Current Final

Tag: Hamas

  • Hamas calls for Muslims to stand with Palestine on Friday: what we know about Day Four

    Hamas calls for Muslims to stand with Palestine on Friday: what we know about Day Four

    In the latest update, Hamas has called on people all over to come out in solidarity with the Palestinian cause coming Friday.

    Flee to Egypt

    The Israeli military has suggested the Palestinians flee to Egypt to escape air attacks in the Gaza Strip.

    Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht, chief military spokesperson of Israel addressed foreign media, stating, “I am aware that the Rafah crossing (on the Gaza-Egypt border) is still open. Anyone who can get out, I would advise them to get out,”

    Soon after this, news came in that the Rafah border was closed.

    1,500 bodies of Hamas fighters with Israel

    The Israeli army has claimed to have about 1,500 bodies of Hamas fighters that they found in Israel and Gaza Strip.
    According to Hecht, control over the border has “more or less” been restored along the besieged Gaza Strip.

    200 areas in Gaza bombed

    The Israeli military has bombed more than 200 targets in Gaza Strip including an alleged weapons storage site inside a mosque as well as an apartment used by Hamas’s antitank guided missile forces.

    Situation in Gaza ‘extremely worrying’: UNRWA

    The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees has revealed in an interview with Al-Jazeera that thousands of people in Gaza who left their homes to escape the Israeli attacks have been “unable to access basic services”.

    “It is extremely damaging for people. For us, it is extremely worrying that they cannot access any of these basic services,” al-Rifai said.

    14 of UNRWA distribution centres have been bombarded while on the other hand, at least 137,000 people have been displaced and seeking shelter since Saturday.

    Israeli forces ‘taking revenge’ by killing civilians

    The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor posted on social media that Israeli forces are committing “mass killing crimes against civilians” in Gaza.

    “The Israeli forces are taking revenge on Palestinian armed factions by committing mass killing crimes against civilians,” the group said of Israel’s relentless bombardment of densely populated areas, as it posted a photo on social media of a levelled neighbourhood.

    “Even in cases of military necessity, Israel must adhere to provisions of international humanitarian law in its attack on Gaza.”

    “We will purify the area and attack terrorists wherever they are,”

    The Israel Defense Forces’ spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, held a press conference, in which he stated that Hamas terrorists are in Israel, and that Israeli troops are on a hunt and killing them.

    “We will purify the area and attack terrorists wherever they are,” he says.

    Spain and France oppose blockade of aid to Palestine

    On Monday, EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi’s announced that payments from the development programme for Palestinians would be “immediately suspended”.

    This, however, was followed by rejection of the suspension from Spain, Ireland and Luxembourg.

    The EU then reconsidered its approach.

    “This cooperation must continue; we cannot confuse Hamas, which is in the list of EU’s terrorist groups, with the Palestinian population, or the Palestinian Authority or the United Nations’ organisations on the ground,” said Spain’s acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.

    Similarly, the Foreign Ministry in Paris said, “We are not in favour of suspending aid that directly benefits the Palestinian people, and we made this clear to the European Commission yesterday,”

    Courtesy: Al-Jazeera News

  • Hamas launches 5,000 rockets into Israel

    Hamas launches 5,000 rockets into Israel

    Hamas has launched dozens of rockets into Israel as part of ‘Operation Al Aqsa Storm’ against illegal settlements in occupied territory.

    In an unexpected turn of events, on Saturday, Palestinian fighters attacked Israeli bases.

    According to Israeli radio, Hamas fighters took 35 Israelis captive.

    AFP has reported that rocket fire was launched from multiple locations starting at 06:30 am in the morning from besieged Palestine and continued for nearly half an hour.

    From Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif gave a statement, stating, “Today the people are regaining their revolution,” he said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight and “expel the occupiers and demolish the walls.”

    “We must set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers,” Deif added.

    He also claimed to have fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel.

    On the contrary, Israel has declared a ‘state of readiness’. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “We are at war and we will win”

    “Our enemy will pay type of a price which it has never known,” Netanyahu said in video statement.

    Previously, a Palestinian was killed during friction with illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank town of Huwara, where the settlers became violent during the victim’s funeral, resulting in nine hospitalised.

