Israel Launches Airstrikes on Gaza’s Southern Region Amid Blinken’s Visit to Egypt for Discussions

On Thursday, Israel launched airstrikes on the southern region of the Gaza Strip. This military action coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s arrival in Egypt, marking the final phase of his diplomatic tour aimed at halting the spread of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Blinken’s visit to Egypt aligns with the commencement of a hearing at the United Nations’ highest court, where allegations of “genocidal acts” committed by Israel in Gaza are being examined.

Adila Hassim, a prominent South African attorney, voiced concerns at the court that more deaths in Gaza might result from starvation and disease rather than direct military conflict.

In Cairo, Blinken’s agenda included a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a key mediator in the ongoing four-month Gaza war.

The conclusion of Blinken’s nine-nation Middle East journey follows a recent United Nations Security Council resolution. This resolution demands an immediate halt to attacks by Iran-backed Yemeni rebels, which have been disrupting shipping in the Red Sea.

South Africa has brought a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of violating the United Nations Genocide Convention. This follows Hamas’s attack on October 7, which ignited the current war.

Pretoria’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola, presenting South Africa’s case, argued that no state’s armed attack, regardless of severity, can justify or defend breaches of the convention.

South Africa, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, has filed an urgent appeal with the ICJ, urging Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza immediately.

Residents in Rafah, a southern Gaza city near the Egyptian border, expressed hope that the ICJ would deliver justice. Hisham al-Kullah, a local, urged international judges to hold Israel accountable. Another resident, Mohammad al-Arjan, hoped the court would intervene to stop the war.

However, Blinken dismissed the case as baseless, and Israel’s president criticized it as outrageous.

The conflict started with Hamas’s significant attack on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,140 Israeli deaths, mostly civilians, as per an AFP tally. About 250 hostages were taken, with 132 still reportedly in Gaza, including at least 25 presumed dead.

Israel’s military response has led to at least 23,357 deaths in Gaza, predominantly women and children, as reported by Hamas-controlled health ministry.

Hamas stated that 62 people were killed in overnight strikes around Khan Yunis, Gaza’s main southern city. The Israeli military disclosed discovering over 300 tunnel shafts in the area, with hostages allegedly found in a large tunnel.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported an Israeli strike on an ambulance in central Gaza, killing four medics and two other passengers. The Israeli military has not yet commented on this incident.

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi, visiting troops in central Gaza, acknowledged the complexity of the battlefield, citing the militants’ organized and long-term preparations.

The conflict has led to a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicine due to an Israeli siege. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the immense challenges in delivering aid in the region.

In Rafah, a former Gaza health ministry employee, Zaki Shaheen, converted his shop into a clinic to support overwhelmed hospitals, treating up to 40 cases daily.

The United Nations estimates that 1.9 million Gazans have been displaced by the war.

Before his Egypt visit, Blinken discussed a potential post-war future for Gaza with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. Blinken expressed U.S. support for steps towards a Palestinian state, a concept opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

The regional unrest has escalated, with Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen intensifying their activities. Yemen’s Houthi rebels, asserting support for Palestinians, have attacked ships in the Red Sea. In response, Washington has initiated a naval task force to safeguard the vital trade route.

On Thursday, armed individuals in military-style uniforms boarded an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, as reported by a maritime risk management company.