News Analysis India

Tag: ‘Gaza’

  • Israeli strike on UNRWA school in Gaza ‘kills at least 40’ Palestinians |

    New Delhi: Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted a strike directed at a Hamas compound inside a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) school in the area of ​​Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip overnight, the IDF confirmed on Thursday.

    The Israeli strike reportedly killed at least 40 people in the early hours of this morning, Al Jazeera reported, citing Gaza’s government statement.

    Israeli armed forces said that the airstrike was directed by IDF intelligence and the Israel Security Agency and it eliminated terrorists who took part in the attack in southern Israel on October 7.

    According to IDF, “Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who belonged to the Nukhba Forces were operating in the compound.”

    As per IDF, the terrorists used thr UNRWA school it as a shelter. Several terrorists who planned to carry out terror attacks and promote terrorist activities against IDF troops in the immediate time frame were eliminated in the strike.

    Before the strike, several steps were taken to reduce the risk of harming uninvolved civilians during the strike, including conducting aerial surveillance and providing additional intelligence information.

    Hamas has condemned the “massacre” committed by Israeli forces against civilians at an UNRWA school in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, and said that it was a premeditated crime.

    Al Jazeera reported, citing Gaza’s government reports, that it has released a statement with more details on the victims of the Israeli air attack on Nuseirat.

    According to their statement, out of the 40 people confirmed killed in the attack on a UN-run school there, fourteen were children and nine were women. Out of 74 wounded from the attack, 23 are children and 18 are women, Al Jazeera reported.

    More than 36,654 people have been killed and 83,309 have been wounded in Israeli military attacks on Gaza since October 7, the enclave’s Health Ministry says. Some 68 Palestinians were killed and 235 wounded in the past 24 hours, the ministry added.

    The ministry said in a statement that the number of sick and wounded Palestinians who need to leave the Gaza Strip for treatment has reached 25,000 but since May 12, about the time Israel seized the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and it closed, “no sick or wounded person has been able to leave the Gaza Strip,” as per Al Jazeera. Only 4,895 people were able to leave when the Rafah crossing was open, the ministry added.

    “This exposes the lives of thousands to avoidable complications and death, and these are cases that can be treated and saved if they were allowed to go to specialised centres outside the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.

  • Explained: All You Need To Know About Pro-Palestine Protests By Students At US Universities | world news

    In recent weeks, protests in support of Palestinians over the conflict in Gaza have rocked America, leading to clashes between police and demonstrators, resulting in the removal of protest camps multiple times. However, students are still continuing to protest at some places.

    What do Pro-Palestinian Protesters Want?

    At protest sites, students have demanded a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the cessation of American military aid to Israel, divestment from arms suppliers to universities, and companies profiting from war. Demonstrating students have also demanded apologies for those students and faculty members expelled for participating in protests.

    Who are the Pro-Palestinian Protesters?

    Protests in support of Palestine have seen participation from students, faculty members, as well as external activists from Jewish and Muslim communities. Organizing groups include organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. Some Jewish students have expressed feeling unsafe on campus and intimidated by alleged ‘anti-Semitic’ chants.It’s interesting to note that in Texas University, Austin, among the 79 individuals arrested on April 29, 45 had no affiliation with the university.

    Who are the Anti-Protest demonstrators?

    In response to Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, Israeli-American and Zionist groups, along with members of the Jewish-American community, have been protesting. In Los Angeles, hundreds participated in a counter-rally organized by the Israeli Advocacy Group and the Israeli American Council. On May 1, a scuffle broke out between members of a Zionist group and Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of California, Berkeley. At Mississippi University, hundreds of students protested against Pro-Palestinian demonstrators on May 2. Some displayed American flags and banners in support of former President Donald Trump.

    What has been the administration’s response?

    Some university administrations have relied on local police to arrest demonstrators and clear camps and protest sites. Others have allowed protests to continue or reached compromises. At Manhattan Campus, police were sent to disband a camp set up by students the day after it was established on April 18. On April 30, police again raided the camp and the occupied building, resulting in dozens of arrests. California University, Berkeley has permitted the Pro-Palestinian campus camp to remain as long as it does not disrupt campus operations or pose a threat of violence.

