Israel is expanding its offensive: For use in the Gaza Strip, the army mobilized 16,000 additional reservists. The Israeli government wants to advise on Thursday on how to proceed.
Two weeks after the start of the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army has mobilized 16,000 reservists more. The Israeli radio announced on Thursday they should be used for the relief of the fighting troops. The number of reservists called up thus amounted to a total of 86,000.
The Israeli security cabinet have the army on Wednesday instructed to expanding military operations in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, the Israeli government wanted to consult at a special meeting on the way forward.
Given the increasing number of deaths and the devastation in Gaza Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had the Palestinian territory declared on Wednesday a “humanitarian disaster area”. He urged the United Nations to do everything possible to help the people in the coastal enclave on the Mediterranean.
Ground offensive in the Gaza Strip:Bursting into tears in front of the camera
The longtime spokesman for the UN Relief and Works Agency Palestinians (UNRWA), Chris Gunness, broke, given the dire conditions in a live interview with the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera in tears. “The rights of the Palestinians, even their children, are completely denied, and it is horrific,” Gunness said, and began to sob in despair. The interview then had to be canceled.
The Israeli attack on a UN aid agency UNRWA school in Gaza had been sharply criticized on Wednesday by allies. Last about the U.S. government had ever clearer criticized the approach of the allied Israelis in Gaza. Multiple dismissed the White House then, that more efforts should be made to reduce the number of civilian casualties.
On Wednesday morning were the school in the Jabaliya refugee camp in which 3,000 people had sought shelter, at least 15 were killed in the shelling.
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“Arab allies were trying to balance their own overriding dislike for Hamas against their citizens’ emotional support for the Palestinians, a balancing act that could grow more challenging as the Gaza carnage mounts.” — David Kirkpatrick
This is the grave danger of Israel’s offensive: It destabilizes Egypt and the other neighboring states trying to keep some appearance of order in the Middle East. The Arab leaders can hold back the will of their people only so long.
“No war is an island.”