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‘Hezbollah Demonstrating Organization’ despite Israeli Attacks – Russia

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova. (Photo: Kremlin, via Wikimedia Commons)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Maria Zakharova also accused the West, in particular the US and Britain, of fueling conflict in the Middle East.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that Hezbollah has not lost its chain of command despite Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

“According to our assessments, Hezbollah, including the military wing, has not lost its chain of command and is demonstrating organization,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, told reporters on Wednesday.

She also accused the West, in particular the US and Britain, of fueling conflict in the Middle East, and demonstrating hypocrisy through its support for Israel, Reuters reported.

Zakharova also condemned Israel for having “grossly violated the sovereignty of Syria by launching a missile attack on a multi-storey apartment building in a densely populated area of Damascus.”

‘Routine’ Attacks

The attack on Tuesday killed nine civilians, including women and children, and injured fourteen others, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry cited by the Al-Mayadeen news agency.

“It is outrageous that such actions have literally turned into a routine practice applied to Syria, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip,” Zakharova said.

The latest aggression comes a week after Israeli airstrikes, which also targeted the Mazzeh neighborhood, killed three people, including Syrian journalist Safaa Ahmad, and injured nine others.

The spokeswoman said it showed Israel’s “desire to further expand the geography of armed escalation in the region.”

‘Silence’ over Journalists’ Killing

She also criticized the West and international organizations for their lack of response to the deaths of journalists covering conflicts, reported the Anadolu news agency.

The killings of reporters is “an unprecedented tragedy in terms of the number of journalists murdered while performing their professional duties,” Zakharova said.

“Moreover, all of this is met with silence — not just a lack of action, but not even a statement — from relevant institutions. UNESCO, in particular, is shamefully silent, as if its Director-General Audrey Azoulay has nothing to say on the matter,” she reportedly emphasized.

Zakharova added that the “situation for journalists’ safety in areas like the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and other regional clashes is catastrophic.”

Staggering Death Toll

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health,  42,010 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,720 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.

More than 170 journalists are among those killed.

Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, on October 7, Hezbollah has engaged directly, but relatively in a limited way in the war against the Israeli occupation.

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 2,100 people since October 7 most of them in the past two weeks.

(PC, MEMO, Anadolu, Al-Mayadeen)

8:49 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

‘Red Line Crossed’ – 130 Israeli Soldiers Vow to Stop Serving until Ceasefire Deal is Secured

Israeli helicopters rescue dead and wounded soldiers. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“It is now clear that continuing the war in Gaza does not only delay the hostages’ return from captivity, but also endangers their lives.”

More than 100 Israeli soldiers have threatened to stop serving in the army unless the government works to secure a ceasefire and the release of captives in Gaza.

Signatories of the letter, which was signed by 130 soldiers and addressed to Israeli Cabinet ministers and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, included reservists and draftees from various military units, such as the Armored Corps, Artillery Corps, Home Front Command, air force, and navy.

‘Immediately Change Course’

“It is now clear that continuing the war in Gaza does not only delay the hostages’ return from captivity but also endangers their lives: Many hostages have been killed by IDF strikes, many more than those who have been rescued in military operations to save them,” the letter read, according to a Haaretz report on Wednesday.

It continued: “We, who serve and have served with dedication and while risking are lives, hereby announce that if the government does not immediately change course and work toward a deal to bring the hostages back home, we will not be able to continue serving.

The soldiers added, “For some of us, the red line has been crossed already; for others, it is rapidly approaching: the day is approaching when we will, with broken hearts, stop reporting for duty.”

‘Reduction’ in Capabilities

Meanwhile, Israeli media outlets have revealed that while Israel has been talking for weeks about a systematic “reduction” of the Hezbollah movement’s capabilities, the army is not talking about the extent of the “reduction” in its own capabilities over the past year of war against the Palestinians in Gaza, as well as the daily exchanges of fire with Hezbollah in the north, the Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reported on Wednesday.

Writing in the Israeli economic newspaper Calcalist, military affairs expert Yuval Azoulay explained that the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has put Israel as close as can be to a comprehensive war with an exhausted Israeli army after the longest continuous war in its history.

