Topline
Israeli forces continued their aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, in retaliation against Hamas’ deadly attack on the country, and signaled a potential ground offensive into the Palestinian territory, after a strong show of political and military support from Washington.
A man looks at the destruction in the Gaza Strip’s Jabalia refugee camp, following overnight Israeli … [+]
Key Facts
The Israel Defense Force received its first batch of American weapons which will help “facilitate significant military operations” at an air base in southern Israel on Tuesday night, the Associated Press reported.
The weapons delivery follows the arrival of a U.S. Navy carrier strike group in the region which U.S. officials say is intended to dissuade any “actor hostile to Israel” to take advantage of the ongoing crisis.
President Joe Biden has also promised he would ask Congress to take “urgent action” to fund additional security measures.
As Israel presses forward with its aerial bombing campaign in Gaza, minor clashes have also been reported along its border with Syria and Lebanon—raising fears of a wider conflict.
Officials in Gaza and global bodies like the World Food Program have warned of a dire situation in the Palestinian territory as it runs out of critical supplies—prompting calls for a humanitarian corridor to allow for the safe passage of aid to the blockaded strip.
Big Number
175,500. That is at least how many people have been internally displaced in Gaza and seeking refuge at the facility operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. In total, around 2.3 million people reside in the Gaza Strip. According to the New York Times, refugees have been forced to huddle in schools run by the UN body as the ongoing airstrikes by Israel have targeted usual safe havens such as hospitals, schools and mosques. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington was discussing the issue of safe passages for civilians in Gaza with officials in Israel and Egypt.
Contra
Washington’s decision to send a carrier strike group to the region has come under criticism from Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said it would only enable “serious massacres” in the Palestinian territory.
Key Background
On Saturday, hundreds of Hamas militant fighters entered Israel and began killing civilians and Israeli security forces while rockets were fired into the country from the Gaza Strip. The sudden attack and the massacre that followed are the deadliest Israel has witnessed since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. On Tuesday, Israel said it had regained control of its borders and had found the bodies of 1,500 Hamas militants inside the country. Since then, the Israeli Air Force has retaliated against the violence with a relentless bombing campaign targeting the Gaza Strip. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant signaled the airstrikes may be a precursor to a full-fledged ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in an effort to force out Hamas from the territory.
Further Reading
Biden: Americans Are Among Hamas Hostages (Forbes)
Americans Taken Hostage In Hamas Attack On Israel—As Death Toll Passes 1,000 (Forbes)
Hamas Threatens To Execute Israeli Civilian Hostages For Attacks On Gaza ‘Without Prior Warning’ (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/10/11/more-than-2100-dead-in-israel-hamas-conflict-as-first-batch-of-american-military-aid-arrives/