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

Islamic Jihad have issued a statement condemning the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken’s comments.

Islamic Jihad said that Blinken, who gave a speech earlier today reiterating his support for Israel, made malevolent comments and “is intimidating Palestinians and is covering Israel’s massacres and war crimes.”   
 

Children in Gaza have been some of the most affected by Israel’s bombardment. 

Around 60 percent of those killed in the attacks are children and women. 

Entire neighbourhoods have been wiped out, while hospitals are nearing total collapse due to Israel stopping all fuel, food, water and electricity supplies to the besieged enclave.  

According to Doctor’s Without Borders’ deputy coordinator in Gaza, Ayman al-Djaroucha, all of the patients received at their clinic in Gaza City were children aged between 10 and 14. 

In Deir al-Balah, a residential part of Gaza, entire families have been wiped out in the overnight bombardment, with the majority of the casualties being children. 

Euro-Med monitor, a human rights organisation, has called for a 24-hour ceasefire for humanitarian purposes, in order to avoid “an impending major disaster.”

In a post published on social media platform X, the rights monitor said that “Gaza is running out of drinking water, electricity & food supplies. Health sector is collapsing. Every minute counts.”
 

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has spoken out against the targeting of civilians a day after his successor Keir Starmer backed Israel’s “right” to collectively punish Palestinians in Gaza.

The Labour Party is widely expected to win the next UK general election but has not clarified its stance on collective punishment after Starmer’s comments in an interview with the LBC radio station on Wednesday.

Collective punishment methods, such as withdrawal of water and deliberate starvation of a population, are illegal under customary international law.

According to Article 33 of the Geneva Convention IV: "Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited."

Morgues in the besieged Gaza Strip have been filled to capacity, with people having to leave the bodies of their loved ones out in the streets. 

Mortuary freezers have also stopped working because Israel cut off electricity on Monday. 

Bodies have been piling up in the streets outside the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza.

Health officials have warned that the siege on Gaza could result in a serious health crisis as people have now gone six days without clean water. 

An Iranian plane is heading back to Tehran after reported Israeli airstrikes on international airports in Damascus and Aleppo. 

Israeli air raids have killed at least 18 people in Gaza’s residential Nuseirat camp, located in the central Gaza Strip, according to Hamas. 
 

Medical officials in Gaza say that hospitals have officially neared “totally collapsing,” as they struggle to deal with the high volume of wounded patients, run out of water and cease services due to the lack of power. 

Israel stopped all food, fuel, water and electricity for Gaza on Monday, which has had a catastrophic effect on the besieged enclave. 

Survivors, who have been displaced due to Israeli bombing of their homes, have gathered in hospital courtyards and schools for safety. 

Medical officials and ambulances have also been targeted in Israel’s bombardment. 

Deir al Balah, an area in central Gaza, has been largely destroyed by ongoing Israeli bombardment, with emergency teams unable to reach victims. 

Israel has targeted the Aleppo and Damascus airports today, according to Syrian state TV. 

Local media channel Sham FM said Syrian air defences were launched in response to the attack.
 

Palestine’s Ministry of Health states that the Palestinian death toll, as of this afternoon, has reached 1,354 people. 

The Ministry says the health system has started to totally collapse and that the number of those wounded exceeds capacity of their services.
 

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Israel today, reiterating his support for Israel and vowing to send more military support. 

He also said he would provide ammunition and interceptors to replenish its Iron Dome.
 

The Israeli army has dropped leaflets on residents in Gaza, telling them to go into non-existent shelters today.

The leaflets are addressed to the residents of Beit Lahia, and state that the Israeli army is trying to eliminate Hamas in their neighbourhood.

The text tells people to evacuate their homes “for the sake of your safety” and head into shelters. 

“Anyone who is near Hamas terrorists or their facilities will risk their lives… any house being used by terrorist organisations will be targeted. Adhering to the Israeli army’s instructions will prevent you from being exposed to danger.”

Gaza does not have any shelters, and survivors of Israeli bombardment have been sheltering in schools and hospitals. 
 

Civilians in Gaza woke up to heavy Israeli bombardment, with entire neighbourhoods wiped out. 

With emergency services unable to access the destroyed areas, survivors have been left searching for their loved ones under the rubble. 
 

In his latest column for Middle East Eye, journalist Peter Oborne looks at how British politicians from both major parties have not only failed to condemn Israel’s bombardment of Gaza but backed it as the country commits what could amount to war crimes.

Yesterday Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition Labour Party and frontrunner to be the next prime minister, backed Israel’s “right” to cut off water and power supplies to the besieged region.

While caveating his comments by saying it should be done “within international law”, customary international law firmly prohibits such acts as “war crimes”.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meanwhile has promised his “unequivocal” support for Israel.

Oborne argues that British leaders have created a political foundation that would leave the country “complicit in massacres, indiscriminate bombing and ethnic cleansing".

You can read his column by clicking on the link below. 

Read more:  UK leaders are paving the way for ethnic cleansing in Gaza

Suspected Israeli air strikes have targeted Damascus International Airport, Syrian media has said. 

Reports said Syrian air defences were activated.

Middle East Eye could not independently verify the reports.