Israel-Palestine war: First week ends with over 2,500 Palestinians, 1,400 Israelis killed
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Russia announced that there is a “high risk” of a third party entering the ongoing fighting today.
The comments came from Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, who spoke to the local TASS news agency.
“It is very important to find ways as soon as possible to move towards some kind of negotiation process in order to reduce this escalation and move away from a military solution,” he said.
Israel’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure says that they have immediately cut all water supplies from Israel to Gaza.
Yesterday, all electricity and fuel was cut off to the besieged Strip.
Rocket sirens sound in northern Israel, near border with Lebanon, Haaretz has reported.
The number of Israelis killed since Hamas launched its attack on Israel on Saturday morning has now reached 800, according to Israel media.
Over 2,400 people are reported as wounded.
Middle East Eye’s editor-in-chief, David Hearst, says that “responsibility for this weekend's onslaught lies with all those who long ago stopped thinking of Palestinians as people.”
In his latest opinion piece, he says that Israel was totally taken aback by Hamas’ surprise attack launched on Saturday.
“Israel’s famed military intelligence unit, 8200 - a unit that can hear every telephone conversation taking place in Gaza - has been blindsided, as has the Shin Bet, the internal security service.”
“A very clear message has now been sent that Palestinians do exist - and they are nowhere near being conquered.”
“Whatever happens in the next few days and weeks to Gaza - and Israel has already unleashed savage revenge, irrespective of the absence of a military target - Hamas has undoubtedly marked a significant victory,” he added.
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Read more: ‘How Gaza turned the tables on its gaolers’
A serving Israeli colonel has told Middle East Eye’s Levent Kemal that bad intelligence and political interference led to Hamas being able to launch an air, sea and land assault into southern Israel from Gaza.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the colonel said Israel had knowledge that Hamas was preparing for an attack but did not anticipate when that would take place.
“This information was evaluated incorrectly. In particular, counterterrorism intelligence units thought that all these weapons used in this attack would be separately put in action in different attacks,” he said.
“They could not make the assessment that kamikaze drones and their motorised parachutes, missiles and mini drones would be used for a single all-out attack. Although I don't like to call this a weakness, intelligence made a huge mistake.”
Commenting on the situation, the colonel said relative calm in Gaza had created “indiscipline” within troops serving the border.
“There is no logical explanation I can give to explain the sudden overrun of Israeli towns,” he said. “Maybe you should ask the government, which constantly interferes with the military.”
The colonel added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have to attack Gaza with all his might since, politically, he has no other choice.
“It will take us at least ten years to clean up this mess,” he said.
“And for that to happen, Gaza should not cause us any major problems during that time. What to do for this is very clear: a major land and air operation. There is no other option.”
Palestinian Minister of Health Doctor Mai al Kaila has appealed to the international community “to take urgent action to stop the occupation’s aggression against treatment centres” in Gaza.
In a statement published on Monday, she called on Israel to stop attacking ambulances, medical centres and medical crews in the besieged Strip.
“The occupation deliberately bombs hospitals and kills crews. This is a clear violation of all international laws and norms,” she added.
The German development ministry announced that any aid pledged to the Palestinian territories this year and next is being temporarily suspended while the funds are under comprehensive review, a spokesperson said today.
The German development ministry had pledged around $131.63m for the Palestinian territories for this and next year, added the spokesperson.
The aid organisation Medecins Sans Frontiers, also known as Doctors without Borders, says it has been providing surgical and inpatient care in Gaza’s Al-Awda hospital since yesterday, however it has faced difficulties due to the Israeli bombardment.
“Hospitals are overcrowded with injured people, there is a shortage of drugs, consumables, and fuel for generators,” the charity posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Ambulances can’t be used because they’re being hit by air strikes,” the organisation added.
Hamas says that four Israeli captives which were being held in Gaza have been killed in Israel’s bombardment of the besieged enclave.
Gaza residents tell reporters on the ground that the bombing has not stopped since last night.
Israeli air strikes have also targeted two refugee camps, the Jabalia and the al-Shati refugee camps, in the besieged Strip.
Palestine's Ministry of Health annouced that Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron.
The man has been identified as Ahmed Khalid Ibrahim Abu Turki, a 28-year-old.
The Israeli army says that it will be transferring over 1,000 weapons to strengthen their forces in the occupied West Bank, and around settlements.
Correspondents on the ground in the Jabalya camp in Gaza have described the situation as “if an earthquake has hit it,” following Israeli bombing.
Ambulances and medical teams have been forced to leave the site as residential towers continue to collapse, and Israel warns of further bombardment.
The camp is one of the largest in Gaza, and roads have been completely blocked by debris from levelled buildings, leaving Civil Defence teams unable to help.
Residents describe dead bodies laying out in the streets, and complete destruction.
The Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said "we are fighting human animals", referring to Palestinians, and vowed to "act accordingly".
He announced a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip, saying there will be "no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed".