    Moreover, apart from the tensions along Israel’s border with Gaza, and clashes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, at least 247 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces this year, whereas 32 Israelis and two foreign nationals have been killed in Palestinian attacks.

    World reacts

  • Israeli Iron Dome shoots down own drones during intense fighting

    Israeli Iron Dome shoots down own drones during intense fighting

    Israel’s Iron Dome accidentally shot down an Israeli military drone during Hamas missile interceptions in the Gaza strip, Israel Defence Force (IDF) told local media.

    “As part of the round of fighting in Gaza and as part of the defence of the country’s skies, an IDF skylark drone was shot down by Iron Dome,” said an IDF spokesperson, adding that the incident is under investigation.

    Skylark drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that IDF use for intelligence, surveillance and examination missions. The report also stated that IDF is now worried and questioning whether the defence system is capable for long-term fighting without harming their resources.

    Iron Dome has intercepted thousands of rockets fired from Hamas and managed to take down drones from the enemy. Designed in 2011 to prevent rockets, artillery and mortar rockets, the Iron Dome was made by a company called Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Aerospace Industries with US support.

    The Israel Ministry of Defence, earlier this year, announced that they upgraded the Iron Dome, which will let the country fight and defend in skirmishes in future. The upgrades were tested against a huge number of rockets, missiles and unmanned weapons.

    The system defended almost 90% of the rockets fired by the Qaseem brigade of Hamas, which significantly reduced human loss in Israel. In retaliation, IDF launched 1,500 airstrikes that killed 243 people in Palestinian.

  • Pakistani celebs laud Dua Lipa for clapping back at NYT

    Pakistani celebrities including Ahsan Khan, Ali Rehman Khan and Ayesha Omar has appreciated Dua Lipa for clapping back at New York Times for accusing her of anti-Semitism.

    “I utterly reject the false and appalling allegations that were published today in the New York Times advertisement taken out by the worlds value network,” wrote Dua.

    “This is the price you pay for defending Palestinian human rights against an Israeli government whose actions in Palestine, both Human Rights Watch and the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem accuse of persecution and discrimination,”  she added.

    “I take this stance because I believe that everyone — Jews, Muslims and Christians have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose,” she continued.

    Dua Lipa further wrote: “The World Values Network are shamelessly using my name to advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations of who I am and what I stand for.”

    “I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism.”

    Dua Lipa, also shared the same statement on her Instagram story and Pakistani celebrities lauded her for slamming New York Times over the accusations.

    Ayesha Omar said that legal action needs to be taken against New York Times for the accusations.

    Ahsan Khan shared the statement, with the caption, “Love Her”.

    Ali Rehman Khan along with re-sharing the story also re-shared the screenshot of the advertisement published by NYT and wrote, “This Disgusting AD is a clear example of those “Deep Pockets”.

  • ‘Gaza hell on earth for children,’ says UN General Secretary

    The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday described Gaza as “hell on earth” for children, Reuters has reported.

    He also appealed Israel for rapid and unhindered aid access. The UN Secretary General also told that would launch an appeal for humanitarian funding.

    “If there is a hell on earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza today,” said Guterres, adding: “The hostilities have caused serious damage to vital civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including roads and electricity lines, contributing to a humanitarian emergency. Crossings into Gaza have been closed and power shortages are affecting water supplies.”

    “Access for humanitarian goods is paramount. Attacks by militant groups on areas surrounding crossing points are unacceptable,” Guterres said. “At the same time, Israel has a duty to allow and facilitate rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian aid, into Gaza.”

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office yesterday, announced a ceasefire on Friday in Gaza after 11 days of violence, Al Jazeera has reported. As per media reports, Israel’s PM office issued a statement from the security cabinet called the truce “mutual and unconditional”.

    The ceasefire will be monitored by Egypt, which has been agreed upon by Israel and Hamas

  • ‘I feel sorry for you’ – Maya Ali schools Kangana Ranaut for supporting Israel

    ‘I feel sorry for you’ – Maya Ali schools Kangana Ranaut for supporting Israel

    Maya Ali called out Kangana Ranaut for supporting Israeli forces’ brutality in Palestine.

