Reason Israel’s invasion of Gaza delayed ​

The Israeli military’s looming Gaza ground invasion aimed at destroying Palestinian militant group Hamas has reportedly been delayed due to bad weather.

It comes after Israel warned 1.1 million Palestinian civilians to leave northern Gaza.

The invasion has been delayed by “a few days at least in part because of weather conditions that would have made it harder for Israeli pilots and drone operators to provide ground forces with air cover”, The New York Times reported, citing Israeli officers.
 

Israeli troops preparing to invade Gaza Strip

In a statement released just hours after its evacuation deadline for north Gaza expired – forcing hundreds of thousands of panicked civilians to flee south, without food or shelter – the Israel Defence Forces said it was preparing for the “next stages of war”. 

“With the support of an extensive logistical effort and hundreds of thousands of drafted reservists, IDF forces are currently preparing to implement a wide range of operational offensive plans, which can include combined and co-ordinated strikes from the air, sea and land,” the statement read. 

“IDF battalions and soldiers are deployed across the country and are increasing operational readiness for the next stages of war, with an emphasis on significant ground operations.” 

The IDF has swarmed the border of Gaza with troops and military equipment – but the exact contours of its plan for a siege remains unclear. No timings have been given for the attack. 

More than 2200 people have been killed in Israel’s bombing campaign of the region, Palestinian authorities say, in the aftermath of Hamas attack on Israel last weekend, in which more than 1300 people were killed.
 

When Israel will commence ‘significant military operations’

A spokesperson for the IDF has told CNN it will start “significant military operations” in Gaza “once we see that civilians have left the area”.

“It’s really important that people in Gaza know we’ve been very, very generous with the time. We have given ample warning, more than 25 hours … I cannot stress more than enough to say now is the time for Gazans to leave,” Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said. 

“Take your belongings, go south. Preserve your life, and do not fall into the trap that Hamas is setting up for you.” 
 

He told the outlet the area around the Gaza Strip is densely packed with “hundreds of thousands of Israeli reserve units” that are preparing for various missions. 

“The challenge and the mission is to have all of those more than 360,000 reservists both in the south and in the north, get them mission ready, equipped, prepared, task-forced, and ready for any assignments they will have in the future.” 

Penny Wong’s message to Aussies in Lebanon

The travel advice for Australians in Lebanon has changed, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has told reporters at a press conference in Adelaide. 

“The existing travel advice for Lebanon is reconsider your need to travel due to the security environment,” Senator Wong said. 

“I am now saying to Australians if you are in Lebanon, you should consider whether your need to remain there is essential. 

“If you wish to leave you should know that a crisis could limit commercial options for departure and you should consider the first available option.” 

300 killed, 800 injured in 24 hours

The Ministry of Health in Gaza reports some 300 people were killed, and 800 injured in the region in the 24 hours to Sunday morning local time. 

Most of the victims, the Ministry said, were women and children. 

Fears for innocent civilians continue to grow as Israel gears up for the “next stages” of its war with Hamas. 

Iran warns Israel could suffer ‘huge earthquake’

Iran’s mission to the United Nations has warned of “far-reaching consequences” if Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip do not stop “immediately”.

“If the Israeli apartheid’s war crimes & genocide are not halted immediately, the situation could spiral out of control & ricochet far-reaching consequences – the responsibility of which lies with the UN, the Secretary Council & the states steering the Council toward a dead end,” the post on X read. 

It comes after Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, warned the war might expand to other parts of the Middle East if Hezbollah militants join the fight. 

Mr Amirabdollahian told reporters in Beirut that he knows “about the scenarios that Hezbollah has put in place”. 

“Any step the resistance (Hezbollah) will take will cause a huge earthquake in the Zionist entity.

“I want to warn the war criminals and those who support this entity before it’s too late to stop the crimes against civilians in Gaza, because it might be too late in a few hours.” 

Australia planning ‘multiple’ repatriation flights today

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the Australian Government is planning “multiple” repatriation flights from Tel Aviv today for citizens wanting to leave. 

“We are co-ordinating options with partners who are helping their citizens with departures,” Senator Wong said in a post on X.
 

The situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories continues to change rapidly.

Subject to factors including the security environment, the Australian Government is planning multiple flights to depart from Tel Aviv today, for Australians wanting to leave.

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) October 15, 2023

 

“We are also arranging flights to assist travellers with their onward journey from Dubai to Australia. 

“A further update will be provided directly to registered Australians in coming hours.” 

The flights will, of course, “be subject to factors including the security environment”. 

Heavy police presence in Sydney, Melbourne

More than 1000 police will be deployed at pro-Palestine rallies in Sydney and Melbourne today with concerns about whether “extraordinary powers” will be used on attendees. 

Hundreds of people are expected to gather in support of Palestinians under siege. 

They will be protesting despite calls for the rallies to be cancelled amid heightened tensions over the conflict, with NSW Premier Chris Minns and police urging Sydneysiders not to attend after anti-Semitic chants were head at a previous rally. 
 

