Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed French President Emmanuel Macron over his call to impose an arms embargo on Israel.

Netanyahu responded by saying “Shame on them” in reference to Macron and other Western leaders calling for an arms embargo on Israel.

“Israel will win with or without their support,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office.

He also criticized Macron’s call labeling it as “a disgrace.”

Earlier on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron called for a stop to arms deliveries to Israel amidst criticism of its military operations in Gaza, Agence France Press reported.

Netanyahu in a message to French President Macron: "You are calling for a halt to arms exports to us during the war, and the shame will follow you for many years after we win the war." pic.twitter.com/I1xlV0icqP

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 5, 2024

According to AFP, Macron emphasized the need to shift focus towards a political resolution during an interview with France Inter, recorded earlier this week.

“I think that today, the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza,” he reportedly stated, claiming that “France is not delivering any.”

Macron expressed ongoing concerns over Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which is continuing, despite repeated calls for a ceasefire.

“I think we are not being heard,” the French president said, adding, “I think it is a mistake, including for the security of Israel.”

Macron also reportedly underscored the importance of preventing an escalation in Lebanon, noting that “Lebanon cannot become a new Gaza.”

‘Stop Arming Israel’ – Macron Calls for ‘Political Solution’ in Gaza, Lebanon

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’. 

LIVE BLOG: Israeli Army Reinvades Jabaliya | Airstrikes on Beirut Continue | Al-Qassam: Fierce Battles – Day 366

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 Palestine Chronicle)

King of Spain Felipe VI. (Photo: Cancillería Ecuador, via Wikimedia Commons)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“We want to see an end to the humanitarian drama and the silence of weapons, to return to the path of politics and diplomacy”.

The Spanish Felipe VI called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing that the war has brought “indescribable destruction and suffering,” the Anadolu news agency reported.

“The conflict must end as soon as possible,” the agency quoted the monarch as saying.

During an address at the Spanish ambassador’s residence in Amman, on the first day of his visit to Jordan, the king reportedly accentuated the devastating humanitarian crisis in the enclave, which resulted from the one-year-old genocide, stressing that it brought much suffering and destruction.

Additionally, in a meeting with the Spanish community in Jordan, Felipe VI reiterated his desire for peace amidst a raging war in the Middle East.

‘Stop Helping Israel Commit Genocide’ – Spanish Official to the EU Parliament

“In these moments, we are also united by a deep desire for peace and dialogue,” the king was quoted by Arab News as saying.  

He urged to return to diplomatic negotiations to end the war in Gaza and achieve a lasting peace based on the two-state solution.

 “We want to see an end to the humanitarian drama and the silence of weapons, to return to the path of politics and diplomacy,” he stressed.

Spain Stands against Genocide  

Spain has been one of the few European countries to take a strong stand against Israel’s genocide on the Gaza Strip since the start of the war.

On May 28, Spain became the 140th country to recognize the State of Palestine. Norway and Ireland followed, as well as Slovenia.

In June, Spain also announced it would join South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide in its war on Gaza.

Irene Montero, a Spanish Member of the EU Parliament, accused in September the Commission of supporting genocide in Gaza, saying it “is only possible due to the necessary complicity of the United States and Europe.”

‘Stop Being Complicit’ – Spanish Politician Urges Suspension of Ties with Israel

“When a criminal state murders more than 41,000 people, half of them children; when it destroys 60% of homes, 85% of schools, 65% of roads; when it forcibly displaces over 80% of the population; and when it blocks the entry of water, energy, medicine, and humanitarian aid. It is not a war; it’s genocide,” Montero told the EU parliament this week.

“A genocide that is only possible due to the necessary complicity of the United States and Europe, which provide economic, military, and political support to the perpetrators of the genocide,” she added.

Montero, a representative of the Spanish left-wing Unidas Podemos party, went on to question why an arms embargo has not been enforced against Israel.

In July, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the West to reject “double standards” regarding the war on Gaza.

“If we are telling our people that we are supporting Ukraine because we are defending international law, this is the same as what we have to do towards Gaza,” he said at NATO’s 75th-anniversary summit in Washington.

‘Only the People Save the People’ – Spain Goes on General Strike against Genocide in Gaza

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, 41,825 Palestinians have been killed, and 96910 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’.

