Israel says it has Gaza City surrounded - CNA

"WHOLE FAMILIES KILLED"

The Israeli army is also seeking to free around 240 hostages, both civilians and troops, captured by Hamas during the attacks.

About 332 soldiers have already died in the Oct 7 attacks and in the Israeli offensive the Hamas assault triggered.

Now gruelling urban warfare lies ahead deeper inside Gaza, where Hamas is fighting from a tunnel network spanning hundreds of kilometres.

Global concern has risen sharply over Israel's response, in which the army says it has struck more than 12,000 targets so far.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 9,000 people have died, mostly women and children.

Special concern has focused on repeated heavy strikes on Gaza's largest refugee camp - densely populated Jabalia, north of Gaza City - where explosions brought down residential buildings.

Gaza's Hamas-ruled government said 195 were killed in two days of Israeli strikes on Jabalia, with hundreds more missing and wounded, figures AFP could not independently verify.

Major strikes also hit Gaza's Bureij refugee camp and an area near a UN-run school in Jabalia on Thursday, where the health ministry said 27 had died.

Outside the Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City, displaced residents seeking shelter from Israeli strikes told AFP that civilians would not withstand the barrage much longer.

"This is not a life. We need a safe place for our kids," said 50-year-old Hiyam Shamlakh. "Everybody is terrified, children, women and the elderly."

Another Gazan, Mahmoud Abu Jarad, said civilians would not be able to tolerate another week of strikes. "We demand a ceasefire. This is the most important thing," the 30-year-old said.

"DEATH EVERY DAY"

Israel has sought to justify the first Jabalia attack by saying it targeted a senior Hamas commander in a tunnel complex below the camp.

AFP has witnessed rescuers desperately clawing through the rubble and twisted metal in frantic attempts to bring out survivors and bodies.

Emergency responders say "whole families" have died.

The wounded were rushed away by cart, motorcycle and ambulance as anguished wails and blaring sirens filled the dusty air.

But Gaza's hospitals are overwhelmed, short of medical supplies and often without electricity.

Violence has also flared in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where more than 130 Palestinians have died since Oct 7 according to the Palestinian health ministry.

On Thursday, three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, the ministry said, and an Israeli was killed in a Palestinian shooting attack, according to first responders.

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2023-11-02 23:12:21Z
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Taiwan probes Foxconn founder's campaign over toilet paper bribes - CNA

Under Taiwan's election laws, bribing people to sign or not sign for a potential candidate is punishable by a maximum seven-year jail term, in addition to a fine of up to NT$10 million.

The case is among around a dozen investigations launched over Gou's signature campaign, local media reported.

Prosecutors in the capital Taipei said on Wednesday that they were investigating two bribery cases connected to Gou's signature campaign.

A total of 13 suspects were questioned on Tuesday and released on bail, according to Taipei district prosecutors' office, without elaborating on the allegations.

Gou's campaign office announced on Thursday that over 1.03 million signatures were filed.

In China, Foxconn is under tax and land probes in several provinces, Beijing's state-run Global Times reported last month.

The investigations come as self-ruled Taiwan - which China claims as its territory and has vowed to seize one day - prepares to hold presidential elections on Jan 13.

Officials from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, including its presidential candidate and Vice-President Lai Ching-te, have defended Foxconn and accused Beijing of trying to interfere in its elections.

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2023-11-02 11:20:00Z
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Foreigners in S'pore reminded not to support or import foreign politics amid Israel-Hamas war - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – Foreigners should avoid using Singapore as a platform to further their political causes amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

In a Facebook post on Thursday, MOM said: “The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has claimed the innocent lives of many civilians and evoked emotions globally.

“Given the heightened tensions, it is important that we remain calm and not let these external events affect the racial and religious harmony and peace in Singapore.”

On Thursday, a joint advisory by MOM, Internal Security Department and Ministry of Home Affairs also cautioned those working or living in Singapore against supporting or importing foreign politics here. This includes the public display of materials like banners, flags and posters.

“Singapore has zero-tolerance for any acts of extremism, violence or terrorism. Anyone engaging in such acts will be severely dealt with under the Singapore law,” the advisory said.

Foreigners were also reminded to engage in responsible and respectful discussions on the sensitive topic.

