Sponsored by Exensor
www.exensor.com
Nov 05.
- Over the past 24 hours, the IDF has continued to make territorial gains in its ground operation in the Gaza Strip. On 5 November, the IDF announced that it has struck 2,500 Hamas targets since the ground offensive began on 28 October. Combat operations currently centre around Gaza City, with the IDF reportedly engaging militants in the Tal al Hawa area, though clashes have also been reported in the Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia neighbourhoods in Jabalia. Co-ordinated IDF airstrikes have also continued over the past 24 hours, particularly in Gaza City and Jabalia. From 1300-1600hrs (local time) on 5 November, the IDF also temporarily opened the Salah al-Din road, northern Gaza’s primary evacuation route.
- From 4-5 November, cross-border attacks from Hamas and PIJ militants have remained consistent in frequency and targeting compared to 3-4 November. The majority of rocket attacks by Hamas and PIJ militants have targeted IDF positions in northern Gaza and the Gaza envelope, largely drawing resources away from targeting civilian population centres. However, missile barrages have triggered alerts in Ashkelon, Ashdod, Rehovot, Rishon LeZion and Tel Aviv over the past 24 hours. On 4 November, Hamas militants also claimed to have fired an Ayyash 250 rocket towards Eilat, which was intercepted before impact.
- Clashes between Palestinians and the IDF have continued in the West Bank, highlighting persistently elevated ethno-religious tensions and domestic unrest risks. Clashes between IDF personnel and Palestinian militants occurred in Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya, Nablus and Tulkarm, resulting in numerous injuries but no reported casualties. During clashes in Jenin on 4 November, IDF personnel reportedly deployed rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas, highlighting significant bystander risks during clashes. IDF troops also conducted numerous overnight raids from 4-5 November, killing at least one individual in a raid in Abu Dis (Jerusalem).
- After a moderate decrease from 3-4 November, the frequency of rocket attacks from Lebanese Hizballah (LH) and/or aligned militant groups based in Lebanon, returned to the rate observed over the past seven days. Missile attacks have primarily targeted IDF positions, including communication and sensor equipment, along the Israel-Lebanon border. Nevertheless, missile barrages have also triggered alerts in multiple civilian population centres, including Arab al-Aramshe, Avivim, Misgav Am, Mattat and Yir’on; no material damage or injuries have been reported. The IDF continues to conduct airstrikes targeting positions linked to LH and/or allied groups along the Israel-Lebanon border, primarily in Lebanon’s Nabatieh and South governates.
24-HOUR FORECAST
Over the coming days, the IDF will almost certainly continue conducting operations in northern Gaza, attempting to consolidate territorial control in Gaza City. Over the coming 24 hours, the IDF will likely attempt to consolidate control of central Gaza City, resulting in heavy fighting with Hamas and PIJ militants. Co-ordinated IDF ground operations and airstrikes will sustain extreme physical security risks to individuals in northern Gaza, though there is a realistic possibility that the IDF will facilitate further, temporary re-opening of the Salah al-Din road to facilitate civilian evacuation measures. As the IDF ground offensive continues, Hamas and PIJ militants will almost certainly continue targeting IDF positions in northern Gaza and the Gaza envelope, sustaining elevated collateral risks to nearby civilian population centres, including Ashkelon, Netviot and Sderot. However, as the IDF ground offensive continues, militants’ ability and opportunity to launch rockets towards central and southern Israel will likely continue to decrease. Consequently, population centres in central and southern Israel will face moderately reduced physical security risks over the coming days, although major cities including Ashdod, Rishon LeZion and Tel Aviv will likely continue facing elevated risks of targeting.
Driven by heightened ethno-religious tensions, elevated levels of domestic unrest in the West Bank will almost certainly persist over the coming 24 hours. Further clashes between the IDF and Palestinian militants are highly likely, particularly in Jenin, Nablus, Hebron and Tulkarem, as well as in the broader Jerusalem area. Violent clashes, as well as small-arms and IED attacks, will sustain elevated bystander and collateral risks, particularly at checkpoints and border crossings. While IDF and/or Israeli police personnel will likely be the primary targets of violence, there is a realistic possibility of attacks targeting civilians, particularly in crowded public spaces, public transport hubs and religious sites, especially in Jerusalem.
Clashes between the IDF and LH and/or LH-aligned militants based in Lebanon will likely continue at their current rate over the coming 24 hours. Missile strikes, shelling and drone attacks targeting IDF locations on the Israel-Lebanon border will likely increase, elevating physical security risks to proximate civilian population centres. Continued strikes on IDF locations and nearby population centres will sustain elevated risks to individuals in northern Israel, based on their proximity to the Israel-Lebanon border. There is also a realistic possibility of small-scale border incursion attempts, however, these will likely be mitigated by the IDF’s security posture along the border. In response, the IDF will almost certainly continue conducting airstrikes in southern Lebanon, particularly in the Nabatieh and South governorates. There is a realistic possibility of clashes escalating further over the coming 24 hours, increasing physical security and bystander risks in northern Israel. Nevertheless, current LH hostilities are likely intended to draw IDF resources away from the ongoing ground offensive in Gaza and a full-scale mobilisation remains unlikely.
Nov 04.
- Over the past 24 hours, the IDF has continued to make territorial gains in its ground operation in northern Gaza. Combat operations currently centre around Gaza City, though IDF soldiers reportedly carried out a limited raid into southern Gaza overnight on 3-4 November. The IDF has continued conducting airstrikes in Gaza, predominantly in Gaza City. Over the past 24 hours, cross-border attacks from Hamas and PIJ militants based in Gaza have remained consistent in frequency and targeting compared to 2-3 November. Continued engagements with the IDF have drawn the focus of rocket attacks away from civilian population centres in southern and central Israel, with munitions primarily targeting IDF positions in northern Gaza.
- Clashes between Palestinians and the IDF have continued in the West Bank, underscoring elevated ethno-religious tensions and persistent domestic unrest. On 3 November, IDF personnel reportedly fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians attempting to attend Friday Prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Similar incidents were reported in proximity to mosques in Bethlehem, Hebron and Qalqilya, though no casualties have been reported. Small arms clashes between the IDF and Palestinian militants have also been reported in Jenin, Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah and Tubas, resulting in numerous injuries.
- On 3 November, Lebanese Hizballah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah gave a televised speech calling for continued attacks on the IDF, though did not call for a full-scale mobilisation of LH forces. Subsequently, the frequency of rocket/missile attacks from LH and/or LH-affiliated forces has decreased over the past 24 hours. LH and LH-affiliated forces have conducted at least three attacks over the past 24 hours, including a one-way drone attack on an IDF position near Mount Dov (Golan Heights). Missile attacks also targeted IDF assets and positions in Israel’s northern district, including sensor equipment in Mattat. The IDF continues to conduct airstrikes targeting LH positions along the Israel-Lebanon border, primarily in Lebanon’s Nabatieh and South governates.
24-HOUR FORECAST
The IDF will almost certainly continue conducting operations in northern Gaza, attempting to consolidate territorial control in Gaza City. Co-ordinated IDF ground operations and airstrikes will sustain extreme physical security risks in northern Gaza, and further limited incursions into southern Gaza are highly likely over the coming 24-48 hours. As the IDF ground offensive continues, Hamas and PIJ militants will almost certainly continue targeting IDF positions in northern Gaza and the Gaza envelope, sustaining elevated collateral risks to nearby civilian population centres, including Ashkelon, Netviot and Sderot. However, as the IDF continues to make advances in northern Gaza, militants’ ability and opportunity to launch rockets towards central and southern Israel will likely continue decreasing. As Hamas and PIJ militants dedicate resources to disrupting IDF advance, civilian locations in central and southern Israel will face moderately decreased physical security risks over the coming days, although militants will likely continue targeting major cities including Rishon LeZion and Tel Aviv, sustaining risks to individuals and assets therein.
Following clashes between the IDF and Palestinians attempting to attend Friday Prayers on 3 November, there is an elevated risk of domestic unrest in the West Bank over the coming 24 hours. Given heightened ethno-religious tensions, further clashes between the IDF and Palestinian militants are highly likely, particularly in Jenin, Nablus, Hebron and Tulkarem, as well as in the broader Jerusalem area. While IDF and/or
Israeli police personnel will likely be the primary target of clashes and small-arms attacks, violent clashes will sustain elevated bystander and collateral risks. There is also a realistic possibility of attacks targeting crowded public spaces, including public transport hubs and religious sites, particularly in Jerusalem.
We continue to assess that a full-scale Hizballah mobilisation remains unlikely, though clashes between the IDF and Hizballah will almost certainly continue over the coming 24 hours. Following Nasrallah’s speech, the frequency of missile strikes and drone attacks targeting IDF locations on the Israel-Lebanon border will likely increase, elevating physical security risks to proximate civilian population centres. There is also a realistic possibility of small-scale border incursion attempts, however, these will likely be mitigated by the IDF’s elevated security posture along the border. Our assessment remains that current LH hostilities are intended to draw IDF resources away from the ongoing ground offensive in Gaza and that a full-scale mobilisation remains unlikely. Even so, moderate escalations in clashes are likely in the coming days, elevating the risk of miscalculation and further intensification of cross-border attacks from LH and/or LH-aligned groups based in Lebanon and Syria, sustaining elevated physical security risks in northern Israel.
