Israel attacked targets in the Gaza Strip again during the night. According to Defense Minister Galant, the planned ground offensive could follow soon. In the Gaza Strip, the population is waiting for urgently needed aid deliveries.
In response to the major offensive by the militant Islamist Hamas, the Israeli military again attacked numerous targets in the Gaza Strip from the air last night. According to the company’s own information, more than 100 terrorist militia positions were attacked.
During the attacks, a tunnel, weapons depot and dozens of command centers were bombed. In the town of Jabalia, north of Gaza City, Hamas facilities and weapons were destroyed in a mosque. According to the Israeli military, the mosque was used by Hamas as an observation post. In Gaza City itself, “a Hamas terrorist squad” was “eliminated.”
In addition, a member of Hamas was killed who, at the beginning of the attacks on October 7th, entered towns near the Israeli border with other terrorist militia fighters and was said to have been involved in the killing of numerous people there. The information provided by the Israeli army cannot be independently verified.
Galant promises the ground offensive will begin soon
In addition to the air strikes, Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant also announced the imminent start of the planned ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. However, he still left the exact date open. However, during a visit to the troops stationed near the border, Galant emphasized: “The order will come.” Israeli media further quoted the minister as saying: The soldiers are now seeing the Gaza Strip from a distance, but will soon see it from the inside.
Loud Palestinian Authorities also fired at the church
Hamas-controlled Palestinian authorities also accuse Israel of shelling a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City during last night’s attacks. There were deaths and injuries, said the general director of Al-Shifa Hospital, Mohammed Abu Selmiam. There are probably still bodies buried under the rubble of the church.
According to reports from the dpa news agency, the Church of Saint Porphyrius is the oldest active church in Gaza. According to authorities, the building is located near the Al-Ahli Clinic, which was hit by a rocket a few days ago. Hundreds of people are said to have been killed as a result. Israel and Hamas accuse each other of being responsible for the attack.
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly condemned the shelling of the church. It is a war crime that cannot be ignored when churches and their facilities are attacked, along with the shelters they provide to protect innocent citizens, it said in a written statement.
Evacuation of a location near the Lebanese border
There were also repeated rocket attacks on the Israeli-Lebanese border. According to Israeli reports, at least three people were injured in attacks from Lebanon in the town of Kiriat Shmona near the border on Thursday. A residential building was hit by a rocket.
The AFP news agency reported, citing Hamas information, that 30 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel. The Shiite Hezbollah also carried out attacks on several Israeli positions.
As a result of the ongoing fighting, Israel has now announced that Kiriat Shmona will be evacuated. More than 20,000 residents live in the town. Many had already left the place, as the media reported. The remaining residents will be accommodated in accommodation provided by the state.
Baerbock extends loudly media reports Middle East trip
In an effort to find a solution after the violent escalation in the Middle East, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wants to hold further talks in Israel later today. In Tel Aviv she will first meet with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen for consultations, followed by a meeting with opposition politician Benny Gantz. After the offensive against Israel began, Gantz formed an emergency government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Baerbock wants to travel to Lebanon in the afternoon to speak to the acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces, Joseph Aoun.
Contrary to the original plan, Baerbock wants to extend her Middle East trip in order to take part in a peace summit in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday, as several media reported, citing members of the Foreign Minister’s delegation. According to Egyptian media, Egypt’s head of state Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will also take part in the meeting.
Germany is giving 50 million euros for humanitarian aid
On Thursday, Baerbock had already taken part in consultations in Jordan and announced that Germany would raise an additional 50 million euros to support aid organizations in delivering humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip. The Green Party politician emphasized that the population living there is just as much a victim of Hamas terror as Israel.
Currently, the only way to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip is through Rafah, a border post on the border with Egypt. However, Egypt had previously closed it. The Egyptian government only announced on Thursday that it would allow aid deliveries. Israel had also agreed to this, on the condition that the aid was not allowed to reach Hamas under any circumstances. Israel continues to condition the delivery of aid via its own territory on the demand that Hamas first release all of the hostages it has kidnapped. According to Israel, there are said to be around 200 hostages in the hands of the terrorist militia, including eight Germans.
First Aid deliveries possibly later in the day
It is unclear when exactly the border crossing will open. After Egypt’s approval, the United Nations expressed the hope that the first trucks could cross the border into the Gaza Strip later in the day. Trucks with tons of relief supplies have been waiting at the border for days. The population there lacks everything: clean water, food, medicine, shelter. A spokesman for the Israeli army also announced that the first deliveries could take place as early as Friday or Saturday at the latest.
With a view to opening the border crossing, the EU warned that Egypt needed support as a large number of refugees from the Gaza Strip could come into the country. EU Council President Charles Michel made similar comments. He also wants to take part in the peace summit in Egypt this weekend. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also wants to travel to Cairo for the meeting, a spokeswoman for Michel said.