Israel-Hamas Conflict Update: Rockets Fired from Gaza and Escalating Tensions

Desk Report:

The Israel-Hamas conflict continues to intensify, with ongoing rocket attacks from Gaza and airstrikes relentlessly pounding the Gaza Strip. In this comprehensive article, we will provide you with the latest updates on this escalating crisis.

Rockets Fired from Gaza: Recent Developments

Hamas Warning and Rocket Attacks: The recent surge in rocket attacks from Gaza followed a warning from Hamas regarding the displacement of Palestinian civilians due to heavy Israeli bombardment.
Israeli Air Raids on Gaza: Israeli air raids have intensified in the Gaza Strip, occurring just four days after Hamas initiated an unprecedented attack on Israel, involving rockets and fighters.
Humanitarian Call: The Palestinian health ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to ensure the entry of urgent medical aid into Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals.
Rising Casualty Figures: The latest casualty figures indicate that 830 Palestinians in Gaza and more than 900 people in Israel have lost their lives in the conflict.
Background to Conflict: Hamas’s surprise attack followed Israeli settlers storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, accompanied by a record number of Palestinians killed by Israel in recent months.

Impact on Israel

Bodies Arriving at Israeli Mortuary: In Ramla, bodies continue to arrive at a building used as an Israeli military mortuary. Ambulances are transporting numerous bodies, and a tent has been set up for family members to identify their lost loved ones. Due to the high number of casualties, trucks are being used alongside ambulances to transport bodies.

EU’s Position on Palestinian Aid: The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, revealed that an overwhelming majority of member states oppose cutting Palestinian aid. This came after the European Commission initially announced the suspension of Palestinian aid, prompting discussions among foreign ministers.

Gaza Schools and Safety: Amid Israeli attacks, UN-run schools in Gaza are no longer considered safe spaces, forcing residents to seek shelter elsewhere.

Turkish Airlines Halts Flights: Turkish Airlines has temporarily halted its flights to Israel due to the evolving situation in the country.

On Israel and the occupied territories:
Without immediate restraint I fear we are heading for a humanitarian disaster.

We urge the parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and take every possible step to protect civilians.https://t.co/UZDbNsQh3r
— Mirjana Spoljaric (@ICRCPresident) October 10, 2023

Erdogan’s Criticism: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Israel’s blockade of Gaza and expressed concerns about the deployment of a US aircraft carrier to the region, suggesting it could lead to “massacres.”

Impact on Gaza

UNRWA’s Struggle: Jenifer Austin, an operations manager with UNRWA in Gaza, revealed the challenges faced by the agency. Eighty-eight schools run by UNRWA have been converted to emergency shelters, accommodating 177,000 people. However, the supply of essentials like food, water, and electricity is strained due to Israel’s announcement of a full siege of Gaza.

French Citizens Killed: Eight French citizens have died from the attacks in Israel, according to France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.

Latest SitRep on situation in the📍#GazaStrip ⬇️

🔺Mass displacement escalated in past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip, reaching 180,000 people – expected to increase further.

🔺 137,500 people sheltering in 83 @UNRWA schools, bread distributed with @WFP https://t.co/qRxOjLlxuV pic.twitter.com/5U7KAr8Rvx
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) October 10, 2023

Oxfam’s Warning: Oxfam has warned of a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza due to Israel’s total siege, which is exacerbating the crisis. Oxfam suspended all humanitarian work in the region because of ongoing airstrikes and violence.

Sweden and Denmark Pause Aid: Sweden temporarily halted development aid to Palestinian territories, with the government tasking an agency to review aid. Denmark also announced a pause in its aid to the region.

Political Developments

Netanyahu’s Unity Government: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been given the green light to try to form an emergency unity government. The move aims to show unity in a previously divided country and provide political cover for the uncertain days ahead.

Hezbollah’s Actions: Hezbollah targeted an Israeli tank with a guided missile, and in response, the Israeli army struck an observation post belonging to Hezbollah. Lebanese territory also saw rocket fire towards northern Israel.

Freezing of Cryptocurrency Accounts: Israel has frozen cryptocurrency accounts used to solicit donations for Hamas on social media platforms.

Intensified Airstrikes in Gaza: The Israeli Air Force has carried out more than 50 airstrikes in Gaza, causing extensive damage to residential buildings, factories, and public infrastructure. Most of the targets hit have been residential homes, resulting in civilian casualties.

Current Death Toll

As of the latest update, at least 900 Israelis and 849 Palestinians (in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank) have been killed in the conflict.

Southern Israel’s Situation

In southern Israel’s Kfar Aza, heavy machine gun fire and panic were reported, with roads blocked by Israeli forces. Earlier, the area witnessed an infiltration alert, highlighting the fluid and tense nature of the situation.

Explosions in Southern Lebanon

Explosions were reported on hilltops near Naqoura city in southern Lebanon, following an exchange of fire between Israeli forces and armed groups.

Tonight, IAF transport aircraft ("Karnaf" and "Shimshon") flew back to Israel hundreds of IDF combatants who were abroad, to take part in Iron Swords War, as part of the IDF's efforts to concentrate additional forces for continued fighting. pic.twitter.com/46UJT9HYny
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 10, 2023

German Foreign Minister’s Statement

Germany’s foreign minister emphasized the importance of continuing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories, calling it “completely wrong” to halt such assistance during the ongoing crisis.

UAE’s Aid to Palestinians

United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered $20 million in urgent aid for the Palestinian people through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Iraqi Prime Minister’s Concerns

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani expressed concern about the escalating situation in Gaza and criticized the international community for failing to fulfill its obligations.

Ukrainian Support for Israel

Despite their own struggles, Ukrainians see similarities between their situation and the conflict in Israel and express support for Israel.

Lebanon’s Role

Lebanon, while not a warzone, has become an area of operations amid increasing tensions following attacks by Israel and Hezbollah.

Israeli National Security Minister’s Announcement

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced the acquisition of 10,000 guns to arm civilian security teams in Israeli towns, including those near borders and settlements.

US Citizens’ Plea

US relatives of missing people held hostage by Hamas held a news conference in Tel Aviv, appealing to both the Israeli and US governments to bring their loved ones back.

International Airlines Respond

Several international airlines have suspended or canceled flights to Israel due to the ongoing conflict.

Journalists as Civilians

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) emphasized that journalists are civilians and should not be targeted during the conflict. Several Palestinian journalists have lost their lives in recent days.

Threats from Iraqi Politician

Iraqi politician Hadi al-Amiri threatened to target US interests if Washington intervenes to support Israel in the Gaza conflict.

Deadly Hamas Attack on Israeli Music Festival

Hamas fighters launched an attack at an Israeli music festival, resulting in at least 260 casualties. The festival, called Supernova, was celebrating the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

Hamas Calls for General Mobilization

Hamas called for a “general mobilization” of the Arab and Muslim world to support Palestinians, designating Friday as the “Friday of Al-Aqsa Flood.” This event aims to garner international support in the face of Israel’s ongoing military operations.

Grief in Gaza

A heart-wrenching scene unfolded as a Gazan nurse, Zeinab, learned of her medic husband’s death during the ongoing conflict. The strain on medical facilities and personnel in Gaza has reached a breaking point.

Destruction in Rimal Neighborhood

A video highlights the devastating impact of Israeli airstrikes on the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City.

Critique of US Support

A former Israeli Knesset member accused US President Joe Biden of giving Israel a “green light for ethnic cleansing” and criticized the extreme-right factions within Israel.

This is the scene that Palestinians in #Gaza woke up to this morning after a long night of relentless Israeli bombing of densely-populated neighborhoods.

The Israeli forces are taking revenge on Palestinian armed factions by committing mass killing crimes against civilians. pic.twitter.com/nfy3taojBL
— Euro-Med Monitor (@EuroMedHR) October 10, 2023

Influencers for Israeli Advocacy

Israel is recruiting prominent network influencers to advocate for the country’s interests on the world stage.

These updates provide a comprehensive overview of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The situation remains highly fluid, and developments continue to unfold rapidly.