Lars Lokke Rasmussen slammed Israel for its disproportionate response to the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7, highlighting the high human price of Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday that Israel went overboard with its one-year-old war on the besieged Gaza Strip, slamming Tel Aviv for defying the international community, Anadolu news agency reported.
“I think that this (war) should have been stopped a long time ago with a cease-fire,” he was quoted as saying by the national broadcaster DR.
The Danish foreign minister accused Israel of carrying a disproportionate response to Hamas’s Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7, accentuating the high human price of Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.
“We have voted for a cease-fire in the UN and argued for it in the EU. A cease-fire that could lead to the release of the hostages, that humanitarian aid could enter Gaza, and that could be the starting point for a negotiation track that could lead to a free Palestine next to Israel,” Lars Lokke Rasmussen stressed.
The Danish foreign minister attributed the failure of a ceasefire to materialize to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government who he said, “rejected the appeal” Anadolu said.
Rasmussen emphasized that Netanyahu’s government continues to defy the world on the issue and “has not yet listened sufficiently to the international community, including all of Israel’s friends led by the United States.” he said.
Following the United Nations Security Council’s adoption of a resolution supporting a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on June 10, Denmark was amongst various other countries that welcomed the move.
“Important UN Security Council supports action plan for ceasefire,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on X.
He said it “Sends a strong signal that the international community agrees on a way forward, where e.g. release of the hostages, a permanent ceasefire and reconstruction of Gaza are central.”
Arms Embargo on Israel
Earlier in March, four NGOs said they would take legal action against Denmark to stop the country’s exports of weapons and military equipment to Israel.
Amnesty International Denmark, Oxfam Denmark, MS Action Aid and the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq said they will file a lawsuit against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish National Police within the next three weeks.
With the lawsuit, the organizations “want the courts to assess whether the exports violate the rules on arms trade to which Denmark has committed itself,” Amnesty International said in a statement on March 12.
For five months we have been talking about a potential genocide in Gaza, but we have not seen politicians take action,” stated Tim Whyte, Secretary General of MS Action Aid.
Whyte said Denmark “should not be sending weapons to Israel when there is a reasonable suspicion that it is committing war crimes in Gaza. We need to get the court’s word on Denmark’s responsibility.”
Denmark has joined both the UN Arms Trade Treaty and the EU Common Rules for Arms Exports, which obliges Denmark to ensure that exports of weapons and military equipment from Danish companies do not risk contributing to violations of international law, the statement said.
Genocide on Gaza Continues
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 41,870 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,166 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.
The Vermont Senator accused Netanyahu’s government of waging a “total war against the Palestinian people” but defended Israel’s right to respond to Hamas’ “attack”.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders slammed on Monday the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu for waging an all-out war on the Palestinian people since the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7.
The independent senator, however, reiterated his sympathy with the Israelis who experienced the events of October 7 and the captives in Gaza saying it is “difficult to comprehend the heartbreak,” Anadolu news agency reported.
“Nobody should forgive or forget those atrocities, which began this war,” he was quoted as saying by Anadolu.
Sanders stressed that although Israel had the right to respond to “Hamas’ attack”, Netanyahu’s “extremist” coalition government “has not simply waged war against Hamas.”
“It has waged total war against the Palestinian people. More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 96,000 wounded, sixty percent of whom are women, children, or elderly people,” the Vermont senator said.
“The Netanyahu government has destroyed much of the housing stock of Gaza, the civilian infrastructure, and the health care system. Every one of the 12 universities in Gaza have been bombed, and there are virtually no educational opportunities available for the many children there. Desperate families, with few belongings, have been displaced time and time again,” Sanders added, as quoted by Anadolu.
Sanders went on to accuse the Israeli prime minister of repeatedly sabotaging diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire.
“Every time an agreement has appeared close, he has introduced new demands, sinking the deal and leaving the hostages and Palestinian civilians to continue their suffering,” he stressed.
One year into the genocide in Gaza, Sanders demanded an immediate ceasefire to end the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians.
‘War Criminal’
On June 1, Sanders said it is a sad day for the country that Netanyahu has been invited to address a joint session of Congress, calling him a “war criminal.”
“It is a very sad day for our country that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited – by leaders from both parties – to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress,” Sanders said in a statement.
“Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be invited to address a joint meeting of Congress. I certainly will not attend,” Sanders stressed.
His remarks came a day after the leaders of the US Senate and House of Representatives on Friday officially invited the Israeli leader to address a joint session of the bicameral Congress.
Sanders Faces Backlash
Sanders, however, has been widely criticized by pro-Palestine activists for refraining from using the term “genocide” to refer to Israel’s onslaught on Gaza.
Last February, while he was in Ireland to promote his latest book, a protester interrupted the US senator while shouting: “It is a genocide.”
Another activist, a woman, yelled: “What’s your definition of genocide?” to which Sanders did not respond.
“Bernie, you have funded Zionism yourself,” a third activist shouted, adding: “You have funded the Israeli settler state. Here you are, pretending you aren’t.”
“It is disgusting. Liar liar, genocide denier!” the activist continued.
