International

Israel expands Gaza ground offensive

Published

2 years ago

December 4, 2023

Israel expands Gaza ground offensive

The Israeli military said Sunday its ground offensive had expanded to every part of Gaza, and it ordered more evacuations in the crowded south while vowing that operations there against Hamas would carry “no less strength” than its shattering ones in the north.

Heavy bombardment followed evacuation orders, and Palestinians said they were running out of places to go in the sealed-off territory bordering Israel and Egypt. Many of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are crammed into the south after Israel ordered civilians to leave the north in the early days of the war, which was sparked by the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack in Israel that killed about 1,200, mostly civilians.

The United Nations estimates that 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced. Nearly 958,000 of them are in 99 U.N. facilities in the south, said Juliette Toma, director of communications at the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

After dark, gunfire and shelling were heard in the central town of Deir al-Balah as flares lit the sky. In Gaza’s second-largest city of Khan Younis, Israeli drones buzzed overhead. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk urged an end to the war, saying civilian suffering was “too much to bear.”

The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said the number of people killed there since Oct. 7 has surpassed 15,500, with more than 41,000 wounded. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but said 70% of the dead were women and children.

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A Health Ministry spokesman asserted that hundreds had been killed or wounded since a weeklong cease-fire ended Friday. “The majority of victims are still under the rubble,” Ashraf al-Qidra said.

Fears of a wider conflict intensified. A U.S. warship and multiple commercial ships responded to distress signals from container ships in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed attacks on two ships they described as being linked to Israel but did not acknowledge targeting a U.S. vessel.

Hopes for another temporary truce in Gaza were fading. The cease-fire facilitated the release of dozens of the roughly 240 Gaza-held Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. But Israel has called its negotiators home and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war will continue until “all its goals” are achieved. One is to remove Hamas from power in Gaza.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said resuming talks with Israel on further exchanges must be tied to a permanent cease-fire.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told “Face the Nation” on CBS News that the U.S. is “trying to work hour by hour to see if we can get this pause reinstated and get those hostages out.”

“While the pause has been lifted, and no hostage exchanges are going on, what is still going on, importantly, is humanitarian assistance getting in, including fuel, which is critical,” Kirby added.

Israel’s military widened evacuation orders in and around Khan Younis in the south, telling residents of at least five more areas to leave. Residents said the military dropped leaflets calling Khan Younis “a dangerous combat zone” and ordering them to move to the border city of Rafah or a coastal area in the southwest.

But Halima Abdel-Rahman, a widow and mother of four, said she won’t heed such orders anymore. She fled her home in October to an area outside Khan Younis, where she stays with relatives.

“The occupation tells you to go to this area, then they bomb it,” she said by phone. “The reality is that no place is safe in Gaza. They kill people in the north. They kill people in the south.”

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The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has urged Israel to avoid significant new mass displacement and do more to protect civilians. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told Egypt’s president that “under no circumstances” would the U.S. permit the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, an ongoing siege of Gaza or the redrawing of its borders.

On the ground in Gaza, there was fear and mourning. Outside a Gaza City hospital, a dust-covered boy named Saaed Khalid Shehta dropped to his knees beside the bloodied body of his little brother Mohammad, one of several bodies laid out after people said their street was hit by airstrikes. He kissed him.

“You bury me with him!” the boy cried. A health worker at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital said more than 15 children were killed.

Israel’s military said its fighter jets and helicopters struck targets in Gaza including “tunnel shafts, command centers and weapons storage facilities.” It acknowledged “extensive aerial attacks in the Khan Younis area.”

The bodies of 31 people killed in bombardment of central Gaza were taken to the Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, said Omar al-Darawi, a hospital administrative employee. One woman wept, cradling a child’s body. Another carried the body of a baby. Later, hospital workers reported 11 more dead after another airstrike. Bloodied survivors included a child carried in on a mattress.

Outside a hospital morgue in Khan Younis, resident Samy al-Najeila carried the body of a child. He said his sons had been preparing to evacuate their home, “but the occupation didn’t give us any time. The three-floor building was destroyed completely, the whole block was totally destroyed.” He said six of the bodies were his relatives.

