The post “Elon Musk Promises Starlink Internet Access in Gaza to Aid Organizations Despite Israel Opposition” appeared first on I Stand With Palestine.

In a significant move, the Libyan parliament has demanded the departure of ambassadors from countries perceived as “supporting” Israel in its conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The targeted nations include the United States, Britain, France, and Italy. Since October 7, Israel has been conducting airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, with Israeli authorities claiming that the conflict has resulted in the tragic loss of approximately 1,400 lives, primarily civilians.According to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza, the casualty figure is higher, reporting that over 6,500 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed due to Israel’s strikes.Backed by military leader Khalifa Haftar, the eastern-based Libyan parliament has issued a warning, threatening to cut energy supplies if what they term as “massacres” against Palestinians do not cease. They are also demanding the immediate departure of ambassadors from states supporting Israel. Additionally, they call on the Libyan government to suspend the export of oil and gas to these supporting nations if the perceived Israeli aggression continues.The parliament strongly denounces the actions of the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, accusing them of supporting Israel’s actions in Gaza while advocating for human rights and self-determination.Since the fall of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, Libya has been marked by internal conflict, resulting in the existence of two rival governing entities. The government based in Tripoli, led by Abdulhamid Dbeibah, is recognized by the United Nations, while authorities in Libya’s east are supported by Haftar, a military figure with ties to the Kadhafi-era regime.Libyan citizens have shown solidarity with Palestinians through rallies across the country, particularly following a deadly hospital explosion in Gaza on October 17. Hamas attributes this incident to Israel, while the Israeli military asserts it was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket.This move by the Libyan parliament highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics surrounding the conflict in Gaza, with ripple effects reaching far beyond the region itself.

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In an intensified barrage on Friday night, Israel disabled internet and communication services in the Gaza Strip, severing contact among its 2.3 million inhabitants and isolating them from the outside world. This blackout of information coincided with the military’s announcement of an “expansion” of ground operations in the region, indicating a potential move toward a full-scale invasion of Gaza. The ongoing conflict stems from Israel’s determination to defeat the ruling Hamas militant group after a deadly incursion in southern Israel three weeks prior.

Continuous airstrikes illuminated the sky over Gaza City well into the night. The Palestinian telecommunications provider, Paltel, reported a “complete disruption” of internet, cellular, and landline services due to the bombardment. This disruption hindered immediate knowledge of casualties from strikes and details of ground incursions. Some satellite phones, however, remained operational.

With most electricity cut off weeks ago, Palestinians were already grappling with darkness. Now, they find themselves in isolation, seeking refuge in homes and shelters, with dwindling food and water supplies. Relatives outside Gaza experienced panic as their messaging with family inside abruptly ceased, and calls went unanswered.

Lynn Hastings, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the occupied territories, emphasized the critical role of phone lines and internet for hospitals and aid operations. The Red Crescent reported an inability to reach medical teams, and residents could no longer call for ambulances, forcing rescuers to rely on the sound of explosions to locate the wounded.

The Committee to Protect Journalists voiced concern, stating that the world is losing a crucial perspective on the conflict. They warned that this information void could be filled with dangerous propaganda and misinformation.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari declared that ground forces were intensifying their actions in Gaza, employing substantial force to achieve their objectives in the conflict. Israel maintains that its strikes are aimed at Hamas fighters and infrastructure, while asserting that militants often operate within civilian areas, putting civilians at risk.

The Hamas media center reported intense nighttime clashes with Israeli forces, including tanks, at various locations near the border fence. In response, the Israeli military reiterated on Saturday that they were conducting targeted raids and expanding strikes to lay the groundwork for future stages of the operation.

Israel has amassed a significant number of troops along the border in anticipation of an imminent ground offensive. Earlier on Friday, ground forces conducted a second multi-hour incursion into Gaza in as many days, targeting dozens of militant sites.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 7,300, with over 60% being minors and women. The blockade on Gaza has led to a shortage of supplies, and the U.N. warned that its aid operation, supporting hundreds of thousands, is on the brink of collapse due to nearly depleted fuel.

The conflict has raised the specter of a broader regional war. Arab nations, including U.S. allies and those with normalized ties with Israel, have expressed increasing concern about a potential ground invasion, which could result in even higher casualties in urban warfare.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi cautioned that the outcome could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions for years to come.

