CrossFireArabia
The Ministry of Health in Gaza says 10,000 cancer patients in the enclave are facing life-threatening risks as the healthcare system collapses as a result of the ongoing Israeli onslaught that began soon after 7 October 2023.
Presently, the Israeli war that have engulfed the whole of the Gaza Strip resulted in the killings of over 40,000 Palestinian civilians and injury of more than 92,000 people.
CrossFireArabia
The first suicide bomb exploded in Tel Aviv, Sunday night causing mass damage as revealed by different media sources. This is the first suicide exoplosion in the heart of the Israeli city in 18 years according to one blogger.
Al-Qassam Brigades and Saraya al-Quds, claimed immediate responsibility for what they called a resistance operation that will continue inside Israel as long as the massacres, forced displacement of civilians and assassinations in Gaza persist by the Israeli army.
“The Al-Qassam Brigades, in coordination with Saraya al-Quds, announce the execution of the resistance operation that took place last night, Sunday, in the city of Tel Aviv. The brigades affirm the resistance operations within the occupied territories [meaning Israel] will resurface as long as the massacres committed by the Israeli occupation, the displacement of civilians, and the policy of assassinations continue”, Al-Qassam announced on its official Telegram channel according to the Quds News Network.
The Israeli police confirmed that the Tel Aviv huge explosion was what they termed as a “terrorist attack” according to the Jerusalem Post.
They believe the perpetrator of the operation infiltrated the city from the Nablus area in the occupied West Bank. And thgus the security alert level in the greater Tel Aviv area has been notched up.
The Israeli police described the incident as “serious and dangerous,” with investigations by the domestic security force, Shin Bet and the police ongoing. “The Tel Aviv attack was 99% likely to be a terrorist act,” a police statement read, adding it was a “miracle” the explosion did not result in dozens of deaths.
The explosion on HaLechi Street in southern Tel Aviv, involved a powerful explosive device. The Israeli authorities urged the public to remain vigilant, report suspicious persons or objects, and exercise caution as security forces conduct extensive search operations across the city.
According to Israeli media, an Israeli was killed in the explosion, his identity remains unknown due to the severe condition of his body. Another passerby sustained moderate injuries from shrapnel caused by the blast.
Israeli Channel 13 reported have since stated that the police have officially recognized the explosion as a resistance operation.
Footage of the incident circulating on social media shows the significant damage caused by the explosion, with security forces and emergency responders on high alert in the aftermath of the attack.
CrossFireArabia
Israel is escalating its fighting in the Gaza Strip to improve its position in the Gaza ceasefire and hostage swap talks, it was stated Sunday.
“The Israeli security cabinet recently instructed the military to intensify its operations in Gaza to strengthen Israel’s position in the negotiations,” Walla reported, citing unnamed political sources.
The move coincides with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Israel, where Israeli security officials expect him to put significant pressure on Tel Aviv to reach an agreement with Hamas, according to Walla.
There has been no official Israeli statement on the matter according to the Anadolu news agency.
Ceasefire talks in the Qatari capital of Doha concluded Friday by presenting “a proposal that narrows the gaps” between Israel and Hamas that is consistent with the principles set out by US President Joe Biden on May 31.
Biden said in May that Israel presented a three-phase deal that would end hostilities in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held in the coastal enclave. The plan includes a ceasefire, a hostage-prisoner exchange and the reconstruction of Gaza.
For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’s demands to stop the war.
CrossFireArabia
Aid workers on the frontlines of the world’s conflicts are being killed in unprecedented numbers, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said as it marked World Humanitarian Day, Wednesday.
With 280 aid workers killed in 33 countries last year, 2023 marked the deadliest year on record for the global humanitarian community.
This outrageously high number represents a 137 per cent increase compared to 2022, when 118 aid workers were killed.
2024 may be on track for an even deadlier outcome. As of 7 August, 172 aid workers have been killed, according to the provisional count from the Aid Worker Security Database.
More than half of the 2023 deaths were recorded in the first three months – October to December – of the hostilities in Gaza, mostly as a result of airstrikes. Since October, more than 280 aid workers – the majority of them staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) – have been killed in Gaza alone.
Extreme levels of violence in Sudan and South Sudan have contributed to the tragic death toll, both in 2023 and in 2024.
In all these conflicts, most of the casualties are among national staff.
Many humanitarian workers also continue to be detained in Yemen.
“The normalization of violence against aid workers and the lack of accountability are unacceptable, unconscionable and enormously harmful for aid operations everywhere,” said Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Today, we reiterate our demand that people in power act to end violations against civilians and the impunity with which these heinous attacks are committed.”
On this World Humanitarian Day, aid workers and those supporting their efforts around the globe have organized events to stand in solidarity and spotlight the horrifying toll of armed conflicts, including on humanitarian staff. In addition, a joint letter from leaders of humanitarian organizations will be sent to the Member States of the UN General Assembly asking the international community to end attacks on civilians, protect all aid workers, and hold perpetrators to account.
Everyone can add their voice by joining and amplifying the digital campaign using the hashtag #ActforHumanity.
CrossFireArabia
A recent poll by the Israeli institute for national security studies has highlighted a troubling trend in Israeli public opinion regarding military accountability. The survey shows that a majority of Israelis support only disciplinary action for soldiers, who were filmed gang-raping and severely abusing a Palestinian detainee, rather than criminal prosecution according to the Quds News Network.
65% of Israelis surveyed believe that the soldiers should be addressed through internal military discipline only, rather than facing criminal charges. In contrast, only 21% advocate for criminal prosecution.
Last week, the Israeli military attorney’s office and defense lawyers agreed on the release to house arrest of the five soldiers, who were filmed while raping a Palestinian man in the notorious Sde Teiman detention camp.
The poll also sheds light on broader sentiments towards Israel’s adherence to international law and moral standards in warfare. When asked whether Israel should comply with international legal norms and ethical standards during conflict, 47% of respondents said the occupation state should not.
The survey findings show significant alignment between public, official, and military positions in the occupation state regarding Israel’s policy of impunity on the international stage. Additionally, the poll queried how Israelis would advise their children regarding military service. A substantial 30% indicated they would encourage their children to enlist in combat roles.
