I recently found fresh poetry about Ghaza written in French. Palestinian poetry seems to have a long tradition in France, beginning with Mahmoud Darwish, the famous Palestinian writer and who had been translated and published in France and Germany. The recent outbreak of hostilities in the frame of a long-standing conflict between the State of Israel and Hamas, the dominant party in Ghaza, has given new impetus to the writing of poems related to Ghaza. Now, a weekend session dedicated to the poetry of Ghaza, has been embedded in this year's Week of the Arabic Language in Paris. Organised by the Arabic speaking community of Paris and IMA (*) as its cultural center, this event is the annual reminder of an outstanding semitic language serving, both, religious and worldly purposes. => (*) IMA = Institut du Monde Arabe
Aussi, l’ennemi la hait-il,
tant et tant d’elle il a peur
qu’il ira bien jusqu’au meurtre,
jusqu’au crime par noyades
sous la mer, et sous les sables
et dans les baquets de sang !
As well, the enemy hates her,
so much as he is afraid of her,
willing to go so far as to murder,
to the crime of drowning her
in the sea, and under the sands
and in tubs of blood !
Mahmoud Darwish - Le Silence de Ghaza - The Silence of Ghaza
In his famous poem, Darwish speaks of the Palestinian resistance
in Ghaza during the first years of the occupation (i.e. 1967-1974).
Here is my English version of some text lines. - Wolfgang Wiesner
Les Samedis de la Poésie - Décembre 16, 2023, à L'Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris.
Asharq Al-Awsat الشرق الاوسط, The Middle East, on Nov. 25
و حرّرت كتائب القسام والمقاومة الفلسطينية في غزة 39 أسيرة وأسيراً قاصراً من سجون الاحتلال، ضمن الدفعة الأولى من اتفاق الهدنة وصفقة التبادل مع أسرى مستوطنين، والذي بدأ أمس، ويستمر أربعة أيام
ووصلت الأسيرات الفلسطينيات والأسرى الأطفال المفرج عنهم من سجن "عوفر" إلى بلدة بيتونيا، غربي رام الله في الضفة الغربية، وسط استقبال شعبي حاشد للأسيرات والأسرى، الذين أطلقوا هتافات للمقاومة وغزة، بينما رفعت الأسيرات شارات النصر
وشهد قطاع غزّة احتفالات عارمة بصفقة الأسرى بعد تحرير الدفعة الأولى منهم
وبعد ساعاتٍ على سريان الهدنة الموقتة بين الاحتلال الإسرائيلي والمقاومة في غزّة، أمس الجمعة، بدأت تتعالى انتقادات داخل كيان الاحتلال لعدم تحقيق الأهداف المُعلنة للحرب على قطاع غزّة، حيث قالت وسائل إعلامٍ إسرائيلية إنّه من "الناحية العملانية فإنّ الجيش الإسرائيلي يخسر"، مؤكّدةً وجود مجموعة من "المشكلات التي لا تنتهي" في مواجهة القوات الإسرائيلية في غزة خلال الهدنة
اقرأ أيضاً: في تحدٍّ للاحتلال.. عشرات آلاف الفلسطينيين يعودون من جنوبيّ القطاع إلى شماليّه
The Qassam Brigades and the Palestinian resistance in Gaza freed 39 female prisoners and minors from the occupation prisons, as part of the first batch of the truce agreement and the exchange deal with settler prisoners, which began yesterday, and lasts four days.
The Palestinian prisoners and child prisoners released from Ofer prison arrived in the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah in the West Bank, amid a mass popular reception for all prisoners while chanting slogans for the resistance and Gaza. Prisoners raised victory badges.
The Gaza Strip witnessed massive celebrations of the prisoner deal after the first batch of them was freed.
Hours after the temporary truce between the Israeli occupation and the resistance in Gaza, on Friday, criticism began to rise within the occupation entity for not achieving the declared goals of the war on the Gaza Strip, as Israeli media said that "operationally, the Israeli army is losing", stressing the existence of a set of "endless problems" in the face of Israeli forces in Gaza during the truce.
Read also: In defiance of the occupation... Tens of thousands of Palestinians return from the southern Gaza Strip to the north.
[Al-Mayadeen الميادين, pan-Arabist TV in Beirut, considered as pro-Hezbollah, on Nov. 25]
..........................................
Unusual proceedings of my blog incited me to scrutinize what was happening.
It was obvious that my blog has been "frozen" for a period of some days without
any statistical ups and downs of the baseline describing a very low activity of
visitors. Beginning with a sudden and harsh decrease of views on Nov. 19, this
was followed by a period of mere inactivity and which was unexpected in the frame
of my latest blogspot, the gist of which didn't even reach the mass media of my
country, although it has been confirmed by many foreign sources and let to fierce
official repercussions in Israel .....
Death toll of Palestinians: 14.850
Israeli deaths since Oct. 7: 1.300
[Source: Al-Ain العين, Abu Dhabi, Nov. 24]
The Palestinian Hamas movement said on Wednesday [Nov. 22] that it had agreed with Israel to stop all forms of fighting in Gaza for 4 days.