According to Irish media, Sanders “replied to say that it’s not helpful to disrupt meetings, insisting that ‘slogans are not solutions’.”
However, the criticism did not only come from Irish students.
The Irish Star newspaper reported that Irish politician Richard Boyd Barrett has also slammed Sanders for his stance in the first weeks of the genocidal Israeli war, when he repeatedly refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“I respected Bernie Sanders until he refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza for the first 2 months of #IsraeliGenocide and still refuses to call what Israel is doing a genocide,” the Irish politician said.
“Like our government, he legitimized the ‘self-defense’ propaganda which justified the Gaza slaughter,” Barrett continued.
In November, Sanders said during an interview with CNN that the ceasefire was not a viable option.
“I don’t know how you can have a ceasefire, (a) permanent ceasefire, with an organization like Hamas, which is dedicated to turmoil and chaos and destroying the state of Israel,” he said.
When Sanders made that statement, well over 9,000 Palestinians, including more than 4,000 children, had already been killed by Israel.
Gaza Genocide Continues
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 41,870 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,166 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.
A first sergeant was killed and a soldier was seriously injured in battles in the northern Gaza Strip while another soldier was seriously injured during fighting in southern Lebanon.
Israeli forces continued to bomb the Lebanese capital Beirut and other southern towns.
Iranian Foreign Minister said that Iran can reach all targets and that it will not hesitate to respond in the case of an Israeli attack.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry (Gaza), 41,965 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,590 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
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Israeli authorities knew that the resistance fronts in Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen, were preparing to escalate their attacks on Israel today, to mark the first-year-anniversary of October 7.
Indeed, attacks came from all fronts, including Yemen, Lebanon and elsewhere.
But what the Israeli military might have not been prepared for was the shelling of Tel Aviv by Al-Qassam Brigades with a barrage of rockets.
The rockets originated from southern Gaza, particularly Khan Yunis, an area that the Israeli army has stormed many times, almost demolishing the whole city.
Al-Qassam’s rockets, known as M90, must have demolished any hope among the Israeli military echelons that their war of extermination in Gaza has brought to an end the firing of rockets from the besieged Strip.
A whole year of war has not altered the equation governing the relationship between Gaza and Israel. To the contrary, the war front has expanded to reach other parties.
Below are the latest statements by the two main Resistance forces in Gaza, and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah.
The statements were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.
Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas)
Al-Qassam Brigades bombarded the Sofa military site and enemy gatherings at the Rafah land crossing, near the Holit settlement, and the operations center of the Kerem Shalom military site with a number of Rajoom 114mm rockets.
Al-Qassam fighters are engaging in fierce clashes at zero distance with enemy forces that have penetrated west of Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, inflicting casualties among their ranks, including killed and wounded.
Al-Qassam Brigades targets a zionist tank of the Merkava 4 type with a Yassin 105 shell, northeast of Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Al-Qassam Brigades published footage of the bombing of Tel Aviv with an M90 rocket barrage. pic.twitter.com/bzMKMsVCIh
Al-Qassam Brigades bombard the forces invading north of Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip with mortar shells.
Al-Qassam fighters targeted a zionist force comprised of 10 zionist soldiers with an anti-personnel shell, killing and wounding them. Our fighters monitored the landing of the helicopter for evacuation.
Al-Qassam Brigades targets two zionist Merkava tanks with a ground explosive and a Yassin 105 shell northeast of Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Qassam fighters sniped an Israeli soldier northeast of Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip.
Al-Qassam Brigades targets a zionist troop carrier with a Yassin 105 shell in the Tawam area north of Gaza City.
Al-Qassam fighters managed to snipe a zionist soldier in the Al-Tawam area north of Gaza City.
At 3 pm – The fighters of Al-Qassam, in coordination with fighters from Saraya Al-Quds and several other resistance factions, bombarded all important military sites in the "Netzarim" axis with a number of heavy-caliber mortar shells and 107mm rockets. pic.twitter.com/WxNHU3tIjN
Al-Qassam Brigades target the settlement of Sderot with several short-range Rajoom 114mm rockets.
Al-Quds Brigades (Islamic Jihad)
We targeted a zionist Merkava tank with a tandem shell in the Al-Qasasib area, in the middle of Jabalia camp, northern Gaza Strip.
