Israel - Palestinian militants launch massive attack, 7 Oct 2023 #5

[JennieM]

I still need to question why Egypt is not allowing Dual Palestinian-Foreign Nationals to exit (even by foot); nor foreign nationals.

They'd have nothing to do with "displacement of Gazan residents".

It seems like they will be allowed?

This just now:

Supplies will go in under supervision of the UN, Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry told Al-Arabiya TV. Asked if foreigners and dual nationals seeking to leave would be let through, he said: “As long as the crossing is operating normally and the [crossing] facility has been repaired.”

Israel defence minister tells troops they will soon see Gaza – as it happened

This blog is now closed. You can find the latest updates here.

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

13 min ago

Hezbollah skirmishes with Israel have significantly escalated, IDF says​

From CNN’s Wayne Chang

There has been a “significant escalation” by Hezbollah in its skirmishes with Israel in recent days, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Hezbollah has fired numerous anti-tank missiles from Lebanon into Israel, targeting both military and civilian positions and inflicting casualties on both groups, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN's John Vause on Thursday.

Conricus added that Hezbollah has also attempted to infiltrate Israel and has been thwarted by the IDF.

“What some Hezbollah is doing now is dragging Lebanon into a conflict that it has no business to be in, and it surely won't benefit from,” Conricus said.

Hezbollah said it conducted six attacks on Israeli military posts all along the Lebanese border on Wednesday using guided missiles, machine guns and 57-mm mortars.

Live updates: Israel-Hamas war rages, Biden to make Oval Office address

Israel and Egypt have signaled readiness for aid to enter Gaza following a high-profile visit to Israel by US President Joe Biden. Follow for live updates.

edition.cnn.com

 

[Gypsy Road]

Worth reading.

Explained: Hamas funding-How the Gaza-based terror group raises money? - CNBC TV18

As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, let’s try to understand where Hamas gets its funding from.

www.cnbctv18.com

 

[PommyMommy]

8:39 am

IDF said to demolish West Bank home of Hamas terrorist who killed soldier​

Palestinian media outlets report that the Israeli military has demolished the home of a Hamas terrorist who killed Israeli soldier Staff Sgt. Shilo Yosef Amir in the West Bank in July.

Footage shows an excavator destroying the home of Ahmed Yassin Ghaidan in the West Bank village of Qibya.

In August, the Israel Defense Forces said it had notified Ghaidan’s family that their home was slated for demolition.

As a matter of policy, Israel regularly demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of carrying out deadly terror attacks.

Ghaidan opened fire and killed Amir near the settlement of Kedumim on June 6, before being shot dead by other security forces.

The IDF does not immediately comment on the demolition.

***************

Translated from Arabic by Google
The occupation forces continue to demolish the house of the martyr Ahmed Yassin Ghaidan in the village of Qibya, west of Ramallah.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714832052271354031

 

[JennieM]

US State Dept director resigns over US approach in conflict​

A US State Department official who worked in an agency responsible for arms transfers to US allies has resigned, citing disagreements with what he described as the administration's decisions to expedite the transfer of arms to Israel.

Josh Paul, who was director of congressional and public affairs at the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, said on LinkedIn: "I cannot work in support of a set of major policy decisions, including rushing more arms to one side of the conflict, that I believe to be shortsighted, destructive, unjust and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse".

Paul said while he recognised the "montrosity" of Hamas's attack on Israel, he also believed Israel's response "will only lead to more and deeper suffering" for Israelis and Palestinians.

Referring to "moral compromises" he had made in the past 11 years in the brueau, Paul said: "I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued - indeed, exapnded and expedited - provision of lethal arms to Israel, I have reached the end of the bargain."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67141589

 

[PommyMommy]

We are devastated to announce that Noya and her grandmother Carmela’s bodies were discovered yesterday.

Thank you to all of you who shared her story to help us bring her home.

Our hearts are broken

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714879696624664668

 

[JennieM]

2m ago

Seven Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in West Bank in last 12 hours – WAFA​

Seven Palestinians, including four teenagers, have been killed by Israeli forces in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported early on Thursday.

It said that the total number of Palestinians killed by Isaraeli forces in the West Bank since 7 October now stands at 69.

Among those killed were boys aged 17, 16, 15 and 14, WAFA reports.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

The West Bank is home to the Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by Hamas rivals Fatah and 87-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

It borders Jerusalem, which houses sites sacred to Muslim, Christian and Jewish people.

Israel defence minister tells troops they will soon see Gaza – as it happened

This blog is now closed. You can find the latest updates here.

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

Sunak to press for aid to enter Gaza​

Chris Mason
Political editor

The British Prime Minister is almost in Israel, on a two-day trip to the region during which he is also expected to visit other countries.

Downing Street says Rishi Sunak "will express his condolences for the terrible loss of life in Israel and Gaza as a result of Hamas's brutal terrorist attacks".

The prime minister will also press for the route for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza to open "as soon as possible" and for British nationals trapped there to be able to leave.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is visiting Egypt, Turkey and Qatar over the next few days.

Officials also point out Defence Secretary Grant Shapps met his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Washington on Wednesday "to coordinate" their approach.

• You can read more here about Sunak's visit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67141589

 

[Vern]

Xitter:

! Reports in Gaza: IDF assassinates the most senior woman in Hamas, Jamila al-Shanti (via
@N12News); she was a member of the Hamas leadership body.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714883084485525585

 

[Seattle1]

It’s the Palestinians who have run out of everything.

