Fri 27 January 2023:
Israel has launched multiple air strikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip, a day after Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians, including an elderly woman, in the Jenin refugee camp, in one of the deadliest Israeli military raids in years in the occupied West Bank.
According to local sources in Gaza, Israeli warplanes struck the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the territory’s center with at least 13 strikes in the early hours of Friday.
Al-Zaitoun neighborhood in Gaza City’s south as well as an open space east of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza were also struck.
Israeli drones fired two missiles at targets in Gaza before the fighter jets struck, according to witnesses and local media.
Tor Wennesland, the UN’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said on Twitter he was “deeply alarmed” and “saddened” by the violence and that he was engaged with Israeli and Palestinian authorities to “de-escalate tensions, restore calm and avoid further conflict”.
#UN Envoy @TWennesland:
Deeply alarmed & saddened by the continuing cycle of violence. Crucial to reduce tensions immediately & prevent more loss of life. Urges, & remains engaged w/, 🇮🇱 & 🇵🇸 auths. to deescalate tensions, restore calm & avoid further conflict.
Full statement 👇 pic.twitter.com/KBIGcjnG7Q— UNSCO (@UNSCO_MEPP) January 26, 2023
According to Al Jazeera correspondent Maram Humaid, there were no early reports of injuries, and “cautious calm” had returned to Gaza by daybreak.
According to the Israeli army, the airstrikes on Gaza, which has 2.1 million inhabitants and is one of the world’s most densely populated territories, came after two rockets were fired at Israel at around midnight (22:00 GMT).
Southern Israel had heard air raid sirens both during the initial two rocket launches and again during the Israeli airstrikes.
In Gaza, there were fears that the Israeli air attacks, following on from the Jenin raid, were an indication that a new conflict was going to break out, only five months after the last big Israeli assault on the blockaded territory killed at least 49 people.
In the West Bank on Thursday, people filled the streets to show solidarity with Jenin as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning.
Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said Abbas had cut security coordination with Israel in “light of the repeated aggression against our people and the undermining of signed agreements”. He said Palestinians planned to file complaints with the United Nations Security Council, the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other international bodies over Israel’s violence.
The United Arab Emirates, China and France have asked the UNSC to meet behind closed doors on Friday over the attacks, diplomats said.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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