Israel has once again accused Hamas of using roadblocks to prevent Gazans from leaving the northern part of the strip. The Israeli military has released audio that it claims is a conversation between one of its officers and a Gazan man, where the officer asks how the road was blocked and the Gazan man replies that people are being shot at.
To ensure the safety of Palestinians living in northern Gaza, Israel ordered more than a million people to head south via two designated safe routes on October 13. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had previously published aerial images showing roadblocks on one of the evacuation roads.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has announced that an additional 900 US troops are being deployed to the Middle East. However, they will not be sent to Israel. The troops are part of efforts to deter any broader conflict and to bolster US force protection capabilities. The exact deployment location has not been disclosed.
According to Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, US troops have been targeted multiple times in recent weeks. Bases in Iraq were attacked 12 times, while in Syria they were targeted four times. Ryder emphasised that the troops heading to the Middle East are those who were already prepared for deployment.
In response to the ongoing conflict, former UN war crimes judge Geoffrey Robertson has accused both Israel and Hamas of contravening the Geneva Conventions and committing war crimes. He stated that Hamas’ attack on Israel, resulting in casualties and hostages, gave Israel the right to pursue and arrest those responsible. Robertson also criticised Israel’s bombing campaign as indiscriminate and accused the Israeli prime minister and his war cabinet of committing war crimes.
Negotiations are currently underway to secure the release of all civilians being held hostage in Gaza. Dr Mohammed Al Khulaifi, senior negotiator and Qatar’s minister of state for foreign affairs, stated that a pause in the fighting could lead to the release of the hostages within days. He acknowledged that the negotiations have been challenging, especially with the ongoing violence and continuous bombing.
The French foreign ministry has reported that the number of French citizens killed in Hamas attacks on Israel has risen to 35, with nine nationals still missing and some being held hostage. The ministry assured the public that they are doing everything possible to secure the release of those being held captive and are in contact with the families of the affected French individuals.
