A look at the top developments from Israel’s war on Gaza:
- An Israeli air strike on an ambulance convoy in Gaza killed 15 people on Friday, AFP reported on Saturday quoting Palestinian medical authorities. More than 60 others were injured. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society condemned the attack. It said that one of its ambulances was struck “by a missile fired by the Israeli forces” close to the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza city. Another ambulance of the health ministry was “directly targeted” by a missile around one kilometre from the hospital, the AFP quoted the Palestinian Red Crescent Society as saying. The Palestinian humanitarian organisation, part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, added that deliberate targeting of medical units constitutes “a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions, a war crime”.
- The Israeli military confirmed that it struck an ambulance, claiming the vehicle was being used by Hamas militants. “An IDF aircraft struck an ambulance that was identified by forces as being used by a Hamas terrorist cell in close proximity to their position in the battle zone,” CNN quoted the Israeli forces as saying in a statement. “A number of Hamas terrorist operatives were killed in the strike. We have information which demonstrates that Hamas’ method of operation is to transfer terror operatives and weapons in ambulances.”
- The overall toll from the Israeli attacks in Gaza increased to nearly 9,500 including 3,900 children, Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Saturday citing the Palestinian health ministry. A total of over 1,500 people have been killed in Israel, most of them being civilians who were killed in an attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7.
- Turkey announced on Saturday that it has recalled its ambassador in Tel Aviv, Şakir Özkan Torunlar, for consultations in view of the “unfolding humanitarian tragedy in Gaza caused by the continuing attacks by Israel against civilians, and Israel’s refusal of calls for ceasefire and continuous and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid”. On Friday, Honduras recalled its ambassador to Israel a day after Jordan did so.
- Israel has deported thousands of Palestinian workers hailing from Gaza back to the besieged region, the Associated Press reported on Saturday quoting Palestinian authorities.
Also read: Why there is no legal basis for India’s crackdown on pro-Palestine protests
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