    Northwestern University, Brown University, and Rutgers University are among colleges that have agreed to dismantle camps. Brown is considering divestment from companies linked to Israel. Rutgers has agreed to establish an Arab cultural center and consider the creation of a Middle East studies department.

    What’s the impact on daily campus life?

    Columbia University has had to switch to virtual classes several times. Southern California University canceled its main stage graduation ceremony. This decision followed the cancellation of a Muslim student’s closing speech and the removal of the Pro-Palestinian camp by police, leading to dozens of arrests.

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, canceled personal classes after students locked themselves in an administrative building.

    Michigan University has said it will allow freedom of expression and peaceful protest at its May graduation ceremonies but will enforce ‘adequate disruptions’.

    Political Leaders’ Reactions

    Democratic President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Americans have the right to protest but not to spread violence. However, demonstrators have criticized his administration for funding Israel with money and weapons. Republican candidate Trump for the 2024 election termed the protests on campus as ‘forceful hatred.’ He did not comment on the police raid on Columbia on April 30, calling it a ‘beautiful thing to watch.’

  • US ‘Outraged’ By Israeli Airstrike Killing Aid Workers In Gaza, UK Summons Envoy | world news

    Washington: The Joe Biden Administration is outraged and has expressed deep dismay over an Israeli airstrike that resulted in the tragic deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza, a White House official said on Tuesday. President Joe Biden also spoke with Jose Andres, the founder of the affected organization and conveyed his condolences. “We were outraged to learn of an IDF strike that killed a number of civilian humanitarian workers yesterday from the World Central Kitchen, which has been tirelessly working to get food to those who are hungry in Gaza, and quite frankly, around the world,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said at a news briefing Tuesday, adding, “We send our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones.”

    Kirby emphasized that both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Forces have pledged to conduct an investigation “in a swift and comprehensive manner.” “We hope that those findings will be made public and that there is appropriate accountability held,” Kirby said. He noted that an initial inquiry had already been completed. Furthermore, Kirby highlighted that one of the victims was a dual-national United States citizen.

    President Biden, in a post on Incidents like yesterday’s simply should not happen…”


    US President Joe Biden tweets, “I am outraged and heartbroken by the deaths of seven humanitarian workers from World Central Kitchen, including one American, in Gaza yesterday. Incidents like yesterday’s simply should not happen…” pic.twitter.com/WoWT0BtLt1 — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2024


    An Israeli military strike on Monday night resulted in the tragic deaths of seven aid workers from the non-profit organization World Central Kitchen as they were delivering food to starving civilians in Gaza. The workers were traveling in two armored cars marked with the charity’s logo and another vehicle, CNN reported. Among those killed were three British nationals, a dual US-Canadian citizen, individuals from Australia and Poland, and a Palestinian.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the incident, stating that “innocent people” were “unintentionally struck” by the military. The Israel Defense Forces pledged to “at the highest levels.”

    Meanwhile, World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres slammed the Israeli government, saying it “needs to stop this indiscriminate killing.” Israeli President Isaac Herzog apologized to Andres and expressed condolences to the families of the aid workers. He assured a thorough investigation into the tragedy.

    Herzog “expressed his deep sorrow and sincere apologies over the tragic loss of life of WCK staff in the Gaza Strip last night, and sent his condolences to their families and loved ones,” according to a post on X from the presidency. “The President reiterated Israel’s commitment to ensuring a thorough investigation of the tragedy,” the post read.

    UK Summons Israeli Ambassador

    Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has taken a firm stance following the tragic killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, including three British nationals, summoning the Israeli ambassador to London for a decisive discussion, CNN reported. British Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, summoned Israel’s ambassador to set out the government’s “unequivocal condemnation of the appalling killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including three British nationals,” he said in a Foreign Office press release.

    Israel-Hamas Conflict

    The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has proven particularly deadly for aid workers, with this incident marking one of the deadliest in over two decades, according to the Aid Worker Security Database. In less than six months, nearly 200 aid workers have been killed in Gaza, surpassing casualties in other conflicts such as Afghanistan, Syria, and South Sudan over the past 20 years, as reported by CNN.

