As per the officials, the strikes were conducted in central and northern Gaza, killing at least 38 people. These strikes come a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a defiant speech during the UN General Assembly session in New York.
At least 38 people, including nine from the same family, lost their lives in fresh Israeli strikes and gunfire in Gaza on Saturday, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the United Nations (UN) that Tel Aviv “must finish the job” against Hamas.
As per the officials, the strikes – which killed people inside their home in the early hours of Saturday – were conducted in central and northern Gaza. Officials at the Al-Ahly Hospital, where the bodies were brought, said the strikes were conducted at the Nuseirat refugee camp, Shati refugee camp and the Tufah neighbourhood in Gaza.ย
Mounting international pressure and Netanyahu’s defiant speech
On Friday, Netanyahu delivered a defiant speech during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York. He even took a dig at Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom (UK) for recognising Palestine, saying it would only “encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere”.
Netanyahu, popularly known as ‘Bibi’, said recognising Palestine is like giving Al-Qaeda a state one mile from New York. The West may buckle under pressure, but Israel won’t, Netanyahu asserted in his speech.ย
“Antisemitism dies hard. In fact, it doesn’t die at all,” the Israeli PM, who is constantly facing pressure from the international community over his actions in the Gaza Strip, said.
EU considering sanctions, ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu
With Netanyahu refusing to pause his actions in the Gaza Strip, the European Union (EU) is considering imposing tariffs and sanctions on Israel. Earlier this month, the EU also passed a nonbinding resolution urging Israel to commit to an independent Palestinian nation, which Netanyahu has said is a nonstarter.
Last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) had also issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu, accusing the Israeli PM of crimes against humanity. However, ‘Bibi’ has denied all the charges levelled against him.ย
“With regard to the crimes, the [Courtโs Pre-Trial Chamber I] found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Netanyahuโฆand Mr. Gallantโฆbear criminal responsibility for the following crimes as co-perpetrators for committing the acts jointly with others: the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts,” the ICC order stated.
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