and effective action to achieve this, in implementation of international law, and to protect the security and stability of the region from the danger of expanding cycles of violence, for which everyone will pay the price.

2) Condemn the killing and targeting of civilians by both sides, and all acts contrary to international law and international humanitarian law, and emphasize the need to protect civilians, in line with common humanitarian values and international law, and the need to release civilians and all prisoners and detainees.

3) Condemn everything that the brotherly Palestinian people have been subjected to and the aggression and violations of their rights they are currently exposed to.

4) Emphasizing the need to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip, and immediately allow the entry of humanitarian aid, lunch and fuel into it, including through United Nations organizations, especially the United Nations Relief Agency for Refugees (UNRWA), and cancel Israel’s unjust decisions to stop supplying Gaza with electricity and cut off water. about him.

5) Emphasizing support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land and warning against any attempts to displace them outside it (transfer), and exacerbating the issue of refugees whose right to return and compensation must be met, within the framework of a comprehensive solution to the conflict that addresses all final status issues, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions and the peace initiative. Arab countries, and to collectively confront any attempts to transfer the crisis exacerbated by the continued occupation to neighboring countries.

6) Emphasizing the need for Israel to implement its obligations as the occupying power and stop all illegal Israeli measures that perpetuate the occupation and undermine the two-state solution and the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace, including building and expanding settlements, confiscating lands and displacing Palestinians from their homes, and military operations against Palestinian cities and camps, And attacks on Islamic and Christian sanctities.

7) Emphasizing that the way to ensure security and stability in the region is to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that fulfills all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to embody their independent, sovereign state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to live in security and peace alongside Israel, In accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative with all its components.

8) Emphasizing the necessity of reviving the peace process and launching serious negotiations between the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and Israel to achieve a just peace, and warning that the continued absence of real political prospects for achieving a just and comprehensive peace will only lead to perpetuating despair, fueling conflict, strengthening extremism, and increasing Tension, violence, and the collapse of confidence in the peace process are a way to resolve the conflict and achieve security and stability for all countries and peoples of the region.

9) Emphasis on supporting the Palestinian National Authority politically, economically and financially.

10) Assigning the delegations of the League of Arab States and the Councils of Arab Ambassadors and the Arab League at the United Nations, to take action at the international level to communicate the content of this resolution and to work with international partners to stop the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and their rights.

11) Keeping the Council in permanent session to follow up the Arab and international movement to implement the contents of this decision.”

M.K.

 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, a Palestinian official said early on Thursday.

Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, also said on messaging platform X that Abbas will meet with Jordan's King Abdullah in Amman on Thursday.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Wednesday, in the first telephone call between the two leaders since a China-brokered deal between Tehran and Riyadh to resume ties.

Raisi and the Saudi crown prince discussed the "need to end war crimes against Palestine," Iranian state media said.

The Saudi crown prince, for his part, "affirmed that the Kingdom is making all possible efforts in communicating with all international and regional parties to stop the ongoing escalation," Saudi state news agency SPA said.

He also reiterated Saudi Arabia's rejection of targeting civilians in any way, SPA added.

Saudi Prince affirmed that the Kingdom is making all possible efforts to stop ongoing escalation.

 Raisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Wednesday, in the first telephone call between the two leaders since a China-brokered deal between Tehran and Riyadh to resume ties.

Raisi and the Saudi crown prince discussed the "need to end war crimes against Palestine," Iranian state media said.

The Saudi crown prince, for his part, "affirmed that the Kingdom is making all possible efforts in communicating with all international and regional parties to stop the ongoing escalation," Saudi state news agency SPA said.

He also reiterated Saudi Arabia's rejection of targeting civilians in any way, SPA added.

Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to resume ties in March under a deal negotiated by China after seven years of hostility, which had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East, from Yemen to Syria.

At least 140 Palestinian children have been killed in the Gaza Strip as the Israeli military launched an offensive over the weekend, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Defense Children International Palestine has confirmed the killing of at least 74 Palestinian children in direct Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip between October 7 and 10.  DCIP continues to document and confirm Palestinian child fatalities in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip as hostilities continue as Israeli forces unleashed a massive military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Saturday after Palestinian armed groups fired rockets toward Israel and breached the Israeli perimeter fence surrounding Gaza early on October 7, launching attacks inside Israel. Israeli forces initiated a large-scale military operation dubbed Operation Iron Swords. 

