Israel faces mounting outrage over Gaza war
Gaza Strip (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Israel faced mounting international pressure Monday over the rising civilian death toll and destruction of hospitals in Gaza, as it pressed on with its war against Hamas militants in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Issued on: 18/12/2023
Gaza Strip (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Israel faced mounting international pressure Monday over the rising civilian death toll and destruction of hospitals in Gaza, as it pressed on with its war against Hamas militants in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Issued on: 18/12/2023
The Hamas-run health ministry said an Israeli strike hit Nasser hospital, killing one person and injuring seven others
© STRINGER / AFP
The United Nations Security Council was set to vote Monday on a new resolution calling for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities" in Gaza.
The deadliest ever Gaza war began with unprecedented attacks by Hamas on October 7, when the group killed 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250, according to updated Israeli figures.
The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory says more than 18,800 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel's campaign in Gaza. It said dozens were killed in Israeli strikes on Sunday.
Following months of fierce bombardment and fighting, most of Gaza's population has also been displaced and people are grappling with shortages of fuel, food, water and medicine.
Fewer than one-third of Gaza's hospitals are partly functioning, according to the UN, with the World Health Organization denouncing on Sunday the impact of Israeli operations on two hospitals in the north of the territory.
Netanyahu said Israel would 'fight until the end' © Menahem KAHANA / POOL/AFP
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency was "appalled by the effective destruction" of the Kamal Adwan hospital, where Israeli forces carried out a multi-day operation against Hamas.
Outside the hospital courtyard, which showed tank and bulldozer tracks, Abu Mohammed, who came to look for his son, stood crying.
"I don't know how I will find him," he said, pointing to the debris.
The Israeli army pulled out of the hospital on Sunday after an operation lasting several days, claiming it had been used as a command and control centre by Hamas.
Israel said that before entering the hospital it had negotiated safe passage for the evacuation of most of the people inside.
The United Nations Security Council was set to vote Monday on a new resolution calling for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities" in Gaza.
The deadliest ever Gaza war began with unprecedented attacks by Hamas on October 7, when the group killed 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250, according to updated Israeli figures.
The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory says more than 18,800 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel's campaign in Gaza. It said dozens were killed in Israeli strikes on Sunday.
Following months of fierce bombardment and fighting, most of Gaza's population has also been displaced and people are grappling with shortages of fuel, food, water and medicine.
Fewer than one-third of Gaza's hospitals are partly functioning, according to the UN, with the World Health Organization denouncing on Sunday the impact of Israeli operations on two hospitals in the north of the territory.
Netanyahu said Israel would 'fight until the end' © Menahem KAHANA / POOL/AFPWHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency was "appalled by the effective destruction" of the Kamal Adwan hospital, where Israeli forces carried out a multi-day operation against Hamas.
Outside the hospital courtyard, which showed tank and bulldozer tracks, Abu Mohammed, who came to look for his son, stood crying.
"I don't know how I will find him," he said, pointing to the debris.
The Israeli army pulled out of the hospital on Sunday after an operation lasting several days, claiming it had been used as a command and control centre by Hamas.
Israel said that before entering the hospital it had negotiated safe passage for the evacuation of most of the people inside.
Fighting in Gaza © Simon MALFATTO, Sylvie HUSSON / AFP
The WHO also said Israeli bombing had reduced the emergency department at the Al-Shifa hospital to "a bloodbath".
The Hamas-run health ministry said an Israeli strike on Sunday hit Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza's main city of Khan Yunis, killing one person and injuring seven others.
And the ministry said Israeli forces had stormed Al Awda hospital in northern Gaza on Sunday and detained medical staff following several days of siege and bombing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again vowed to "fight until the end" on Sunday, promising to achieve the aims of eliminating Hamas, freeing all hostages and ensuring that Gaza will never again become "a centre for terrorism".
Near Gaza's northern border crossing at the Israeli city of Erez, the Israeli army said it had uncovered the biggest Hamas tunnel so far.
An AFP photographer reported that the tunnel was large enough for small vehicles to use.
The large tunnel was displayed by the Israeli army during a media tour © JACK GUEZ / AFP
Israel said the tunnel cost millions of dollars and took years to construct, featuring rails, electricity, drainage and a communications network.
The Israeli army said five soldiers were killed on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 126 in the Gaza Strip since ground operations began in late October.
Calls for truce
The Israeli government has come under growing pressure from the international community to pause the fighting and do more to protect civilians.