Azoulay’s report confirmed that in the past year, the army lost more than 700 soldiers in Gaza, with an unprecedented number wounded to varying degrees, said MEMO. The latter is estimated to be as many as 11,000 combat troops.

He pointed out that according to the rehabilitation department in the Israeli Ministry of Defence, the number of wounded soldiers increases every month by about 1,000.

‘12 Battalions’ Affected

This is the largest number of wounded that the Israeli army has ever known, with the equivalent of 12 battalions taken out of action.

Both the regular forces and reserves who will fight on the northern front — which is considered more difficult, larger, more complex and more challenging — are exhausted from the endless war in Gaza, said Azoulay.

He accused the political echelon in Tel Aviv of being responsible for this situation, as it was unable to manage any strategy for its actions in Gaza, while clearly ignoring the war of attrition in the north that has lasted for many long months, the report added.

(PC, MEMO)

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‘Constructive Talks’ – Iranian and Saudi Foreign Ministers Meet over War on Gaza, Lebanon

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Saudi conterpart Faisal bin Farhan. (Photo: @IRIMFA_SPOX Tw page)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“They stressed that war on Gaza and Lebanon must stop and humanitarian assistance must be allowed to be provided to refugees and displaced persons immediately.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, including the situation in Gaza and Lebanon.

The two “held useful and constructive talks on latest developments in the region & situation in Gaza and Lebanon,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated on X, along with a photo of the two officials, on Wednesday.

“They stressed that war on Gaza and Lebanon must stop and humanitarian assistance must be allowed to be provided to refugees and displaced persons immediately,” Baghaei said.

He added that the ministers “also reviewed the latest status of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared determination to continue improving relations in political, security and economic areas.”

‘Carnage Must Be Stopped’

Ahead of the trip, Baghaei said Iran was “determined keep consolidating its relations with its neighbours in pursuit of sustainable security & stability as well as economic cooperation that would benefit all nations of the region.”

“Carnage and aggression must be stopped,” he stressed.

Aragchi’s trip to Saudi follows talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on October 5 and a visit to Beirut the day before.

He described his talks with Assad on “bilateral & regional issues” as “timely.”

“Highlighted that Iran will stand with Resistance in any situation. Also made clear that response to any aggression by Israeli regime will be stronger-and they can put our determination to the test,” he said on X.

Aragchi also accompanied Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on an “important engagement” to Doha to meet with the Qatari Emir Tamim al-Thani.

‘Self-Defense’ Attack

The regional visits follow Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1, striking dozens of targets.

Iran Ready to Confront Netanyahu, Regional Threats – IRGC Navy Commander

“We exercised self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, targeting solely military & security sites in charge of genocide in Gaza and Lebanon,” Aragchi said in a post on X, adding that Iran did so “after exercising tremendous restraint for almost two months, to give space for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“Our action is concluded unless Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful.”

Israeli Threats

Israeli officials have urged Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to attack Iran’s oil and nuclear sites in retaliation.

‘Once-In-a-Generation Opportunity’ – Israeli Officials Urge Strikes on Iran’s Oil and Nuclear Sites

Araghchi on Tuesday vowed a “crushing response” to any Israeli attacks against his country.

“We advise the Zionist regime (Israel) not to test Iran’s will,” he said at an event in Tehran attended by the ambassadors of Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria, the Anadolu news agency reported.

“Any attack on Iran will be met with a crushing response,” he warned.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

6:34 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

‘Shocking Scenes’ – Hamas Slams Detainees’ Treatment in Israeli Prison

Itamar Ben-Gvir visits the Nafha prison. (Photo: Ben-Gvir TW Page)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“They are a visual confirmation of the tragic conditions our prisoners endure inside these prisons.”

Hamas has condemned “shocking scenes” of Palestinian detainees being rounded up and assaulted at the Ofer prison under the direct supervision of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, saying it reveals “the true criminal face of this Nazi occupier.”

“They are a visual confirmation of the tragic conditions our prisoners endure inside these prisons,” the movement said in a statement on Wednesday.

