National

Israel increases strikes on Gaza ahead of expected ground invasion

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Oct, 2023 09:59 AM

Israel has escalated its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion against Hamas militants.

The stepped-up attacks, and the rapidly rising death toll in Gaza, came as Hamas released two elderly Israeli women who were among the hundreds of hostages it captured during its devastating attacks on towns in southern Israel earlier this month.

Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry is reporting Israeli attacks have killed at least 704 people over the past day, including 305 children and 173 women.

It says more than 57-hundred Palestinians have been killed in the war and that most of the deaths were in the north and central areas of the territory that Israel told people to evacuate.

More than 14-hundred people have been killed in Israel -- mostly civilians who died during the initial Hamas attack on October 7th.

As the death toll in Gaza spirals, facilities to deal with the casualties are shutting down.

The World Health Organization reports 46 out of 72 primary health-care facilities, and 12 out of 35 hospitals have stopped functioning due to damage from airstrikes and a lack of electricity and fuel to power generators.

Palestinian health officials say many of the facilities had to close because of a lack of electricity and fuel to power generators and damage from a rapid increase in Israeli airstrikes.

In a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would make every effort to fight the war quickly, but added that it could be long.

Avec le Président Isaac Herzog et le Premier ministre Benyamin Netanyahou, pour témoigner de la solidarité des Français à l’égard du peuple Israélien. pic.twitter.com/IDv9Nw728r
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 24, 2023

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Environment Canada extends hurricane watch to Halifax as Lee creeps closer

Boats were being pulled out of the water in Nova Scotia Friday as forecasters warned hurricane Lee could soon bring damaging winds, large waves, flooding and power outages. Jennifer Chandler, commodore at the Chester Yacht Club, said she and her team have been working for days to prepare for what she anticipates will be a "significant storm."

Environment Canada extends hurricane watch to Halifax as Lee creeps closer

Ng won't confirm status of 'Team Canada' mission to India amid strained relations

Ng is scheduled to lead a five-day "Team Canada" trade mission to Mumbai with leaders from Canadian businesses and provinces, leaving on Oct. 9. The trade mission, the first in Asia under Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, is focused on boosting Canadian clean-technology companies as a way to help meet India's need for renewable energy.

Ng won't confirm status of 'Team Canada' mission to India amid strained relations

Vancouver council approves zoning to allow multiplex units in most neighbourhoods

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says the city has taken a "huge step" toward "housing attainability" by approving multiplex units in single-family neighbourhoods, but critics of the plan argue the step is little more than a shuffle. Councillors unanimously endorsed a motion Thursday night that creates a single residential zone across most of the city, clearing the way for what supporters call "missing middle" housing.

Vancouver council approves zoning to allow multiplex units in most neighbourhoods

No illicit drugs in parks

The B-C government's drug decriminalization policy has changed to make it illegal to possess illicit drugs near playgrounds, water parks and skate parks. The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions says the change is intended to keep drugs and drug users away from what it calls "child-focused spaces," adding to the existing list of excluded spaces that includes schools and childcare facilities.

No illicit drugs in parks

B.C. to end state of emergency as wildfire risk winds down

The British Columbia government says it is ending the state of emergency imposed last month when thousands of residents were chased out of their homes by wildfires. The government says in a statement the wildfire risk is diminishing in much of the province as temperatures cool, allowing most residents to return home.

B.C. to end state of emergency as wildfire risk winds down

DNA match in Ibrahim Ali murder case as exact as identical twins, B.C. court is told

An RCMP expert testifying at Ibrahim Ali's murder trial told the court she has never seen a DNA match as close as the one between the suspect and samples found on his alleged victim — except for DNA matches between identical twins. Forensic biologist Christine Crossman said police investigators were very thorough in their collection and testing of genetic samples from the body of the 13-year-old girl, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.