Israel

JERUSALEM, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel on Friday, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The visit came one day after the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, amidst major fighting between Israel and Hamas that has continued for around a week.

"The security assistance will continue," Austin said at a joint press conference with Gallant, after meeting with Israeli senior defense officials at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of Muslims demonstrated Friday across the Middle East in support of the Palestinians and against the intensifying Israeli bombardment of Gaza, underscoring the risk of a wider regional conflict as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinians began a mass exodus from northern Gaza Friday after Israel’s military told some 1 million people to evacuate toward the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group.

12 October 2023; MEMO: Israel has cut off electricity and water for Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, in an apparent step to prevent them from aiding the conflict between occupation forces and Palestinian resistance fighters on the outside.

13 October 2023; MEMO: Almost all Israelis – 94 per cent – hold their government responsible for the collapse of the defence systems in the southern settlements, while 67 per cent of respondents believe the failure of the current war is greater than the failure of the October War in 1973.

13 October 2023; MEMO: Israel has told the United Nations that the northern Gaza Strip must be evacuated within 24 hours.

The Israeli occupation army informed the UN “that the entire population of Gaza north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza within the next 24 hours,” UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement late yesterday.

12 October 2023; MEMO: Warning sirens were set off in northern Israel yesterday, sending “millions” to shelters amid reports of “hostile aircraft” breaching the border with Lebanon, the Times of Israel has reported.

Shortly after 6:30 pm local time, air raid sirens were activated due to conflicting reports that Hezbollah had launched a massive drone attack and deployed paragliders. It was later deemed to be a false alarm put down to human error.

JERUSALEM, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Thursday, pledging support and more weapon deliveries for Israel.

In a live broadcast statement alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken said that more shipments of U.S. arms were "on the way." A cargo plane carrying the first shipment of advanced weaponry landed in Israel on Tuesday.

12 October 2023; MEMO: Israel has named 220 soldiers who were killed in the fighting around the Gaza Strip since last Saturday. Israeli Channel 12 broadcast the names.

Special Forces and senior army officers were among those killed in the fighting during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood led by the armed wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades.

11 October 2023; MEMO: Israeli warplanes have destroyed 22,639 housing units, 10 health institutions and 48 schools since Saturday.

Local institutions reported that the Israeli warplanes have completely destroyed 168 buildings, while 12,630 housing units were partially destroyed, including 560 units that have become uninhabitable.