“What our prisoners are subjected to, including oppression, abuse, deprivation, and medical neglect—up to the announcement of their martyrdom—constitutes war crimes and clear violations of all conventions and laws concerning prisoners of war. These actions demonstrate how this occupation shirks any ethics or human values,” the statement added.

‘Zero Tolerance’

The pre-dawn raid on the prison on Monday saw police officers using stun grenades and dogs. In the footage shared by Ben-Gvir on X, detainees are seen handcuffed, and being violently moved around inside the prison, and several are seen laying face down on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs.

“With zero tolerance and a heavy hand – this is how the prison fighters work with the animals of prey from the Nohba terrorists. I back them up!” Ben-Gvir said alongside the footage.

He claimed detainees whom he called “human scum” were “planning to riot inside the prison to mark the anniversary” of the October 7 resistance operation.

‘Escalating Abuse’

Hamas said the “escalating abuse of prisoners, depriving them of their rights, and the continued aggressive policies against them will not break their resolve and iron will.”

“The darkness of the prison will soon give way to the dawn of freedom. Our people and resistance remain loyal to the brave prisoners, no matter the cost,” the movement added.

Hamas called on “the free world, human rights organizations, and international bodies to expose the crimes of this Nazi terrorist enemy against our prisoners and to file lawsuits against its murderous criminal leaders for these horrific violations, which are occurring in full view of the world.”

The movement also called on the families of the prisoners, and “all our people” in the West Bank, “to intensify their support for the heroic prisoners, using every means available and in all fields, to aid and champion their cause.”

Documentation of Torture

Various international and Palestinian human rights organizations have documented the abuse and torture of detainees inside Israeli prisons, including arbitrary violence; sexual assault; humiliation and degradation, deliberate starvation; forced unhygienic conditions; and sleep deprivation.

According to the Israeli B’Tselem rights group, “no less than 60” Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli custody.

In a report titled ‘Welcome to Hell’, the organization documented “a systemic, institutional policy focused on the continual abuse and torture of all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.”

In July, a leaked video showed Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee from Gaza in the notorious Sde Teiman Israeli detention center. The detainee subsequently died of his injuries.

In April the UN Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) documented the release of 1,506 detainees from Gaza by Israeli authorities through the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem

Shalom) crossing point with Israel. This included 43 children (39 boys, four girls) and 84 women.

Sexual Violence

“Both men and women reported threats and incidents that may amount to sexual violence and harassment” by the Israeli forces while in detention.

“Male victims reported beatings to their genitals, while one detainee reported being made to sit on an electrical probe.”

Gaza Detainees Injected with Unknown Substance as Torture Escalates – Euro-Med Monitor

“The ill-treatment and abuse against UNRWA staff members as relayed by staff members themselves included severe physical beatings and treatment akin to waterboarding, resulting in extreme physical suffering; beatings by doctors when referred for medical assistance; exposure to and being attacked by dogs; threats of rape and electrocution; threats of violence with guns pointed at them; verbal and psychological abuse; threats of murder, injury or harm to family members; humiliating and degrading treatment; being forced to strip naked and being photographed while they are undressed; and being forced to hold stress positions.”

The Israeli army has arrested thousands of Palestinians from different areas across the Gaza Strip. However, Israeli authorities refuse to give an exact number of arrests.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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Work for Peace – UN Special Rapporteur Urges World Leaders to Move beyond Hypocrisy

UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation in Palestine Francesca Albanese. (Image: Palestine Chronicle, via UN website)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese criticized world powers for interfering in internal Palestinian governance.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese said on Tuesday that Palestinian sovereignty is independent of international recognition, urging world leaders to focus on self-determination rather than meddle in Palestinian internal affairs.

“Palestinian sovereignty exists regardless of recognition by other states. Promoting a #TwoStateSolution (for 30yrs) without recognizing both states is disingenuous,” Albanese wrote in a post on X.

The UN special rapporteur criticized world powers for interfering in internal Palestinian governance and urged them to shift their attention to ending the occupation and ensuring the self-determination of Palestinians.