“Five people are still under the rubble,” he said. “God help us.”

In a video from the same crowded al-Nasser hospital, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said: “I feel like I’m almost failing in my ability to convey the endless killing of children here.”

Israel says it does not target civilians and has taken measures to protect them, including its evacuation orders. In addition to leaflets, the military has used phone calls and radio and TV broadcasts to urge people to move from specific areas.

Israel says it targets Hamas operatives and blames civilian casualties on the militants, accusing them of operating in residential neighborhoods. It claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence. Israel says at least 78 of its soldiers have been killed.

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Kirby said that the U.S. is in discussion with Israel “about being careful, precise and deliberate in their targeting and trying to minimize civilian casualties to the maximum extent possible.”

“I think it’s also important for people to remember what they’re up against here. Hamas deliberately shelters themselves inside residential buildings, hospitals and schools,” Kirby said when asked by “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan if the White House has established “red lines” in the terms of U.S. military aid to Israel.

“It’s an added burden that Israel has as a modern military, we recognize that, but it’s also a very difficult burden and obstacle for them to overcome,” Kirby said.

The widening offensive likely will further complicate humanitarian aid to Gaza. Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, said 100 aid trucks entered Sunday, but U.N. agencies have said 500 trucks per day on average entered before the war.

The renewed hostilities also heightened concerns for the 137 hostages the Israeli military believes are still being held by Hamas. During the recent truce, 105 hostages were freed, and Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners. Most of those released by both sides were women and children.

Elsewhere in the region, Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group said it struck Israeli positions near the tense Lebanon-Israel border. Eight soldiers and three civilians were wounded by Hezbollah fire in the area of Beit Hillel, army radio reported. The military said its artillery struck sources of fire from Lebanon and its fighter jets struck other Hezbollah targets.

Iraqi militants with the Iran-backed umbrella group the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said they struck the Kharab al-Jir U.S. military base in Syria with rockets. A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said rockets hit Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria but there were no reports of casualties or damage.

Later Sunday, officials with Iranian-backed militias in Iraq said five militia members were killed in an airstrike blamed on the U.S. near Kirkuk. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. U.S. military officials could not immediately be reached for comment. for comment.

Israel expands Gaza ground offensive

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International

Muslim Nations Condemn Israel’s New Death Penalty Law for Palestinians

Published

12 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Muslim Nations Condemn Israel’s New Death Penalty Law for Palestinians

Several Muslim-majority countries have strongly condemned Israel’s new death penalty law, which reintroduces capital punishment for certain terrorism-related offenses, warning that it could further escalate tensions in the Middle East. The legislation, passed by Israel’s Knesset on March 30, 2026, allows death by hanging as the default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks classified as terrorism, with executions scheduled within 90 days of conviction.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement criticizing the law, describing it as a discriminatory measure that undermines the fundamental rights of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The ministers warned that the legislation reinforces an apartheid-like system and could inflame tensions on the ground.

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Human rights organizations, including the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, have opposed the law, filing petitions with Israel’s Supreme Court to block it. Critics argue that the legislation disproportionately targets Palestinians, applying primarily in military courts in the occupied territories, while allowing Israeli civilians discretion in sentencing for terrorism-motivated murder.

The law was introduced by the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who argued that stricter penalties are necessary to deter terrorism and protect citizens. However, opponents say that the measure risks undermining the rule of law and exacerbating ongoing conflicts.

The legislation has drawn strong international criticism. The Palestinian Authority condemned the law as a violation of international law, potentially amounting to a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention. UN human rights officials have also expressed concern, highlighting the risk to civilian safety, due process, and human rights protections.

Muslim nations and international observers continue to call for restraint and adherence to international legal standards. They emphasize that reinstating the death penalty in a volatile conflict zone could heighten instability and hinder prospects for peace.

