Yesterday morning, Hamas released two more women who were taken hostage during the October 7 attack that killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. The total number of hostages is believed to be more than 200, but so far only four have been released. Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes have killed more than 5,000 Palestinians, according to Reuters.
Israel's campaign
Israeli military commanders have said in recent days that they are fully prepared to launch a "merciless" attack to wipe out Hamas and are only awaiting orders from political leaders. The New York Times, citing sources, reported that US officials have been in constant contact with Israel in recent days to urge caution in the attack, as the groups in Gaza operate mainly in tunnels and densely populated areas. Both US and Israeli officials believe that any invasion of the Gaza Strip, regardless of tactics, will be a bloody battle for soldiers and civilians.
An explosion caused by an Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip on October 23.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed yesterday that the US has sent many experienced senior officers to advise the Israeli military. According to Axios , among them is 3-star Marine General James Glynn, who led special forces in the fiercest urban battles against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.
Kirby also echoed President Joe Biden’s statement that there would be no ceasefire until all hostages were released. Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said the hostage rescue would not be a deterrent to a ground offensive. The US and Europe have been quietly lobbying Israel to delay the operation to allow more time to rescue hostages and deliver humanitarian aid.
Humanitarian crisis in Gaza
As the Israeli invasion continues, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the Gaza Strip, with 1.4 million of the estimated 2.3 million people displaced, according to the United Nations. Hospitals are in dire straits due to a lack of electricity, medicine, equipment and medical staff.
CNN quoted a doctor at Gaza's largest hospital as warning that the area would become a "mass grave" if it ran out of fuel. Meanwhile, the number of trucks carrying aid from Egypt is far less than needed each day.
Palestinians receive food at a refugee camp in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on October 23.
In a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen yesterday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi acknowledged that "every country has the right to self-defense but must comply with international humanitarian law and protect the safety of civilians."
In a rare comment on the foreign policy crisis, former US President Barack Obama warned that Israel's military strategy could backfire if it ignored the human cost. "The Israeli government's decision to cut off food, water and electricity to besieged civilians in Gaza not only threatens to exacerbate the growing humanitarian crisis, but could also erode global support for Israel and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region," Obama said.
US redeploys forces
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group to the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility in the Middle East, instead of joining the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group in the Eastern Mediterranean as originally planned. The decision comes amid concerns from the Pentagon that some parties could escalate the conflict in Israel into a wider war in the Middle East or take advantage of the opportunity to attack US forces. The White House on the same day accused Iran of in some cases "actively facilitating" rocket and drone attacks on US military bases in Iraq and Syria. Iran has not commented on the accusations.
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