Home | News | As the Israel-Hamas war rages, Israel orders evacuation of 1.1 million people from Gaza

As the Israel-Hamas war rages, Israel orders evacuation of 1.1 million people from Gaza

Gaza residents begin to move south on Friday, October 13, following Israel's call to evacuate the area. (Photo: Screenshot Youtube/ New York Post)

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By Aakansha Malia

October 16, 2023
3:43 pm
Los Angeles, CA

As the war enters its second week, tensions between Israel and Palestine increase. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dropped leaflets from planes into Gaza, calling on the 1.1 million residents to leave their homes and evacuate, after which Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas warned against a “second Nakba” catastrophe facing Palestinians. In response to an explosion at a security fence near the Lebanese-Israeli border, Israel shelled and conducted drone attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah said on October 13 in Beirut that they are “contributing to the confrontation and will (continue) to contribute to it within their vision and plan.” The Jewish State leaders are foreshadowing a ground invasion aimed at permanently changing the status quo as Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel

In response to an explosion at a security fence near the Lebanese-Israeli border, Israel shelled and conducted drone attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah said on October 13 in Beirut that they are “contributing to the confrontation and will (continue) to contribute to it within their vision and plan.”

The Jewish State leaders are foreshadowing a ground invasion aimed at permanently changing the status quo as Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, said on October 12, “Unlike other operations, we are collapsing the governance and sovereignty of the Hamas organization.”

The Israeli military said on October 12 that to completely wipe out Hamas from the Gaza Strip, it has pounded the region with 6,000 bombs since the start of the war. Upending the decades-long stalemate between Israel and Hamas has left the region reeling with more than 1400 killed in Israel, hundreds taken hostage, 1537 people gunned down in Gaza, and 6,600 wounded.

The intensifying conflict with Hamas comes at a time when U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting Tel Aviv to de-escalate the raging war and extend his unwavering support to the Jewish state. He said on October 12, “The message I bring with me is this: You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourselves, but as long as America exists, you will never have to.”

U.S.-Iran 6$ Billion transaction deal on radar

Blinken, who is currently in Bahrain to discuss Hamas, asked Arab leaders that there can be “no more business as usual” with Hamas and requested Qatar to close down Hamas’ political wing. Meanwhile, the spotlight shifts to U.S. transactions with Iran of $6 billion as a part of the prisoner swap deal. The deal included the release of five U.S. citizen prisoners from Iran and a shift of funds to banks in Qatar to allow Iran to use them.

However, as per the latest reports, the U.S. and Qatar have reached an agreement to block these funds amid criticism from the Republicans, who first labeled the move as paying off ransom. Former President Donald Trump now claims that the release of funds led to Iran potentially supporting Hamas, enabling the ongoing deadly attack on Israel.

Although the Biden administration has not yet confirmed Iran’s involvement in the recent skirmish, Iran’s track record of backing Hamas and Lebanon-based-Hezbollah raises questions on the credibility of Biden’s move. While it’s unclear whether the Biden administration will completely cut off these funds or wait and watch, the decision is set to upset Tehran as the prisoner swap deal has already concluded.

The Global Impact

As the Israel- Gaza war and destruction escalates, it is also causing global repercussions, with Britain, Canada, France, and Germany among nations stepping up security around potential Jewish targets and pro-Palestinian demonstrations erupting in cities worldwide.

Pro-Palestinian protests erupted in the center of Paris even after the government had banned such demonstrations. The police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protests. They arrested ten people at a 3,000-strong rally at Paris’s Place de la République, where demonstrators chanted “Israel murderer” and “Palestine will win.” President Macron has requested French citizens not to add ‘national divisions to international divisions.’

Meanwhile, Germany echoed the same stance and banned pro-Palestinian gatherings, pledging a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to anti-semitic statements. Demonstrations in Berlin and Duisburg had seen sweets distributed to participants who ‘celebrated’ the atrocities carried out in Israel. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that anyone found to be lauding Hamas’ action would be prosecuted.

Hollywood stars join forces in support of Israel

On the other hand, Hollywood, comprising many prominent figures encompassing actors, directors, and producers, has undisputedly joined hands in support of Israel. According to the Hill, an assembly of Industry luminaries, including Gal Gadot, Michael Douglas, Amy Schumer, and Mark Hamill, have put out an open letter crafted by Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing pro-Israel sentiments within the entertainment industry condemning Hamas’ actions. The letter called out Hamas’ barbaric acts of terrorism and also called Hamas, ”a terrorist organization whose leaders call for the murder of Jews everywhere.”