Mr Minns said it would be “ruinous for Sydney’s sense of cohesion, our multicultural, multi-faith community” if there were repeat scenes at today’s event. 

“We couldn’t have those scenes again and police have got every right to protect and ensure that those scenes aren’t repeated over the weekend,” the Premier said. 

NSW Police will have the option of using “extraordinary powers” – such as searching protesters without reason and demanding they identify themselves on request. 

“We intend to search people that we believe are likely to protest or have shown an interest in protesting, based on the fact that weapons and flares, the experiences of Monday night,” acting commissioner David Hudson said. 

Group organisers have put a list of demands on attendees in an attempt to avoid violence or anti-Semitism, including banning the use of flares, anti-Semitic chants and face coverings for non-religious purposes.

– Eli Green, NCA NewsWire

Israeli air strike hits Syria’s Aleppo Airport

Israel launched an air strike against Syria’s Aleppo Airport that put it out of service, the Syrian defence ministry said. 

“The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Latakia, targeting Aleppo International Airport, which led to material damage to the airport and it being out of service,” it said. 

The airport had just returned to service on Saturday after simultaneous missile attacks on both it, and the airport in Syria’s capital Damascas, by Israeli forces on Thursday. 

The defence ministry lambasted Israel for the strike, saying the act “confirms the criminal approach of the Israeli occupation” and accusing it of “crimes against the Palestinian people”. 

Forced relocation ‘tantamount to a death sentence’

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Israel’s forcing of patients to relocate from health facilities in northern Gaza could be “tantamount to a death sentence”. 

Hospitals there are continuing to receive an influx of injured people, and are struggling to operate “beyond maximum capacity”.

Forcing more than 2000 patients to relocate to southern #Gaza, where health facilities are already running at maximum capacity and unable to absorb a dramatic rise in the number patients, could be tantamount to a death sentence.

— WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (@WHOEMRO) October 14, 2023

 

“Those in intensive care; those undergoing haemodialysis; newborns in incubators; women with complications of pregnancy, and others all face imminent deterioration of their condition or death if they are forced to move,” it said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). 

“Forcing more than 2000 patients to relocate to southern #Gaza, where health facilities are already running at maximum capacity and unable to absorb a dramatic rise in the number [of] patients, could be tantamount to a death sentence.” 

Women and children killed while fleeing northern Gaza

Women and young children were among those killed after a Palestinian convoy was hit while fleeing northern Gaza.

According to the BBC, the strike occurred on Salah-al-Din street – one of two evacuation routes from north Gaza to the south. 

Palestinian journalist Hashem Al-Saudi told CNN that “the situation is much worse than what you see on television”. 

“Streets are filled with rubble and reek of blood,” Mr Al-Saudi said. 

“Even those who moved south were hit by air strikes … Nowhere is safe in the Gaza Strip.

“Everyone on this piece of land is targeted by the Israeli military, which from the start did not differentiate between civilian and shoulder.” 
 

 

Hundreds of thousands of civilians fled the besieged region by car, on trucks and on foot on Saturday after being given a 24-hour warning by Israel to evacuate – orders that EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called “utterly impossible”. 

Graphic footage of the carnage at the scene, which emerged shortly afterwards, showed at least 12 bodies – with some of the children allegedly appearing as young as two to five years old. 

The Palestinian Health Ministry said 70 people were killed at the scene, and blame Israel for the attack. 

Israel claims to have killed Hamas leader who plotted massacre

The Israeli air force says it has killed a senior Hamas leader who planned attacks that left over 1300 Israeli’s dead on October 7.

Israeli forces claim Ali Qadhi, a company commander in the Najaba force of Hamas, was killed by a drone strike. 

The strike was reportedly launched after obtaining intelligence from Shin Bet security agency. 

Qadhi was reportedly arrested by Israel in 2005 over the kidnapping and murder of Israeli citizens. In 2011, he was released to Gaza as part of a prisoner swap. 

“Ali Qadi led the inhumane, barbaric October 7 massacre of civilians in Israel,” the IDF said following the drone strike. 

“We just eliminated him. All Hamas terrorists will meet the same fate.” 

Israel also claims Abu Merad, head of Hamas’ air forces, was killed. 

Israel preparing for ‘next stages of war’

The Israel Defence Forces said it is preparing for the “next stages of war” in a statement released just hours after its evacuation deadline for Gaza expired on Saturday. 

“With the support of an extensive logistical effort and hundreds of thousands of drafted reservists, IDF forces are currently preparing to implement a wide range of operational offensive plans, which can include combined and co-ordinated strikes from the air, sea and land,” the statement read. 

“IDF battalions and soldiers are deployed across the country and are increasing operational readiness for the next stages of war, with an emphasis on significant ground operations.” 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video on social media earlier on Sunday morning of him visiting troops on the front line, telling them “the next stage is coming”. 

The IDF has swarmed the border of Gaza with troops and military equipment – but the exact contours of its plan for a siege remains unclear. No timings have been given for the attack. 

– with AFP