With the Israel-Palestine violent clash entering its second week, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about the situation with Gaza.
According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the Israeli leader updated Biden on the developments and actions that Israel has taken and intends to take. It says Netanyahu also thanked Biden for the “unreserved support of the United States for our right to defend ourselves.” Netanyahu emphasised in the conversation that Israel is doing everything to avoid harming the uninvolved. The statement added “the proof of this is that in the towers where there are terrorist targets attacked by the IDF, they are evacuated from the uninvolved.”
The Biden-Netanyahu call came just hours after an Israeli airstrike on Saturday targeted and destroyed a high-rise building in Gaza City that housed offices of The Associated Press and other media outlets.
Israel’s Iron Dome missiles could be seen from Tel Aviv late on Thursday as the missile defence system activated to intercept rockets fired from Gaza into southern Israel.
Hamas sent a heavy barrage of rockets deep into Israel during the day as Israel pounded Gaza with more airstrikes and shells, and called up 9,000 more reservists who could be used to stage a ground invasion. The hostilities intensified despite mediation efforts by Egyptian negotiators who held in-person talks with both sides.
Earlier in the day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited batteries of the Iron Dome missile defence system, which the military said had intercepted 90% of the 1,200 rockets that had reached Israel from Gaza so far.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, has ordered the mobilisation of an additional 9,000 reservists, implying a potential land invasion of Arab-controlled territory. Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman, the chief military spokesman, said that reserve forces, tanks, and heavy artillery were accumulating along the Gaza border and were ready for “mobilisation at any given moment.” With devastation hitting new heights every day, the conflict is expected to have far-reaching consequences beyond the Intifada in Palestine.
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