At least 126 children killed in latest Israeli air strikes, says Gaza as residents’ evacuation continues
Israel had given some Gaza residents 24-hours to evacuate
14 October 2023 - 07:30
byReuters
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
People transport bodies of people killed by Israeli strikes in Palestine. Picture: IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS
Jerusalem/Cairo — Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours have so far killed at least 324 Palestinians and wounded 1,000 others, Gaza’s health ministry reported on Saturday.
According to the report, the dead included at least 126 children and 88 women.
In total, at least 2,269 Palestinians have been killed and 9,814 others wounded due to Israeli attacks in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian health ministry said in a report on Saturday.
This comes after the Israeli military said it had seen a “significant movement” south of Palestinian civilians, a day after ordering Gaza City residents to flee, as Israel’s prime minister promised further retaliation for Hamas’ rampage last week.
The UN also said thousands have fled Palestine, according to media reports.
Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas for the attack a week ago in which its fighters killed 1,300 Israelis, mainly civilians, and seized scores of hostages.
On Friday, more than one million residents of northern Gaza received a notice from Israel to flee south within 24 hours, which has already passed.
“We have seen a significant movement of Palestinian civilians towards the south,” Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told a video briefing early on Saturday. He did not mention the deadline and did not take questions.
“About the Gaza Strip, Israeli reserve soldiers in formation (are) getting ready for the next stage of operations. They are all about the Gaza Strip, in the south, in the centre and in the north, and they are preparing themselves for whatever target they get, whatever task.”
“The end state of this war is that we will dismantle Hamas and its military capability and fundamentally change the situation so that Hamas never again has the ability to inflict any damage on Israeli civilians or soldiers.”
Israel has since put the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, home to 2.3-million Palestinians, under a total siege and bombarded it with unprecedented air strikes. Gaza authorities say 1,900 people have died.
More than one million residents of northern Gaza on Friday received 24-hours’ notice from Israel to flee south before an expected ground offensive.
Hamas vowed to fight to the last drop of blood and told residents to stay.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said tank-backed troops had mounted raids to hit Palestinian rocket crews and gather information on the location of hostages, the first official account of ground troops in Gaza since the crisis began.
“We are striking our enemies with unprecedented might,” Netanyahu said in a rare statement televised on Friday after the Jewish Sabbath began. “I emphasise that this is only the beginning.”
it had seen a “significant movement” south of Palestinian civilians, a day after ordering Gaza City residents to flee, as Israel's prime minister promised further retaliation for Hamas’ rampage last week.
The UN also said thousands have fled Palestine, according to media reports.
Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas for the attack a week ago in which its fighters killed 1,300 Israelis, mainly civilians, and seized scores of hostages.
On Friday, more than one million residents of northern Gaza received a notice from Israel to flee south within 24 hours, which has already passed.
“We have seen a significant movement of Palestinian civilians towards the south,” Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told a video briefing early on Saturday. He did not mention the deadline and did not take questions.
“About the Gaza Strip, Israeli reserve soldiers in formation (are) getting ready for the next stage of operations. They are all about the Gaza Strip, in the south, in the centre and in the north, and they are preparing themselves for whatever target they get, whatever task.”
“The end state of this war is that we will dismantle Hamas and its military capability and fundamentally change the situation so that Hamas never again has the ability to inflict any damage on Israeli civilians or soldiers.”
Israel has since put the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, home to 2.3-million Palestinians, under a total siege and bombarded it with unprecedented air strikes. Gaza authorities say 1,900 people have died.
More than one million residents of northern Gaza on Friday received 24-hours’ notice from Israel to flee south before an expected ground offensive.
Hamas vowed to fight to the last drop of blood and told residents to stay.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said tank-backed troops had mounted raids to hit Palestinian rocket crews and gather information on the location of hostages, the first official account of ground troops in Gaza since the crisis began.
“We are striking our enemies with unprecedented might,” Netanyahu said in a rare statement televised on Friday after the Jewish Sabbath began. “I emphasise that this is only the beginning.”
Tens of thousands of Palestinians were estimated to have headed south from northern Gaza after the Israeli order, according to the United Nations, which said more than 400,000 Palestinians had been internally displaced due to hostilities before the directive.
Mosques broadcast the message: “Hold on to your homes. Hold on to your land.”
The United Nations and other organisations warned of a disaster if so many people were forced to flee, and said the siege should be lifted to let in aid.
