Israel has killed a senior commander of the Palestinian movement Fatah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, US top diplomat Antony Blinken has left the Middle East without securing a breakthrough in Gaza cease-fire talks.
Gaza death toll rises to 40,223 — Health Ministry
Israel’s offensive in Gaza since the October 7 terror attacks has killed more than 40,223 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory’s Health Ministry.
There were at least 50 deaths in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 92,981 people have been wounded since the latest conflict began.
The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but the UN and multiple humanitarian organizations consider the casualty numbers broadly reliable.
Israel launched its Gaza operation after the Hamas attacks in southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people.
Israel says 5 arrested in ultra-Orthodox protest against military service
Israeli police said they arrested five ultra-Orthodox protesters at a demonstration in Jerusalem against mandatory military enlistment.
Officers scuffled with demonstrators, who had gathered outside of the Israeli military enlistment office in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
Protesters blocked streets and prevented people who had received summons from the army from presenting themselves for enlistment.
Until a Supreme Court ruling in June this year, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community had been shielded from mandatory military service.
But after a court order to the government to start drafting young ultra-Orthodox men into the army, approximately 3,000 between the ages of 18 and 26 have received a summons.
Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel, who typically serve 2 to 3 years as well being expected to remain on duty as reservists until around the age of 40.
Around 1.3 million ultra-Orthodox Jews make up roughly 13% of Israel’s population.
Many ultra-Orthodox Jews argue that military service is incompatible with their way of life, and that exposure to military ranks would secularize them.
But the issue had also been a sore point among other Israelis who were expected to do mandatory military service, one that intensified in recent months with Israel’s military more active.