Nov 03.
• Since our last update on 2 November, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) ground units have reached the coast south of Gaza City, encircling the urban centre; as the IDF approaches the city, a slight reduction in the rate of rocket fire from Gaza is likely.
• Confrontations between the IDF and Lebanese Hizballah and/or Lebanon-based Palestinian militants along the Israel-Lebanon border have increased; this uptick will likely persist in the 24 hours following Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s speech.
• Upcoming pro-Palestine protests across the world on 4 November, particularly those in Washington DC (US) and London (UK), are likely to attract large-scale gatherings; demonstrations are likely to remain largely peaceful as per previous related events, though sporadic violence is possible.
• The IDF’s ground operation is ongoing; ground units have reached the coast south of Gaza City, encircling the urban centre. Overnight, Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets struck and killed Moztapa Delol, the commander of the Zabra Tel Elhua Battalion. Gaza City is regarded as the centre of Hamas’ military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. However, it is likely connected to southern Gaza via underground tunnels. This will challenge the IDF’s control of the operational environment and allow Hamas militants to strike from positions south of Gaza City.
• IDF operations in the West Bank have continued largely on-trend with a slight uptick compared to previous days. Since our last report, 37 individuals were arrested on terrorism charges, 17 of whom are suspected Hamas members. IDF troops engaged in armed clashes with Palestinian militants in Nablus and Jenin. In both locations, Palestinian militants threw IEDs at IDF forces. In Jenin, an IDF drone struck militants, while engineering units unearthed IEDs buried under a road.
• Confrontations between the IDF and Lebanese Hizballah and/or Lebanon-based Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants along the Israel-Lebanon border have increased. At least 24 instances of rocket or mortar launches from Lebanon into Israel were recorded in the past 24 hours. A Hizballah-linked armed drone struck an IDF position in Mount Dov, injuring two IDF soldiers. Additionally, a barrage of rockets from Lebanon injured two people in Kiryat Shmona, despite the city having been evacuated in October. Additionally, rockets from Lebanon activated sirens in Safed, though no damage was reported. The IDF also increased its security posture and preparedness ahead of Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s speech.
• According to reports earlier on 3 November, Israel has stopped its security co-ordination mechanism with Russia in Syria; the cessation has been in place at least since last week. Israel typically notifies Russia before striking targets in Syria due to a previous incident in which a Syrian surface-to-air missile (SAM) hit a Russian aircraft. The stoppage reflects growing tensions between Israel and Russia and a substantial deterioration in their bilateral relations. It has also increased the likelihood of limitations on the IAF’s freedom of operations. Elevated security risks in Syria will persist in the near term vis-à-vis the highly likely continuation of Israeli airstrikes against Iranian-linked assets.
• The Iranian-affiliated Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced on 3 November that it will increase operations against US bases in the region next week. US forces in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria, have come under increasing attack from Iranian proxies since 17 October. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq is the main perpetrator of these attacks. Increased attacks and threats will likely push US forces to retaliate with increased intensity. Any such retaliation will likely target Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iraq and Syria.
• Additional emergency information:
o To report information about kidnapped IDF soldiers and civilians: 1229
o To receive information about missing civilians: 105
o To receive information about missing IDF soldiers: 1111 (press 5 and then 4)
o Home Front Command telephone service centre: 104 (this service provides information about civil defence guidelines, as well as information about traffic and roadblocks along various routes and instructions from government ministries, among other entities)
o For updated information on the Rafah border crossing issued by the Gaza Borders and Crossings Authority, click here
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
• Over the past 24 hours, the Rafah border crossing has remained partially open to foreign nationals and critically ill or wounded Palestinians. On 2 November, approximately 350 foreign passport holders, including Australian, UK and US nationals, left Gaza via the crossing. Similar numbers of individuals are expected to leave today (3 November). At the time of writing, there has been no announcement on how long the border will remain open. There is a realistic possibility that the crossing will close at very short notice in the coming days. Reports of disorganisation and miscommunication between border officials underscore the disruption risks facing evacuation measures for foreign nationals.
• Earlier on 3 November, the UN launched a USD 1.2 billion aid appeal for Gaza, highlighting deteriorating humanitarian conditions. Widespread food and energy insecurity, compounded by restricted access to medical care, has significantly elevated socio-economic health concerns in Gaza. While this aid appeal will likely increase the supply of humanitarian aid earmarked for Gaza, continued restrictions on the movement of goods through the Rafah border crossing will almost certainly limit access to additional humanitarian aid, limiting its impact on conditions in the enclave. Additionally, Israeli border officials continue to block the delivery of fuel to Gaza, claiming that Hamas and PIJ militants are hoarding supplies. Without access to fuel, hospitals and health centres will continue to face significant disruption to operations, sustaining elevated risks to health security.
• Earlier on 3 November, the Israeli government announced that it would revoke thousands of employment permits for Gazan workers and labourers in Israel. Approximately 18,000 Gazans who hold permits to work in Israel have since been ordered to return to Gaza. Reports indicate that hundreds of affected individuals have returned to southern Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing. This policy highlights ongoing efforts by the Israeli government to isolate Gaza amid significantly elevated ethno-religious tensions. While the move is unlikely to undermine labour flexibility significantly in southern Israel, businesses relying on migrant labour will likely face moderate staff shortages and operational disruption in the coming days, particularly in the construction sector.
• Earlier on 3 November, reports emerged that British officials have identified several domestic groups with links to Iran (including the Islamic Centre of England and Islamic Human Rights) which have been attending pro-Palestine protests in London. Government agencies have confirmed that Tehran retains the capability to assert soft power and drive tensions. The report follows warnings by the UK’s Security Service (MI5) that the ongoing Israel conflict has elevated the threat of Iranian-backed terror attacks in the UK. The majority of Iranian threats in the UK have historically targeted Iranian dissidents, as they have elsewhere in Europe. The involvement of Iranian-backed groups in pro-Palestine protests will drive escalatory risks and the distribution of misinformation on social media platforms. Possible counter-demonstrations during protests will also drive security risks, particularly on Armistice Day (11 November), which has previously experienced an uptick in engagement from far-right groups.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet on 3 November in Tel Aviv (Israel). The focus of the discussions is to establish steps to minimise the threat to civilians and allow the free movement of humanitarian aid. Following the rejection of a blanket ceasefire by both the US and Israel, US President Joe Biden addressed the need for steps to be taken to scale down the impact of the conflict on non-combatants. US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby cited a humanitarian pause-style strategy. He reiterated that any such agreement would be temporary and would address specific short-term humanitarian goals.
• Despite reports on 2 November that Bahrain would recall its ambassador to Israel, officials stated earlier on 3 November that there are no changes to Bahrain’s diplomatic and economic relations with Israel. Elevated regional tensions will almost certainly continue to impact Israel’s diplomatic relations with neighbouring countries negatively, undermining prospects for humanitarian pauses and/or further hostage negotiations in the coming days.
• On 2 November, the US House of Representatives passed a plan to provide USD 14.3 billion in aid to Israel, though this is highly unlikely to be adopted by the Senate. The bill, which decouples aid for Israel from military aid to Ukraine, will face significant opposition from Democrats in the Senate; the White House has committed to vetoing the bill should it progress. The Biden administration will almost certainly continue linking military aid for Ukraine to aid for Israel; it will also likely block efforts to provide aid solely to Israel. There is a realistic possibility that this stance will further delay the passage of aid deliveries to Israel due to the highly polarised dynamics within the US legislature.
Nov 02.
• Since our last update on 1 November, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has continued to expand its ground operation, edging closer to Gaza City. The IDF continues to engage Hamas militants in intense battles; casualty numbers (including civilians) are increasing as the fighting continues.
• Recent attacks by Palestinians and/or Israelis against civilians in the West Bank highlight the increased security volatility in the area; they will elevate the risk of IDF miscalculation and escalation in the near term amid ongoing security and arrest operations.
• Bahrain and Jordan recalled their diplomatic envoys to Israel; this points to an uptick in regional tensions between Israel and countries with which it has historically enjoyed more established relations. It also further underscores the domestic pressures on governments to condemn the IDF operation in Gaza.
• The IDF has continued to expand its ground operation, focusing its efforts on north-eastern Gaza; it is advancing towards Beit Hanoun. Current developments indicate that the IDF aims to establish control over the fighting environment in northern Gaza. Hamas militants have posted videos on social media showcasing their use of guerrilla tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) against IDF troops; these TTPs allegedly resemble those employed by Kyiv’s forces against Russia in Ukraine, including the use of armed quadcopter drones to target soldiers.
• IDF operations in the West Bank have continued on-trend with previous days. Since our last report, 49 individuals were arrested on terrorism charges, 21 of whom are suspected Hamas members. Additionally, during IDF operations in Ramallah and Beitunia, IEDs were thrown at IDF troops. In Al-Bireh and Beitunia, IDF troops also arrested members of the Palestinian Nationalism movement and confiscated ammunition.
• On 2 November, a Palestinian gunman opened fire at a vehicle near Beit Lid in the northern West Bank, killing one Israeli. The IDF is currently leading a manhunt. Roadblocks have been erected in the area. The attack highlights the elevated security risks across the West Bank. Ethno-religious tensions are likely to increase between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank as a result of the shooting. These elevated tensions will increase the risk of miscalculation. Furthermore, an IDF response that causes a high-casualty event will increase the likelihood of significant escalation.
