First relief convoy enters Gaza Strip from Egyptian side of Rafah crossing
The first convoy of relief trucks has begun to enter the Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, reports Anadolu Agency citing the Red Crescent on October 21. This first relief convoy, which comprises a total of 20 trucks, is currently in the process of passing through the Rafah border gate, the Red Crescent told Anadolu.
Meanwhile, an Anadolu correspondent reported that humanitarian aid is actively being transferred from Egyptian trucks to Palestinian trucks. The conflict in Gaza, under Israeli bombardment and blockade since Oct. 7, began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers.
The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
At least 4,300 Palestinians, including 1,524 children and 1,000 women have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza. That figure stands at more than 1,400 in Israel.
Bodies of 43 unidentified Palestinians buried in mass grave: Gaza govt
The bodies of at least 43 unidentified Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have been buried in a mass grave, reports Anadolu Agency citing the government media office in Gaza on October 21. “This is the second time that dozens of unidentified Palestinians have been buried since the beginning of the war,” Salama Marouf, the head of the media office, told Anadolu. The accumulation of bodies in the courtyards, rooms and refrigerators of hospitals prompted residents of the besieged enclave to dig mass graves in the gardens of their homes, according to an Anadolu correspondent.
The conflict in Gaza, under Israeli bombardment and blockade since Oct. 7, began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers.
Malaysia rejects Western pressure to condemn Hamas
Malaysia has turned down Western demands to condemn Hamas and vowed to continue to maintain relations with the Palestinian group. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament on October 16 that Western officials have repeatedly asked Malaysia to condemn Hamas, but his government “does not agree” with their attitude, media reports said.
“I said that we, as a policy, have a relationship with Hamas from before, and this will continue,” Mr Anwar told lawmakers. “As such, we don’t agree with their pressuring attitude, as Hamas, too, won in Gaza freely through elections, and Gazans chose them to lead,” the Malaysian leader said.
Western governments have condemned Hamas and called on other countries to stand with Israel after the group earlier this month carried out the deadliest attack on the Zionist entity in decades. Malaysia, where about 60 per cent of the population is Muslim, is a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights and does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.
US Corporations Urged to Recognize Palestinian Humanity
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on October 17 released an analysis of U.S. corporate statements released over the past two weeks showing that numerous major businesses have disregarded their own diversity, equity, and inclusion policies by ignoring the concerns of employees of Palestinian descent and releasing one-sided statements that ignore or even justify violence against Palestinian civilians.
CAIR’s analysis centers statements from high-ranking executives at Amazon, Google, Pfizer, Microsoft and others. It also documents corporate leaders who have threatened student activists for their support of Palestinian human rights. “All reasonable people want the ongoing violence in the Middle East to end. Instead of recognizing the humanity of both Israelis and Palestinians, many corporate leaders appear to have ignored the concerns of their own employees, released on-sided statements that only acknowledge the suffering of Israeli civilians while completely ignoring or even justifying violence against Palestinian civilians,” said CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor.
Colombia to open embassy in Palestine
Colombian President Gustavo Petro on October 19 announced that his country will open an embassy in the central city of Ramallah in Palestine. Petro issued the statement after meeting with Israel’s Ambassador to Colombia, Gali Dagan, and Palestinian Ambassador Raouf Al-Maliki. “I have expressed my position to achieve an international peace conference that opens the way for two independent and free states. I reiterated my solidarity with Israeli and Palestinian children, who must have the right to live in peace,” he said on X following the meeting.
“We will send a plane with humanitarian aid to the outskirts of Gaza waiting for a humanitarian corridor to open. Colombia will open its embassy in Ramallah, Palestine,” he added. In a statement posted on X on October 9, Petro criticized the way Israel responded to the attack launched two days earlier by the Palestinian group Hamas.
Earlier, the Colombian president expelled the country’s Israeli envoy, Gali Dagan, for criticizing the president’s outspoken support of Palestinians and accusations against Israel amidst ongoing Israel’s bombing on Gaza, the newarab.com reported October 16. Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva said the envoy, Gali Dagan, should “at a minimum, apologize and leave” after criticising Petro’s comparison of Israeli attacks on Gaza with the Nazi persecution of the Jews. Leyva lashed out on social media at the “rudeness” of Israel’s response to Petro, adding: “Shame.”
Arab ambassadors in Brussels demand EU take action against Israel
Arab ambassadors to the EU on October 19 demanded that the bloc stop Israel’s aggression in Gaza and violations of international law, reports Anadolu Agency. Palestinian Ambassador Abdalrahim Alfarra pointed out in a news conference in Brussels that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pursued an “extremist” policy since he began leading the country and cited the situation in Gaza during the 17-year blockade.
Alfarra, speaking on behalf of other Arab ambassadors, said Israel is taking action in front of the eyes of the international community “to wipe Palestine off the map.” He demanded that the EU and member states stop the “massacre of civilians” in Gaza and take action against Israel’s violations of international law.