US, Arab leaders to meet over Gaza as Palestinian deaths mount By Reuters

© Reuters. Palestinians pull an ambulance after a convoy of ambulances was hit, on the entrance of Shifa hospital in Gaza Metropolis, November 3, 2023. REUTERS/Anas al-Shareef

By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Simon Lewis and Suleiman Al-Khalidi

GAZA/AMMAN (Reuters) – Gaza well being officers mentioned 15 folks had been killed in an Israeli air strike on an ambulance that the army mentioned focused Hamas militants, and Washington’s prime diplomat was resulting from hear Arab calls for for a ceasefire in a gathering on Saturday in Jordan.

The Israeli strike hit an ambulance that was a part of a convoy carrying injured Palestinians at Gaza’s largest hospital, al-Shifa, well being officers within the Hamas-run enclave mentioned on Friday.

“Upon their arrival to al-Shifa, (Israel) instantly focused the convoy’s second automobile, committing a horrible bloodbath that claimed the lives of 15 (folks) and wounded greater than 60,” well being ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra mentioned.

Israel’s army mentioned it had recognized and hit an ambulance “being utilized by a Hamas terrorist cell” within the battle zone, and that a variety of Hamas fighters had been killed.

“We emphasize that this space is a battle zone. Civilians within the space are repeatedly known as upon to evacuate southwards for their very own security,” the army mentioned.

Hamas official Izzat El Reshiq mentioned allegations its fighters had been current had been “baseless”. The army gave no proof to help its assertion that the ambulance was linked to Hamas however mentioned it supposed to launch further info.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm accounts from both aspect.

Israel has accused Hamas of concealing command centres and tunnel entrances in al-Shifa, one thing Hamas and the hospital denies.

Israel’s floor forces encircled Gaza Metropolis on Thursday after stepping up a bombing marketing campaign it says goals at wiping out Hamas, after the militant group killed 1,400 folks and took greater than 240 others hostage in an Oct. 7 assault in southern Israel.

Israel final month ordered all civilians to depart the northern a part of the Gaza Strip, together with Gaza Metropolis, and head to the south of the enclave, which it has additionally continued to bomb.

Gaza’s dwelling circumstances, already dire earlier than the preventing, have deteriorated additional. Meals is scarce, residents have resorted to consuming salty water, medical companies are collapsing and Gaza well being officers say greater than 9,250 Palestinians have been killed.

The U.N. humanitarian workplace OCHA estimates that almost 1.5 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants are internally displaced.

‘CONTINUING FULL FORCE’

On a go to to the area, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday and known as for a humanitarian pause in preventing that he mentioned would facilitate work to launch hostages whereas enabling Israel to defeat Hamas.

In a televised handle, Netanyahu rejected the thought of a pause except hostages are freed.

“I made clear that we’re persevering with full pressure and that Israel refuses a brief ceasefire which doesn’t embody the discharge of our hostages,” Netanyahu mentioned.

Blinken on Saturday will meet with the Saudi, Qatari, Emirati and Egyptian international ministers in addition to Palestinian representatives in Amman, the Jordanian international ministry mentioned.

The Arab leaders will stress the “Arab stance calling for an instantaneous ceasefire, delivering humanitarian help and methods of ending the damaging deterioration that threatens the safety of the area”, the ministry mentioned in a press release.

Washington has maintained strong army and political help for Israel, whereas calling on its ally to take steps to keep away from civilian deaths and handle Gaza’s humanitarian disaster.

The State Division mentioned earlier this week that whereas in Jordan, Blinken would “underscore the significance of defending civilian lives and our shared dedication to facilitating the elevated, sustained supply of life-saving humanitarian help to civilians in Gaza.”

Jordan is a staunch U.S. ally and shares a border with the West Financial institution and Israel. Involved about potential for a wider battle, Amman has boosted border safety and requested Washington to deploy Patriot air protection programs.

SECOND OR THIRD FRONT

Whereas Blinken was in Israel, the chief of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group warned the USA that if Israel didn’t cease its assault on Gaza then the battle might widen right into a regional struggle.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in his first speech for the reason that Israel-Hamas battle erupted on Oct. 7, additionally threatened the U.S., hinting his Iran-backed paramilitary group was able to confront American warships within the Mediterranean.

A closely armed ally of Gaza’s Hamas militants, Hezbollah has been partaking Israeli forces on the Lebanon-Israel border within the largest flare-up because it fought a struggle with Israel in 2006.

“You, the Individuals, can cease the aggression towards Gaza as a result of it’s your aggression,” Nasrallah mentioned. “Whoever desires to forestall a regional struggle, and I’m speaking to the Individuals, should rapidly halt the aggression on Gaza.”

He added that Hezbollah, the spearhead of a Tehran-backed regional alliance hostile to Israel and the USA, didn’t concern the U.S. naval firepower Washington has assembled within the area for the reason that disaster erupted.

Different Iran-aligned teams have entered the fray since Oct. 7, with Tehran-backed Shi’ite teams firing on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, and Yemen’s Houthis launching drones at Israel.

In Washington, a spokesperson for the White Home Nationwide Safety Council mentioned it was conscious of Nasrallah’s speech however wouldn’t have interaction in “a disagreement”. Hezbollah and different state and non-state actors shouldn’t attempt to reap the benefits of the battle between Israel and Hamas, the spokesperson mentioned.

“With regard to Lebanon, with regard to Hezbollah, with regard to Iran – we have now been very clear from the outset that we’re decided that there not be a second or third entrance opened on this battle,” Blinken mentioned on Friday when requested if the U.S. can be keen to show its regional firepower on targets in Lebanon and Iran.