Netanyahu adviser does not see permanent occupation of Gaza Strip. Israel names new window of opportunity to flee to southern Gaza. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
Hamas terrorists crossed the border into Israel on October 7 and carried out massacres. Since then, Israel has been attacking targets in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. This live blog informs you about the current developments:
Arms exports to Israel increased significantly
5:02 p.m.: The value of export permits for military equipment to Israel has increased dramatically this year compared to the previous year. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, a total of 32 million euros in approvals were granted in 2022. In 2023, the volume was already 303 million euros by November 2nd, almost ten times as much.
“Following the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, the Federal Government is processing and deciding on applications for the export of military equipment to Israel as a priority due to the current situation,” the economics department continued. Since the attack on October 7th, a total of 185 permit applications have been processed.
In total, 218 individual licenses for military equipment were issued in 2023 by November 2nd. According to the information, the volume of war weapons is almost 19 million euros, the volume of so-called other military equipment is 284 million euros. Other armaments include, for example, military radar and radio technology, pistols, but also explosives or other preliminary products intended for military use.
Report: Hamas seeks permanent state of war with Israel
5 p.m.: According to a report in the New York Times, the Islamist Hamas consciously accepted an escalation of the conflict with the bloody terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th. In the Islamists’ interpretation, the aim is to revive the faltering Palestinian cause through violence, the newspaper writes, citing conversations with several Hamas representatives.
It was necessary to “change the entire equation and not just have a clash,” said Chalil al-Haja from the Hamas leadership to the newspaper in Doha. “We managed to put the Palestinian issue back on the table and now there is no peace for anyone in the region.”
In the eyes of Hamas, the many victims on the Palestinian side as a result of Israel’s reaction are the necessary price to pay for this, the newspaper writes. The organization’s calculation is to shake the status quo and open a new, explosive chapter in the fight against Israel. “I hope that the state of war with Israel on all borders will become permanent and that the Arab world will be on our side,” the New York Times quoted Taher al-Nunu, whom the newspaper describes as Hamas’s media advisor.
Italy and Netherlands send naval ships to Gaza Strip
4:53 p.m.: The Netherlands will send a naval ship to the eastern part of the Mediterranean that can be used for humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren announced this in The Hague. Cyprus is trying to establish an international maritime aid corridor.
A Dutch naval unit is already stationed in Cyprus, including two transport aircraft. The naval ship “Zr. Ms. Holland” is scheduled to leave mid-November and reach Cyprus about ten days later.
Italy will also send a ship with an integrated hospital and its own operating theaters to the coast of the Gaza Strip. Injured people from the sealed-off coastal strip are to be treated on the naval ship “Vulcano”. According to Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, the crew includes 30 Navy employees specially trained for medical emergencies. It was scheduled to leave the port city of Civitavecchia near Rome on Wednesday.
Missing Spaniard dead after Hamas attack
4:51 p.m.: A Spaniard who was missing since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th is dead. This was announced by the Foreign Ministry in Madrid and Israel’s ambassador to Spain. The acting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on the X platform, formerly Twitter, that he was “shocked” by the death of the 46-year-old from the Basque Country.