US President Joe Biden said consultations were under way with regional governments on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as trapped Palestinians endured a power blackout and shortages of food and water amid fierce Israeli bombing.
Biden, in a speech at a Philadelphia shipping terminal, said addressing the humanitarian crisis was a top priority.
US teams in the region, he said, were working with Israel, Egypt, Jordan, other Arab governments and the United Nations.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it was impossible for Gazans to heed Israel's order to move south without “devastating humanitarian consequences”, prompting a rebuke from Israel that the UN should condemn Hamas and support Israel's right to self-defence.
“The noose about the civilian population in Gaza is tightening. How are 1.1 million people supposed to move across a densely populated war zone in less than 24 hours?” UN aid chief Martin Griffiths wrote on social media.
Mahmoud Abbas, president of Hamas rival Palestinian Authority, told US Secretary of state Antony Blinken in Jordan that the forced displacement would constitute a repeat of 1948, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were driven from what is now Israel. Most Gazans are descendants of such refugees.
Gaza is one of the most crowded places on earth, and for now there is no way out. In addition to Israel's blockade, Egypt has resisted calls to open its border with Gaza. US Defence Secretary
Lloyd Austin on Friday met Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Austin said military aid was flowing into Israel but that this was the time for resolve and not revenge.
“The path will be long, but ultimately I promise you we will win,” Gallant said.
Blinken met King Abdullah in Jordan on Friday as well as Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank but lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007.
Blinken later flew to Qatar, a US ally with influence among Islamist groups.
Battles
In the West Bank, demonstrators supporting Gaza fought gun battles with Israeli security forces. Palestinian officials said 16 people were shot dead.
There have also been fears of hostilities spreading, including to Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where clashes this week have already been the deadliest since 2006.
Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah was killed on Friday while working in southern Lebanon by missiles fired from the direction of Israel, according to another Reuters videographer on the scene. Six other journalists were injured.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najob Mikati and a Hezbollah lawmaker blamed the incident on Israel.
Israel's UN envoy said it would investigate what had happened in the area after the journalist's death.
“We always try to mitigate and avoid civilian casualties. Obviously, we would never want to hit or kill or shoot any journalist that is doing its job,” Gilad Erdan said.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
At least 126 children killed in latest Israeli air strikes, says Gaza as residents’ evacuation continues
Israel had given some Gaza residents 24-hours to evacuate
Jerusalem/Cairo — Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours have so far killed at least 324 Palestinians and wounded 1,000 others, Gaza’s health ministry reported on Saturday.
According to the report, the dead included at least 126 children and 88 women.
In total, at least 2,269 Palestinians have been killed and 9,814 others wounded due to Israeli attacks in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian health ministry said in a report on Saturday.
This comes after the Israeli military said it had seen a “significant movement” south of Palestinian civilians, a day after ordering Gaza City residents to flee, as Israel’s prime minister promised further retaliation for Hamas’ rampage last week.
The UN also said thousands have fled Palestine, according to media reports.
Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas for the attack a week ago in which its fighters killed 1,300 Israelis, mainly civilians, and seized scores of hostages.
On Friday, more than one million residents of northern Gaza received a notice from Israel to flee south within 24 hours, which has already passed.
“We have seen a significant movement of Palestinian civilians towards the south,” Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told a video briefing early on Saturday. He did not mention the deadline and did not take questions.
“About the Gaza Strip, Israeli reserve soldiers in formation (are) getting ready for the next stage of operations. They are all about the Gaza Strip, in the south, in the centre and in the north, and they are preparing themselves for whatever target they get, whatever task.”
“The end state of this war is that we will dismantle Hamas and its military capability and fundamentally change the situation so that Hamas never again has the ability to inflict any damage on Israeli civilians or soldiers.”
Israel has since put the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, home to 2.3-million Palestinians, under a total siege and bombarded it with unprecedented air strikes. Gaza authorities say 1,900 people have died.
More than one million residents of northern Gaza on Friday received 24-hours’ notice from Israel to flee south before an expected ground offensive.
Hamas vowed to fight to the last drop of blood and told residents to stay.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said tank-backed troops had mounted raids to hit Palestinian rocket crews and gather information on the location of hostages, the first official account of ground troops in Gaza since the crisis began.
“We are striking our enemies with unprecedented might,” Netanyahu said in a rare statement televised on Friday after the Jewish Sabbath began. “I emphasise that this is only the beginning.”
it had seen a “significant movement” south of Palestinian civilians, a day after ordering Gaza City residents to flee, as Israel's prime minister promised further retaliation for Hamas’ rampage last week.