“States’ int’l obligations are not about “reforming the PA” or meddling in Palestinian elections & governance – those are internal matters – but about ensuring peoples’ #selfdetermination, ending unlawful occupations, and dismantling #apartheid,” Albanese wrote.

The UN rapporteur urged world powers to “move beyond hypocrisy & commit to genuine peace premised upon justice and everyone’s freedom.”

“Together, we can do it, she concluded by saying.

Albanese’s remarks came while sharing a report by Anadolu news agency that featured an interview with the former Greek foreign minister, in which he pleaded with world leaders to stop the hypocrisy, pledge real efforts to achieve peace on the basis of justice and universal freedom for all, Anadolu said.

‘With Horror’

Throughout the Israeli genocide on Gaza, Francesca Albanese has been one of the vocal voices on the violations Israel is committing in the Strip.   

The UN rapporteur warned on September 6 “with horror” that if Israel’s military assault on Gaza is not stopped, it “could end up exterminating almost the entire population” of the enclave “over the next couple of years.”

Citing a recent report by The Guardian, Albanese said: “The range of presumable direct and indirect deaths could be between 15 and 20% of the population already by the end of this year, according to Prof. @devisridhar (and that’s in line with the work of other academics).”

“Once the dust settles, I can’t imagine how the world will go on after having allowed that. Again,” Albanese added in her post on X on September 6.

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,  42,010 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,720 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’.

Northern Gaza under Siege – Israel Issues Fresh Evacuation Orders for Three Hospitals

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. 

(PC, Anadolu)

3:00 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

Stabbing Operation in Hadera – Six Israelis Wounded, Five Seriously

Six people were wounded in a stabbing attack in the city of Hadera. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

According to the Israeli police, the stabbings occurred at four different locations within the city of Hadera.

Israeli ambulance services said on Wednesday that six people were wounded in a stabbing attack in the city of Hadera, located north of Tel Aviv, though their identities were not disclosed. 

The ambulance service reported that five of the wounded were in critical to serious condition. 

According to the Israeli police, the stabbings occurred at four different locations within the city of Hadera.

Israel’s Channel 14 reported that additional police forces were deployed to search the city, with two helicopters assisting.

The police confirmed they had shot the attacker, but his condition remains unclear. 

The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom identified the suspect as 36-year-old Ahmed Jabareen, an Israeli citizen from Umm al-Fahm.

Hadera’s mayor stated that the suspect moved between locations on a motorcycle and was armed with both a knife and an axe.

As a precaution, schools in Hadera were closed until authorities confirmed the situation was under control, as reported by Israeli Army Radio.

This attack comes after a call from Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, on the anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood, urging increased military operations against the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and within the occupied Palestinian territories.

Since the start of the Israeli assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, there has been a noticeable rise in stabbing and shooting incidents targeting Israelis at checkpoints and within the occupied territories.

This is a developing story ..

(PC, AJA)

1:59 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Videos | Read More »

‘There is No Point’ – Netanyahu Blocks Gallant’s Trip to Washington

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. (Design: Palestine Chronicle)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Gallant’s trip to the US was reportedly canceled by Netanyahu on condition he speak with the US President first on his country’s response to Iran’s missile attack.

The Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant canceled on Wednesday his planned trip to the United States amid Israeli media reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to speak first with American President Joe Biden, Reuters news agency reported.

According to Reuters, the Pentagon announced the cancelation of the visit but refrained to comment on the topic referring reporters to Israel’s Defense Ministry.

“We were just informed that Minister Gallant will be postponing his trip to Washington,” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh was quoted by Reuters as saying in a press briefing.

A US Defense Department spokesperson announced that the Israeli defense minister was scheduled to depart from Israel on Tuesday night, and meet Wednesday with the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Reuters reported.

Netanyahu’s Intoxicated Euphoria will Turn into a Prolonged Hangover

The Times of Israel said that the planned visit was postponed hours before the departure of Gallant because Netanyahu “set last-minute conditions for his approval of the visit.”

