The continued siege on the Gaza Strip enters its eighteenth day on 24 October, coming off one of the deadliest airstrikes on Palestinians since the start of the conflict, with Palestinian officials reporting over 400 deaths in 24 hours.
The attacks also resulted in the deaths of 23 journalists – 19 Palestinians, 3 Israelis, and 1 Lebanese – and 6 staff members from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA).
On the same day, Hamas released two hostages after negotiations with Egypt and Qatar. Reports hint that more hostages will be released in the coming days.
The UNWRA is set to run out of fuel reserves to provide relief for Gaza starting today, according to a warning issued on 22 October by UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. Israel continues to block fuel aid from entering the Gaza Strip.
Happening today
Update 7: Palestinian Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qedra announced the collapse of the Gaza health system, with 12 hospitals and 30 healthcare centers out of service, and lacking fuel.
Update 6: Video footage from Quds News Network indicates another round of Israeli air raids near Al-Wafa Hospital, placing another hospital at risk of destruction. This is not the first time the Israeli army has threatened the hospital, previously targeting it in 2014.
Update 5: Israeli airstrikes have killed an additional 704 Palestinians in the last 24 hours, announced the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, as reported by Al Jazeera. The death toll currently stands at 5,971 Palestinians and 1,405 Israelis. Injuries have also increased to 16,297 Palestinians and 5,431 Israelis.
Update 4: In a recent statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it is offering financial incentives to Gazans to reveal the locations of the hostages.
This comes after Hamas released two hostages on Monday, 23 October, following negotiations with Egypt and Qatar. The names of the hostages are Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz, an Israeli government official confirmed to CBS.
Hamas also released two American women on Friday, 20 October.
Update 3: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart on a phone call that China will extend its utmost efforts to achieve reconciliation between Palestine and Israel, and will support any peace resolution.
Wang also called for Israel to abide by international humanitarian law and protect the safety of civilians, particularly the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the Middle East.
China also calls for an international conference that is “more authoritative” to achieve long-lasting peace.
Update 2: In his visit to Tel Aviv, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that nine French people were missing since the attack by Hamas on 7 October. One has been officially confirmed to be among the 220 taken hostage by Hamas militants.
Update 1: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Tel Aviv this morning to express France’s “full solidarity” with Israel in its war on Gaza.
Macron is set to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Benny Gantz, and main opposition leader Yair Lapid.
In his one-day visit, Macron called for the release of all hostages.
According to the Elysee Palace, Macron will call for a “humanitarian truce” to allow more aid in, and for the “preservation of civilians’” lives in Gaza.
The Conflict So Far
After a surprise attack conducted on 7 October by Hamas on a number of southern Israeli towns which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,405 people and more than 220 being taken ‘hostage’ by Hamas, Israel launched a retaliatory bombing campaign against what it describes as ‘terrorist targets’ in the Gaza Strip.
So far, more than 5,971 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip — over 1,000 of them children — and 16,297 others injured. Meanwhile 91 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and 1,250 have been injured.
The priority of the Egyptian government since the beginning of the conflict has been deescalation and the securing of a path for aid to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing. Israel bombed the crossing at least four times, and three aid conveys have crossed to Gaza so far.
Most Western countries, with the United States at the forefront, have expressed unconditional support for Israel, despite the steadily rising death toll in Gaza. Meanwhile, Arab governments have called for an immediate ceasefire.
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