The German Shani Louk, who was kidnapped to Gaza, is probably alive. The WHO calls for a humanitarian corridor for Gaza. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
The Islamist terrorist organization Hamas has attacked Israel. This live blog informs you about the current developments:
Israel continues retaliatory strikes – “No place is safe”
4.45 a.m.: Israel continued its retaliatory attacks across the Gaza Strip overnight. More than 70 targets in Daraj Tuffah, a district of Gaza City, were hit, the army said on Wednesday. The neighborhood served as a base for Hamas to launch direct attacks on Israel. Hamas-affiliated media reported the attacks hit homes in Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Younis. Five people were killed in an attack on a house in the Sabra district of Gaza City, a doctor said. Residents asked for help on social media and reported numerous collapsed buildings. In some cases up to 50 people are trapped and rescue workers cannot reach them.
Broadcaster: Death toll in Israel after Hamas attack rises to 1,200
4.12 a.m.: According to media reports, the number of deaths in Israel from major attacks by the Islamist Hamas has risen to at least 1,200. The Israeli broadcaster Kan reported this early on Wednesday morning. At least 3,000 others were injured. The “Jerusalem Post” and other media also reported these figures, citing the broadcaster.
Palestinian official calls Israel’s actions ‘genocide’
3:29 a.m.: The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations calls Israel’s bombing of Gaza and the complete blockade of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave “nothing short of genocide.” “This blatant dehumanization and attempts to bomb a people into submission, use starvation as a method of warfare and wipe out their national existence are nothing short of genocide,” writes Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour in a letter to the UN Security Council, which the Reuters news agency was able to view. “These are war crimes.”
Russian and Iranian foreign ministers call Israel
2:57 a.m.: After the Islamist Hamas attacks on Israel, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian colleague Hussein Amirabdollahian spoke by phone. The focus of the conversation was “the renewed escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday evening. The “armed conflict” must be ended quickly.
Iran has been Israel’s declared archenemy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, but denies involvement in the current Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. The Shiite organization Hezbollah, which has attacked Israel several times in recent days from Lebanon, which borders to the north, also receives support from Iran.
Russia, in turn, which has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for almost 20 months, is accused by international observers of exploiting the fighting in Israel for anti-Western information campaigns. Moscow also maintains contacts with Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip and is classified as a terrorist organization by the USA, the EU and Israel. Read more about it here.
Traffic light politician ready to supply arms when asked by Israel
2:00 a.m.: Specialist politicians from the SPD, FDP and Union in the Bundestag are fundamentally ready for Germany to provide military assistance to Israel to ward off the Hamas attack. The foreign policy spokesman for the SPD parliamentary group, Nils Schmid, told the “Handelsblatt” (Wednesday) and similarly to the ZDF magazine “Frontal” that the priority was initially to support medical care and possibly also the delivery of medical equipment. “If Israel wants a supply of military equipment, then we will not turn away from it.” However, there is currently no such request. His FDP colleague Ulrich Lechte made similar comments.
The vice-chairman of the Defense Committee, Henning Otte (CDU), suggested resuming Awacs reconnaissance flights as part of the Bundeswehr’s mandate for anti-terror operations in Iraq and providing Israel with information about possible threats from Iran, Iraq or Lebanon give. “We should change the mandate accordingly,” he told the Germany editorial network.
Faeser threatens Hamas supporters with tough action
1.44 a.m.: Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) announces tough action against sympathizers and supporters of the radical Islamic Hamas in Germany. “We are using all intelligence and police means to take action against Hamas supporters,” Faeser told the newspapers of the “Funke Mediengruppe” (Wednesday editions), according to the preliminary report. “Our security authorities are targeting the Islamist scene even more closely in order to immediately identify reactions to Hamas’ terror and to stop any support. This also applies to collecting donations for Hamas.”
