• Happy New Year Facts and NFT

    New Year facts:
    1. Different New Year Dates: Not all cultures celebrate New Year on January 1st. For example, the Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 20.

    2. Auld Lang Syne: The song "Auld Lang Syne," commonly sung at New Year's Eve celebrations, is a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns.

    3. Baby New Year: The concept of Baby New Year represents the passing of time. In some traditions, a baby is symbolically used to depict the new year.

    4. Fireworks Tradition: The use of fireworks on New Year's Eve is believed to have originated in ancient China as a way to ward off evil spirits.

    5. First New Year's Ball Drop: The first New Year's Eve Ball Drop in Times Square, New York City, took place in 1907.

    6. Times Square Confetti: Times Square releases over a ton of confetti during the New Year's Eve celebration.

    7. New Year's Resolutions: The tradition of making New Year's resolutions dates back over 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians.

    8. Lucky Foods: Many cultures have specific foods believed to bring luck in the New Year. In the southern United States, eating black-eyed peas and greens is considered good luck.

    9. Noisemakers and Bells: Making noise at midnight on New Year's Eve is a tradition believed to scare away evil spirits. Bells are also rung for a similar purpose.

    10. Global Celebrations: New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world with various customs and traditions, making it one of the most widely observed holidays globally.

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    Happy New Year Facts and NFT New Year facts: 1. Different New Year Dates: Not all cultures celebrate New Year on January 1st. For example, the Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 20. 2. Auld Lang Syne: The song "Auld Lang Syne," commonly sung at New Year's Eve celebrations, is a Scottish poem written by Robert Burns. 3. Baby New Year: The concept of Baby New Year represents the passing of time. In some traditions, a baby is symbolically used to depict the new year. 4. Fireworks Tradition: The use of fireworks on New Year's Eve is believed to have originated in ancient China as a way to ward off evil spirits. 5. First New Year's Ball Drop: The first New Year's Eve Ball Drop in Times Square, New York City, took place in 1907. 6. Times Square Confetti: Times Square releases over a ton of confetti during the New Year's Eve celebration. 7. New Year's Resolutions: The tradition of making New Year's resolutions dates back over 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. 8. Lucky Foods: Many cultures have specific foods believed to bring luck in the New Year. In the southern United States, eating black-eyed peas and greens is considered good luck. 9. Noisemakers and Bells: Making noise at midnight on New Year's Eve is a tradition believed to scare away evil spirits. Bells are also rung for a similar purpose. 10. Global Celebrations: New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world with various customs and traditions, making it one of the most widely observed holidays globally. New Year NFT: https://bit.ly/3tD234V #newyear #christmas #nfts #nft #buynft #nftcollectibles #nftcollection #nftart #nftartwork #nftartist #snow #winter #holidays #snow #facts
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  • New 2024 Dragon Year Facts with NFT.

    So 2024 is coming and it is a Year of Dragon. Some facts about this year of Dragon:

    1. The dragon is considered a symbol of good fortune and prosperity in Chinese culture, making it a popular motif during New Year celebrations.

    2. 2024 will be the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac. People born in this year are believed to inherit the dragon's characteristics of intelligence and enthusiasm.

    3. During New Year festivities, a traditional dragon dance is performed. The dragon, manipulated by a team of dancers, moves in a sinuous, undulating manner to bring good luck and drive away evil spirits.

    4. Red and gold, symbolizing luck and wealth, are commonly associated with dragon decorations during New Year celebrations.

    5. Historically, the dragon was associated with emperors in China, signifying imperial power and authority.

    6. In ancient China, the depiction of a five-clawed dragon was reserved for emperors, while commoners were only allowed to use dragons with fewer claws.

    7. While not directly related to New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival is another important celebration in Chinese culture that involves dragon boat races, honoring the mythical creature.

    8. Dragons are often associated with rain in Chinese mythology. In agricultural societies, the dragon was seen as a bringer of rain, essential for crops.

    9. Unlike Western dragons, Chinese dragons are typically depicted as benevolent, wise creatures with the ability to bring good fortune.

    10. Elaborate dragon-shaped lanterns are commonly used as decorations during New Year celebrations, adding a vibrant and festive atmosphere to the festivities.

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    New 2024 Dragon Year Facts with NFT. So 2024 is coming and it is a Year of Dragon. Some facts about this year of Dragon: 1. The dragon is considered a symbol of good fortune and prosperity in Chinese culture, making it a popular motif during New Year celebrations. 2. 2024 will be the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac. People born in this year are believed to inherit the dragon's characteristics of intelligence and enthusiasm. 3. During New Year festivities, a traditional dragon dance is performed. The dragon, manipulated by a team of dancers, moves in a sinuous, undulating manner to bring good luck and drive away evil spirits. 4. Red and gold, symbolizing luck and wealth, are commonly associated with dragon decorations during New Year celebrations. 5. Historically, the dragon was associated with emperors in China, signifying imperial power and authority. 6. In ancient China, the depiction of a five-clawed dragon was reserved for emperors, while commoners were only allowed to use dragons with fewer claws. 7. While not directly related to New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival is another important celebration in Chinese culture that involves dragon boat races, honoring the mythical creature. 8. Dragons are often associated with rain in Chinese mythology. In agricultural societies, the dragon was seen as a bringer of rain, essential for crops. 9. Unlike Western dragons, Chinese dragons are typically depicted as benevolent, wise creatures with the ability to bring good fortune. 10. Elaborate dragon-shaped lanterns are commonly used as decorations during New Year celebrations, adding a vibrant and festive atmosphere to the festivities. Dragon NFT: https://bit.ly/3RFyNmf #newyear #christmas #nfts #nft #buynft #nftcollectibles #nftcollection #nftart #nftartwork #nftartist #snow #winter #holidays #dragon #facts
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  • Facts about New Year Fireworks + NFT.

    1. Ancient Origins: Fireworks date back to ancient China, where they were invented over a thousand years ago. The Chinese used gunpowder-filled bamboo tubes to create explosions during celebrations.

    2. Symbol of Celebration: Fireworks are traditionally associated with celebrations and special occasions, symbolizing joy and festivities. They are a popular way to mark the start of a new year around the world.

    3. Colors and Chemicals: Fireworks achieve their vibrant colors through the use of different chemical compounds. For example, strontium compounds produce red, copper compounds create blue, and barium compounds result in green.

    4. Pyrotechnic Shapes: Modern fireworks can create various shapes and patterns in the sky, including hearts, smiley faces, and even company logos. This is achieved through carefully choreographed pyrotechnic displays.

    5. World Records: The largest fireworks display on record took place in Dubai on New Year's Eve in 2014. It featured over 500,000 fireworks and lasted for six minutes, lighting up the sky over the Palm Jumeirah and The World Islands.

    6. Safety Measures: While fireworks are a source of joy, safety is crucial. Many regions have regulations and safety guidelines to prevent accidents. It's important to follow these guidelines and use fireworks responsibly.

    7. Fireworks Competition: Some cities host international fireworks competitions, where pyrotechnic teams from around the world compete to create the most spectacular displays. These events attract large audiences and showcase diverse pyrotechnic styles.

    8. Sound and Light: Fireworks produce both visual and auditory spectacles. The loud bangs are created by the rapid expansion of gases in the exploding shells, while the colors and patterns are formed by burning metal compounds.

    9. Cultural Significance: In addition to New Year's celebrations, fireworks play a significant role in various cultural and religious festivities globally. They are often used to mark important events and rites of passage.

    10. Environmental Impact: The environmental impact of fireworks, including air and noise pollution, has raised concerns. Some events are exploring eco-friendly alternatives, such as low-pollution fireworks or entirely digital displays.

    Link to Fireworks NFT:
    https://bit.ly/3RYpXRJ

    #newyear #christmas #nfts #nft #buynft #nftcollectibles #nftcollection #nftart #nftartwork #nftartist #snow #winter #holidays #Fireworks
    Facts about New Year Fireworks + NFT. 1. Ancient Origins: Fireworks date back to ancient China, where they were invented over a thousand years ago. The Chinese used gunpowder-filled bamboo tubes to create explosions during celebrations. 2. Symbol of Celebration: Fireworks are traditionally associated with celebrations and special occasions, symbolizing joy and festivities. They are a popular way to mark the start of a new year around the world. 3. Colors and Chemicals: Fireworks achieve their vibrant colors through the use of different chemical compounds. For example, strontium compounds produce red, copper compounds create blue, and barium compounds result in green. 4. Pyrotechnic Shapes: Modern fireworks can create various shapes and patterns in the sky, including hearts, smiley faces, and even company logos. This is achieved through carefully choreographed pyrotechnic displays. 5. World Records: The largest fireworks display on record took place in Dubai on New Year's Eve in 2014. It featured over 500,000 fireworks and lasted for six minutes, lighting up the sky over the Palm Jumeirah and The World Islands. 6. Safety Measures: While fireworks are a source of joy, safety is crucial. Many regions have regulations and safety guidelines to prevent accidents. It's important to follow these guidelines and use fireworks responsibly. 7. Fireworks Competition: Some cities host international fireworks competitions, where pyrotechnic teams from around the world compete to create the most spectacular displays. These events attract large audiences and showcase diverse pyrotechnic styles. 8. Sound and Light: Fireworks produce both visual and auditory spectacles. The loud bangs are created by the rapid expansion of gases in the exploding shells, while the colors and patterns are formed by burning metal compounds. 9. Cultural Significance: In addition to New Year's celebrations, fireworks play a significant role in various cultural and religious festivities globally. They are often used to mark important events and rites of passage. 10. Environmental Impact: The environmental impact of fireworks, including air and noise pollution, has raised concerns. Some events are exploring eco-friendly alternatives, such as low-pollution fireworks or entirely digital displays. Link to Fireworks NFT: https://bit.ly/3RYpXRJ #newyear #christmas #nfts #nft #buynft #nftcollectibles #nftcollection #nftart #nftartwork #nftartist #snow #winter #holidays #Fireworks
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  • ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 80: Israel kills at least 100 Palestinians in Christmas Eve attacks

    At least 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Khan Younis and Al-Maghazi refugee camp, as a new Euro-Med Monitor report documents brutal Israeli crimes against civilians sheltering in Palestinian schools, including executions.

    Mustafa Abu SneinehDecember 25, 2023

    Palestinians attend the funeral held at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for 70 people killed in Israeli airstrike on the al Maghazi refugee camp in Deir Al Balah, Gaza on December 25, 2023. (Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images)

    Casualties

    20,424+ killed* and at least 54,036 wounded in the Gaza Strip.

    303 Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem

    Israel revises its estimated October 7 death toll down from 1,400 to 1,147.

    489 Israeli soldiers killed since October 7, and at least 1,952 injured.

    *This figure was confirmed by Gaza’s Ministry of Health on December 24. Due to breakdowns in communication networks within the Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has been unable to regularly and accurately update its tolls since mid-November. Some rights groups put the death toll number closer to 28,000 when accounting for those presumed dead.

    Key Developments

    UNRWA says 142 employees killed in Israeli bombardment in Gaza Strip since October 7.

    UNRWA warns it is struggling to provide health care for 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza.

    WHO chief calls for ceasefire and decries Israel’s destruction of Gaza health system.

    Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor accuses Israeli forces of turning Palestinian schools in Gaza Strip into “settings for brutal crimes against civilians.”

    Israeli military says 162 killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters since late October.

    Israeli forces recover five bodies of captives in a tunnel in Gaza, and Hamas says it killed 48 Israeli soldiers and destroyed 35 military vehicles since Thursday.

    Pope Francis says during Christmas Eve mass: “Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war.”

    Israeli jailers beat and tortured Nael al-Barghouti, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner, during his transfer from Ofer Prison in western Ramallah, to Gilboa Prison in northern Israel.

    Israel bombs homes in Khan Younis and Al-Maghazi, killing 100 Palestinians

    At least 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis and Al-Maghazi refugee camp, most of them were family members on Sunday night.

    Israeli forces bombed two houses in east of Khan Younis, killing 23 people, and injuring dozens on Sunday evening. Warplanes targeted the Saleh family house in the Ma’an area, and several Palestinians remain under the rubble as of Monday morning.

    In the Al-Amal neighborhood, west of Khan Younis, Israeli forces bombed a house killing Yahya Mahmoud Jawaher and his brother Abdul Rahim on Sunday night, Wafa news reported.

    In Al-Maghazi, a refugee camp in central Gaza, Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling killed at least 70 Palestinians when it bombed four houses on Sunday night, most of them women and children.

    Palestine’s Civil Defence said it recovered the bodies of eight people and 14 injured from under the rubble on Sunday night in the Al-Bureij refugee camp after it was shelled by Israeli artillery.

    Al-Bureij was severely damaged following Israeli forces detonating numerous buildings in the past weeks. Israel carpet bombed the area surrounding Abu Hilo school in Al-Bureij and fired smoke bombs in the area.

    On Sunday, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that at least 20,424 Palestinian martyrs have been killed and 54,036 injured in Israeli bombardment since October 7. An estimated 8,000 Palestinians are reportedly also still missing under the rubble, according to Palestine’s Red Crescent Society.

    Gaza’s government media office said on Sunday that 103 journalists have been killed in Israeli bombings since October.

    UNRWA says 142 employees killed as it struggles to provide care for pregnant women

    On Sunday, the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) announced that 142 employees have been killed in Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip since October 7.

    “In this somber moment, it’s hard to wish those celebrating ‘Merry Christmas’, with ongoing loss, grief and destruction,” the UN agency said in a statement.