• Also on 2 November, Israelis reportedly set fire to cars and shops in the Palestinian town of Deir Sharaf (west of Nablus). Beyond material damage, one Palestinian was reportedly wounded. Although such incidents constitute part of a long-standing issue, there has been an observed uptick in attacks by Israelis since the start of the conflict; on average, there have been seven incidents per day since hostilities began, compared to three per day in the period between the start of the year and 7 October.
• Confrontations between the IDF and Lebanese Hizballah and/or Lebanon-based Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants along the Israel-Lebanon border have remained consistent with previous days. Overnight, a surface-to-air missile (SAM) was launched from Lebanon at an IDF drone. It caused no damage. This marks the fourth such incident since the start of the conflict. In response, the IDF returned fire at the source of the launch. Additionally, tit-for-tat attacks continue to take place; militants reportedly launched rockets towards Mount Dov and Hermon (both Israel). The IDF has also continued to strike Hizballah’s military infrastructure and positions in southern Lebanon.
• Earlier on 2 November, the IDF reported that it has confronted the al-Imam Hussein Brigade in recent days in the vicinity of Israel’s northern border regions. The al-Imam Hussein Brigade is an Iranian proxy which regularly operates in Syria. Elevated cross-border activity ahead of Lebanese Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s highly anticipated speech on 3 November is likely to raise the likelihood of mortar/missile attacks targeting northern Israel in the next 72 hours.
• On the evening of 1 November, a Houthi spokesperson claimed that the Yemen-based group launched additional drones at Israel and that they successfully hit their target. However, this claim remains unconfirmed. Currently, there is no indication that any of the launches caused injuries, fatalities and/or material damage. The Iran-backed group is likely to continue targeting Israel in the coming days; these attacks will likely increase gradually in frequency and intensity.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
• Over the past 24 hours, the Rafah border crossing has remained partially open to foreign nationals and critically ill or wounded Palestinians. Approximately 320 foreign passport holders, including Australian, UK and US nationals, have left Gaza via the crossing. A further 400 individuals are expected to leave today (2 November). At the time of writing, there has been no announcement on how long the border will remain open. There is a realistic possibility that the crossing will close at very short notice in the coming days.
• Health facilities in Gaza are continuing to close due to a lack of fuel, elevating severe socio-economic and health risks. On 1 November, the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia reportedly ran out of generator fuel and is no longer operational. Additionally, the director of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital (south of Gaza City), which is Gaza’s only cancer treatment centre, also announced on 1 November that the facility is no longer able to operate due to a lack of fuel. Since 7 October, approximately 19 of Gaza’s 35 hospitals have ceased operations. This has significantly restricted access to healthcare services. Israel’s continued blockade of fuel supplies will almost certainly result in additional healthcare facilities closing in the coming days.
• Earlier on 2 November, the Israeli cabinet approved a war compensation package to support businesses during the ongoing conflict. The package allows any business with a monthly revenue exceeding ILS 18,000 (USD 4,520) to apply for a fixed grant if its revenue decreased by over 25% in October or 12.5% in the past two months. The package will almost certainly be approved by the Knesset. These measures will likely moderately mitigate elevated operational risks and depressed revenue for businesses in Israel. However, continued increases in government spending to finance both the ongoing war effort and to mitigate the economic impact of the IDF’s mobilisation of around 360,000 reservists will likely sustain elevated investor concerns in the near term.
• During a presidential campaign event on 1 November, US President Joe Biden voiced support for a humanitarian pause in Gaza to facilitate hostage releases. Despite increasing international pressure on Israel to pause airstrikes and its ongoing ground offensive in Gaza, any such cessation is highly unlikely in the coming 24 hours; this will sustain significant physical security risks for individuals in the enclave.
• On 3 November, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will visit Israel for a second time since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. His visit will coincide with Nasrallah’s speech. It likely underscores efforts by the US to prevent a significant escalation in clashes between the IDF and Hizballah militants on this day. Secretary Blinken’s visit is unlikely to alter the progression of the IDF’s ground offensive significantly.
• Between 1 and 2 November, Bahrain and Jordan recalled their ambassadors to Israel amid heightened diplomatic tensions over the IDF’s ground offensive and airstrikes in Gaza. Bahrain has also suspended its economic relations with Israel. This follows calls by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on 1 November for Muslim countries to suspend oil and food exports to Israel. Elevated regional tensions will almost certainly persist throughout the Israel-Hamas war; they will also remain elevated in the aftermath of the conflict. Continued diplomatic tensions will likely undermine efforts to facilitate hostage negotiations and humanitarian pauses. They will likely be followed by increasing efforts to isolate Israel economically in the coming weeks. As such, there is a realistic possibility of elevated supply chain disruption in Israel. Restrictions to cross-border movement into Jordan via the Wadi Araba crossing are also possible. Recalls of diplomatic staff have also been announced by Bolivia, Chile and Colombia in the past 24 hours, highlighting the elevated tensions between Israel and numerous Latin American countries.
• On 2 November, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced an immediate ban on activities supporting Hamas in Germany, as well as the dissolution of the Samidoun Network (a pro-Palestinian group reportedly associated with Hamas). The order underscores rising concerns over domestic unrest and conflict-motivated violence in Europe, particularly Germany.
*Jordan-Israel: Jordanian ambassador recall reflects elevated domestic pressure; policy change unlikely. On 1 November, Jordan announced it recalled its ambassador from Israel in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Since the start of the conflict, the Jordanian government has remained relatively muted in its rhetoric against Israel, despite rising domestic pro-Palestinian sentiment. This increasingly materialised in public protests, particularly in Amman, though these were largely peaceful, as Jordanian authorities warned they would not tolerate rioting. The recall of the ambassador from Israel likely reflects a Jordanian effort to reduce and partially satisfy the growing domestic pressure. Jordan is a close ally of the US and co-operates closely with Israel, including on security as it is the official custodian of Muslim holy places in Jerusalem. As such, the Jordanian move is unlikely to signal a major policy shift, though further gestures of displeasure with Israel remain likely. Despite this pro-Palestinian protests are likely to continue as Jordan is host to a substantial Palestinian population.
US: Israel spending bill underscores ongoing political tensions; near-term government stability risks heightened. On 1 November, newly elected House Speaker Mike Johson vowed to push forward a USD 14.3 bn spending bill for Israel introduced by House Republicans on 30 October. The standalone spending bill proposes using money initially allocated to the Internal Revenue Service to pay for Israeli aid. A report published on 1 November by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office claimed that the bill would incur a USD 12.5 bn cost to the federal deficit over the next ten years. Speaker Johnson will also seek to pass three 2024 spending bills this week as well as bolster support in the House for the introduction of a continuing resolution that would extend government funding until 15 January. It is highly unlikely that the Israel aid bill will pass in the Senate. Tensions over military aid underscore persistent government stability risks. Disagreements in the House will possibly impact key federal spending bills, elevating the risk of a partial government shutdown on 17 November.
Nov 01.
*Israel: Bolivia’s diplomatic severance raises likelihood of other Latin American states following suit. On 31 October, Bolivia’s government severed ties with Israel due to claims of ‘disproportionate military actions’ in the Gaza Strip. Bolivia is the first Latin American country to break diplomatic ties with Israel over its war with Hamas. However, both Chile and Colombia announced on 31 October that they are recalling their ambassadors from Israel for consultations. Bolivia reinstated diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020 after severing them in 2009 (also in protest against its actions in Gaza). As the Israel-Hamas war continues, there is a realistic possibility that Bolivia’s move will prompt other regional countries to follow suit, elevating the risk of diplomatic tensions; there is also a realistic possibility that such moves will impact trade relations and security co-operation between Latin American countries and Israel.
Oct 31.
• Since our last update on 30 October, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to expand its ground operation, edging closer to Gaza City; the IDF continues to engage Hamas militants in intense battles, including in underground tunnels.
• A surface-to-surface missile (SSM) and a drone launched from the Red Sea towards Israel were intercepted by the Arrow long-range air defence system; this marks the first use of the system since the start of the conflict.
• An IDF hostage rescue will likely bolster public support for the ground operation; however, increasing IDF casualties are likely to reduce support in the longer term. There is a realistic possibility that Hamas will release further hostage videos to counter the positive coverage of the rescue.
• The IDF has continued to expand its ground operation, focusing its efforts at present in north-eastern Gaza; it has been accompanied by the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which struck over 300 targets in the past 24 hours. IDF troops are edging their way to central Gaza City, where the fighting is likely to be harder due to the dense urban environment. Furthermore, the city is a central node of Hamas’ operations. In addition, the IDF reportedly attacked militants and compounds inside Hamas’ network of tunnels. The chief of staff of the Iranian army stated that there are over 248 miles (400km) of tunnels under the northern portion of Gaza; while this figure cannot be verified, the underground network will almost certainly challenge the IDF’s advances in the coming days.
• IDF operations in the West Bank continued on-trend with previous days; 38 individuals were arrested on terrorism charges. Overnight, the IDF demolished the house of Salah Arori, the deputy head of the political bureau. Arori is responsible for the activities of Hamas in Judea and Samaria.
