Israel-Palestine war: First week ends with over 2,500 Palestinians, 1,400 Israelis killed

Iran's foreign minister said that the continuation of crimes against Palestinians will receive a response from "the rest of the axis", and could open a new front against Israel.

"Some Western officials have questioned if there is an intention to open a new front against the Zionist entity" Hossein Amirabdollahian said, speaking through a translator, on television upon his arrival in Beirut.

"The continuation of war crimes against Palestine and Gaza will receive a response from the rest of the axis," Amirabdollahian said.

The Axis of Resistance refers to an alliance among Iran, Palestinian armed groups, Syria, Hezbollah and other groups.

Countless western institutions and prominent heads of state have publicly condemned the violent attacks carried out by Palestinian groups and expressed their support for Israel.

But the reactions among heads of state from elsewhere across the globe have been more varied. In Latin America, where a wave of leftist governments have been sworn into office over recent years, leaders from across the region have made their positions known.

The most vocal commentator among Latin American leaders has been Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s leftist president. Petro has long been a public defender of the Palestinian cause and criticised Israel's response to the attacks in Israel.

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Latin American solidarity with Palestine draws stark contrast to West

Human Rights Watch has warned that Israel is using white phosphorous "unlawfully" in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, citing the risk it poses to civilians.

The rights group said it had verified footage taken in both regions over the past week which showed multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the port of Gaza City, as well as two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border.

“Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,” said Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement.

“White phosphorous is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians.”

A Palestinian woman was shot dead, and her son wounded, by Israeli settlers northeast of Ramallah on Thursday evening, according to Palestinian local news.

Wafa News Agency said that 37-year-old Randa Ajaj, a resident of the town of Deir Jarir, was shot in the back, while her son was hit in the leg and shoulder.

Initially it was reported Ajaj was killed by Israeli security forces, but her family told Middle East Eye she was killed by settlers.

There were several settler attacks ongoing in several towns in the West Bank on Thursday, mainly near the city of Nablus and villages near Ramallah.

Huwwara, a target of repeated attacks by Israeli settlers in the last year, was among those attacked.

Hamas has released a statement saying it would not be releasing any of the captured Israeli prisoners as long as the bombing campaign against Gaza continues.

In a video statement released on Telegram, Hamas said that the attack on Saturday which left more than a thousand Israelis dead was a "defensive act" and claimed there "were clear instructions to avoid targeting civilians and killing them. Civilians were caught in the middle."

However, they emphasised that there would be no release of the scores of Israelis captured over the weekend, or negotiations, as long as the Gaza bombardment went on.

They added that the "decision to launch a military operation was entirely Palestinian," dismissing claims that Iran or other foreign forces were involved.

The Israeli army confirmed one soldier was killed in an anti-tank missile attack by Hezbollah launched from Lebanon on Wednesday.

Israel-Hezbollah shelling exchanges have spiked since Saturday, with Israeli attacks killing at least four Hezbollah members.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has called on Palestinians in Gaza to "remain on their land" and not flee southwards into northern Sinai.

There have been repeated calls for Egypt to allow the passage of Palestinians from the besieged enclave in the wake of the Israeli bombardment.

However, speaking at a military ceremony on Thursday, Sisi said while his government maintained a "firm position" of ensuring Palestinians' "legitimate rights", the residents of Gaza must "stay steadfast and remain on their land".

He added that Egypt was already hosting "nine million guests, as I call them, from many countries who came to Egypt for security and safety".

However, he said the influx of people from Gaza would be "different" because it would mean "the elimination of the [Palestinian] cause".

The Israeli army has renewed intense overnight shelling in overcrowded areas in Gaza, resulting in yet another "massacre" targeting civilians, according to local media. 

Initial reports say at least 25 people have been killed in the raid. Footage posted online showed destruction with people rushing to affected areas to evacuate the wounded.

"We don't like the night," a resident can be heard saying in the footage. "They bombed the place without warning.

Jordan’s foreign minister said Israel’s denial of humanitarian aid into Gaza is a breach of international law and called for a lifting of the siege.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said it was the responsibility of the international community to lift the siege and allow deliveries across border crossings, he said in comments to Jordanian state media on Thursday.

The Gaza Strip, occupied Palestinian territories and Israel fall under the jurisdiction of the court, the ICC’s top prosecutor said Thursday.

The prosecutor explained that even though Israel is not a member of the ICC, potential crimes committed by Israelis in the Gaza Strip or by Hamas in Israel, can be prosecuted.

Israel's air force said it had dropped 6,000 bombs on 3,600 targets in the Gaza Strip, as the bombardment across the besieged enclave continued into the evening.

"Dozens of fighter jets and helicopters attacked a series of terrorist targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip. So far, the IAF has dropped about 6,000 bombs against Hamas targets," the Israeli air force stated on Thursday evening.

"The airstrikes killed hundreds of terrorists and attacked over 3,600 targets, including command and control targets, strategic military infrastructure, weapons production sites, intelligence assets, leadership targets, naval superiority targets and rocket system targets."

"We will continue to attack forcefully and relentlessly, as long as necessary."

The EU is set to open an investigation into Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, over the spread of disinformation during the conflict in Gaza and Israel.

On Thursday the European Commission said it had sent a formal request for information to X in what is the first procedure launched under Brussels' new European Digital Services Act (DSA).

The announcement of the investigation comes two days after commissioner Thierry Breton sent a warning letter to X over the issue.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett hit out at a Sky News journalist after he was asked about civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip.

The far-right politician, who was prime minister in 2021 and 2022, told Sky News country was fighting "Nazis" in Gaza.

"Are you seriously asking me about Palestinian civilians? What is wrong with you? We're fighting Nazis," he said.