    “Our teams are doing the impossible to help people in need. We mourn the loss of more UNRWA colleagues killed in Gaza, now 142, the majority with their families,” it added.

    UNRWA has been calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to ease the humanitarian crisis and provide aid, water, food, and medicine to hospitals and shelters in the enclave. The UN Security Council resolution last week was welcomed by UNRWA.

    Juliette Touma, a spokesperson for UNRWA said that “only time will tell what real difference this resolution is going to make, and it needs to increase the humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”

    “Without a truce, the UN resolution may do little for Gaza,” Touma added.

    UNRWA warned that it is struggling to provide health care for 50,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip.

    “There are an estimated 50,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip, with over 180 giving birth every day,” it said in a statement.

    “UNRWA doctors and midwives are doing everything possible to provide care for post-natal & high-risk pregnant women at the 7 [out of 22] operational UNRWA health centers,” it added.

    Last week, nine out of the 36 hospitals and healthcare centers were partially operating in the Gaza Strip. The World Health Organization’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called for a ceasefire and condemned the destruction of Gaza’s health system.

    “The decimation of the Gaza health system is a tragedy,” he wrote on X on Sunday.

    “In the face of constant insecurity and inflows of wounded patients, we see doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and more continue striving to save lives,” Tedros said.

    He confirmed that WHO is adamant in calling for a “ceasefire now.”

    Euro-Med: Israeli ‘crimes against civilians’ taking place at Gaza schools

    On Monday, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor accused Israeli forces of turning Palestinian schools in the Gaza Strip into “settings for brutal crimes against civilians.”

    Euro-Med said in a report, “the Israeli occupation continues to violate schools that have been converted into shelters for tens of thousands of displaced people, committing grave violations including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and intimidation of civilians.”

    Euro-Med said that Israeli forces stormed Al-Rafi’I school in Jabalia over the weekend, arresting tens of Palestinians and forcing them to strip down to their underwear before taking them to unknown destinations.

    The group added that Israeli forces bombed Palestinian schools from the air since October, however, in recent weeks it resorted to storming them in various towns, including north of Gaza, Khan Younis, and Al-Bureij. This has been accompanied by destroying the schools’ walls and gates with gunfire and tank shells.

    “These attacks were unjustified and targeted innocent civilians who had sought refuge in shelter centres after receiving Israeli orders to evacuate their homes and residential areas,” Euro-Med said in a statement.

    The group collected several testimonies from survivors who were sheltering in the schools when Israeli forces attacked and stormed them.

    In Shadia Abu Ghazala school in Jabalia, Euro-Med said that Israeli forces carried out field executions, where nine bodies were found following Israeli forces withdrawal from the area on December 13.

    In Shadia Abu Ghazala school in Jabalia, Euro-Med said that Israeli forces carried out field executions, where nine bodies were found following Israeli forces withdrawal from the area on December 13.

    Youssef Khalil told Euro-Med that two Israeli soldiers opened fire at his family, killing them in Shadia Abu Ghazala school while they were sheltering in one of the classrooms. Khalil was later arrested along with other Palestinians, subjected to beatings during his detention before being released.

    He found his family members in a state of decomposition when he returned to the school, alongside other bodies of Palestinians killed in the area.

    “The ongoing operations of killing, physical elimination, and systematic destruction of buildings and facilities have no explanation or justification other than being part of deliberate acts of revenge,” the Euro-Med stated.

    “Civilians choosing to remain in evacuation areas do not lose their protection, and it is prohibited to target them under any pretext,” it added.

    Israeli forces recover five captives’ bodies as Hamas and Islamic Jihad target troops in Gaza

    On Monday, the Israeli military announced that 162 soldiers have been killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters since the late October ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. In total, 489 soldiers have been killed since October 7.

    Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday afternoon that “the war is exacting a very heavy price on us; however, we have no choice but to continue to fight.”

    Thousands of Israelis have been protesting for the past weeks in Tel Aviv, calling on Netanyahu to step down and for a general election in Israel.

    Netanyahu added that “we are continuing with full force until the end, until victory, until we achieve all of our goals: the destruction of Hamas, the return of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to the State of Israel.”

    So far, Israeli forces have failed to rescue or return any of the captives held by Hamas alive to Israel. Last week, Israeli soldiers shot dead three of those captives in Gaza after misidentifying them as Palestinians.

    On Sunday, the military spokesperson said Israel recovered five bodies of captives from a Hamas tunnel in Gaza. Israel also released video footage of the Palestinian tunnel and said it killed 8,000 Palestinian fighters since October 7, a figure drawn from “accounts of targeted strikes and battlefield tallies as well as the interrogations of captives.”

    On Saturday, Hamas said that it feared five Israeli hostages were killed in Israeli bombardment of Gaza after it lost contact with the group in charge of them.

    Hamas’ military spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, said in a message on Sunday that in the past four days, Palestinian fighters have killed 48 Israeli soldiers, injured dozens, and completely or partially destroyed 35 military vehicles across various areas in the Gaza Strip.

    Hamas also released video footage of targeting Israeli soldiers in north Gaza. In the Tel Al-Zaatar neighborhood, Hamas sniper shot at Israeli soldiers, while in west Beit Lahia, fighters fired a Kornet anti-tank missile at Israeli soldiers barricading inside a building and on another force inside a home in Beit Hanoun.

    Islamic Jihad’s Al-Quds Brigades announced that it targeted three Israeli military vehicles with RPG missiles and a planted bomb in the Al-Zaytoun and Al-Shuja’iya neighborhoods in Gaza.

    Hamas also welcomed the decision to limit Christmas celebrations to prayers and religious rituals in Palestine.

    “The holidays of our Christian people come this year amid a continuing fascist aggression launched by the occupation [forces] against all components of our Palestinian people targeting all both mosques and churches,” Hamas said in a statement.

    Instead of a decorated tree in Manger Square opposite the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Tourism organized an artwork piece called “Nativity under the Rubble” to symbolize the agony and destruction in Gaza.

    On Sunday evening, Pope Francis led a Christmas Eve mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and said “Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war.”

    Longest serving Palestinian prisoner, Nael al-Barghouti, tortured by Israeli jailers

    Israeli forces raided towns and villages in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem overnight and arrested several Palestinians from Hebron, Qalqilya, Tubas, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tulkarem, and the Jordan Valley.

    In a joint statement, the Prisoners’ Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said that “testimonies from recently released detainees in Gaza revealed gruesome details of torture and abuse by the occupying army upon them, with their bodies bearing signs of abuse.”

    They added that the “prisoner Nael al-Barghouti, 66, had been tortured during his transfer from Ofer Prison in western Ramallah, to Gilboa Prison in northern Israel.”

    Barghouti was released from prison in 2011 after spending 34 years. However, in 2014 Israeli forces rearrested him. He has currently spent 44 years in total in Israeli jails.

    “[He] was brutally beaten with batons and rifles and the assault on him and his fellow prisoners continued for three consecutive hours,” the statement added.

    The Club said that Israeli forces arrested 4,696 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem since October 7.

    Before you go - We need your help.Mainstream media’s wilful complicity in the genocide of Palestinian people is a reminder of just how vital our work at Mondoweiss is. This article and our extensive coverage since October 7 have been made possible by readers like you who donate to keep our reporting free and independent. 

    With your support, we will continue covering the ongoing events in Gaza and across Palestine, as well as amplifying the Palestine movement worldwide. Together, we will make sure to keep reporting Palestinian stories, even when the rest of the world looks away.

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    https://mondoweiss.net/2023/12/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-80-israel-kills-at-least-100-palestinians-in-christmas-eve-attacks/
    ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 80: Israel kills at least 100 Palestinians in Christmas Eve attacks At least 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Khan Younis and Al-Maghazi refugee camp, as a new Euro-Med Monitor report documents brutal Israeli crimes against civilians sheltering in Palestinian schools, including executions. Mustafa Abu SneinehDecember 25, 2023 Palestinians attend the funeral held at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for 70 people killed in Israeli airstrike on the al Maghazi refugee camp in Deir Al Balah, Gaza on December 25, 2023. (Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images) Casualties 20,424+ killed* and at least 54,036 wounded in the Gaza Strip. 303 Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem Israel revises its estimated October 7 death toll down from 1,400 to 1,147. 489 Israeli soldiers killed since October 7, and at least 1,952 injured. *This figure was confirmed by Gaza’s Ministry of Health on December 24. Due to breakdowns in communication networks within the Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has been unable to regularly and accurately update its tolls since mid-November. Some rights groups put the death toll number closer to 28,000 when accounting for those presumed dead. Key Developments UNRWA says 142 employees killed in Israeli bombardment in Gaza Strip since October 7. UNRWA warns it is struggling to provide health care for 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza. WHO chief calls for ceasefire and decries Israel’s destruction of Gaza health system. Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor accuses Israeli forces of turning Palestinian schools in Gaza Strip into “settings for brutal crimes against civilians.” Israeli military says 162 killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters since late October. Israeli forces recover five bodies of captives in a tunnel in Gaza, and Hamas says it killed 48 Israeli soldiers and destroyed 35 military vehicles since Thursday. Pope Francis says during Christmas Eve mass: “Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war.” Israeli jailers beat and tortured Nael al-Barghouti, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner, during his transfer from Ofer Prison in western Ramallah, to Gilboa Prison in northern Israel. Israel bombs homes in Khan Younis and Al-Maghazi, killing 100 Palestinians At least 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis and Al-Maghazi refugee camp, most of them were family members on Sunday night. Israeli forces bombed two houses in east of Khan Younis, killing 23 people, and injuring dozens on Sunday evening. Warplanes targeted the Saleh family house in the Ma’an area, and several Palestinians remain under the rubble as of Monday morning. In the Al-Amal neighborhood, west of Khan Younis, Israeli forces bombed a house killing Yahya Mahmoud Jawaher and his brother Abdul Rahim on Sunday night, Wafa news reported. In Al-Maghazi, a refugee camp in central Gaza, Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling killed at least 70 Palestinians when it bombed four houses on Sunday night, most of them women and children. Palestine’s Civil Defence said it recovered the bodies of eight people and 14 injured from under the rubble on Sunday night in the Al-Bureij refugee camp after it was shelled by Israeli artillery. Al-Bureij was severely damaged following Israeli forces detonating numerous buildings in the past weeks. Israel carpet bombed the area surrounding Abu Hilo school in Al-Bureij and fired smoke bombs in the area. On Sunday, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that at least 20,424 Palestinian martyrs have been killed and 54,036 injured in Israeli bombardment since October 7. An estimated 8,000 Palestinians are reportedly also still missing under the rubble, according to Palestine’s Red Crescent Society. Gaza’s government media office said on Sunday that 103 journalists have been killed in Israeli bombings since October. UNRWA says 142 employees killed as it struggles to provide care for pregnant women On Sunday, the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) announced that 142 employees have been killed in Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip since October 7. “In this somber moment, it’s hard to wish those celebrating ‘Merry Christmas’, with ongoing loss, grief and destruction,” the UN agency said in a statement. “Our teams are doing the impossible to help people in need. We mourn the loss of more UNRWA colleagues killed in Gaza, now 142, the majority with their families,” it added. UNRWA has been calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to ease the humanitarian crisis and provide aid, water, food, and medicine to hospitals and shelters in the enclave. The UN Security Council resolution last week was welcomed by UNRWA. Juliette Touma, a spokesperson for UNRWA said that “only time will tell what real difference this resolution is going to make, and it needs to increase the humanitarian assistance into Gaza.” “Without a truce, the UN resolution may do little for Gaza,” Touma added. UNRWA warned that it is struggling to provide health care for 50,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip. “There are an estimated 50,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip, with over 180 giving birth every day,” it said in a statement. “UNRWA doctors and midwives are doing everything possible to provide care for post-natal & high-risk pregnant women at the 7 [out of 22] operational UNRWA health centers,” it added. Last week, nine out of the 36 hospitals and healthcare centers were partially operating in the Gaza Strip. The World Health Organization’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called for a ceasefire and condemned the destruction of Gaza’s health system. “The decimation of the Gaza health system is a tragedy,” he wrote on X on Sunday. “In the face of constant insecurity and inflows of wounded patients, we see doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and more continue striving to save lives,” Tedros said. He confirmed that WHO is adamant in calling for a “ceasefire now.” Euro-Med: Israeli ‘crimes against civilians’ taking place at Gaza schools On Monday, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor accused Israeli forces of turning Palestinian schools in the Gaza Strip into “settings for brutal crimes against civilians.” Euro-Med said in a report, “the Israeli occupation continues to violate schools that have been converted into shelters for tens of thousands of displaced people, committing grave violations including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and intimidation of civilians.” Euro-Med said that Israeli forces stormed Al-Rafi’I school in Jabalia over the weekend, arresting tens of Palestinians and forcing them to strip down to their underwear before taking them to unknown destinations. The group added that Israeli forces bombed Palestinian schools from the air since October, however, in recent weeks it resorted to storming them in various towns, including north of Gaza, Khan Younis, and Al-Bureij. This has been accompanied by destroying the schools’ walls and gates with gunfire and tank shells. “These attacks were unjustified and targeted innocent civilians who had sought refuge in shelter centres after receiving Israeli orders to evacuate their homes and residential areas,” Euro-Med said in a statement. The group collected several testimonies from survivors who were sheltering in the schools when Israeli forces attacked and stormed them. In Shadia Abu Ghazala school in Jabalia, Euro-Med said that Israeli forces carried out field executions, where nine bodies were found following Israeli forces withdrawal from the area on December 13. In Shadia Abu Ghazala school in Jabalia, Euro-Med said that Israeli forces carried out field executions, where nine bodies were found following Israeli forces withdrawal from the area on December 13. Youssef Khalil told Euro-Med that two Israeli soldiers opened fire at his family, killing them in Shadia Abu Ghazala school while they were sheltering in one of the classrooms. Khalil was later arrested along with other Palestinians, subjected to beatings during his detention before being released. He found his family members in a state of decomposition when he returned to the school, alongside other bodies of Palestinians killed in the area. “The ongoing operations of killing, physical elimination, and systematic destruction of buildings and facilities have no explanation or justification other than being part of deliberate acts of revenge,” the Euro-Med stated. “Civilians choosing to remain in evacuation areas do not lose their protection, and it is prohibited to target them under any pretext,” it added. Israeli forces recover five captives’ bodies as Hamas and Islamic Jihad target troops in Gaza On Monday, the Israeli military announced that 162 soldiers have been killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters since the late October ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. In total, 489 soldiers have been killed since October 7. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday afternoon that “the war is exacting a very heavy price on us; however, we have no choice but to continue to fight.” Thousands of Israelis have been protesting for the past weeks in Tel Aviv, calling on Netanyahu to step down and for a general election in Israel. Netanyahu added that “we are continuing with full force until the end, until victory, until we achieve all of our goals: the destruction of Hamas, the return of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to the State of Israel.” So far, Israeli forces have failed to rescue or return any of the captives held by Hamas alive to Israel. Last week, Israeli soldiers shot dead three of those captives in Gaza after misidentifying them as Palestinians. On Sunday, the military spokesperson said Israel recovered five bodies of captives from a Hamas tunnel in Gaza. Israel also released video footage of the Palestinian tunnel and said it killed 8,000 Palestinian fighters since October 7, a figure drawn from “accounts of targeted strikes and battlefield tallies as well as the interrogations of captives.” On Saturday, Hamas said that it feared five Israeli hostages were killed in Israeli bombardment of Gaza after it lost contact with the group in charge of them. Hamas’ military spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, said in a message on Sunday that in the past four days, Palestinian fighters have killed 48 Israeli soldiers, injured dozens, and completely or partially destroyed 35 military vehicles across various areas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas also released video footage of targeting Israeli soldiers in north Gaza. In the Tel Al-Zaatar neighborhood, Hamas sniper shot at Israeli soldiers, while in west Beit Lahia, fighters fired a Kornet anti-tank missile at Israeli soldiers barricading inside a building and on another force inside a home in Beit Hanoun. Islamic Jihad’s Al-Quds Brigades announced that it targeted three Israeli military vehicles with RPG missiles and a planted bomb in the Al-Zaytoun and Al-Shuja’iya neighborhoods in Gaza. Hamas also welcomed the decision to limit Christmas celebrations to prayers and religious rituals in Palestine. “The holidays of our Christian people come this year amid a continuing fascist aggression launched by the occupation [forces] against all components of our Palestinian people targeting all both mosques and churches,” Hamas said in a statement. Instead of a decorated tree in Manger Square opposite the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Tourism organized an artwork piece called “Nativity under the Rubble” to symbolize the agony and destruction in Gaza. On Sunday evening, Pope Francis led a Christmas Eve mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and said “Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war.” Longest serving Palestinian prisoner, Nael al-Barghouti, tortured by Israeli jailers Israeli forces raided towns and villages in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem overnight and arrested several Palestinians from Hebron, Qalqilya, Tubas, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tulkarem, and the Jordan Valley. In a joint statement, the Prisoners’ Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said that “testimonies from recently released detainees in Gaza revealed gruesome details of torture and abuse by the occupying army upon them, with their bodies bearing signs of abuse.” They added that the “prisoner Nael al-Barghouti, 66, had been tortured during his transfer from Ofer Prison in western Ramallah, to Gilboa Prison in northern Israel.” Barghouti was released from prison in 2011 after spending 34 years. However, in 2014 Israeli forces rearrested him. He has currently spent 44 years in total in Israeli jails. “[He] was brutally beaten with batons and rifles and the assault on him and his fellow prisoners continued for three consecutive hours,” the statement added. The Club said that Israeli forces arrested 4,696 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem since October 7. Before you go - We need your help.Mainstream media’s wilful complicity in the genocide of Palestinian people is a reminder of just how vital our work at Mondoweiss is. This article and our extensive coverage since October 7 have been made possible by readers like you who donate to keep our reporting free and independent.  With your support, we will continue covering the ongoing events in Gaza and across Palestine, as well as amplifying the Palestine movement worldwide. Together, we will make sure to keep reporting Palestinian stories, even when the rest of the world looks away. Support our critical work with a donation today. https://mondoweiss.net/2023/12/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-80-israel-kills-at-least-100-palestinians-in-christmas-eve-attacks/
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    ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 80: Israel kills at least 100 Palestinians in Christmas Eve attacks
    At least 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Khan Younis and Al-Maghazi refugee camp, as a new Euro-Med Monitor report documents brutal Israeli crimes against civilians sheltering in Palestinian schools, including executions.
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  • ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 79: Bethlehem cancels Christmas celebrations as Israel continues to bomb Gaza
    Mustafa Abu SneinehDecember 24, 2023
    Palestinians survey the rubble of destroyed buildings following an Israeli bombardment in Deir El-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on December 24, 2023. (Photo: Naaman Omar/APA Images)
    Palestinians survey the rubble of destroyed buildings following an Israeli bombardment in Deir El-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on December 24, 2023. (Photo: Naaman Omar/APA Images)
    Casualties