The United Nations estimates that 1.9 million Gazans -- around 80 percent -- have been displaced by the war.
"I would not be surprised if people start dying of hunger, or a combination of hunger, disease, weak immunity," said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees.
This picture taken during a media tour organised by the Israeli military shows damage to the Erez border crossing between southern Israel and the Gaza Strip after the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023 © JACK GUEZ / AFP
Gazans have also faced repeated communications outages but on Sunday Gaza's main telecoms firm said mobile and internet service had been gradually restored.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna was in Israel on Sunday, where she called for an "immediate and durable" truce.
France separately condemned an Israel bombardment that killed one of its foreign ministry officials in Gaza.
Qatar, which helped mediate a truce last month that saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 jailed Palestinians, said there were "ongoing diplomatic efforts to renew the humanitarian pause".
But Hamas said on Telegram it was "against any negotiations for the exchange of prisoners until the aggression against our people ceases completely".
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Kuwait on Monday as part of a regional trip that will include stops in Israel and Qatar, which brokered a previous ceasefire deal.
'Daily humiliation'
Israel is also facing calls from the families of hostages, to either slow, suspend or end the military campaign.
There are 129 hostages still in Gaza, Israel says, and relatives again rallied in Tel Aviv to call for a deal to bring them home after the army admitted to mistakenly killing three of the captives in Gaza.
The WHO also said Israeli bombing had reduced the emergency department at the Al-Shifa hospital to "a bloodbath".
The Hamas-run health ministry said an Israeli strike on Sunday hit Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza's main city of Khan Yunis, killing one person and injuring seven others.
And the ministry said Israeli forces had stormed Al Awda hospital in northern Gaza on Sunday and detained medical staff following several days of siege and bombing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again vowed to "fight until the end" on Sunday, promising to achieve the aims of eliminating Hamas, freeing all hostages and ensuring that Gaza will never again become "a centre for terrorism".
Near Gaza's northern border crossing at the Israeli city of Erez, the Israeli army said it had uncovered the biggest Hamas tunnel so far.
An AFP photographer reported that the tunnel was large enough for small vehicles to use.
The large tunnel was displayed by the Israeli army during a media tour © JACK GUEZ / AFPIsrael said the tunnel cost millions of dollars and took years to construct, featuring rails, electricity, drainage and a communications network.
The Israeli army said five soldiers were killed on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 126 in the Gaza Strip since ground operations began in late October.
Calls for truce
The Israeli government has come under growing pressure from the international community to pause the fighting and do more to protect civilians.
The United Nations estimates that 1.9 million Gazans -- around 80 percent -- have been displaced by the war.
"I would not be surprised if people start dying of hunger, or a combination of hunger, disease, weak immunity," said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees.
This picture taken during a media tour organised by the Israeli military shows damage to the Erez border crossing between southern Israel and the Gaza Strip after the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023 © JACK GUEZ / AFPGazans have also faced repeated communications outages but on Sunday Gaza's main telecoms firm said mobile and internet service had been gradually restored.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna was in Israel on Sunday, where she called for an "immediate and durable" truce.
France separately condemned an Israel bombardment that killed one of its foreign ministry officials in Gaza.
Qatar, which helped mediate a truce last month that saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 jailed Palestinians, said there were "ongoing diplomatic efforts to renew the humanitarian pause".
But Hamas said on Telegram it was "against any negotiations for the exchange of prisoners until the aggression against our people ceases completely".
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Kuwait on Monday as part of a regional trip that will include stops in Israel and Qatar, which brokered a previous ceasefire deal.
'Daily humiliation'
Israel is also facing calls from the families of hostages, to either slow, suspend or end the military campaign.
There are 129 hostages still in Gaza, Israel says, and relatives again rallied in Tel Aviv to call for a deal to bring them home after the army admitted to mistakenly killing three of the captives in Gaza.
Relatives and friends, including the father Avi (2nd-R), mourn at the funeral of Alon Shamriz, one of three hostages mistakenly killed by Israeli forces in Gaza
© Oren ZIV / AFP
One hostage already freed, German-Israeli Raz Ben-Ami, 57, spoke of the "daily humiliation, mental, physical", she endured, including having one meal a day and no access to proper toilets.
The conflict in Gaza has also seen violence spiral in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces killed five Palestinians on Sunday morning at a West Bank refugee camp.
Israel's army said air strikes had targeted militants who had endangered soldiers.
Health officials say more than 290 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the war erupted.
