New Delhi, Oct 30: Heavy clashes have erupted as Israeli tanks make their way to the outskirts of Gaza City. According to multiple media reports and news agencies, Israeli forces have advanced to Salah al-Din Street, which is situated approximately 3 to 5 kilometers from the Gaza fence. Witnesses, speaking to AFP news agency, have noted that the tanks have now reached the periphery of Gaza City, effectively severing a crucial road connecting the northern and southern regions of this strife-torn Palestinian territory.
Simultaneously, Israeli air raids and explosions continue to rock various parts of the Gaza Strip without respite. Observers from a distance have witnessed plumes of dark smoke billowing into the sky from different locations, underscoring the intensity of the ongoing hostilities.
Worryingly, fears of a potential strike on Gaza’s Al-Quds Hospital are mounting, as Israel has issued an “immediate” evacuation order for the facility, even as bombardment persists.
The Palestinian Red Crescent has reported that Israeli air strikes persist in the vicinity of Gaza City’s Al-Quds Hospital, despite an evacuation directive issued by Israel for medical personnel. However, doctors and staff on the ground have emphasized the logistical impossibility of relocating the hundreds of patients currently receiving treatment at the facility. On Sunday, the area surrounding the hospital was struck by Israeli air raids, as confirmed by local residents.
This situation has left hundreds of patients stranded in hospitals located in the northern areas of Gaza, rendering them physically unable to relocate to safer zones. The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in the territory, UNRWA, echoed the concerns voiced by medical professionals and charitable organizations. UNRAW emphasized the sheer impossibility of transferring patients from hospitals like Al-Quds in the northern part of Gaza.
Not only patients but also many other individuals in the northern region are immobilized due to a lack of transportation and means and continuous shelling and ground assault.
Hundreds of residents are grappling with a shortage of food, water and medicines often subsisting on meagre donated rations, such as pieces of bread, and occasionally receiving canned food when possible. The dire circumstances in Gaza continue to raise alarm as the conflict persists.
Media reports another hospital in Gaza City, Al Shifa, is facing a dire situation described as “catastrophic” by its head of surgery. Approximately 50,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) have sought refuge in and around the hospital. Compounding the crisis, hospitals in the region are grappling with shortages of essential supplies, ranging from anaesthetics and painkillers to antibiotics, further exacerbating the challenges they face.
Israel’s military has claimed that Hamas’s primary operational base is located beneath Al Shifa, a statement vehemently rejected by hospital authorities. Some doctors working at Al Shifa have called for enhanced protection of the facility. Over the weekend, the Associated Press reported that Israeli warplanes conducted overnight airstrikes in the vicinity of the hospital, according to accounts from Gaza City residents. This situation underscores the continued volatility and concerns in the region
Airport Riot in Russia leads to 60 Arrests, Injures Nine Police persons
Reports from various Russian news agencies have confirmed the arrest of 60 individuals in the aftermath of a riot at Makhachkala Airport where slogan-shouting protestors stormed into the airport. Local law enforcement has disclosed that nine police persons sustained injuries during the violent incident. Furthermore, authorities have identified a total of 150 protesters linked to the disturbance. Israel calls on Russia to protect citizens and Jews.
Hezbollah Claims Responsibility for Downed Israel Drone
Iran-supported Hezbollah, an armed group based in southern Lebanon, has announced its responsibility for shooting down an Israeli drone, local media report. This marks the first time the group has made such a claim in recent fighting. The incident occurred on Sunday in the vicinity of Khiam, approximately five kilometres from the Israel-Lebanon border, with the drone observed falling into Israeli territory.
According to Hezbollah, the organization has suffered the loss of 46 fighters since the October 7 attack, with an additional 43 injured. The group has engaged in 84 attacks at 42 different locations along the border during daily clashes with Israeli troops. In response, Israel reports the death of at least seven of its soldiers in the ongoing conflict.
Israel says it killed dozens of Hamas operatives, hit 600 targets overnight
Israel has reported that it conducted operations resulting in the deaths of dozens of Hamas operatives overnight. After another night of heavy bombardment, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said this morning it had hit 600 targets in the past 24 hours, up from 450 the day before.
“During clashes with terrorists in the Gaza Strip, IDF troops killed dozens of terrorists who barricaded themselves in buildings and tunnels, and attempted to attack the troops,” the Israel Defence Forces said. It added that overnight a fighter jet struck a Hamas military post used to launch anti-tank missiles near Al-Azhar University in northern Gaza.
Over 30 aid trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, marking the largest humanitarian aid convoy in over a week. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that 33 trucks transported essential supplies, including water, food, and medical resources, through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
However, OCHA emphasized that a more significant and regular influx of aid is urgently required to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, including civil unrest. They highlighted the critical need for fuel to power medical equipment and water and sanitation facilities. Before this recent convoy, around 500 trucks carrying various supplies were allowed into the territory daily. It is reported that Israel has committed to permitting 100 aid trucks into Gaza each day, meeting the minimum requirements to address basic needs, according to the UN.
The UN Security Council is set to convene an emergency meeting to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. This development comes in the wake of Israel’s expansion of its ground operation in the Palestinian territory over the past weekend.
The meeting, which was requested by the United Arab Emirates, will feature an update from UNRWA, the United Nations agency responsible for providing aid to Palestinians.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed regret on Saturday regarding Israel’s decision to intensify military operations, rather than implement a critically needed humanitarian pause, which has garnered support from the international community.
The Security Council has faced challenges in securing a ceasefire resolution, with Russia or the US wielding their veto power in four previous attempts. According to the UN, there is subjective evidence suggesting that airstrikes in the northern Gaza region are systematically destroying residential areas. At least 8,005 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in Israeli strikes since October 7. More than 1,400 people were killed in Israel by Hamas.