Palestinian Civil Defense announces discovery of dozens of bodies in Shajaya, a neighborhood of Gaza City

The war between Israel and Hamas has left 38,345 dead in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to a new report released Thursday, July 11, by the Palestinian Islamist movement’s health ministry. On the Israeli side, 1,195 people died – also mostly civilians – during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, according to a count by Agence France-Presse (AFP) established from official Israeli sources. According to the Israeli army680 Israeli soldiers have also been killed since then.

Palestinian Civil Defense Announces Discovery of Sixty Bodies in Chadjaya

About 60 bodies were discovered under the rubble of buildings in Shajaya, a neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, in the northern part of the enclave, the Palestinian territory’s civil defense reported Thursday. The previous evening, the Israeli army announced that it had completed its searches. “operations” launched on June 27 against this district, the scene of violent fighting since that date. According to the same source, in two weeks, “dozens of terrorists” have been eliminated and “eight tunnels” were dismantled. This offensive forced tens of thousands of people to flee in an attempt to find safety.

“When the Israeli occupation forces withdrew from the Chadjaya neighborhood (…) about sixty martyrs” have been exhumed from the rubble, civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said in a statement. Now, “85% of buildings [du quartier] are uninhabitable”he said, referring to a “disaster zone”.

Fighting continues in Gaza Strip, talks in Qatar on ceasefire

Heavy fighting continued in the Gaza Strip on Thursday. The Israeli army said it was continuing its operation in the center of Gaza City (north) against militants “integrated into UNRWA headquarters”the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Clashes also took place in Tal Al-Hawa, in the south of the city. The Israeli army also said it was continuing its operations in the Rafah region (south), which borders Egypt, claiming that its troops had eliminated Hassan Abu Kuik, one of the leaders of Hamas’ internal security forces.

At the same time, after months of unsuccessful diplomatic efforts, new discussions are being held in Qatar (mediator country with the United States and Egypt) to try to move towards a ceasefire and the release of the hostages kidnapped during the attack of October 7, 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday demanded that Israel retain control of an area of ​​the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt in order to prevent the “arms smuggling” to Hamas. This requirement to keep the “Philadelphia Corridor and Rafah Crossing Point” is part of the ” principles “ posed by the Hebrew state as part of the negotiations for an agreement, said Mr. Netanyahu, while Hamas, for its part, is demanding the evacuation of this area by the Israeli army.

Israeli army admits ‘failure’ to defend kibbutz, October 7, 2023

The Israeli army acknowledged in a report published on Thursday that it ” failure “ during the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Beeri on October 7, 2023. According to the report, 101 civilians were killed during the attack and 32 people were taken hostage, 11 of whom are still in the Gaza Strip. In addition, 23 soldiers and 8 police officers were killed, according to the report, which states that “340 terrorists had infiltrated the kibbutz”The army claims “not having been prepared for a scenario of a massive infiltration like that of October 7” and also recognizes “a lack of coordination” between his troops on site.

“It is very important that the military has taken responsibility for its total failure to protect us (…) while we were [la cible d’]an unparalleled evil attack”the kibbutz points out in a statement, also demanding the establishment of a commission of inquiry to “what an incredible loss” from the kibbutz “cannot happen again”.

G7 condemns Israel’s legalization of five settlement outposts in occupied West Bank

The heads of G7 diplomacy – Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom – have “condemned[é] » The Israeli government’s announcement on Thursday that it plans to legalize five settlement outposts and seize 1,270 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank – “the largest land grab since the Oslo Accords”in 1993, the ministers stressed in a press release. “The Israeli government’s settlement program is not in accordance with international law”they add.

The outposts, wild colonies, are built without the permission of Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967. About 490,000 Israelis live in the West Bank in the colonies, among three million Palestinians.

In the process, the United States announced new sanctions aimed at “three individuals and five Israeli entities linked to acts of violence against civilians in the West Bank”. As Israel’s primary supporter, Washington is targeting in particular the far-right organization Lehava, accused of having been “involved in repeated acts of violence against Palestinians”The United States also sanctions four settlement outposts. “used as bases for violent actions aimed at displacing Palestinians”.