War in GazaWorld

Gaza and Lebanon facing heavy bombardment

Israel is continuing to pound Gaza and Lebanon with relentless bombardments despite the lack of any threat or resistence. Defenceless populations continue to be terrorized by the Israeli onslaught, while the international community remains silent.

The central commercial area of Nabatieh, a major city in the south of Lebanon was struck with a major airstrike late Saturday night

“Severe fires are preventing us from reaching the targeted area,” a statement by the Lebanese Red Cross posted on X said.

In the Gaza Strip on Saturday, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, forty-nine people were killed, and 219 others injured in the previous 24 hours.

The director of Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday at least 200 people have been killed in the Israeli army siege of north Gaza since it began 8 days ago.

Local health authorities say the Palestinian death toll since October 7 has risen to 42,175, with an additional 98,336 injured. The majority of the victims are women and children.

“According to the same sources, emergency services are still unable to reach many casualties and dead bodies trapped under the rubble or scattered on roads across the war-torn enclave, as Israeli occupation forces continue to obstruct the movement of ambulance and civil defense crews,” Wafa reported.

On Saturday the Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 1,645 people have been killed in the war-ravaged country in a little over two weeks, since Israel escalated its attacks in late September.

As at Saturday, 2,255 people have been killed in Lebanon, seventeen percent of whom have been women (261) and children (127), and 10,524 have been injured since the crosss-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel began on 8 October last year.

On Friday a UN peacekeeper was struck by gunfire at a UNIFIL post, the fifth member of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon to have been injured in the last 48 hours.

As at Sunday there appears no end to the carnage in sight. The United States and its allies have had no impact on reining in Israel. President Joe Biden remains unseen and little is heard from him. Kamala Harris has been avoiding the subject, while Donald Trump says he wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “finish the job.”

On Friday Harris took time out to speak to Jewish voters marking Yom Kippur, the holiest and most significant day in the Jewish calendar.

“I will never forget October 7, and the world must never forget. And we all must work to ensure nothing like the horrors of that day can ever happen again,” she said.

“To that end, as president, it is my pledge that I will always ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. And I will always support Israel’s right to defend itself. My commitment to the security of Israel is unwavering.”

“And, as president, I will always work to ensure the safety and security of the people of Israel and Jewish people here in the United States and around the world.”

“When it comes to the war in Gaza, we have seen so much suffering and pain over the past year, and it is time to bring the conflict to an end. And I am working to ensure it ends such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, and self-determination,” Vice President Harris said.

“We are not giving up on a ceasefire and hostage deal. We cannot. And I will never stop fighting for the release of all the hostages, including, of course, the seven American citizens, living and deceased, who are still held. We are fighting for them every day.”

“We know Hamas is not the only threat Israel faces. On October 8, Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel, and the Houthis in Yemen began targeting Israeli cities,” Harris continued.

“And what is the common thread? Well, we all know: Iran, which has now also directly attacked Israel twice.”

“I am clear-eyed. Iran is a destabilizing and dangerous force,” the vice president said.

“Make no mistake, as president, I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend American forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorists, and I will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.”

“Diplomacy is my preferred path to that end, but all options are on the table, ” Harris said.

Photo credit: Lebanese Red Cross.

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