    The Aid Worker Security data encompasses workers from various humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations. Since October 7, more than 170 UN staff members have been reported killed, marking the highest number of casualties among UN personnel in history.

    Additionally, fifteen Palestine Red Crescent Society workers and volunteers have lost their lives, as reported by the UN on March 29, CNN reported.

  • 18 Hamas Terrorists Killed In Gaza, Israeli Airstrikes Pound Hezbollah Overnight

    Soldiers Identified and Directed an Air Strike against Four Terrorists Operating Adjacent to The Forces

  • Who Was Aaron Bushnell? US Air Force Personnel Who Set Himself Ablaze For ‘Free Palestine’

    According to reports, Aaron Bushnell walked up to the Israel embassy around Sunday afternoon and live-streamed on the video streaming platform Twitch.

  • Israel To Directly Deliver Humanitarian Aid Via Northern Gaza, Bypassing Hamas | world news

    To bypass Hamas, Israeli humanitarian aid to Gaza will be delivered through a reopened crossing on the northeastern side of the Strip, Israel’s War Cabinet decided.

    Till now, humanitarian aid has passed through either the Kerem Shalom crossing or Egypt’s Rafah crossing. Both are on the southern end of Gaza, next to Rafah, where Hamas reportedly has four battalions. Hamas has been hijacking trucks carrying food, water, medicine, fuel and other aid.

    In the coming days, deliveries to areas of Gaza under Israeli control will be routed through the site of the old Karni crossing, near Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Karni was a cargo terminal that opened in 1994 after the signing of the Oslo Accords.

    It was closed in 2011 for security reasons as deliveries were increasingly routed through the larger and more modern Kerem Shalom crossing. Israel demolished Karni’s remaining structures in 2022.

    Humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza are unpopular among Israelis.

    For weeks, protesters chanting “Don’t feed Hamas” have tried to disrupt the aid trucks at the Kerem Shalom crossing and other points where the deliveries are inspected.

    Netanyahu has defended the aid transfers, saying a degree of aid is necessary to continue the war to free hostages and remove Hamas from control of Gaza.

    At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead.

  • Israel’s response to Hamas terror attack ‘disproportionate,’ says Tharoor; urges to end war

    By ANI

    KOZHIKODE (Kerala): Pointing out that the world was witnessing its worst tragedy, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged that Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack was “disproportionate,” as a greater number of Palestinian people were killed in the past 19 days compared to those who lost their lives in the region since the year 2008.

    Addressing an event organised to express solidarity with the Palestine people by the Indian United Muslim League (IUML) in Kerala’s Kozhikode on Thursday, Tharoor urged Israel to end air strikes in Gaza adding that India has always stood for peace since Mahatama Gandhi.

    “Since 19 days, the world has seen the worst human-rights tragedies. We are seeing the worst tragedy. Terrorists attacked Israel, Hamas is a terror group. Israel stopped providing food, water and electricity to Gaza. We are condemning the bombing of Israel,” Tharoor said at the event held at Kozhikode beach.

    Tharoor, who had previoulsy served as a UN diplomat said the ongoing air strikes in Gaza by Israel in response to the Hamas attack was “disproportionate.” Reiterating Bapu’s words, Tharoor said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. India has always stood for peace since Gandhi.”

    He also highlighted that the ongoing crisis is not a Muslim issue but a human rights issue and said “war knows no religion.”

    “Israel calls their operation, ‘Swords of Iron’, but now those swords are dipped in the blood of children. The bombing has caused a lot of injuries and innocent people are suffering and they are dying. Many are living under suffocating occupation,” Tharoor said.

    He said that over 6,000 Palestinians and 300 Israelis were killed in clashes in the area between 2008 and September this year and the number of those who died since October 7, however, was much more.

    “While 1,400 Israelis died in the Hamas terrorist attack, many more were killed in Gaza when Israel responded to it…..Innocent civilians are dying,” Tharoor said.

