Israel – Hamas is at war, today’s news | The US House of Representatives approves military aid to Israel worth $14.5 billion

• It is the 27th day of the war: more than 9,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Hamas. 1,400 of them were Israeli; 242 hostages in Gaza.
• The Israeli army announced: “We are inside Gaza City, and it is besieged.”
• Jordan, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia: These are the countries that withdrew their ambassadors from Israel.
• Words and abbreviations for understanding conflict: Glossary.
• Explain the history of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah breaks his weeks-long silence today since the outbreak of the war between Hamas and Israel, in a speech that may affect the region as the conflict intensifies in Gaza. Cross-border attacks intensified yesterday, when Israel responded with a “large-scale attack” to Hezbollah attacks on 19 Israeli sites. Rockets also fell on the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, near the border, in a barrage of rockets for which the Lebanese wing of the military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian warned that “the region is like a powder keg” and that “anything is possible” if Israel does not stop attacking Gaza. Nasrallah’s highly anticipated speech at an event commemorating fighters killed in Israeli bombing in the southern suburb of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, will be broadcast on Friday at 3pm (2pm in Italy). On the Lebanese side, more than 70 people were killed, at least 50 of whom were Hezbollah fighters, as well as other fighters and civilians, including a journalist from Reuters, according to an Agence France-Presse tally. On the Israeli side, nine people were killed, eight soldiers and one civilian, according to the army.

The United States launched reconnaissance drones over the Gaza Strip to collect information about hostages held by the Palestinian extremist group Hamas. Two US officials told Reuters, specifying that the drone flights have been going on for more than a week.

Concern is growing within the Biden administration about the war waged by Israel. Many senior officials fear a gradual isolation of the United States on the international stage in the wake of Joe Biden’s unconditional support for Israel. NBC reported this, citing some sources, that the possibility of Biden being charged and convicted for some Israeli military actions is also worrying.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed to provide the Lebanese Hezbollah group with a Russian-made missile defense system that Moscow supplied to Damascus for its own defense. This is what CNN reported, citing two sources familiar with American intelligence, stating that the Russian Wagner Organization, active in Syria, will deliver the SA-22 surface-to-air missile system. The sources were unable to determine whether the system had already been delivered or how long it would take until it was delivered. The Wall Street Journal also reported the Russian group’s role in delivering SA-22 missiles to Hezbollah, but did not mention the Syrian president.

Two Palestinians were martyred during confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. This was announced by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, citing Haaretz newspaper. The Ministry also announced four infections.

Palestinian President Abu Mazen made a phone call with Pope Francis to discuss the latest developments in Palestine. This was reported by the Palestinian Wafa News Agency. “During the meeting, President Abu Mazen expressed his appreciation for the role and efforts of Pope Francis in supporting peace initiatives in the region and in the world – Wafa reported – and President Abu Mazen stressed the importance of the Vatican continuing its efforts to ensure an immediate ceasefire on the Israeli aggression in Gaza, and stressing the necessity of Spare civilians the scourge of war. The Palestinian President also stressed the need to “end settler terrorism against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and East Jerusalem,” and reaffirmed “the clear rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank or Jerusalem.” Abu Mazen stressed the importance of reaching “a political solution based on international legitimacy to achieve the freedom, independence and sovereignty of the Palestinian people.” According to the Palestinian News Agency, Pope Francis stressed “the importance of achieving peace and ending war in the region and the world, as well as the urgent need to provide humanitarian assistance to everyone in a timely manner.” Finally, the Pope expressed his “deep sorrow for the civilian victims and stressed that he will remain in contact with the President for further consultations and assistance.”

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hajari said that ground forces had completed the encirclement of Gaza City in the Strip.

The Republican-majority House of Representatives approved the measure providing $14.5 billion in military aid to Israel. This measure requires financing through cuts in other government spending. The green light contradicts the requests of Joe Biden, who linked aid to Israel to that provided to Ukraine.

Israeli security cabinet ministers voted in favor of transferring tax funds collected for the Palestinian Authority to Ramallah, but deducted funds allocated to the Gaza Strip. This was announced by the Prime Minister’s Office. Adding, “Israel cuts off all contacts with Gaza.” The statement explains, according to the Times of Israel, that “there will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza, and the workers who were in Israel on the day the war broke out will return to Gaza.”