LIVE BLOG: Israeli Army Reinvades Jabaliya | Airstrikes on Beirut Continue | Al-Qassam: Fierce Battles – Day 366

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)

French politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon. (Photo: Cancilleria del Ecuador, via Wikimedia Commons)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The leftist leader asked students to defy the government by parading the Palestinian flags “wherever possible” to show their solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

The leader of La France Insoumise left party, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, voiced on Saturday his support of the Lebanese resistance and urged French students to continue to show solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon, the Lebanese news network Al-Mayadeen reported.

Mélenchon made the comments at a rally in Paris in support of Palestine and Lebanon. He responded to earlier remarks by French Minister of Higher Education Patrick Hetzel, who denounced pro-Palestinian demonstrations at institutions like Sciences Po Paris, saying that they stand against France’s principles of “neutrality and secularism”.

The leftist leader denounced the minister’s remarks while affirming that discussing “geopolitics, including the situation in Gaza, was not an affront to secularism.”

Jean-Luc Mélenchon called on French students to speak freely and stand in solidarity with Palestine, Lebanon.

“Let us be heard in Lebanon, Let us be heard in Palestine, There is a France that rejects the massacres and demands an immediate ceasefire!”

“We no longer want… pic.twitter.com/8X4mZciQw4

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 6, 2024

“Talking about geopolitics is not an attack on secularism,” Melenchon stressed.

“I call on students to defy this prohibition and speak freely, because we live in a free country,” he added.

Mélenchon was adamant as well in voicing his support of the Lebanese resistance in Lebanon.

He told the crowd that “Hezbollah is a component of the Lebanese people, and it is not up to us to decide who is a good or bad component,” according to Al-Mayadeen.

The leftist leader asked students to defy the government by parading the Palestinian flags “wherever possible” to show their solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

He urged students as well to include the Lebanese flags as a sign of solidarity with the Lebanese people against Israel’s war on the country.  

“Let the Lebanese know that we have not forgotten them or left them to the violence and murder of their terrifying neighbor,” in a reference to “Israel”, Al-Mayadeen quoted him as saying.

Recognizing Palestine – Mélenchon’s Victory Signals Shift Toward Palestine

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, 41,825 Palestinians have been killed, and 96910 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.

LIVE BLOG: Israeli Army Reinvades Jabaliya | Airstrikes on Beirut Continue | Al-Qassam: Fierce Battles – Day 366

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, Al-Mayadeen)

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

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The Israeli army announced another military operation in the Jabaliya area in northern Gaza, after relentless bombing and shelling of the area. 

Israeli forces continued to carry out airstrikes across Lebanon and in the southern suburbs of the capital, Beirut. 

Al-Qassam Brigades said its fighters are engaged in fierce battles with invading Israeli forces in the axes of penetration in northern Gaza.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry (Gaza), 41,870 Palestinians have been killed, and 97,166 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

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

Hezbollah fighters along the Lebanese-Israeli border. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Israel’s Channel 12 said that more than 135 rockets have been fired by Hezbollah towards targets in northern Israel since the morning. 

This number continues to grow as more rockets have been reported to hit Israeli targets. 

Unlike Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Hezbollah’s targets are precise, and they do not include civilian areas or infrastructure, according to the Lebanese group. 

Hezbollah said in a statement that its rockets had targeted the ATA military industry company near Sakhnin.

In a separate statement, the group also said that it has shelled the Ma’ale Golani barracks and a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Katzrim.

Below are the latest statements by the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah. 

The statements were communicated via their Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.

The Lebanese movement Hezbollah published a video with the following caption: "The mountains may move, but you shall not waver. Clench your teeth firmly, offer your skulls to Allah, plant your feet firmly on the ground, cast your gaze to the furthest reaches of the enemy and… pic.twitter.com/f2dcd6wIlf

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 5, 2024

Hezbollah

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at 11:00 pm on Friday 4-10-2024, engaged in clashes with the advancing force. This led to a massive explosion within the advancing unit, forcing it to retreat and inflicting deaths and injuries among their ranks.

“Israeli enemy soldiers once again attempted to advance towards the vicinity of the municipality in the town of Al-Odaisseh at 01:50 AM on Saturday 10-5-2024, so the fighters of the Islamic Resistance confronted the attempt to advance, and the clashes are continuing.