This came as part of an agreement under which Hamas would release 50 women and children held by it in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons.
وجاء ذلك ضمن اتفاق ستطلق حماس بموجبه سراح 50 امرأة وطفلا تحتجزهم لديها مقابل إفراج إسرائيل عن 150 امرأة وطفلا فلسطينيا محتجزين في السجون الإسرائيلية
The statement added that the agreement, which was brokered by Egypt and Qatar, will allow hundreds of trucks of humanitarian aid, medicines and fuel to enter all areas of the Gaza Strip.
The statement said that during the four-day truce, air traffic will stop completely in the southern Gaza Strip and will stop for six hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time in the northern Gaza Strip
[Irem News, Abu Dhabi, on Nov. 22]
'Irem News' has been most recently marked as a 'potentially dangerous site'
because of an 'expired certificate'. Daily news can be collected anyway. By the
way, it would be fine to hear about the percentage of children among ordinary
prisoners in Israel. For the Hamas release, some western source mentioned a
ratio of 60% children among the kidnapped group of 50 individuals. [Editor]
Headlines:
نتنياهو: إطلاق حماس كل 10 محتجزين إضافيين سيؤدي ليوم آخر من وقف القتال
ستطلق حماس بموجب الاتفاق سراح 50 امرأة وطفلا تحتجزهم لديها مقابل إفراج إسرائيل عن 150 امرأة وطفلا فلسطينيا محتجزين في السجون الإسرائيلية
Daily News:
الوكالة الفلسطينية: مقتل 5 في طولكرم بالضفة الغربية في غارة إسرائيلية بطائرة مسيّرة
Headlines:
Netanyahu: Hamas release of 10 more detainees will lead to another day of cessation of fighting.
Under the deal, Hamas will release 50 women and children it is holding in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails.
Daily News:
Palestinian Agency: 5 killed in Tulkarm in the West Bank in an Israeli drone strike.
Breaking News UPDATE:
Israeli cargo ship hijacked by Yemenite Houthi rebels
=> Houthi hijackers produced video of the incident !
وأعرب رئيس الوزراء القطري عن "ثقته بأن اتفاقا بشأن صفقة التبادل بين إسرائيل وحماس بات قريبا
ولفت إلى أن "هناك تحديات بسيطة ضمن المفاوضات، وهي لوجستية وعملية وليست جوهرية، ويمكن تذليلها
The Qatari Prime Minister expressed his "confidence that an agreement on the exchange deal between Israel and Hamas is near."
He pointed out that "there are simple challenges within the negotiations, which are logistical and practical, not fundamental, and they can be overcome."
The above information has been given on a joint press conference in the capital Doha, together with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, according to what was reported by the Qatar News Agency. Information was transmitted, as well, by the Israeli government that informed families of abductees after their march of protest on Jerusalem.
[Al-Quds Press on Nov. 20]
..............................
The 'Galaxy Leader', owned by an Israeli businessman, was hijacked in the Red Sea on its way to India. 25 hostages were taken. The Yemenite Army acknowledges responsibility. This comes in a series of guided missile launches targeting Israel. Missiles have been intercepted so far by US navy ships in the region. [Al-Jazeera, Arabic TV, on Nov. 19 and other sources]
The 2002-built vessel’s last signal was at 1136 GMT on November 18, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, with media reports there were 22 crew on board, none from Israel.
Galaxy Leader is owned by Tel Aviv-based Ray Shipping Ltd, which operates a fleet of 65 pure car and truck carriers, according to shipping databases and its website.
The beneficial owners are Rami Ungar and Yael Ungar. According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, the company is the one of the world’s largest providers of car carrier tonnage.
According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, Abraham (Rami) Ungar is one of Israel’s richest individuals, with a total net worth of over $2 billion.
He is an international shipping mogul and one of the country’s biggest motor vehicle importers. He has also had a history of close ties to right-wing Israeli politicians.
- UPDATE added below on Nov. 19 -
The death toll of Palestinians surpassed 13.000
The count of wounded is about 32.500
[Algérie 3, Arabic TV, Nov. 19 evening news]
آمال التهدئة تنتكس في غزة مع تجاوز حصيلة الضحايا 12 ألف قتيل
Hopes of calm relapse in Gaza as death toll surpasses 12.000.
[Asharq Al-Awsat on Nov. 18]
مشاهد يدمى لها القلب.. أهالي غزة يقيمون صلاة الجنازة على أحبائهم أمام المستشفى الإندونيسي
Scenes that make the heart bleed. Gaza residents hold funeral prayers for their loved ones in front of the Indonesian Hospital [i.e. Gaza City]
[Euronews on Nov. 18]
Israel Failed in Gaza Offensive to "Minimize Civilian Casualties"
[Hindustan Times, India, on Nov. 18]
تطالب بإطلاق سراح ذويهم.. مسيرة عائلات المختطفين تصل مقر نتانياهو
Demanding the release of their families. Families of Abductees' March reaches Netanyahu Headquarters ....
[Al-Hurra on Nov. 18]
Hamas Propaganda Video quoted by Hindustan Times on Nov. 18.
