- US President Joe Biden says there has to be a ‘pause’ in fighting to facilitate the release of Hamas’s hostages
- Gaza saw another night of heavy fighting, with a live feed capturing sounds of explosions and bright flames on the horizon
- More people are expected to leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing today after more than 400 people crossed the border into Egypt yesterday
- The Rafah crossing opened yesterday for the first time since the war broke, allowing 335 foreign passport holders and 76 injured Gazans to pass
- Israel’s military says two Hamas fighters were killed in its air strikes in Jabalia while the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the ground operations has risen to 17
- Israel has been bombing Gaza since the 7 October Hamas attacks that killed 1,400 people with 239 people kidnapped as hostages
- The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 8,700 people have been killed since Israel’s retaliatory bombing began
US President Joe Biden called for a ‘humanitarian pause’ during a campaign rally after a woman interrupted him mid-speech, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden responded: “I think we need a pause. A pause means to give time to get the prisoners out.” The White House later clarified he meant hostages and humanitarian aid. Notably, the US President has faced intense pressure from human rights groups, world leaders, and members of his own Democratic Party, who say that Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is a ‘collective punishment’.
“I can thoroughly understand the emotions on the Palestinian side of the argument and the Jewish side of the argument.”- said Mr President. The US President also said that he supported the two-state solution but insisted that Hamas was a “flat-out” terrorist organization.
Biden’s latest stance represents a subtle departure from the US’ initial stance since the war broke out, saying that they would not dictate how Israel carries out its military operations in retaliation for the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7. The US has opined that calling for a ceasefire would result in the victory of Hamas.
The US President has now exerted pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give Palestinians at least a brief reprieve from the relentless military operation that’s left thousands dead and pushed the territory into an intensifying humanitarian crisis.
According to the Israeli military, ground troops have advanced near Gaza City in heavy fighting with militants. Meanwhile, hundreds of foreign nationals and dozens of seriously injured Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza after more than three weeks under siege.
Over half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have fled their homes, and supplies of food, medicine, water, and fuel are running low. Hospitals in Gaza expressed increasing alarm that the generators running life-saving equipment were dangerously low on fuel after weeks of siege.
More than 8,800 Palestinians have been killed in the war, mostly women and minors, and more than 22,000 people have been wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Wednesday, without providing a breakdown between civilians and fighters. Over 1,400 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians killed during Hamas’ initial attack. Palestinian militants also abducted around 240 people during their incursion and have continued firing rockets into Israel.
Around half of the hostages are believed to be citizens from as many as 25 foreign countries, including an estimated 54 Thais, 15 Argentines, 12 Americans, 12 Germans, six French, and six Russians.
Last month, ahead of his trip to Israel, Biden made strong public statements yet to restrain Israel after the October 7 attack, urging that Israel should not occupy the Gaza Strip. US President Joe Biden and his aides reportedly believe that Benjamin Netanyahu’s days as Israel’s prime minister are numbered in the fallout of the war in Gaza, reported the Times of Israel.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had also called for “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza as the death count rose sharply due to Israeli airstrikes, drawing widespread condemnation from other countries. Blinken will visit Israel and Jordan on Friday.
(With inputs from agencies)
