The Israel-Hamas war

Ceasefire calls dismissed: 'Is a time for war'  

All calls for a cease-fire are futile, says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu according to AFP. At a press conference, he says that Israel is being asked to capitulate to terrorism and "barbarism" and that any kind of agreement with Hamas is out of the question.  

 

- The Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for war. 

  

CNN reporters on the ground in Sderot, near the Gaza border, are reporting intensified fighting in northern Gaza on Monday with gunfire heard in the Israeli town. 

 

At the same time as Israel's airstrikes have continued, rockets have also been fired from Gaza in the direction of Israel. 

 

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Heavy organizations warn of a disaster in Gaza: "A mass grave with an open roof" 

Several organizations warn of an ongoing disaster in the Gaza Strip. The entire population of Gaza is being "dehumanized", says Phillipe Lazzarini, head of the UN aid organization for Palestine refugees, before the UN Security Council.  

 

He demands an immediate ceasefire. It is a "matter of life and death for millions", says Lazzarini, according to CNN and The Guardian. 

 

- Most people in Gaza feel abandoned. They feel that the world equates them all with Hamas. This is dangerous. Even Unicef warns of an approaching "disaster", writes Der Spiegel.  

 

The organization states that an acute fuel and electricity shortage threatens the water supply. Only one drinking water treatment plant is said to be functioning, while all six wastewater treatment plants have shut down. 

 

Doctors around the world claim that doctors are forced to perform "amputations on children without anesthesia", writes Euronews. Aid organization vice president Jean-François Corty condemns Hamas's terror, but also that Israel "bombs thirsty and starving people who have no way to leave". 

 

- We are going from a prison with an open roof to a mass grave with an open roof, he says.  

 

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Israel is five kilometers into Gaza: "Is not a blitzkrieg" 

Satellite images published by the New York Times from the Gaza Strip show Israeli combat vehicles as far south as Al Karama, just north of the largest city, Gaza City. According to the Jerusalem Post, it is five kilometers from the border, writes the Jerusalem Post.  

 

But even though the forces have been inside the Gaza Strip for several days, Israel has not yet entered the big city, the images show.  

 

"For the past few hours, forces of the IDF, led by ground forces, have been fighting hard deep inside the Gaza Strip," writes army spokesman Daniel Hagari on X on Tuesday.  

 

Many observers had expected a quick and harsh Israeli ground invasion, but in a separate news analysis the newspaper notes that Israel proceeded more cautiously and "secretly" than expected. Until now, they have wanted to avoid urban battles.  

 

- It is not a blitzkrieg [...] It is a very slow movement to ensure that we kill all the terrorists, clear all the tunnels and protect our forces, says General Amos Yadlin.

 

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Palestinian groups in demonstration at universities

The Palestinian groups in Sweden organized a "Walkout in solidarity with Gaza" at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Expressen reports. The organization calls on staff and students to leave the premises at universities, colleges and community colleges.  

 

As a consequence of the incident, concerned teachers and students have contacted the Jewish Central Council, says chairman Aron Verständig. 

 

- If the entire classroom suddenly stands up and walks out, it can create a threatening situation for those who choose to stay, he says.  

 

The Jewish Central Council believes that it is possible to interpret the demonstration as showing solidarity with the terrorist group Hamas. At the same time, Verständig emphasizes that you have "the right to protest and present your views".

 

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Chronicles: The world will see this as Biden's war  

The war in the Middle East poses a political risk to US President Joe Biden because many will see it as Biden's war, which he himself will not like. That's what Jonahtan Guyer writes in an analysis on the political website Vox.  

Guyer notes that it is unclear exactly how far the United States is prepared to go in support of its ally. But it matters less when the country has poured money and weapons over Israel for decades, and for many years has been its closest friend, he reasons. 

“The perception of Biden's ownership of this war will only grow as Israel expands and extends its siege of Gaza. It is bad for Biden's chances of being re-elected when so many young American voters are increasingly critical of his unbridled support for Israel," writes Guyer.  

In a column in the National Review, Charles Cooke rails against the silence surrounding the Americans who have been taken hostage by the terrorist group Hamas. He is upset and asks a long series of questions directed at Biden:  

"How old are they? Are they adults or children? Men or women? Retired or of working age? Do we know where they are? Do we know anything about their condition?”