    Tharoor urged Israel to end the war and further appealed to the world to unite to “end the human rights violations inflicted on the Palestinian people”. “Now, it is more than time to announce a ceasefire,” the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

    While addressing the rally, IUML national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty said that the biggest weapon in the world is public opinion and that showing solidarity will bring results.

    “Children are dying. We all are here to shed tears for the brutality in Gaza. We have no weapons to send there or save them. This rally will yield fruit because the biggest weapon in the world is public opinion. Global leaders are joining in solidarity. That’s how we also joined this. Solidarity has made results here. Killings should stop in Palestine,” he said.

    IUML Party workers gathered in strength for Thursday’s rally, which was presided over by Kunhalikutty with Shashi Tharoor as Chief Guest. IUML state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal inaugurated the rally.

    In his speech, Thangal said “Israel’s occupation has created Palestine conflict. They are trying to survive. They are trying the defend their land. Stop genocide killings. This conflict has started since 1947. Gandhi criticised Israeli occupation. Nehru, Manmohan Singh, even Vajpayee also took a stand against the Israeli occupation of Palestine… They all stood with justice. The current government is trying to dilute that stand and make Israel look holy.”

    ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war LIVE: Israeli tanks briefly enter Gaza, airstrikes kill more Palestinians

    “They are trying to whitewash Israel. We should stand with marginalised. India’s policy is to support the vulnerable people. Israel is the biggest terrorist country. Whoever is supporting Israel they are supporting terror. Justice will rise over there that’s why we are having this rally. With our prayers let their wounds be healed,” the IUML leader said.

    On attending the IUML’s solidarity rally, Tharoor said, “India is one of the handful of countries that maintains ambassadors in both Israel and Palestine and enjoys good relations with both. We should be a voice for peace amid the carnage.”

    After the October 7 attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip by Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set up a war cabinet and the Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said they will launch a ground offensive on Gaza, seeking to “wipe off from the face of earth” the Palestine-terror group. (ANI) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    KOZHIKODE (Kerala): Pointing out that the world was witnessing its worst tragedy, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged that Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack was “disproportionate,” as a greater number of Palestinian people were killed in the past 19 days compared to those who lost their lives in the region since the year 2008.

    Addressing an event organised to express solidarity with the Palestine people by the Indian United Muslim League (IUML) in Kerala’s Kozhikode on Thursday, Tharoor urged Israel to end air strikes in Gaza adding that India has always stood for peace since Mahatama Gandhi.

    “Since 19 days, the world has seen the worst human-rights tragedies. We are seeing the worst tragedy. Terrorists attacked Israel, Hamas is a terror group. Israel stopped providing food, water and electricity to Gaza. We are condemning the bombing of Israel,” Tharoor said at the event held at Kozhikode beach.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Tharoor, who had previoulsy served as a UN diplomat said the ongoing air strikes in Gaza by Israel in response to the Hamas attack was “disproportionate.” Reiterating Bapu’s words, Tharoor said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. India has always stood for peace since Gandhi.”

    He also highlighted that the ongoing crisis is not a Muslim issue but a human rights issue and said “war knows no religion.”

    “Israel calls their operation, ‘Swords of Iron’, but now those swords are dipped in the blood of children. The bombing has caused a lot of injuries and innocent people are suffering and they are dying. Many are living under suffocating occupation,” Tharoor said.

    He said that over 6,000 Palestinians and 300 Israelis were killed in clashes in the area between 2008 and September this year and the number of those who died since October 7, however, was much more.

    “While 1,400 Israelis died in the Hamas terrorist attack, many more were killed in Gaza when Israel responded to it…..Innocent civilians are dying,” Tharoor said.

    Tharoor urged Israel to end the war and further appealed to the world to unite to “end the human rights violations inflicted on the Palestinian people”. “Now, it is more than time to announce a ceasefire,” the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

    While addressing the rally, IUML national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty said that the biggest weapon in the world is public opinion and that showing solidarity will bring results.

    “Children are dying. We all are here to shed tears for the brutality in Gaza. We have no weapons to send there or save them. This rally will yield fruit because the biggest weapon in the world is public opinion. Global leaders are joining in solidarity. That’s how we also joined this. Solidarity has made results here. Killings should stop in Palestine,” he said.