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance at 02:15 AM on Saturday 5-10-2024, bombed the gatherings of Israeli enemy soldiers in “Kfar Yuval” with a rocket barrage.

“In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the barbaric Israeli violation of cities, villages and civilians, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance at 02:15 AM on Saturday 5-10-2024, bombed the gatherings of Israeli enemy soldiers in Kfar Giladi with a rocket barrage.

“In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the barbaric Israeli violation of cities, villages and civilians, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance at 02:20 AM on Saturday 5-10-2024, bombed the gatherings of Israeli enemy soldiers in Khallet Abeer in Yiron with a rocket barrage.

We targeted the Ma'ale Golani barracks with a salvo of rockets in response to the barbaric Israeli invasion of cities, villages and civilians. pic.twitter.com/gYBoCb1YWr

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 5, 2024

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted a Merkava tank while it was advancing to Al-Bat Heights, at the end of the Maroun forest, with a guided missile and hit it directly, killing and wounding its crew.    

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance bombed the Ramat David base with a barrage of Fadi-1 missiles. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance bombarded the settlement of Sasa with two Falaq 2 missiles. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance bombarded the settlement of Karmiel with a rocket barrage. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted the occupied city of Safad with a rocket barrage. 

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted the enemy’s barracks and gatherings in the Dan settlement with a large rocket barrage.  

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance bombed the Ma’ale Golani barracks with a rocket barrage.  

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance bombed the ATA military industries company near Sakhnin with a rocket barrage.  

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted gatherings of enemy soldiers in the settlement of Katzrin with a rocket barrage.

“The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers at the Jal Al-Deir site with a rocket barrage.”

(The Palestine Chronicle)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron. (Design: Palestine Chronicle)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Macron also reportedly underscored the importance of preventing an escalation in Lebanon, noting that “Lebanon cannot become a new Gaza.”

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Saturday for a stop to arms deliveries to Israel amidst criticism of its military operations in Gaza, Agence France Press reported.

According to AFP,  Macron emphasized the need to shift focus towards a political resolution during an interview with France Inter, which was recorded earlier this week. 

“I think that today, the priority is that we return to a political solution, that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza,” he reportedly stated, claiming that “France is not delivering any.”

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

The United States provides Israel with approximately $3 billion in weapons annually. 

In May, the US State Department acknowledged that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to halt arms shipments to Israel, though it noted it was “reasonable to assess” that some Israeli actions may not align with humanitarian law standards. 

Similarly, Britain announced in September that it was suspending certain arms exports to Israel, citing concerns that they could contribute to serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Macron expressed ongoing concerns over Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which is continuing, despite repeated calls for a ceasefire.

“I think we are not being heard,” the French president said, adding, “I think it is a mistake, including for the security of Israel.”

Macron also reportedly underscored the importance of preventing an escalation in Lebanon, noting that “Lebanon cannot become a new Gaza.”

‘Breach of International Law’ – UN Experts Condemn Israel’s Attacks on Lebanon

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, 41,825 Palestinians have been killed, and 96910 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. 

Gaza Residents Face New Evacuation Orders as Israeli Strikes Intensify

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, Agencies)

An Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building near Al-Shamaa Mosque in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City. (Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

At least seven Palestinians, including children, were killed and several others injured this afternoon as Israeli airstrikes targeted residential areas in both Jabaliya and the Nuseirat refugee camps.

The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for Gaza residents on Saturday while carrying out attacks that resulted in a high number of casualties, including dead and wounded, in various areas across the Strip.

Al-Jazeera reported that the Israeli army instructed residents of the Bureij and Nuseirat refugee camps in central Gaza to evacuate immediately.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, this unusual evacuation notice is part of a plan to expand the Netzarim corridor in the region. 

The channel said that the Israeli army is preparing for the anniversary of the October 7 events and anticipating possible attempts by large numbers of Gazans to storm the corridor or for resistance fighters to launch raids in the area.

Israeli airstrikes target a home near Saad Mosque in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/n858H5QYaR

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 5, 2024

The Netzarim crossing, established by the Israeli army after their ground invasion of Gaza a year ago, now separates the northern part of the Gaza Strip from the south.

