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Gaza Authorities Say 700 Palestinians Killed in Overnight Israeli Strikes as Calls Rise for Aid to Civilians

A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on October 23, 2023, shows smoke and debris ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on October 23, 2023, shows smoke and debris ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
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Gaza Authorities Say 700 Palestinians Killed in Overnight Israeli Strikes as Calls Rise for Aid to Civilians

A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on October 23, 2023, shows smoke and debris ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)
A picture taken from the southern Israeli city of Sderot on October 23, 2023, shows smoke and debris ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (AFP)

More than 700 Palestinians were killed overnight by Israeli air strikes, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said on Tuesday, the highest 24-hour death toll in Israel's two-week-old "total siege", as pressure grew for aid to be allowed into the enclave unimpeded.

The Israeli military said it had hit over 400 Hamas militant targets and killed dozens of its fighters overnight, but that it would take time to destroy Gaza's ruling Islamist group, whose deadly cross-border attack on Oct. 7 shocked Israel.

With international aid agencies warning of a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, French President Emmanuel Macron flew to Israel to offer it support.

Macron told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that France stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Israel in its war with Hamas but that it must not fight "without rules". Netanyahu said Israel would try to protect civilians as it worked to ensure they "will no longer live under Hamas tyranny".

United Nations agencies called "on our knees" on Tuesday for emergency aid to be allowed unimpeded into Gaza, saying more than 20 times current deliveries were needed to support its Palestinian population after two weeks of Israeli bombardment.

The World Health Organization, in the latest of increasingly desperate UN appeals, called for "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire" to allow safe deliveries of aid.

Doctors in Gaza say patients arriving at hospitals are showing signs of disease caused by overcrowding and poor sanitation after more than 1.4 million people fled their homes for temporary shelters under Israel's heaviest-ever bombardment.

But there appeared to be little prospect of a ceasefire any time soon in the bloodiest episode in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades.

Gaza's health ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardments of the densely populated territory since Oct. 7, including 2,360 children. A total of 704 were killed in the previous 24 hours alone, it said.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said it was the highest 24-hour number of deaths in the two weeks of Israeli bombing.

After an air strike in Khan Younis, Abdallah Tabash held his dead daughter Sidra, refusing to let go as he held her bloodstained face and hair. "I want to look at her as much as I can," he said.

Israeli tanks and troops are massed on the border between Israel and the enclave awaiting orders for an expected ground invasion - an operation that may be complicated by fears for the hostages' welfare and militants heavily armed by Iran dug into a crowded urban setting using a vast network of tunnels.

The bombardments were unleashed in response to a shock cross-border Hamas assault into southern Israel in which gunmen killed over 1,400 people - mostly civilians - in a single day.

'I’ve been through hell’

Hamas on Monday freed two Israeli women who were among the more than 200 hostages taken during the rampage - the third and fourth to be released.

Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, said she was beaten by militants as she was abducted and had difficulty breathing. "They stormed into our homes. They beat people. They kidnapped others, the old and the young without distinction," she said, seated in a wheelchair and speaking in barely a whisper to reporters.

"I've been through hell," Lifshitz said.

Inside Gaza, a group of hostages were led into what Lifshitz called a "spider's web" of damp tunnels and eventually reached a large hall where, under 24-hour guard, a doctor visited every other day and brought them medicines they needed.

"They treated us gently and met all our needs," she said.

‘Ready and determined’

Among the targets Israel said it hit overnight was a tunnel that allowed Hamas to infiltrate Israel from the sea, as well as Hamas command centers in mosques, it said. Reuters could not verify the report.

Wide areas of highly urbanized Gaza have been demolished by Israeli bombs, forcing more than half of its 2.3 million people to seek shelter elsewhere in the territory. Food, clean water, medicine and fuel are fast running out.

Residents said several people were killed or wounded when an Israeli missile hit a petrol station in Khan Younis, where people who fled the eastern side of the city were gathered to charge their devices and fill water canisters.

