"Complete siege" of the Gaza Strip: ordered by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. « I have ordered a complete siege: there will be no electricity, no food or petrol. We are fighting human animals and we will behave accordingly ", his words.
And Hamas responds: " We will begin to publicly execute an Israeli civilian hostage for every Israeli bombing of civilian homes in Gaza without warning."
Israeli planes bombed the fruit and vegetable market of Jabalia, in the north of the Strip, while it was very crowded: more than 50 people died. And while Hamas reiterates that at the moment "no negotiations with Israel are possible", Tel Aviv is preparing to enter the Strip by land.
«We have to enter Gaza. We have to go inside. We can't negotiate now" , Netanyahu told Joe Biden who asked him about the hostages. The Israeli prime minister also said that the Lebanese front is also a cause for concern: "We are preparing, but now there is no choice but to respond forcefully to Gaza." Netanyahu launched an appeal to the opposition parties for a national emergency unity government , "but without preconditions".
According to the Washington Post, the US expects a large ground operation against Hamas in Gaza in the next 24-48 hours . Israel has in fact asked the US for missiles for the Iron Dome, small diameter bombs, machine gun ammunition and greater cooperation in the sharing of intelligence information to respond to the very harsh attack by Hamas.
The number of dead has reached 800, 2,500 injured, 750 missing and at least 100 hostages in the hands of Hamas. Deaths in Gaza from Israeli attacks have reached 436, with 2,270 injured . Four Israeli prisoners, Hamas reported, were also killed in the raids on Gaza in the last few hours.
Among the missing, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reported, were also two Italians : they were in a kibbutz in Beeri, they are an Italian husband and wife with double passports and there has been no news of them for 48 hours: «They were in the Beeri kibbutz and they are not traceable. With the Israeli authorities we are checking where they are and what may have happened to them. They were probably taken hostage or are missing, we are not yet sure ", said Tajani.
Israel has regained control of all towns on the Gaza border and the Israel Defense Forces, according to local media, reported that around 80 terrorists were found in the country overnight, while fighting continued in six locations along the border with Gaza. The residents of Sderot, a town close to the Strip, were again ordered to barricade themselves in their homes and not to open the door to anyone .
Meanwhile, Tehran denies any involvement in the attacks: " We proudly and unswervingly support Palestine, however we are not involved in the Palestinian response which was led only by Palestinians ," Iran's mission to the United Nations said in a statement.
And this evening a five-party summit will be held to take stock of the situation: US President Joe Biden , Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni , German Chancellor Olaf Scholz , French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will be present via video link.
(Unioneonline/L)