    20,258+ killed* and at least 53,688 wounded in the Gaza Strip.
    303 Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem
    Israel revises its estimated October 7 death toll down from 1,400 to 1,147.
    485 Israeli soldiers killed since October 7, and at least 1,831 injured.
    *This figure was confirmed by Gaza’s Ministry of Health on December 23. Due to breakdowns in communication networks within the Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has been unable to regularly and accurately update its tolls since mid-November. Some rights groups put the death toll number closer to 28,000 when accounting for those presumed dead.

    Key Developments

    U.S. President Joe Biden does not ask Israeli government for ceasefire in Gaza Strip in phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
    Israeli forces withdraw from Palestine roundabout in Gaza City after completely flattening and destroying premises surrounding it.
    Palestinian rescue teams recover bodies of 40 people in central Gaza killed in Israeli bombings on Friday.
    Israeli military announces 14 soldiers killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters in Gaza Strip over weekend.
    An Israeli minister says war will continue in Gaza Strip even if Hamas releases all captives.
    Israeli forces systemically destroys residential neighborhoods to create buffer zone in north and east of Gaza Strip after Palestinian fighters kill several Israeli soldiers.
    Israel plans to create buffer zone by occupying 14 km-long border area with Egypt to separate Gaza from Sinai Peninsula, and take direct control of Rafah Crossing.
    Hamas’ Izz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades fear five captives were killed in Israeli bombardment after it lost contact with group in charge of them.
    Israeli miliary announces arrest of 700 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza Strip since late October.
    Euro-Med says “evidence mounts of widespread violations of mass arrests, forced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment and even killings” of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
    Joe Biden does not ask Israel for ceasefire in Gaza Strip

    The U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that he did not ask the Israeli government for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday.

    “I had a long talk with Netanyahu today [Saturday] and it was a private conversation,” Biden told reporters, answering a question that he “did not ask for a ceasefire”.

    Biden’s statement follows a vote in the UN Security Council on a resolution calling for allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza but stopped short of pushing a halt to Israel’s hostilities.

    To avoid a U.S. veto, UNSC members postponed the vote several times to tone down the language. Although the U.S. abstained, the resolution was described as “toothless” and “meaningless” as it allowed Israel’s to continue bombing the Gaza Strip.

    “The president emphasized the critical need to protect the civilian population including those supporting the humanitarian aid operation, and the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting,” a White House statement said on Saturday.

    Displaced Palestinians are taking shelter in a UNRWA-affiliated Deir al-Balah school after fleeing their homes due to Israeli strikes, on December 23, 2023. (Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images)
    Displaced Palestinians are taking shelter in a UNRWA-affiliated Deir al-Balah school after fleeing their homes due to Israeli strikes, on December 23, 2023. (Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images)
    Israel pulls out forces from Gaza leaving immense damage

    On Sunday morning, Israeli forces stormed Al-Rafi’i school in Jabalia in north Gaza and arrested several people who were sheltering in the building while warplanes bombed the Jabalia refugee camp, Wafa news agency reported.

    Israeli forces withdrew from some areas in north Gaza on Friday leaving immense damage to roads and buildings. Al-Jazeera reported that Palestine roundabout was completely flattened after Israeli forces bombed and bulldozed the premises surrounding it.

    The roundabout in the middle of Gaza City was a site where Hamas fighters handed over some Israeli captives as part of the hostage exchange with Israel in November. Palestinian families coming back to visit their houses in the nearby Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City after a month of Israeli control, were horrified by the destruction.

    Israeli forces also heavily bombed the Al-Jarn area in Jabalia on Saturday, destroying a number of houses and killing dozens of Palestinians while they were asleep in their flats. Wafa reported that ambulances could not reach the injured due to air strikes and debris scattered in the area.

    As of Saturday evening, dozens of Palestinians remained under the rubble in Jabalia. Israeli forces also withdrew from Tel Al-Zaatar in north Gaza, leaving mayhem and destruction of dozens of buildings in the neighborhood.

    On Saturday, Palestinian rescue teams recovered the bodies of 40 people in central Gaza who were killed in Israeli bombings on Friday. Israeli air strikes bombed several areas in Deir Al-Balah in the past 24 hours.

    In Rafah’s Canada refugee camp, Israeli air strikes bombed the home of Abu Al-Awf family. One Palestinian was killed and four injured in an Israeli bombing of the Al-Nabris family house in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said that Amir Rami Odeh, 13, and another Palestinian were killed by an Israeli drone while they were at the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis.

    Wafa reported that Israeli warplanes bombed Ma’an area in Khan Younis, killing two people, and targeted several Palestinians near the Abu Hamid roundabout in the center of Khan Younis, killing at least three.

    On Saturday evening, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that at least 20,258 martyrs were killed and 53,688 were injured in Israeli bombardment since October 7.

    Israeli minister vows continue war even if all captives released

    The Israeli military announced that 14 soldiers were killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip over the weekend.

    Avi Dichter, the Israeli Minister of Agriculture, said that Israeli forces should keep bombing Gaza from land, air, and sea as there was no “fair play” in this war.

    He said that Israel has two main goals: the return of almost 130 hostages in the Gaza Strip and destroying Hamas. However, he added that even in the case of releasing all captives, the Israeli military would continue the war.

    “The main goal is the return of the abductees, without the return of the abductees this war will not end,” Dichter said in an interview on Channel 14.

    “But if tomorrow the abductees return, the war will not end till achieving the goals,” he added.

    Israeli forces have been systemically destroying residential neighborhoods in north Gaza in Al-Shujaiya, Al-Rimal, and Beit Hanoun to create a buffer zone in the north and east of the Gaza Strip after Palestinian fighters killed several Israeli soldiers in urban battles in these areas.

    On Saturday evening, Israeli forces also attempted to invade the border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt from Karm Abu Salem Crossing. Israel is planning to create a buffer zone by occupying a 14 km-long stretch, a move which could inflame ties with Egypt, in order to separate Gaza from the Sinai Peninsula and take direct control of the Rafah Crossing.

    On Saturday, Hamas’ Izz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades fired rockets on the Israeli town of Ashkelon and said it feared that five Israeli captives were killed in Israeli bombardment after it lost contact with the group in charge of them.

    Hamas military spokesperson Abu Ubaida said that among them are the three hostages who pleaded last week with the Israeli government to release them and not let them “grow old” in captivity.

    “You have to release us from here. It does not matter at what cost. We don’t want to be casualties as a direct result of the IDF’s military airstrikes. Release us with no conditions,” one of the captives said in a video message released by Hamas last week.

    The resistance movement also announced on Saturday that it recycled two Israeli missiles that did not explode and used them to blow up five Israeli tanks in Jabalia, north of Gaza.

    In 2020, Hamas’ divers retrieved ammunition from the British warship HMS M15, which was sunk in 1917 by Germany near the Gaza coast, in hopes of using its munitions to arm rockets and produce explosives, though reports said the century-old ammunitions were unusable.

    Hamas also said that it targeted four Israeli jeeps in an ambush in Juhr Al-Diek, east of Gaza City, one of the first areas Israeli forces invaded in late October.

    The Israeli military announced that it arrested 700 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in the Gaza Strip since late October. Yoav Gallant issued a warning to Hamas’ leader, Yahya Al-Sinwar, over the weekend, saying that he could hear Israeli vehicles approaching.

    “One thing is clear, Yahya Sinwar now hears the IDF tractors above him, the air force bombs and the IDF’s actions. He will soon meet the barrels of our guns,” Gallant said.

    In total, 485 Israeli soldiers and officers were killed since the October 7 attack launched by Palestinian fighters on settlements and military bases near the Gaza Strip. According to official military figures, 152 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the land invasion began in late October.

    Palestinians light a candle near a statue showing a figure symbolizing the child Jesus lying amid the rubble in a cave, before Christmas at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Bethlehem, on December 08, 2023. (Photo: Mamoun Wazwaz/APA Images)
    Palestinians light a candle near a statue showing a figure symbolizing the child Jesus lying amid the rubble in a cave, before Christmas at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Bethlehem, on December 08, 2023. (Photo: Mamoun Wazwaz/APA Images)
    “The whole world is celebrating Christmas, but not Bethlehem”

    Since October 7, Israeli forces arrested 4,695 Palestinians from towns and villages of the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.

