TEL AVIV, Oct 14: Two Hamas commanders were killed in Israeli air strikes on
terrorist hideouts in northern Gaza today (Saturday). The two had led the surprise
rocket attack on Israel last Saturday morning.
Israeli military said it killed Merad Abu Merad, who was the head of the Hamas
aerial system, and company commander Ali Qadi. Ali Qadi was killed in a drone
strike.
The Times of Israel quoted the Israeli military saying they will attack the
areas of terrorist hideouts in Gaza with great force and therefore urged continued
evacuation of north Gaza.
The paper also said a deal has been reached to allow foreigners to cross from
Gaza to Egypt even as the military is ready to launch a ground invasion any
time now.
Times of Israel reported on Saturday that a forum representing families of
the missing and the hostages being held by terror groups said they have transferred
medical details and medicines used by their loved ones to the International
Committee of the Red Cross.
On Friday, the ICRC reiterated that it was trying to gain access to the estimated
150-200 hostages. Several of the captives are believed to be elderly and children.
There were 24 Thai nationals among foreigners killed in Hamas attack last
week. German newspapers have published the names of their nationals killed.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in thousands are streaming out of north Gaza following
the Israeli ultimatum to civilians to vacate the region where the Hamas terrorrists
are hiding in underground tunnels as the Israeli ground attack is about to begin.
A million civilians have been asked to evacuate to the south.
"This is just the beginning," Israeli Prime Minster Netanyahu had said when
he declared war on the Palestinian terrorists after they launched a surprise
rocket attack on Israel last Saturday morning and penetrated inside gunning
down hundreds and taking away 150 civilians as hostages to Gaza. Following the
attacks and counter-attacks by Israelis thousands of people have died on either
side.
As the Israeli war on terror intensified, and as a preparation for the ground
attack, they cut off water, power, fuel and food supplies to the Gaza Strip,
leading to lakhs of people facing humanitarian problems of lack of essential
commodities to survive. The civilians were forced to vacate.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told residents of the northern Gaza Strip that
they should move to the southern part of the enclave using evacuation corridors
between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The United Nations said that more than 423,000 people had already fled their
homes in Gaza even as the ultimatum came. It warned that evacuating Gaza’s population
would be calamitous, asking Israel to reverse the directive.
US President Joe Biden said that it’s a priority of his administration to address
the humanitarian crisis looming in the Gaza Strip even as the US supports Israel.
While expressing unwavering support for Israel, he acknowledged that the majority
of Palestinians are not associated with Hamas and suffer as a consequence.
Meanwhile, there has been confrontation with Hezbollah militants at the Lebanon
border.
Hamas said on Saturday 2,215 Gazans have been killed and 8,714 wounded in Israeli
strikes.
A journalist has been killed and 6 others were wounded in air attack at the
Lebanon border.
Sirens were sounding on Saturday as Hamas fired rocket barrage at Ashkelon
and Tel Aviv areas. Their rocket attack continues.
Saudi Arabia called an urgent meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization
of Islamic Cooperation, a 57-member bloc of Muslim countries.
Joining forces, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran’s
proxy terror groups are “fully ready” to respond to any move (ground attack) by
Israel. He claimed Hezbollah can take on Israel.