ألمح جنرال إسرائيلي متقاعد إلى أن الأداء الذي أظهره الجيش بشأن معالجة أنفاق حماس في غزة حتى الآن "ينذر بأنه من الصعب تدمير القوة العسكرية للحركة"، وقال إن إسرائيل لا تمتلك تصورًا عن اليوم التالي للحرب في غزة
A retired Israeli general (*) hinted that the military's performance on the treatment of Hamas tunnels in Gaza so far "is foreshadowing that it will be difficult to destroy the group's military power," and said Israel had no idea of the day after the war in Gaza.
(*) = Gadi Shamni, a major general from the reserve forces, quoted by Israeli media.
Important UPDATE on Nov. 14 Female Israeli soldier captive allegedly died in Israeli air raid
Calling on the Security Council to impose a cessation of aggression
Summit: A “comprehensive solution” is required that guarantees the unity of Ghaza and the West Bank as “land for the Palestinian state".
الرياض - وكالات: طالب قادة الدول العربية والإسلامية، أمس، بـ"حل شامل" يضمن وحدة غزة والضفة الغربية "أرضا للدولة الفلسطينية"، خلال قمة مشتركة لزعماء الجامعة العربية ومنظمة التعاون الإسلامي في الرياض.
وجاء في البيان الختامي المشترك أنّ القمة "ترفض أي طروحات تكرس فصل غزة عن الضفة الغربية بما فيها القدس الشرقية والتأكيد على أن أي مقاربة مستقبلية لغزة يجب أن تكون في سياق العمل على حل شامل يضمن وحدة غزة والضفة الغربية أرضا للدولة الفلسطينية التي يجب أن تتجسد حرة مستقلة ذات سيادة وعاصمتها القدس الشرقية على خطوط 4 حزيران 1967
Riyadh - Agencies: Yesterday [i.e. Nov. 11], leaders of Arab and Islamic countries called for a “comprehensive solution” that guarantees the unity of Ghaza and the West Bank, “land of the Palestinian state,” during a joint summit of leaders of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh.
The joint final statement stated that the summit “rejects any proposals that would establish the separation of Ghaza from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and emphasizes that any future approach to Ghaza must be in the context of working on a comprehensive solution that guarantees the unity of Ghaza and the West Bank as the territory of the Palestinian state, which must be embodied in a free state.” Independent, sovereign, with East Jerusalem as its capital, along the lines of June 4, 1967
[Al-Ayyam, Palestine, on Nov. 12]
The official spokesman for the Palestinian Presidency , Nabil Abu Rudeina, confirmed that Israeli attempts to separate the Ghaza Strip from the West Bank will fail, and this will not be allowed, regardless of the continuing pressures and threats. He said in a statement today, Sunday, that Ghaza is an integral part of the Palestinian territories, and it is the responsibility of the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO], stressing that security and stability in the region and the world will not be achieved except by ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, which includes the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Ghaza Strip.
[Jordan ZAD, Amman, on Nov. 12]
............................................
The Al-Qassam Brigades notified that a 19 year old female Israeli soldier captive, 'Fauul Azai Marek Assiani فاؤول أزاي مارك أسياني' from 'Modiein موديعين', originally coming from Morocco, the number of her identity card being 214179293, allegedly died in an Israeli air raid on Ghaza. Additional remarks made by the captive:
"All of Ghaza is being bombarded with missiles." "We are afraid that we will die from the missiles."
[Al-Maqar, Jordanian electronic newspaper founded in 2012. Article published on Nov. 13]
...........................................
Here is some personal opinion published at the University of Toronto.
I republished part of it in order to give a hand in its distribution. It's all
about anti-fascism, anti-semitism and freedom of thoughtful speech:
Opinion: Blockading media on Palestine is a bombardment against freedom of expression
In response to Hamas’ October 7 attack, Israel destroyed Gaza’s Al-Watan Tower, which housed several media outlets and telecom service providers that supplied internet access, thus leading to an internet outage. On October 27, after a continued onslaught of Israeli air strikes, Ghaza’s already delicate connectivity was further snuffed out as Israel began its ground operations. And, between the drafting and publication of this article, on November 5, Gaza lost communication another time as Israeli troops encircled Ghaza City.
..........
The blockade of communication severely interferes with journalistic processes. With no safe spaces to do their job while struggling against internet outages, Palestinian media have been largely fronted by Ghazan journalists reporting from the ground on platforms such as Instagram. Among others, journalists Motaz Azaiza, Plestia Alaqad, and Bisan Owda have caught the attention of international viewers.
However, even the voices of journalists on social media seem to be stifled by media giants. Users are accusing Instagram, owned by Meta, of suppressing viewership on pro-Palestinian posts, removing these posts, or even ‘shadowbanning’ — obscuring content without official notification — Palestinian content creators. Yet, the October attacks are not the first time that media giants have shown prejudice against pro-Palestinian content. Meta published an internal review which showed that their 2021 policies had an “adverse impact“ on the "rights of Palestinian users to freedom of expression” and that there was an over-enforcement of Arabic content.
