Tag: Gaza

Turn The Damn Calendar…

By Amit Sengupta

“Nothing was affirmative, the term ‘generosity of spirit,’ applied to nothing, was a cliche, was some kind of bad joke. Sex is mathematics. Individuality no longer an issue. What does intelligence signify? Define reason. Desire – meaningless. Intellect is not a cure. Justice is dead. Fear, recrimination, innocence, sympathy, guilt, waste, failure, grief, were things, emotions, that no one really felt anymore. Reflection is useless, the world is senseless. Evil is its only permanence. God is not alive. Love cannot be trusted. Surface, surface, surface was all that anyone found meaning in… this was civilization as I saw it, colossal and jagged…”
― Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho

There is evil stalking the air, floating like a dirty whirlpool in the melancholy and murky landscape, in the by-lanes of a soul without emotions, ravaged or cushioned in a comfort zone, like a stagnant quagmire in the stasis of the subconscious, across the geography of dingy inner-lanes with open gutters and the stink of male urine, inside PVRs with full-power, violent, masculine, aggressive, con-nationalist film-flam propaganda, and in the glitzy, clinical, swanky shopping malls with young couples trying to look for a shadowy afternoon staircase.

This shadow stalks the compulsive, obsessive, repetitive ‘manufactured consent’ in the sold out stooge media, across the pillars of great expectations of justice amidst stark and persistent injustice.

So how many tens of thousands of voters are being deleted, and how many women will be given a pathetic sum of ₹10,000 to buy their souls and votes in a starkly poverty-stricken nation, days before this and that polls, violating all norms of electoral ethics?

Reports enewsroom.infrom Kolkata, “Although Election Commission rules clearly say that people above 85 years of age should be visited at home for voter verification, many elderly citizens are still being harassed. The most shocking reality is that people who have voted in this country for decades are now being forced to stand in queues and prove their existence with documents. Many argue that the problem has arisen because current records do not match the 2002 voter list. But no one asks the most important question: citizens did not create these errors. These mistakes were made by the Election Commission itself. So why should ordinary people bear the burden?…

“The fear of losing citizenship is clearly visible on people’s faces. Despite enormous difficulties, they are still trying to reach hearing centres. Some are hiring ambulances with their own money. Some are being brought on stretchers. Others are somehow managing to come.”

So why are elderly Indian citizens being forced to prove their citizenship yet again? But who will answer a legitimate question like this when all answers are ‘blowin’ in this evil wind’.

And then they pump their 56-inch chests – we are Vishwagurus! With their foreign policy in shambles, no clout whatsoever in the world, or in the neighbourhood where friends have turned foes, while protests against the genocide in Gaza are not allowed – and a gigantic economic and military world power like China breathes down our neck,

Oh! Our ‘Red Eyes’ seem so puffy and swollen!

So whatever happened to the terrorists who organised a massacre at Pahalgam, killing male tourists in a tourist hub, with local Kashmiri Muslims the only brave people who risked their lives to get them out of this murder zone with no security whatsoever? So, even while Pakistan wholeheartedly agreed, who stopped the short conflict, was it Donald Trump, as he claimed so many times, and how many of our best aircrafts were shot down by them?

The uncanny questions remain. And – the answers?

Vishwaguru?

As Aditya Nigam, astute social scientist, points out in a cryptic social media post: “Yes, with the rising tide of anti-Hindu and anti-India hate across the world, you sure will make it man! You are being called filthy and uncivilized by your own allies of the Christian White supremacist Right-wing across USA, UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Actually, they never considered you their ally…

…And now with your vigilante goons on the prowl against Christians (nothing new but hugely intensified) – you are done. The Christian Right MAGA types in the USA are openly alleging that Hindu and RSS-linked foundations raise money in the USA in order to carry on attacks on Christians back home. Deal with it, Mr Bhagwat!”

ALSO READ: You Cannot Bomb The Truth, Bibi!

Undoubtedly, in this twilight zone, it is all smoggy. In this vicious smog which enters the lungs, the eyes and eyelashes, and the layers of the brain-dead brain, how do you distinguish between the Devil and God? In this majestic atmospherics of the diabolical, it all becomes stunningly blurred. The line of control in our life and times seems to have disappeared.

When a nation and its establishment starts enjoying its own moral decay and ethical downfall as a sign of eternal immortality and  absolute power, the abyss and the gaze become lovers, unrequited, obsessive, psychic, insatiable, devouring each other in abject despair.

