Every Hamas member is a dead man: Israel's PM Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Palestinian group Hamas that each of its members is "a dead man." Violence between Israel and Hamas has intensified, resulting in over 2,300 casualties on both sides, after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel last week, triggering a war. The death count on the Israeli side reached around 1,200, while Israel's air strikes on Gaza have killed more than 1,100 people, the BBC reported.
Netanyahu forms emergency government with opposition
On Wednesday, Netanyahu formed an emergency government and a wartime cabinet by teaming up with senior opposition leader Benny Gantz. Gantz said, "There is a time for war and...for peace. Now is the time for war." "Now, we are all one camp, the camp of the people of Israel," he added. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant added, "We will wipe Hamas off the face of the earth." Before the war, Netanyahu faced protests against his government's move for a judicial overhaul.
US travel advisory and Iran-Saudi communication
Speaking for the first time since the war started, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the need to put an end to war crimes against Palestine. Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have a long-standing conflict, have reportedly decided to set their differences aside for the time being. Both countries don't recognize Israel as a legitimate nation, while Iran has been accused of helping Hamas for weeks to plan the attack on Israel.
Biden's refusal to be silent and Lebanon's involvement
Meanwhile, United States (US) President Joe Biden warned Iran against helping Hamas. However, he didn't mention Saudi Arabia, its strategic trade partner. Biden said he refused to be silent on what he called the "deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust." He claimed to have seen "confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children." The White House later clarified that he hadn't seen any pictures or confirmed such reports independently. It said Biden was referring to Netanyahu's allegations and Israeli media reports.
IDF refutes reports of 40 babies beheaded, but reports continue
In a televised speech, Netanyahu accused Hamas of horrific acts, such as raping young women and killing children. Unverified claims about Hamas beheading 40 babies quickly made headlines. Although the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have refuted the claims, reports continue to circulate despite international journalists debunking the claim. The Israeli army put northern Israel on alert, suspecting an infiltration into its airspace by Lebanon. Later, the army said it was a false alarm and there was no infiltration.
