Israel-Hamas war recap: Israel’s air strikes hit residences, schools as Gaza toll reaches 700

This concludes The West Australian’s live coverage of the devastating conflict continuing to unfold in Israel. Check back in tomorrow from 6am for all the latest updates on the Hamas-Israel war.

Al Jazeera is reporting that Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaidah has warned people in the coastal Israeli city of Ashkelon to leave by 5pm local time.

This is just a few hours away.

The announcement was made on social networking site Telegram.

“In response to the crime of the enemy displacing our people, and forcing them to flee their homes in several areas of the Gaza Strip, we are giving the residents of the occupied city of Ashkelon a deadline to leave before five o’clock this evening,” Abu Ubaida said in a statement.

Ashkelon has been subject to a barrage of rocket attacks from Palestinian militants launching barrages from Gaza.

Iran was not involved in the Hamas group’s surprise attack on Israel, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says, but he has hailed what he calls Israel’s “irreparable” military and intelligence defeat.

In his first televised speech since the weekend attack, Khamenei said “we kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime”.

“This destructive earthquake has destroyed some critical structures (in Israel) which will not be repaired easily ... The Zionist regime’s own actions are to blame for this disaster,” Khamenei said on Tuesday.

Iran has long backed the Hamas group, which controls the Gaza Strip and rejects Israel’s right to exist.

Israel said earlier on Tuesday it had re-established control over the Gaza border and was planting mines where militants had toppled the barrier during their bloody weekend assault, after another night of relentless Israeli air raids on the enclave.

The United States said on Monday Iran was complicit in Hamas’ assault on Israel, though it said it had no intelligence or evidence pointing to Tehran’s direct participation. - Via Reuters

It is difficult to fathom that any person could see the brutal, indiscriminate slaughter of civilians in Israel by Hamas terrorists and react with anything other than absolute horror.

And yet for a small segment of people here in Australia, these monstrous acts of murder were cause for celebration.

Read the powerful Editorial at The West Australian

Former prime minister John Howard has unleashed on Anthony Albanese, urging the Labor leader to stop his party’s “pussyfooting” response to Hamas’ attack on Israel.

Speaking to The Australian, Mr Howard said Mr Albanese needed to show “leadership from the top” and labelled Sydney’s anti-Israeli protests a “catastrophic descent from civility”.

The fiery comments from the former Liberal leader came as Labor faced criticism from the Jewish community over the response to pro-Palestinian rally at the Sydney Opera House

Read more at The West Australian

A man arrested in Sydney for waving an Israeli flag at a pro-Palestine event says NSW Police “should feel ashamed” of their response.

The 1000-strong Free Palestine protest in Sydney CBD came as warfare erupted in Israel and Palestine over the weekend, with the reignited violence already prompting hundreds of deaths on both sides.

Sydney businessman Mark Spiro attended the rally at Sydney Town Hall with a rolled-up Israeli flag for what he said was “literally three seconds” — but it was enough for police to arrest him.

Al Jazeera is reporting that Gaza hospitals are overwhelmed by bodies and wounded people.

“The situation in all Gaza hospitals is truly indescribable. Shifa Hospital, considered the largest hospital in the entire Strip, is overwhelmed by the number of bodies and wounded people,” reporter Youmna ElSayed said.

“The morgue is full. Some families have carried away their dead relatives just so they can empty space in the morgue. No funerals are even been made because of the intensity of the bombardment.”

According to the WHO, 13 attacks have hit health facilities since the fighting began, and pre-positioned medical supplies have already been used.

Overnight, Israeli air raids levelled buildings and plumes of smoke rose from once densely populated neighbourhoods.

Israel’s air strikes have hit residential buildings, large tower blocks, schools and UN buildings across Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties, according to the United Nations Human Rights chief.

The UN secretary-general has stated he is “deeply distressed” by Israel’s decision to impose a total blockage on the Gaza Strip, stating it will worsen an already dire situation.

According to the United Nations human rights chief, Israel’s total seize of the Gaza Strip is banned under international law.

“The imposition of sieges that endanger the lives of civilians by depriving them of goods essential for their survival is prohibited under international humanitarian law,” Volker Turk said in a statement.

Washington, which provides Israel with about $3 billion in annual military aid, will send military ships and aircraft following the devastating attacks by the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

Hours after Hamas’ surprise attack, US President Joe Biden promised “rock-solid and unwavering” support to Israel.

In a pledge of support, the US has ordered the movement of military aid, including navy ships and munitions, closer to Israel.

Hamas has responded to the announcement made by the US as “aggression” against Palestinians.

“The announcement of the US that it will provide an aircraft carrier to support the occupation [Israel] is actual participation in the aggression against our people,” the group said in a statement on Sunday.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has released the latest displacement statistics from the Gaza Strip.

“Mass displacement escalated in past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip, reaching 180,000 people – expected to increase further,” it said on X, formally Twitter.

“137,500 people sheltering in 83 UNRWA schools, bread distributed with WFP [World Food Programme].”

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