They were reminded to not write, post or share any information in person or online that may stir up emotions that result in violence or cause hatred among different races of religions.

“Doing so is an offence and punishable under the Singapore law. Offenders may be banned from working in Singapore,” the advisory said.

The notice comes less than a month after Hamas mounted a cross-border attack in southern Israel on Oct 7, igniting a brutal clash between Israel and Hamas that has left thousands dead.

Israel said Hamas killed 1,400 people and took more than 200 hostages. The Gaza health ministry said some 8,800 Palestinians in the enclave have been killed by Israel’s retaliatory strikes.

In the advisory, foreigners were also reminded to avoid speculating or spreading unverified information on the conflict that may cause discomfort to others.

Those who wish to make donations to help victims of the war should do so through official channels like the Singapore Red Cross Society or the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation to ensure that donations are used for genuine purposes.

People who notice any suspicious activities or people who show signs of radicalisation can contact the police on 1800-255-0000 or the Internal Security Department on 1800-2626-473.

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2023-11-02 07:41:14Z
CBMihAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdHJhaXRzdGltZXMuY29tL3NpbmdhcG9yZS9mb3JlaWduZXJzLWluLXMtcG9yZS1yZW1pbmRlZC1ub3QtdG8tc3VwcG9ydC1vci1pbXBvcnQtZm9yZWlnbi1wb2xpdGljcy1hbWlkLWlzcmFlbC1oYW1hcy13YXLSAQA

Israeli strikes on Gaza refugee camp could be war crimes: UN - CNA

Civilians and civilian structures must be spared - but the death of civilians during a conflict does not necessarily constitute a war crime.

Warring parties can launch attacks deemed proportionate on military targets even while knowing that civilians could also be hit.

A crime is committed when an attack is deliberately carried out against civilians, or if the scale of the damage to civilians is excessive compared to the military advantage.

The International Criminal Court is the only independent international legal authority that carries out investigations into genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, but Israel is not a member.

AFPTV images from Wednesday's strike on the camp showed extensive damage and rescuers clawing through rubble to extract blood-stained casualties.

The large death toll from the strikes has drawn a chorus of international condemnation, with Bolivia severing diplomatic ties with Israel in protest.

Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel "to condemn the Israeli war that is killing innocent people in Gaza".

UN chief Antonio Guterres is "appalled over the escalating violence in Gaza, including the killing of Palestinians, including women and children in Israeli air strikes in residential areas of the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp", his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.

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2023-11-02 01:58:41Z
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Israel says new strike on Gaza refugee camp kills second Hamas leader, first evacuees reach Egypt - The Straits Times

GAZA/JERUSALEM - Israeli forces killed another Hamas commander on Wednesday in their second strike on Gaza’s largest refugee camp in two days, the military said, as the first group of civilian evacuees from the besieged enclave crossed into Egypt.

Pressing their offensive against Hamas militants, Israel again bombed the densely populated Gaza Strip from land, sea and air in its campaign to destroy the Islamist group after its deadly cross-border rampage into southern Israel on Oct 7.

Palestinians sifted through rubble in a desperate hunt for trapped victims after Israel’s strike on Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp.

“It is a massacre,” said one witness of the strike.

The Israeli military said its fighter jets struck a Hamas command and control complex in Jabalia “based on precise intelligence,” killing the head of the Islamist group’s anti-tank missile unit, Muhammad A’sar.

“Hamas deliberately builds its terror infrastructure under, around and within civilian buildings, intentionally endangering Gazan civilians,” an Israeli statement said.

United Nations human rights officials said the operation could be a war crime.

“Given the high number of civilian casualties & the scale of destruction following Israeli air strikes on Jabalia refugee camp, we have serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights wrote on social media site X.

There were no immediate figures from Gaza authorities on casualties from the explosion at the camp on Wednesday. Palestinian health officials said the first Israeli airstrike on Tuesday killed about 50 people and wounded 150.

Israel said Tuesday’s strike killed Ibrahim Biari, who it described as a ringleader of the Oct 7 attack on Israel.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel and Jordan on Friday, the State Department said. He will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an update on Israel’s military objectives, it said.

