It was near the border with Gaza that Israel’s Defense Minister announced the “all-out attack” on that area, without explaining whether it would include a land invasion. A few hours later, an emotional US president in Washington condemned the Hamas attack in harsh terms and pledged to help Tel Aviv with military aid. “We have to be crystal clear. We stand with Israel,” said Joe Biden.
On the fourth day of clashes between Hamas forces and Israeli forces, Minister Yoav Gallant, who the day before had likened Hamas terrorists to “animals” and ordered the total blockade of that area, said Israel is moving toward an “attack total ” against Israel. the Gaza Strip. “I have lifted all restrictions, we have regained control of the area and we are moving towards an all-out attack,” the defense minister told troops after Israeli forces regained full control of the area.
According to Gaza authorities, the number of Palestinians killed is 900, including 260 children and 230 women.
“Hamas wanted a change in Gaza, it will change 180 degrees from what it thought. They will regret this moment, Gaza will never go back to what it was,” he declared. “Whoever comes to behead, kill women and Holocaust survivors, we will eliminate them with all our strength and without concessions.” Gallant did not go into details about the military operation, but according to an Egyptian regime source speaking to The Times of Israel, Tel Aviv had been preparing a ground campaign in Gaza for months and the intention was shared with Cairo.
The Israeli embassy in the US said 1,008 Israelis have been killed and 3,418 injured since the Hamas attacks began on Saturday.
It was also from the Egyptian capital that information arrived the day before that the Minister of Intelligence, Abbas Kamel, had directly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ten days before the Hamas attack, that he was preparing to ask whether there would be a “ terrible operation” would take place. “. The office of the head of the Israeli government denied being informed by Egypt and classified the news into the category “fake news“.
Netanyahu was in a video conference with US President Joe Biden (as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is visiting Israel on Thursday) for the third time since Saturday. Ultimately, the Democrat made a televised statement confirming the existence of an unspecified number of Americans held hostage by Hamas, in addition to fourteen dead.
Biden showed his emotions — angry and emotional about the terrorist attacks — in a way he did not on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “There are times in life, and I mean this literally, when pure and integral evil is unleashed into this world. This is an act of pure evil,” he said of the Hamas attacks that killed more than a thousand people.
The US president even compared Hamas to Islamic State when he mentioned the hostages being threatened with execution. In the statement, Biden gave no room to talk about the Palestinians’ aspirations, or efforts for peace: “There is no justification for terrorism. Hamas offers only terror and bloodshed, without regard to who pays the price.” then affirmed Israel’s right “and obligation” to respond. He also left a warning to “countries and organizations” that want to take advantage of this moment – in a hint at Iran – in one simple word: “No.”
Biden said his country would offer military aid to Israel to defend itself “today and tomorrow,” specifying that this was material for the Iron Dome, Israel’s anti-aircraft defense system. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed that a small group of U.S. special operations forces are working with Israeli forces to help gather intelligence and plan operations against Hamas.
Biden also called for compliance with the rules of war, which Tel Aviv is failing to do by cutting off water, electricity and access to food and medicine for 2.3 million people, as noted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the UN, Volker Türk, and the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
According to Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN Secretary General, there are 200,000 displaced people in Gaza, including 120,000 who have sought shelter in UN schools.
In addition, according to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), active in the West Bank, the Israeli government has rejected a request to bring food and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip. The World Health Organization had also called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor. The Rafah border crossing, between Egypt and Gaza, is the only one not under Israeli control, but has been the target of several bombings and was closed by Egyptian authorities.
Source: DN