Writes German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, in Beyond Good and Evil, “He who fights with monsters must take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”

“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” This is great Russian novelist, Aleksandr Solzenitsyn, once exiled and condemned for eight years in Siberia’s hell-hole by Stalin, talking about the blurred lines in The Gulag Archipelago, an epic on Siberia.

Unnao’s Sengar given bail: a rapist, facilitator of gang rape of a minor, sentenced for the murder of the minor’s father in judicial custody, an infamous BJP leader, is symbolic of this entrenched evil stalking ‘New India’. So are the murderers of young Ankita Bhandari, reportedly from the same party.

Remember the garlands adorning those sentenced in the Bilkis Bano case – Gujarat genocide, 2002?

A sinister phenomenon of relentless injustice haunts the torturous process of justice in contemporary India. Ask young Umar Khalid, the defender of Indian Constitution and non-violence, now five years in prison, for making a speech where he quoted Mahatma Gandhi! Is he a terrorist, really? Like the other brilliant Muslim scholars rotting in our prisons?

So I care a damn for ‘Happy New Year’ or fake New Year resolutions, and the clichéd messages forwarded on WhatsApp every year. For me, it could be Stalinist Russia, or Hitler’s Nazi Germany, mass murderer Bibi’s Gaza, or his staunch ally, Trump’s America, and its nasty ICE.

No. Evil has no borders or borderlines!

Life is not elsewhere!

idf

Israeli Troops Violated Rules By Killing Hostages Who Waved White Flag

By LokMarg

The Israeli soldiers shot and killed three hostages in Gaza who were unarmed and waving a white flag, violating Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) rules of engagement, CNN reported, citing an IDF official.

The incident was termed a “tragic, tragic event,” and details indicate that the hostages were shirtless and came out of a building near IDF soldiers.

One IDF soldier felt that there were suicide bombers and so he opened fire, against the rules of engagement, resulting in the immediate deaths of two hostages and the third later.

The situation is complicated by intense combat in the area, with terrorists moving in civilian attire to create traps.

The hostages were identified as Yotam Haim, Samer Fouad Al-Talalka, and Alon Shimriz. An investigation is underway to examine the circumstances surrounding the killings, including a potential connection with a nearby building marked with SOS.

The three men came out of a building “tens of metres from our soldiers’ position,” the official said. At least one of the soldiers “feels threatened and opens fire. Two are killed immediately. One is wounded and runs back inside. The soldiers hear a cry for help in Hebrew and the brigade commander issues a cease-fire order but there is another burst of fire,” as reported by CNN.

The third hostage died later. It remains uncertain if the second burst of fire killed the hostage or which of the three it was. More than one IDF soldier fired at the hostages, the official told CNN after briefing journalists.

“This was against our rules of engagement. I’ll repeat that: This was against our rules of engagement,” the official said.

The official also said there is “intense combat” in the area where the hostages were shot, and “terrorists there are moving around in civilian attire. They are wearing sneakers and jeans. They are trying to pull us into traps.”

“Hundreds of metres from that location, there was a building with markings of SOS on it, and we are still looking to see if there is a connection between that building and the hostages,” the official said.

An investigation is ongoing into the killing of the hostages, CNN cited the official as saying. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Israel-Hamas

Israel Warns Palestinians Not To Return To Northern Gaza

By LokMarg

On Day three of the temporary Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the Israel Defense Force warned Palestinians who evacuated northern Gaza not to return.

Reiterating warnings made in dropped leaflets, The IDF’s Arabic spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee directed Palestinians to continue moving south of Wadi Gaza. He also instructed Gazans not to try return to the Strip’s northern areas, enter the sea or approach within one kilometer of the Israel-Gaza border.

One condition of the temporary ceasefire was that Palestinians would not try to return to their homes in the combat zone of northern Gaza. While there does not appear to be large-scale Palestinian efforts to return, the warnings have not stopped some Palestinians from returning to inspect damage or bury the dead.

A temporary four-day ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization went into effect at 7 a.m. on Friday.

As part of the deal approved by the Israeli Cabinet on Wednesday, Hamas is to release 12 to 13 hostages each day of the truce. The release of every additional 10 hostages will result in one additional day in the pause in combat.

So far, 26 Israelis and 15 foreign nationals have returned to Israeli territory.

Under the agreement, the Israel Defense Forces is to refrain from using surveillance drones in Gaza for six hours each day of the ceasefire. Israel will also allow fuel to enter the Strip during that time and dramatically increase the volume of goods permitted into the enclave.