In an interview, Mariam El-Rayes, a Palestinian student at U of T, told me that users are not seeing her Instagram stories when she posts about Palestine. When she posted random images in between her stories about Palestine to increase the chances of her stories being visible to her followers — a method known as an ‘algorithm break’ — she discovered something strange. She provided screenshots to show there was a significantly higher number of views on her ‘algorithm break’ stories than on her previous stories about Palestine — 32 versus 51 views — despite the fact that the stories were all public and that Instagram stories must be viewed in the chronological order of posting.
Accusations of platforms suppressing Palestinian news have led people to find ways to trick the algorithm, including posting ‘algorithm breaks’ as above or adjusting keywords, like ‘P@lestine’ or ‘Isr*el’, to avoid triggering censorship. The media siege can only serve to compound the humanitarian siege in Ghaza, smothering the news before it can reach an international audience.
Responding to user complaints, Meta released a statement clarifying that “Hamas is designated by the US government as both a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. It is also designated under Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy. This means Hamas is banned from our platforms, and we remove praise and substantive support of them… while continuing to allow social and political discourse — such as news reporting, human rights related issues, or academic, neutral and condemning discussion.”
UPDATE added on Nov. 10/11 Military news from Ghaza Exodus of the Palestinians A brandnew Book on Israel
استطلاع: انقسام الشارع الأميركي بشأن رد فعل إسرائيل على هجوم حماس
...................................
أمد/ واشنطن: أسوشيتد برس: أصبح الأميركيون أكثر ميلا لوصف إسرائيل بالحليف الذي يشارك الولايات المتحدة المصالح والقيم، منذ بدء الحرب مع حماس، لكنهم منقسمون بشأن تماديها في ردها على هجوم حماس، وذلك وفقا لاستطلاع جديد للرأي أجرته وكالة "أسوشيتد برس" ومركز "نورك" لأبحاث الشؤون العامة.
ويكشف الاستطلاع، الذي أنجز في الفترة من 2 إلى 6 نوفمبر، أيضا عن شكوك بين الديمقراطيين تجاه إسرائيل، الأمر الذي قد يمثل تحديا للرئيس، جو بايدن، خلال محاولته فرض توازن بين توفير الدعم للدفاع عن البلاد والأولويات المتغيرة لحزبه
..........
لكن 36 بالمئة فقط، قالوا إنه من المهم للغاية تقديم المساعدة للجيش الإسرائيلي لمحاربة حماس. وقال 40 بالمئة من الأميركيين إن الرد العسكري الإسرائيلي في قطاع غزة مبالغ فيه وغير متكافئ
تتذكر رييس أنها سمعت عدد القتلى في الأخبار وقالت "إنه مرتفع جدا، اعتقدت أن هذا لا يمكن أن يكون صحيحا
وتوفي أربعة آلاف طفل في غزة، بحسب السلطات الصحية، وقالت رييس ”هذا هو المدى البعيد للغاية
وهذا الشعور أكثر شيوعا بين الديمقراطيين، حيث يرى 58 بالمئة منهم أن الهجوم المضاد الإسرائيلي مبالغ فيه
وبشكل عام، يرى 38 بالمئة من الأميركيين إن رد فعل إسرائيل كان صحيحا، فيما قال 18 بالمئة إنه لم يكن مبالغا فيه
Poll: American street divided over Israel's response to Hamas attack
..................................
Americans have become more inclined to describe Israel as a like-minded ally of the United States since the war with Hamas began, but they are divided over how it goes too far in responding to the Hamas attack, according to a new poll by The Associated Press (AP) and the Norak Center for Public Affairs Research.
The poll, conducted Nov. 2-6, also reveals skepticism among Democrats toward Israel, which could challenge President Joe Biden as he tries to strike a balance between providing support for the country's defense with his party's shifting priorities.
..........
But only 36 percent said it was crucial to provide assistance to the IDF to fight Hamas. 40 percent of Americans said Israel's military response in the Gaza Strip was exaggerated and disproportionate.
Reyes (*) recalls hearing the death toll in the news and saying "it's too high, I thought that couldn't be true."
Four thousand children have died in Gaza, according to health authorities, and Reyes said: "This is [going to be] a very long run."
This sentiment is more common among Democrats, with 58 percent saying Israel's counterattack is exaggerated.
Overall, 38 percent of Americans said Israel's reaction was correct, while 18 percent said it was not exaggerated.
(*) = Caroline Reyes, a Democrat from New York and, as well, a typical voice from the street. [كارولين رييس، وهي ديمقراطية تبلغ من العمر 36 عاما في نيويورك]
[AMAD أمد, Palestine, on Nov. 8]
The Palestinian news platform AMAD أمد, its name meaning something like 'Extension - Breakthrough - Difference', is 'more than a single website and less than a newspaper'.
The adage of the group behind it: 'Hostility is unacceptable and difference is a right'.
...................................