U.S. warplanes targeted sites in eastern Syria linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard after a series of attacks on American forces. Meanwhile, two unexplained explosions occurred in coastal towns in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, injuring six people. Egypt attributed the incidents to drones from the south over the Red Sea, while Israel blamed Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have attempted to launch rockets toward Israel since the conflict began.

The loss of internet and phone services further strains a medical and aid system already teetering on the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by the influx of wounded individuals and dwindling supplies under Israel’s prolonged seal. Over 1.4 million people have fled their homes, with nearly half seeking refuge in U.N. schools and shelters. Relief workers assert that the meager amount of aid permitted by Israel from Egypt over the past week is a fraction of what is needed.

Gaza’s hospitals are struggling to obtain fuel to power emergency generators that operate incubators and other life-saving equipment.

Gallant, the Defense Minister, expressed Israel’s belief that Hamas would confiscate any fuel that enters Gaza. He stated that Hamas uses generators to pump air into its extensive network of tunnels, many of which originate in civilian areas. He presented aerial footage purporting to show a tunnel shaft located right next to a hospital.

Late Friday, the army released photos claiming to depict Hamas installations in and around Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the largest in Gaza. Israel has made similar claims before, but did not disclose how they obtained the photos.

Little is known about Hamas’ tunnels and other infrastructure, and claims made by the military and Gallant could not be independently verified. In response, Hamas media chief Salama Maroof dismissed Israel’s claims as “lies” and warned of imminent danger to the facility and its occupants. The hospital is struggling to cope with thousands of patients and wounded individuals, while around 40,000 displaced residents have sought shelter in and around its premises, according to the U.N.

When asked about the military’s intentions regarding Shifa Hospital, Hagari emphasized that they cannot allow terrorist activity against Israel from hospitals, and together with the rest of the world, they must confront this red flag. He maintained that Hamas uses its own population as a human shield.

Hundreds of thousands remain in northern Gaza, either unable or unwilling to evacuate south as instructed by Israel. Leaflets distributed in Gaza by Israel have warned that those who remain might be considered “accomplices” of Hamas.

Source:
https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-airstrikes-region-e41b5b12e8cdf9db62395314d9a782b6

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The report stated that between October 7 and 26, 7,028 Palestinians were killed, including 2,913 children, and blamed the deaths on Israeli military “aggression.” It said a further 281 bodies had not yet been identified.

The ministry said the actual number of dead is likely to be much higher than stated in the report. The list of 6,747 names gives the sex, age and identity card number of each of the victims – an apparent effort to bolster the credibility of its data in the face of challenges from the US and Israel.

On Wednesday, Biden said he had “no confidence” in the ministry’s casualty figures. On Thursday, White House spokesman John Kirby called the ministry “a front for Hamas,” though when asked he did not dispute that thousands of Palestinians, including many innocent civilians, had been killed.

The dispute highlights the complexities in reporting the number of deaths in Gaza. Numbers of casualties for the besieged enclave are released daily, both by the ministry in Gaza and by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah in the West Bank.

 The ministry made the names public after President Biden on Wednesday cast doubt on Gaza’s official death toll.

President Joe Biden: “I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war.”

Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch said his organization has always found data from the Gaza Ministry of Health reliable. He said that until quite recently even the U.S. State Department cited the ministry’s data without caveat.

Omar Shakir: “I think it’s worth noting that this creates a fog of war, a fog of misinformation, which can provide political cover for more large-scale atrocities to take place. The conversation should focus on how world leaders can stop further mass atrocities, and not nitpicking whether a number that’s generally proven to be accurate may be a little bit off.”

The post Biden Expresses Doubt on Palestinian Death Toll; Palestinian officials respond by publishing 6,747 documented names killed in Gaza appeared first on I Stand With Palestine.

The Richmond City Council in California voted early Wednesday to express support for the Palestinian people in Gaza. The resolution accuses Israel of “ethnic cleansing and collective punishment” in the aftermath of the conflict that began on October 7. This move is believed to be the first instance of a U.S. city officially backing the Palestinians since the recent hostilities between Hamas and Israel.

The initial attack led to approximately 1,400 casualties in Israel, and over 200 Israeli and foreign nationals are reportedly being held captive in Gaza. Since then, around 7,000 people have lost their lives in Gaza due to escalating Israeli airstrikes, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is overseen by Hamas.