I think the Tweeted GIF was understood without specifically calling out Sunni Muslims, Palestinian Arabs, Christians, etc residing in Gaza. It simply said how crazy Gaza was running out of everything but rockets -- (especially if they have a surplus to misfire at themselves). JMO

 

[Sundog]

US State Dept director resigns over US approach in conflict​

A US State Department official who worked in an agency responsible for arms transfers to US allies has resigned, citing disagreements with what he described as the administration's decisions to expedite the transfer of arms to Israel.

Josh Paul, who was director of congressional and public affairs at the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, said on LinkedIn: "I cannot work in support of a set of major policy decisions, including rushing more arms to one side of the conflict, that I believe to be shortsighted, destructive, unjust and contradictory to the very values that we publicly espouse".

Paul said while he recognised the "montrosity" of Hamas's attack on Israel, he also believed Israel's response "will only lead to more and deeper suffering" for Israelis and Palestinians.

Referring to "moral compromises" he had made in the past 11 years in the brueau, Paul said: "I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued - indeed, exapnded and expedited - provision of lethal arms to Israel, I have reached the end of the bargain."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67141589

Wonder why this is national/international news. People leave their jobs all the time based on differences of opinion with their employers.

 

[Gypsy Road]

Wonder why this is national/international news. People leave their jobs all the time based on differences of opinion with their employers.

I think it’s obvious why it made the news.

 

[Charlot123]

I find it useful to look at Al Jezeera for an English language taste of what might be broadcasting to people in Arab countries. Note: this is not a good idea for anyone who can't tolerate that some people see things differently than they do.

JMO

Al Jazeera was a pretty decent source of information when they were just trying to win US market, and are still OK. JMO. At least they give facts.

However, I strongly suspect that Al Jazeera is not what is being broadcasted in Arab countries. It is what is broadcasted for Western audience from Arab countries. The Arab world is pretty divided religiously, it is not homogeneous at all; that they are getting so united now, when it comes to Israel, is a concerning fact.

 

[cottonweaver]

For decades I taught a class called “News Literacy,” founded by the NY Times, which establishes six steps required to verify information prior to dissemination. None of those were followed here, in the haste to get clicks.


IMO

but if it’s true that a building they claimed was demolished is in fact still erect, they can’t hide from that.

IMO

snipped by me

Agreed but aren't we in danger of recycling misinformation too?

I don't know why anybody is now claiming that any reporter said that - the hospital building is demolished.
Links to those statements would be helpful

 

[Charlot123]

Yes those were the days - I have the impression that the news media formerly tried to help people understand the world, whereas now the priority is to shock and appall them, and stir up controversy - in order to keep people glued to their screens 24/7.

JMO

It is mildly irritating, tbh, that US News media doesn't trust US consumers to be smart enough to make own opinions when presented with facts. Instead, it presents opinions and heavily relies on emotional component. Test-taking strategies teach you that answers starting with "always" and "never" are mostly wrong. Yet these words are overused on US TV. JMO.

 

[cottonweaver]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714905700411801981

2 suggestions:
- Hamas have said on air that they welcome investigators on the ground.
- UN has called for an international inquiry. ( Maybe Israel has too, I don't know that.)
- PM Sunak is already in Israel and headed to further capitals in ME today so why doesn't he garner support from all for an international team investigation?

Sunak said 'The attack on al-Ahli hospital should be a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict. I will ensure the UK is at the forefront of this effort.'

Over in Jordan
There is deep scepticism in the Middle East about Israel and US’s assessment of the Gaza hospital blast, according to Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi.
“Nobody is buying that narrative in this part of the world,” Safadi told NBC News.

Most of us here, I think, have an inkling of who caused that fireball in the hospital grounds. Sunak will already know ( Just as US state dept know)

Yes this could be a watershed moment - it might help restore some calm on the streets of ME

Surely anything is worth trying considering the stakes ( A wider ME war)

Sources:
Links for both are here Egypt’s president agrees to open the Rafah crossing – as it happened
and

Security Council meets over Israel-Gaza: ‘Very real risk’ of conflict expanding warns top envoy

UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland on Wednesday highlighted the need for an inquiry into the strike against a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds, including patients, staff and displaced people seeking shelter.

news.un.org

 

[cottonweaver]

Re aid & Israel's conditions for it

“If Hamas confiscates it or doesn’t let it get through or just confiscates it, then it’s going to end, because we’re not going to be sending any humanitarian aid to Hamas if they’re going to be confiscating it. That’s the commitment that I’ve made,” Biden said.

In the fog of war with claim & counterclaim this could get bogged down fast.

Source:

Egypt’s president agrees to open the Rafah crossing – as it happened

This blog is now closed.

www.theguardian.com

 

[cottonweaver]

British Ambassador to the US
how helpful is the language ( It hadn't occurred to me wrt deconflicting)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714901720776536165

 

[cottonweaver]

'King Abdullah II of Jordan is on his way to Egypt to discuss ways to end “the Israeli aggression on Gaza”'

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714927028300923019

summary of history of Israel/ Jordan relations

Israel–Jordan relations - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

more context. Amman last night

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714711201056243824

 

[Seattle1]

That's indeed a sea of Jordanians protesting (in front of the Israeli Embassy)!