News Review 18/10/2023

Hundreds Killed in ‘Israeli’ Bombing of Gaza Hospital

‘Israeli’ airstrikes targeted the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday, 17th Oct, killing hundreds and wounding many more. Reports say at least 500 people were killed, mainly women and children. For their part, the Jewish entity’s military is claiming the blast was the result of a misfired rocket launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The hospital was packed with Palestinians wounded in other strikes and people seeking refuge from the constant Israeli bombardment. Meanwhile, ‘Israeli’ airstrikes also pounded southern Gaza, where ‘Israel’ told Palestinians in the north to evacuate to, the airstrikes in the south killed dozens of civilians and one senior Hamas leader.

‘Israeli’ Forces Shot their Own Civilians

An ‘Israeli’ woman who survived the Hamas assault on settlements near the Gaza boundary on 7 October says ‘Israeli’ civilians were “undoubtedly” killed by their own security forces. It happened when ‘Israeli’ forces engaged in fierce gun battles with Palestinian fighters in Kibbutz Be’eri and fired indiscriminately at both the fighters and their ‘Israeli’ prisoners. “They eliminated everyone, including the hostages,” she told ‘Israeli’ radio. “There was very, very heavy crossfire” and even tank shelling. The woman, 44-year-old mother of three Yasmin Porat, said that prior to that, she and other civilians had been held by the Palestinians for several hours and treated “humanely.” She had fled the nearby “Nova” rave. A recording of her interview, from the radio program Haboker Hazeh (“This Morning”) hosted by Aryeh Golan on state broadcaster Kan, has been circulating on social media. Porat, who is from Kabri, a settlement near the Lebanese border, lost her own partner Tal Katz. However, her account undermines ‘Israel’s’ official story of deliberate, wanton murder by Hamas.

Taliban to Join China's Belt and Road Forum

An Afghan Taliban spokesperson confirmed the group's acting minister for commerce and industry would attend China's Oct. 17-18 Belt and Road Forum. The Afghan Taliban's participation in the forum demonstrates the group's strong ties with China, and it may help normalise the Taliban's participation in some higher-profile multilateral forums. The group's participation may also bring about additional agreements for investment or infrastructure projects in Afghanistan. While the Afghan Taliban have attended various regional meetings in recent years, the Belt and Road Forum would be among the highest-profile multilateral forums attended by the group since its takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. China remains the most diplomatically active country with the Afghan Taliban, and in May, China agreed alongside the Taliban and Pakistan to extend the Belt and Road Initiative to Afghanistan. Chinese companies have also pursued various investment projects in the country including in mining and energy, though security concerns have sporadically disrupted these efforts.