    The club said that Aziz Dweik, the former Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker, is suffering from severe health conditions in the notorious Negev desert prison.

    Dweik 75, from occupied Jerusalem, was arrested on October 17. The Club added that Dweik suffers from “anemia and a lack of hemoglobin due to diabetes” and that he previously “underwent two catheterization operations and fragmentation of kidney stones.”

    His family has not been able to visit him since he was arrested and sentenced to six months of arbitrary administrative detention without charge or trial.

    On Saturday, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor urged UN bodies to immediately form “an international delegation to visit Israeli prisons and detention camps, where more than 8,000 Palestinian detainees are currently held.”

    Euro-Med added that “evidence mounts of widespread violations of mass arrests, forced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment and even killings” of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jail.

    It said that it estimates that Israeli authorities are currently detaining 1,200 to 1,400 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

    “After their arrest, detainees have been subjected to systematic abuse such as being stripped of their clothes, handcuffed, blindfolded, severely beaten, harassed, sexually assaulted, deprived of sleep food, water, and basic hygiene, and degraded in front of cameras,” it said in a letter.

    Several horrific videos of hundreds of Palestinian civilians detained in the Gaza Strip have emerged in the past week, most of them filmed by Israeli forces as part of “psychological war” effort.

    Euro-Med added that “the number of Palestinians detained in administrative detention… has reached an unprecedented level, while the fate and whereabouts of many of them remain unknown.”

    Meanwhile, Israeli forces stormed several cities in the occupied West Bank, including Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm, as well as the cities of Nablus and Hebron.

    In the birthplace of Jesus, lights were not lit as celebrations of Christmas were effectively cancelled in Bethlehem in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

    Instead of a decorated tree in Manger Square opposite the Church of Nativity, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Tourism organized an artwork piece called “Nativity under the Rubble” to symbolize the agony and destruction in Gaza.

    “This is a message to the whole world that the whole world is celebrating Christmas, but not Bethlehem. Bethlehem this year is celebrating Christmas in a different way with a message to the whole world that Palestine is suffering,” Rula Maaya, the Palestinian Minister of Tourism, said.

    Munther Isaac, the pastor of the Lutheran church, said: “This is the reality of Christmas for Palestinian children. If Jesus was born today, he’d be born under the rubble of Gaza.”

    Before you go - We need your help. Mainstream media’s wilful complicity in the genocide of Palestinian people is a reminder of just how vital our work at Mondoweiss is. This article and our extensive coverage since October 7 have been made possible by readers like you who donate to keep our reporting free and independent.

    With your support, we will continue covering the ongoing events in Gaza and across Palestine, as well as amplifying the Palestine movement worldwide. Together, we will make sure to keep reporting Palestinian stories, even when the rest of the world looks away.

    Support our critical work with a donation today.

    https://mondoweiss.net/2023/12/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-79-bethlehem-cancels-christmas-celebrations-as-israel-continues-to-bomb-gaza/
    ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 79: Bethlehem cancels Christmas celebrations as Israel continues to bomb Gaza Mustafa Abu SneinehDecember 24, 2023 Palestinians survey the rubble of destroyed buildings following an Israeli bombardment in Deir El-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on December 24, 2023. (Photo: Naaman Omar/APA Images) Palestinians survey the rubble of destroyed buildings following an Israeli bombardment in Deir El-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on December 24, 2023. (Photo: Naaman Omar/APA Images) Casualties 20,258+ killed* and at least 53,688 wounded in the Gaza Strip. 303 Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem Israel revises its estimated October 7 death toll down from 1,400 to 1,147. 485 Israeli soldiers killed since October 7, and at least 1,831 injured. *This figure was confirmed by Gaza’s Ministry of Health on December 23. Due to breakdowns in communication networks within the Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has been unable to regularly and accurately update its tolls since mid-November. Some rights groups put the death toll number closer to 28,000 when accounting for those presumed dead. Key Developments U.S. President Joe Biden does not ask Israeli government for ceasefire in Gaza Strip in phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli forces withdraw from Palestine roundabout in Gaza City after completely flattening and destroying premises surrounding it. Palestinian rescue teams recover bodies of 40 people in central Gaza killed in Israeli bombings on Friday. Israeli military announces 14 soldiers killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters in Gaza Strip over weekend. An Israeli minister says war will continue in Gaza Strip even if Hamas releases all captives. Israeli forces systemically destroys residential neighborhoods to create buffer zone in north and east of Gaza Strip after Palestinian fighters kill several Israeli soldiers. Israel plans to create buffer zone by occupying 14 km-long border area with Egypt to separate Gaza from Sinai Peninsula, and take direct control of Rafah Crossing. Hamas’ Izz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades fear five captives were killed in Israeli bombardment after it lost contact with group in charge of them. Israeli miliary announces arrest of 700 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza Strip since late October. Euro-Med says “evidence mounts of widespread violations of mass arrests, forced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment and even killings” of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Joe Biden does not ask Israel for ceasefire in Gaza Strip The U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that he did not ask the Israeli government for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday. “I had a long talk with Netanyahu today [Saturday] and it was a private conversation,” Biden told reporters, answering a question that he “did not ask for a ceasefire”. Biden’s statement follows a vote in the UN Security Council on a resolution calling for allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza but stopped short of pushing a halt to Israel’s hostilities. To avoid a U.S. veto, UNSC members postponed the vote several times to tone down the language. Although the U.S. abstained, the resolution was described as “toothless” and “meaningless” as it allowed Israel’s to continue bombing the Gaza Strip. “The president emphasized the critical need to protect the civilian population including those supporting the humanitarian aid operation, and the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting,” a White House statement said on Saturday. Displaced Palestinians are taking shelter in a UNRWA-affiliated Deir al-Balah school after fleeing their homes due to Israeli strikes, on December 23, 2023. (Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images) Displaced Palestinians are taking shelter in a UNRWA-affiliated Deir al-Balah school after fleeing their homes due to Israeli strikes, on December 23, 2023. (Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images) Israel pulls out forces from Gaza leaving immense damage On Sunday morning, Israeli forces stormed Al-Rafi’i school in Jabalia in north Gaza and arrested several people who were sheltering in the building while warplanes bombed the Jabalia refugee camp, Wafa news agency reported. Israeli forces withdrew from some areas in north Gaza on Friday leaving immense damage to roads and buildings. Al-Jazeera reported that Palestine roundabout was completely flattened after Israeli forces bombed and bulldozed the premises surrounding it. The roundabout in the middle of Gaza City was a site where Hamas fighters handed over some Israeli captives as part of the hostage exchange with Israel in November. Palestinian families coming back to visit their houses in the nearby Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City after a month of Israeli control, were horrified by the destruction. Israeli forces also heavily bombed the Al-Jarn area in Jabalia on Saturday, destroying a number of houses and killing dozens of Palestinians while they were asleep in their flats. Wafa reported that ambulances could not reach the injured due to air strikes and debris scattered in the area. As of Saturday evening, dozens of Palestinians remained under the rubble in Jabalia. Israeli forces also withdrew from Tel Al-Zaatar in north Gaza, leaving mayhem and destruction of dozens of buildings in the neighborhood. On Saturday, Palestinian rescue teams recovered the bodies of 40 people in central Gaza who were killed in Israeli bombings on Friday. Israeli air strikes bombed several areas in Deir Al-Balah in the past 24 hours. In Rafah’s Canada refugee camp, Israeli air strikes bombed the home of Abu Al-Awf family. One Palestinian was killed and four injured in an Israeli bombing of the Al-Nabris family house in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said that Amir Rami Odeh, 13, and another Palestinian were killed by an Israeli drone while they were at the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis. Wafa reported that Israeli warplanes bombed Ma’an area in Khan Younis, killing two people, and targeted several Palestinians near the Abu Hamid roundabout in the center of Khan Younis, killing at least three. On Saturday evening, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that at least 20,258 martyrs were killed and 53,688 were injured in Israeli bombardment since October 7. Israeli minister vows continue war even if all captives released The Israeli military announced that 14 soldiers were killed in armed battles with Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip over the weekend. Avi Dichter, the Israeli Minister of Agriculture, said that Israeli forces should keep bombing Gaza from land, air, and sea as there was no “fair play” in this war. He said that Israel has two main goals: the return of almost 130 hostages in the Gaza Strip and destroying Hamas. However, he added that even in the case of releasing all captives, the Israeli military would continue the war. “The main goal is the return of the abductees, without the return of the abductees this war will not end,” Dichter said in an interview on Channel 14. “But if tomorrow the abductees return, the war will not end till achieving the goals,” he added. Israeli forces have been systemically destroying residential neighborhoods in north Gaza in Al-Shujaiya, Al-Rimal, and Beit Hanoun to create a buffer zone in the north and east of the Gaza Strip after Palestinian fighters killed several Israeli soldiers in urban battles in these areas. On Saturday evening, Israeli forces also attempted to invade the border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt from Karm Abu Salem Crossing. Israel is planning to create a buffer zone by occupying a 14 km-long stretch, a move which could inflame ties with Egypt, in order to separate Gaza from the Sinai Peninsula and take direct control of the Rafah Crossing. On Saturday, Hamas’ Izz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades fired rockets on the Israeli town of Ashkelon and said it feared that five Israeli captives were killed in Israeli bombardment after it lost contact with the group in charge of them. Hamas military spokesperson Abu Ubaida said that among them are the three hostages who pleaded last week with the Israeli government to release them and not let them “grow old” in captivity. “You have to release us from here. It does not matter at what cost. We don’t want to be casualties as a direct result of the IDF’s military airstrikes. Release us with no conditions,” one of the captives said in a video message released by Hamas last week. The resistance movement also announced on Saturday that it recycled two Israeli missiles that did not explode and used them to blow up five Israeli tanks in Jabalia, north of Gaza. In 2020, Hamas’ divers retrieved ammunition from the British warship HMS M15, which was sunk in 1917 by Germany near the Gaza coast, in hopes of using its munitions to arm rockets and produce explosives, though reports said the century-old ammunitions were unusable. Hamas also said that it targeted four Israeli jeeps in an ambush in Juhr Al-Diek, east of Gaza City, one of the first areas Israeli forces invaded in late October. The Israeli military announced that it arrested 700 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in the Gaza Strip since late October. Yoav Gallant issued a warning to Hamas’ leader, Yahya Al-Sinwar, over the weekend, saying that he could hear Israeli vehicles approaching. “One thing is clear, Yahya Sinwar now hears the IDF tractors above him, the air force bombs and the IDF’s actions. He will soon meet the barrels of our guns,” Gallant said. In total, 485 Israeli soldiers and officers were killed since the October 7 attack launched by Palestinian fighters on settlements and military bases near the Gaza Strip. According to official military figures, 152 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the land invasion began in late October. Palestinians light a candle near a statue showing a figure symbolizing the child Jesus lying amid the rubble in a cave, before Christmas at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Bethlehem, on December 08, 2023. (Photo: Mamoun Wazwaz/APA Images) Palestinians light a candle near a statue showing a figure symbolizing the child Jesus lying amid the rubble in a cave, before Christmas at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Bethlehem, on December 08, 2023. (Photo: Mamoun Wazwaz/APA Images) “The whole world is celebrating Christmas, but not Bethlehem” Since October 7, Israeli forces arrested 4,695 Palestinians from towns and villages of the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club. The club said that Aziz Dweik, the former Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker, is suffering from severe health conditions in the notorious Negev desert prison. Dweik 75, from occupied Jerusalem, was arrested on October 17. The Club added that Dweik suffers from “anemia and a lack of hemoglobin due to diabetes” and that he previously “underwent two catheterization operations and fragmentation of kidney stones.” His family has not been able to visit him since he was arrested and sentenced to six months of arbitrary administrative detention without charge or trial. On Saturday, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor urged UN bodies to immediately form “an international delegation to visit Israeli prisons and detention camps, where more than 8,000 Palestinian detainees are currently held.” Euro-Med added that “evidence mounts of widespread violations of mass arrests, forced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment and even killings” of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jail. It said that it estimates that Israeli authorities are currently detaining 1,200 to 1,400 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. “After their arrest, detainees have been subjected to systematic abuse such as being stripped of their clothes, handcuffed, blindfolded, severely beaten, harassed, sexually assaulted, deprived of sleep food, water, and basic hygiene, and degraded in front of cameras,” it said in a letter. Several horrific videos of hundreds of Palestinian civilians detained in the Gaza Strip have emerged in the past week, most of them filmed by Israeli forces as part of “psychological war” effort. Euro-Med added that “the number of Palestinians detained in administrative detention… has reached an unprecedented level, while the fate and whereabouts of many of them remain unknown.” Meanwhile, Israeli forces stormed several cities in the occupied West Bank, including Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm, as well as the cities of Nablus and Hebron. In the birthplace of Jesus, lights were not lit as celebrations of Christmas were effectively cancelled in Bethlehem in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Instead of a decorated tree in Manger Square opposite the Church of Nativity, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Tourism organized an artwork piece called “Nativity under the Rubble” to symbolize the agony and destruction in Gaza. “This is a message to the whole world that the whole world is celebrating Christmas, but not Bethlehem. Bethlehem this year is celebrating Christmas in a different way with a message to the whole world that Palestine is suffering,” Rula Maaya, the Palestinian Minister of Tourism, said. Munther Isaac, the pastor of the Lutheran church, said: “This is the reality of Christmas for Palestinian children. If Jesus was born today, he’d be born under the rubble of Gaza.” Before you go - We need your help. Mainstream media’s wilful complicity in the genocide of Palestinian people is a reminder of just how vital our work at Mondoweiss is. This article and our extensive coverage since October 7 have been made possible by readers like you who donate to keep our reporting free and independent. With your support, we will continue covering the ongoing events in Gaza and across Palestine, as well as amplifying the Palestine movement worldwide. Together, we will make sure to keep reporting Palestinian stories, even when the rest of the world looks away. Support our critical work with a donation today. https://mondoweiss.net/2023/12/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-79-bethlehem-cancels-christmas-celebrations-as-israel-continues-to-bomb-gaza/
    MONDOWEISS.NET
    ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 79: Bethlehem cancels Christmas celebrations as Israel continues to bomb Gaza
    Palestinian pastor Munther Issac says “If Jesus was born today, he’d be born under the rubble of Gaza” as Israeli forces flattens entire neighborhoods to create buffer zones in north, east, and south of the Gaza Strip.
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  • Israel's Savagery Is So Shocking It's Sometimes Hard To Take In
    Caitlin Johnstone

    Listen to a reading of this article (reading by Tim Foley):



    Sometimes Israel’s crimes are so horrific that at first you don’t even understand what you’re looking at. You just stare at it trying to make sense of what you’re seeing for a bit, like you would if you suddenly saw a space alien or a leprechaun or something.