On Saturday, the Israel Defense Ministry’s Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit announced that four tankers of fuel and four tankers of cooking gas had entered Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. Another 240 men, women, children and soldiers were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Some people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains. (ANI/TPS)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Iraq Iran

Over 14,800 Killed In Gaza: Hamas Health Authorities

By LokMarg

The death toll in Gaza from the Israeli offensive since October 7 has risen to 14,854, with 5,850 children among the casualties, CNN reported, citing Hamas authorities in the Strip.

Obtaining current figures has become a challenging task due to Israel’s ongoing air and ground campaign, CNN reported, adding that the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah, on Monday, reported 12,700 casualties, drawing data from sources in the Gaza Strip.

Recent health updates indicate communication disruptions in Gaza, hindering accurate data collection, the report noted.

The chief of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, stood by the casualty figures they quoted, adding that they rely on data from Gaza.

“We don’t put these figures out without thought,” CNN reported Griffiths as saying.

Meanwhile, before the multi-day truce takes hold starting Friday, Israeli ground forces intensified shelling in northern Gaza.

The pause, set to begin at 7 am (local time), includes the release of the first group of 13 hostages held by Hamas since October 7.

As part of the four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, civilian hostages are to be released on Friday afternoon in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, Qatar announced on Thursday, according to CNN.

According to Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, the ceasefire will begin at 7 am (local time) while 13 women and child captives are to be released at 4 pm.

According to Al-Ansari, the list of captives scheduled to be freed has been sent to the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad.

The Qatari spokesperson stated that Mossad will provide the Qataris with a list of Palestinian inmates who are likely to be released. “Whenever we have both lists confirmed, this is when we can begin with the process of getting people out,” the official went on to say, according to CNN.

The prisoners will be transferred from two jails, Damon and Megiddo, both southeast of Haifa, to the Ofer prison, south of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, for final Red Cross examinations, according to the report.

Earlier, on Wednesday, an Israeli official told CNN that the truce would begin at 10 am local time on Thursday, followed by the release of at least 50 women and children among the more than 230 people being held prisoner in Gaza.

However, those preparations were postponed late Wednesday, just hours before the cease-fire was supposed to begin.

“Nothing is finalised until it’s actually happening. And even amid the process, changes might occur at any moment,” Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in his daily press briefing on Thursday.

According to CNN, Hagari said the Israeli army continues to fight in the Gaza Strip “at this hour,” pointing out that once the pause goes into effect, the soldiers of the Israeli Defence Forces will be stationed along the “truce lines” established inside the territory.

The conflict in Gaza escalated after the October 7 attacks by Hamas. About 2,500 terrorists breached Israel’s southern border from the Gaza Strip, killing civilians and sneaking back into their territory with hostages.

Hamas terrorists are believed to have taken 240 hostages during the assault after they surged across Gaza’s militarised border into southern Israel, leaving 1,200 people, mostly civilians, dead, The Times of Israel reported.

Among the hostages were civilians of all ages, including young children and the elderly, as well as Thai and Nepal nationals, according to reports. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Gaza

Israeli Govt Approves Regular Fuel Deliveries To Gaza

By LokMarg

Two fuel tankers entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Friday, following approval by Israel’s war cabinet to facilitate regular deliveries to the besieged enclave, CNN reported.

The tankers, carrying a total of 60,000 litres of diesel fuel, were authorised for use by international organisations, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), according to Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari.

“This fuel entered in a limited manner for the use of international organisations, for UNRWA,” Rear Adm Hagari stated, specifying that the fuel would support desalination facilities providing water to the southern strip. The oversight of this process is led by the United States and Egypt.

“There are desalination facilities that should provide water to the southern strip, so the fuel is used just for these two needs. We monitor this issue to ensure it’s used for these two needs only. This (process) is led by the US and Egypt,” Hagari added.

The decision allows two fuel tankers a day to enter Gaza, providing essential support to the water and sewage systems on the verge of collapse due to a lack of electricity. Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s national security adviser, emphasised the critical state of these systems in a Friday briefing.

Israel’s war cabinet approved a measure on Friday allowing two fuel tankers a day to enter Gaza for water and sewage system support, CNN reported, citing Israel’s national security adviser.

Those systems are “on the verge of collapsing, considering the lack of electricity and ability to operate the sewage and water systems,” the official, Tzachi Hanegbi, said in a Friday briefing.

Under the approved measure, 1,40,000 litres of fuel will enter Gaza every 48 hours, with the majority allocated for water and sewage uses, a US State Department official told CNN.

