Israel-Hamas War: Israel Set to Cut Internet Services in Gaza; Palestinians Asked to 'Evacuate Immediately'

According to The Spectator Index, Israel is all set to cut off internet connectivity in Gaza from Saturday.

A Reuters news videographer was killed while working in southern Lebanon, news agency Reuters said in a statement on Friday. “We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed. We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region, and supporting Issam’s family and colleagues,” it said. Issam was part of a Reuters crew in southern Lebanon who was providing a live video signal.

A 14-year-old boy was among nine Palestinians killed on Friday by Israeli fire across the occupied West Bank during rallies in solidarity with war-battered Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry said. The teenager was killed in Beit Furik near Nablus. Clashes were reported from Ramallah, Tulkarm, Hebron and other cities and towns across the West Bank. At least 44 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in violence related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since October 7, as per the health ministry. By afternoon, the ministry reported “nine martyrs by occupation (Israeli) bullets in the West Bank” and some 130 wounded across multiple locations, some critically. AFP

After safely evacuating 212 Indian nationals from Israel under ‘Operation Ajay’, the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv is facilitating more flights, including one on Friday evening. The embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights, the Indian embassy posted the announcement on X. PTI

Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday Iran is the moving force behind the Hamas onslaught in Israel. “Everything is directed from Iran. The permission is given by Iran. The money is supplied by Iran, and the ideas are shaped in Iran,” he said.

Actor Idan Amedi, who plays undercover agent Sagi Tzur in the popular Netflix series Fauda, joined active combat duty to defend Israel against the Hamas militant group.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant promised to topple Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip and said its military capability will be eliminated. “We will topple Hamas rule in Gaza. We will eliminate its military capability. We will make sure this threat doesn’t exist on our border,” he said. “We call on all civilians in Gaza City to move south. We don’t want to harm them. Whoever wants to save themselves should move south,” he added.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he appreciates the “strong stance” of US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the “American people and government” amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. “Hamas is ISIS, and I think what you said and, in many ways the President has said, Hamas is worse than ISIS,” he said.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on Friday said the war with the Hamas militant group will be “long and hard” but Israel will win. Calling Hamas the “ISIS of Gaza”, he said the US deployment in the region has sent out a strong message. “US deployment of assets in the region has sent a strong message… Hamas is our neighbour, the ISIS of Gaza, and is on Iranian payroll,” Gallant said, thanking the US for its support in showing “what it means to be an ally, to be a friend, to be a brother…”

US Defense Secretary on Friday, in a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart, said the Hamas militant group was worse than ISIS in “taking evil to another level”. Gallant and Austin said the two countries have agreed on a series of moves and strategic issues, amid the ingoing Israel-Hamas war. Austin said the US is closely coordinating with Israel on the release of hostages. “We will pass additional measures if needed. Any country or group that wants to take advantage of these loopholes, I have one word – ‘Don’t’,” he said.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Friday warned against a “second Nakba” catastrophe facing Palestinians after the Israeli army ordered more than one million people to evacuate north Gaza. Abbas “completely rejects the displacement of our people from the Gaza Strip, because it will be tantamount to a second Nakba for our people,” he said, according to a statement published by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. The Nakba, or “catastrophe”, refers to some 7,60,000 Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes during the 1948 war that coincided with Israel’s creation. Abbas’s Palestinian Authority is seated in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, and is split from the militant group Hamas which rules Gaza. AFP

Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement on Friday said it would be “fully prepared” to join Hamas in the war against Israel when the time is right. “We are fully prepared, and when the time comes for action, we will take it,” Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem told a pro-Palestinian rally in Beirut’s southern suburbs. AFP

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday met Israeli PM Banjamin Netanyahu and told him what is happening in his country due to the Hamas attack is “worse than ISIS”.

Residents in Gaza City were seen carrying their belongings and driving packed cars in an attempt to flee on Friday after Israel’s military called for all civilians, more than 1 million people, to relocate south within 24 hours. Israel also amassed tanks ahead of an expected ground invasion. The Israeli military said it will operate “significantly” in Gaza City in coming days and civilians should only return when advised. More than 1,500 Palestinians have already been killed in retaliatory attacks. REUTERS

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan on Friday as US officials fanned out across the region. Blinken was also expected to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman, the second stop of his most extensive Middle East tour yet as Israel prepares for a sweeping ground offensive in Gaza. The top US diplomat, seeking to stop spillover from the war, also planned to visit key allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates – some of which have influence over Hamas, an Islamist group backed by Iran. REUTERS