Protesters held marches against Israel in countries including Jordan, Iran and Syria, as the Israeli military urged an evacuation of the northern part of Gaza with a ground operation expected soon.
(Bloomberg) — Protesters held marches against Israel in countries including Jordan, Iran and Syria, as the Israeli military urged an evacuation of the northern part of Gaza with a ground operation expected soon.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to prevent the displacement of Palestinians, as Middle Eastern leaders step up their criticism of Israel’s preparations for a ground assault. The UN said it would be impossible to move the million or so inhabitants of north Gaza to the south of the territory, as demanded by Israeli authorities without “devastating humanitarian consequences.”
Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the US, European Union and UK, called for a “Day of Rage” across the Muslim world and mass protests on Friday against Israel. Its surprise attack on southern Israel last Saturday claimed 1,300 lives, while more than 1,500 people have been killed in Gaza in retaliatory airstrikes. Israel’s vowed to eliminate Hamas in its entirety, prompting warnings from Iran — the militant group’s main supporter — of a multi-front war.
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(All time stamps are Israeli time)
Turkey Tells West to Reduce Tensions (1:02 p.m.)
“Western countries, in particular, should take steps to reduce tension and stay away from efforts that don’t serve peace,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in call, according to presidency statement on X, without naming specific countries.
“Human rights violations against the innocent civilian population in Gaza are unacceptable,” he added.
Thousands of Protesters Gather In Jordan’s Capital (1 p.m.)
Thousands of Jordanians have gathered in the capital Amman to take part in a demonstration in support of Gaza, according to the state-run Al Mamlaka TV. Jordanians are gathering in several governorates too, the station said.
Demonstrators in Amman, who gathered near the Al Husseini Mosque, were carrying Palestinian flags and called for ending the blockade and allowing humanitarian aid.
Putin Says Israel Has Right to Defend Itself (12:30 p.m.)
Israel has been subjected to an attack unprecedented in its cruelty, and has the right to defend itself and to peaceful existence, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a summit of Commonwealth of Independent States in the capital of Kyrgyzstan Bishkek.
But the priority now is to stop the bloodshed and stabilize the situation on the ground, Putin added, saying that a ground operation in Gaza would bring heavy consequences and casualties among civilians would be unacceptable.
UN Urges ‘Immediate Humanitarian Corridor’ (12:05 p.m.)
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged countries “to insist upon” a humanitarian corridor and ensure safe access to humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Jordan’s King Warns Blinken on Gaza Escalation (12:00 p.m.)
Jordan’s King Abdullah II urged US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to open a humanitarian corridor to Gaza and to prevent the displacement of Palestinians.
Abdullah, who met Blinken on Friday morning in Amman, warned against “inflicting collective punishment against Gaza residents,” saying international aid agencies shouldn’t be hindered and that escalation risked spilling over into the West Bank. Blinken is set to later meet officials in Qatar and Bahrain before ending the day in Saudi Arabia. He will also meet Saudi officials ahead of short visits to the UAE and Egypt before returning to Washington.
Iran Says US Complicit in ‘Israeli Crimes’ (11:39 a.m.)
The US and other countries that support Israel “should know they are complicit in the injustice of the Zionist regime’s crimes,” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a speech.
Iran has warned of expanded “resistance” if Israel continues attacks on civilians.
Iran Holds Street Marches to Support Palestinians (11:25 a.m.)
Iranian state TV showed marches “in support of the Palestinian resistance” in the capital Tehran and the central city of Arak, without saying how many people attended.
The main thoroughfare in central Tehran has been closed to traffic, the semi-official Tasnim reported.
Tasnim also reported a march in Yemen’s Sa’dah, while state-run Al Alam showed one in the Palestinian Khan Dannun camp in Syria. Neither indicated the size of the events.
Friday Protests Start in Iraqi Capital (11:08 a.m.)
Thousands of Iraqi protesters carrying Palestinian flags began protesting Israel’s bombardment of targets in Gaza, after Hamas’s call for a “Day of Rage” across the Islamic world, according to footage carried by Al Jazeera TV channel.
Markets Fluctuate on Middle East Tensions (11:07 a.m.)
The shekel was little changed at 3.9701 per dollar, after paring earlier gains of as much as 0.2%, as the prospect of intervention by the Bank of Israel reined in volatility. The currency has lost 3.1% against dollar in the wake of Saturday’s attacks by Hamas and is headed for its worst week since February.
Israel’s dollar debt remains under pressure after falling 1.8% this week through Thursday, among the biggest losers across emerging markets. The yield on the security due in 2030 climbed 25 basis points to 5.9% in early London trade on Friday.
Oil was headed for a weekly gain on fears the conflict could destabilize the region and crimp global supplies.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister in Egypt to Discuss Gaza Aid (8:25 a.m.)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is headed to Egypt to discuss sending humanitarian aid from Turkey to the Gaza Strip after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of violating human rights by cutting water, electricity and food supplies to the area.
Erdogan said Israel’s Gaza restrictions have aggravated the suffering of more than 2 million people inside the 360 square kilometers (140 square miles) of territory. He also accused the US of fueling tensions in the region by deploying a group of warships in the eastern Mediterranean.
Gazans Trying to Flee War Have Egypt Weighing Aid and Security
Germany Warns of Regional Escalation (8:30 a.m.)
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called last weekend’s Hamas attack a “brutal watershed,” warning that the militant group risks destabilizing the entire region.
“Where cautious steps toward rapprochement have recently taken place, Hamas wants to start a conflagration,” Baerbock said ahead of a trip to Israel Friday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will also visit the country on Friday, the EU said separately.
Hamas Operatives’ Homes, Tunnels Targeted (8:19 a.m.)
Israel Defense Forces said they carried out widespread airstrikes overnight in the Gaza Strip on Hamas military targets and homes of senior operatives.
Iran Says New Front Possible if ‘Israeli War Crimes’ Continue (7:53 a.m.)
“The continuation of the war crimes against Palestine and Gaza will definitely be met with reactions in other axes in the region,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said in Lebanon, referring to the “axis of resistance” of Iran-backed anti-Israel groups in the region.
Hezbollah, Israel Trade Fire on Lebanon’s Volatile Border
Asked about the possibility of a new front being opened in the war, he said “every possibility and decision by the other currents of the resistance is likely” if the “war crimes and humanitarian blockade of Gaza and Palestine” continue.
Israel Urges Evacuation Of Gaza City for ‘Safety’ of Civilians (7:31 a.m.)
The Israeli army urged Palestinian civilians in Gaza City to move south of the Gaza river, warning of significant military activity in the area in the coming days.
Israel “calls for the evacuation of all civilians of Gaza City from their homes southwards for their own safety and protection and move to the area south of the Wadi Gaza,” Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
The United Nations said Israel had given 24 hours for the evacuation, though the Israeli statement itself gave no timeframe.
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