• Clashes between the IDF and Lebanese Hizballah and/or Lebanon-based Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants along the Israel-Lebanon border have remained consistent with previous days. The IDF has continued to strike Hizballah military infrastructure, including command posts, near the border. In the Biranit area, militants launched three anti-tank guided missiles against IDF troops; no casualties were recorded. Additionally, in the Rosh HaNikra area, IDF forces struck militants attempting to launch mortar shells into Israel.
• Earlier on 31 October, a surface-to-surface missile (SSM) was launched towards Israel from the Red Sea area; it was subsequently intercepted by Israel’s Arrow long-range air defence system. This marks the first use of this system since the start of the conflict. The Yemen-based Houthis claimed the launch, which points to an uptick in their capabilities. According to the IDF, the missile’s trajectory was monitored before a call was made to intercept the threat. Earlier, IAF fighter jets were also scrambled to intercept hostile projectiles detected in airspace over the Red Sea. Ultimately, these interceptions mark an uptick in thwarted launches targeting Israel over the past week.
• Iranian-affiliated militias have continued to target US military positions in Iraq and Syria. On 31 October, two armed drones targeted al-Asad airbase (al-Anbar governorate, Iraq), which hosts US and other Western forces. No casualties or damage were recorded and the attack was not claimed by any militant group. However, the incident reflects an uptick in the targeting of US forces in the region since 17 October. The drones were likely launched by an Iranian proxy.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
• On 31 October, 80 aid trucks reportedly entered Gaza via the Rafah border crossing. Despite these deliveries, humanitarian supplies remain critically low throughout Gaza. The director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has called for the Kerem Shalom crossing to be reopened to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. Kerem Shalom is specifically used for goods to cross and is therefore better equipped than Rafah to handle large deliveries of aid. Although negotiations to facilitate aid deliveries are ongoing, it is highly unlikely that the Israeli authorities will allow the Kerem Shalom crossing to open. As such, pressure on the Rafah crossing will remain heightened in the coming days as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates and the IDF ground offensive continues in northern Gaza.
• The US State Department confirmed on 30 October that negotiations to open the Rafah border crossing to foreign and dual nationals from Gaza are ongoing. A state department spokesperson, Matt Miller, announced that the negotiations involve Egyptian and Israeli officials, as well as Hamas representatives. There is a realistic possibility that the crossing will be opened to foreign nationals in the coming 24-48 hours. However, Hamas representatives will likely continue leveraging the presence of foreign nationals in Gaza to gain concessions on the delivery of humanitarian aid, particularly fuel deliveries. At the time of writing, personnel movement remains highly restricted.
• On 30 October, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel would not accept a ceasefire with Hamas under any conditions. This statement underscores that the IDF will highly likely continue its ground offensive in the coming days, foregoing humanitarian pauses for the delivery of aid. Repeated calls from neighbouring states for humanitarian pauses and a ceasefire will likely continue to contribute to elevated regional tensions, undermining prospects for a diplomatic resolution to current hostilities.
• On 30 October, El Al Israel Airlines began diverting long-haul flights heading to Southeast Asia away from Omani airspace amid rising regional tensions. Although El Al officials stated that no specific threats had been made against the airline, the move likely reflects elevated concerns about El Al flights passing through airspace near Iran and Yemen. While the likelihood of attacks targeting civilian aircraft remains low, further travel disruption is likely as regional tensions increase, elevating the risk of travel-related delays.
• On 31 October, Wikileaks released a document reportedly sourced from the Israeli Ministry of Intelligence which supports the displacement of Palestinians into Egypt. The document, which has not been verified by external sources at the time of writing, states that the evacuation of Gazans into the Sinai Peninsula would ‘yield positive and long-term strategic results’. Regardless of whether this document is authentic, perceptions that the Israeli government is seeking to remove Palestinians from Gaza will almost certainly exacerbate regional tensions and undermine negotiations with Egypt regarding the partial opening of the Rafah border crossing in the coming days.
• On 30 October, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak convened a meeting of the government’s emergency committee (COBRA) to discuss elevated domestic security risks amid the Israel-Hamas war. The meeting likely focused on co-ordinating the UK government’s response to the significant increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic violence since 7 October, as well as the threat of sole perpetrator attacks amid heightened ethno-religious tensions. The threat of attacks across the UK will remain elevated in the coming days. Developments in the IDF’s ground offensive will likely act as flashpoints for nationwide pro-Palestine protests; further advances by the IDF will increase the likelihood of domestic unrest, elevating bystander risks.
• Israel: New wiper malware triggers disruption, loss of data to organisations operating therein. On 30 October, security firm Security Joes reported on a new Linux-based wiper malware (‘BiBi-Linux Wiper’) targeting Israeli entities in a disruptive campaign. An unnamed hacktivist group is using the novel wiper malware, which has not been observed previously, during its campaign to target companies based in Israel.
BiBi-Linux Wiper does not establish a connection to a command-and-control (C2) server to exfiltrate or encrypt data unlike most malware. Instead, it aims to corrupt files by overwriting data on the system which cannot be recovered unless the company has secure backups. The wiper only received two detections on VirusTotal, indicating that the malware is new and not widely distributed. The malware has been attributed to politically-motivated hacktivists amid the Israel-Hamas war; this underscores that it is likely intended to cause disruption and damage to Israeli organisations. Businesses operating in Israel will remain at an elevated risk of hacktivism as the conflict continues.
Oct 30.
• Since our last update at 1400hrs (GMT) on 29 October, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to expand its ground operation, edging closer to Gaza City; Israeli claims that hospitals are being used as Hamas command centres will elevate targeting and security risks, particularly for al-Shifa hospital.
• Clashes along Israel’s northern border remain largely on-trend; six rockets were launched by Hamas from Lebanon, representing the most significant incident in the past 24 hours.
• Sporadic cross-border rocket fire from Syria into Israel over the past 48 hours is unlikely to indicate a significant escalation. However, it is likely to continue, prompting retaliatory IDF strikes and elevating miscalculation risks.
• The IDF has continued to expand its ground operation in Gaza at a gradual rate. It has been accompanied by IAF operations; over 600 targets were struck in the past 24 hours. According to reports, IDF troops are getting closer to the centre of Gaza City, which Israel considers to be the heart of Hamas operatives and assets. Palestinians in Gaza City have reported receiving phone calls requesting them to evacuate. However, as Israeli airstrikes persist, the availability of safe exit routes from the urban centre will be substantially limited.
• IDF operations in the West Bank continued on-trend with previous days; 51 individuals were arrested on terrorism charges, including 38 suspected Hamas members. During armed clashes in Jenin with Palestinian militants, IDF troops discovered IEDs planted along a road and in an IDF military observation post. The IDF also carried out a drone strike during these clashes.
• Earlier on 30 October, an Israeli police officer was seriously injured in a stabbing attack near the Shivtei Yisrael light rail station in Jerusalem. The attack reflects the elevated security and bystander risks in the broader Jerusalem area (as well as in the West Bank) due to elevated ethno-religious tensions. The risk of sole perpetrator attacks will remain high, particularly in Jerusalem, for the duration of the conflict, particularly amid the ongoing IDF ground operation in Gaza.
• On 29 October, rockets launched from Syria fell in an open area near the contested Golan Heights. IDF forces responded by targeting the launch sites. IAF air assets later conducted airstrikes against targets in southern Syria. Additionally, on 30 October, unidentified fighter jets struck trucks crossing into Deir ez-Zor governorate (Syria) from Iraq. This is the second consecutive day on which rockets originating from Syria have targeted Israel, with the IDF striking Syria in response. However, this is unlikely to represent a major escalation, which we continue to be an unlikely scenario.
• Clashes between the IDF and Lebanese Hizballah and/or Lebanon-based Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militants have persisted along the Israel-Lebanon border. There has been a slight uptick in clashes and incidents, though these largely remain on trend with previous patterns. On 29 October, Hamas launched six rockets towards Kiryat Shmona, likely with Hizballah’s approval. While a residential building was reportedly hit, Kiryat Shmona is highly likely to have already been fully evacuated (no deaths or injuries were reported). We continue to assess that Hizballah is currently not interested in escalation or the opening of a new front in northern Israel. However, Hizballah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, announced that he will deliver a speech on 3 November, elevating the risk of escalation.
• On 29 October, the spokesperson for Jordanian Brigadier General Mustafa Hiyari stated that the government has asked the US to deploy its Patriot air defence systems to Jordan amid heightened regional tensions fostered by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israel’s ground operation into Gaza over the weekend has increased the likelihood of knock-on instability and security risks for neighbouring countries, including Jordan. The request comes after a substantial uptick in attacks against US bases in Iraq and Syria, as well as the reported movement of the Iran-linked Popular Mobilization Forces (PMFs) and their followers towards the Jordanian border. This will sustain the risk of cross-border instability and/or projectiles launched from the border area impacting Jordanian airspace in the near term. However, a direct attack against Jordanian territory and/or US assets in Jordan by Iran-linked Iraq-based groups is unlikely at present.
• Iranian-affiliated militias have continued to target US military positions in Iraq and Syria. On 30 October, Iranian-affiliated militias launched rockets against US forces stationed at Omar Oil Field in al-Hasakah governorate (Syria). The attack was claimed as retaliation against US strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Crops (IRGC) military facilities on 26 October.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
• On 29 October, at least 33 aid trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. While this is the largest delivery since limited aid supplies resumed on 21 October, humanitarian provisions in Gaza remain critically low. On 28 October, the UN’s second-largest aid depot in Gaza, located in Deir al-Balah, was raided amid widespread food and water insecurity. While humanitarian aid will likely continue to pass through the Rafah crossing, insufficient food, water and fuel supplies will continue to exacerbate socio-economic health conditions on the ground, sustaining the likelihood of further looting incidents targeting aid depots.
• On 30 October, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued an alert warning travellers about increased terrorist threats in the UAE. The alert warns that a terrorist attack in the UAE is ‘very likely’ and that travellers should maintain a high level of awareness, particularly when attending public events. While the alert did not explicitly reference the Israel-Hamas war, it reflects elevated concerns about the potential regional spillover of current hostilities. Assets associated with Israeli and/or Western interests in the UAE will face an increased threat from the Houthis, an Iranian-aligned group based in Yemen. Previous missile and drone attacks have been intercepted by the UAE’s air force.
• On 30 October, over 300 Israeli economists signed an open letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling for cuts to government spending to allay fears of an economic crisis. The letter, which calls for the government to suspend all ‘nonessential’ expenditures, reflects increasing concerns regarding the stability of the Israeli economy amid the ongoing ground offensive in Gaza and significantly elevated regional tensions. The Israeli government will likely announce budgetary measures to cut spending in the coming days, particularly in sectors unrelated to increased IDF activity, sustaining near-term investor concerns.
• On 30 October, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the immediate suspension of financial transfers to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Currently, the Israeli government collects taxes on imports to the West Bank and transfers these funds to the PA (these constitute the PA’s main source of income). Smotrich also announced plans to review Israel’s policy on the transfer of funds to the PA following allegations that senior PA officials have shown support for Hamas. The suspension of financial transfers will almost certainly exacerbate tensions between Israeli and PA officials, while also undermining socio-economic conditions in the PA-controlled West Bank. Additionally, the suspension will likely exacerbate heightened ethno-religious tensions, increasing the likelihood of domestic unrest and/or violent clashes with the IDF in the West Bank, and elevating bystander risks.
• On 29 October, hundreds of anti-Israel protesters stormed Makhachkala Uytash Airport (MCX) in Dagestan (Russia). The protests occurred following calls, published on Telegram channels, to block a plane allegedly carrying Israelis from Tel Aviv. Rioters clashed with the police, who were able to secure control of the airport. On the same day, a Jewish centre in neighbouring Kabardino-Balkaria region was set on fire, while small-scale anti-Israel rallies were reported across the wider North Caucasus on 28-29 October. The protests underscore the elevated risks facing Israeli and Jewish communities, particularly in Russia’s Muslim-majority regions.
• On 30 October, the UN Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting regarding the ongoing Israeli ground offensive. The meeting will likely centre on efforts to adopt a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce in Gaza. Although the UN General Assembly (UNGA) voted to adopt a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce on 27 October, the UNSC is unlikely to adopt similar measures. UNSC resolutions, unlike UNGA resolutions, are legally binding; this means that a ceasefire resolution will almost certainly be vetoed by the US.
• In Turkey, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Istanbul on 28 October to protest against Israel, marking the country’s largest rally since the beginning of the conflict. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the gathering, disparaging the West’s position and accusing Israel of committing war crimes. Further rallies are highly likely, underscoring rising tensions between the Turkish and Israeli authorities, particularly given the ongoing IDF ground offensive in Gaza.
• On 28 October, IDF Chief Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated that Hamas militants in Gaza are using hospitals as command posts and entry points to extensive tunnel networks. Hagari also stated that Hamas’ headquarters in Gaza are located under the al-Shifa Hospital (Gaza City). This statement almost certainly indicates the IDF’s intention to target Gazan hospitals in the coming days. This will severely elevate safety and security risks for civilians sheltering within and close to hospitals. As a result, an uptick in Palestinian casualties in Gaza is almost certain. IDF strikes targeting hospitals will also almost certainly exacerbate regional tensions and trigger international condemnation, while increasing the likelihood of elevated domestic unrest and violent clashes in the West Bank.
FORECAST
An expansion in the ground operation that is currently encroaching on Gaza City is likely to reduce civilian evacuation routes, impacting access for medical/humanitarian staff in the near term. As the military operation continues, the IDF will continue issuing evacuation warnings to residents to relocate to southern Gaza. The IDF’s claim that Hamas is using hospitals as command centres suggests that it is likely preparing to target said locations. Due to the realistic possibility that these locations are hosting Israeli and foreign national hostages, it is less likely that the IDF will target them via airstrikes. However, ground operations targeting these locations remain possible.
The IDF’s operation in Gaza will sustain higher attack risks across the West Bank and in the broader Jerusalem area. Over the past 24 hours, there has been an increase in shootings targeting IDF troops stationed at Israeli checkpoints near Jerusalem. These are likely to continue over the coming 24 hours, elevating security and bystander risks at Hizma, Qalandia and the Shuafat refugee camp. Additionally, as some Israeli settlements are guarded by IDF troops, security risks near these locations are likely to remain elevated as well. Similarly, attacks by Israelis are possible. In Jerusalem, the threat of sole perpetrator attacks remains substantial, including stabbings, car-rammings and shootings, particularly near the Old City, in crowded areas, at public transport hubs and around places of worship.
As the ground operation in Gaza continues, an uptick in cross-border attacks and confrontations impacting northern Israel is likely. Over the past 48 hours, there has been a limited increase in rocket launches from Syria, as well as by Lebanon-based militant groups (including Hamas and PIJ). These are likely to continue in the coming 24 hours, though at a limited capacity and rate. They are unlikely to trigger a major escalation. However, a miscalculation in the IDF’s response to militant activity, including attacks leading to a high-casualty event or severe material damage to critical infrastructure, will increase the risk of escalation. As such, heightened volatility in northern Israel’s security environment will persist in the coming 24 hours.
Triggers and indicators for escalation (we will continue to review and update these points):
• High-casualty incidents occur in the West Bank due to IDF miscalculation or attacks by Israeli settlers and/or Palestinian militants
• Calls by Hamas to mobilise receive substantial support from Palestinian communities
• Israeli airstrikes in Gaza inflict high casualty numbers, prompting Hizballah and/or West Bank-based militants to retaliate
• An uptick in Israeli airstrikes against Syria to prevent weapons transfers prompts an escalation from Lebanon-based militants
• US support for Israel ramps up beyond the current posturing level
• Israel strikes Hamas leadership within Lebanon
• The IDF launches a ground operation into Gaza
*Russia: Israel-Hamas war elevates security risks for Jewish communities in Muslim-majority regions. On 29 October, hundreds of anti-Israel protesters stormed the Makhachkala Uytash Airport (MCX) in Dagestan (Russia). The protests occurred following calls, published on Telegram channels, to block a plane allegedly carrying Israeli refugees from Tel Aviv. Rioters clashed with the riot police, which were able to secure control of the airport. On the same day, a Jewish centre in the neighbouring Kabardino-Balkaria region was set on fire and small-scale anti-Israel rallies were reported across the wider North Caucasus during the weekend (28-29 October). These developments underscore the rising number of anti-Israel incidents in Muslim-majority Russian regions. Dagestani authorities announced criminal cases were opened against the rioters. However, representatives of the local Jewish community have expressed concerns over the increasing security risks for Dagestani Jewish residents. Ultimately, the ongoing Israel-Hamas war will sustain ethno-religious tensions in Muslim-majority republics such as Dagestan and elevate security risks for local Jewish communities.
*Jordan: Patriot deployment request underscores elevated spillover concerns; direct attacks unlikely. On 29 October, the spokesperson for Jordanian Brigadier General Mustafa Hiyari stated that the government has asked the US to deploy its Patriot air defence systems to Jordan amid heightened regional tensions fostered by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israel’s ground operation into Gaza over the weekend has increased the likelihood of knock-on instability and security risks for neighbouring countries, including Jordan. The request comes after a substantial uptick in attacks against US bases in Iraq and Syria, as well as the reported movement of Iran-linked Popular Mobilization Forces (PMFs) and their followers towards the Jordanian border. This will sustain the risk of cross-border instability and/or projectiles launched from the border area impacting Jordanian airspace in the near term. However, a direct attack against Jordanian territory and/or US assets in Jordan by Iran-linked Iraq-based groups is unlikely at present. (Source: Sibylline)
03 Nov 23. Setback for Joe Biden as House ignores plea to link Israel funding to aid for Ukraine. The decision to ignore the president’s plea marks a flexing of the political muscle of new House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Joe Biden has suffered a setback after Republicans passed a bill to provide aid to Israel alone rather than link it to funding for Ukraine and other security measures.
In a flexing of his political muscles by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, just a week after he was sworn in, Republicans ignored Mr Biden’s pleas and passed a measure that provides $14.3bn.
Mr Biden had urged money for both Israel and Ukraine be linked in a broader package that would also include funds for Taiwan and US-Mexico border security.
The measure that passed 226 to 196 on Thursday night, provided money only to Israel.
“Tonight, a bipartisan group of members voted to send immediate aid to Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East,” Mr Johnson said.
“Our supplemental package, which is fully offset, provides Israel with advanced weapons systems, supports the Iron Dome missile defense system, and replenishes American domestic defense stockpiles. This is necessary and critical assistance as Israel fights for its right to exist.”
The back-and-forth on Capitol Hill underscored two things.
Firstly, it highlighted the challenges for Mr Johnson leading Republican caucus in which headline conservatives have not been afraid to use their power to force change.
Mr Johnson only became Speaker after Kevin McCarthy was voted out last month, the first time in history the House has lost its top official in such a manner.
He lost the job after failing to placate a small but powerful group of members such as Matt Gaetz of Florida.
Several potential successors, including firebrand Jim Jordan, then failed to win enough votes among members.
Mr Johnson, a little known social conservative from Louisiana, won over enough support after Donald Trump said he had his backing.
In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Mr Johnson was among those Republicans who opposed the certification of Mr Biden’s victory, something that has become a litmus test for those now wanting Mr Trump backing.
Republicans said they would fund the money by cutting some money for the Internal Revenue Service, that Democrats included in Mr Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Democrats argue having more tax collection helps reduce the nation’s $1.70trn deficit, but Republicans have long proposed reducing spending, at least when they are not in government themselves
The move also highlights the headache for Mr Biden, as he tries to act as a champion for both Ukraine and Israel, as once bipartisan support for Kyiv has eroded.
In the aftermath of the attack on Israel, Mr Biden flew there and appeared with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He vowed not only the US’s political support, but promised financial and military aid.
He has also sought to be a champion for Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelensky, with Congress approving $113 billon for its efforts to deter Russia.
Increasingly, as he looks towards the 2024 election, Mr Biden has pitched himself as a defender of democratic values, while Mr Trump has called for a pause to financial support for Ukraine and claimed he would end the conflict simply because Vladimir Putin is a “friend”.
It is unclear what will happen to the Republican House bill, as it is unlikely to be passed by the Senate. The White House has said it would veto the measure as it stands.
The Democratic-led Senate is working on its own funding bill that ties the different elements together.
Mr Johnson said he was also working on a new measure for Ukraine, tied to border security
He told a news conference: “Ukraine will come in short order. It will come next. We want to pair border security with Ukraine, because I think we can get bipartisan agreement on both of those matters.” (Source: Daily Telegraph)
03 Nov 23. Israel says it encircles Gaza City; US to urge ‘localised’ humanitarian pauses.
• Summary
• UAE says Middle East tension nearing “boiling point”
• UAE warns of spillover of conflict in region
• Thailand working with Iran, Qatar, Egypt to free hostages
Israel said it had surrounded the Gaza Strip’s biggest city and the focus of its drive to annihilate Hamas, as the United States was set to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to pauses in fighting to allow aid into the Palestinian enclave.
With the conflict nearing the end of its fourth week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to visit Israel for the second time in a month to meet Netanyahu as Israel’s military battled Hamas militants, who fought back with hit-and-run attacks from underground tunnels.
Report this ad
“We’re at the height of the battle. We’ve had impressive successes and have passed the outskirts of Gaza City. We are advancing,” Netanyahu said in a statement after the military said it had encircled the seaside enclave’s main city.
As Blinken left Washington for the Middle East, he said he would discuss concrete steps to minimise harm to civilians in Gaza. The White House, meanwhile, said any pauses in fighting should be temporary and localised, and insisted they would not stop Israel defending itself.
Mounting casualties among Palestinian civilians, along with acute shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel, have intensified calls by global leaders for a pause in fighting or a ceasefire.
Israel has dismissed those calls, saying it targets Hamas fighters whom it accuses of intentionally hiding among the population and civilian buildings. The White House has also rejected calls for a ceasefire.
Gaza health authorities say at least 9,061 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its assault on the enclave of 2.3 million people in retaliation for deadly attacks by Hamas militants on southern Israel.
A group of independent United Nations experts warned that Palestinians in Gaza are at “grave risk of genocide”.
“We call on Israel and its allies to agree to an immediate ceasefire. We are running out of time,” the group of U.N. special rapporteurs said in a statement.
The Israeli mission to the U.N. in Geneva called the rapporteur’s comments “deplorable and deeply concerning” and blamed Hamas for the civilian deaths. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said a determination of genocide could only be made by a relevant U.N. judicial body.
Israel says Hamas killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 240 hostages in the attacks on Oct. 7, the deadliest day of its 75-year-old history.
The White House said on Thursday it was looking into a series of pauses in the conflict.
“What we’re trying to do is explore the idea of as many pauses as might be necessary to continue to get aid out and to continue to work to get people out safely, including hostages,” U.S. national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
Blinken also was due to meet Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Amman on Saturday. In a statement, Safadi said Israel must end the war on Gaza, where he said it was committing war crimes by bombing civilians and imposing a siege.
Gulf Arab power, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), warned on Friday that tension in the Middle East was “approaching a boiling point” and that it was working “relentlessly” to reach an immediate and full humanitarian ceasefire.
“The risk of regional spillover and further escalation is real, as well as the risk that extremist groups will take advantage of the situation to advance ideologies that will keep us locked in cycles of violence,” Noura al-Kaabi, a minister of state for foreign affairs, told a conference in Abu Dhabi.
HAMAS FIGHTERS EMERGE FROM TUNNELS
Amid heavy explosions in Gaza, Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters his country’s “troops completed the encirclement of Gaza City, which is the focal point of the Hamas terror organization”.
Brigadier General Iddo Mizrahi, chief of Israel’s military engineers, said troops were encountering mines and booby traps.
“Hamas has learned and prepared itself well,” he said.
Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for the armed wing of Hamas, said in a televised speech on Thursday that Israel’s death toll in Gaza was much higher than the military had announced. “Your soldiers will return in black bags,” he said.
Israel has said it has lost 18 soldiers and killed dozens of militants since ground operations expanded on Friday.
Hamas and allied Islamic Jihad fighters were emerging from tunnels to fire at tanks, then disappearing back into the network, residents said and videos from both groups showed.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the U.S was flying intelligence-gathering drones over Gaza to help locate hostages. One of the officials said they had been carrying out the drone flights for over a week.
MORE FOREIGNERS DUE TO EVACUATE
The Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt was due to open for a third day on Friday for limited evacuations under a Qatari-brokered deal aimed at letting some foreign passport holders, their dependents and some wounded Gazans out of the enclave.
According to border officials, more than 700 foreign citizens left for Egypt via Rafah on the two previous days. Dozens of critically injured Palestinians were to cross too. Israel asked foreign countries to send hospital ships for them.
Thailand said it is in touch with Iran and other governments that can make contact with Hamas for the safe release of nearly two dozen Thai nationals being held hostage.
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said on Friday that Iran, which is close to Hamas, had promised to help with negotiations.
Over a third of Gaza’s 35 hospitals are not functioning, with many turned into impromptu refugee camps.
“The situation is beyond catastrophic,” said the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians, describing packed corridors and many medics who were themselves bereaved and homeless. (Source: Reuters)
02 Nov 23. U.S. flying drones over Gaza in search of hostages. The United States has been flying surveillance drones over Gaza in search of hostages taken by Hamas when the Palestinian militant group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, two U.S. officials said on Thursday.
The two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the U.S was flying intelligence gathering drones over Gaza to assist with hostage location efforts. One of the officials said they had been carrying out the drone flights for over a week.
U.S. officials have said 10 Americans who remain unaccounted for may be among the more than 200 people taken as hostages into Gaza, where they are believed to be held in Hamas’ extensive tunnel network.
Israeli forces on Thursday encircled Gaza City – the Gaza Strip’s main city – in their assault on Hamas, which resisted with hit-and-run attacks from underground tunnels.
The city in the north of Gaza has become the focus of attack for Israel, which has vowed to annihilate the Islamist group’s command structure and has told civilians to flee to the south.
Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials, in the deadliest day of the nation’s 75-year history.
Israel’s retaliation bombardment and ground offensive of the small Palestinian enclave of 2.3 million has killed at least 9,061 people, according to Gaza health authorities. (Source: Reuters)
02 Nov 23. Defense Department Continues to Stress Law of War With Israel. As Israel defends itself against ongoing attacks by Hamas, defense officials continue to underscore the importance of following the law of war, said the Pentagon press secretary.
“We’re having conversations with them about the importance of taking the law of war into account and … in our discussions with them, we believe that they are taking it into account,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder during a briefing today.
The general also said that regular discussions between U.S. defense officials and Israeli leaders emphasize the importance of recognizing all innocent civilian lives and working to ensure the innocent are protected.
“The secretary and other DOD officials are having conversations with our Israeli counterparts about the situation in Israel and again the importance of protecting innocent lives and taking Palestinians and others into account as they conduct their operations,” Ryder said. “We truly want a scenario here where both innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis can live together peacefully securely.”
Nevertheless, he said, Hamas continues to put everybody into danger. As the conflict in the Middle East continues, challenges continue to be posed by Hamas, including how it has embedded itself into civilian populations in Gaza.
“We know that Hamas is integrating its operations, whether it’s command and control, operational centers, combat forces, putting rockets in Gaza, to include this complex and sprawling tunnel network underneath infrastructure throughout Gaza, in effect … using civilians as human shields,” he said.
When Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7, he said, 1,400 individuals were killed and more than 200 hostages were taken to be used as bargaining chips.
“Hamas has said repeatedly that they will continue to do these type of Oct. 7 attacks until Israel is eliminated,” Ryder said. “There’s no question of the complexity of the challenge that is confronting the Israeli forces as they conduct operations in this urban environment. we also expect Israel to take into account the law of war as they plan and conduct their operations. And we want them to distinguish between terrorists and civilians. And so we’ll continue to have those conversations.”
Since the initial Hamas attack, Ryder said the department’s focus continues to include protecting American forces and citizens in the region, flowing security assistance to Israel, coordinating with Israelis to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and strengthening the force posture across the region in order to deter any escalation of the conflict beyond Gaza.
“Secretary Austin and DOD leaders are actively engaged in frequent communication with our partners in the region to discuss the situation as we work to prevent this from broadening into a larger regional conflict,” Ryder said. “In those discussions, the secretary has also reaffirmed the U.S. emphasis on the protection of civilians and unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.”
(Source: U.S. DoD)
02 Nov 23. Hamas says Israeli strikes on Gaza City district kill more than 195 people.
• Summary
• Israeli military says dozens of terrorists killed in Gaza fighting
• Israel says 17 soldiers killed in Gaza since Friday
• Some 7,500 foreign nationals due to evacuate from Gaza Strip
More foreigners prepared to leave the Gaza Strip on Thursday as its Hamas-run government said at least 195 Palestinians died in Israeli attacks on a congested district on the outskirts of Gaza City, strikes that Israel said had killed Hamas commanders.
At least 320 foreign citizens on an initial list of 500, as well as dozens of severely injured Gazans, crossed into Egypt on Wednesday under a deal between Israel, Egypt and Hamas.
Passport holders from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the United Kingdom and the United States were evacuated.
Gaza officials said the Rafah border crossing would reopen on Thursday so more foreigners could exit. A diplomatic source said some 7,500 foreign passport holders would leave Gaza over about two weeks.
Pressing an offensive against Hamas militants, Israel has bombed Gaza by land, sea and air in its campaign to wipe out the Iran-backed Islamist group after its cross-border rampage into southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel said Hamas gunmen killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 hostages.
The Gaza health ministry says at least 8,796 Palestinians in the narrow coastal enclave, including 3,648 children, have been killed by Israeli strikes since Oct. 7.
Israel said its strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday killed two Hamas military leaders in Jabalia, an area of Gaza that was set up as a refugee camp in 1948. Israel said the group had command centres and other “terror infrastructure under, around and within civilian buildings, intentionally endangering Gazan civilians”.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a post on social media site X, said the agency had “serious concerns” that Israel’s “disproportionate attacks… could amount to war crimes”.
Gaza’s Hamas-run media office said on Thursday that at least 195 Palestinians were killed in the two Israeli attacks on Jabalia, with 120 missing. At least 777 people were wounded, it said in a statement.
Palestinians on Wednesday sifted through rubble in a desperate hunt for trapped victims. “It is a massacre,” said one witness.
The Israeli military said on Thursday another soldier had died in the Gaza fighting, bringing to 17 the number killed since ground operations were expanded on Friday.
Troops had “confronted several terrorist cells in the northern Gaza Strip during which dozens of terrorists were killed”, the military said in a statement.
Amid growing international calls for a humanitarian pause in hostilities, conditions in the seaside enclave are increasingly desperate under Israel’s assault and tightened blockade. Food, fuel, drinking water and medicine have run short.
Dr Fathi Abu al-Hassan, a U.S. passport holder waiting to cross into Egypt on Wednesday, described hellish conditions in Gaza with no water, food or shelter.
“We open our eyes on dead people and we close our eyes on dead people,” he said.
Hospitals, including Gaza’s only cancer hospital, have struggled as shortages of fuel forced them to shut down. Israel has refused to let humanitarian convoys bring in fuel, citing concern that Hamas fighters would divert it for military use.
Ashraf Al-Qudra, a spokesperson for the Gaza health ministry, said the main power generator at the Indonesian Hospital was no longer functioning due to lack of fuel.
The hospital was switching to a back-up generator but would no longer be able to power mortuary refrigerators and oxygen generators. “If we don’t get fuel in the next few days, we will inevitably reach a disaster,” he said.
U.S. DIPLOMAT DEPARTS FOR ISRAEL, AGAIN
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to depart on Thursday for his second visit to Israel in less than a month. He plans to meet Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to voice solidarity but also to reassert the need to minimize Palestinian civilian casualties, his spokesperson said.
Blinken will also stop in Jordan, one of a handful of Arab states to have normalised relations with Israel. On Wednesday Jordan withdrew its ambassador from Tel Aviv until Israel ends its assault on Gaza. Israel said it regretted Jordan’s decision.
In Jordan, Blinken will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives and reiterate a U.S. commitment to ensure Palestinians are not forcibly displaced from Gaza, a growing concern in Arab nations, the spokesman said.
Blinken will also pursue talks led by Egypt and Qatar on securing the release of all of the hostages held by Hamas.
Also on Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives could pass with Republican support a bill providing $14.3 bn in aid for Israel.
But it is unlikely to become law, as it faces stiff opposition in the Democratic-controlled Senate and the White House has threatened a veto. President Joe Biden wants a $106-bn bill that would fund Ukraine, border security and humanitarian aid as well as money for Israel.
(Source: Reuters)
01 Nov 23. Israel strikes crowded Gaza camp; says Hamas commander killed.
• Summary
• LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
• Three Palestinians killed in West Bank
• Israel says 11 soldiers killed in Gaza on Tuesday
• Internet services cut off in Gaza
• Progress made to secure passage of American citizens and other foreign nationals who want to leave Gaza, US says
Israel said its fighter jets killed a Hamas commander in a strike on a densely populated refugee camp in Gaza, an attack that also killed at least 50 Palestinians as fighting intensified in the enclave where food, fuel and supplies are running scarce.
The Israeli military said 11 soldiers were also killed in fighting in Gaza on Tuesday, the biggest one-day loss for the armed forces since Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 300 soldiers and some 1,100 civilians.
Israel’s Army Radio said most of the dead were infantrymen whose vehicle was struck by an anti-armor missile. Shelling and air strikes continued over Gaza overnight, witnesses said.
Israel sent its forces into Gaza following weeks of air bombardments in retaliation for the attack by Iran-backed Hamas, and an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statement said the airstrikes on Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp, had killed Ibrahim Biari, a Hamas commander it said was “pivotal” in the planning and execution of the assault.
Dozens of Hamas combatants were in the same underground tunnel complex as Biari and were also killed when it collapsed in the attack, an IDF spokesperson said. The IDF was looking into non-combatant casualties, he added.
“I will do anything to destroy Hamas entirely. I am committed to that. That is the war (for) the future of Israel – nothing less,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told reporters on Wednesday. “Hamas terrorists have two options – either be killed or surrender without conditions.”
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem denied any senior commander was in the camp, and called the claim an Israeli pretext for killing civilians. Palestinian health officials said at least 50 Palestinians were killed and 150 wounded.
A Hamas statement said there were 400 dead and injured in Jabalia, which houses families of refugees from wars with Israel dating back to 1948.
The blast left large craters surrounded by wrecked buildings. Israel repeatedly warned Gaza residents to evacuate northern areas and while many have gone south, many have stayed.
Israel besieged Gaza after the Hamas attack, and the U.N. and other aid officials said civilians in the enclave were living in a public health catastrophe, with hospitals struggling to treat casualties as electricity supplies petered out.
On Wednesday, communications and internet services were completely cut off in the enclave again, Gaza’s largest telecommunications provider Paltel said.
In the West Bank, at least three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military operation, the director of the Red Crescent , Mahmoud Al-Saadi, said.
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS ENGULFS GAZA
In Washington, a group of anti-war protesters raised red-stained hands to interrupt a hearing in Congress on providing more aid to Israel. They shouted slogans including, “Ceasefire now!” “Protect the children of Gaza!” and “Stop funding genocide.” Capitol police removed them from the room.
Power generators in Al Shifa Medical complex and the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza will run out of fuel in a few hours, Ashraf Al-Qidra, spokesperson for the health ministry in Gaza said. He called on petrol stations owners in the enclave to urgently feed the two hospitals with fuel if possible.
After the attack on Jabalia, dozens of bodies lay shrouded in white, lined up against the side of the Indonesian Hospital, footage obtained by Reuters showed.
Hamas has told mediators it will soon release some of the 200 or so foreign captives it had taken during the attack on Israel, Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson of the group’s armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, said in a video on the Telegram app on Tuesday. He gave no further details on the number of captives or their nationalities.
Meanwhile, Israeli families of victims of the Oct. 7 attack appealed to the International Criminal Court on Tuesday to order an investigation into the killings and abductions. Israel is not a member of the Hague-based court and refuses to recognise its jurisdiction.
“PROGRESS” ON SAFE PASSAGE FOR FOREIGNERS
The United States has made “real progress” in the last few hours in negotiations to secure a safe passage for Americans and other foreign nationals who wish to leave Gaza, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel on Friday for meetings with members of the government and then make other stops in the region, the department said.
On Tuesday, Blinken said the United States and other countries were looking at “a variety of possible permutations” for the future of Gaza if Hamas militants are removed from control.
Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas after several inconclusive wars dating back to the militant group’s 2007 takeover of Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed international calls for a “humanitarian pause” in fighting to enable emergency aid deliveries to civilians.
The U.S., Qatar and Egypt have been working to open the Rafah crossing into Egypt. The Palestinian border authority has said that Egypt would allow 81 Gazans who were severely wounded in the weeks of bombardment to enter on Wednesday. (Source: Reuters)
30 Oct 23. Jordan asks US to deploy Patriot air defense systems. Jordan has asked the United States to deploy Patriot air defense systems on its soil, according to Jordanian Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hiyari.
“This system is an expensive system, and there’s no way to provide it with local resources,” he told state media Oct. 29. “We need a strategic partner.”
“There are potential ballistic missile threats against Jordan,” he added, without specifying them.
Jordan does not host American bases, Hiyari said, but the U.S. does have a presence in the country to train Jordanian forces and provide upgrades and maintenance to equipment. In January 2021, the countries signed a defense cooperation agreement, which gives the U.S. “unimpeded access” to certain Jordanian facilities.
Also on Sunday, the General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces dismissed allegations that U.S. aircraft were using local air bases to supply Israel with equipment and ammunition for use in the Israel-Hamas war.
The military alleged the aim of such allegations is to undermine Jordan’s steadfast support of Palestine and to tarnish the reputation of its armed forces. It said Jordanian field hospitals are attending to the casualties from attacks on in the Gaza Strip and the Royal Jordanian Air Force remains committed to delivering humanitarian and relief aid to Palestinians.
The Jordanian government called for an end to violence in Gaza and warned of dangerous repercussions. It has also condemned Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people and emphasized Jordan’s role in protecting the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. (Source: Defense News)
30 Oct 23. DOD Continues Efforts to Support Israel, Limit Spread of War.
The Defense Department remains focused on getting Israel the military capabilities it needs as it continues its battles against the Hamas terror group, said a senior defense official speaking on background.
DOD is also working with other government agencies, allies and partners to ensure the war with Hamas doesn’t spill over into the greater Middle East, the official said.
It has been a bit over three weeks since Hamas invaded Israel and killed more than 1,400 people and kidnapped 239 civilians, according to Israeli statistics. U.S. officials are working closely with Israeli leaders and with partners in the region to restore security in the region and work with all relevant groups to secure the release of the hostages, the official said.
The U.S. government is also working “with all relevant stakeholders” for the safe evacuation of American citizens from Gaza, she said.
Finally, the U.S. military is taking decisive self-defense military actions to defend U.S. forces that have been attacked by Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Syria. “From Oct. 17 to Oct. 30, U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked at least 14 separate times in Iraq, and nine separate times in Syria, through a mix of one-way attack drones and rockets, for a total of 23 attacks to date,” the senior official said. “Many of these attacks were successfully disrupted by our military. Most failed to reach their targets, thanks to our robust defenses.”
More resources are flowing into the U.S. Central Command area of operations to include defenses against drones and rockets, the official said. The command is “in the process of assessing the location and where those air defenses should go, based on requirements and the threat environment,” she said.
That Iran is involved in this whole conflict is no surprise, the official said, and the United States is concerned. The United States will continue its focus “on preventing regional escalation and a widening of this conflict,” she said. “We know that Iran cultivates a threat network that touches … the maritime space, the airspace and the land space.”
Iran supplies its proxies with drones and with training and weapons, they use to attack U.S. forces. Iran itself uses fast boats to harass shipping in the vital Persian Gulf.
The United States has increased its force posture in U.S. Central Command, but it also can rely upon allies and partners across the region. The United States has worked for years to build networked air and sea defenses in the region. “All of that is at play now,” the official said. “And it is fortunate that we have a platform of years of working together in order to deter and counter Iranian aggression.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
31 Oct 23. Israel engages Hamas militants inside Gaza’s tunnels.
Summary
• Israel says it attacked Hamas militants inside tunnels
• Militants strike Israeli military positions in Gaza’s north and south, Hamas says
• Netanyahu says a halt to fighting “will not happen”
• U.N. says all Israeli water supplies to Gaza cut off
Israel said on Tuesday its forces attacked Hamas gunmen inside the Islamists’ vast tunnel network beneath Gaza, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed calls for a halt to fighting to ease the Palestinian enclave’s humanitarian crisis.
The tunnels are a key objective for Israel as it expands ground operations inside Gaza to wipe out the ruling Hamas movement following its gun rampage three weeks ago that Israeli authorities say killed over 1,400 people.
“Over the last day, combined IDF combat forces struck approximately 300 targets, including anti-tank missile and rocket launch posts below shafts, as well as military compounds inside underground tunnels belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization,” the Israel Defernce Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
Militants responded with anti-tank missiles and machine gun fire, it added.
“The soldiers killed terrorists and directed air forces to real-time strikes on targets and terror infrastructure,” the IDF said.
Witnesses said Israeli forces targeted Gaza’s main north-south road on Monday and attacked Gaza City from two directions. Israel said its troops freed a soldier from Hamas captivity.
Hamas, an armed Islamist group that governs Gaza, has so far released four civilians from the 239 hostages Israel says were captured on Oct. 7. Many of the hostages are believed to held in the Hamas tunnel network.
The al-Qassam brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, said militants clashed early on Tuesday with Israeli forces “invading the southern Gaza axis, (including) with machine guns, and targeted four vehicles with al-Yassin 105 missiles,” referring to locally produced anti-tank missiles.
The militants also targeted two Israeli tanks and bulldozers in northwest Gaza with the missiles, al-Qassam said.
Reuters was not able to confirm the reports of fighting. Israel’s military had no immediate comment.
Gaza health authorities say that 8,306 people, including 3,457 minors, have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7. U.N. officials say more than 1.4m of Gaza’s civilian population of about 2.3 m have been made homeless.
The mounting death toll has drawn calls from the U.S., Israel’s top ally, other countries and the U.N. for a pause in fighting to allow more humanitarian aid to reach the enclave.
Netanyahu said late on Monday that Israel would not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas in Gaza and would press ahead with its plans to wipe out the group.
“Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to surrender to barbarism. That will not happen,” Netanyahu said in televised remarks.
Military specialists said Israeli forces are moving slowly in their ground offensive in part to keep open the possibility that Hamas militants will negotiate the release of the hostages.
The relative caution with which Israeli troops have taken and secured slices of territory in the first days of sustained ground operations in Gaza stands in contrast to the past three weeks of unrelenting air strikes on the Mediterranean enclave, as well as to Israel’s previous land offensives there.
‘DISASTER ON TOP OF A DISASTER’
Israel’s military said it struck more than 600 militant targets in recent days in Gaza, where Palestinian civilians are in dire need of fuel, food and clean water.
The U.N. humanitarian office (OCHA) said that water supply through a pipeline from Israel to southern Gaza was cut off on Monday “for unknown reasons”, and that an announced repair of another pipeline to central Gaza did not take place.
“At the time of writing, no water is provided to Gaza from Israel,” OCHA said on its website.
Significantly fewer humanitarian aid trucks have reached the besieged enclave than are required, U.N. officials said, and civil order has broken down with people storming U.N. warehouses in search of food.
That has put four U.N. aid distribution centres and a storage facility out of action, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday.
“It’s a disaster on top of a disaster. Health needs are soaring and our ability to meet those needs is rapidly declining,” World Health Organization regional emergencies chief Rick Brennan said, reiterating international calls for a ceasefire to enable a larger humanitarian operation.
Aid trucks have been trickling into Gaza from Egypt over the past week via Rafah, the main crossing that does not border Israel. It has become the main point of aid delivery since Israel imposed a “total siege” of Gaza after Oct. 7.
The White House said it was working to get more aid trucks into Gaza.
HOSTAGES
Hamas released a video on Monday that showed three hostages seized by the Islamist movement on Oct. 7.
The women – identified by Netanyahu as Yelena Trupanob, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirsht – sat side by side against a bare wall, and Aloni addressed an angry message to the prime minister.
Netanyahu condemned the video as “cruel psychological propaganda” and said Israel’s ground campaign created possibilities for rescuing the hostages.
The conflict has led to demonstrations worldwide in support of the Palestinians, and antisemitic and Islamophobic harassment.
Biden administration officials, voicing alarm at reports of anti-Jewish incidents at U.S. universities, met American Jewish leaders on Monday to discuss steps to counter the surge, a White House official said.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin accused the West and Ukraine of stirring up unrest inside Russia after rioters in the predominantly Muslim Dagestan region stormed an airport to “catch” Jewish passengers on a flight from Tel Aviv. (Source: Reuters)
————————————————————————-
Founded in 1987, Exensor Technology is a world leading supplier of Networked Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) Systems providing tailored sensor solutions to customers all over the world. From our Headquarters in Lund Sweden, our centre of expertise in Network Communications at Communications Research Lab in Kalmar Sweden and our Production site outside of Basingstoke UK, we design, develop and produce latest state of the art rugged UGS solutions at the highest quality to meet the most stringent demands of our customers. Our systems are in operation and used in a wide number of Military as well as Home land Security applications worldwide. The modular nature of the system ensures any external sensor can be integrated, providing the user with a fully meshed “silent” network capable of self-healing. Exensor Technology will continue to lead the field in UGS technology, provide our customers with excellent customer service and a bespoke package able to meet every need. A CNIM Group Company
————————————————————————-