GAZA: A strike on a Gaza hospital killed hundreds of Palestinians, deepening tensions in the Middle East and raising the stakes for U.S. President Joe Biden as he flies to Israel on Wednesday to signal support for its war against Hamas.
Palestinian officials said an Israeli air strike hit the hospital, with the Palestinian Authority's health minister accusing Israel of causing a "massacre". Israel blamed the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital on a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which denied responsibility.
Reuters could not independently verify the claims around the catastrophe, which has inflamed a region already in crisis since Hamas carried out an Oct. 7 cross-border rampage against communities in southern Israel in which at least 1,300 people died.
Palestinian ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qudra said rescuers were still pulling bodies from the rubble.
Al Jazeera carried footage showing a frantic scene as rescue workers scoured blood-stained debris for survivors. Rescuers and civilians were shown carrying away at least four victims in body bags. A Gaza civil defence chief gave a death toll of 300, while health ministry sources put it at 500.
Biden's complex diplomatic mission to the Middle East was supposed to calm the region and shore up humanitarian efforts for Gaza, but after the strike, Jordan cancelled a planned summit with the U.S. president, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Abbas also cancelled plans to meet Biden, as Palestinian security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse anti-government protesters in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah as popular anger boiled.
Protests also took place at Israel's embassies in Turkey and Jordan and near the U.S. embassy in Lebanon, where security forces fired tear gas toward demonstrators.
Before the hospital strike, health authorities in Gaza said at least 3,000 people had died in Israel's 11-day bombardment that began after the Hamas assault, which caught Israel by surprise and led to nearly 200 people being taken to Gaza as hostages.
HUMANITARIAN AID
The Israeli military urged Gaza City residents to relocate southward on Wednesday, saying there was a "humanitarian zone" with aid available in Al-Mawasi, 28 km (17 miles) down the coast of the Palestinian enclave.
"The IDF calls on #GazaCity residents to evacuate south for their protection," said a social-media post by the military.
Speaking to reporters as Biden flew to Tel Aviv, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Biden would put "tough questions" to Israeli leaders but did not give details.
Biden will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli war cabinet seeking to get a sense of Israel's plans and aims, Kirby said. He also aims to get humanitarian aid into Gaza, where millions of Palestinians are surviving with scant food, fuel and water due to Israel's siege.
"He'll be asking some tough questions, he'll be asking them as a friend, as a true friend of Israel, but he'll be asking some questions of them," Kirby said.
It was unclear what Biden could accomplish during his visit. Kirby said the U.S. president planned to speak with Abbas and Sisi on his way back to Washington.
"This sort of murky but horrific event makes diplomacy harder and increases escalation risks," said Richard Gowan, U.N. director at International Crisis Group.
Biden has previously said the United States does not want the conflict to flare up into a wider war.
Iran, which supports Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Lebanon-based Islamist group Hezbollah have warned Israel of escalation if it failed to end aggressions against Palestinians.
The U.S. State Department told Americans not to travel to Lebanon after exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon's south.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "horrified" by hundreds of people killed in Tuesday's strike on the hospital.
Guterres appealed to Hamas for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and to Israel to allow immediate unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Reuters
Wed Oct 18 2023
Joe Biden has previously said the United States does not want the conflict to flare up into a wider war. - REUTERS
Ringgit ditutup rendah sedikit berbanding dolar AS
Pada 6 petang, ringgit ditutup pada 4.7700/7750 berbanding dolar AS 4.7650/7700 ketika ditutup pada Isnin.
Daftar Pemilih Tambahan Mac 2024 dibuka untuk semakan - SPR
Daftar Pemilih Tambahan Bulan Mac 2024 (DPT BLN3/2024) telah diperaku dan diwartakan hari ini, dan semakan dibuka selama 30 hari sehingga 29 Mei ini.
'Harga purata pangsapuri baharu Malaysia cecah RM582,887 pada suku pertama'
Harga purata bagi pangsapuri baharu di Malaysia mencecah RM582,887 pada suku pertama 2024 manakala purata harga jualan bagi kediaman sekunder bernilai RM521,614.
