• 9 Americans killed in Israel, others still missing – US • PFN condemns attack on innocent civilians
By Emma Emeozor and Seye Ojo, Ibadan
The Israeli military, yesterday, said it had called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and was imposing a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, signs that it could be planning a ground assault there to defeat Hamas after it launched a humiliating attack.
Israel’s Kan TV said the death toll from the Hamas attack had climbed to 800. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told mayors of southern towns hit by Saturday’s surprise assault that Israel’s response would change the Middle East.
In a further signal of Israel’s rapid shift on to a war footing, a cabinet member from Netanyahu’s Likud Party said it could set up a national unity government joined by opposition leaders within hours.
Hamas’ armed wing said it fired rockets towards Jerusalem in response to Israel’s bombing of civilian homes in Gaza. Four people in an area on the outskirts of the city were wounded, the ambulance service said.
Meanwhile, Qatar and Egypt have been in close contact with Israel and Hamas as they try to prevent further escalation in fighting between them and ensure the protection of Israelis taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Two Egyptian security officials confirmed yesterday that talks were already ongoing.
Egypt has urged Israel to exercise restraint and Hamas to hold its captives in good condition to keep open the possibility of de-escalation soon, although successive Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip made mediation difficult, said the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.
On its part, Qatari mediators have held urgent calls to try to negotiate freedom for Israeli women and children seized by the militant group and held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israel’s prisons, a source briefed on the talks told Reuters.
Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed to Reuters its involvement in mediation talks with Hamas and Israeli officials, including over a possible prisoner swap. The ongoing negotiations, which Qatar has been conducting in coordination with the United States since Saturday night, are moving positively, said the source, who has been briefed on them.
“We are in constant contact with all sides at the moment. Our priorities are to end the bloodshed, release the prisoners and make sure the conflict is contained with no regional spillover,” foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari told Reuters, without elaborating as at press time, but there are no signs of breakthroughs as both sides dig in. When asked to respond to the Reuters report, an Israeli official told Reuters only: “There are no negotiations under way.”
In another development, the United States yesterday said nine Americans were killed in Israel and other US citizens were missing, following Saturday’s unprecedented Hamas attack that killed 700 Israelis.
A National Security spokesperson also confirmed the death of nine American citizens. “At this time, we can confirm the deaths of nine US citizens,” State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said in a statement. “We can confirm that there are unaccounted-for US citizens, and we are working with our Israeli partners to determine their whereabouts,” he added.
Meanwhile, the European Commission said yesterday it was putting all of its development aid for Palestinians, worth 691 million euros ($729 million), under review and immediately suspending all payments following Hamas’ attack on Israel.
Germany and Austria earlier yesterday said they were suspending bilateral development aid to Palestinians, while others such as Italy had said suspending aid was not up for discussion.
Europe is one of the main sources of aid to the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, where the United Nations estimates that about 2.1 million people need humanitarian assistance, among them one million children. It is unclear whether the suspension in development aid will also apply to such assistance.
The commission did not immediately respond to a request to clarify this. “The scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people is a turning point,” Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, said in a post on social media. “There can be no business as usual,” he added.
As at press time, Palestinian fighters were still holed up in several locations inside Israel two days after they killed hundreds of Israelis and seized dozens of hostages in a raid that shattered Israel’s reputation of invincibility.
Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, announced Israel’s tightened blockade which would keep even food and fuel from reaching the strip, home to 2.3 million people. He warned that the price Gaza would pay “will change reality for generations” and Israel was imposing a total blockade with a ban on food and fuel imports as part of a battle against “animals.”
Palestinians are preparing for an offensive of unprecedented scale on the tiny, crowded enclave, exceeding previous bouts of destructive warfare that they fear will leave survivors destitute, without homes, water, electricity, hospitals or food.
Meanwhile, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has expressed deep concern and condemnation over the brutal killings of innocent civilians in Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza in Palestine.
Its National President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, in a statement issued by the body’s National Bureau of Publicity, expressed shock over what he described as an unprecedented evil against humanity. He described the act as an unspeakable terror that has crossed the boundaries of humanity and inflicted immeasurable pain and suffering on innocent people.
The PFN, he said, has vowed to stand in solidarity with the people of Israel, who have borne the brunt of the horrific terror act, and called upon all people of goodwill to condemn this monstrous attack by Hamas.
According to him, the PFN believes that the act is an affront on the essential principles of peace, love, respect for human dignity, and peaceful co-existence that are the essence of shared humanity.
The PFN also prayed to Almighty God to grant succour to those who are grieving and wisdom to leaders in this time of unprecedented terror, adding that the organisation is praying that peace would reign in Israel and all over the world.
The statement read in part: “Our hearts are gripped by a profound sense of sorrow and outrage as the PFN strongly condemns the horrific and brutal killings that unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning in Israel.
“We condemn this act of unprecedented evil against humanity. Innocent civilians, Israeli citizens and other citizens of the world, found themselves under siege in their homes, offices, cars, and places of business, and celebrations. This is unspeakable terror; the boundaries of humanity have been crossed.
“The PFN stands in solidarity with the people of Israel, against whom this horrific terror has been unleashed. We commiserate with you. Our prayers are with you in this hour of darkness. The PFN calls upon all people of goodwill everywhere, to unequivocally condemn this atrocious act by Hamas because it is an affront on the principles of peace, love, respect for human dignity and peaceful coexistence that are the very essence of our shared humanity.
“We stand with the people of Israel in this difficult time. We stand for justice, and we stand against the forces of darkness that seek to destroy the fabric of our human family. We pray that the Almighty God will grant succour to those who are grieving and wisdom to the leaders in this time of unprecedented terror. May peace reign in Israel and all over the world.”