Al-Qassam Brigades published a video with this caption: Sniping of a zionist officer in collaboration with Saraya Al-Quds east of Beit Hanoun, and targeting the city of Sderot with Rajoom rockets. pic.twitter.com/XvV4GWycsf
In support of the steadfast Palestinian people in Gaza and in support of their courageous and honorable resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance carried out several operations to confront the attempts of the Israeli enemy to advance at the Lebanese-Palestinian border, as well as several operations against Israeli army positions, bases, and settlements in northern occupied Palestine on Monday 07-10-2024, as follows:
At 00:05, the Nimra base (one of the main bases in the northern region) west of Tabariya, was targeted with a rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 02:30, a gathering of enemy vehicles and soldiers behind the Jal Al-Alam site, was targeted with a rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 06:55, the Karmiel settlement, was targeted a rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 07:15, a gathering of enemy forces in the Maroun Al-Ras park, was targeted with a rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 09:00, a gathering of Israeli forces behind the gate of the town of Rmeish, was targeted with a rocket barrage, achieving a direct hit, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 09:10, the Kfar Fradim settlement, was targeted with a rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 12:40, a number of settlements north of Haifa, were targeted with a large rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 12:40, the Karmiel settlement was targeted with a rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 15:00, a gathering of Israeli forces on the Qalaa heights in the town of Blida, was targeted with a rocket and artillery barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 16:00, a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Beit Hillel, was targeted with a rocket barrage, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 17:10, a group of settlements north of Haifa, we’re targeted with a large barrage of rockets, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
At 18:00, an Israeli military deployment on Talat Al-Tayhat hill, hitting it precisely, was targeted with a barrage of rockets, in response to Israel’s brutal aggression on cities, villages, and civilians.
As part of the “Khaybar” series of operations, in response to the targeting of civilians and the massacres committed by the zionist enemy, and in response to the call of “At your service, O Nasrallah,” the fighters of the Islamic Resistance, launched a barrage of rockets targeting the “Glilot” base of the 8200 military intelligence unit located in the outskirts of “Tel Aviv”. The Islamic Resistance remains present and ready to defend our country and our oppressed and dignified people. It will not hesitate to fulfill its duty to deter the enemy from its arrogance and oppression. Allah is capable of all things, and He is the best protector and helper.
Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, delivered a speech on Monday, on the first anniversary of the ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ Operation and the subsequent genocidal war on Gaza.
In his speech, Abu Obeida addressed several key themes, reiterating that the Palestinian people are committed to the struggle for liberation.
He also praised the support fronts in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, which showed real solidarity with the Palestinian people.
‘Unwavering Resilience’
“A year has passed since the most professional and successful commando operation in modern times shook the zionist enemy and changed the face of the region, “ Abu Obeida stated.
He emphasized that this operation came in response to Israel’s expansion of “settlements, Judaization, aggression against prisoners, violation of all taboos, and the complete siege imposed on Gaza”.
The Palestinian people, according to Abu Obeida, have shown “legendary steadfastness despite those close to us letting us down and the cowardice and collusion of regimes.”
“Despite the brutality of the enemy and the forces of oppression and crime behind them, headed by the American administration and some Western governments, we salute our great people, the support, backer and advocate whose sacrifices will not be in vain,” he vowed.
"This land grows resistance fighters as it grows olive trees, & it bequeaths pride to generations, one after another" – Abu Obeida. pic.twitter.com/80WEvO7edS
“We have exhausted this defeated army in Gaza over the course of a whole year after its humiliating defeat on October 7, and we have deprived it of a large percentage of its capabilities on the ground, and we have killed its alleged elite forces by the hundreds,” Abu Obeida also said.
“The drones and missiles of Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq are flying in the skies of occupied Palestine, striking important sites and targets of the enemy, draining its security and defensive capabilities, disrupting its balance, and inflicting heavy economic and military losses on it.”
Directly addressing Hezbollah, he said, “we are confident in your steadfastness and courage in inflicting heavy and painful losses on the zionist enemy forces, as the martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah promised in his usual stances. We are betting on your bravery and strength in the battle.”
Abu Obeida called on scholars to raise awareness of the critical dangers facing the Palestinian people and the Islamic and Christian holy sites, urging them to emphasize the religious duty of jihad against the nation’s enemy.
He also advocated for launching a massive Arab, Islamic, and international campaign in support of the Palestinian cause.
Regarding the Israeli soldiers held captive by the Resistance, Abu Obeida reaffirmed that since the beginning, they Resistance has prioritized the safety of the prisoners.
“If that was in line with Netanyahu’s ambitions and interests, the deal would have been done. We were keen from the first day to protect the prisoners and preserve their lives,” he stated.
Assassinations
Touching on the topic of assassinations, Abu Obeida said Israel’s sense of victory would be short-lived.
“When were assassinations the end of the road for liberation and resistance movements?” he wondered.
“The history of our Palestinian and Arab revolutions is full of examples that prove otherwise. Its joy will turn to regret.”
“If assassinations were a victory, the resistance would have ended with the assassination of Sheikh Izz al-Din al-Qassam 90 years ago. However, the resistance continued and grew stronger,” he added.
He stressed that the martyrdom of leaders such as Ismail Haniyeh and Hassan Nasrallah is “the greatest evidence of the enemy’s arrogance.”
Abu Obeida also discussed the support fronts in Arab countries and Iran.
“The drones and missiles of Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq are flying in the skies of occupied Palestine, striking important sites and targets of the enemy, draining its security and defensive capabilities, disrupting its balance, and inflicting heavy economic and military losses on it,” he said.
On Iran, he said,
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is clashing with the zionist enemy, and has directed the True Promise strikes 1 and 2 at it, and dozens of ballistic missiles are raining down on the enemy’s bases in a historical precedent, breaking the rules that the enemy has long established with the peoples and countries of the region, that they are far from punishment and exempt from accountability for their crimes.”
A 12-year-old Palestinian child has been killed and eight others injured during an Israeli military incursion into the Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem.
Hatem Ghaith was killed on Monday after he was shot in the abdomen by live bullets fired by Israeli forces, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, citing the Ministry of Health.
Israeli forces also assaulted journalist, Ishaq al-Khisbah, while he covering the raid. He was hospitalized due to the assault.
Israeli forces shot and killed a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, Hatem Sami Hisham Gheith, during a military raid on Qalandiya Refugee Camp, north of occupied Jerusalem.
They also detained two Palestinians after severely beating them, bringing the total number of those detained in the area since early Monday to 16.
Israeli forces also took over a residential building and turned it into a military outpost in the camp. In addition, they seized dozens of vehicles belonging to residents of the camp and town.
All roads around the camp and town were closed off by the Israeli occupation.
Raid on Hebron (Al Khalil)
A Palestinian man was injured on Monday by live bullets during clashes with invading Israeli forces in the town of Halhul, north of Hebron (Al Khalil).
WAFA said the occupation forces fired live bullets at residents in the town’s Al-Ramuz neighborhood, injuring a young man with live bullets in his lower limbs.
Israeli occupation forces have seized a residential building and turned it into a military outpost in Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/3b6eazM0Ob
Israeli forces also raided the city of Jenin, causing widespread destruction to infrastructure and residential properties.
WAFA said Israeli bulldozers re-destroyed the Horse Roundabout area and the street leading to the eastern entrance to Jenin Governmental Hospital, completely leveling it, and destroying the entrances to shops and homes on the street. Some vehicles were also damaged.
Israeli occupation continues the systematic destruction of the streets and infrastructure during a military raid into the Jenin refugee camp. pic.twitter.com/6tu7WpFaLx
Director of Jenin Governmental Hospital, Dr. Wissam Bakr, said that the bulldozers completely destroyed the street leading to the eastern entrance to the hospital, which hindered access to the hospital’s morgue and medical supplies and fuel warehouses.
He pointed out that the bulldozing of the street from the eastern entrance to the hospital hindered the arrival of ambulances, and also resulted in damage to the eastern gate of the hospital.
Settler Attacks in Nablus
In Nablus, at least four Palestinians, including an elderly woman, were injured on Monday in an attack by illegal Jewish settlers against residents of the town of Jamma’in, south of Nablus.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that its crews transported the injured to a hospital following the attack, said WAFA.
Israeli forces also stormed the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, reported the Quds News Network.
Tulkarm Raided
Israeli forces also stormed the occupied West Bank town of Tulkarm in the early hours of Monday and besieged the Martyr Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital in the city.
⚡️ Al-Quds Brigades: Footage of targeting occupation vehicles inside Nur Shams camp in Tulkarm city, West Bank. pic.twitter.com/KKB13J3xaj
They later sent more military reinforcements accompanied by two heavy bulldozers towards the town and began bulldozing sections of the vicinity of Al-Alimi Roundabout to the west, Al-Younis Roundabout to the north, and Aktaba Roundabout to the east, destroying the infrastructure there.
The Saraya Al-Quds resistance movement released footage of confrontations that erupted with the invading forces in the Nour Shams camp of Tulkarm on Monday.
The footage also showed an Israeli jeep as well as a military bulldozer being targeted with explosive devices.
Settlers Raid Farm Area
Illegal Jewish settlers raided the Khirbet al-Farisiya area in the northern Jordan Valley, and threatened its residents on Monday.
What is daily life like for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank as Israeli settler violence continues to rise during the ongoing war?
The settlers threatened to demolish properties and seize their vehicles and agricultural tractors.
In recent months, the Khirbet al-Farisiya area has been subjected to escalated attacks by settlers, reported WAFA. The attacks, which are carried out under Israeli army protection, include attacks on residents’ homes, threats, intimidation and harassment of citizens, and the theft and destruction of their properties.
Dozens Detained
Israeli occupation forces detained at least 45 Palestinians in the West Bank in the past 24 hours, including a journalist and former prisoners, reported WAFA.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) and the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said in a joint statement that the detentions occurred across several governorates, including Hebron, Jerusalem, Jericho, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Nablus, and Jenin.
Since October 7, Israeli occupation forces have detained over 11,100 individuals from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, the organizations said.
“Just as the countries of the world need to work together to ensure that this conflict is not allowed to spread, the international community must be seized with efforts to end the violence against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.”
Calling for an immediate ceasefire, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that a “protracted regional conflict that leads to the loss of more innocent lives is something the Middle East and the world cannot afford.”
“The escalating situation in the Middle East is of grave concern. It threatens to plunge the region into a war in which civilians will inevitably bear the greatest and the most cruel brunt of this conflict,” Ramaphosa said in his weekly newsletter on Monday. “As the UN Secretary-General has said, each escalation after the next is leading the people of the Middle East over the cliff.”
His statement marked one year since the October 7 resistance operation against the Israeli occupation.
“The violence that has been committed by Israel against Palestinians over many decades intensified after an attack on Israel by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October last year,” said Ramaphosa.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 41,870 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,166 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
‘Peaceful Resolution’
Ramaphosa said South Africa remained “committed to the peaceful resolution to ending the occupation of Palestine, to upholding the tenets of international law and to advancing social justice.”