The resolution, passed by Richmond City in the San Francisco Bay Area, was approved with a 5-1 vote after a five-hour public hearing that began on Tuesday evening and concluded around 1 a.m. Wednesday. It calls for a cease-fire and the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The resolution contends that Israel is engaging in collective punishment against the Palestinians in Gaza in response to Hamas attacks on Israel. It also emphasizes Richmond’s support for the local Jewish community and acknowledges the atrocities committed by Nazis during the Holocaust.

During the hearing, disruptions occurred as Mayor Eduardo Martinez opened the session, with individuals in the audience shouting and making various comments, including the term “Nazi.” This disorder led to a temporary recess in the proceedings.

Source:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-10-25/california-city-first-in-nation-to-support-palestinians-in-gaza-with-resolution-accusing-israel-of-ethnic-cleansing

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On Oct 23rd, Ted Cruz made some disgusting and dishonest remarks attacking Dr Omar Suleiman, one of the world’s leading Islamic scholars. Imam Suleiman is based out of Ted Cruz’s political state of Texas.

CAIR has called for a condemnation of Ted Cruz’s comments about human rights activist Dr Omar Suleiman.

In a statement, CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:

“We strongly condemn Ted Cruz for his dishonest and disgusting attack on Dr. Omar Suleiman, a widely respected theologian, human rights activist and champion of interfaith dialogue. Mr. Cruz’s defamatory, hateful rhetoric is contributing to a dangerous atmosphere of anti-Muslim bigotry and anti-Palestinian racism. Mr. Cruz should be ashamed of himself and he should stop supporting the Israeli government’s ongoing war crimes against Palestinian civilians, including over 2,000 slaughtered children.”

Please join CAIR by filling out the form on their website

The post Senator Ted Cruz Attacks Dr Omar Suleiman and Calls Him Anti-Semite; CAIR Responds appeared first on I Stand With Palestine.

Watch Queen Rania of Jordan discuss the Palestine situation with Christiane Amanpour about the world’s reaction to the Israel and Hamas war.

The post Queen Rania CNN Interview: There’s a ‘glaring double standard’ in how world treats Palestinians appeared first on I Stand With Palestine.

In a recent article from CNN, the title CNN gave was “I went through hell!” about the Hamas released hostage. However, the 85-year old Israeli grandma actually said good things about her captive! Some of the things Yocheved Lifshitz said included:

• she was greeted by “people who told us we believe in the Quran” and promised “not to harm” her and her fellow hostages.
• “They really took care of the sanitary side of things so that we didn’t get sick,” Lifshitz added.
• “They were very generous to us, very kind. They kept us clean,” Lifshitz said. “They took care of every detail. There are a lot of women and they know about feminine hygiene and they took care of everything there.”

It goes to show how slanted the mainstream media outlets like CNN really are!

The post CNN Zionist Propaganda Exposed – Israeli Released Hostage Actually Compliments Treatment by Hamas Captors appeared first on I Stand With Palestine.

On Tuesday October 24, 2023, the Israeli occupation police took an unexpected action today by closing down Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City. This move, reported by the Islamic Waqf department, responsible for the holy site, resulted in the exclusion of Muslim worshippers of all ages. Initially, only the elderly were permitted entry, but this allowance was later revoked, marking an unusual departure from recent practice.

Simultaneously, Jewish devotees were granted access to the Muslim holy site in the morning, where they freely conducted rituals and moved about, contravening the established status of the Mosque as an exclusive Muslim place of worship.

Multiple sources have reported the Israeli closure of Al Aqsa Mosque.

https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/138604

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231024-israel-bans-muslims-from-al-aqsa-mosque/

The post Israel Bans Muslims from Entering Al Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday 10/24/23 appeared first on I Stand With Palestine.

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Some are mistaking him for Islam Makhachev, another popular Muslim UFC fighter.
Towards the end of the UFC 294 fight interview, Khamzat Chimaev says a heart-felt message in Chechen.
The Chechen to English translation has been verified as real by several commenters.

English translation is:

“May Allah be pleased with all of you Chechens, May Allah strengthen you all.
Today a lot of you have come here and a lot of you are watching along at home.
President, may Allah be pleased with you, may He strengthen you.
Standing with you and fighting for you is not that hard (UFC).

By Allah, give me a rifle and let me go to Palestine.
Allah may be pleased with you
Wallahi, I haven’t been raised to be in here wearing shorts.
Do you Chechens not know the heart we have in our body?
If I get permission to fight for Allah, I’m ready to die for him.
I’m not as worried of dying as I am worried of my Muslim brothers. ”

– Khamzat Chimaev UFC 294

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