Erdogan asks Israel to act ‘like a state’ as bombs pound Gaza

Agencies | Jerusalem                                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Gaza Strip remained bloody as relentless Israeli attacks turned the impoverish strip into a city of rubbles five days after Hamas launched an unprecedented military assault on Israeli soil.

Rubble, burnt out cars and broken glass covered roads in Gaza City, where bombs struck the Hamas-linked Islamic University. Concerns are mounting over the worsening humanitarian crisis in war-torn Gaza, where Israel has levelled over 1,000 buildings and imposed a total siege, cutting off water, food and energy supplies for 2.3 million people.

The enclave's sole power plant shut down yesterday after running out of fuel, Gaza's electricity provider said. Fears are also growing intense for the fate of at least 150 hostages -- mostly Israelis but also including foreign and dual nationals -- being held in Gaza by Hamas.

Act “like a state”

The heavy Israeli retaliation also drew strong condemnation from several corners with the Turkish President asking Israel to act “like a state.” "Israel should not forget that if it acts more like an organisation rather than a state, it'll finish by being treated as such,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

"Bombing civilian sites, killing civilians, blocking humanitarian aid and trying to present these as achievements are the acts of an organisation and not a state," he said. "We think that a war should have an ethic and that both parties should respect it.

Unfortunately, this principle is gravely violated in Israel and in Gaza," he said, denouncing the "murders of civilians on Israeli territory" and "the blind massacre of innocents in a Gaza subjected to constant bombardment".

Ground invasion of Gaza

Reports also indicated that Israel is preparing for a possible ground invasion of Gaza, but faces the threat of a multi-front war after also coming under rocket attack from groups in neighbouring Lebanon and Syria.

Israel has massed forces, tanks and other heavy armour around Gaza in its retaliatory operation.

Emergency government

Signalling not letting down any soon, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday an "emergency government" with an opposition party leader, Benny Gantz, for the duration of the war with Hamas.

"Following a meeting ... held today, the two agreed on establishing an emergency government and war cabinet," said a joint statement by the premier and Gantz, a former defence minister.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid has not joined Gantz, but the statement said a seat would be "reserved" for him in the war cabinet.

Hezbollah fires missiles

Lebanon's Hezbollah said it fired missiles on Israel yesterday drawing retaliatory fire, after three members of the Iran-backed group were killed earlier this week amid soaring border tensions.

The Israeli military said that "in response to the anti-tank missile fired at IDF (army) soldiers a short while ago, an IDF aircraft struck a military observation post belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in southern Lebanon".

Israeli forces have retaken more than a dozen southern towns near Gaza after days of gruelling street battles that have left the bodies of at least 1,500 Hamas fighters strewn in the streets.

Death toll of US citizens in Israel at least 22: State Department

At least 22 US citizens have been killed since Hamas militants launched a massive attack against Israel, the US State Department said yesterday, with Washington pledging firm support for its close ally.

“At this time, we can confirm the deaths of at least 22 US citizens. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected,” a State Department spokesperson said.