CONFLICTSISRAEL
Israel-Hamas war: Thousands of Gazans flee from north
Published 20 minutes agoPublished 20 minutes agolast updated 13 minutes agolast updated 13 minutes ago
Israeli forces directed Palestinians to flee south from Gaza City ahead of an anticipated ground operation against the Islamist group Hamas. Meanwhile, China and Russia have weighed in on the conflict.
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Gazans flee to southern Gaza Strip after Israeli evacuation order
UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed skepticism towards the Israeli evacuation order, and is concerned about a humanitarian crisis in GazaImage: Hatem Moussa/AP/picture alliance
Skip next section What you need to know
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
UN chief says Gaza City exodus “extremely dangerous”
Russia calls for cease-fire at UN Security Council
Israel confirms over 120 hostages held by Hamas
Skip next section Israel confirms over 120 hostages held by Hamas
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Israel confirms over 120 hostages held by Hamas
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on social media Saturday that over 120 hostages are being held by Hamas in Gaza.
The hostages were taken last Saturday, when Hamas infiltrated Israel as part of a terror attack. Over 1,300 people died in Israel from the October 7 attacks.
Hamas, which rules over the Gaza Strip, is considered a terrorist organization by the US, EU and others.
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Skip next section Russia calls for cease-fire at UN Security Council
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Russia calls for cease-fire at UN Security Council
Russia and Brazil presented separate draft resolutions to the UN Security Council to address the conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Russia called for for a “humanitarian cease-fire.” The resolution also called for hostages to be released and “strongly condemns all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism.”
The document did not specifically name the Islamist group Hamas, which is considered to be a terrorist organization by the EU, the US, Germany and a number of other countries.
Other members of the Security Council reacted cautiously to Russia’s proposed resolution.
“The draft resolution appeared just two minutes before we went into the council meeting,” said British Ambassador Barbara Woodward.
“I think for something that is as important as this, we’ve already seen how much human life has been destroyed. We need time for consultation, serious consultation.”
Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said that “there is an emerging consensus on the humanitarian concerns.”
“We are open to all efforts which will help cease the fire, help de-escalate the tension,” he added.
Brazil, which currently holds the presidency of the security council, in its draft specifically condemned “the terrorist attacks
by Hamas” and “urges the Israeli authorities to immediately rescind its order” for civilians to evacuate northern Gaza.
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Skip next section China’s Middle East envoy discusses ‘Palestinian issue’ with Arab League
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China’s Middle East envoy discusses ‘Palestinian issue’ with Arab League
China’s Special Envoy on the Middle East met with Arab League representatives for an emergency session on the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Zhai Jun, expressed support for the Arab League playing an important role on the “Palestinian issue.”
Zhai also said China would continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.
“The international community should earnestly enhance its sense of urgency to return to the correct basis of the two-state solution to realise the peaceful coexistence of the two states of Palestine and Israel,” Zhai said, according to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry.
The two-state solution envisions a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel.
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Skip next section Tens of thousands of Gazans flee ahead of Israeli deadline
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Tens of thousands of Gazans flee ahead of Israeli deadline
Tens of thousands of Palestinians fled northern Gaza on Friday and Saturday after Israel’s military told some 1.1 million people to evacuate south ahead of an anticipated military operation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “destroy” the Gaza-based militant group Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by the US, the EU, Germany and other countries, after it orchestrated a terrorist attack against Israeli civilians last weekend.
“I emphasize that this is only the beginning,” he said in a rare statement televised on Friday.
As Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza on Friday, Palestinians fled south in cars, trucks and donkey carts on the main road leading out of Gaza City.
The United Nations urged Israel to reverse its evacuation directive, arguing that ordering half the population in the densely-populated Gaza Strip to move would have serious humanitarian impacts.
“Moving more than one million people across a densely populated war zone to a place with no food, water, or accommodation, when the entire territory of Gaza is under siege, is extremely dangerous — and in some cases, simply not possible,” UN chief Antonio Guterres said on social media.
Before the evacuation directive, 423,000 people in the Gaza Strip had already been displaced by bombing, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
