According to witnesses and first responders, Gaza was bombed and shelled by Israel on Saturday, with Lebanon border and Yemen experiencing increased tensions due to the war’s after effects.
Civil Defence agency in Gaza City in the north of the territory reported 10 bodies recovered from Israeli strikes on three separate homes during the ninth month of warfare between Hamas militants and Israeli forces.
In Rafah near Egypt in Gaza’s far south, witnesses said that there were confrontations between militants as well as Israeli soldiers in the west part of the city, and artillery fire towards a refugee camp situated at the center of this city. Streets empty for most part, AFP TV images depicted.
Since early May Israel has displaced about one million people from Rafah when it began its ground operations aimed at eradicating Hamas militants according to United Nations.
Also in central Gaza where a middle-aged man wept over a younger man’s body at Deir al-Balah hospital in Friday. Blood seeped through a white cloth wrapped around his neck.
The war started when unexpectedly on October 7th Hamas attacked South Israel which led to death of 1,194 individuals based on an Israeli official tally mostly women and children.
Additionally they took 251 hostages. Out of this number 116 are still held captive within Gaza while 41 have already died according to army sources.
For example, health ministry located within this terrorist-ruled enclave says that retaliatory attacks undertaken by Israelis have killed no less than 37 thousand two hundred sixty six people out of which majority are civilians living within Gaza.
Lebanon-based Hezbollah fighters who are backed by Iran and support Hamas have launched volleys of rockets along with drones towards Israeli military facilities rekindling fears regarding wider Middle East confrontation.
Hezbollah said its intense bombing since Wednesday was revenge against killing one its commanders by Israelis.
The armed forces fired shells while announcing air strikes against Hezbollah structures across their common boundary wall as indicated by the military.
Hassan Shur, a village official from Jannata of South Lebanon reported that two women were killed when it was attacked. This occurred in an exchange of fire between the Hezbollah and Israeli army which has been on-going since Gaza war commenced.
On Friday smoke was still coming out of the village.
The Ceasefire Plan
French President Emmanuel Macron said his country and the US will work independently with Lebanese authorities and Israelis to deescalate tensions.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant denounced this initiative as “hostile policies against Israel” coming from France which last month excluded Israeli companies from an arms trade fair.
Gallant’s comments were disowned by senior foreign ministry officials as well as the office of Prime Minister of Israel.
During a Middle East journey this week to push for a ceasefire plan for Gaza, United States Secretary Antony Blinken stated, “A resolution of the conflict in Gaza and getting a ceasefire is The Best Way for resolving this hostilities between Israel And Hezbollah”.
This however did not take place
The largest obstacle so far to reaching a truce in Gaza and freeing hostages is Hamas according to US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit of leading industrial nations held in Italy last week.
Hamas insisted that any agreement should include complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza along with permanent peace – an offer repeatedly rejected by Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu’s far right coalition partners who are strongly opposed have made it impossible for him to publicly support it even though Blinken claimed that Jerusalem backs this latest plan.
Hostages were freed and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli hands were released during the only truce of the Gaza War which lasted one week in November.
“Not quite impossible”
“The magnitude of assistance required to meet increasing demands on the ground is nearly unachievable with lawlessness within the strip, and ongoing conflict.” Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme explained.
“More than anything people need this war to be over with,” he said after visiting Gaza for two days
This week also witnessed an escalation in the fallout from the war in Gaza off Yemen.
According to a statement issued by U.S military on Friday, it destroyed two unmanned surface vessels belonging to Huthi rebels who are backed by Iran and operated in Red Sea as well as one drone together with seven radars that enabled them to target ships.
As such reprisal strikes continue by American or British forces increasingly launch attacks against maritime traffic around waters that are critical to global trade
Earlier on Friday a maritime security agency said its crew abandoned MV Tutor and left it drifting in Red Sea after being hit by an undersea drone.
The rebels say their actions are aimed at showing solidarity with Palestinians.
American Sanctions
On Friday, Israel’s close ally, United States imposed sanctions on an Israeli organization whose members have blocked aid convoys bound for Gaza where famine has been announced by UN.
“These individuals from Tzav 9 repeatedly sought to hinder deliveries of humanitarian goods into Gaza which includes blocking roads sometimes violently,” said US Department of State.
“They have also caused damage to aid trucks and dumped life saving supplies onto streets.”
The US military announced that a pier it built recently to help deliver aid to Gaza would be temporarily moved over fears of high seas expected soon, resuming instead at Israeli port
The platform had been reattached only a week earlier after being washed away during a storm
G7 leaders demanded “the rapid and unhindered passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need” and that UNRWA must be allowed to operate freely in Gaza.
12 of the agency’s gazan staff were accused by Israel of involvement in the October 7 attack, leading to a suspension of contributions from some donor governments.
An independent review found no evidence that UNRWA has employed terrorists, said a report published on Thursday.
Gazans marked Eid al-Adha today which begins on Sunday with much sorrow due to shortages of necessary items and lack of a festive mood.