Since the start of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, Palestinians have been continuously displaced as the Israeli army orders residents of targeted areas to evacuate ahead of planned bombings, demolitions, and military advances.

New Massacres

At least seven Palestinians, including children, were killed and several others injured this afternoon as Israeli airstrikes targeted residential areas in both Jabaliya and the Nuseirat refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Israeli fighter jets reportedly bombed a home belonging to Nayef Abdullah, a local resident, near the Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas Mosque in northern Jabaliya. The attack killed at least five individuals, including women and children.

In a separate attack, another Israeli airstrike targeted a house belonging to the Ghanim family near the Abu Sarar roundabout in the Nuseirat refugee camp, leading to the murder of two more citizens.

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: A child was injured as a result of the Israeli artillery shelling that targeted the Mufti’s land north of the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip pic.twitter.com/IAZu5TPpwh

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 5, 2024

Meanwhile, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, told Al-Jazeera that hospitals in northern Gaza will cease to function within 24 hours due to the Israeli army’s blockade of diesel and medical supplies. 

He added that this would lead to the shutdown of all pediatric departments, including neonatal units, intensive care, and nurseries.

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, 41,825 Palestinians have been killed, and 96910 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

PALESTINIAN MEDIA: Nine Palestinians were wounded after being targeted by an Israeli drone at Abu Sharkh roundabout, north of the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/NFwYF2mqs0

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 5, 2024

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, AJA)

Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles towards Israel. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Israel’s air defense systems, like the Arrow 2 and 3, were unable to intercept all missiles, highlighting the difficulty of defending against fast, numerous ballistic missiles.

A report published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday confirmed that Iran’s recent barrage of ballistic missiles targeting Israel overwhelmed some of Israel’s air defenses, causing damage.

“The assessment means that any new Iranian strikes against Israel, if launched, could have much more serious consequences if they target civilian infrastructure or heavily populated residential areas,” according to the report.

The paper also stressed that, “unlike April 13, when Iran fired a large number of slower cruise missiles and drones, Tuesday’s barrage was made up exclusively of some 180 much faster ballistic missiles, one of the largest such strikes in the history of warfare.”

Independent researchers, analyzing satellite imagery, noted that about 32 missiles hit the Nevatim military air base.

‘Crushing Response’ – Iran Strikes Dozens of Targets throughout Israel with Hundreds of Ballistic Missiles

“Satellite images of a target on Tuesday—the Nevatim air base in southern Israel, home to its F-35 jet fighters—show that as many as 32 Iranian missiles managed to land within the base’s perimeter, according to analysis by professor Jeffrey Lewis, at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies in Monterey, Calif,” the report said.

Lewis highlighted that “Thirty-two missiles is a lot of missiles” and that “we have exaggerated ideas about the effectiveness of air defenses. We have this pop-culture idea that missile defenses are much more effective or available than they actually are.”

Indeed, according to the report, Israel’s air defense systems, like the Arrow 2 and 3, were unable to intercept all missiles, highlighting the difficulty of defending against fast, numerous ballistic missiles.

“The faster the missile, the harder it is to intercept it, that’s simple physics,” Ulrich Kühn, head of research for arms control at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy in Hamburg, Germany, was quoted as as saying.

Empty Promises – Iranian President Criticizes Western Powers during Meeting with Hamas

The report suggests that future Iranian strikes could have more devastating consequences if they target civilian infrastructure or populated areas. 

“That is an important consideration as Israel contemplates its military response. Tehran has threatened strikes on Israeli power plants and oil refineries if Israel hits Iranian territory in a counterattack expected in the coming days,” the WSJ reported.

While Israel is expected to retaliate, Iran’s missile production capabilities are likely to be targeted, as they remain a critical vulnerability.

Iran possesses a large arsenal of over 3,000 ballistic missiles, many stored in underground facilities, while its production plants are less protected and could be targeted in future Israeli strikes.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

Israel continues to carry out massacres against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.(Photo: via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“I’ve never seen such horrific injuries, on such a massive scale, with so few resources. Our bombs are cutting down women and children by the thousands”. – Dr. Feroze Sidhwa

Nearly 100 American physicians and medical professionals who volunteered in the Gaza Strip have called on US President Joe Biden to immediately withhold military, economic, and diplomatic support for Israel to prevent “an even worse catastrophe” in the enclave.

