In protest of the Gaza War, the main churches in Bethlehem agreed to call off this year’s Christmas celebrations. Only religious ceremonies will be held in the Palestinian city that is known as the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
Brothers in Arms, an Israeli volunteer network, was prepared to take on a fresh challenge when the war with Hamas broke out: helping evacuated citizens and saving the agricultural sector.
In an effort to eliminate Hamas targets, the Israeli Defence Forces, or IDF, continued to push further into Gaza, surrounding Shifa Hospital in the city’s northern part. The IDF believes an access to Gaza’s extensive tunnel network may be located near the hospital, where many Palestinians have taken refuge.
Since Israel began allowing relief to be delivered to Palestinians displaced by the Hamas-Israel war on October 21, aid convoys have been entering Gaza on a regular basis. But Israel insists on inspecting the loads before they arrive at the besieged enclave, so the trucks must take a serious detour.
After Hamas’ October 7 attack, which killed some 1,400 people, thousands of Israelis living in the communities around Gaza were evacuated. After a month, Israeli authorities are considering plans for rehabilitation. For many in the affected communities, the pain is too fresh to decide returning.
The month-long war between Israel and Hamas is becoming more intense in Gaza. U.S. and international leaders are urging a temporary cease-fire in Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to reach the region as the number of civilian casualties there rises. Israel, meanwhile, maintains that the 240 hostages’ humanitarian problem must be resolved first.
About 240 Israelis and other nationals have been held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas for a month. Families are now increasing pressure to the Israeli government to release them. At the same time, the families are terrified that a wrong move may put their loved ones in danger.
The Israeli Ministry of Absorption says that 400,000 new immigrants who arrived the country in the last ten years may need help from government agencies. They are currently caught up in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. They now find themselves caught in the Israel-Hamas war.
Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths briefs on the Humanitarian Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on November 3,2023.
The painful waiting for the identification of their loved ones’ bodies is not over for the families of those killed in the Hamas attack. The family of Shani Louk, who this week received confirmation of her death, was visited by VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya.