Aha Dua Permata: LIVE UPDATES - Hamas Says Goals of Operation Achieved, Open to Talks

Tuesday, 10 October 2023

LIVE UPDATES - Hamas Says Goals of Operation Achieved, Open to Talks

Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli territory, firing a barrage of rockets and catching the IDF (Israeli Army) of guard. Israeli government launched operation Swords of Iron and invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law which de-facto implies a declaration of war.

Palestinian Hamas movement has achieved the goals of its operation in Israel and now it is open to any discussions, a member of the movement's political bureau, Mousa Abu Marzouq, said on Tuesday. "We have achieved our goals ... We are open to any discussions and political dialogue," Abu Marzouq told regional broadcaster, adding that the movement is "not closed to negotiations."

Russia has called for a ceasefire and immediate peace talks, while stressing that the roots of the conflict must be understood.

According to the latest available data, the death toll from hostilities has risen to over 700 among Palestinians and roughly 1100 Israelis, with thousands of wounded from both sides.

Al-Rimal, Gaza's Most Prestigious Area, Devasted After Strike

Israeli airstrikes on Monday destroyed large parts of the Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, leading to large internet and communications outages.

Israeli warplanes destroyed a number of buildings, including residential ones, flattening them to the ground, said an Anadolu correspondent.

The reporter said the fighter jets destroyed a Palestinian Telecommunications Company building, causing a widespread outage of communications and the internet.

Al-Shifa Medical Complex was also damaged in the airstrikes.

The intense airstrikes followed a statement by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in which he directed the army to intensify attacks on Gaza, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

Cyprus to Accommodate Evacuees from Israel

Cyprus has decided to make its territory available to foreign citizens evacuated from Israel, putting in place a special national plan, dubbed ESTIA, activated in case of emergency or crisis, the Cypriot Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

In light of the current security situation in Israel, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos convened a meeting of the Ministerial Crisis Management Team on Tuesday that decided to "activate the Special National Plan ESTIA for the reception and repatriation of foreign citizens from an area in crisis, through the territory of the Republic of Cyprus," the ministry said in a statement.

Dozens of people with dual citizenship, including Russians, held hostage by Hamas

Dozens of Israelis with dual citizenship, including Russians and Chinese, are being held hostage by the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, the movement's spokesman Moussa Abu Marzouk told the Al Jazeera TV channel.

In response to a question about Hamas' willingness to discuss a ceasefire, he also said that Hamas is open to "all political dialogues."

Earlier, Al TV quoted the Palestinian movement as saying that Hamas had taken "dozens of people with dual citizenship" as hostages; the movement's spokesman did not specify which countries the Israelis captured by Hamas hold dual citizenship in.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated on October 7 with an attack by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip on Israeli territory. According to the latest official figures, nearly 700 Palestinians were killed and over 3,700 wounded in clashes and shelling, while about 800 Israelis were killed and over 2,000 wounded.

Hamas said the attack was in retaliation for Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Israel has declared a state of war and a total blockade of the Gaza Strip.