“We once again call for an immediate ceasefire that will end the suffering of the people of Gaza and allow for humanitarian aid to reach those in need,” he added.
He noted that amid efforts by the international community to secure a ceasefire, “the situation has been worsened by strikes by Israel on Lebanon and by Iran on Israel. Israel has vowed to retaliate against Iran and Iran has threatened to respond accordingly.”
The president called on all parties to exercise restraint and for the tenets of international law to be respected.
“Just as the countries of the world need to work together to ensure that this conflict is not allowed to spread, the international community must be seized with efforts to end the violence against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank,” he said.
Ramaphosa emphasized that beyond an immediate end to the onslaught against Gaza, “there is an urgent need for action to stave off starvation and disease among the population.
“Considerable resources need to be directed to Gaza to start rebuilding infrastructure, housing, social services, agricultural production and economic activity.”
ICJ Case
South Africa will file a memorial with the International Court of Justice to hold all those responsible for the conflict to account, he said.
“Later this month, we will file a memorial, which is South Africa’s full substantive case based on evidence, at the International Court of Justice,” Ramaphosa explained.
“The memorial contains detailed evidence to prove that Israel is committing the crime of genocide in Palestine. We call on Israel to immediately implement the court’s provisional orders issued on 26 January, 28 March 2024 and 24 May 2024.”
‘Pattern of Conflict’
He stressed that conflict “is part of a pattern of violence that spans more than half a century resulting from the occupation of Palestine”.
“Until the occupation is ended and a just and lasting solution is found that will protect the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians, the region will remain a tinderbox of potential conflict and war,” said Ramaphosa.
He pointed out that “Israel has consistently declared that it aspires to live in peace and security with its neighbours. Yet its military occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967 and its invasions of Lebanon in 1978, 1982 and 2006 undermine this aspiration.
“As a country we will continue to play our part in supporting all efforts to bring peace to the troubled Middle East region and to secure a just, lasting solution that ends the occupation of Palestine,” Ramaphosa stated.
October 7 marks the day one year ago when the Palestinian Resistance launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in its ongoing campaign to resist Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands including the siege on the Gaza Strip.
Since then, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 97,000 injured in Israel’s ongoing genocidal assault on the enclave, with nearly two million displaced, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Israel has also expanded its military assault to include airstrikes as well as a ground invasion of Lebanon, killing more than 2,000 and wounding more than 9,500, according to Lebanese authorities.
Resistance movements have issued statements on the anniversary of the operation with Hamas calling October 7 a “historic turning point in our struggle.”
‘Unwavering Faith, Determination’ – Hamas
“October 7th marks a historic turning point in our struggle, representing a natural response to zionist schemes aimed at erasing our national cause, consolidating control over our land and sacred sites, Judaizing them, asserting dominance over the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, persecuting prisoners, and continuing the siege on the Gaza Strip.
“This heroic battle, led with unwavering faith, determination, strength, and capability, was carried by the Al-Qassam Brigades, alongside all Palestinian resistance factions, with the support of our people across the homeland and abroad. At the heart of this movement were the steadfast, patient, and sacrificial people of Gaza, standing at the forefront of the nation, defending the land and the holy sites.”
“As we mark one year since the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle, we in the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas offer our prayers for the souls of our people’s martyrs, who ascended in our long struggle against the zionist enemy. We also pray for the martyr leaders who sacrificed their lives in this heroic battle: our brother, the martyr leader Ismail Haniyeh, our brother, the martyr leader Saleh Al-Arouri, and the caravans of the martyrs from our nation, especially from the support and defense fronts, led by the martyr, His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and the martyr leaders of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, whose blood mixed with the blood of our people on the path to liberating Al-Quds and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
‘Steadfastness’
Hamas affirmed, amongst others; “the steadfastness” of the people of Gaza, “their immense sacrifices their rallying around and embracing of the resistance while remaining patient and steadfast for a full year.”
“We hold the U.S. administration, a partner in this aggression, fully responsible for the continuation of these crimes and acts of genocide. We call on it to stop its biased support for the occupation and immediately act to halt this brutal genocide war,” the movement stated.
The World after October 7 – Has the War on the
Tonight, October 7, Palestine Chronicle editors @RamzyBaroud and @RomanaRubeo will be joined by renowned journalist and political analyst Robert Inlakesh, young Pan-African organizer and activist Bouna Mbaye and a number of experts… pic.twitter.com/zvvAV6XfvB
Hamas also highlighted “the expansion of zionist aggression to include Arab and Islamic countries—Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran,” saying it “proves once again that it poses a real threat to the security and stability of the region, as well as to regional and international peace and security.
“Now, more than ever, there is a pressing need to deter this rogue entity, isolate it, boycott it, and shut down all attempts to integrate it into our nation or normalize relations with it.”
‘Sacrifices’
The movement thanked “the jihad and sacrifices of our brothers in Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance, the Islamic Group in Lebanon, Ansarallah in Yemen, and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Their steadfast support, sacrifices, and participation in aiding our people and resistance during the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle are recognized.”