Daily News:
Israeli authorities announced the liquidation of Ibrahim Abu Mughassib, commander of the anti-armor missile system in the central camps of Hamas. IDF spokesman Avichai Adraee said: "The IDF, under the intelligence direction of the Shin Bet and the Military Intelligence Service, was able to liquidate Ibrahim Abu Mughassib, who is in charge of the anti-armor missile system in the central camps of Hamas." Abu Mughassib "directed and carried out numerous attacks using anti-tank missiles targeting Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers," he said. "In addition, during ground operations, the navy attacked a Hamas anti-armor rocket launch site, using monitored operations to target ground forces," he added.
[Al-Ain العين, Dubai, Nov. 9]
أولي لحظات انفجا! اسرائيل تل أبيب وعسقلان واشدود
Initial moments of surprise !
Israel: Tel Aviv, Ashkelon and Ashdod
[World Weather News أخبار الطقس العالمية on Nov. 10]
Attention : The related X-account cannot be confirmed
and their YouTube channel says they are specialized in
publishing news and unusual natural disasters around
the world. However, similar rocket attacks on the center
of Israel have been confirmed by various serious news
sources. Places shown are in Israel, spoken comment
is in Arabic while the video is hosted on an Arabic site.
Palestinians leaving Ghaza City
during the hours of a ceasefire.
.........................................
German Bestseller
published in 2023
An - Israeli Diary -
that had been published
shortly before Israel's
War on Ghaza began.
Here is the cover text:
Israel is on the brink. The Israel we knew. Saul Friedländer, the great historian of the Holocaust, has written a diary in which he describes and comments on current events, recounts in flashbacks the history of the country he helped to build, analyzes conflicts and thinks about solutions. His diary gets under your skin and concerns everyone who cares about Israel. "You can't eat as much as you want to puke." With this harsh comment by Max Liebermann on the "seizure of power" by the National Socialists, Saul Friedländer's Israeli diary begins. A new government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, which is in coalition with right-wing radical forces, is trying to undermine democracy and establish an authoritarian regime with a judicial reform.
Hundreds of thousands take to the streets to demonstrate against it. Saul Friedländer, world-famous, awarded the highest prizes and in the 90th year of his life, can no longer demonstrate, but he writes an "Israeli diary" to counter this dramatic development. It is a painful, moving read and an appeal to all of us to prevent Israel from falling into an authoritarian pseudo-democracy.
LAST UPDATE added on November 8:
Overall death toll: 10.500 Palestinians
including 4.300 children for Ghaza only.
قال وزير التراث الإسرائيلي، عميحاي إلياهو، الأحد، إن أحد خيارات إسرائيل في الحرب على غزة، هو "إسقاط قنبلة نووية" على قطاع غزة الفلسطيني
وأكد الوزير اليميني المتطرف، في مقابلة إذاعية، أنه "لا يوجد غير مقاتلين في غزة"، مضيفاً أن تقديم المساعدات الإنسانية للقطاع سيشكل "فشلاً"، معتبراً أن الهجوم النووي على قطاع غزة "خيار محتمل
ورد رئيس الوزراء بنيامين نتنياهو، بالقول إن تصريحات إلياهو "منفصلة عن الواقع" وأن إسرائيل والجيش الإسرائيلي يتصرفان وفقاً للقانون الدولي لتجنب الإضرار بغير المقاتلين
Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said Sunday that one of Israel's options in the war on Ghaza is to "drop a nuclear bomb" on the Palestinian Ghaza Strip.
The far-right minister stressed in a radio interview that "there are no non-combatants in Ghaza", adding that providing humanitarian aid to the Strip would constitute a "failure," considering a nuclear attack on the Ghaza Strip a "possible option."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by saying Eliyahu's remarks were "detached from reality" and that Israel and the IDF were acting in accordance with international law to avoid harming non-combatants.
Other high-ranking Israeli politicians reacted horrified upon the stance of their colleague. Israel is known to possess nuclear weapons since the 1960ies. It was an 'open secret' until two Israeli lawmakers called for the use of such weapons after October 7, 2023.
[Source: BBC Arabic service, London, November 5, 2023]
An Israeli lawmaker has called for her nation's military to deploy nuclear weapons in response to the Hamas terror attacks that have left 1,200 Israelis dead.
Revital 'Tally' Gotliv, a member of the right-wing Likud party in the Knesset has called multiple times on her social media accounts for her country to wipe Ghaza off the map.
Former Israeli Knesset member Moshe Feiglin said something similar. He posted a photo on social media of the Japanese city of Hiroshima after it had been destroyed by a nuclear bomb in 1945, calling for the use of nuclear weapons against the Ghaza Strip.
Israel is one of the nine countries in the world that possesses nuclear weapons. It is estimated that it now has 90 nuclear warheads and is their last resort.
Hamas leader Rachek responded: "What Eliyahu said today is exactly what the government leadership is thinking."
[Easy Net on Nov. 6]
.........................
News of the Day:
Jordanian air force dropped human aid materials on a Ghaza field hospital operated by Jordan.
[Deutsche Welle, German national radio, on Nov. 6]
On November 5, local time, the U.S. Central Command announced on social media platforms that an "Ohio" class submarine had arrived in the Middle East.
Sources said this information has been confirmed by the US Department of Defense and that the submarine has power and nuclear missile capabilities and is now stationed near Iran.