The Israeli newspaper cited several Israeli reports that indicated that Netanyahu blocked Gallant’s visit “because he wanted to speak with US President Joe Biden about Israel’s planned retaliation against Iran before the defense minister departed.”

According to the same paper, a report by Israel’s Channel 12 news indicated that the Israeli prime minister “was also conditioning the trip on the security cabinet first approving Israel’s planned response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack last week.”

Gallant was reportedly to travel with senior Israeli Defense Ministry officials to discuss issues in relation to Israel’s response to Iran’s missile attack on Israel and its defense in case of an Iranian response and the deployment of US forces in the region.

Unnamed officials in Netanyahu’s office were quoted by Channel 12 as saying that “there was no point in Gallant making the trip until the cabinet approved the response to Iran, since that’s the key issue he was supposed to discuss with Austin,” the Times of Israel said.

For its part, the White House also declined to comment on the surprise cancelation referring all questions to the Israeli government.

Despite previous talk of a possible phone call between Biden and Netanyahu since the end of September, Reuters reported today citing what it said “a person familiar with the matter” that the two men are scheduled to speak on Wednesday on the anticipated Israeli strike on Iran.

The Agony and Ecstasy of an Empire – The United States in the Middle East

According to the Times of Israel, the two men have not spoken for nearly 50 days.

Israeli Channel 12 news has reported that the Israeli prime minister has been waiting “for what he thinks was a promised call from Biden for the past 10 days,” the Times of Israel said.

The US president revealed on October 4 that Israel has not yet decided on its response to Iran, adding that “he would think about alternatives to striking Iranian oil fields if he were in Israel’s shoes.”

Iran Threatens Israel

These developments come in conjunction with statements made by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid and other former officials who have urged Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to strike Iranian oil and nuclear sites.

Meanwhile, Iran on Tuesday vowed a “crushing response” to any Israeli attacks on the country.

Speaking to the Israeli Ynet News on Monday, Lapid argued that Iran’s economy was its “Achille’s heel”, claiming it was on the brink of collapse.

“There’s a complex discussion with the Americans about this, and I understand why they don’t want a spike in oil prices just before the U.S. elections. But that doesn’t change the fact that Israel has its own interests and perspectives,” Lapid was quoted as saying.

Iran Ready to Confront Netanyahu, Regional Threats – IRGC Navy Commander

His remarks come nearly a week after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel, striking dozens of targets.

Also on Tuesday, former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett urged Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear sites.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi vowed a “crushing response” on Tuesday to any Israeli attacks against his country.

“We advise the Zionist regime (Israel) not to test Iran’s will,” he said at an event in Tehran attended by the ambassadors of Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria, the Anadolu news agency reported.

“Any attack on Iran will be met with a crushing response,” he warned.

Iran is on high alert amid anticipation of an imminent response from Israel to a missile strike by Tehran on October 1, which came amid rising regional tensions over Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, now in its second year.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon with Israel launching massive airstrikes across the country, which have killed 2119 people and injured over 10019 others since September 23.

(PC, Agencies)

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Northern Gaza under Siege – Israel Issues Fresh Evacuation Orders for Three Hospitals

Kamal Adwan Hospital, the main healthcare provider in the North Gaza District, is now out of service. (Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital warned against an Israeli occupation plan to displace Palestinians in the north of Gaza by halting all operations in the medical facilities in that area.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Tuesday that Israel ordered the evacuation of three hospitals within 24 hours in the north of the besieged enclave, Anadolu news agency reported.

The Israeli occupation army ordered the evacuation of patients and staff of Kamal Adwan Hospital, the Indonesian Hospital and Al-Awda Hospital.  

The Ministry of Health said in a statement that Israel’s occupation army “demands the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital, the Indonesian Hospital, and Al-Awda Hospital from patients and health personnel.”

According to the statement, Israeli occupation forces detained “a paramedic who accompanied a critical care patient during their transfer from Kamal Adwan Hospital despite prior coordination.”

The statement also indicated that the Israeli occupation army was surrounding the Kamal Adwan Hospital and shooting at the administration quarters.