The UN also said thousands have fled Palestine, according to media reports.
Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas for the attack a week ago in which its fighters killed 1,300 Israelis, mainly civilians, and seized scores of hostages.
On Friday, more than one million residents of northern Gaza received a notice from Israel to flee south within 24 hours, which has already passed.
“We have seen a significant movement of Palestinian civilians towards the south,” Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told a video briefing early on Saturday. He did not mention the deadline and did not take questions.
“About the Gaza Strip, Israeli reserve soldiers in formation (are) getting ready for the next stage of operations. They are all about the Gaza Strip, in the south, in the centre and in the north, and they are preparing themselves for whatever target they get, whatever task.”
“The end state of this war is that we will dismantle Hamas and its military capability and fundamentally change the situation so that Hamas never again has the ability to inflict any damage on Israeli civilians or soldiers.”
Israel has since put the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, home to 2.3-million Palestinians, under a total siege and bombarded it with unprecedented air strikes. Gaza authorities say 1,900 people have died.
More than one million residents of northern Gaza on Friday received 24-hours’ notice from Israel to flee south before an expected ground offensive.
Hamas vowed to fight to the last drop of blood and told residents to stay.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said tank-backed troops had mounted raids to hit Palestinian rocket crews and gather information on the location of hostages, the first official account of ground troops in Gaza since the crisis began.
“We are striking our enemies with unprecedented might,” Netanyahu said in a rare statement televised on Friday after the Jewish Sabbath began. “I emphasise that this is only the beginning.”
Tens of thousands of Palestinians were estimated to have headed south from northern Gaza after the Israeli order, according to the United Nations, which said more than 400,000 Palestinians had been internally displaced due to hostilities before the directive.
Mosques broadcast the message: “Hold on to your homes. Hold on to your land.”
The United Nations and other organisations warned of a disaster if so many people were forced to flee, and said the siege should be lifted to let in aid.
US President Joe Biden said consultations were under way with regional governments on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as trapped Palestinians endured a power blackout and shortages of food and water amid fierce Israeli bombing.
Biden, in a speech at a Philadelphia shipping terminal, said addressing the humanitarian crisis was a top priority.
US teams in the region, he said, were working with Israel, Egypt, Jordan, other Arab governments and the United Nations.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it was impossible for Gazans to heed Israel's order to move south without “devastating humanitarian consequences”, prompting a rebuke from Israel that the UN should condemn Hamas and support Israel's right to self-defence.
“The noose about the civilian population in Gaza is tightening. How are 1.1 million people supposed to move across a densely populated war zone in less than 24 hours?” UN aid chief Martin Griffiths wrote on social media.
Mahmoud Abbas, president of Hamas rival Palestinian Authority, told US Secretary of state Antony Blinken in Jordan that the forced displacement would constitute a repeat of 1948, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were driven from what is now Israel. Most Gazans are descendants of such refugees.
Gaza is one of the most crowded places on earth, and for now there is no way out. In addition to Israel's blockade, Egypt has resisted calls to open its border with Gaza. US Defence Secretary
Lloyd Austin on Friday met Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Austin said military aid was flowing into Israel but that this was the time for resolve and not revenge.
“The path will be long, but ultimately I promise you we will win,” Gallant said.
Blinken met King Abdullah in Jordan on Friday as well as Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank but lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007.
Blinken later flew to Qatar, a US ally with influence among Islamist groups.
Battles
In the West Bank, demonstrators supporting Gaza fought gun battles with Israeli security forces. Palestinian officials said 16 people were shot dead.
There have also been fears of hostilities spreading, including to Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where clashes this week have already been the deadliest since 2006.
Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah was killed on Friday while working in southern Lebanon by missiles fired from the direction of Israel, according to another Reuters videographer on the scene. Six other journalists were injured.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najob Mikati and a Hezbollah lawmaker blamed the incident on Israel.
Israel's UN envoy said it would investigate what had happened in the area after the journalist's death.
“We always try to mitigate and avoid civilian casualties. Obviously, we would never want to hit or kill or shoot any journalist that is doing its job,” Gilad Erdan said.
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
Israel tells civilians to evacuate northern Gaza
Israel mum on use of white phosphorus in Gaza, Lebanon
SA condemns Israel’s water, electricity and goods sanctions on Gaza
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.