    Replying to Ranaut, The Teefa In Trouble star said: “I feel sorry for you. Get well soon Kangana Ranaut. One should have some humanity.”

    Taking to Instagram stories, Bollywood’s Kangana expressed her views on the ongoing Israeli attacks, saying that “in the fight against radical terrorism India stands with Israel.”

    She posted a series of pictures where she had written several statements supporting Israel’s stand in the entire incident.

    RELATED: Pakistan to observe Palestine Day on May 14

    She also wrote,”To save your nation and its people from radical Islamic terrorism is the fundamental right of every nation. India stands with Israel.”

    Social media platform Twitter suspended Ranuat’s account on the platform on Tuesday, after a series of controversial tweets.

    RELATED: ‘I am PM of Pakistan and we stand with Palestine’ – PM Khan on Twitter

    The Israeli army bombed police headquarters and security buildings in Gaza. Authorities say 56 Palestinians were killed, including 14 children, since the escalation began.

    Tensions have been building up since the start of Ramzan in mid-April when Israeli police set up barricades at the Damascus Gate outside the occupied Old City, preventing Palestinians from gathering there.

    On Monday, Israeli armed forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, ahead of a march by Zionist nationalists commemorating Israel’s capture of the eastern half of the city in 1967.

  • Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Gigi Hadid and Mia Khalifa stand up for Palestine: What’s going on?

    Models Mia Khalifa and Gigi Hadid have taken a stand for Palestine on Twitter and Instagram against Israeli violence in Palestine.

    https://twitter.com/miakhalifa/status/1391778314843344896
    Mia’s tweet was trending in Pakistan Tuesday night
    Gigi Hadid posted about Palestine on her Instagram stories

    RELATED: Mahira Khan, Babar Azam, Maya Ali among others condemn Israeli brutality in Palestine

    Confused about what’s going on in Palestine? Here is the breakdown:

    It started in the early days of Ramzan when Israeli forces tried to block off areas where Muslim worshipers would gather after the evening prayer. After mass protests by Muslims in the area, the blockade was lifted. But that was not the end. Israeli police then tried to hamper the movement of buses carrying Muslim worshipers to the Old City in Jerusalem, where the third holiest mosque in Islam, Al-Aqsa is located. The police said they were trying to find specific people on the buses. But it was seen as an attempt to slow down Muslims from gathering at Al-Aqsa for prayers.

    A man says his prayers while surrounded by Israeli police in the Old City

    Parallel to what was happening in the Old City, fifteen minutes away, in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah, Israeli settlers were trying to forcibly remove Palestinians from their homes. These homes had been given to the Palestinians in 1948 when Israeli was created, and the area was and has been predominantly Palestinian. A Jewish group is claiming that before the land was given to the Palestinians in 1948, the land belonged to the Jews. With what is being seen as help of the Israeli state, four Palestinian families were forcibly evicted from their homes. Protests erupted in the neighbourhood of Al-Jarrah and 15 minutes away, in the Old City, protests were ongoing against the Israeli state, leading to mass protests in Jerusalem.

    Protests in Al Jarrah

    During the protests, hundreds of Palestinians were wounded after being shot at, beaten and arrested. After seeing the protests in Jerusalem, Palestinians in Gaza also began to protest in solidarity. At least 24 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids, according to the Palestinian health ministry, after Hamas launched rockets towards Israel. Nine children were killed in the attack with more than a 100 injured.

    Video of a residential building destroyed by Israel in Gaza

    Meanwhile, in the Old City, Israeli forces stormed the compound where Al-Aqsa mosque is located, and Palestinians were praying and also peacefully protesting. Israeli police fired rubber-coated bullets, tear gas and sound bombs at the Muslim worshippers. More than 180 Palestinians were injured.

    Israeli Jews gather to celebrate trees catching fire near Al-Aqsa Mosque

    As tensions rose between Palestinians and Israelis, a tree in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound was lit on fire. It is unclear how it caught fire but when it did, Israelis came out to their holy site underneath the compound and danced, watching the trees near Al-Aqsa burn.

    In the most recent news, the Israeli high court has postponed a ruling that allowed for forced expulsions of the four Palestinian families in Al-Jarrah, which is a victory for the Palestinians. How long it lasts is still to be seen.