Syria strikes
Israel carried out air strikes near Damascus on Sunday, wounding two Syrian soldiers, the Syrian defence ministry said.
Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants are exchanging regular fire across Israel's northern border with Lebanon.
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, saying they want to pressure Israel, have launched attacks on passing vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping zone, forcing major companies to redirect vessels.
© 2023 AFP
One hostage already freed, German-Israeli Raz Ben-Ami, 57, spoke of the "daily humiliation, mental, physical", she endured, including having one meal a day and no access to proper toilets.
The conflict in Gaza has also seen violence spiral in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces killed five Palestinians on Sunday morning at a West Bank refugee camp.
Israel's army said air strikes had targeted militants who had endangered soldiers.
Health officials say more than 290 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the war erupted.
Syria strikes
Israel carried out air strikes near Damascus on Sunday, wounding two Syrian soldiers, the Syrian defence ministry said.
Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants are exchanging regular fire across Israel's northern border with Lebanon.
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, saying they want to pressure Israel, have launched attacks on passing vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping zone, forcing major companies to redirect vessels.
© 2023 AFP
Paris (AFP) – Hamas has been the focus of a relentless Israeli onslaught in Gaza but with resilient and diverse finances, it is expected to have a significant war chest at its disposal as the conflict drags on.
Issued on: 18/12/2023 -
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to annihilate Hamas after the militants' unprecedented October 7 attacks
© GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to annihilate the Palestinian Islamist movement behind the October 7 attack -- the deadliest in the country's history.
The gunmen killed 1,139 people -- most of them civilians -- according to Israel, and took an estimated 250 hostages back to Gaza, where 129 are still believed to be held.
Over the past two months 18,800 people -- mostly women and children -- have been killed by Israeli bombardments in the Gaza Strip, according to authorities in the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory.
But as Israel pursues its military objective, undermining Hamas's revenue streams will also prove a formidable task.
"Hamas is financially solid," Jessica Davis, president of the Canadian group Insight Threat Intelligence, told AFP.
"In the last decade, if not longer, they have been creating a resilient finance network," she said, explaining the group had set up investments and sources of income in many countries without being disrupted.
These sources include "small businesses and real estate" in countries such as Turkey, Sudan and Algeria, she added.
Hamas also relies on an informal network of donations.
It has become "very good at developing and operating a very complex system of money changers", said Yitzhak Gal, an Israeli expert on the Palestinian economy, explaining the exchanges run through Turkey, the UAE, Europe and the United States.
The number of donors has not necessarily decreased since October 7.
"Despite its atrocities, Hamas seems to have gained support amongst certain population segments internationally as a perceived resistance vanguard," Lucas Webber, co-founder of the specialist website Militant Wire, explained.
'Who will live and who will die'
For years, the group's major backer has been Tehran.
Estimates put Iran's annual contribution at between $70 million and $100 million, through a diverse range of sources that includes payments in cryptocurrency, suitcases of cash and transfers via foreign banks and the informal "hawala" system.
According to Gal, Iranian aid in the form of military equipment was smuggled in years past from Egypt via tunnels dug between Gaza and the Sinai desert, which are now blocked.
Following Hamas' 2006 election victory, and its seizure of power the following year after clashes with rivals, the distinction between money intended for the territory's now 2.4 million inhabitants and the group's own finances has blurred.
"Anything coming in goes into Hamas and they decide who will live and who will die," Gal said.
Of the Gaza Strip's $2.5 billion budget, $1.1 billion comes from the Palestinian Authority, with Israel's agreement, said Gal, who is a specialist at the Mitvim think tank.
The international community funds UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
Qatar pays the salaries of civil servants, such as doctors and teachers, and gives $100 per month to the territory's 100,000 poorest families -- totalling $1.49 billion in payments between 2012 and 2021, according to Doha.
- 'One big refugee camp' –
In 2021, the gas-rich emirate, which hosts the Hamas political bureau in its capital with the blessing of the United States, pledged $360 million in annual funding to the coastal Palestinian territory.
Doha has denied providing financial aid to Hamas.
"Without exception, all of Qatar's aid is fully coordinated with Israel, the US government and the United Nations," a Qatari official told AFP.
"All goods such as food, medicine and fuel pass directly through Israel before entering Gaza," they added.
Last week, Qatar's lead hostage negotiator and diplomat, Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, indicated that the Gulf emirate's funding for Gaza would continue.
In October, Washington imposed sanctions on 10 "key members of Hamas", and the West is considering coercive measures. But cutting off Hamas completely will likely be impossible.
