Emergency Edition: Israel strikes Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza
Israel accused of war crimes after continued attacks on Gaza
Friday 20 October 2023. This is an emergency edition of The Woz Report. The Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in the Gaza Strip was struck by an Israeli airstrike during the early hours of Friday morning while hosting hundreds seeking refuge from Israeli air raids, as confirmed by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem on Friday. The Israeli attack has caused outrage across the globe, and could further serve to alienate the country. Per Reuters, the Israeli military said a part of the church was damaged in a strike on a militant command centre and it was reviewing the incident.
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expresses its strongest condemnation of the Israeli airstrike that have struck its church compound in the city of Gaza.
The Patriarchate emphasizes that targeting churches and their institutions, along with the shelters they provide to protect innocent citizens, especially children and women who have lost their homes due to Israeli airstrikes on residential areas over the past thirteen days, constitutes a war crime that cannot be ignored. Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Campaigners far and wide from Jordan to London have denounced Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has called for an immediate ceasefire in the region. According to Politico, Thunberg’s comments were slammed by Arye Sharuz Shalicar, an Israeli Army spokesperson, who said, “Whoever identifies with Greta in any way in the future, in my view, is a terror supporter."
Palestine Speaks, a German-based pro-Palestinian social media account called for a global general strike in support of Palestinians. Thousands of people marched on US Embassies from Iraq, to South Korea, in support of Palestinians.
Aid trucks are stuck on the Israeli - Gaza border
The limited number of aid trucks waiting to enter Gaza have still not crossed the border, despite the promises. Thousands of men, women and children are desperate for food, water and medical supplies. Each hour that the aid trucks experience delays heightens the anxiety for those desperately requiring humanitarian assistance. The situation is an absolute shambles.
The UN chief, António Guterres calls on all parties to secure aid into Gaza. If the Israeli government wanted to show any signs of compassion, now is the time. For many, the Hamas-Isreal war makes for an anxious loop, even for those living outside of the region.
New evidence on Tuesday’s Gaza Hospital Strike
Channel 4 News reported new evidence on Tuesday night’s strike on the Gaza hospital. Doppler affect sound analysis concludes that the missile Point of Origin (POI) could have come from a variety of possible locations, unlike what was stated by the Israeli Defense Force (IDs), that Hamas fired the projectile.
Forensic sound analysis of a ‘so-called’ tape recording of two Hamas fighters suggests that the audible dialogue has been manipulated, and that the evidence should be disqualified. Channel 4 News have asked the IDF for comment.
The agent need for diplomacy
Diplomatic correspondent Edward Wong of The New York Times discussed the profound sense of urgency among U.S. diplomats in his appearance on The Daily podcast, emphasising their determination to chart a path to peace.
The reason for the urgency is two-fold. First, the humanitarian disaster can not be fully supported without an Israeli ceasefire. Second, there is a real fear that neighbouring countries could be drawn into the conflict.
In the early hours of Friday morning, US warships intercepted missiles fired from Yemen. US Military spokespersons said they couldn’t identify the targets, only that the missies were heading for Israel.
Israel enjoys the support of the United States, but it also faces multiple external threats, notably from Hezbollah, a group backed by Iran, which represents a significant vulnerability. Based in Lebanon, Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based. The militant group gained combat experience from the conflict in Syria.
Since 1983, Hezbollah has carried out the attacks on both US and Israeli Embassies, from Beirut, to Buenos Aires. In 2012, a suicide bomber killed several Israeli citizens in Bulgaria. According to the Council for Foreign Relations, the European Union blamed Hezbollah for the attack.
Iran is arguably the biggest threat to Isreal. Iranian intervention in the region will provide a huge test of resilience for Israel, the United States and her allies. Conflict with Iran could force the Iranian government to close off the Strait of Hormuz, where approximately 30 percent of the world’s oil flows.
The easing of tensions between Iran and the US under President Biden could take a u-turn over the coming weeks.
*Tomorrow, on the Woz Report I will be writing about why Isreal should think twice about its planned ground offensive into Gaza.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has gone beyond a tipping point, and there is an urgent need for aid in the region. The ongoing tensions between Israel and its neighbouring Arab nations seem to be a perpetual storm, with no clear resolution in sight.