Palestine-Israel Crisis: Day 28 Highlights

Israel-Palestine war: Day 28

• The besieged Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip faces consistent Israeli attacks from land, air, and sea.
• Israeli fighter jets bombed the entrance to Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, killing and injuring several.
• Al-Shifa provides shelter to many displaced and wounded Palestinians and has been warned by the Israeli military of potential bombings.
• A medical transport carrying injured people towards the Egyptian border was reportedly attacked.
• Bodies of Palestinians were shown on Al Jazeera Arabic after being killed by Israeli fire while moving from north to south of the Gaza Strip.
• Israeli helicopter gunships targeted dozens fleeing along the Al-Rasheed coastal road with gunfire and shells.
• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported 23 deaths due to Israeli attacks on its shelters within 24 hours.
• Israeli airstrikes injured more than 20 people near the al-Quds hospital in Tal al-Hawa and in the al-Nasser neighborhood near Al-Shifa.
• An Israeli attack killed 10 Palestinians at the Beit Lahia cemetery.
• Israeli artillery shelled locations in the southern province of Khan Younis and the central region.
• The Israeli army is reportedly advancing towards Gaza City, with the outskirts becoming a battleground between Hamas and the Israeli forces.
• Death tolls are rising on both sides, with 9,227 reported dead in Gaza (including 3,826 children and 2,405 women) and over 1,400 in Israel.
• The Israeli military spokesman reported 241 detentions in Gaza and 338 Israeli soldier casualties.
• Tensions also grew in East Jerusalem with restricted access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
• At least 10 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces.
• 3,000 Palestinian laborers who had been detained in Israel since October 7 were allowed to return to Gaza.

International Reactions:

U.S. Standpoint:

• U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for Israel to protect civilians in Gaza while recognizing Israel’s right to self-defense.
• Blinken urged Israel to aid civilians caught in the crossfire and emphasized the protection of civilians.
• Blinken is on his third trip to Israel since the war started, following President Joe Biden’s suggestion for a humanitarian “pause”.

Colombian Reaction:

• Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized Israel’s use of white phosphorus bombs in Gaza, deeming it a war crime under international law.

Irish Stance:

• Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “an act of revenge”.

UAE Concerns:

• The United Arab Emirates expressed concerns over the possibility of the conflict spilling over regionally.
• Noura al Kaabi, Minister of state for Foreign Affairs, emphasized the risks of the conflict escalating and the potential for extremist groups to exploit the situation.