Israeli air and drone strikes killed at least 42 people in the Syrian province of Aleppo this Friday (29), according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the United Kingdom.
Among the victims were Syrian soldiers, members of the militant group Hezbollah – supported by Iran – and civilians.
The strikes hit the group’s missile depot near Aleppo international airport and a nearby town that hosts a military installation.
According to reports, at least 36 Syrian soldiers and six Hezbollah fighters were killed in the attacks and dozens of people were injured. There was no immediate statement from Israeli authorities. Israel frequently launches attacks against Iranian-linked targets in Syria but rarely recognizes them.
“At least 36 soldiers were killed and dozens were injured,” said Hezbollah, which has an extensive network of sources in Syria. “It is worth noting that this is the highest number of deaths ever recorded among regime forces in a single Israeli attack on Syrian territory.”
Israeli military said it “would not comment on foreign media reports”. The country has launched several attacks in Syria since the start of the country’s civil war in 2011 and has tried to cut off Hezbollah’s supply routes to Lebanon.
Gaza
Ignoring the resolution approved at the beginning of the week by the United Nations calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Israel continues the pace of the massacre, with 71 Palestinians killed and 122 injured in the last 24 hours between this Thursday and Friday ( 29), according to local sources.
Around 15 people died in bombings targeting a sports center in Gaza City. There was also bombing at a mosque in the Jabalia refugee camp.
In the diplomatic field, the UN special rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanesa, praised the fact that Ireland joined South Africa in the ongoing genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
“Ireland has historically been a strong voice on the Palestinian issue in principle (while other European countries have lost their way),” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “That she [o país] continue your search for justice.”
I welcome #Ireland‘s decision to join #SouthAfrica‘s proceedings before the ICJ. Ireland has historically been a strong principled voice on the question of Palestine (while other #EU countries have lost their compass). May it continue to lead in the pursuit of justice. https://t.co/btldfQuuLV
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPT (@FranceskAlbs) March 29, 2024
Ireland said it is joining the legal case at the UN court because concerns over the Israeli war in Gaza “could not be stronger”.
Context
The current Israeli massacre in the Gaza Strip — or military operation, as Israel calls it — began in October last year, but conditions in the Palestinian territory were already considered “suffocating” by the UN before that.
The 17-year Israeli blockade — to force Hamas, the party that won the Palestinian elections in 2006, to abdicate power — generated unemployment rates of 45% and food insecurity that affected 64% of the population. The UN estimated that more than 80% of Gaza residents depended on foreign aid to survive.
On October 7, members of Hamas entered Israel and carried out the most violent attack ever suffered by the country, leaving around 1,200 dead and capturing 240 hostages. The Netanyahu government’s response was considered disproportionate by the international community. Daily bombings in what is considered one of the most densely populated territories in the world have caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians and destroyed the entire infrastructure of Gaza.
The number of fatalities exceeded 32 thousand Palestinians — around 70% women and children —, with more than 8 thousand people missing under the rubble. 35% of the buildings were destroyed and practically all of the more than two million inhabitants were forced to leave their homes.
In the other occupied Palestinian territory, the West Bank, illegal violence carried out by Israeli settlers is daily, with more than 500 deaths. Since the start of the conflict, thousands of Palestinians have been arrested and the government has announced that thousands more will be detained this year.
The UN warns of a humanitarian disaster, accusing Israel of using collective hunger as a weapon of war and highlighting the real possibility that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will die due to lack of food.
Editing: Nicolau Soares
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