    IUML Party workers gathered in strength for Thursday’s rally, which was presided over by Kunhalikutty with Shashi Tharoor as Chief Guest. IUML state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal inaugurated the rally.

    In his speech, Thangal said “Israel’s occupation has created Palestine conflict. They are trying to survive. They are trying the defend their land. Stop genocide killings. This conflict has started since 1947. Gandhi criticised Israeli occupation. Nehru, Manmohan Singh, even Vajpayee also took a stand against the Israeli occupation of Palestine… They all stood with justice. The current government is trying to dilute that stand and make Israel look holy.”

    ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war LIVE: Israeli tanks briefly enter Gaza, airstrikes kill more Palestinians

    “They are trying to whitewash Israel. We should stand with marginalised. India’s policy is to support the vulnerable people. Israel is the biggest terrorist country. Whoever is supporting Israel they are supporting terror. Justice will rise over there that’s why we are having this rally. With our prayers let their wounds be healed,” the IUML leader said.

    On attending the IUML’s solidarity rally, Tharoor said, “India is one of the handful of countries that maintains ambassadors in both Israel and Palestine and enjoys good relations with both. We should be a voice for peace amid the carnage.”

    After the October 7 attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip by Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set up a war cabinet and the Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said they will launch a ground offensive on Gaza, seeking to “wipe off from the face of earth” the Palestine-terror group. (ANI) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • Israel’s ambassador urges India to declare Hamas as a ‘terrorist organisation’

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: As the war between Israel and Hamas enters the 19th day, Israel says it hopes India, which has also been a victim of terrorist attacks, declares Hamas to be a terrorist organisation.

    “We have communicated this to India (that they should declare Hamas a terrorist organisation) after the attack on October 7th. We are in dialogue with the government, it’s a friendly talk,” said Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon.

    Israel has been very appreciative of the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was amongst the first leaders to tweet against the Hamas attack.

    “Deeply shocked by the news of the terrorists attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour,” said PM Modi.

    Ambassador Gilon also said that the current attack on Israel was worse than 9/11.

    “If you compare the size of our country and its population, then the numbers that have died in this attack are really high for us,” Ambassador Gilon added.

    Meanwhile, retired Israeli Major General Amos Gilead said India can understand what Israel is going through as it has been witness to terrorist attacks like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He also blamed Iran for being instrumental in funding and training Hamas.

    “We have been able to destroy a major part of the infrastructure that was created by Hamas. In addition, I must state that we cannot let fuel be offloaded in Gaza as it would be used by Hamas to exercise more military offences and not reach the local population,” said Maj General Gilead, adding that India knows what it means to be living in a troubled neighbourhood as it has to deal with Pakistan and China.

    “The attack on October 7th was strategic, unexpected, unfathomable. Vast majority of areas are safe in Israel, but Hamas may try and infiltrate so we will destroy Hamas in its entirety,” said Israeli Defence Force (IDF) spokesperson Lt Col Peter Lerner. Israel has recruited 300000 reservists to fight the war.

    Israel has reiterated that a ceasefire is not something they will consider at this stage as they have to destroy the enemy and the international community should be part of the solution and not the problem.

    The IDF wants to locate and bring back the 222 hostages that have been held captive by Hamas. Four hostages have been released so far.

    Meanwhile, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan said that they would deny visas to UN officials after remarks by Secretary General Antonio Guterres that appeared to justify the Hamas attack. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    NEW DELHI: As the war between Israel and Hamas enters the 19th day, Israel says it hopes India, which has also been a victim of terrorist attacks, declares Hamas to be a terrorist organisation.

    “We have communicated this to India (that they should declare Hamas a terrorist organisation) after the attack on October 7th. We are in dialogue with the government, it’s a friendly talk,” said Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon.

    Israel has been very appreciative of the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was amongst the first leaders to tweet against the Hamas attack.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Deeply shocked by the news of the terrorists attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour,” said PM Modi.

    Ambassador Gilon also said that the current attack on Israel was worse than 9/11.

    “If you compare the size of our country and its population, then the numbers that have died in this attack are really high for us,” Ambassador Gilon added.