The Israeli occupation army threatened the three hospitals with “destruction, killing, and arrest” if they did not evacuate within the specified period, intimidating them with a similar scene of the siege of Al-Shifa Hospital, according to the statement.   

The director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital, Hossam Abu Safia said in an audio recording sent to various reporters that “the Israeli army has given them 24 hours to completely evacuate the hospital of patients and health staff,” Anadolu said.

“The army communicated directly and threatened us, saying we must evacuate the hospital or we would put ourselves in danger,” Abu Safia added, while urging for “serious protection for health institutions and their staff, especially in the northern Gaza Strip.”

The director of the medical facility labeled the new Israeli evacuation order as dangerous warning that it could lead to the “collapse of the health care system in the northern Gaza Strip.”

Moreover, he warned against an Israeli occupation plan to displace Palestinians in the north of Gaza by halting all operations in the medical facilities in that area.

On top of the Israeli evacuation order, the Ministry of Health revealed that due to acute fuel shortage, the medical facility might halt its operations within the coming hours.

Health System under Attack

This is neither the first time hospitals in Gaza warn of the imminent shutdown of their operations due to fuel shortage nor is it the first time Israel has issued evacuation orders to medical facilities.

Since the start of the genocide on Gaza on October 7, the Israeli occupation army has deliberately targeted the health system in the Strip, through systematic raids on hospitals and clinics and the killing and detention of medical staff in addition to attacking aid convoys.

This has been met with wide condemnation by various United Nations agencies and international organizations.

In a new report cited by the Quds News Network (QNN) which was published on September 17, the Health Ministry said that Israeli occupation forces have killed 1,151 Palestinian health workers since October 7.

A total of 986 were named in the new report, while personal data for the remaining 165 was still being verified.  

The ministry said the delay in the verification process was due to Israeli authorities withholding the victims’ bodies or their remains being buried under rubble.

At least 165 of those killed were doctors, 260 nurses, 300 management and support personnel, 184 health associate professionals, 76 pharmacists, and 12 other health workers.

“The Palestinian sector has been subjected to a systematic attack by the occupation forces that has affected all its components,” the ministry noted.

Health facilities were the target of direct and repeated Israeli raids and air strikes, it added, which has crippled the health system and left hundreds of thousands of war victims facing “imminent death”.

More than 300 health workers have also been arrested by Israeli forces.

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,  41,965 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,590 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

LIVE BLOG: Trapped in Northern Gaza | Hezbollah Repels Infiltration Attempt | Biden, Netanyahu to Discuss Response to Iran – Day 369

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. 

(PC, Anadolu)

1:14 pm | Posted in Blog | News | Read More »

LIVE BLOG: Hezbollah Rockets Kill Israelis in Kiryat Shmona | ‘Dragging Region into Catastrophe’ | Massacres in Gaza – Day 369

Israel continued to carry out massacres in Gaza. (Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The Israeli army is launching continuous artillery shelling on northern Gaza while UNRWA stated that 400,000 people are still trapped in the area. 

Hezbollah was able to repel another infiltration attempt from the Israeli military in the Labouneh area, inflicting casualties and forcing the unit to retreat.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to discuss Israel’s response to Iran today, according to the American news website Axios. 

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry (Gaza), 42,010 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,720 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

This blog has been discontinued. Click here for the new blog.

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‘Once-In-a-Generation Opportunity’ – Israeli Officials Urge Strikes on Iran’s Oil and Nuclear Sites

Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett.(Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“If not now, when? NOW is the time to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities and regime.” Naftali Bennet, former Israeli Premier

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid and other former officials have urged Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to strike Iranian oil and nuclear sites.

Meanwhile, Iran on Tuesday vowed a “crushing response” to any Israeli attacks on the country.

Speaking to the Israeli Ynet News on Monday, Lapid argued that Iran’s economy was its “Achille’s heel”, claiming it was on the brink of collapse.

“There’s a complex discussion with the Americans about this, and I understand why they don’t want a spike in oil prices just before the U.S. elections. But that doesn’t change the fact that Israel has its own interests and perspectives,” Lapid was quoted as saying.

