To better understand the latest events in the conflict between the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and Israel, 20 minutes takes stock every evening. Between the strong declarations, the diplomatic advances or the dramatic results of the fighting, here are the main points of the day.
News of the day
Sad news for France. As bodies are identified after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel, the toll of French people killed increases. The Quai d’Orsay announced that 21 people of French nationality had died, specifying that “eleven compatriots are still missing. Several are very likely hostages of Hamas.” “This is the case of a national whose vile staging by Hamas in a video France denounces,” continues the Quai d’Orsay.
A video of a French Israeli, Mia Shem, was released Monday by the Palestinian Islamist organization. Her mother begged “world leaders” on Tuesday to free her daughter, kidnapped on October 7 in Israel. From Tirana, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron spoke of “intense discussions” which “advance” for the release of hostages held by Hamas, while being “very cautious”.
The number of the day
3,000. This is approximately the number of people killed in the Gaza Strip by Israeli bombings, according to an updated report released by the Ministry of Health of Hamas, the Islamist movement in power in the Palestinian territory. The Israeli strikes, in retaliation for the bloody Hamas attack on Israeli soil on October 7, also left “more than 12,500 injured,” according to the ministry.
Sentence of the day
My desire is to be able to move there [au Proche-Orient] when we can obtain a concrete agreement, either on non-escalation or on humanitarian issues. »
While American President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have announced they will visit Israel and the region this week, and Egypt is organizing a summit on Saturday on “the future of the Palestinian cause,” Emmanuel Macron said that he would only go to the Middle East when there is a “useful agenda and very concrete actions to take there”.
“I will continue the consultations, the discussions, but my desire is to be able to travel there when we can obtain a concrete agreement, either on non-escalation or on humanitarian issues,” he said. explain. This could happen “maybe in the next few days, maybe in the next few weeks.”
Today’s trend
Tensions in the region are causing concern beyond the Middle East. The United States is ready in the event of an escalation with some 2,000 American troops placed on alert for possible deployment in support of Israel, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. “No decision has been made regarding the deployment of troops at this time,” insisted the Ministry of Defense, specifying that Lloyd Austin continued to assess the American posture and remained in close contact with its allies and partners in the region.
A White House spokesperson, however, clarified that it was above all a “signal of deterrence” and not combat troops. “It is important to emphasize that the military forces which are in a state of preparation or already on their way to the region are above all a signal of deterrence,” assured John Kirby, spokesperson for the American National Security Council, on CNN.
“We do not want this conflict to escalate and spill over. We do not intend to send soldiers on the ground to fight in Israel,” he added. The forces on alert could carry out medical advice and assistance missions, Pentagon officials quoted on condition of anonymity by the Wall Street Journal and CNN.