    Meanwhile, retired Israeli Major General Amos Gilead said India can understand what Israel is going through as it has been witness to terrorist attacks like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He also blamed Iran for being instrumental in funding and training Hamas.

    “We have been able to destroy a major part of the infrastructure that was created by Hamas. In addition, I must state that we cannot let fuel be offloaded in Gaza as it would be used by Hamas to exercise more military offences and not reach the local population,” said Maj General Gilead, adding that India knows what it means to be living in a troubled neighbourhood as it has to deal with Pakistan and China.

    “The attack on October 7th was strategic, unexpected, unfathomable. Vast majority of areas are safe in Israel, but Hamas may try and infiltrate so we will destroy Hamas in its entirety,” said Israeli Defence Force (IDF) spokesperson Lt Col Peter Lerner. Israel has recruited 300000 reservists to fight the war.

    Israel has reiterated that a ceasefire is not something they will consider at this stage as they have to destroy the enemy and the international community should be part of the solution and not the problem.

    The IDF wants to locate and bring back the 222 hostages that have been held captive by Hamas. Four hostages have been released so far.

    Meanwhile, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan said that they would deny visas to UN officials after remarks by Secretary General Antonio Guterres that appeared to justify the Hamas attack. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief meets Hamas, Islamic Jihad officials

    By AFP

    BEIRUT: Senior officials of Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have held talks with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah about achieving “real victory” in their war with Israel, the Lebanese group said Wednesday.

    The Hezbollah statement did not specify when or where Nasrallah met with Hamas number two Saleh al-Aruri and Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nakhaleh beyong saying that it was at a undisclosed location in Lebanon.

    News of the meeting comes as Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions exchange daily fire with the Israeli army across the Lebanon-Israel border, raising fears of a new front in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.

    The three groups are part of the “axis of resistance” — Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian and other Iran-backed armed groups opposed to Israel.

    They discussed what “the axis of resistance must do at this critical stage to achieve real victory… in Gaza and Palestine and stop” Israel’s “brutal aggression”, the statement said.

    They also discussed “recent events in the Gaza Strip since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” — the unprecedented October 7 Hamas attack that killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in Israel.

    The health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza says 5,791 people have been killed, again mostly civilians, as Israel has bombarded the territory.

    ALSO READ | UN agency warns of ‘halt’ to Gaza aid operations

    Nasrallah and the Palestinian militant leaders “agreed to keep coordinating and daily following up on developments,” the statement added.

    Hezbollah and Hamas have long been part of a “joint operations room” with the Quds Force — the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards — a source close to Hezbollah previously told AFP on condition of anonymity.

    The meeting also touched upon the cross-border fire on the Lebanon-Israel border, the statement said.

    At least 52 people have been killed in Lebanon according to an AFP tally, mostly Hezbollah combatants but also four civilians, including Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah.

    Four people have been killed in Israel, including one civilian. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    BEIRUT: Senior officials of Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have held talks with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah about achieving “real victory” in their war with Israel, the Lebanese group said Wednesday.

    The Hezbollah statement did not specify when or where Nasrallah met with Hamas number two Saleh al-Aruri and Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nakhaleh beyong saying that it was at a undisclosed location in Lebanon.

    News of the meeting comes as Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions exchange daily fire with the Israeli army across the Lebanon-Israel border, raising fears of a new front in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The three groups are part of the “axis of resistance” — Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian and other Iran-backed armed groups opposed to Israel.

    They discussed what “the axis of resistance must do at this critical stage to achieve real victory… in Gaza and Palestine and stop” Israel’s “brutal aggression”, the statement said.

    They also discussed “recent events in the Gaza Strip since the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” — the unprecedented October 7 Hamas attack that killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in Israel.

    The health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza says 5,791 people have been killed, again mostly civilians, as Israel has bombarded the territory.

    ALSO READ | UN agency warns of ‘halt’ to Gaza aid operations

    Nasrallah and the Palestinian militant leaders “agreed to keep coordinating and daily following up on developments,” the statement added.

    Hezbollah and Hamas have long been part of a “joint operations room” with the Quds Force — the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards — a source close to Hezbollah previously told AFP on condition of anonymity.

