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Israel is dropping white phosphorus bombs on Gaza: what we know about Day Five

AFP

•
Oct 11

Use of white phosphorus

The official channel of Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates have posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the Israeli military attacked the Al-Karama neighbourhood in Gaza with white phosphorus bombs.

White phosphorus bombs burn up oxygen and suffocate people in the area. Moreover, white phosphorus causes burns and can spread fire over an area of hundreds of square yards.

Power supply to deplete

Authorities have claimed that the electricity supply in Gaza can shut down “within hours” as “it is running out of fuel”.

Palestinian enclave houses more than two million people. Hospitals and shelters are currently operating without electric power.

Additionally, an ambulance in Gaza was attacked, killing two. The health ministry has accused Israel of “deliberately targeting” medical workers.

Attacks on Gaza

Hamas has stated that in the span of one night, at least 30 people have been killed and hundreds wounded after Israel launched hundreds of air raids.

According to Salama Marouf, who spoke with AFP news agency, dozens of residential buildings, factories, mosques and shops were hit.

On the contrary, the Israeli military has claimed to have hit several Hamas targets at night.

Displaced, wounded, dead

According to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, more than 260,000 people have forcibly fled their homes following the Israeli attacks.

“Over 263,934 people in Gaza are believed to have fled their homes,” and “this number is expected to rise further”.

Whereas the Palestinian health minister has reported that the death toll has reached 950 with more than 5,000 wounded.

Moreover, at least 260 children have also been killed due to attacks on Gaza.

As per the Palestinian foreign ministry, since Saturday, Israeli air strikes have destroyed more than 22,600 residential units and 10 health facilities and damaged 48 schools.

Israel refuses food, medical supply

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) requested the delivery of food and medical supplies into Gaza “but Israel refused”.

“We call on international humanitarian institutions and the international community to intervene urgently to stop the aggression and allow the entry of relief materials and restore electricity and water, because the Gaza Strip is facing a major humanitarian catastrophe,” PLO official Hussein al-Sheikh said on X.

Israeli death toll rises to 1,200

An Israeli military spokesperson has confirmed that the Israeli death toll has now risen to 1,200, with more than 2,700 injured.
Biden’s speech in support of Israel

The US president Joe Biden gave a speech on Tuesday, condemning the attacks by Hamas and deeming them as “sheer evil”.

“Let there be no doubt: The United States has Israel’s back. We’ll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend itself — today, tomorrow, as we always have. It’s as simple as that,”

He noted that 14 US citizens are also among those who died in Israel while others have been taken captives.

Biden has committed to giving more military assistance to Israel, adding that the US has altered its military disposition in the region to warn anyone “seeking to take advantage” of the conflict.

Biden said that he spoke with Neyhanyatu, “We also discussed how democracies like Israel and the United States are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law,” Biden added.

What’s next?

Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israeli military has announced that hundreds of thousands of troops are assembling near the Gaza Strip for the war with Hamas.

In a video posted on X, he stated that Israel has sent infantry, armoured soldiers, artillery corps and soldiers — 300,000 in total.

“And that is to make sure that Hamas, at this end of this war, won’t have any military capabilities by which they can threaten or kill Israeli civilians,” he said.

Courtesy: Al-Jazeera

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