    It happened to me yesterday when I was watching a Sky News report about a teenage boy who was shot by Israeli forces in Jerusalem for celebrating the release of Palestinian prisoners in the hostage negotiations with Hamas. I was watching it thinking to myself, I must be misunderstanding what I’m looking at. I know that Israel does gross things, but surely the story here isn’t that they shot a kid for being happy about something.


    https://twitter.com/kthalps/status/1729685286722888059
    Then, as has happened so many times over the last two months, I kept watching and learned that yes, that is indeed what happened. The deputy mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum is seen defending the shooting by saying “part of the deal is that there would be no celebrations for the release of attempted murderers” (this was actually not a part of the deal, it was just a decree issued by Israel’s national security minister) and claiming dishonestly that “we’re talking about the release of attempted murderers” (the vast majority have not been convicted of any crime and have been denied any due process for the accusations against them).

    The band Eve6 nicely summed up what it felt like watching the clip of the deputy mayor’s comments, tweeting, “The remarkable thing about this clip is her self assurance. Like she’s supremely confident that ‘we shot the teenager because he was celebrating’ is a thing that people will find reasonable.”


    https://twitter.com/intifada/status/1729946899782721835
    I had the same experience reading about the five premature babies who were left to die after the IDF raided al-Nasr Pediatric Hospital in Gaza earlier this month, their decomposing bodies only discovered when the temporary ceasefire allowed access to the hospital. It's just too insane to believe — they attacked a pediatric hospital? And then they left the babies there to die? What??

    The only reason we’re learning about this now is because the pause in fighting allowed journalists to get cameras into the building and show the dead infants to the world. This calls to mind the Politico report immediately prior to the ceasefire which said that the White House was worried “an unintended consequence of the pause” would be “that it would allow journalists broader access to Gaza and the opportunity to further illuminate the devastation there and turn public opinion on Israel.”

    Indeed, since the pause in fighting began the world has been receiving drone footage from mainstream platforms like Reuters and The Washington Post revealing vast expanses of urban terrain completely destroyed by a blanket of Israeli military explosives spanning from city block to city block. Looking at the blatantly indiscriminate devastation that’s been caused by Israel’s assault on Gaza since October 7 makes it clear that the IDF are not targeting Hamas but Gaza itself.


    https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1729323222632415666?s=20
    I’ve been amazed at how much I’ve been sleeping since the ceasefire started; that’s why I haven’t been writing as much. I guess spending weeks staring at unbelievable horrors unfolding on your screen can be pretty hard on your system if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing, so my body’s been resting up as much as it can while there’s an opportunity.

    And I’m just here watching this all unfold safely from my home in Melbourne. I cannot imagine what it’s like to be living in the midst of this horror for the last two months, trying to figure out the best way to survive while also grieving the family, friends and neighbors you’re losing along the way. These people have all been deeply traumatized in ways that will haunt them for the rest of their lives, if they survive the violence, disease and deprivation that’s to come.

    This thing is so astonishingly ugly, and it could get a whole lot uglier after the ceasefire ends. If there’s anything positive to be found in this living nightmare, it’s that it’s so earth-shakingly ugly that it just might shake the world awake.

    ______________

    My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece here are some options where you can toss some money into my tip jar if you want to. Go here to buy paperback editions of my writings from month to month. All my work is free to bootleg and use in any way, shape or form; republish it, translate it, use it on merchandise; whatever you want. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. All works co-authored with my husband Tim Foley.


    Bitcoin donations: 1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2

    Featured image via Adobe Stock.

    https://open.substack.com/pub/caitlinjohnstone/p/israels-savagery-is-so-shocking-its?r=29hg4d&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
    Israel's Savagery Is So Shocking It's Sometimes Hard To Take In Caitlin Johnstone Listen to a reading of this article (reading by Tim Foley): Sometimes Israel’s crimes are so horrific that at first you don’t even understand what you’re looking at. You just stare at it trying to make sense of what you’re seeing for a bit, like you would if you suddenly saw a space alien or a leprechaun or something. It happened to me yesterday when I was watching a Sky News report about a teenage boy who was shot by Israeli forces in Jerusalem for celebrating the release of Palestinian prisoners in the hostage negotiations with Hamas. I was watching it thinking to myself, I must be misunderstanding what I’m looking at. I know that Israel does gross things, but surely the story here isn’t that they shot a kid for being happy about something. https://twitter.com/kthalps/status/1729685286722888059 Then, as has happened so many times over the last two months, I kept watching and learned that yes, that is indeed what happened. The deputy mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum is seen defending the shooting by saying “part of the deal is that there would be no celebrations for the release of attempted murderers” (this was actually not a part of the deal, it was just a decree issued by Israel’s national security minister) and claiming dishonestly that “we’re talking about the release of attempted murderers” (the vast majority have not been convicted of any crime and have been denied any due process for the accusations against them). The band Eve6 nicely summed up what it felt like watching the clip of the deputy mayor’s comments, tweeting, “The remarkable thing about this clip is her self assurance. Like she’s supremely confident that ‘we shot the teenager because he was celebrating’ is a thing that people will find reasonable.” https://twitter.com/intifada/status/1729946899782721835 I had the same experience reading about the five premature babies who were left to die after the IDF raided al-Nasr Pediatric Hospital in Gaza earlier this month, their decomposing bodies only discovered when the temporary ceasefire allowed access to the hospital. It's just too insane to believe — they attacked a pediatric hospital? And then they left the babies there to die? What?? The only reason we’re learning about this now is because the pause in fighting allowed journalists to get cameras into the building and show the dead infants to the world. This calls to mind the Politico report immediately prior to the ceasefire which said that the White House was worried “an unintended consequence of the pause” would be “that it would allow journalists broader access to Gaza and the opportunity to further illuminate the devastation there and turn public opinion on Israel.” Indeed, since the pause in fighting began the world has been receiving drone footage from mainstream platforms like Reuters and The Washington Post revealing vast expanses of urban terrain completely destroyed by a blanket of Israeli military explosives spanning from city block to city block. Looking at the blatantly indiscriminate devastation that’s been caused by Israel’s assault on Gaza since October 7 makes it clear that the IDF are not targeting Hamas but Gaza itself. https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1729323222632415666?s=20 I’ve been amazed at how much I’ve been sleeping since the ceasefire started; that’s why I haven’t been writing as much. I guess spending weeks staring at unbelievable horrors unfolding on your screen can be pretty hard on your system if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing, so my body’s been resting up as much as it can while there’s an opportunity. And I’m just here watching this all unfold safely from my home in Melbourne. I cannot imagine what it’s like to be living in the midst of this horror for the last two months, trying to figure out the best way to survive while also grieving the family, friends and neighbors you’re losing along the way. These people have all been deeply traumatized in ways that will haunt them for the rest of their lives, if they survive the violence, disease and deprivation that’s to come. This thing is so astonishingly ugly, and it could get a whole lot uglier after the ceasefire ends. If there’s anything positive to be found in this living nightmare, it’s that it’s so earth-shakingly ugly that it just might shake the world awake. ______________ My work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece here are some options where you can toss some money into my tip jar if you want to. Go here to buy paperback editions of my writings from month to month. All my work is free to bootleg and use in any way, shape or form; republish it, translate it, use it on merchandise; whatever you want. The best way to make sure you see the stuff I publish is to subscribe to the mailing list on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything I publish. All works co-authored with my husband Tim Foley. Bitcoin donations: 1Ac7PCQXoQoLA9Sh8fhAgiU3PHA2EX5Zm2 Featured image via Adobe Stock. https://open.substack.com/pub/caitlinjohnstone/p/israels-savagery-is-so-shocking-its?r=29hg4d&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
    OPEN.SUBSTACK.COM
    Israel's Savagery Is So Shocking It's Sometimes Hard To Take In
    Listen to a reading of this article (reading by Tim Foley): Sometimes Israel’s crimes are so horrific that at first you don’t even understand what you’re looking at. You just stare at it trying to make sense of what you’re seeing for a bit, like you would if you suddenly saw a space alien or a leprechaun or something.
    0 Комментарии 0 Поделились 11207 Просмотры
  • Casualties
    Leila WarahNovember 29, 2023
    A tearful Palestinian boy hugs his friends and family after being released from Israeli prison in the Israel-Hamas hostage exchange agreement.
    A Palestinian child prisoner is welcomed by friends and family after being released from an Israeli jail, as part of a hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel. 150 Palestinians women and children were released as part of the exchange, while 60 Israelis were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza. (APA Images)
    15,000+ killed*, including 6,150 children, and 33,000 wounded in the Gaza Strip.
    240 Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem
    Israel revises its estimated October 7 death toll down from 1,400 to 1,200
    *This figure has been confirmed by the government media office in Gaza. However, due to breakdowns in communication networks within the Gaza Strip (particularly in northern Gaza), the Gaza Ministry of Health has not been able to regularly update its tolls. Some rights groups put the death toll number closer to 20,000.

    Key developments

    8-year-old Adam Samer Al-Ghoul and 15-year-old Basil Suleiman Abu Al-Wafa were shot dead by Israeli forces during a large-scale raid in Jenin, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the West Bank.
    Israel is looking into another extension on the truce, which was expected to end on Wednesday, reported the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.
    A source close to Hamas said the group is willing to extend the truce by an additional four days, reported AFP news agency.
    OCHA: The amount of aid entering Gaza is still “insufficient to meet the extensive needs.”
    Israel’s former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is calling for the removal of Netanyahu, calling him “unfit to lead” as he “can’t manage” the complexity of the current situation in the country, and he “must go before the consequences of his flaws become irreversible.”
    Israel is still denying Palestinians from returning to their homes in the north of Gaza or from visiting the sea in certain parts of the Strip.
    Following the release of 12 captives, including 10 Israelis from Gaza, thirty Palestinian prisoners were freed and returned to their homes in occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank on Tuesday as part of the fifth prisoner swap.
    On Tuesday, the US said they airlifted 54,000 pounds of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.
    Following Elon Musk’s visit to Israel on Monday, Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan invited him to Gaza so he could “see the scale of the massacres.”
    Every day in Gaza, where 55% of the besieged enclave’s exports are agricultural products, they lose $1.6m in farm production as a result of Israeli bombardment, says the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
    Jordan cancels Christmas festivities in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, says the Jordan Council of Church Leaders. The Palestinian city of Bethlehem and the birthplace of Jesus Christ has also announced its plans to cancel Christmas celebrations in the city.
    Israel mulls over potential extension of truce

    While many of the people in Gaza are spending Wednesday, the last day of the temporary truce, trying to collect basic necessities like food and cooking oil in preparation for the Israeli bombardment to resume, political leaders are discussing yet another extension.

    Under the four-day truce deal, which began on Friday and has already been extended by two more days, Hamas has released 60 of about 240 captives from the Gaza Strip, and Israel has released 180 Palestinian political prisoners, all women and children.

    Another round of hostage exchanges is expected to take place on Wednesday evening.

    Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, says the group has been working “very hard” with the mediating countries to “reach a compromise” and “extend the ceasefire.”

    Hamas’s leadership was ready to enter deep negotiations about “a comprehensive deal” that would see the release of all the Palestinian prisoners for all the captives in Gaza, Hamad told Al Jazeera.

    On Wednesday, US lawmaker Rashida Tlaib similarly called for the release of all Palestinian political prisoners and captives held inside Gaza.

    “Every innocent civilian should be released and reunited with their family, no matter their faith or ethnicity,” she said, “Failure to do so demonstrates their refusal to view Palestinians as equal human beings who deserve the same rights, freedom and human dignity.”

    Within Israel, families of Israeli hostages have been for weeks protesting for their government to do more to secure the release of their relatives in Gaza, including a permanent ceasefire and an “all for all exchange”, which would see the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, who now number over 8,000, in exchange for the release of all Israeli captives, both soldiers and civilians.

    However, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow Israeli forces to resume fighting in Gaza to “crush Hamas” in a post on x.

    ‘Everywhere you look, there is a child in need’

    The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen as people die from a lack of medical care, risks of infection skyrocket, and nearly 80% of the population has been left homeless.

    Despite the increase of supplies entering Gaza since the ‘humanitarian pause’ began, the volume of incoming commodities is insufficient to meet the extensive needs, says the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

    Aid groups are calling for the immediate re-opening of more crossing points, including for the entry of commercial goods.