"They bombed them in their sleep," said Abdallah Abu Al-Atta, who lives by the petrol station.

More than 40 medical centers halted operations after they ran out of fuel or were damaged by Israeli bombing, the health ministry spokesman said.

‘No green light’

How soon Israel might launch a full-scale invasion of Gaza remains unclear. The Middle East's most powerful military faces a group that has built up a powerful arsenal with Iran's help.

World powers are concerned the conflict could ignite the entire region and some have urged Israel to exercise restraint, while affirming its right to self-defense.

The outcome is unclear: Palestinian hopes for an independent state in Israeli-occupied territory were already remote, with peace talks a distant memory, and Netanyahu's right-wing government expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Deadly clashes have worsened between the Israeli military and Palestinians in the West Bank, and resurged between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group along the two countries' volatile border.

Fears of regional escalation focus on Iran's network of proxies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Any wider conflagration would jeopardize security in a region key to global energy supplies.

US officials told Reuters the US military is taking new steps to protect its troops in the Middle East as concerns mount about attacks by Iran-backed groups, and it is leaving open the possibility of evacuations of military families if needed.

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Arab World

Israeli Ground Incursions in South Lebanon Shift Hezbollah’s Combat Priorities

Two Israeli tanks deployed along the border barrier with Lebanon during fighting with Hezbollah (EPA). 
Two Israeli tanks deployed along the border barrier with Lebanon during fighting with Hezbollah (EPA). 
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Israeli Ground Incursions in South Lebanon Shift Hezbollah’s Combat Priorities

Two Israeli tanks deployed along the border barrier with Lebanon during fighting with Hezbollah (EPA). 
Two Israeli tanks deployed along the border barrier with Lebanon during fighting with Hezbollah (EPA). 

Hezbollah has scaled back attacks deep inside Israel as it focuses on confronting expanding Israeli ground incursions into southern Lebanon, while Israel has widened its list of targets across Lebanese territory.

By Saturday afternoon, Hezbollah had issued 22 statements claiming attacks against Israeli forces. Most operations targeted Israeli military positions along the border, air-defense and surveillance systems, and northern Israeli settlements.

The group also said it struck Israeli soldiers and vehicles inside Lebanese territory, including near the municipality of Khiam, the town of Maroun al-Ras, and newly established Israeli positions at Blat and Nimr al-Jamal opposite the border town of Alma al-Shaab. Hezbollah also reported attacks around the Khiam detention center, west of Blida and near Khazzan Hill in Adaisseh.

Efforts to repel Israeli ground advances now appear to top Hezbollah’s battlefield priorities after the Israeli army launched incursions along at least four axes, according to sources in southern Lebanon. They said Hezbollah had mobilized forces since the start of the war in preparation for a possible ground confrontation.

Israeli forces have sought to prevent reinforcements of fighters and equipment from reaching Hezbollah units in the south. Airstrikes severed key routes by hitting two bridges and two crossings linking areas south of the Litani River with those to the north, as well as roads between villages.

Sources stressed that these steps broaden Israel’s target list. “Israel also appears to be trying to empty the area by targeting ambulances and civil defense units in the south,” one source said.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes launched two airstrikes shortly after midnight on the Khardali road and bridge linking Nabatieh and Marjayoun near a Lebanese army checkpoint. The strikes left a large crater and completely cut the road.

Medical Facilities Targeted

Israeli strikes on ambulance centers and medical facilities since the start of the war have killed 22 paramedics, according to Lebanese officials.

The deadliest attack occurred Friday when an Israeli strike hit a primary health care center run by Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health in the town of Burj Qalaouiyeh, killing 12 doctors, paramedics and nurses. The Health Ministry described the strike as a “flagrant attack on the country’s official health care network.”

Another strike hit a gathering point for the Islamic Health Authority and the Al-Risala Scouts Association in the town of Souwaneh, killing two people.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah was using ambulances and medical facilities for military purposes and accused the group of transporting rockets and other weapons in civilian trucks along Lebanon’s coastal areas.