[SOHU 搜狐 on Nov. 6]
Turkey's news agency Anadolu reported about a
German Foreign Ministry's press conference that
targeted an Israeli government minister's call for
nuking Ghaza and Israeli troops threatening some
German journalists. However, it was not minister
Baerbock herself presiding over that conference
but her deputy spokeswoman Derschinger. With
such second-rate line-up, the conference passed
almost unnoticed by a broader German public.
وفي 5 نوفمبر الجاري، دعا عشرات الأطباء الإسرائيليين في عريضة الجيش إلى قصف مستشفى الشفاء، الأكبر بقطاع غزة؛ بزعم أنه "يضم مقرًا للمسلحين الفلسطينيين"
وسبق هؤلاء الأطباء عشرات الحاخامات الإسرائيليين الذين وجّهوا دعوة مشابهة للجيش الإسرائيلي بقصف مشافي القطاع، وفق موقع "هامحدش" العبري
وبحسب مكتب الإعلام الحكومي في قطاع غزة، بلغ عدد المستشفيات التي توقفت عن الخدمة بشكل كامل خلال الحرب الإسرائيلية 16 مشفى
فيما تبقى 18 مشفى آخر تعمل جميعها بشكل جزئي وفي ظروف قاهرة، وذلك حتى 6 نوفمبر الجاري
On November 5, dozens of Israeli doctors called on the army to bomb Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip. Allegedly, it "houses a headquarters for Palestinian militants."
These doctors were preceded by dozens of Israeli rabbis who issued a similar call to the Israeli army to bomb Gaza Strip hospitals, according to the Hebrew “HaMedash” website.
According to the Government Information Office in the Gaza Strip, the number of hospitals that completely stopped serving during the Israeli war reached 16 hospitals.
While 18 other hospitals remain, all of which are operating partially and under force majeure conditions, as of November 6.
The Palestinian death toll in the conflict has exceeded 9.200 casualties, most of them civilians. It is said that every 10 minutes one Palestinian child dies.
Atrocities are stepping up at the moment that US foreign secretary Blinken arrived in Israel for consultations behind closed doors. In an interview he said: "When I am looking into the eyes of those children, I am looking into the eyes of my own."
Israeli strikes near three Ghaza hospitals
and an ambulance convoy in a single day. The
entrance of Al-Shifa hospital was hit, as
well as the Indonesian hospital neighbourhood. Two ambulances
were hit in an extremely crowded area [Al-Shifa spokesman].
13 people died.
14 Palestinians including children have been
killed on a highway connecting Ghaza City
with southern Ghaza while trying to escape
on a bus, carrying with them their permits to leave [member of family].
Red Crescent: 20 Palestinians have been killed when an UNWRA operated school was hit during Israeli shelling. That school is embedded into Jabalia refugee camp.
Ghaza health ministry: 16 of the 35 hospitals
and 51 of the 72 primary healthcare clinics
are forced to close due to Israeli bombing and
lack of fuel.
UN: 690.000 displaced Palestinians are
sheltering in 150 relief & works agency
facilities across Ghaza.
UN relief & works agency says 72 of its
employees have been killed in the Ghaza Strip
since October 7.
Occupied Westbank:
Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian shops and cars.
Israeli incursions into Jenin refugee camp deliberately damaged traffic infrastructure.
Israel:
Palestinian workers in Israel imprisoned, beaten and later released into Ghaza strip.
Thousands of them are being expelled from Israel where they had been working on Oct. 7.
Lebanon:
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warning Israel that 'Total War' is a real danger.
Global Protest:
Mass demonstration in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and elsewhere in Amman, Beirut (2), Doha, Islamabad (1), Madrid (4), Paris, Sydney (3), India and Yemen.
(1-4) = Demonstrations in the order presented in a video from AP:
A rare voice from Europe: Ione Belarra Urteaga (born 25 Sept. 1987)
is a leftist Spanish politician and psychologist from the election alliance
Unidas Podemos who currently serves as Minister of Social Rights and
2030 Agenda in the government of Pedro Sánchez. She has been her
party's leader since June 2021. => Video content confirmed by NTV.
Honduras recalls its ambassador from Tel Aviv.
Turkey temporarily recalls its ambassador for consultations. Turkey already opposed Israel when it tried to deliver human aid into Ghaza during => Israel's siege on the Ghaza Strip in 2016 <=.
[Main source for the above article: Al-Jazeera, evening news on Nov. 3 at 19:00 GMT.]
Jordan and Bahrain withdraw their ambassadors from Tel Aviv. [Akhbarelyom, Cairo, Nov. 2]
Honduras withdraws its ambassador from Tel Aviv. [Al-Jazeera, Qatar, Nov. 3]
Both Chile and Colombia announced - on Tuesday evening (Oct. 31) - the withdrawal of their ambassadors from Israel in protest against its continued aggression against Ghaza , which led to the death of more than 8,500 'martyrs', most of them women and children.
Earlier, the Bolivian government decided to sever its diplomatic relations with Israel, in protest against its aggression against Ghaza.
Argentine, Mexico and Peru are criticising Israel for their bombing of Ghaza.