“Every day that we continue supplying weapons and munitions to Israel is another day that women are shredded by our bombs and children are murdered with our bullets,” the health workers said in a letter addressed to Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris dated October 2, 2024.

99 American medical professionals who worked in Gaza have published a letter to President Biden “with probative evidence” that it’s “likely that the death toll is already greater than 118,908”.

That’s more than 5.4% of Gaza’s population.

Read it here: https://t.co/6lANnwhcjz pic.twitter.com/Up71XXufAV

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) October 4, 2024

The multi-faith and multi-ethnic group which spent 254 weeks collectively volunteering in Gaza’s hospitals and clinics said the letter “summarizes our own experiences and direct observations in Gaza.”

Available on www.gazahealthcareletters.org, the letter was accompanied by a detailed appendix summarizing the publicly available information from media, humanitarian, and academic sources on key aspects of Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

Death Toll Over 118,908

“It is likely that the death toll from this conflict is already greater than 118,908, an astonishing 5.4% of Gaza’s population,” the health workers stated, adding that they believed the US government was obligated, under both American law and International Humanitarian Law to withhold military support for Israel.

“I’ve never seen such horrific injuries, on such a massive scale, with so few resources. Our bombs are cutting down women and children by the thousands,” Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, trauma and critical care surgeon, Veterans Affairs general surgeon said. “Their mutilated bodies are a monument to cruelty.”

‘Not Implausible’ – The Lancet Estimates Gaza Death Toll Could Be 186,000 or More

The healthcare workers pointed out widespread malnutrition in the enclave, saying  “With only marginal exceptions, everyone in Gaza is sick, injured, or both. This includes every national aid worker, every international volunteer, and probably every Israeli hostage: every man, woman, and child.”

“In Gaza we watched malnourished mothers feed their underweight newborns infant formula made with poisonous water. We can never forget that the world abandoned these innocent women and babies,” they said.

‘Every Day I Saw Babies Die’

Asma Taha, a pediatric nurse practitioner, shared “Every day I saw babies die. They had been born healthy. Their mothers were so malnourished that they could not breastfeed, and we lacked formula or clean water to feed them, so they starved.”

“We urge you to realize that epidemics are raging in Gaza,” they stated, adding that Israel’s “continued, repeated displacement of the malnourished and sick population of Gaza, half of whom are children, to areas without running water or even toilets available is absolutely shocking.”

Israel Kills More Women and Children in Gaza than in Any Recent Conflict – Oxfam

They raised concern that unknown thousands have already died from the lethal combination of malnutrition and disease, and that tens of thousands more will die in the coming months, especially with the onset of the winter rains in Gaza, adding “Most of them will be young children.”

Children Deliberately Targeted

The letter pointed out that children are “universally considered innocents in armed conflict.”

“However, every single signatory to this letter saw children in Gaza who suffered violence that must have been deliberately directed at them,” the doctor said.

“Specifically, every one of us who worked in an emergency, intensive care, or surgical setting treated pre-teen children who were shot in the head or chest on a regular or even a daily basis.

“This feels like the first time having to advocate the fact that children are actually children.”@1james_elder, UNICEF Spokesperson, reports amid alarming scenes of injured children in a hospital in Gaza.

A ceasefire is needed NOW. pic.twitter.com/OEizWrP0IY

— UNICEF (@UNICEF) October 3, 2024

“It is impossible that such widespread shooting of young children throughout Gaza, sustained over the course of an entire year is accidental or unknown to the highest Israeli civilian and military authorities.”

The letter continued: “President Biden and Vice President Harris, we wish you could see the nightmares that plague so many of us since we have returned: dreams of children maimed and mutilated by our weapons, and their inconsolable mothers begging us to save them.

“We wish you could hear the cries and screams our consciences will not let us forget. We cannot fathom why you continue arming the country that is deliberately killing these children en masse.”

Healthcare Destroyed

They also pointed out that Israel has destroyed more than half of Gaza’s healthcare resources and has killed nearly one thousand Palestinian healthcare workers, “more than one out of every 20 healthcare workers in Gaza.”

At the same time, healthcare needs have increased massively “from the lethal combination of military violence, malnutrition, disease, and displacement.”