Heavy Strikes Across the South

Israeli airstrikes also intensified across southern Lebanon, targeting towns including Majdal Zoun, Yater, Taybeh, Sajd in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region and Zawtar al-Sharqiyah in the Nabatieh district, where a strike destroyed a house belonging to the Harb family.

Two heavy strikes hit the town of Khiam in the Marjayoun district, while Naqoura came under artillery fire and warplanes targeted Kharayeb.

In the Hasbaya district, Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Shebaa. Later, Israeli forces targeted Bint Jbeil, Ainata, Aitaroun and the outskirts of Maroun al-Ras as clashes intensified with Hezbollah fighters along several fronts. The Wadi al-Hujayr area also came under artillery fire.

The escalation also affected UN peacekeepers. Kandice Ardiel, spokeswoman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, said a UN position near Mais al-Jabal was hit, likely by heavy machine-gun fire, sparking a fire at the site and slightly injuring a peacekeeper.

UNIFIL said it had opened an investigation and reminded all parties of their obligation to ensure the safety of peacekeepers at all times.

Arab World

Syria Foils Weapons Smuggling Attempt Near Lebanese Border

A photo released by Syrian authorities shows weapons they said were intended to be smuggled across the border into Lebanon. (Rif Dimashq Media Directorate)
A photo released by Syrian authorities shows weapons they said were intended to be smuggled across the border into Lebanon. (Rif Dimashq Media Directorate)
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Syria Foils Weapons Smuggling Attempt Near Lebanese Border

A photo released by Syrian authorities shows weapons they said were intended to be smuggled across the border into Lebanon. (Rif Dimashq Media Directorate)
A photo released by Syrian authorities shows weapons they said were intended to be smuggled across the border into Lebanon. (Rif Dimashq Media Directorate)

Syrian authorities announced on Saturday the seizure of a shipment of weapons allegedly prepared for smuggling across the Syrian-Lebanese border, amid rising tensions along the frontier.

The Rif Dimashq Media Directorate said the weapons were confiscated in the al-Nabk area of the Qalamoun region, north of Damascus, but provided no details about the quantity or type of arms.

In a brief statement, the Internal Security Directorate said the shipment had been intended for smuggling into Lebanon.

Officials said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to combat organized crime and curb cross-border trafficking.

The seizure comes as concerns grow along the Syrian-Lebanese border following the Syrian army’s decision to reinforce its deployment along areas with both Lebanon and Iraq in a bid to tighten security and prevent the smuggling of weapons and narcotics.

Sources in Damascus told Asharq Al-Awsat that Syrian authorities are reviewing all options to address tensions with Hezbollah in border areas.

They said Damascus does not favor intervention, while emphasizing Syria’s support for Lebanon’s stability and the authority of the Lebanese state.

The sources added that Syria’s position remains aligned with that of Arab and regional countries supporting efforts to contain the current escalation.

Meanwhile, Hassan Abdul Ghani, spokesman for the Syrian Ministry of Defense, denied reports suggesting Syria intends to intervene militarily in Lebanon.

In an interview with a Lebanese television channel, he said the military buildup near the Lebanese border was a precautionary defensive measure rather than an offensive deployment.

Since the eruption of the US-Israel war on Iran and Israel intensified strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has reiterated Syria’s support for Lebanon’s stability and security, backing the Lebanese government’s efforts to restore sovereignty and strengthen state authority.

During a three-way phone call earlier this week with French President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, al-Sharaa stressed the importance of opening a new chapter in Syrian-Lebanese relations based on cooperation and coordination between the two countries, reported the Syrian state news agency SANA.

Israel had previously destroyed many Hezbollah positions and weapons depots in Syria before the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2024, including stockpiles in border areas of Homs and Damascus countryside.

Local sources say weapons were looted from former regime barracks and militia caches following the collapse of Assad’s rule.

While Syrian authorities continue campaigns to collect weapons and restrict them to state control, armed groups and criminal networks are reportedly picking up war remnants left behind in abandoned military sites.

