Israel forged ahead with its air and ground offensive Wednesday in Gaza, drawing international outrage and rare criticism from the United States over the killing of thousands of civilians.
The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to demand a humanitarian cease-fire, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but the assembly’s message in favor of ending the Israel-Hamas war serves as an important barometer of world opinion.
Just hours before the vote, U.S. President Joe Biden warned that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.
The Israel-Hamas war has resulted in the deaths of over 18,400 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 113 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas raided southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 240 hostages.
Currently:
— With packed hospitals, treacherous roads and limited supplies, newborns in Gaza face steeper odds of survival.
— Wartime Palestinian poll shows surge in Hamas support; close to 90% want US-backed Abbas to resign
— Videos of Israeli soldier misbehavior in Gaza create a headache for army
— Israel and the U.S. show sharp divisions over mounting casualties and the future of the war against Hamas.
— Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
