CrossFireArabia
Breaking | The European Union states that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the future Palestinian state. This came after US President Trump stated on Tuesday that the United States would take over the Gaza Strip after expelling Palestinians to other countries.
CrossFireArabia
Hamas congratulated Cardinal Robert Prevost on Thursday for being elected the new pope, urging him to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who was a strong advocate for the Palestinian cause and condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, was elected as the new pope by the Cardinals in a two-day conclave and will be the first American pontiff in history.
Hamas said in a statement it “extends its sincere congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election as Head of the Catholic Church.”
“We wish him success in fulfilling his spiritual and humanitarian mission at a time when the world faces profound crises and tragedies—chief among them, the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”
“We highly value the principled and courageous humanitarian positions taken by the late Pope Francis, including his repeated expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people and his firm stance against the occupation and its repressive policies.”
“We look forward to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV continuing this ethical and moral path—standing with the oppressed, advocating for justice, and engaging actively within international forums to help end the crime of genocide and ethnic cleansing being perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against children, women, and unarmed civilians in Gaza.”
“We also call for action to halt the ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites throughout Palestine, and reaffirm the importance of upholding human dignity and religious sanctity everywhere.”
Pope Francis was a staunch advocate for Palestinians and kept in regular contact with Catholics in Gaza amid Israel’s assault. That included daily calls with the priest at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, the only Catholic church in the Palestinian enclave.
Upon his death, Francis also donated his so-called “popemobile” to Gaza to serve as a mobile children’s clinic.
Pope Leo XIV has not said much publicly about Gaza, making it unclear if he will emulate his predecessor according to the Quds News Network.
CrossFireArabia
Israel dropped 100,000 tons of explosives on the Gaza Strip since launching its genocide 19 months ago, killing or leaving missing over 62,000 Palestinians and committing more than 12,000 massacres, the Gaza government media office stated on Thursday.
The statement detailed key statistics of the war that began Oct. 7, 2023. It stated that Israel’s bombardment led to over 62,000 Palestinian deaths or disappearances, including more than 10,000 still trapped under rubble with unknown fates, the office said.
Israel carried out over 12,000 massacres, including 11,926 against Palestinian household members, completely erasing 2,200 families and 6,350 people from civil registries.
The campaign also targeted cemeteries, with Israeli forces stealing 2,300 bodies from Gaza graves and establishing seven mass graves inside hospitals, 529 of whom have been recovered so far.
Regarding the health crisis, the office reported over 2.1 million cases of infectious diseases caused by forced displacement and the collapse of Gaza’s health infrastructure, including 71,338 cases of hepatitis.
The destruction extended to religious and humanitarian infrastructure, with Israeli forces demolishing 828 mosques completely and 167 partially, targeting three churches, and destroying 19 of 60 cemeteries either fully or partially.
As part of a starvation policy, Israel struck 66 relief facilities, including 29 food charity kitchens and 37 aid centers, while blocking 37,400 aid and fuel trucks since fully closing border crossings over two months ago according to Anadolu.
The Israeli army has launched a brutal military onslaught on Gaza, killing nearly 52,800 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