Muslim Nations Condemn Israel’s New Death Penalty Law for Palestinians

International

China Blames US‑Israeli Strikes on Iran for Strait of Hormuz Blockage

Published

12 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning

China Blames US‑Israeli Strikes on Iran for Strait of Hormuz Blockage

China has accused the United States and Israel of being the “root cause” of the disruption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, following recent military strikes on Iran. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday that the interruption to navigation resulted directly from what Beijing described as “illegal military operations” by Washington and Tel Aviv against Tehran.

The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime corridor connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes for crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Iran has effectively restricted access to the strait in retaliation for the joint strikes, escalating tensions in the Middle East and threatening global energy supply chains.

China, as the largest importer of Iranian crude, has been particularly affected. Mao Ning warned that further military escalation would not resolve the crisis, saying, “Military means cannot fundamentally solve the problem, and the escalation of conflicts is not in the interests of either side.” Beijing called for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation to restore safe passage and regional stability.

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The remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump urged nations dependent on oil shipments through the strait to “take care of that passage” themselves. Trump also indicated that the conflict could continue for another two to three weeks, with potential strikes targeting critical Iranian infrastructure if negotiations fail.

The disruption has already sent shockwaves through global energy markets, with oil prices surging between 40 to 50 percent. Industries reliant on fuel have been hard hit, including airlines such as Air China, which announced increases in fuel surcharges on domestic routes. Analysts warn that sustained instability in the strait could prolong energy price volatility and further strain global supply chains.

Market experts say that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is crucial for stabilising international energy flows. Private and public sectors are closely monitoring developments, with international diplomacy expected to play a key role in resolving the crisis. China’s call for a negotiated solution highlights its strategic interest in protecting maritime energy imports and preventing long-term disruption to global oil supply.

China Blames US‑Israeli Strikes on Iran for Strait of Hormuz Blockage

International

Qatar Petitions UN Over Iranian Missile Strikes on Maritime Assets

Published

13 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Trends Admin

Qatar Petitions UN Over Iranian Missile Strikes on Maritime Assets

The government of Qatar has formally appealed to Antonio Guterres, strongly condemning what it described as Iranian drone and cruise missile attacks on its territory and maritime infrastructure, calling them clear violations of international law and national sovereignty.

In a detailed communication to the United Nations, Qatari authorities outlined a series of incidents that occurred between March 28 and April 1, 2026, describing them as “unlawful acts” that pose a serious threat to regional stability and global energy security. The letter is part of a broader diplomatic push, with Qatar submitting multiple complaints to the UN and Security Council in recent weeks over what it calls sustained aggression by Iran.

The most recent and severe incident took place on April 1, when three cruise missiles were launched from Iranian territory toward Qatari waters. According to officials, Qatari air defense systems intercepted two of the missiles, while a third struck the Aqua 1 fuel oil tanker operating within Qatar’s territorial waters. The vessel is leased to state-owned QatarEnergy.

QatarEnergy confirmed that all 21 crew members aboard the tanker were safely evacuated. Authorities reported no casualties and no environmental damage, but warned that the attack underscores growing risks to maritime safety and critical energy infrastructure in the Gulf.

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Qatar invoked Article 51 of the UN Charter, affirming its right to self-defense, and indicated that a full assessment of damages and losses is ongoing. The government also called for urgent international intervention, accountability, and enhanced protection of vital shipping lanes and offshore facilities.

Officials stressed that repeated attacks on commercial vessels and energy assets threaten not only Qatar but also the broader global economy, given the Gulf’s strategic role in oil and gas exports. The incidents have intensified concerns among Gulf states about the vulnerability of energy infrastructure, commercial shipping routes, and key maritime corridors.

The latest escalation comes amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, with fears growing that continued hostilities could spiral into a wider conflict. Maritime security bodies, including the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, have continued to monitor the situation closely and warn of increased risks in the Gulf.

Despite the attacks, QatarEnergy stated that operations at affected facilities remain fully operational, signaling resilience in the country’s energy sector. However, analysts warn that sustained threats could disrupt supply chains and shake investor confidence if the situation deteriorates further.

Qatar has repeatedly emphasized that such actions are inconsistent with principles of good neighborliness and international norms, urging the global community to act decisively to prevent further escalation.

As of now, there has been no official response from Iran regarding the latest accusations.