Hamas called on “all the forces of the Islamic Nation and its free people to join this heroic battle, gaining the honor of defending Al-Quds and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
“We also renew our calll to our Arab and Islamic countries to take urgent steps to stop the ongoing aggression and genocide war against our people. We also urge the implementation of the resolutions from the Arab and Islamic joint summit held in Riyadh on November 11th of last year, calling for serious action to break the siege, bring aid and relief to Gaza, and cut all forms of political, diplomatic, and economic relations with the zionist entity.”
Boycotts and Solidarity
The movement thanked South Africa for filing a lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and all countries that have supported the case.
“We also value all the official, popular, and partisan stances, initiatives, and activities in our Arab and Islamic world, and across the globe,” it said and commended “the mass mobilization by all free peoples and those with a conscience in capitals around the world, the union movements, popular protests, and student demonstrations in universities supporting our people’s rights.”
Hamas called for “an escalation of solidarity activities in all arenas and fields, strengthening the boycott of the occupation, condemning its crimes, and pressuring countries, entities, companies, and organizations that support the genocide war in Gaza.”
The movement also called upon “the masses of our Palestinian people in the West Bank, Al-Quds, the occupied territories, and in refugee camps and the diaspora to escalate all forms of resistance and struggle against the zionist enemy and its schemes.”
It also urged all Palestinian political factions, movements, organizations, and national figures “to unite, close ranks, and prioritize national responsibility, focusing all efforts and resources to confront this fascist aggression.”
“We affirm to the entire world that there can be no compromise on our people’s legitimate right to resist the occupation by all means necessary, to establish our free and independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital, and to live a life of dignity, free from siege, bombing, threats, or foreign control—like all other peoples of the world.”
Israel a ‘Cancerous Tumor’ – Hezbollah
“Today marks the one-year anniversary of the heroic Al-Aqsa Flood operation, in which the will of the Palestinian resistance was manifested in confronting aggression, oppression, and occupation that has afflicted this oppressed people since 1948, followed by wars, tragedies, and destruction.
“This operation will have historical effects and strategic results on the overall situation in the region until justice is achieved with the end of the occupation, and the Palestinian people regain their rightful, complete freedom from the river to the sea,” Hezbollah said in its statement.
The movement affirmed the “full right of the Palestinian people to resist the occupation by all means necessary to restore their legitimate rights and expel the occupation.”
It also said that “despite the brutality of the occupation and its aggression, “which led to the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians and the ruthless destruction of the Gaza Strip, “this oppressive, aggressive entity has proven to be fragile and incapable of survival without American support.”
‘Allies and Tools’ of US
Hezbollah said there was “no place for this temporary zionist entity in our region or within our social, cultural, and human fabric. It remains a malignant cancerous tumor that must be eradicated, no matter how long it takes.”
It emphasized that the United States of America, “along with its allies and tools in the world and the region, are partners in this occupation’s aggression and its crimes against the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples and the peoples of the region. They bear full responsibility for the killing, crimes, and devastating humanitarian tragedies.”
The movement also saluted “the strength and courage of our fighting brothers on the support fronts in dear Yemen and great Iraq, as well as the historic decision by the Islamic Republic of Iran to strike the heart of the zionist entity with missiles in support of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples.”
“Hezbollah’s decision to open the support front on October 8th to back the Palestinian people and their honorable resistance is a decision in favor of justice and full humanity. At the same time, it is a decision to defend Lebanon and its people, for which our resistance and people have paid a heavy price, both in leadership and in military and material structures, as well as through the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians and the heavy destruction of private properties,” the movement said.
It added that despite “the continued limitless aggression of the enemy, we remain confident, by the will of Allah, in the ability of our resistance to repel the aggression and in the patience and steadfastness of our great, resisting people, until this calamity is lifted.”
Israel ‘Backed by America, Britain and Supportive West’ – Ansarallah
“The Israeli enemy has launched more than a quarter of a million airstrikes and artillery bombardments on the Gaza Strip over the past year and around 100,000 tons of explosives through bombs, missiles, and shells provided by the Americans,” Ansarallah Commander Sayyed Abdulmalik Badr El-Din Al-Houthi said in his speech marking the October 7 anniversary.
He listed estimated statistics on the destruction meted out against the Gazan people through Israel’s ongoing genocidal campaign.
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, in his speech for the anniversary of October 7th today, talking about the absurdity of saying that other Arab countries have nothing to do with Palestine, and that everyone who supports Palestine is somehow working on Iran's behalf. pic.twitter.com/O21JDWIt0U
“More than 10,000 tons consist of temporary mines that have not yet exploded, aimed at booby-trapping the Gaza Strip.
The bodies of 7,820 martyrs in Gaza have not been buried, have not reached hospitals, and have not had their data recorded. These are all estimated numbers.
The disappearance of many bodies is due to the Israeli enemy’s use of internationally banned American weapons and bombs with genocidal and mass destruction effects.