His remarks come nearly a week after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel, striking dozens of targets.

He also urged Israel to “pause the war” temporarily to secure the captives’ release, saying “We need to kill (Yahya) Sinwar, but if pausing the war brings our people home, we should do it.”

Also on Tuesday, former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett urged Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear sites.

‘Now is the Time’ – Bennet

Bennet called it “a once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity,” in a Hebrew video statement posted online, the Times of Israel reported, adding that he had repeated the argument in English statements on foreign media platforms.

“For the first time, we have the ability to act against Iran without fearing a terrible and intolerable reaction,” he reportedly said in the video.

On Tuesday he also posted on X: “If not now, when? NOW is the time to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities and regime.”

Bennet claimed that “Iran has accumulated highly enriched uranium in quantity sufficient to produce ten nuclear warheads.”

“Not only is this the eleventh hour to prevent Iran from going nuclear, it is also a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do so, since Iran’s defenses—Hezbollah and Hamas—are temporarily severely weakened,” he stated.

‘Take Advantage’ – Ayelet Shaked

On Monday, former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said that Israel “should take advantage” of the current situation to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“The Iranian attack on the State of Israel was the largest ballistic missile attack in the world. About 200 ballistic missiles. It is clear that no sovereign country should and cannot accept such a thing,” Shaked said, according to the Israeli National News website.

“Israel should take advantage of the opportunity when there is international legitimacy and destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities,” she added. She was speaking at the annual international conference on counter-terrorism led by the Institute for Counter-Terrorism Policy (ICT) at Reichman University, the rpeort said.

“It is something that sounds scary, but whatever is delayed now, will be more complicated later,” she further said.

“The right and ideal thing would be to harness the international community and have the US do it. The world powers are the ones who should do it, but they don’t do it, and it would be better if we do it than if we convince ourselves that there will be a more appropriate time, because there won’t be a more appropriate time.”

‘Crushing Response’ – Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi vowed a “crushing response” on Tuesday to any Israeli attacks against his country.

“We advise the Zionist regime (Israel) not to test Iran’s will,” he said at an event in Tehran attended by the ambassadors of Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria, the Anadolu news agency reported.

“Any attack on Iran will be met with a crushing response,” he warned.

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Iran is on high alert amid anticipation of an imminent response from Israel to a missile strike by Tehran on October 1, which came amid rising regional tensions over Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, now in its second year.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon with Israel launching massive airstrikes across the country, which have killed more than 1,250 people and injured over 3,600 others since Sept. 23.

White House Statement

On Monday, the White House said that the US administration was “continuing” to advise the Israeli government on its response to Iran’s attack.

“We are continuing to have discussions with the Israelis about their response, obviously responding to Iran’s attack, almost 200 missiles right that went flying into Israel,” spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “Our commitment continues to be very clear on Israel’s security, and that’s ironclad. Those conversations continue.”

Israel Vows Major Offensive Against Iran, Faces Stark Warning from Tehran

US President Joe Biden suggested last week that Israel should not strike Iran’s oil or nuclear facilities.

“If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields,” the president said during his first appearance in the White House press briefing room in the nearly four years since he assumed office. He said on Wednesday that he opposed strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Jean-Pierre declined to specify what the president believes a “proportionate” response to the attack would entail.

‘Medium Range of Attack Scenarios’

The Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday that Israel “is not expected to attack Iran’s nuclear program but rather to focus on various kinds of military bases and intelligence sites. This follows a New York Times report on the situation.

Sources “did not deny the thrust of the report, which predicted that Israel’s retaliation against Iran … would fall more in the medium range of attack scenarios,” the Post said.

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It added that “Sources indicated that attacking Iran’s nuclear program would not necessarily be consistent with the ‘goals of the war’ as set by the security cabinet.”

For example, the Post said, “while the most stated goal of the war is to defeat Hamas, and returning Israel’s northern residents to the Lebanon border in security has also been discussed a lot lately, another formal goal is not to be dragged into a regional war, especially with Iran.”

(PC, Anadolu)

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