The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza has led to a breakdown in negotiations, with the Israeli army requesting the evacuation of eastern neighborhoods of Rafah in anticipation of a ground offensive. Overnight, 16 people were killed in an airstrike on the city, where hundreds of thousands of refugees from the northern part of the Palestinian enclave are gathered. Today, US, Egypt, and Qatar are holding an emergency meeting in Doha to address the conflict, which began with a Hamas attack on October 7 and is now entering its eighth month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement of the attack on Rafah has further complicated the situation, leading to Hamas rejecting the latest truce proposals. The US has expressed its dissatisfaction with the Israeli government’s actions, with reports indicating that American arms supplies to Israel have been interrupted for the first time. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has called for a new approach to fighting Hamas and addressing the civilian casualties in Gaza.
The situation is dire in Gaza, with reports of famine spreading southward prompting calls for urgent humanitarian aid. The Israeli army continues to target the center of Gaza while Lebanon’s Hezbollah group has fired rockets at an Israeli base in the Golan Heights. Despite efforts by Israel to evacuate residents from eastern Rafah to a designated humanitarian area, casualties continue to mount, with 16 people killed in an airstrike affecting two families in the area.
The conflict shows no signs of abating as international efforts to broker a ceasefire face challenges from both sides. Meanwhile, official ceremonies are taking place at Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem on this day as Israel marks two-minute siren across Israel for those affected by Holocaust victims.
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