    “Everywhere you turn is a child incredibly in need,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told Al Jazeera while standing outside the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

    “Multiple children with amputations, little boys and little girls who six, seven weeks ago were playing football with their friends.”

    Elder praised the “incredible, brave, tireless health workers who are working around the clock” to tend “to every child they can.”

    However, “doctors are having to make decisions they shouldn’t have to make,” he said.

    “It will only be enough if these nail-biting pauses are extended into a ceasefire, into a lasting peace. We cannot possibly think that the destruction of Gaza and the killing of children is going to create peace in the region. That’s utterly nonsensical,” Elder concluded.

    In a video shared by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), plastic and reconstructive surgeon Hafez Abukhussa, based in Khan Younis, says he has been working “non-stop” since October 7.

    “Can you imagine receiving 100 to 200 patients a day, sometimes 500 patients a day?” he asked, adding that most of his patients are women and children.

    Despite the pressure and shortage of supplies at the hospital in Khan Yunis, Abukhussa said: “We know we are in danger at any time, but we will keep doing the same.”

    “We are calling for the increase of fuel supplies to the strip,” EU Commissioner Janez Lenarcic told journalists in Brussels. “The humanitarian access should be based on the needs and not on some restrictions.”

    “The ceasefire must be extended indefinitely,” Lenarcic said.

    Calls for ceasefire swell

    In light of the deteriorating circumstances in Gaza and continued disapproval from the American public about the role the US is playing in Israel’s war on Gaza, the US government narrative is ever so slightly shifting.

    Many social media users speculated that US President Joe Biden had indirectly called for an end to the war in a carefully crafted social media post on X on Wednesday.

    “Hamas unleashed a terrorist attack because they fear nothing more than Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace. To continue down the path of terror, violence, killing, and war is to give Hamas what they seek,” said Biden.

    “We can’t do that,” continued Biden, who has previously refused to call for a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

    On Tuesday, US Senator Peter Welch was the second senator to call for a ceasefire and an end to the war, adding to the mounting pressure on Biden to call for a permanent ceasefire.

    “I fully support Israel’s right to pursue those who ordered and carried out the attacks of October 7. But Israel must not do so in a way that leads to massive civilian casualties and the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza. This will only incite more enemies against Israel and the US,” Welch said in a statement calling for indefinite ceasefire.

    Similarly, Sheikha Alya Ahmed Saif Al Thani, the Qatari ambassador said she hopes “that this humanitarian truce will lead to a sustained and durable ceasefire that will put a stop to the war machine and the bloodshed,” while addressing the UN General Assembly.

    ‘For the Israeli government, the priority is not security’

    Political analyst Mohammed Cherkaoui told Al Jazeera the Netanyahu government has not been able to achieve any of its military objectives but is still looking for a “zero-sum victory” against Hamas.

    “This is the debate in Israel now. After two months, nothing has materialized except massive Palestinian deaths. But there is zero gain in terms of a victory for Israel,” Cherkaoui, a professor of conflict resolution and diplomacy at George Mason University, continued.

    Similarly, Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan stated that Israel has “failed miserably” both militarily and politically in Gaza and that none of the state’s objectives have been reached, reported Al Jazeera.

    He also claimed that the number of Israeli soldiers killed and wounded during the ground invasion was higher than the Israeli military claims. When the fighting resumes, “enemy’s losses” will increase in the coming days, warned Hamdan.

    Addressing the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour called on the UN to reaffirm its “permanent responsibility towards the question of Palestine” and for the end of the “grave and historic injustice [Palestinians] have borne for over 75 years, since the start of the Nakba”.

    “For the Israeli government, the priority is not security; it is the destruction of the Palestinian nation,” Mansour added.

    Two children killed in large-scale military raid in Jenin

    As the temporary truce between Hamas and Israel in Gaza continues, Israeli forces have continued their violent attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

    Overnight on Tuesday and well into Wednesday, Israeli forces conducted a “massive arrest campaign” on Jenin Refugee camp, forcing citizens in the Damj neighborhood from their homes amid violent confrontations, reported Wafa news agency.

    So far, at least two children have been killed during the violent military incursion, 8-year-old Adam Samer Al-Ghoul and 15-year-old Basil Suleiman Abu Al-Wafa. CCTV footage released of the moment 8-year-old Adam was killed show the young boy turning and running away along with some other boys, when he is shot down with his back turned, before being dragged out of the street by another boy. Adam was reportedly shot in the head.

    Israeli forces also prevented an ambulance from evacuating an injured man in Jenin who was shot by Israeli forces for over 40 minutes before arresting him.

    Christos Christou, the international president of Doctors Without Borders, was at Khalil Suleiman Hospital in Jenin when Israeli forces launched a large-scale raid on the city.

    “It has already been two-and-a-half hours that we are trapped in our hospital here in Jenin,” Christou said in a video posted on x.

    “There is no way for any of the injured patients to reach the hospital and there is no way for us to reach these people,” he added that Israeli military vehicles blocked the entrances to the hospital and have prevented ambulances from leaving.

    “Two Palestinians died of wounds while ambulances could not reach them,” he said; it is unclear if he was referring to the two young boys reported killed by the Ministry of Health.

    The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) emergency services said that the Israeli army arrested an injured Palestinian from inside a PRCS ambulance at the entrance of Jenin Governmental Hospital.

    A message from Hisham Awartani

    Hisham Awartani, one of the three Palestinian university students who were shot and injured in Vermont in an apparent hate crime, released a statement saying that the “hideous crime” did not happen in a vacuum, calling attention to the worsening situation in the West Bank.

    “I am but one casualty in a much wider conflict,” he said in his statement, which was read at a vigil at Brown University, where he studies.

    “Had I been shot in the West Bank, where I grew up, the medical services which saved my life here would have likely been withheld by the Israeli army. The soldier who would have shot me would go home and never be convicted,” said Awartani, who is still in hospital,

    “Any attempt like this is horrific, be it here or in Palestine.”

    Before you go – we need your support

    At Mondoweiss, we understand the power of telling Palestinian stories. For 17 years, we have pushed back when the mainstream media published lies or echoed politicians’ hateful rhetoric. Now, Palestinian voices are more important than ever.

    Our traffic has increased ten times since October 7, and we need your help to cover our increased expenses.

    Support our journalists with a donation today.

    https://mondoweiss.net/2023/11/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-54-two-children-killed-by-israeli-forces-in-jenin-amid-discussions-of-truce-extension/
    Casualties Leila WarahNovember 29, 2023 A tearful Palestinian boy hugs his friends and family after being released from Israeli prison in the Israel-Hamas hostage exchange agreement. A Palestinian child prisoner is welcomed by friends and family after being released from an Israeli jail, as part of a hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel. 150 Palestinians women and children were released as part of the exchange, while 60 Israelis were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza. (APA Images) 15,000+ killed*, including 6,150 children, and 33,000 wounded in the Gaza Strip. 240 Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem Israel revises its estimated October 7 death toll down from 1,400 to 1,200 *This figure has been confirmed by the government media office in Gaza. However, due to breakdowns in communication networks within the Gaza Strip (particularly in northern Gaza), the Gaza Ministry of Health has not been able to regularly update its tolls. Some rights groups put the death toll number closer to 20,000. Key developments 8-year-old Adam Samer Al-Ghoul and 15-year-old Basil Suleiman Abu Al-Wafa were shot dead by Israeli forces during a large-scale raid in Jenin, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the West Bank. Israel is looking into another extension on the truce, which was expected to end on Wednesday, reported the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation. A source close to Hamas said the group is willing to extend the truce by an additional four days, reported AFP news agency. OCHA: The amount of aid entering Gaza is still “insufficient to meet the extensive needs.” Israel’s former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is calling for the removal of Netanyahu, calling him “unfit to lead” as he “can’t manage” the complexity of the current situation in the country, and he “must go before the consequences of his flaws become irreversible.” Israel is still denying Palestinians from returning to their homes in the north of Gaza or from visiting the sea in certain parts of the Strip. Following the release of 12 captives, including 10 Israelis from Gaza, thirty Palestinian prisoners were freed and returned to their homes in occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank on Tuesday as part of the fifth prisoner swap. On Tuesday, the US said they airlifted 54,000 pounds of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. Following Elon Musk’s visit to Israel on Monday, Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan invited him to Gaza so he could “see the scale of the massacres.” Every day in Gaza, where 55% of the besieged enclave’s exports are agricultural products, they lose $1.6m in farm production as a result of Israeli bombardment, says the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Jordan cancels Christmas festivities in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, says the Jordan Council of Church Leaders. The Palestinian city of Bethlehem and the birthplace of Jesus Christ has also announced its plans to cancel Christmas celebrations in the city. Israel mulls over potential extension of truce While many of the people in Gaza are spending Wednesday, the last day of the temporary truce, trying to collect basic necessities like food and cooking oil in preparation for the Israeli bombardment to resume, political leaders are discussing yet another extension. Under the four-day truce deal, which began on Friday and has already been extended by two more days, Hamas has released 60 of about 240 captives from the Gaza Strip, and Israel has released 180 Palestinian political prisoners, all women and children. Another round of hostage exchanges is expected to take place on Wednesday evening. Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, says the group has been working “very hard” with the mediating countries to “reach a compromise” and “extend the ceasefire.” Hamas’s leadership was ready to enter deep negotiations about “a comprehensive deal” that would see the release of all the Palestinian prisoners for all the captives in Gaza, Hamad told Al Jazeera. On Wednesday, US lawmaker Rashida Tlaib similarly called for the release of all Palestinian political prisoners and captives held inside Gaza. “Every innocent civilian should be released and reunited with their family, no matter their faith or ethnicity,” she said, “Failure to do so demonstrates their refusal to view Palestinians as equal human beings who deserve the same rights, freedom and human dignity.” Within Israel, families of Israeli hostages have been for weeks protesting for their government to do more to secure the release of their relatives in Gaza, including a permanent ceasefire and an “all for all exchange”, which would see the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, who now number over 8,000, in exchange for the release of all Israeli captives, both soldiers and civilians. However, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow Israeli forces to resume fighting in Gaza to “crush Hamas” in a post on x. ‘Everywhere you look, there is a child in need’ The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen as people die from a lack of medical care, risks of infection skyrocket, and nearly 80% of the population has been left homeless. Despite the increase of supplies entering Gaza since the ‘humanitarian pause’ began, the volume of incoming commodities is insufficient to meet the extensive needs, says the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Aid groups are calling for the immediate re-opening of more crossing points, including for the entry of commercial goods. “Everywhere you turn is a child incredibly in need,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told Al Jazeera while standing outside the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. “Multiple children with amputations, little boys and little girls who six, seven weeks ago were playing football with their friends.” Elder praised the “incredible, brave, tireless health workers who are working around the clock” to tend “to every child they can.” However, “doctors are having to make decisions they shouldn’t have to make,” he said. “It will only be enough if these nail-biting pauses are extended into a ceasefire, into a lasting peace. We cannot possibly think that the destruction of Gaza and the killing of children is going to create peace in the region. That’s utterly nonsensical,” Elder concluded. In a video shared by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), plastic and reconstructive surgeon Hafez Abukhussa, based in Khan Younis, says he has been working “non-stop” since October 7. “Can you imagine receiving 100 to 200 patients a day, sometimes 500 patients a day?” he asked, adding that most of his patients are women and children. Despite the pressure and shortage of supplies at the hospital in Khan Yunis, Abukhussa said: “We know we are in danger at any time, but we will keep doing the same.” “We are calling for the increase of fuel supplies to the strip,” EU Commissioner Janez Lenarcic told journalists in Brussels. “The humanitarian access should be based on the needs and not on some restrictions.” “The ceasefire must be extended indefinitely,” Lenarcic said. Calls for ceasefire swell In light of the deteriorating circumstances in Gaza and continued disapproval from the American public about the role the US is playing in Israel’s war on Gaza, the US government narrative is ever so slightly shifting. Many social media users speculated that US President Joe Biden had indirectly called for an end to the war in a carefully crafted social media post on X on Wednesday. “Hamas unleashed a terrorist attack because they fear nothing more than Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace. To continue down the path of terror, violence, killing, and war is to give Hamas what they seek,” said Biden. “We can’t do that,” continued Biden, who has previously refused to call for a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, US Senator Peter Welch was the second senator to call for a ceasefire and an end to the war, adding to the mounting pressure on Biden to call for a permanent ceasefire. “I fully support Israel’s right to pursue those who ordered and carried out the attacks of October 7. But Israel must not do so in a way that leads to massive civilian casualties and the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza. This will only incite more enemies against Israel and the US,” Welch said in a statement calling for indefinite ceasefire. Similarly, Sheikha Alya Ahmed Saif Al Thani, the Qatari ambassador said she hopes “that this humanitarian truce will lead to a sustained and durable ceasefire that will put a stop to the war machine and the bloodshed,” while addressing the UN General Assembly. ‘For the Israeli government, the priority is not security’ Political analyst Mohammed Cherkaoui told Al Jazeera the Netanyahu government has not been able to achieve any of its military objectives but is still looking for a “zero-sum victory” against Hamas. “This is the debate in Israel now. After two months, nothing has materialized except massive Palestinian deaths. But there is zero gain in terms of a victory for Israel,” Cherkaoui, a professor of conflict resolution and diplomacy at George Mason University, continued. Similarly, Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan stated that Israel has “failed miserably” both militarily and politically in Gaza and that none of the state’s objectives have been reached, reported Al Jazeera. He also claimed that the number of Israeli soldiers killed and wounded during the ground invasion was higher than the Israeli military claims. When the fighting resumes, “enemy’s losses” will increase in the coming days, warned Hamdan. Addressing the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour called on the UN to reaffirm its “permanent responsibility towards the question of Palestine” and for the end of the “grave and historic injustice [Palestinians] have borne for over 75 years, since the start of the Nakba”. “For the Israeli government, the priority is not security; it is the destruction of the Palestinian nation,” Mansour added. Two children killed in large-scale military raid in Jenin As the temporary truce between Hamas and Israel in Gaza continues, Israeli forces have continued their violent attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Overnight on Tuesday and well into Wednesday, Israeli forces conducted a “massive arrest campaign” on Jenin Refugee camp, forcing citizens in the Damj neighborhood from their homes amid violent confrontations, reported Wafa news agency. So far, at least two children have been killed during the violent military incursion, 8-year-old Adam Samer Al-Ghoul and 15-year-old Basil Suleiman Abu Al-Wafa. CCTV footage released of the moment 8-year-old Adam was killed show the young boy turning and running away along with some other boys, when he is shot down with his back turned, before being dragged out of the street by another boy. Adam was reportedly shot in the head. Israeli forces also prevented an ambulance from evacuating an injured man in Jenin who was shot by Israeli forces for over 40 minutes before arresting him. Christos Christou, the international president of Doctors Without Borders, was at Khalil Suleiman Hospital in Jenin when Israeli forces launched a large-scale raid on the city. “It has already been two-and-a-half hours that we are trapped in our hospital here in Jenin,” Christou said in a video posted on x. “There is no way for any of the injured patients to reach the hospital and there is no way for us to reach these people,” he added that Israeli military vehicles blocked the entrances to the hospital and have prevented ambulances from leaving. “Two Palestinians died of wounds while ambulances could not reach them,” he said; it is unclear if he was referring to the two young boys reported killed by the Ministry of Health. The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) emergency services said that the Israeli army arrested an injured Palestinian from inside a PRCS ambulance at the entrance of Jenin Governmental Hospital. A message from Hisham Awartani Hisham Awartani, one of the three Palestinian university students who were shot and injured in Vermont in an apparent hate crime, released a statement saying that the “hideous crime” did not happen in a vacuum, calling attention to the worsening situation in the West Bank. “I am but one casualty in a much wider conflict,” he said in his statement, which was read at a vigil at Brown University, where he studies. “Had I been shot in the West Bank, where I grew up, the medical services which saved my life here would have likely been withheld by the Israeli army. The soldier who would have shot me would go home and never be convicted,” said Awartani, who is still in hospital, “Any attempt like this is horrific, be it here or in Palestine.” Before you go – we need your support At Mondoweiss, we understand the power of telling Palestinian stories. For 17 years, we have pushed back when the mainstream media published lies or echoed politicians’ hateful rhetoric. Now, Palestinian voices are more important than ever. Our traffic has increased ten times since October 7, and we need your help to cover our increased expenses. Support our journalists with a donation today. https://mondoweiss.net/2023/11/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-54-two-children-killed-by-israeli-forces-in-jenin-amid-discussions-of-truce-extension/
    MONDOWEISS.NET
    ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ Day 54: Two children killed by Israeli forces in Jenin amid discussions of truce extension
    As leaders discuss extending the temporary truce, Israeli forces kill two children, including an 8-year-old boy, in the occupied West Bank. Meanwhile, Gaza is still facing a grave humanitarian crisis, with children on the front line.
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  • We have had Enough! Stop Murdering Children NOW!
    Aed Abu Amro palestinian with flag
    © Mustafa Hassona
    When Mustafa Hassona took this picture on October 22 2018, then 20 year-old Aeb Abu Amro was participating in the Great March of Return protest in Gaza against the Israeli blockade of the Strip.
    Enough!

