NEWS
Israel government issues new ultimatum to Palestine
The Israel government have pronounced sanctions on Palestine in a new ultimatum that was issued in response to the ongoing crisis in the Middle Eastern region.
According to reports, Israel has declared that humanitarian assistance, including power, water, food, and fuel, will not be permitted into the Gaza Strip until all hostages held by Hamas militants are released.
This stark ultimatum comes as Israel readies itself for a ground invasion of Gaza, prompted by a series of violent attacks in 20 Israeli communities by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas over the past weekend.
The attacks resulted in numerous casualties and the seizure of dozens of hostages, marking the most serious escalation in the region in half a century.
Energy Minister Israel Katz underscored this uncompromising stance through social media, stating that “no electrical switch will be turned on, no water hydrant will be opened, and no fuel truck will enter” until the “abductees” are freed.
The Israeli Defense Forces conducted a relentless series of strikes that resulted in the deaths of at least 33 individuals in just two hours overnight on Thursday, as reported by Al Jazeera.
This has brought the death toll in Gaza to a staggering 1,354, with fighter jets targeting residential areas.
Civil defense groups have been actively engaged in recovering the bodies of the deceased, while residents in affected regions have been diligently searching through rubble in a desperate quest for survivors and casualties.
In the midst of this turmoil, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday as part of a Middle East tour aimed at demonstrating Washington’s solidarity with Israel.
This visit follows the arrival of a plane loaded with U.S. munitions on Wednesday night.
Blinken conveyed unwavering support, stating at a joint press conference with Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu,
“You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself. But as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to. We will always be there by your side.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu, at the helm of a newly formed unity government and war cabinet inclusive of opposition members, has vowed to “crush and destroy” Hamas, underlining the severity of the situation.
The United Nations, late on Wednesday, reported a substantial increase in the number of people displaced by the airstrikes, surging by 30% within a mere 24-hour span to reach 339,000 individuals.
A significant majority of them have sought refuge in UN schools. Palestinian media further reported that bombing had resulted in the death of Mohammed Deif, Hamas’s military commander’s brother, and a senior commander from Palestinian Islamic Jihad.