"The prospect of a long term complete destruction of Hamas finances is not realistic," Davis said.
"You can disrupt it, you can take out key players, you can minimise sources of funds, but the network, the infrastructure will always be there and if the group still has supporters, they can be leverage to help them," she added.
Gal explained Hamas' future finances would be linked to how the future of Gaza, a tiny territory wedged between Egypt, Israel and the Mediterranean is resolved.
"When the war stops and normal life resumes, the question will be: will this whole financing system resume or change?" he said.
"Gaza is now one big refugee camp. Who will be in charge of providing food, water and shelters to these refugees, Hamas or another organisation, another mechanism?"
© 2023 AFP
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to annihilate the Palestinian Islamist movement behind the October 7 attack -- the deadliest in the country's history.
The gunmen killed 1,139 people -- most of them civilians -- according to Israel, and took an estimated 250 hostages back to Gaza, where 129 are still believed to be held.
Over the past two months 18,800 people -- mostly women and children -- have been killed by Israeli bombardments in the Gaza Strip, according to authorities in the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory.
But as Israel pursues its military objective, undermining Hamas's revenue streams will also prove a formidable task.
"Hamas is financially solid," Jessica Davis, president of the Canadian group Insight Threat Intelligence, told AFP.
"In the last decade, if not longer, they have been creating a resilient finance network," she said, explaining the group had set up investments and sources of income in many countries without being disrupted.
These sources include "small businesses and real estate" in countries such as Turkey, Sudan and Algeria, she added.
Hamas also relies on an informal network of donations.
It has become "very good at developing and operating a very complex system of money changers", said Yitzhak Gal, an Israeli expert on the Palestinian economy, explaining the exchanges run through Turkey, the UAE, Europe and the United States.
The number of donors has not necessarily decreased since October 7.
"Despite its atrocities, Hamas seems to have gained support amongst certain population segments internationally as a perceived resistance vanguard," Lucas Webber, co-founder of the specialist website Militant Wire, explained.
'Who will live and who will die'
For years, the group's major backer has been Tehran.
Estimates put Iran's annual contribution at between $70 million and $100 million, through a diverse range of sources that includes payments in cryptocurrency, suitcases of cash and transfers via foreign banks and the informal "hawala" system.
According to Gal, Iranian aid in the form of military equipment was smuggled in years past from Egypt via tunnels dug between Gaza and the Sinai desert, which are now blocked.
Following Hamas' 2006 election victory, and its seizure of power the following year after clashes with rivals, the distinction between money intended for the territory's now 2.4 million inhabitants and the group's own finances has blurred.
"Anything coming in goes into Hamas and they decide who will live and who will die," Gal said.
Of the Gaza Strip's $2.5 billion budget, $1.1 billion comes from the Palestinian Authority, with Israel's agreement, said Gal, who is a specialist at the Mitvim think tank.
The international community funds UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
Qatar pays the salaries of civil servants, such as doctors and teachers, and gives $100 per month to the territory's 100,000 poorest families -- totalling $1.49 billion in payments between 2012 and 2021, according to Doha.
- 'One big refugee camp' –
In 2021, the gas-rich emirate, which hosts the Hamas political bureau in its capital with the blessing of the United States, pledged $360 million in annual funding to the coastal Palestinian territory.
Doha has denied providing financial aid to Hamas.
"Without exception, all of Qatar's aid is fully coordinated with Israel, the US government and the United Nations," a Qatari official told AFP.
"All goods such as food, medicine and fuel pass directly through Israel before entering Gaza," they added.
Last week, Qatar's lead hostage negotiator and diplomat, Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, indicated that the Gulf emirate's funding for Gaza would continue.
In October, Washington imposed sanctions on 10 "key members of Hamas", and the West is considering coercive measures. But cutting off Hamas completely will likely be impossible.
"The prospect of a long term complete destruction of Hamas finances is not realistic," Davis said.
"You can disrupt it, you can take out key players, you can minimise sources of funds, but the network, the infrastructure will always be there and if the group still has supporters, they can be leverage to help them," she added.
Gal explained Hamas' future finances would be linked to how the future of Gaza, a tiny territory wedged between Egypt, Israel and the Mediterranean is resolved.
"When the war stops and normal life resumes, the question will be: will this whole financing system resume or change?" he said.
"Gaza is now one big refugee camp. Who will be in charge of providing food, water and shelters to these refugees, Hamas or another organisation, another mechanism?"
© 2023 AFP
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