‘Sequence of Aggression’
The zionist enemy has mobilized all its resources, backed by America, Britain, and the supportive West, to attack Gaza with an army of 350,000 regular and reserve soldiers. Approximately 150,000 martyrs, missing, and wounded in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli enemy has committed nearly 3,700 massacres against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
Al-Houthi said “The criminal and aggressive path of the Israeli enemy was not born from the Al-Aqsa Flood; it is part of a historical sequence of aggression and crime by the Israeli enemy.
Since the cursed Balfour Declaration and the beginning of gathering Jews to Palestine, the zionists have followed a policy of massacres and brutal killings against Palestinians before the declaration of the entity.”
He added that “The steadfastness of the Palestinian people has proven that resources, equipment, and supplies are not the decisive factor in battles. The resistance factions in Gaza continue the battle against the “israeli” enemy, which is supported by the US and the West, with great steadfastness in a very small and completely besieged area for nearly 20 years.
The Al-Aqsa Flood operation comes within the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to confront the occupying enemy, which holds no legitimacy in its occupation, oppression, or crimes. Al-Aqsa Flood is a natural outcome of 105 years of aggressive war, occupation, land theft, murder, genocide, displacement, and assaults sanctities, as seen in the first and second intifadas, after Arab failures and abandonment of Palestine since the humiliating agreements.”
He also addressed the intensification of Israel’s attacks on the occupied West Bank saying this crime was not born out of the Al-Aqsa Flood but is a historical sequence of crimes.
“The number of abductees in the West Bank has exceeded 11,000 Palestinians, with about 750 martyrs and more than 6,200 wounded. Some statistics have recorded approximately 1,400 attacks in the West Bank by the occupying settlers over the past year.”
Lebanese Resolve
Turning to Lebanon he said: “If the enemy thinks that killing the esteemed Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, may Allah be pleased with him, will weaken resolve, break morale, and lead to surrender, they are deluded and mistaken.”
“The calls, words, and speeches of the martyr Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah are now even more motivating and driving forces for action and steadfastness in position. The Israeli enemy has not learned from past lessons in either Palestine or Lebanon.”
He said similarly, “the enemy” expected the morale of the Al-Qassam Brigades “would collapse” after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Al-Houthi said “Efforts on the Yemen front continue in developing capabilities, raising performance levels, and increasing operations more and more. The popular mobilization in Yemen is unprecedented, unmatched in the Islamic world or anywhere else.”
‘We are With You’
For a year now, worldwide protests have reshaped global attitudes toward the Israeli occupation and the genocide in Gaza.
Tens of millions have participated and continue to participate in weekly and daily marches advocating for the rights of Palestinians and demanding boycotts… pic.twitter.com/Q8hNGuwSPA
“We in the Yemen front have launched over 1,000 missiles and drones over the past year, and we have also used boats in the seas. Our armed forces have targeted 193 ships linked to the Israeli enemy, and also to the Americans and the British.”
“Air and naval strikes by the enemies on our country amounted to 774 attacks, resulting in 82 martyrs and 340 injuries. No matter the extent of their military aggression against our country and the sacrifices we make, it will not deter us from our stance.”
“Whoever supports the Israeli enemy with even a single word becomes complicit in all the crimes it commits. I say to our brothers in the Hamas movement, in Al-Qassam Brigades, in the Palestinian jihadist movements like Islamic Jihad, Saraya Al-Quds, and all the movements fighting in Palestine: We are with you, and our people are your supporters, moving with you in every way they can.”
Hezbollah fighters at the Lebanese-Israeli border. (Photo: Hezollah military media)
An Israeli soldier was killed, and two others were seriously injured during fighting with Hezbollah along the Lebanese border, as Israel continues its intense air raids on the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed the death of a reserve sergeant and the serious injury of two other soldiers, who were struck by a mortar shell during the fighting on the Lebanese border.
Additionally, the Israeli military announced it would begin a training exercise in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel.
According to Al-Jazeera, observers have noted that Israel is maintaining silence about its casualties and material losses from confrontations with Hezbollah and ground battles in Gaza.
The Israeli government is reportedly restricting media coverage, prohibiting the dissemination of images and videos, and strictly regulating any information provided to the press.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, sending plumes of smoke and flames into the sky as multiple explosions echoed through the area.
ISRAELI ARMY RADIO: A rocket fell in the Western Galilee and caused extensive damage to a number of properties. pic.twitter.com/QpUaUI8bCh
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that six civilians, including three children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Qamatiyeh in Mount Lebanon overnight.
In retaliation, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at a gathering of Israeli vehicles and troops near the Jal al-Alam site and at the Karmiel and Kfar Vradim settlements.
Israeli Army Radio reported that one of the rockets landed in the Western Galilee, causing significant damage to several cars in Kfar Vradim, though no casualties were reported.
According to Israeli Channel 12, around 20 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward the Western Galilee, while Israeli police deployed explosives experts to inspect the impact sites.
HEZBOLLAH: Our fighters targeted a number of towns north of Haifa with a large barrage of rockets.
