As Israel prepares for ground attack, Iran has warned that if Israel invades Gaza then "no one can guarantee" control of the situation .
"If the attacks of the Zionist regime (Israel) against the defenceless citizens and people of Gaza continue, no one can guarantee the control of the situation and the non-expansion of the conflicts," Iran's foreign ministry quoted foreign minster Hossein Amir-Abdollahian as saying. The comments were made during the minister's meeting with Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
Israel has vowed to "demolish Hamas" as it is gearing up for the ground attack. “Israeli military forces know entire country is behind them and understand this is a fateful hour...Hamas thought we would fall apart (but) it is we who will break Hamas apart,” said PM Benjamin Netanyahu during the expanded emergency cabinet meeting convened in Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu had said that Israel will dismantle ‘bloodthirsty monsters’ of Hamas.
Meanwhile, talks with Egypt is ongoing for reopening the Rafah border for the foreigners to escape through the route. The crossing was closed due to Israeli airstrikes around the region.
Egypt's president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi told US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, that Israel’s reaction to Hamas’s attack went beyond self-defence and amounted to collective punishment. Hundreds of people are stuck without finding a safe place for themselves. Fear of death looms around as 'safe routes' are no longer safe for civilians.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that Israeli evacuation orders are a “death sentence” to those receiving medical care.
Taking it to X, Ghebreyesus said that “The health situation in north Gaza is dire. Attacks on health care are causing additional deaths and injuries. Evacuation orders by Israel to hospitals are practically impossible to implement and are a death sentence for the sick and injured."
"Health workers are staying by their patients’ sides. WHO calls on Israel to protect health facilities, health workers, patients, and civilians, and to immediately reverse evacuation orders to hospitals," he added.