The danger posed by such remnants has been underscored by recent incidents. Earlier this month, a missile left over from the former regime exploded in a metal workshop in the industrial zone of Sweida while it was being dismantled, killing five people and injuring three.

On Friday, two separate explosions linked to war remnants occurred in Homs and Aleppo. In Homs, more than 31 civilians were injured when a missile exploded inside an abandoned military barracks in the Abbasiya residential district.

In al-Atarib, in western Aleppo province, three civilians, including two children, were killed and eight others wounded when leftover munitions exploded inside a house.

Arab World

Al-Hamidawi: Iran’s Elusive Man in Iraq

A photo believed to be al-Hamidawi wearing a mask, sunglasses and a head covering during his only public appearance on Nov. 6, 2021.
A photo believed to be al-Hamidawi wearing a mask, sunglasses and a head covering during his only public appearance on Nov. 6, 2021.
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Al-Hamidawi: Iran’s Elusive Man in Iraq

A photo believed to be al-Hamidawi wearing a mask, sunglasses and a head covering during his only public appearance on Nov. 6, 2021.
A photo believed to be al-Hamidawi wearing a mask, sunglasses and a head covering during his only public appearance on Nov. 6, 2021.

Conflicting reports have emerged about the fate of Kataib Hezbollah leader Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi after a strike early Saturday targeted a house linked to the group in Baghdad’s Karrada district.

Some reports said al-Hamidawi was killed in the attack, while others suggested he survived. A video circulated online later appeared to show a man believed to be al-Hamidawi with a head injury.

The incident has again drawn attention to the figure often described as “Iran’s mysterious man in Iraq.”

Despite the influence of Kataib Hezbollah — founded by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the former deputy head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) who was killed in a US strike near Baghdad International Airport in January 2020 — the group’s leadership has long remained shrouded in secrecy.

Although the faction plays a key military role within the PMF and has been linked to attacks targeting US interests in Iraq, its senior figures rarely appear in public and operate under strict security protocols that limit information about them.

Shadowy figure

The name Ahmad Mohsen Faraj al-Hamidawi, better known by the nom de guerre Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, has been associated with several major developments in Iraq in recent years. Yet reliable details about him remain scarce. Apart from widely circulated images of his father, Mohsen al-Hamidawi, the commander himself has largely remained absent from public view.

Available information indicates al-Hamidawi was born in Baghdad in 1971. His family is believed to originate from the southern province of Maysan, likely moving to the capital in the 1950s or 1960s.

Some reports suggest he comes from a family with influence inside Kataib Hezbollah.

His son, Zaid al-Hamidawi, is widely believed to run the “Abu Ali al-Askari” account on X, which releases statements attributed to the group. His brothers are also said to hold senior roles within the faction.

Sources close to PMF factions say al-Hamidawi maintains strict security measures. He rarely uses mobile phones or electronic devices directly and communicates through trusted aides, with knowledge of his movements restricted to a very small circle.

Despite the secrecy surrounding him, al-Hamidawi has long been described as a key Iranian-aligned figure in Iraq. His role in Kataib Hezbollah has also placed him under US sanctions.

In February 2020, the US State Department designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) for leading the group, which Washington classified as a terrorist organization in 2009.

Kataib Hezbollah

Kataib Hezbollah and its leader have been accused by activists from Iraq’s 2019 protest movement of involvement in killings and assassinations of demonstrators.

The group is also widely believed to be responsible for multiple attacks targeting the US Embassy in Baghdad and locations hosting American forces across the country.

Some Shiite political circles regard it as the most powerful Iran-aligned armed faction in Iraq, closely linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In November 2023, the US Treasury imposed additional sanctions on leaders of Iraqi armed factions and reaffirmed restrictions on al-Hamidawi as the head of Kataib Hezbollah.

Further sanctions followed in January 2024 targeting members of the group, including his brother Awqad al-Hamidawi, on accusations of providing logistical support and facilitating the group’s financial and operational activities.