On the 28th day of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the death toll in Gaza has climbed to 9,227, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Tel Aviv and pleaded for “humanitarian pauses” during the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
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Netanyahu Rejects a “Temporary Truce”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that there could be no “temporary truce” in Gaza unless Hamas releases the estimated 241 Israeli and foreign hostages it took during its October 7 attacks.
Shortly before, the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, on a visit to Israel, had said he had discussed with Netanyahu the possibility of “humanitarian pauses” to protect Palestinian civilians. And he reiterated Washington’s long-standing support for the eventual recognition of a Palestinian state: “Two states for two peoples. Again, that is the only way to ensure lasting security for a Jewish and democratic Israel.”
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated Friday that Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself as it continues to pummel the Gaza Strip with an air and ground assault.
Blinken will meet on Saturday in Amman with the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as well as a representative of the Palestinian Authority, to discuss ways to “stop the war in Gaza,” according to Jordanian diplomacy.
“Humanitarian Conference” in Paris on November 9
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday that a “humanitarian conference” would be held in Paris on November 9. He said that “the fight against terrorism does not justify sacrificing civilians” and called for a “humanitarian truce.”
Bombing in Gaza Strip
The Hamas government announced that an Israeli bombardment at the entrance to Gaza’s main hospital on Friday had left “dozens dead and wounded.” An AFPTV video shows several bodies and wounded next to a damaged ambulance. It was reported that 13 people had died in a strike targeting an ambulance at the entrance to al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest. The Israeli military confirmed it targeted an ambulance outside Gaza’s largest hospital Friday, claiming it was being used by Hamas militants, while health officials said it was transporting the wounded.
An Israeli airstrike targeted the French Institute in Gaza, but the French Foreign Ministry reported that there were no injuries among the staff. Meanwhile, the AFP bureau in Gaza sustained considerable damage due to a strike, according to the agency.
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Workers Expelled
After the Hamas assault, Israeli forces moved to re-establish security on the border, trapping thousands of Palestinian workers inside Israel. On Friday, November 3, officials began to force them back into Gaza, AFP journalists at the Karem Abu Salem crossing saw. Israel had said it would start sending the workers back to Gaza. Before the war started, some 18,500 Gazans held Israeli work permits, according to Israeli defence officials, but it was not clear how many were in the country on October 7.
Gabriela De La Cruz, with AFP
