(10 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Muwasi, Gaza – 10 May 2024
1. Various of smoke rising
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Southern Israel – 10 May 2024
2. Various of smoke rising
STORYLINE:
Smoke was seen rising over the Gaza skyline on Friday as Israel’s offensive in the Strip continued.
It comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that a U.S. threat to withhold some arms would not prevent Israel from continuing its offensive in Gaza, indicating it might proceed with an offensive in the packed city of Rafah against the wishes of its closest ally.
U.S. President Joe Biden has urged Israel not to go ahead with such an operation over fears it would exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian enclave.
On Wednesday, he said the United States would not provide offensive weapons for a Rafah offensive, raising pressure on Netanyahu.
But in a statement released Thursday, Netanyahu said “if we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails.”
Israel has repeatedly threatened an offensive in Rafah, where some 1.3 million Palestinians — over half the population — have sought refuge.
The city in southern Gaza is also the main hub for humanitarian operations, which have been severely hindered by the closure of Gaza’s two main crossings this week.
Israel says Rafah is the last stronghold of Hamas and that the army must go in if it hopes to dismantle the group and return scores of hostages captured in the October 7 attack that triggered the war.
The death toll from the war in Gaza has soared to more than 34,500 people, according to local health officials, and caused vast destruction to apartments, hospitals, mosques and schools across several cities.
Tens of thousands of displaced and exhausted Palestinians have packed up their tents and other belongings and fled the southern city of Rafah for other parts of Gaza, according to the United Nations.
The war began October 7 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250 others. Israel says militants still hold around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.
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