AWANI Borneo [30/04/2024] – Kerugian RM28.6 Juta | tertembak diri sendiri | Elak kerugian
AWANI Borneo Isnin, 30 April 2025 bersama Nickyson Nyambar.
> Sarawak rekod purata 6.7 kes penipuan sehari
> Polis tunggu laporan forensik telefon bimbit anak KPD maut tertembak.
> 130,000 penduduk setinggan Sabah bakal dapat penempatan baharu.
> Sarawak rekod purata 6.7 kes penipuan sehari
> Polis tunggu laporan forensik telefon bimbit anak KPD maut tertembak.
> 130,000 penduduk setinggan Sabah bakal dapat penempatan baharu.
Negara Barat cadang henti penjualan senjata dan sekat pemindahan teknologi ke Israel
Perbincangan itu bertujuan untuk melibatkan sebanyak mungkin negara dalam pakej "elemen tekanan" yang mengandungi cadangan mengenai sekatan ruang udara.
KP SPRM sahkan MB Perlis dibebas dengan jaminan
SPRM mengesahkan Menteri Besar Perlis Mohd Shukri Ramli dibebaskan dengan jaminan selepas memberi keterangan di ibu pejabat agensi itu di sini pada Selasa.
PRN17: Pendirian UMNO Sabah ketengahkan calon
Temu bual bersama Pensyarah Kanan, Pembangunan Manusia dan Politik Identiti UMS, Prof Madya Dr Romzi Ationg mengenai pendirian UMNO Sabah dalam mengetengahkan calon pada Pilihan Raya Negeri Sabah Ke-17.
Syarikat Sweden mahu jadikan Sarawak pusat pengedaran di Asia Pasifik
Syarikat perindustrian berasaskan perniagaan hutan serta pulpa dan kertas dari Sweden, Holmen AB, berhasrat menjadikan Sarawak sebagai pusat pengedaran untuk meluaskan pasaran mereka di rantau Asia Pasifik.
SUEF kumpul RM3.57 juta bantu anak Sarawak
Dana Pendidikan Perpaduan Sarawak (SUEF) berjaya mengumpul RM3.57 juta daripada sektor korporat bagi membantu anak sarawak daripada keluarga B40 untuk melanjutkan pelajaran ke pendidikan tinggi.
ECRL: Kerja alih, pindah kubur di Selat Klang ditangguh seminggu - Amirudin
Kerja penggalian dan pemindahan 90 kubur di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Selat Klang bagi memberi laluan kepada pembangunan projek ECRL yang dijadualkan esok, ditangguhkan seminggu.
Biden bincang dengan pemimpin Qatar, Mesir cadangan gencatan senjata Gaza
Biden mengesahkan AS bersama-sama Mesir dan Qatar akan berusaha untuk memastikan pelaksanaan penuh syarat-syaratnya.
Biden kekal tidak sokong pencerobohan di Rafah
Mesej itu disampaikan menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu pada Ahad.
Biden rancang untuk berdebat dengan Trump
Sebelum ini, Biden tidak komited untuk berdebat dengan lawannya, Trump.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Biden enggan hadir pendengaran awam - Jawatankuasa Pemantauan Dewan AS
Biden menolak permintaan anggota kongres untuk memberi keterangan secara terbuka sebagai sebahagian daripada siasatan pendakwaan yang tertumpu kepada dakwaan aktiviti jenayah oleh keluarganya.
Jordan tidak benarkan perang serantau berlaku di wilayahnya - Raja Abdullah II
Raja Abdullah menekankan keperluan untuk menghentikan peningkatan konflik di rantau itu dengan segera.
Biden jangka Iran tidak akan berlengah untuk serang Israel
Biden berkata beliau tidak mahu memberi penjelasan lanjut terhadap maklumat risikan sulit diperoleh Washington mengenai rancangan Tehran.
Biden ikrar sokong Israel sekiranya diserang Iran
AS akan terus melindungi keselamatan Israel sekalipun ketika Biden dan Netanyahu sering tidak sependapat konflik di Palestin.
China berharap jadi rakan, bukan pencabar Amerika Syarikat
Perkembangan hubungan China-Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang diterajui pemimpin kedua-dua negara stabil pada masa ini, kata Perdana Menteri China Li Qiang.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.