TEL AVIV: Over 2,000 people have been killed on both sides as Israel intensified its air strikes in Gaza and imposed a “complete siege” on the Palestinian enclave following the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement’s (Hamas) weekend surprise attack on Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, an opposition leader and former defense minister, announced on Wednesday the formation of “an emergency unity government” amid the fierce conflict between Israel and Gaza’s ruling faction Hamas.
No flight arrivals or departures are allowed out of Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday following Gaza rocket launches, Israeli media reported.
Electricity in Gaza went out on Wednesday after the sole power station in the blockaded Palestinian enclave stopped working, Hamas media reported.
James Cleverly, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom arrived in Israel, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a spokesperson from UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the Palestinian-Israeli escalation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
At least 1055 Palestinians have been killed from Israeli retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry on Wednesday.
Hezbollah said it was responsible for firing precision missiles on Israel on Wednesday, saying it was in response to Israeli attacks this week that left three of its fighters dead.
The Israeli military had said it had been targeted with anti-tank fire on Wednesday and had begun attacking Lebanon in return.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is now attacking Lebanese territory “in response to the anti-tank fire at the IDF force,” IDF said on Wednesday.
The Gaza Strip’s sole power plant and only current provider of electricity will run out of fuel in 10 to 12 hours, Palestinian Energy Authority Chairman Thafer Melhem told Voice of Palestine radio on Wednesday.
Israel cut off its own electricity supply to Gaza on Monday as part of what it called a “total siege” in response to a mass-infiltration by Palestinian gunmen.
Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called for protests across the Arab world on Friday in support of Palestinians, in a recorded statement.
At least 1,000 militants who infiltrated from Gaza were killed since Saturday, the Israeli army said on Wednesday.
At least 950 Palestinians have been killed from Israeli retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry on Wednesday.
Sweden has temporarily suspended development aid to the Palestinian territories, its Development Minister Johan Forssell has said. Denmark also announced that it will pause its aid.
Meanwhile, the Danish government said it will offer to evacuate its nationals from Israel and Palestinian territories.
Over 260,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, as heavy Israeli bombardments from the air, land and sea continue to hit the Palestinian enclave, the United Nations said.
Fierce fighting has left thousands dead on both sides since Hamas launched a surprise assault on Saturday, spurring Israel’s reprisal bombing campaign. “Over 263,934 people in Gaza are believed to have fled their homes,” said UN humanitarian agency OCHA said in an update Tuesday, warning that “this number is expected to rise further.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he has spoken with Israel Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and expressed Washington’s support for “Israel’s right to defend itself and its citizens against terrorist attacks.”
U.S. President Joe Biden said he discussed support for Israel in his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday after meeting with U.S. national security teams “to direct next steps.”
“We connected with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss coordination to support Israel, deter hostile actors, and protect innocent people,” Biden said in a social media post before making public remarks on the situation in Israel.
– UN rights chief Volker Türk said on Tuesday all parties must stop targeting civilians and Hamas and other armed groups must immediately release their hostages, as the death toll on both sides of the conflict climbed to over 2,000, including 921 Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and at least 1,200 Israelis.
– A first transport plane with “advanced” American ammunition landed at the Nevatim airbase in southern Israel on Tuesday evening, according to the Israeli military.
– U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel on Thursday in a show of “solidarity and support,” the Times of Israel reported.
Gaza’s sole border crossing with Egypt, the only entry point not controlled by Israel, was hit by an Israeli air strike for the third time in 24 hours, a journalist and an NGO said.
The third strike against the Rafah crossing consisted of “four missiles” which targeted the Palestinian side of the crossing, local Egyptian group Sinai for Human Rights reported.
Witnesses had said the second strike hit the no-man’s land between the Egyptian and Palestinian gates, damaging the hall on the Palestinian side.
The Israel military said it could “neither confirm or deny” any strike on the crossing “at this point.” Sinai for Human Rights said the strikes had prompted the closure of the crossing, but there was no immediate confirmation from either side.
As part of continued strikes across Israel, Hamas claimed to have hit Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, which the Israelis have denied.