Visions of death

Dr Fathi Abu al-Hassan, a US passport holder, described hellish conditions inside Gaza without water, food or shelter.

“We open our eyes on dead people and we close our eyes on dead people,” he said while waiting to cross into Egypt.

“If this happened in any other country... even in the desert, (people) will combine together to (help) us,” he said.

People evacuated to Egypt, trapped in Gaza since war began on Oct 7, included passport holders from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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2023-11-01 20:51:24Z
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Mass exodus of Afghans as deadline to leave Pakistan arrives - CNA

PESHAWAR: Hundreds of thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan faced detention and deportation on Wednesday (Nov 1), as a government deadline for them to leave sparked a mass exodus.

The government has given 1.7 million Afghans it says are living illegally in the country until Nov 1 to leave voluntarily or be forcibly removed.

Thousands joined a snaking queue that stretched 7km at the busiest border point on Wednesday, with border officials reporting at least 29,000 people crossed into Afghanistan the day before.

"Since Nov 1, the process of arrest and subsequent deportation of illegal foreigners has begun. However, the voluntary return of illegal foreigners will also continue and be encouraged," the interior ministry said in a statement.

It said more than 140,000 people have left Pakistan since the start of October when the order was issued by an unelected caretaker government ahead of elections due in January.

Forty-nine holding centres, some capable of holding several thousand people, opened across the country on Wednesday to process and deport Afghans, state media said.

"My heart doesn't really want to return to Afghanistan but I have no other choice," said 32-year-old Irfanullah, as he waited to be deported.

"The police were harassing me ... they used to disrespect all the men and women by entering our houses, that's why we are returning, to avoid further humiliation."

Millions of Afghans have poured into Pakistan in recent decades, fleeing a series of violent conflicts, including an estimated 600,000 since the Taliban government seized power in August 2021 and imposed its harsh interpretation of Islamic law.

Human Rights Watch has said Afghans awaiting resettlement to the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada after fleeing the Taliban government are at risk of deportation after their Pakistan visas expired.

Pakistan has said the deportations are to protect its "welfare and security" after a sharp rise in attacks, which the government blames on militants operating from Afghanistan.

"EMERGENCY SITUATION"

Authorities on the Afghan side of the border have been overwhelmed by the scale of the exodus as they attempt to process those returning - some of whom are setting foot in Afghanistan for the first time in their lives.

Samiullah Samoon, who leads immigration registration at Torkham, said the crossing is facing "an emergency situation".

After fleeing to Afghanistan, 35-year-old Benafsha, four months pregnant with her seventh child, was waiting to be processed before moving on to her province of origin, Kunduz, with her family.

"In Kunduz, we don't have land, or a home, or work," said the woman, who was never documented in Pakistan despite living there almost all her life.

"We don't have anything there."

The Taliban government has urged Pakistan to give undocumented Afghans in the country more time to leave as pressure mounts at border posts.

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2023-11-01 12:07:57Z
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World would like to see continuity in management of China-US relationship: Ng Eng Hen - CNA

BOTH SIDES UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE

The last time the Chinese and American presidents met in person was on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali last year. 

“Follow up and continuity is key. You can have meetings, but if there are no effective outcomes, then it actually discourages you,” said Dr Ng.  

“So, I'm optimistic this time there will be such an outcome because coming out of (the meeting in Bali), I think both sides have an understanding of what's more at stake.” 

During his trip, Dr Ng spoke at and attended the Xiangshan Forum, branded as Beijing’s answer to the Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore. 

However, the annual defence gathering’s lack of high-level representation from the West has drawn attention.  

Over 90 nations and international organisations attended this year’s event, many from developing countries and the global south, seen as friends and partners of China.  

The US also sent a delegation to the event, but not at the defence minister level. 

Dr Ng said this can change if the US or western Europe were to recognise the importance of the platform.  

But on a larger scale, he pointed out that it reflected challenges the world faces, with a line being drawn between the developed world and the global south. 

“That itself is a friction point, a tectonic plate. If you don't pay attention to it, you will lose the global south, if you've not already lost it,” said Dr Ng.  

“The developed countries, you will lose the emerging economies, and without their buy-in, without their cooperation, you won't be able to address global challenges, not least like climate change.” 

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2023-11-01 07:00:00Z
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