• 313 Palestinians, 350 Israelis killed in land-air-sea offensives
• Nigeria calls for de-escalation, ceasefire
The US President, Joe Biden offered strong Washington unflinching support for Israel on Saturday from the White House, after the American ally was hit with a surprise assault on the country from Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, from the besieged Gaza strip, in Palestine.
“The United States stands with Israel,” Mr Biden said. “We will never fail to have their back. We’ll make sure they have the help their citizens need and they can continue to defend themselves.”
The president added the attacks were “unconscionable” and a “terrible tragedy on a human level.”
He also warned regional powers not to exploit the fighting and touch off a broader conflict.
“This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks seeking advantage,” Mr Biden said. “The world is watching.”
On her side, the Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed deep concern over the outbreak of hostilities between between the waring parties, thereby calling for de-escalation and ceasefire.
The Nigerian government in a statement signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, on Saturday, said the cycle of violence and retaliation that the current escalation has assumed only serves to perpetuate an unending cycle of pain and suffering for the civilian population that bears the brunt of every conflict.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, therefore, calls on both sides to exercise restraint, prioritise the safety of civilians and give room for humanitarian considerations.
“We are, therefore, calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue,” the Minister stated.
Muslim News quoted Al Jazeera on Sunday, saying that according to medical sources, at least 313 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air attacks on the Gaza Strip, launched after a Hamas offensive against Israel. More than 350 Israelis have been killed.
According to Hamas’s military wing, it has captured “several times greater” than dozens of Israelis.
Hamas, which runs Gaza, said its offensive is a response to the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence. You can read more here on how Hamas’s offensive unfolded.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told residents of the besieged enclave to “leave now”, saying Israel’s forces “will turn all Hamas’s hideouts into rubble”.