Additional usage includes UN relief agency trucks, waste disposal, bakeries, and hospitals in southern Gaza. A smaller portion, around 20,000 litres every 48 hours, will power Paltel generators for cell phones and internet services.

The decision was made in consultation with the Israel Defence Forces and Israel’s International Security Academy, ensuring it aligns with operational objectives and does not support Hamas, as clarified by Hanegbi.

The rationale behind the decision was framed within the context of avoiding the spread of pandemics, acknowledging the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Hanegbi said, “We don’t need pandemics that might hit civilians there, our combat troops, and if there will be pandemics, the fighting will cease. We will not be able to continue fighting under the conditions of a humanitarian crisis and a global outcry.”

Notably, the decision has faced criticism within the Israeli government, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressing concerns and urging a reversal of the policy.

Smotrich even wrote a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which he later released on X, asking for the policy to be reversed, as reported by CNN.

“That decision is extremely odd. This decision is a spit in the face of IDF soldiers, bereaved families, the hostages and their families,” Smotrich said, adding, “This is not how you win a war, that’s not how you destroy Hamas and that’s not how we’ll return the hostages.”

Fuel shortages in Gaza have exacerbated water and sewage issues, with approximately 70 per cent of the population now relying on “salinized and contaminated” water, as reported by the UNRWA.

The fuel situation has been a key focus of recent discussions, including those with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv earlier this month. The move to allow fuel deliveries comes after weeks of pressure from the US, CNN reported. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Israel-Hamas

IDF’s ‘Merkava’ Tanks In Action Near Gaza Strip

By LokMarg

Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, several Merkava tanks and troops have been positioned by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) near the Gaza border in South Israel.

The visuals showed a significant presence of troops, armoured vehicles, and tanks near the Gaza border.

Notably, the Israeli government has announced its intention to launch a ground operation against Hamas in the near future.

The Merkava, a series of main battle tanks utilized by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), serves as the cornerstone of the IDF’s armoured corps.

Its development commenced in 1970, with the inaugural version, the Merkava Mark 1, officially commissioned in 1979. Over time, four primary iterations have been put into service. As of 2023, the most recent model is the Merkava Mark 5.

The Merkava gained significant operational experience during the 1982 Lebanon War, and its name is derived from the IDF’s initial development program.

Meanwhile, several people from southern Israel have left their homes and moved to Jerusalem where deserted streets and the historical West Bank wall area showcase an image of fear.

Several Palestinian (Arab) nationals have been living in Jerusalem for business purposes. However, their work has been impacted due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. They have attributed their losses to the current situation.

Taxi drivers and shopkeepers in the area are deeply upset by the actions of Hamas and the Israeli soldiers’ retaliatory measures.

Notably, Hamas launched a horrific terror attack on Israel on October 7 which killed more than 1400 people. In response, Israel launched a strong counter-offensive against Hamas targeting the units of the terror group. Over 4300 Palestinian people have been killed in Israeli strikes.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed hostages abducted and held in Gaza since the shock assault rose to 212, Times of Israel reported.

Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces said that it carried out an airstrike against a Hezbollah position in southern Lebanon in response to anti-tank guided missile attacks on northern Israel earlier today, Times of Israel reported. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

hamas Israeli

Will Target Hamas Like Human Animals During And After The War: Israeli Min

By LokMarg

Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Avi Dichter said on Friday that the Hamas organisation have behaved like ‘animals’ and emphasised that his country will target Hamas like ‘human animals’ during and after the war.

“You don’t need justification to fight against an organization like Hamas that have behaved like animals hunting other animals. It’s not going to be to be stopped and we are not going to take it as something that was done, and that’s it. We are going to target those animals, human animals, whether during the war or after the war, nobody is going to escape,” he said.

While speaking with ANI, Israeli Minister Dichter claimed that Hamas and its associates were responsible for the explosion at the Al Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza and highlighted that the incident happened the day when the US President was scheduled to land in Tel Aviv.

He added, “Well, we all know that what happened in Gaza Hospital was a Palestinian job. It’s not fully sure whether it was a rocket or a bomb launched by Hamas. This hospital belongs to Christian people. It’s one of the single churches in the Gaza Strip.”

He said further, “It’s not a coincidence that it happened just on the day that the President of the US was supposed to come here and those who saw the movies understand. I must say I know something about it. That’s not an event that happened from a bomb coming from an air strike.”

