Besieged Gaza has experienced a complete lack of electricity due to ongoing bombardment from Israel following a brutal attack by Hamas. The loss of power occurred before Israel issued a warning to citizens in the northern region of the country to seek shelter after a “hostile aircraft” entered from Lebanon. Israeli warplanes continued to bomb the Gaza Strip, causing significant damage to buildings and reportedly targeting over 450 locations. The conflict has resulted in at least 2,205 fatalities. In response, Hamas’s armed wing has launched “major strikes” in the Israeli city of Ashkelon. Gaza, with a population of 2.3 million, has also been affected by a “total siege” imposed by Israel, blocking the delivery of essential supplies. Meanwhile, other key developments include the formation of an emergency government in Israel, casualties on both sides, the UK Foreign Secretary taking cover during a visit to Israel, and a call between King Charles and Israel’s president.
The city of Gaza has been left without electricity as its sole power station ran out of fuel due to the ongoing conflict. According to Jalal Ismail from Gaza’s energy authority, power in the city ceased at 2pm. British nationals, including children, have been killed or are missing as a result of the conflict. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, during a visit to southern Israel, sought cover as air sirens sounded in the city of Ofakim, warning of incoming Hamas rocket fire. On the same day, King Charles spoke with Israel’s president to express his shock and condemn the attacks by Hamas.
The Hezbollah militant group claimed responsibility for a rocket strike on Israeli territory launched from Lebanon, prompting Israel to strike Lebanese territory in response. Israel also received a delivery of advanced weaponry from the US, while the US sent a team of technical experts to assist in hostage recovery. President Joe Biden pledged to increase supplies to Israel and expressed intentions to create a humanitarian corridor for Gaza. Efforts are underway to coordinate with other countries to offer civilians in Gaza a means of escape.