CHANNEL 12: 35 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards the Karmiel and Kfar Vradim areas in the last batch, while Israel reported today that at least 3 rockets fired from Lebanon… pic.twitter.com/eT8NyrLNfx
Hezbollah also fired rockets at military installations in Haifa and Tiberias, injuring 10 people.
The Rambam Hospital in Israel confirmed that six people were being treated for injuries sustained from rocket strikes in Haifa. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for bombing the Carmel base south of Haifa with “Fadi 1” missiles in defense of Lebanon.
The Israeli military also reported that five rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Haifa, which were not intercepted by the defense systems. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority confirmed that two people sustained moderate to severe injuries from rockets hitting Tiberias.
LEBANESE MEDIA: Israeli raids targeted the towns of Al-Qalila, Al-Sama'iya, Ma'arka, Al-Majdal Tyre, and Balat in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/shWcw7R4PQ
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that schools in some areas of Haifa had switched to remote learning due to the ongoing rocket fire. Several areas surrounding Haifa remain tense.
Since September 23, Israel has escalated its operations in Gaza and expanded its airstrikes into Lebanon, including Beirut, with unprecedented intensity. A ground incursion into southern Lebanon has also begun, despite international warnings and UN resolutions.
Official figures indicate that 2,044 people have been killed, and 9,678 injured since the mutual shelling began on October 8, 2023. This includes 1,212 dead and 3,427 injured in Lebanon, with a significant number of children and women among the casualties. Over 1.2 million people have been displaced since Israel’s large-scale offensive on Lebanon began on September 23, as of Sunday evening.
In response to Israeli strikes, Hezbollah continues to retaliate with rocket, drone, and artillery attacks targeting Israeli military positions and settlements across the country.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, announced on Monday that they had launched a rocket barrage targeting Tel Aviv.
The group said in a statement that this attack was part of the “ongoing battle of attrition” and in retaliation for the “Zionist massacres against civilians” and the displacement of Palestinians.
? Footage documents the damage inflicted on a building in the suburbs of Tel Aviv after rockets launched from Gaza made impact.
According to Israeli media, two settlers have been injured in Holon as a result of the explosions. pic.twitter.com/s5G15MRb1o
The attack on Tel Aviv coincided with the first anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, launched by Palestinian Resistance groups on October 7, 2023.
It marks the first time Al-Qassam has targeted Tel Aviv since launching two M90 rockets at the city and its suburbs on August 13.
Israel’s Home Front Command reported that sirens were triggered in Greater Tel Aviv and central Israel, while the Israeli Broadcasting Authority confirmed the area was targeted by rockets launched from the Gaza Strip.
ISRAELI MEDIA: The army once again failed to thwart an expected rocket attack from Gaza. It seems that the army was reviewing its operations in the morning and did not have specific information. pic.twitter.com/iXMGiYjolH
Israel Army Radio stated that five rockets were fired toward Tel Aviv from the Khan Yunis region in southern Gaza.
Two Israeli settlers were injured as shrapnel reportedly fell in Holon, south of Tel Aviv. Israel’s ambulance service confirmed that the rocket fire resulted in minor injuries.
The barrage also temporarily disrupted landings at Ben Gurion Airport, as reported by Israeli media, which also indicated that a state of maximum alert had been declared in anticipation of further rocket fire from Gaza.
ISRAEL HAYOM: Estimates by the Israeli army confirm that Hamas still possesses dozens of long-range missiles. pic.twitter.com/Nrajq4n1uQ
According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the fact that rockets were fired from Khan Yunis, where Israeli military operations had concluded, suggests that Hamas has regained its capabilities.
Israeli media also noted that the army had failed to prevent the missile strike, despite anticipating an attack from Gaza, indicating that Hamas’s command and control capabilities remain intact.
Ongoing Genocide
Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 41,870 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,166 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.
Palestine Chronicle is calling on all its readers to come to its aid NOW. Not only do we need your urgent support to continue with our operation, but we also need your help to challenge unfounded accusations in US courts, so that we may carry on with our mission until a just peace is finally achieved in Palestine.
A recent New York Times made many claims about the ‘mass rape’ of Israeli women on October 7. But two leading Palestinian media organizations, The Palestine Chronicle and Friends of Palestine Network, conducted a joint investigation, the outcome of which resulted in the ‘The Black Dress’, a groundbreaking 18-minute documentary looking into allegations and the possible falsification of evidence.
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Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. (Photo: News Oresund, via Wikimedia Commons) 
US Senator Bernie Sanders. (Photo: Video Grab) 
Israel continued to carry out massacres in Gaza. (Photo: via QNN) 
Al-Qassam bombed Tel Aviv with M90 rockets. (Photo: video grab)
Abu Obeida, the military spokesman of Al-Qassam Brigades. (Photo: via Al-Qassam military media) 
Hatem Ghaith, 12, was killed by Israeli occupation forces. (Photo: via social media) 
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Kremlin, via Wikimedia Commons) 
The Israeli army was met with stiff Palestinian resistance in Gaza. (Image: Palestine Chronicle) 
Hezbollah fighters at the Lebanese-Israeli border. (Photo: Hezollah military media) 
Palestinian Resistance attacks on Israel. (Photo: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle) 