PALESTINIAN MEDIA:

A young man was injured as a result of a bomb being thrown from an Israeli drone in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Injuries due to Israeli artillery shelling north of Al-Bureij and Al-Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/SoBnV5IqDn

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 5, 2024

The doctors said that their observations and the publicly available material detailed in the appendix “lead us to believe that the death toll from this conflict is many times higher than what is reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health.”

“We also believe this is probative evidence of widespread violations of American laws governing the use of American weapons abroad, and of International Humanitarian Law. We cannot forget scenes of unbearable cruelty directed at women and children that our government is a direct participant in.”

The medical professionals also stated that “Israel has systematically and deliberately devastated Gaza’s entire healthcare system, and that Israel has targeted our colleagues in Gaza for torture, disappearance, and murder.”

Duty-Bound to Uphold Laws

They urged Biden and Harris “to immediately withhold military, economic, and diplomatic support from the State of Israel and to participate in an international arms embargo of Israel and all Palestinian armed groups until a permanent ceasefire is established in Gaza.”

Biden and Harris can’t say they don’t know. They can only say, “Israel has a right to defend itself” as they sponsor the Gaza Holocaust https://t.co/RLaBtutiRX

— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) October 5, 2024

“Vice President Harris, as the likely next president of the United States, we urge you to publicly announce your support for such a policy, and to state publicly that you are duty-bound to uphold the laws of the United States even when doing so is politically inconvenient.”

The letter concluded: “Every day that we continue supplying weapons and munitions to Israel is another day that women are shredded by our bombs and children are murdered with our bullets.

“President Biden and Vice President Harris, we urge you: end this madness now!”

(The Palestine Chronicle)

Israeli tanks at the Lebanese border. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“Israel’s latest breach of international law will only add to this mounting toll of death and displacement.”

UN experts have sharply condemned Israel’s escalated military campaign in Lebanon for violations of international law as the country witnesses unprecedented displacement and suffering.

“The number of internally displaced persons in Lebanon has more than tripled in less than a month due to Israel’s relentless attacks on populated areas coupled with belated or ineffective evacuation orders, in violation of the principles of distinction and proportionality,” the experts said in a statement on Friday.

#Lebanon: UN experts deplore #Israel’s increasing disregard for int'l law & urge int'l community & Israel’s allies to act now to halt further military incursions, protect civilians & push for an immediate, unconditional #ceasefire for Lebanon & the region.https://t.co/AZN1D73f6n pic.twitter.com/defp2MwmSP

— UN Special Procedures (@UN_SPExperts) October 4, 2024

More than 1,600 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon since October last year, the statement noted, adding that at least 346,000 have been internally displaced and plans are underway to shelter up to one million IDPs.

In addition, hundreds of thousands have crossed into Syria with many of those displaced already refugees.

“Israel’s latest breach of international law – a ground invasion in violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and Security Council resolution 1701 – will only add to this mounting toll of death and displacement,” the experts said.

Israel Impeding Relief Efforts

Highlighting that Lebanon was grappling with social and economic instability and the hosting of millions of refugees even before the current conflict, the experts said that further damage to Lebanon’s institutions could overwhelm the country’s ability to respond to this crisis.

Israeli Airstrikes on Lebanon Escalate – At Least Four Paramedics Killed, Scores Injured

“While the humanitarian response has been commendable, Israel has impeded relief efforts through attacking vital civilian infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and water and health facilities, as well as health and humanitarian workers themselves,” they stressed.

“These are clear violations of the international obligation to respect and protect relief personnel that risk collapsing the system to protect and assist displaced persons.”

At least four paramedics were killed on Friday after they were targeted in an Israeli drone strike.

Immediate Ceasefire

The experts pointed out that maintaining international peace and security “requires the international community and Israel’s allies in particular to act now to halt further military incursions, ensure the unconditional protection of all civilians, accountability for violations of international law, and an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as the only path forward for Lebanon and the region.”

ISrael occupation forces: Limitless killing of health care workers pic.twitter.com/1TqelYLIjJ

— Dr. Mads Gilbert (@DrMadsGilbert) October 4, 2024

Lebanon’s caretaker Minister of Health, Firass Abiad, announced on Thursday that the death toll of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon since October 8 has risen to 1,974, including 127 children and 261 women, according to Al-Mayadeen. In addition, a total of 9,384 people have been injured.

(PC, Al-Mayadeen)