[Deutsche Welle, German national radio, 2nd Nov. 2023]
ردود فعل دولية غاضبة من انتهاكات إسرئيل
وقال أنطونيو جوتيريش، الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة، على منصة التواصل الاجتماعي X إنه "يشعر بقلق عميق إزاء تصاعد الصراع"
وأدانت وزارة الخارجية الأردنية العدوان الإسرائيلي على جباليا، وقالت إنها تحمل إسرائيل، القوة المحتلة، مسؤولية هذا التطور الخطير
وأشارت الصحيفة إلى أنه على الرغم من أن الاجتياح البري الإسرائيلي لغزة بدأ منذ يوم الجمعة الماضي، إلا أن إسرائيل لا تزال مترددة في تقديم أي تفاصيل عن نتائج هذا الغزو
وقالت منظمة الأمم المتحدة للطفولة (يونيسف)، إن غزة أصبحت مقبرة لآلاف الأطفال، وجحيما حيا للجميع
وأضافت أن غزة توفر الآن 5 في المائة فقط من إنتاجها الطبيعي من المياه وأن وفيات الرضع بسبب الجفاف تمثل تهديدا متزايدا
وحذر مسؤول كبير في الأمم المتحدة هذا الأسبوع من أن الحرب "ستمتد إلى سوريا"... قد بدأت بالفعل"
وأشار جير بيدرسن، مبعوث الأمم المتحدة إلى سوريا، إلى الغارات الجوية الأخيرة على مطاري حلب ودمشق، والتي يعتقد على نطاق واسع أن القوات الإسرائيلية هى التي نفذتها
Angry international reactions to Israel's violations
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said on the social media platform X that he was “deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflict.”
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli aggression against Jabalia, and said that it holds Israel, the occupying power, responsible for this dangerous development.
[The newspaper Al-Dostor (?) pointed out that] although the Israeli ground invasion of Ghaza began last Friday, Israel is still hesitant to provide any details about the results of this invasion.
The United Nations Childrens' Fund (UNICEF) said that Ghaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children, and a living hell for everyone, ...
... adding that Ghaza now provides only 5 percent of its natural water production and that infant mortality due to drought represents a growing threat.
A senior UN official warned this week that the "war will spill over into Syria ... has already begun".
Geir Pedersen, the UN envoy to Syria, referred to the recent air strikes on Aleppo and Damascus airports, which were widely believed to have been carried out by Israeli forces
[Al-Dostor, Cairo, 1st November 2023]
Only 3 days ago, the UNO General Assembly voted
for a humanitarian truce in the Israeli-Ghaza Conflict.
As to the projected flooding of the Hamas tunnel system in Ghaza with nerve gas, in order to rescue the missing 220 hostages, Egyptian media expressed their disbelief.
While a high-ranking Hamas official is being quoted as saying that "the occupation [power] is promoting this news to create panic and fear", an Egyptian military expert, Major General Samir Faraj, is expressing his doubts more detailed. [Egypt Today on Oct. 27/28]
علق عضو المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس الفلسطينية، حسام بدران، على التقارير التي تتحدث عن استخدام إسرائيل غاز الأعصاب في الأنفاق لإجبار مقاتلي حماس على الخروج منها
A member of the political bureau of the Palestinian Hamas movement, Hossam Badran, commented on reports that Israel used nerve gas in tunnels to force Hamas fighters to leave them.
......
وأوضح أن حماس جاهزة من الناحية العسكرية لكثير من الاحتمالات، موضحًا أن الاحتلال يروج لهذه الأخبار تهدف إلى إثارة الذعر والخوف بين صفوف المقاتلين والشعب الفلسطيني
وتابع عضو المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس: «شعبنا، حتى الطفل الصغير لم يعد يخشى هذا الاحتلال ولا تهديداته ولا نيرانه، نحن أصحاب الحق، وسنمضي في هذا الطريق إلى النهاية»
He explained that Hamas is militarily prepared for many possibilities, explaining that the occupation is promoting this news aiming to create panic and fear among the ranks of the fighters and the Palestinian people.
The member of the Hamas political bureau continued: “Our people, even the little child, no longer fear this occupation, its threats, or its fire. We are the owners of the right, and we will continue on this path until the end.”
[Egypt Today مصريا اليوم, Oct. 27]
Major General Samir Faraj, a strategic thinker, ruled out the use of nerve gas by the Israeli occupation forces in their war with Hamas.
Faraj said during a phone call to the “On My Responsibility” program, via “Sada El Balad” satellite channel, this Saturday evening, that the occupation forces cannot use nerve gas against the Hamas movement in the Gaza tunnels in order to protect the prisoners.
He pointed out that the most powerful weapon possessed by the Palestinian resistance is the tunnel weapon, in addition to its possession of a large number of prisoners.
He explained that the occupation forces use seismic bombs in their war on the Gaza Strip to demolish tunnels, noting that these bombs were used in World War II and were developed to demolish the nuclear reactors that Iran is building underground.