    I need to say this, because I don't know what else to do. The only thing I have is my voice, my words, and I don't want to live through this time in history feeling I did nothing, even though I know it's so little.

    When I watch image after image, video after video of the complete and utter destruction in the tiny strip of Gaza, when I see the injured, the maimed, the dead bodies of men, women and children, when I watch the wordless and screaming pain of these humans who have to dig through rubble to find their loved ones or what remains of them, who take their little belongings and their children on their backs to move (for a second, a third time?) somewhere safer... I feel caught in an unbearable nightmare with no end. Yet I am only a far-away witness, safe in the comfort of my home.

    For them, it's all real.

    The homes of so many people, who actually experience daily what I merely watch, are now acres upon acres of leveled rubble. Those houses that they probably worked hard to afford, so many of them family homes, full of memories of first steps, first words, meals around the table, celebrations of everyday life, even arguments and maybe even abusive unhealthy relationships. But isn't that what life is about? What hubris and deranged, god-complex gives Israel the right to annihilate so many lives and livelihoods?

    Enough!

    Every day I see men unable to provide the most basic means of safety or normal living to their children and wives, men who plough through the rubble hoping that the ones they love might still be alive, men who carry the dead bodies of their family members, or their injured children to hospitals that are barely safe or operational anymore. These men, who grew up with the label of "terrorist" on their backs, just because they were born in a land that was mythically promised to another group of people thousands of years ago. We should always talk about the women and the children, but let's not forget about the men, as they keep everything moving as much as possible amidst a terrible war waged against their bodies and minds.

    Enough!

    Every day I see mothers watching their children die, holding them injured, maimed, dead in their arms, Madonnas over the body of their offspring so unjustly murdered for the sins of others. While they mourn the loss of their own parents, brothers, sisters, husbands, friends, relatives... Women covered in sod and dust, with no water for their basic needs, and the bare minimum of medical assistance when they are about to bring new life into the world. Women who probably learned early to tend to all different types of war, captivity, and deprivation wounds, as soon as they were able to, wounds of the body and wounds of the soul alike.

    Enough!

    Every day I see children. I see so many children every day! But instead of them playing happily on the playground or at the beach, they are lying cut up, broken up, injured, maimed, lifeless among the rubble, on hospital beds, in their parents' or siblings' arms. I've never seen so many dead children before in such a short time, or probably ever, and I have been watching dead Palestinians at the hands of the IDF all of my life.

    I ask you, all of you: what could possibly be a reason to ever murder children?

    Haven't we had enough?

    I won't even try to bring up historical facts or inaccuracies, or the reality that this captivity and slaughter has been going on for 48 days and 75 years (thus Muhammad Smiry, a teacher who lives in Gaza, counts the days). You can hear all that first hand from actual Jewish Israelis like Norman Finkelstein, Gilad Atzmon, Ilan Pappé, Miko Peled, and Gideon Levy among others. I won't even argue against the official Israeli stance on how and why it all started on October 7. I am not going to mention dull and dusty United Nations charters about the rights and responsibilities of every human being during times of peace and times of war, or the world-wide agreed upon roles of occupiers and those under their occupation. All of the above is information that, in our day and age, is just a mouse click (or a phone touch) away. Ignorance is inexcusable. Lastly, I won't even engage in any socioeconomic, political, religious, philosophical or scientific discussions, I will even put aside West Bank or the murder of innocent men and women (God help me!) and simply ask again:

    What could ever be a reason to murder children?

    What would ever be a reason to support the murder of children?

    What would ever be a reason to justify or excuse the murder of thousands of children?

    Can there ever be one?

    Enough already!

    How could any thinking, feeling, sensing human being in possession of a conscience answer yes to any of the above? And those who can and do, what does it say about them?

    How come no one is doing anything to stop this holocaust? In the year 2023, the most hideous genocide is taking place in front of our eyes and most of our governmental "representatives" are silent, if not promoting and financing it. The cries of desperation of the Palestinian people don't move them, nor do the written or actual protests of millions of people across the globe, who are just as horrified and overcome by grief, some even putting their careers and livelihoods on the line to support the people of Gaza.

    It's not the first time that political and financial power interests come before the lives of human beings, but the evil that is perpetrated right now is so extremely transparent, so unjustifiable EVEN IF one believes the official stories, that consciously or unconsciously as humanity we feel the chill of certainty that our "representatives" don't give a damn about our own lives either, just as much as they don't give a damn about the lives of the Palestinians. They would sacrifice us on a whim as we become mere disposable objects once we get in their way.

    Therefore, never stop supporting the Palestinians, never stop talking about their plight, never suppress your conscience for any reason, because you are not only standing up for truth, justice and humanity, you are fighting for your family's life and your very own! Witnessing the suffering and sacrifice of the people in Gaza has taught us as much. And we've all had enough!

    Dear Palestinians,

    The price you are paying every day is high; you pay with your lives, and worst in some cases, the lives of your beloved. I hope that our collective prayers and support reach your hearts, I hope that the hellish conditions that you endure in this lifetime guarantees you a place in heaven for the next one. I wish I could bring you Yarrow to stop your bleeding and make you a tea of Jasmin and Rose blooms to sooth your heart. I hope you know freedom and peace in your own cherished land before long, inshallah.

    I wish I could write beautiful words to honor your martyrdom, but Palestinian poet Fadwa Tuqan was representing all of you when she penned the following, probably as an answer to the unsympathetic question, "Why don't they just up and leave?":

    Enough for Me
    Enough for me to die on her earth
    be buried in her
    to melt and vanish into her soil
    then sprout forth as a flower
    played with by a child from my country.
    Enough for me to remain
    in my country's embrace
    to be in her close as a handful of dust
    a sprig of grass
    a flower.