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces struck several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon overnight in retaliation for rockets and missiles fired into northern Israel, the military announced on Friday morning.

The IDF added that one of its drones killed a suspected terrorist inside Lebanon without elaborating.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a number of rocket attacks on Israel. One rocket hit a home in Kiryat Shmona, injuring three Israelis. Magen David Adom emergency responders said the victims were a 75-year-old man with moderate injuries, a five-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man who both had light injuries, Israeli News Agency, TPS reported.

Thursday also saw several incidents of gunfire from Lebanon. Israeli authorities began implementing plans to evacuate Kiryat Shmona, on the Lebanese border, to state-funded guest houses. The town has 22,000 residents. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

Russia Gaza

Russia Sends 27 Tonnes Humanitarian Aid To Gaza

By LokMarg

Russia has sent 27 tons of humanitarian aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip to be transported from Egypt, the country’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Taking to X, Russia’s MFA said, “Russia’s EMERCOM to deliver 27 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the people of the Gaza Strip, mainly food supplies: flour, sugar, rice and pasta. The Il-76 transport aircraft is already en route to Arish in Egypt. The Egyptian Red Crescent will ensure the delivery of the aid.”

The Times of Israel cited Russia’s Deputy Minister Ilya Denisov’s statement, “A special plane has taken off from the airport at Ramenskoye near Moscow for El-Arish in Egypt. The Russian humanitarian aid will be handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent to be sent to the Gaza Strip.”

Denisov added the aid comprised “wheat, sugar, rice (and) pasta.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the office of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared details of his telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the former briefed him on the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas, following the October 7 terror attacks, and his talks with several leaders from the region and the Palestinian authorities.

“The Prime Minister made it clear that Israel had been attacked by brutal and abhorrent murderers, had gone to war determined and united, and would not stop until it had destroyed Hamas’s military and governing capabilities,” Netanyahu’s office tweeted from its official handle on X.

It posted further that PM Netanyahu told the Russian President that the Israeli forces won’t relent till they “eliminate Hamas”.

“The Prime Minister made it clear that Israel had been attacked by brutal and abhorrent murderers, had gone to war determined and united, and would not stop until it had destroyed Hamas’s military and governing capabilities,” the Israeli PM’s office posted further.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during their telephone conversation, Putin highlighted the measures Russia is taking to stop the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip from escalating further.”President of Russia Vladimir #Putin spoke with Prime Minister of the State of Israel @netanyahu over the phone,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia posted on X.

“President Putin laid out the steps being taken by Russia to prevent the further escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip,” it added.

Moscow said the conversation was centred on “the crisis situation resulting from the brutal escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.

“The Israeli side was in particular informed of the essential points of telephone correspondences that took place today with the leaders of Palestine, Egypt, Iran and Syria,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Russian President also expressed “his sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased Israelis”, the Kremlin said.

Along with that, he informed the Israeli leader of the measures taken by Russia to “promote the normalisation of the situation, prevent a further escalation of violence, and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip”.

The Russian President also expressed to Netanyahu his country’s “fundamental desire to continue its targeted action aimed at ending” the crisis and achieving “a peaceful settlement through political and diplomatic means,” according to a statement from the government. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

Indians Israel

1200 Indians Brought Back From Israel: MEA

By LokMarg

Around 1200 Indian nationals including 18 Nepali nationals have been brought back from Israel under ‘Operation Ajay‘ and more flights will be planned as per the requirements, the Ministry of External Affairs informed on Thursday.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said that the government is assessing the situation in Israel amid the ongoing war with Hamas.

Addressing a press briefing, Bagchi said, “1200 Indians have come back in five flights under operation Ajay, including 18 Nepali nationals…We are assessing the situation and as per the requirements we will plan further flights”.

He refuted any reports of Indian casualty in Gaza and said that one national is injured in the attacks.

“I thankfully have not received any report of any casualty…one Indian national had been injured and is receiving medical care and I understand her condition is now stable,” he said.

The MEA spokesperson further said that around four Indian nationals are in Gaza while 12-13 nationals are in West Bank.

“There are around four Indian nationals in Gaza…we don’t have exact numbers and are coordinating. There are 12-13 Indian nationals in the West Bank…It’s a little tough to get out from Gaza. There are some reports that some have already got out of there, but we will wait for confirmation,” he said.

Bagchi further informed that no advisory has been issued by the MEA for Lebanon as of now.

“We haven’t issued any advisory for Lebanon as of now. We are monitoring the situation and will issue it accordingly if the need arises,” he said.

