Israel’s one-month-long bombardment of Gaza prompts calls for a ceasefire, while displacement, economic losses, and diplomatic developments continue to shape the complex landscape in the region.
Israel-Hamas war Recent Developments:
- Tuesday marks one month since the commencement of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, prompting calls for a ceasefire as the death toll in Gaza surpasses 10,000. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports over 2,660 people missing. The Israeli military action was a response to a lethal attack by the Hamas armed group on October 7, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 people in Israel.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected ceasefire appeals until more than 200 Israelis held by Hamas are released. He also indicated in an interview with ABC News that Israel will continue to manage Gaza’s security even after the conflict with Hamas ends.
- In Washington state, pro-Palestinian protectors gathered at the Port of Tacoma to obstruct a military supply vessel they believed was carrying weapons destined for Israel.
Human Impact and Fighting:
- Ongoing bombing and shelling have displaced approximately 70 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, according to Gaza’s media office. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that 5,000 people relocated from north Gaza to the south in one day due to Israel’s division of the enclave into two parts.
- Job losses in Gaza and the occupied West Bank are resulting in daily economic losses of $16 million for Palestinians, as reported by the International Labour Organization.
- Recent Israeli airstrikes targeted Rafah in the south and hospital areas in Gaza City, resulting in numerous casualties.
- The United States deployed a guided missile submarine to the Middle East on Sunday. It’s important to note that this submarine is not capable of firing nuclear weapons, according to a US defense official. In response to Israeli attacks on Gaza, the Hamas armed wing claimed responsibility for firing 16 rockets at Israel from southern Lebanon.
Diplomacy:
- South Africa and Chad have joined the list of countries recalling their ambassadors from Israel, as announced by South Africa’s minister in the president’s office and Chad’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- European Union President Ursula von der Leyen declared an increase in aid to Gaza by $27 million (€25 million).
- Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that the country will not recognize unilateral sanctions on supporters of Hamas and other Palestinian groups. He warned that the imposition of such sanctions by the United States may influence Malaysia’s assessment of the US government, companies, and investments.
- The UN Security Council convened a closed-door meeting regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict. Representatives of the United Arab Emirates and China issued a joint statement, urging an “urgent humanitarian ceasefire” following the meeting, which both member states had requested.
Arrests and Attacks in the Occupied West Bank:
- Israeli forces arrested Ahed Tamimi, a prominent 22-year-old Palestinian activist, during a raid on Monday, on charges of “inciting terrorism.” She was apprehended in the village of Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
- Over the past 24 hours, nine Palestinians have lost their lives in the occupied West Bank, including two individuals who died while in Israeli custody. The circumstances surrounding the deaths of the detainees remain unclear.
- Confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinians have been reported in Tulkarm, the West Bank, from Monday through Tuesday morning. According to the Palestinian WAFA news agency, at least five Palestinians have sustained injuries during the clashes.