Faraj added that the occupation forces were unable to advance, for fear of heavy losses, stressing that Israel failed in its operation yesterday in Gaza, and is in a difficult situation and does not know how to move its affairs.
[Egypt Today مصريا اليوم, Oct. 28]
..........................
خطة إسرائيلية لإغراق أنفاق "حماس" بغاز الأعصاب
Israeli plan to flood Hamas tunnels with a nerve agent. [Al-Mashhad المشهد Oct. 28]
The video link is no longer available on the republished Arabic
site of Al-Mashhad, but it can still be accessed on YouTube.
For the liberation of hostages, being hidden in 'Ghaza Metro', the legendary underground system of Hamas tunnels comprising some 500 km, Israel plans to flood these tunnels with a nerve agent intended to 'immobilize' Hamas fighters for some hours. The operation should be under supervision of US Delta Forces. This is what Al-Jazeera and Middle East Eye MEE have already reported. In the video of Al-Mashhad the gassing of Hamas fighters is being compared with the nerve gas attack on 'Tokyo Metro' using Sarin in 1995.
The republished news page of Al-Mashhad on Friday Oct. 27 came with a confirmation of such plans while already omitting the video link:
أكدت وسائل إعلام بريطانية أن مصادر قريبة من البنتاجون كشفت أن الولايات المتحدة والجيش الإسرائيلي سيستخدمان غاز الأعصاب لإغراق الأنفاق تحت غزة
وبحسب موقع «ميدل إيست آي» البريطاني، فإن هذا هو السبب الرئيسي لتأخير العملية البرية للجيش الإسرائيلي في غزة، والتي تنتظر تسليم الغاز المحظور عالميًا، ووصول الطواقم الأمريكية التي ستتولى التعامل معه
وكان الهدف هو إحداث تأثير المفاجأة، ما يسمح بإطلاق سراح الرهائن وقتل أكبر عدد ممكن من مقاتلي حماس
British media confirmed that sources close to the Pentagon revealed that the United States and the Israeli army will use nerve gas to flood tunnels under Ghaza.
According to the British Middle East Eye website, this is the main reason for the delay in the Israeli army’s ground operation in Ghaza, which is awaiting the delivery of globally banned gas and the arrival of the American crews that will handle it.
The goal was to create an effect of surprise, allowing the hostages to be released and the largest possible number of Hamas fighters killed.
The town of Khan Junis in southern Ghaza is crammed with people queuing for bread and drinking water. The situation has been accelerated due to brutal raids in the time of Israeli occupation. A report from The New Arab, Cairo, on October 23.
عضو المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس غازي حمد
Hamas movement's Political Bureau member Ghazi Hamad
in an interview after the Hamas-Hezbollah meeting in Tehran
[English language interview on October 26]
On Oct. 27, Asharq News in Riyadh & Cairo reported on the situation of public health in the Ghaza Strip after Israeli bombardment. They quoted Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee as having said that Hamas is keeping its headquarters under Ghaza's main hospital Al-Shifa, an extended compound in the center of Ghaza City. Hamas Political Bureau member Izzat al-Rishq denied the Israeli army’s claim. [Editor: Asharq News is affiliated to the Bloomberg network.]
بسبب عجز سيارات الإسعاف عن تلبية نداءات الاستغاثة بغزة.. سيارات مدنية لنقل ضحايا القصف الإسرائيلي المتواصل على القطاع
Because ambulances were unable to respond to distress calls in Ghaza, civilian vehicles are transporting victims of the continuous Israeli bombardment of the Ghaza Strip.
On Oct. 27, Wisal News, a Saudi Arabian TV station, reported on the spread of infectious diseases in the Ghaza Strip.
أصابت أمراض واسعة النطاق الاف النازحين الفلسطينيين في قطاع غزة, بسبب انعدام الضروريات الأساسية و النظافة الناجمة عن الغارات و الحصار الإسرائيلي, الأمر الذي يهدد بتحويل مراكز النزوح إلى بؤر للأوبئة
Widespread diseases have infected thousands of Palestinians in the Ghaza Strip, due to the lack of basic necessities and hygiene resulting from Israeli raids and siege, such threatening to turn displacement centers into hotbeds of epidemics.
..........................
خطة إسرائيلية لإغراق أنفاق "حماس" بغاز الأعصاب
Israeli plan to flood Hamas tunnels with a nerve agent. [Al-Mashhad المشهد Oct. 28]
The video link is no longer available on the republished Arabic
site of Al-Mashhad, but it can still be accessed on YouTube.
For the liberation of hostages, being hidden in 'Ghaza Metro', the legendary underground system of Hamas tunnels comprising some 500 km, Israel plans to flood these tunnels with a nerve agent intended to 'immobilize' Hamas fighters for some hours. The operation should be under supervision of US special forces. This is what Al-Jazeera and Middle East Eye MEE have already reported. In the video of Al-Mashhad the gassing of Hamas fighters is being compared with the nerve gas attack on 'Tokyo Metro' using Sarin in 1995.
Whether the deployment of German special forces to the region (i.e. on Cyprus), reported by Deutsche Welle on Oct. 28, is related to the joint Israeli-US operation, remains unknown up to now.