Operation Ajay is an ongoing operation conducted by the Indian Armed Forces to evacuate Indian citizens from Israel during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war. It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring back around 18,000 Indians in Israel.

Earlier on Tuesday night, the fifth flight carrying 286 Indian nationals including 18 citizens of Nepal arrived in New Delhi. Upon arrival, they were received by the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, L Murugan.

The Indian nationals have applauded the operation and said that there was support from the Indian embassy and the evacuation process was nice and quick.

Following the Hamas attack on Israel, the Indian embassy issued an advisory and requested the Indian citizens living in Israel to be cautious and to register their names in the Indian embassy.

The MEA had set up a 24-hour control room in view of the escalating conflict. The control room will help monitor the situation and provide information and assistance. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

Netanyahu Sunak

Netanyahu Holds Private Meeting With Sunak

By LokMarg

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday held a private meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at his office in Jerusalem.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently holding a private meeting with British Prime Minister @RishiSunak at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. The leaders will also hold an expanded meeting, at the conclusion of which they will issue statements to the media,” as per the Israeli Prime Minister’s official handle on ‘X’.

Sunak on Thursday also met Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Herzog said that during such difficult days, we see clearly who are Israel’s true friends.

“Thank you Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak for coming to Israel and for your support and firm stand by the Israeli people. It is time to express a clear moral voice – this is a battle for the values of all humanity. The world needs to understand that if we do not prevent Hamas and other terrorist organizations from carrying out murderous and criminal attacks – they will not stop with Israel,” he wrote on ‘X’.

Meanwhile, Sunak said: “I’ve just met President @Isaac_Herzog and conveyed my gratitude for the support provided to British nationals caught up in the terror attacks. Together we agreed on the importance of getting urgent humanitarian support to ordinary Palestinians in Gaza who are also suffering.”

The British Prime Minister arrived in Israel on Thursday amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Upon his arrival, he said: “I am in Israel, a nation in grief. I grieve with you and stand with you against the evil that is terrorism. Today, and always.”

The British PM met families that had their loved ones taken away from them as a result of the war.

“To have a child taken from you is a parent’s worst nightmare. This morning I heard from families going through this unbearable agony. Working with our partners, we’re determined to secure the release of the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists,” he wrote on ‘X’.

Ahead of his departure to Israel, the British PM said: “Every civilian death is a tragedy. And too many lives have been lost following Hamas’s horrific act of terror.”

“The attack on Al Ahli Hospital should be a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict,” added the statement.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Wednesday that a failed Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket launch caused the explosion outside the hospital in Gaza.

“According to our intelligence, Hamas checked the reports, understood it was an Islamic Jihad rocket that had misfired–and decided to launch a global media campaign to hide what really happened,” explained IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari on Wednesday.

“They went as far as inflating the number of casualties. They understood, with absolute certainty, that it was a rocket misfired by Islamic Jihad that damaged the hospital,” he added.

Sunak’s visit to Israel comes a day after US President Joe Biden paid a solidarity visit to the Jewish state.

On Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Israel, and French President Emmanuel Macron will also reportedly travel to the Jewish state.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Ministry of Health has reported that 309 people wounded in terrorist attacks since the start of the war with Hamas are hospitalized as of October 19, at 8:00 am. Of the people hospitalized, 80 are in serious condition, 159 are in moderate condition and 70 are lightly wounded.

The ministry reported that since the Hamas attack of October 7, 4,629 wounded have been evacuated to hospitals, of whom 12 were mortally wounded, 279 were in serious condition, 764 in moderate condition and 3,188 were lightly wounded.

As many as 239 people suffered from anxiety and 145 were admitted to hospitals for medical evaluation.

Meanwhile, as a “ground offensive” of the besieged Gaza Strip loomed, hundreds of Israeli tanks were deployed near the border in south Israel on Thursday, waiting for the all-clear from the country’s political establishment and the military top brass.

Israeli tanks and troops mounted on armoured vehicles were deployed in the region, seeming to suggest that a ground assault on Hamas in their backyard, Gaza, could begin any time soon.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said four rockets of nine launched from Lebanese territory were intercepted, adding that several anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanon towards Israeli forces.

The IDF added that in response to the attacks, Israeli forces targeted the site in Lebanon from where rockets were fired into Israel and also struck at Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure using tank fire.

The Israeli forces also claimed to have thwarted and dismantled a terrorist cell using a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) of the IDF. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/