Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: PM Benjamin Netanyahu Visits Israeli Soldiers Near Gaza Border
Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: Follow this space for all the live and latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war.
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Background
Israel-Hamas War HIGHLIGHTS: The escalation between Israel and Hamas entered its seventh day on Friday with attacks and counter-attacks from both the sides. On the sixth day, the Israeli military said more than 1,300 people, including 222 soldiers, were killed in Israel, a staggering toll unseen since the 1973 war with Egypt and Syria that lasted weeks. In Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, at least 1,417 people, including women and children, have been killed, according to authorities there.
On Thursday, Israel's Energy Minister has warned that no humanitarian aid or any essential resources will be allowed into Gaza until Hamas releases all hostages, Al Jazeera reported.
"Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electric switch will be turned on, no water tap will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli abductees are returned home," Energy Minister Israel Katz said. Hamas has reportedly taken around 150 Israelis, foreigners, and Israeli dual nationals, as hostages back to Gaza during Saturday's surprise attack.
Israel has retaliated to the surprise attack by declaring war to destroy Hamas' capability, relentlessly pounding the densely populated and impoverished Gaza Strip. Thousands of people on both sides have died -- most of them civilians. British-based relatives of Israelis believed taken hostage made emotional pleas on Thursday for their safe release.
The family members displayed posters in London of some of those missing alongside the words: "Bring them home." One of the photos was of a six-month-old baby, another of a three-year-old boy. "They need to be back home now," said Noam Sagi, who says his mother Ada Sagi was Kidnapped from her home when the group rushed to the Nir Oz kibbutz near the Gaza border, reported AFP.
Operation Ajay
On Wednesday, Jaishankar announced the launch of Operation Ajay to to facilitate the return of those Indians who wish to come back home.
"Launching #OperationAjay to facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return. Special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place," Jaishankar wrote. "Fully committed to the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad," the external affairs minister said.
Ben Gurion International Airport is the main international airport of Israel. It is situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Lod. While Israel's retaliatory offensive on Gaza continued unabated, there has been a total lull in rocket attacks coming from Gaza. The first charter flight to facilitate the return of Indian citizens wishing to return from Israel left Thursday evening from the Ben Gurion airport carrying 211 adults and an infant living in the war-battered region.
The passengers were chosen on a "first come first serve" basis after a drive launched by the Indian embassy for all Indians to register at the mission's database. The government is bearing the cost of their return. The flight, which took off at 22:14 local time, was arranged to facilitate the return of those who were unable to do so because Air India had immediately suspended its flight on the day fighting began on October 7, and its commercial operation remains suspended till now.
Hezbollah 'Will Cause A Huge Earthquake': Iran Foreign Minister Warns Israel Over Attacks In Gaza
Iran's foreign minister called on Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza on Saturday, saying that if Hezbollah enters the fight, the conflict might spread to other regions of the Middle East, causing Israel to face "a huge earthquake," news agency Associated Press reported. Hossein Amirabdollahian told reporters in Beirut that Lebanon's Hezbollah organisation has considered all conflict scenarios and that Israel should cease attacking Gaza as soon as possible.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu Visits Israeli Soldiers Near Gaza Border
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted a video and photographs from his visit to the front lines near the Gaza border, where he spoke with Israeli soldiers.
עם הלוחמים שלנו בעוטף עזה, בקו החזית. כולנו מוכנים.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 14, 2023
(צילום: אבי אוחיון, לע״מ) pic.twitter.com/TiGzHcWhPK
Third Flight Of Operation Vijay Departed From Tel Aviv To Delhi, Says Indian Embassy
The third flight of Operation Ajay has departed from Tel Aviv to Delhi: Embassy of India in Israel
— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2023
(Pics: Embassy of India in Israel) pic.twitter.com/doKTUAew1o
US State Secretary Blinken Arrives In UAE As Part Of Multinational Diplomatic Trip
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in the UAE, his fifth destination on an extensive global journey aimed at preventing the Israeli conflict from spreading further CNN reported.
The top US diplomat began his day in Saudi Arabia, where he met with the Saudi foreign minister and discussed civilian protection and conflict resolution. In Abu Dhabi, he will meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Blinken visited Jordan, Qatar, and Bahrain before landing in Riyadh on Friday. He was in Israel on Thursday and will be in Egypt on Sunday before returning to the United States.
Israel's Six-Hour Directive Ordering Palestinians To Evacuate Gaza City Ends
A six-hour window issued by the Israeli military ordering Palestinian civilians to finish evacuating from Gaza City to the southern part of the strip ended.
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