The Israeli army in an attack on Gaza killed Jamila al-Shanti, the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, and the first woman elected in 2021 to the organization’s Political Bureau. Local sources reported this. Al-Rantisi was killed in 2004 in an Israeli attack during the Second Intifada.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani underlined that there is no risk of attacks in Italy. “We have only closed Schengen on the border with Slovenia to prevent terrorists arriving via the Balkan route who could strike in our country or in Europe. We have no risk of attacks, there is no sign in this direction but we cannot lower our guard , indeed we raise it precisely for prevention” and “to protect sites, in particular those frequented by citizens of the Jewish religion, to prevent violent actions”. Tajani, speaking on Mattino Cinque, added that the suspension of Schengen “has a limited timeframe”.
On the conflict front, however, the first result of yesterday’s bilateral meeting is that the Rafah crossing will be opened to allow the passage of humanitarian aid expected by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The American and Egyptian presidents announced this after Biden’s visit to Israel, an opportunity to renew US support for the Jewish state and exonerate it from responsibility in the attack on the Ahli Arab hospital which raised a wave of anger in the region.
27 tons of food aid that Moscow has destined for the Palestinian territory should also pass through Rafah.
The aid will not arrive before Friday due to the work to be done on the road, destroyed by the bombing of Israel which has pledged not to prevent food, water and medicine from reaching the civilian population. Dozens of trucks full of aid have been waiting for days in Egypt to enter. To deal with the humanitarian emergency, said Martin Griffiths, head of United Nations emergency situations, at least 100 trucks a day are needed. Israel, however, placed one condition. This aid will not pass through its territory until the 203 hostages held by Hamas are released..
Meanwhile they continue diplomatic efforts to stem the violence. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will be in the region today, after Chinese President Xi Jinping told the Egyptian Prime Minister from Beijing that his country wants to “work together to bring greater stability to the region and the world”.
Yesterday the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a “humanitarian pause” because the text did not mention “Israel’s right to defend itself.”
It remains unclear who is responsible for the victims of Tuesday evening’s bombing of the Ahli Arab hospital. Doubts also about the budget: according to the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian Territory there are 471 deaths, much fewer according to European intelligence which speaks of no more than 50 deaths.
Israel claimed to have “evidence” that a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad that went off course caused the massacre.
The Israeli armed forces continued to strike Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip last night, killing, among other things, the head of the military branch of the “Popular Resistance Committees” terrorist organization in Rafah, Rafat Harb Hussein Abu Hilal.
According to what Defense itself communicates on Telegram, in the last 24 hours «IDF has struck hundreds of Hamas terrorist structures, including dozens in Shujàiyya. The facilities include anti-tank missile launch sites, terror tunnels, intelligence infrastructure and additional command centers. Dozens of mortars were also hit, most of which were destroyed immediately after launching shells at Israel.”
«During the fighting, numerous Hamas terrorist agents belonging to the “Nukbha” forces were targeted, who led the barbaric invasion of the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. More than ten terrorists were hit in a precision air strike” and in particular Abu Hilal.