    The meeting also touched upon the cross-border fire on the Lebanon-Israel border, the statement said.

    At least 52 people have been killed in Lebanon according to an AFP tally, mostly Hezbollah combatants but also four civilians, including Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah.

    Four people have been killed in Israel, including one civilian. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • Israeli army not ready for ground assault yet: US

    By Express News Service

    Even as Israel has delayed its plan to roll tanks into Gaza, its airstrikes on potential Hamas targets in Gaza have continued unabated. Hamas-controlled health ministry officials in Gaza claimed that several hundred people were killed in the past 24 hours. 

    While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is finalising its military strategy for the ground offensive, the US thinks the IDF lacks ‘achievable military goals’ for Gaza, the Times of Israel reported. Israel is considering two options: a major ground offensive or a combo operation of surgical strikes-cum-targeted raids by special forces. 

    According to a New York Times report, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been holding daily deliberations with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. The US has advised Israel against rushing its ground forces to Gaza, which will take a heavy toll on both sides. Fighting Hamas terrorists, who operate from underground tunnels and densely populated areas, will be risky and the strategy needs to be thought-through, Austin reportedly told Gallant, while adding the ground offensive will be a long-drawn battle. 

    Addressing the UN Security Council ministerial meeting on the situation in West Asia on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken drew a parallel between terrorist attacks by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba in Mumbai and by Hamas in Israel. “All acts of terrorism are unlawful and unjustifiable… whether they target people in Nairobi or Bali, Istanbul or Mumbai, New York or Kibbutz Be’eri,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza continues to be grim. The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that 46 out of its 72 health care facilities have ceased to function. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has also warned that it is on the verge of ending operations in the Gaza Strip. Israel has allowed a few aid trucks to enter Gaza, but it is yet to permit fuel. 

    In a positive development, Hamas released two more hostages — two elderly Israeli women named Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper — on Monday night. After her release, 85-year-old Yocheved told reporters that she was beaten while being taken away on a bike, and was forced to walk several kilometres on wet ground to reach a network of tunnels that looked like a spider web. 

    No licence to kill: QatarSheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, which negotiates with Hamas for the safety of hostages, on Tuesday said Israel can’t have an unconditional licence to kill civilians in Gaza Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    Even as Israel has delayed its plan to roll tanks into Gaza, its airstrikes on potential Hamas targets in Gaza have continued unabated. Hamas-controlled health ministry officials in Gaza claimed that several hundred people were killed in the past 24 hours. 

    While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is finalising its military strategy for the ground offensive, the US thinks the IDF lacks ‘achievable military goals’ for Gaza, the Times of Israel reported. Israel is considering two options: a major ground offensive or a combo operation of surgical strikes-cum-targeted raids by special forces. 

    According to a New York Times report, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been holding daily deliberations with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. The US has advised Israel against rushing its ground forces to Gaza, which will take a heavy toll on both sides. Fighting Hamas terrorists, who operate from underground tunnels and densely populated areas, will be risky and the strategy needs to be thought-through, Austin reportedly told Gallant, while adding the ground offensive will be a long-drawn battle. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Addressing the UN Security Council ministerial meeting on the situation in West Asia on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken drew a parallel between terrorist attacks by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba in Mumbai and by Hamas in Israel. “All acts of terrorism are unlawful and unjustifiable… whether they target people in Nairobi or Bali, Istanbul or Mumbai, New York or Kibbutz Be’eri,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza continues to be grim. The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that 46 out of its 72 health care facilities have ceased to function. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has also warned that it is on the verge of ending operations in the Gaza Strip. Israel has allowed a few aid trucks to enter Gaza, but it is yet to permit fuel. 

    In a positive development, Hamas released two more hostages — two elderly Israeli women named Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper — on Monday night. After her release, 85-year-old Yocheved told reporters that she was beaten while being taken away on a bike, and was forced to walk several kilometres on wet ground to reach a network of tunnels that looked like a spider web. 

    No licence to kill: Qatar
    Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, which negotiates with Hamas for the safety of hostages, on Tuesday said Israel can’t have an unconditional licence to kill civilians in Gaza Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp