Palestinian Death Toll exceeds 10,500 as Israeli Air Strikes Continue

GAZA/PALESTINE: Australian political party, the Australian Greens, has demanded an end to the genocide in Gaza, by chanting slogans of “ceasefire now” in the parliament. 

According to an Al Jazeera report, representatives of the Australian Greens commonly referred to as the Greens have demanded a “ceasefire” in Gaza in the Australian parliament. Senator Jordan Steele-John of the Greens has asked for a motion to initiate a ceasefire in Gaza while his colleagues held up signs in protest once the motion was denied. 

Shortly after the protest, the country’s Foreign Minister (FM) Penny Wong said: “It is right to say there is a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza”. Wong added that Australia is in support of a “humanitarian pause“. 

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Khan Younis Attack Kills Six, Wounds Several

Meanwhile, an attack near Khan Younis wounded several in the Gaza city, killing six others. According to Palestine’s Wafa news agency, civil defence and ambulance crews managed to recover the bodies of the six deceased after an Israeli attack on a residential building in Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis. The wounded were reportedly transferred to Nasser Hospital for treatment. A second attack on Thursday also hit and wounded several people, in Shawa Square near Gaza City. Victims of this attack were transported to al-Shifa Hospital. 

Following the attacks, a think tank said: “Hamas has not used more complex or advanced systems and tactics, such as house-borne improvised explosive devices, explosively-formed penetrators, advanced anti-tank missiles, or larger and more complex road-buried improvised explosive devices”. 

On the one hand, Israeli soldiers are openly documenting the abuse of innocent Palestinians, with cases rapidly increasing, confirmed Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Haaretz reported (roughly translated): “Beatings, curses and “Let’s go to Betar”: an increase in the number of soldiers who document themselves abusing Palestinians”. 

On the other hand, ‘From the River to the Sea’ – a slogan associated with the Palestinian freedom movement has managed to garner scrutiny. The slogan commonly chanted by protestors across the globe, in support of Palestine and its people, is a call for a ceasefire in Gaza, putting an end to the bombing of the Gaza Strip. Often interspersed with the slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” people from all parts of the world are protesting and demanding a ceasefire. Aside from chanting the slogan, protestors also wave the Palestinian flag expressing determination and the desire for the Western governments to ensure a ceasefire in the region and freedom from oppression for the Palestinian people. However, Israel and its supporters argue the slogan is anti-semitic urging violence. 

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Palestinians killed in Bethlehem, Children Targeted by the IDF

According to Al Jazeera reports, as cited by medical sources, a Palestinian man lost his life after the Israeli forces (IDF) shot him in Bethlehem, in Occupied West Bank. Muhammad Farid Thawabta was reportedly shot in a raid on Wednesday bringing the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank to 165, since October 7. 

Meanwhile, a video shared to Instagram by Mahmoud Ahsi, a Palestinian photojournalist verified by Al Jazeera, shows children trembling with fear and crying after they were injured in the relentless bombing by Israel in the Gaza Strip. 

According to the Health Ministry, out of the 10,659 Palestinians killed since October 7, over 4,300 are children. 

Israeli Air Raids Damage al-Shifa Hospital

According to reports, the intensity of the air strikes gets worse as talks of a potential ceasefire grow. In lieu of this, the IDF continued to target areas surrounding the al-Shifa Hospital destroying not only properties but also the infrastructure in the vicinity making it difficult for the wounded to reach the medical facility. According to Al Jazeera, the hospital itself also sustained a ‘great deal of damage’ in major departments including the X-ray department immediately after talks of a possible ceasefire which would result in the release of nearly 10 to 15 captives. However, Israeli forces continued to attack Gaza, including Khan Younis. 

But why is al-Shifa so important? As of the latest reports, it is one of the few facilities still functioning in Gaza with the wounded and their loved ones turning to it in need of medical treatment. 

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On the other hand, as Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu continues to wage war in Gaza against civilians under the guise of targeting Hamas fighters, Labour Minister Yoav Ben-Tzur says he will have to call for elections within three months of the war ending. According to Ben-Tzur, the elections should be held before an investigative commission can be set up because the “public will have its say”. A leader of the ultra-Orthodox religious Haredi Shas party, Ben-Tzur said the public opinion will determine whether Netanyahu will be allowed a mandate. He added: “Decency requires that after such a terrible event, the public must have its say. The government will not be able to continue functioning in the current situation”.

It is pertinent to note that Netanyahu’s refusal to take blame for the October 7 attack, is leading to rising dissatisfaction amongst officials and the public alike. In a poll last week, Israeli media suggested that the PM’s political party would experience a steep drop from 32 to 18. 

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It is pertinent to note that Israel has pushed the Palestinian community towards a water crisis. On the one hand, Palestinian civilians are forced to wait long hours before they can get a meagre supply of water. According to Mohammed Raqiba, a local, “Around 20,000 families drink” from one water hose in the area.  

On the other hand, Palestine’s FM Riyad al-Maliki has lodged a formal complaint with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) against Israel after its Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu threatened to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza earlier this week as “an option”.

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As reported by Wafa, al-Maliki addressed a letter to Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the IAEA on Wednesday, stating that the threat against the Palestinian people is “completely consistent with the prevailing discourse in Israel”. 

According to the FM, the threat is an “official recognition” that Israel holds nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. 

Meanwhile, the CIA Chief is currently working to strike a possible ceasefire deal during his Middle East tour. So far, the ceasefire negotiations are focused on the release of ten to fifteen hostages. Speaking with Al Jazeera, former US Diplomat William Lawrence said: “That will be a main focus on what [William] Burns is up to. Hamas and Israel, at times, will take these maximalist positions but both sides are also talking about women for women, children for children, elderly for elderly, fighters for fighters”.

Multiple Hospitals Bombed in Three Days

In the last three days, Israeli forces have bombed and targeted eight medical facilities in Gaza. On the other hand, eighteen hospitals have already been out of service since October 7 as confirmed by the Palestinian govt’s media office. 

Additionally, a video posted by the Health Ministry shows the damage done to the radiology department at Nasser Medical Hospital as a result of a bombing on a nearby mosque on Thursday evening. According to Al Jazeera, in the video, a healthcare worker (HCW) said: “The roof fell down on a colleague while he was heading from this room to that room to aid some patients. He is in the ER right now”. The HCW added: “In our field of work, there is no safe place”. 

"This is my land. I was born here and I will never leave it to anyone."

Even after 32 days of #Israel's savage bombardment, the people of #Gaza insist that they will never give up their land. pic.twitter.com/ZsiS6ssFkx

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 8, 2023

In another video, shared on X, a Palestinian man says that he will not his leave land despite the threat of being targeted in Israeli attacks.