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.
The fact of the day
A fifth official visit in four months of conflict to try to put pressure on its Israeli ally. In Tel Aviv, the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken reaffirmed the support of the United States for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, while insisting on “the importance of avoiding more attacks on civilians and protecting » civil infrastructure in Gaza. Civilians, especially children, are paying a price that is “far too high,” Blinken said.
But Israel does not seem to hear the voice of its ally. During an interview with the American, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed his intention to intensify army operations in Khan Younes, in the Gaza Strip. Facing the American secretary, the minister also considered that it was necessary to “increase the pressure on Iran” to avoid the regional “escalation” of the war.
The number of the day
3. Like the number of flights per week between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Tel Aviv operated by Air France as of January 24. The airline has announced that it will charter planes on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The group had suspended its Paris-Tel Aviv service since the attacks of October 7, 2023 perpetrated by Hamas in Israel.
Sentence of the day
“The role of the Muslim nation (…) is major” and “the time has come to support the resistance with weapons, because it is the battle of Al-Aqsa and not only the battle of the Palestinian people”
These are the words of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas. From Doha, the leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement urged other Muslim countries to show solidarity, by militarily helping his organization, which governs the Gaza Strip. The head of the organization referred in his message to the Al-Aqsa mosque. Located in Jerusalem, it is the third holiest site in Islam.
Today’s trend
In Khan Younes and Rafah, the two large cities in the south of the Gaza Strip, an AFP correspondent reported intense bombardments during the night from Monday to Tuesday. Since the start of the war, thousands of Palestinians have found refuge in these two cities. Before the start of its ground operation, the Israeli army had also recommended that residents of the north of the territory leave.
After the nighttime bombings, Hamas published a new report on the number of deaths in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict. It now stands at 23,210 people killed and nearly 60,000 injured.