Displaced people inside the Gaza Strip suffer as the Israeli war continues for 135 days (French)
On the 135th day of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, the occupation continues its massacres, as the number of martyrs since the beginning of the aggression has risen to 28,985 martyrs, in addition to the injury of 68,883 others.
Meanwhile, Brazilian President Lula da Silva accused Israel of committing "genocide" in the Gaza Strip, likening what it was doing there to the "Holocaust of the Jews," while the Israeli government unanimously approved a draft resolution opposing the recognition of a unilateral Palestinian state.
Bombing and martyrs
The Israeli occupation forces continued to bomb several homes in various areas of the Gaza Strip, resulting in dozens of martyrs and wounded.
The reporter reported that the number of victims of the Israeli bombing of 10 homes in the central region rose to more than 60 martyrs since Saturday evening, while more than 13 martyrs fell in the bombing of a house for the Hamad family in the Al-Zawaida area, in the central Gaza Strip.
Two people were also martyred and others were injured in a bombing that targeted a house east of the Shujaiya neighborhood. A number of people were martyred and others were injured as a result of an Israeli bombing of the Beit Lahia project area in the northern Gaza Strip.
The occupation threatened to invade Rafah, which became the last refuge for displaced Palestinians (Palestinian press)
An Israeli holiday
For his part, Israeli War Council Minister Benny Gantz said that the fighting in Gaza will continue during the month of Ramadan, and will expand to the city of Rafah, south of the Strip, "if the detainees are not returned."
Gantz added, "But to those who say the price is too high, I say clearly that Hamas has a choice. They can surrender, release the kidnapped people, and thus the people of Gaza will be able to celebrate the month of Ramadan." He added, "We will continue to fight, in any scenario, until we achieve our goals."
more details
Borrell: Hamas cannot be eliminated because it is an “idea” (Anatolia)
Hamas is an idea
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that Hamas cannot be eliminated because it is an "idea."
Borrell added - during his speech at the Munich Security Conference - that the only alternative is to make Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace, and that this will not be achieved by military means alone.
The European official stressed that the situation in the West Bank occupied by Israel constitutes a major obstacle to reaching a sustainable solution that establishes peace between Israel and the Palestinians, saying, "The West Bank is witnessing boiling... We may be on the verge of a bigger explosion."
more details
The final statement of the African Summit condemns “the brutal war and the use of excessive force against 2.2 million defenseless civilians,” and demands an independent international investigation into Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law in #Gaza.. Details with #Al Jazeera correspondent Hassan Razzaq #Gaza_War #News pic.twitter.com/ 5A1E61IBKm
- Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) February 18, 2024
The African summit calls for an international investigation
On the other hand, the African Summit held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, called in its latest statement to conduct an independent international investigation into Israeli violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, and Israel’s use of internationally banned weapons to target hospitals and media institutions in its war on the Strip.
The summit also called on Israel to respond to international calls for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, comply with the decisions of the International Court of Justice to prevent genocide, and lift the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
The summit condemned the "brutal" Israeli war and the use of excessive force against 2.2 million unarmed civilians, and denounced the collective punishment against civilians in Gaza and attempts to forcefully transfer them to the Sinai Peninsula.
more details
Brazilian President Lula da Silva accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza (French)
An analogy to what Hitler did
Also at the international level, Brazilian President Lula da Silva on Sunday accused Israel of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, likening what it was doing there to the “Holocaust” during World War II, while Israel described those statements as shameful and summoned its Brazilian ambassador.
The Brazilian president added that this "did not happen at any other stage in history," before adding, "In fact, it had already happened when Hitler decided to kill the Jews."
Angry Israeli reactions quickly followed, denouncing the Brazilian President's statements. The Israeli Prime Minister described the Brazilian President's statements as "shameful and dangerous."
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also summoned the Brazilian ambassador to Tel Aviv, Federico Mayer, to "reprimand" him.
more details
Two martyrs in the West Bank
In the occupied West Bank, two Palestinians were martyred and others were injured after Israeli occupation special forces stormed Tulkarm camp on Sunday morning, amid violent armed clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters.
Al Jazeera's correspondent said that the occupation forces pushed military reinforcements, accompanied by a bulldozer, into the alleys of the camp, spread throughout its neighborhoods, and raided citizens' homes. Its snipers also mounted the roofs of buildings in the camp.
Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that violent clashes took place between the occupation forces and resistance fighters inside the Tulkarm camp, after they stormed the camp and sent military reinforcements to it.
more details
Netanyahu agreed to restrict the entry of Palestinians from inside and Jerusalem to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan (Anatolia)
Restrict maximum access
Israeli Channel 13 revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the proposal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to restrict the entry of Palestinians from inside and Jerusalem to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the proposal was not accepted by the Israeli army and the Israeli Internal Security Service (Shin Bet), for fear of escalation in Jerusalem and the West Bank and the occurrence of unrest between Palestinians inside and the Israeli police.
more details
Mutual bombing on the Lebanese border
On the Lebanon front, Hezbollah announced - on Sunday - that it had launched 8 attacks on Israeli gatherings and sites off the Lebanese border.
The newspaper "Israel Today" indicated estimates that Hezbollah took control of a march belonging to the council of the town of Metula on the Lebanese border and transported it to Lebanon.
On the other hand, Israeli warplanes and drones launched a series of raids on the towns of Aitaroun and Yaroun in the Bint Jbeil district and the vicinity of Al-Adisa, targeting several homes, which led to their destruction.
more details
Demonstrations in support of Gaza
At the level of international solidarity, thousands of Moroccans demonstrated in the capital, Rabat, in support of the Palestinian cause, and carried slogans denouncing the “crimes of the Zionist occupation” and the continuation of Moroccan normalization with Israel.
In Europe, demonstrators gathered in the Italian city of Milan and denounced the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
more details
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies