GAZA: As millions of people continue to flee, Israel carried out heavy airstrikes in Gaza yesterday as well. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting of his wartime cabinet and announced that they would crush Hamas, signalling that ground war could begin at any time. The Israeli forces are standing ready, awaiting a political decision for a ground war.

Half of the 2.3 million population moved to southern Gaza to escape the ground war. Meanwhile, the United States deployed its second aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower in the Mediterranean yesterday in support of Israel. The aircraft carrier USS Ford had arrived last week. The worsening water shortage in UN refugee centres in Gaza has added to the misery of the inmates. More than 2,000 patients are suffering without medicine or water in Gaza's largest hospital. The doctors and staff are worried that there will be a mass death in the hospital as the fuel in the generators runs out.

There were three rocket attacks by Israel in two days against the people who were running for their lives, leaving everything behind. Israel said that they have prepared a third safe route for people to move. The six-hour deadline to vacate expired on Saturday afternoon. Yesterday, Israel ordered the complete evacuation of the town of Sderot, just a mile from Gaza. The Israeli military said that Hamas has taken 126 of its citizens hostage. In Palestine, the death toll has reached 2,329, including 724 children, and 9,714 people were injured.

Clashes on the Lebanese border

Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group clashed with Israeli forces on the northern border yesterday, and one person was killed. Clashes with Hezbollah have opened up a war front here as well. Israel warned people yesterday not to come within four kilometres of the Lebanese border and stay near shelters.
Hezbollah poses a major threat to Israel with its stockpile of tens of thousands of rockets and other weapons. Last week, Israel destroyed two airports in Syria. Their aim was to prevent Iran from entering the war through Syria.

Iran's representative to the UN warned yesterday that there will be major consequences if Israel's genocide is not stopped.

Planes carrying relief supplies to Gaza have arrived in Egypt's Sinai province, but diplomatic efforts are only ongoing to pave the way for the supplies.