“Israeli forces are intensifying air, land, and sea attacks against an overwhelmingly Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip where nowhere and nobody is safe,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at DCIP. “Rather than deescalating hostilities to rein in civilian harm, the international community is actively bolstering Israeli war efforts through increased military funding and weapons despite Israeli officials declaring their intention to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. Systemic impunity must end.”

Israeli forces fired several missiles toward a residential building in the Sheikh Ajleen neighborhood, south of Gaza City, around 8:30 p.m. on October 8, killing 10 Palestinians, including three children: Yazan, 10, Abdulnaser, two, and Omar Ahmad Abdulnaser Shamlakh, five months, according to documentation collected by DCIP. The airstrike completely destroyed the building, which included four apartments housing three families.

Yazan Ahmad Abdulnaser Shamlakh, ten.

Abdulnaser Ahmad Abdulnaser Shamlakh, two, and his father, Ahmad.

Omar Ahmad Abdulnaser Shamlakh, five months.

Israeli warplanes bombarded agricultural land on Al-Samuni Street in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City, around 6 a.m. on October 9, killing two Palestinian children, sisters Lara, five, and Mira Mahmoud Fuad Abu Ghanemeh, seven, according to documentation collected by DCIP. 

Israeli warplanes fired three missiles at a residential building at the intersection of Al-Ternis Street in the middle of Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip around 11:30 a.m on October 9, killing 69 Palestinians, including at least 15 children, according to documentation collected by DCIP. The total number of children killed in the attack is expected to rise to 17 as DCIP field researchers work to confirm the names and ages of two additional young victims. The bombing caused massive destruction due to its location in a dense, crowded residential and shopping area.

Israeli warplanes bombed a residential building without warning in the Beer Al-Najeh area of Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip around 6:45 p.m. on October 9, killing seven Palestinians, including three children: Ismail Mohammad Ismail Salah, seven, and cousins Malak Mohammad Nasser Abu Obed, 15, and Karam Yousef Nasser Abu Obed, 17, according to documentation collected by DCIP. Neighbors report that there were approximately 15 to 20 people inside the building, including some who were seeking refuge. The rubble is still being searched for victims.

Around 12:25 a.m. on October 10, Israeli warplanes targeted a residential building in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians, including 16-year-old Ahmad Ayman Ahmad Al-Asmi, according to documentation collected by DCIP. The airstrike destroyed the top two floors of the building.

At least 830 Palestinians, including at least 140 children, have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Saturday morning, according to the Palestinian Health Information Center. DCIP is working to document additional attacks and killings. Israeli forces shot and killed five Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, including 12-year-old Ahmad Abdulnaser Adnan Rabi. 

DCIP previously confirmed the killing of at least 50 Palestinian children in direct Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip between October 7 and 9, 2023, in a report issued yesterday.

Over 187,000 people in the Gaza strip have fled their homes as mass displacement escalates with intensifying Israeli attacks, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). More than 137,000 internally displaced Palestinians are sheltering in 83 United Nations schools throughout the Gaza Strip, while over 41,000 Palestinians, whose homes have been destroyed or damaged, are hosted by relatives and neighbors, according to UN OCHA.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a video statement yesterday that Israeli authorities would cut electricity and block the entry of food and fuel as part of “a complete siege” on the Gaza Strip.

More than 900 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian armed group attacks since October 7, according to news media reports.

Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 3,752 Palestinian civilians since 2008 throughout the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, according to UN OCHA. Since 2000, Israeli forces and settlers have killed more than 2,300 Palestinian children as of October 9, 2023, according to documentation collected by DCIP.

International humanitarian law prohibits indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks and requires all parties to an armed conflict to distinguish between military targets, civilians, and civilian objects. Deploying explosive weapons in densely-populated civilian areas constitutes indiscriminate attacks and carrying out direct attacks against civilians or civilian objects amounts to war crimes.

Israeli authorities have imposed a closure policy against the Gaza Strip since 2007 by strictly controlling and limiting the entry and exit of individuals; maintaining harsh restrictions on imports including food, construction materials, fuel, and other essential items; as well as prohibiting exports. Israel continues to maintain complete control over the Gaza Strip’s borders, airspace, and territorial waters.

A video clip broadcast by Al Jazeera on Wednesday evening showed the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, handing over an Israeli settler and her two children to the occupation.

The video clip shows the settlement being handed over at the Holit settlement adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

Al-Qassam did not provide details about what happened.