    https://www.sott.net/article/486261-We-have-had-Enough-Stop-Murdering-Children-NOW
    We have had Enough! Stop Murdering Children NOW! Aed Abu Amro palestinian with flag © Mustafa Hassona When Mustafa Hassona took this picture on October 22 2018, then 20 year-old Aeb Abu Amro was participating in the Great March of Return protest in Gaza against the Israeli blockade of the Strip. Enough! I need to say this, because I don't know what else to do. The only thing I have is my voice, my words, and I don't want to live through this time in history feeling I did nothing, even though I know it's so little. When I watch image after image, video after video of the complete and utter destruction in the tiny strip of Gaza, when I see the injured, the maimed, the dead bodies of men, women and children, when I watch the wordless and screaming pain of these humans who have to dig through rubble to find their loved ones or what remains of them, who take their little belongings and their children on their backs to move (for a second, a third time?) somewhere safer... I feel caught in an unbearable nightmare with no end. Yet I am only a far-away witness, safe in the comfort of my home. For them, it's all real. The homes of so many people, who actually experience daily what I merely watch, are now acres upon acres of leveled rubble. Those houses that they probably worked hard to afford, so many of them family homes, full of memories of first steps, first words, meals around the table, celebrations of everyday life, even arguments and maybe even abusive unhealthy relationships. But isn't that what life is about? What hubris and deranged, god-complex gives Israel the right to annihilate so many lives and livelihoods? Enough! Every day I see men unable to provide the most basic means of safety or normal living to their children and wives, men who plough through the rubble hoping that the ones they love might still be alive, men who carry the dead bodies of their family members, or their injured children to hospitals that are barely safe or operational anymore. These men, who grew up with the label of "terrorist" on their backs, just because they were born in a land that was mythically promised to another group of people thousands of years ago. We should always talk about the women and the children, but let's not forget about the men, as they keep everything moving as much as possible amidst a terrible war waged against their bodies and minds. Enough! Every day I see mothers watching their children die, holding them injured, maimed, dead in their arms, Madonnas over the body of their offspring so unjustly murdered for the sins of others. While they mourn the loss of their own parents, brothers, sisters, husbands, friends, relatives... Women covered in sod and dust, with no water for their basic needs, and the bare minimum of medical assistance when they are about to bring new life into the world. Women who probably learned early to tend to all different types of war, captivity, and deprivation wounds, as soon as they were able to, wounds of the body and wounds of the soul alike. Enough! Every day I see children. I see so many children every day! But instead of them playing happily on the playground or at the beach, they are lying cut up, broken up, injured, maimed, lifeless among the rubble, on hospital beds, in their parents' or siblings' arms. I've never seen so many dead children before in such a short time, or probably ever, and I have been watching dead Palestinians at the hands of the IDF all of my life. I ask you, all of you: what could possibly be a reason to ever murder children? Haven't we had enough? I won't even try to bring up historical facts or inaccuracies, or the reality that this captivity and slaughter has been going on for 48 days and 75 years (thus Muhammad Smiry, a teacher who lives in Gaza, counts the days). You can hear all that first hand from actual Jewish Israelis like Norman Finkelstein, Gilad Atzmon, Ilan Pappé, Miko Peled, and Gideon Levy among others. I won't even argue against the official Israeli stance on how and why it all started on October 7. I am not going to mention dull and dusty United Nations charters about the rights and responsibilities of every human being during times of peace and times of war, or the world-wide agreed upon roles of occupiers and those under their occupation. All of the above is information that, in our day and age, is just a mouse click (or a phone touch) away. Ignorance is inexcusable. Lastly, I won't even engage in any socioeconomic, political, religious, philosophical or scientific discussions, I will even put aside West Bank or the murder of innocent men and women (God help me!) and simply ask again: What could ever be a reason to murder children? What would ever be a reason to support the murder of children? What would ever be a reason to justify or excuse the murder of thousands of children? Can there ever be one? Enough already! How could any thinking, feeling, sensing human being in possession of a conscience answer yes to any of the above? And those who can and do, what does it say about them? How come no one is doing anything to stop this holocaust? In the year 2023, the most hideous genocide is taking place in front of our eyes and most of our governmental "representatives" are silent, if not promoting and financing it. The cries of desperation of the Palestinian people don't move them, nor do the written or actual protests of millions of people across the globe, who are just as horrified and overcome by grief, some even putting their careers and livelihoods on the line to support the people of Gaza. It's not the first time that political and financial power interests come before the lives of human beings, but the evil that is perpetrated right now is so extremely transparent, so unjustifiable EVEN IF one believes the official stories, that consciously or unconsciously as humanity we feel the chill of certainty that our "representatives" don't give a damn about our own lives either, just as much as they don't give a damn about the lives of the Palestinians. They would sacrifice us on a whim as we become mere disposable objects once we get in their way. Therefore, never stop supporting the Palestinians, never stop talking about their plight, never suppress your conscience for any reason, because you are not only standing up for truth, justice and humanity, you are fighting for your family's life and your very own! Witnessing the suffering and sacrifice of the people in Gaza has taught us as much. And we've all had enough! Dear Palestinians, The price you are paying every day is high; you pay with your lives, and worst in some cases, the lives of your beloved. I hope that our collective prayers and support reach your hearts, I hope that the hellish conditions that you endure in this lifetime guarantees you a place in heaven for the next one. I wish I could bring you Yarrow to stop your bleeding and make you a tea of Jasmin and Rose blooms to sooth your heart. I hope you know freedom and peace in your own cherished land before long, inshallah. I wish I could write beautiful words to honor your martyrdom, but Palestinian poet Fadwa Tuqan was representing all of you when she penned the following, probably as an answer to the unsympathetic question, "Why don't they just up and leave?": Enough for Me Enough for me to die on her earth be buried in her to melt and vanish into her soil then sprout forth as a flower played with by a child from my country. Enough for me to remain in my country's embrace to be in her close as a handful of dust a sprig of grass a flower. https://www.sott.net/article/486261-We-have-had-Enough-Stop-Murdering-Children-NOW
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  • Sri Ram (Historical Story)
    It is a long time ago that according to the Hindu calendar, about 9 lakh years ago in Tretayuga, there used to be a very majestic Suryavanshi king Dasharatha. The name of their capital was Ayodhya. King Dasharatha was a very just and righteous king. All the subjects used to live their life happily under his rule. The great majestic Satyawadi king Harishchandra and the successful king Bhagirathi were one of the ancestors of King Dasharatha. Like his ancestors, King Dasharatha was very involved in religious work. King Dasharatha had no children. Due to which he was often sad. King Dasharatha had three queens. The name of the first queen was Kausalya, the name of the second queen was Sumitra and the name of the third queen was Kaikeyi, King Dasharatha was a great archer. He was adept at playing slang. He could penetrate the target without seeing the target just by hearing the sound of the word, always in the mind of King Dasharatha. One day Rajguru Vashistha, who was immersed in this concern, suggested Dasharatha to perform Putreshti Yagya. He performed this yagya under the supervision of Shringi Rishi. A lot of donations and donations were made in this yagya. After this yajna, kheer in the form of Prasad was fed to the three queens. After several months, the three queens had four sons. The eldest queen was Rama of Kausalya, Bharata of Kaikeyi and Lakshmana and Shatrudhan of Sumitra. The four brothers were very beautiful and stunning. Maharaj Dasaratha was very happy to see his four sons. King Dasaratha was not happy when he got the happiness of children. After some time, the four brothers went to the forest with Rajguru Vashistha to receive education, Vashistha was a very learned guru. At that time, the sage Vashistha was highly respected. All the brothers were very unique talents. While Lakshman ji was a little accommodating. Shri Ram was calm and serious in nature. The four brothers were also very smart in reading and writing. Soon he learned martial arts like shooting arrows, etc. The people of Ayodhya were enchanted by his form and qualities King Dasharatha never wanted to keep them away from his eyes. One day a very learned and learned Maharishi Vishwamitra came to King Dasharatha. He was a great and ascetic sage of his time. Many sinners and tyrants used to create obstacles in his yajna. When he heard about Rama and his brothers, he went to Dasharatha. He asked Dasaratha to kill the sinners and tyrants and Rama and Lakshmana to protect the yajna. King Dasharatha with folded hands said to sage Vishwamitra- 'O sage! Both Rama and Lakshmana are still children. Don't take them to war with so many sinful and tyrannical people. I will move my whole army and myself and will fight with them and will also protect your sacrifice. King Dasharatha at first did not want to send his sons with him, then on the persuasion of Rajguru Vashistha, he agreed to send. Both Rama and Lakshmana left with sage Vishwamitra. On the way, the sage taught them two mantras. After learning these mantras, both the princes became more powerful. While going to the sage's ashram, he killed a sinful and tyrannical woman named Tadka. Reaching there, while protecting the yagna, one of his sons Maricha and the other son Subahu were also killed with an arrow. Now Vishwamitra's Yagya was completed very well and very peacefully. After this Maharishi Vishwamitra reached Mithilapuri with both the princes Rama and Lakshmana. King Janak of Mithila was a great scholar and sage. He created the swayamvara of his daughter Sita. There was a lot of pomp and show coming to the King- Maharaj Swayamvar from far and wide. When Vishwamitra reached there, the king gave him a big welcome. King Janak had a bow. This bow belonged to Shiva, with this bow he killed Tripasura. No one could lift it except Sitaji. Because it was very heavy and hard. King Janak had made a promise that anyone who lifts this bow will tie its rope. With that Sitaji will be married. Organized swayamvar for the marriage of Mata Sita ji. The great brave warriors of the entire Aryavrata were called. Ravana also participated in that event. All the kings tried hard, but no one could lift it and tie the rope. All the kings had given up. King Janak started worrying that now where should I find the worthy groom of my daughter. Then Maharishi Vishwamitra ordered Rama to lift the bow and put a string on him. Rama reached near the bow after getting the Guru's orders and he easily lifted the bow and started plucking it. While tying the bow, that bow broke at the hands of Shri Ram. The old bow belonged to Shiva, at that time Parashuram ji, the supreme devotee of Shiva, was also there. Hearing the sound of bow breaking, Parashurama reached there. He was very angry. He started searching for the one who broke this bow. Seeing the anger of Parashurama, there was silence in the whole assembly. No one was speaking out of fear. But Lakshman ji was not afraid, he started arguing with Parashuram ji, due to which Parashuram's anger started increasing. But Shri Ram politely folded his hands and requested Parshuram ji to accidentally break the bow and asked for forgiveness from him. Seeing the simple calm nature of Rama, Parashurama's anger was pacified and he left from there. Immediately after his departure, everyone in the meeting heaved a sigh of relief. After the departure of Parashurama, King Janak went to Maharishi Vishwamitra and asked him- 'O sage: Who are these two young men, the kings of this form, please tell them about them." Sage Vishwamitra told King Janak-these two brothers are Rama and Lakshman, both of them are the sons of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. Among the four sons of King Dasharatha, Rama is the eldest who broke the bow. After hearing the introduction of Shri Ram by the sage, his happiness knew no bounds, he happily decided to marry his four daughters including Sita to the four sons of King Dasharatha. King Janak requested Maharishi for the marriage of all four, Maharishi gladly accepted. After that, celebrations started in the court of King Janak, sweets were distributed, drums started playing. The sage sent this auspicious message to Ayodhya. In Ayodhya, King Dasharatha, on hearing the news, ordered to decorate the entire Ayodhya and distribute gifts to the people. The whole of Ayodhya started celebrating the marriage of its princes. King Dasharatha started preparing for the procession of his sons. Many thousand elephants were decorated, hundreds of chariots were made. The entire Ayodhya city reached Mithilapur in a procession. There was no shortage of preparations for the procession of Mithilapur King Janak. He went ahead and welcomed the procession, hugged King Dasharatha and gave him a lot of respect. In the marriage of Shri Ram, all the people of Ayodhya were dancing and singing. There was an atmosphere of celebration throughout Aryavrata. The marriage of the four brothers took place with great pomp. Shri Ramchandra ji got married with Mata Sita, Lakshman ji got married with Mata Urmila, Bharat ji got married with Mata Mandy and Shatrudhan ji got married with Mata Shrutikirti. After marriage, King Dasharatha came back to Ayodhya with everyone. The king now started ruling happily. Time passed and King Dasharatha was now getting old. He wanted to do penance himself by giving royal work to Ramchandra ji. At the behest of Guru Vashistha, an auspicious day was fixed for the coronation of Shri Ram. When all the subjects got the news that Shri Ram was going to become their king, then all the subjects were not happy. There was a lot of joy being celebrated. There was an atmosphere of happiness everywhere. Laughter was scattered on everyone's face, everyone was busy in decorating the palace and preparing for the coronation. Among all these faces there was such a face on which the feeling of sorrow and revenge was clearly visible. That face was none other than that of Queen Kaikeyi's maid Manthara. Manthara did not like being the king of Shri Ram ji, she wanted to see Bharat ji as the king. She was sad and went to Queen Kaikeyi Maharani Kaikeyi was overjoyed with the decision of Sri Rama's coronation and was taking stock of the preparations for the festival. Seeing Manthara's hanging face, he got angry at first but Manthara acted very cleverly. He said that I am a little sad for myself, I am sad for the concern of your son Prince Bharat. Hearing the name of Bharat, the queen said, what is the concern, speak clearly. Manthara took Queen Kaikey) in private and taught her many unconventional things. He cleverly awakened the son's attachment in Kaikey's mind and persuaded Bharata to demand the kingship, reminding King Dasharatha of accepting any two demands before marriage. During a battle before the marriage of King Dasharatha and Queen Kaikeyi, Kaikeyi saved the life of King Dasharatha. Princess Kaikeyi was beautiful, King Dasharatha requested her to marry, Queen Kaikey) asked for two promises, King Dasharatha agreed and both were married. Coming to Manthara's words, the queen made her face sad, untied her hair and slept in Kop Bhavan crying. This matter reached to King Dasharatha, the king immediately reached the queen's palace. He was very sad to see such condition. He loved Kaikeyi very much He asked. "O cakey! Why are you sad, everyone look how happy you are after all, tell me what you need. I will bring the sari after searching the world, don't you feel sad, tell me what do you want? Queen Kaikeyi reminded her of the two promises given by the king before the marriage and she demanded 12 years of exile to Shri Ram as the first demand and Bharata as the king in the second demand. On hearing the demand of Queen Kaikeyi, King Dasharatha's heart sat down. He started getting disturbed by sorrow, somehow managing himself, he said to Kaikeyi - O Kaikeyi, how can you be so cruel? Don't ask my dear son to go to the forest, I am ready to give whatever you ask in return. I cannot live even a moment without seeing Rama, it is time to rule, why are you giving terrible tortures of the forest King Dasharatha tried to persuade Kaikeyi a lot but Kaikeyi remained adamant on his demand. 'Raghukul's ritual has always gone, but the word does not go'. Shri Ram never violated the dignity of the clan, he came to know about his father's promise. Along with this, two demands of Mata Kaikeyi were also reported. He soon decided that his father's promise could not be broken because of him and he decided to go to the forest. Shri Ram went to Mata Kaikeyi in his palace and pleaded with folded hands. O mother! You should not feel sad at all, I will soon leave for exile. If my younger brother Bharata becomes the king, then I will also be very happy, you give up your sorrow. Saying this, Shri Ramchandra along with Mata Sita and Lakshman ji went on exile for 12 years. King Dasharatha was weeping bitterly in the separation of Rama. His heart became very sad. With King Dasharatha, there was mourning in the entire city of Ayodhya. On hearing about the exile of their beloved prince and his wife, the people also started crying, as if calamity had broken out in the whole of Ayodhya, the birds twitter and the flowers stopped blooming. The people of Ayodhya also started going after the exile, dear prince, Shri Ram explained a lot to them but no one listened, then Ram left everyone sleeping alone and crossed the Sarayu river with Lakshmana and Sita, Bharat ji was not in Ayodhya when he went to the forest, he had gone to his maternal grandfather's house. Here Dashrath Maharaj's condition was deteriorating, his life was blown away by crying in his son's fascination. When King Dasharatha died, he did not have any sons with him. Later, the curse given by the parents of Shravan Kumar to King Dasharatha came to fruition. After the departure of Ramchandra ji, Bharat ji was called from his maternal grandfather's house. Till then King Dasharatha's body was kept safe in some oil by scientific method. Bharat ji returned to Ayodhya. When he came to know about the whole story, he was sad and also called his mother Kaikeyi very badly. After the death of King Dasharatha, the queen also repented a lot on her demand. Bharat ji soon performed the proper cremation of his father Dasharatha. After this Bharat ji went to the forest to bring back Ramchandra ji. Bharat ji had also taken the army of Ayodhya with him to the forest, due to which doubts arose in Lakshman j's mind that he was coming to fight with Bhaiya Shri so that he would kill Shri Ram and take the kingdom of Ayodhya forever, and remain king for life. Lakshman ji took up his bow and arrow and started preparing to fight with India and started asking Shri Ram to prepare as well. Lakshman ji became very angry, he was going to take the vow to kill Bharat, when Shri Ram explained to Lakshman ji and said that Bharat is not like that, if I make a gesture now, he can give you the whole kingdom. Then he withheld his promise. Shri Ram was right, Bharat had come to call them back not to fight, but Shri Ram refused to go back. Even after many requests of Bharat ji, Ram ji did not agree. In the end, Bharata came back to Ayodhya with his foot-padukas and started running the kingdom by placing these padukas on the throne. After some time, Shri Ram, along with Lakshmana and Sita reached the forest named Dandakaranya. There the great mighty Ravana, Shurpanakha was fascinated by the form of Shri Ram. She wanted to get married with Shri Ram. He proposed her marriage in front of Shri Ram. Shri Ram said-'I am married, see that my younger brother is Lakshman, he is also very beautiful, why don't you go to him. Saying so, Shri Ram sent him to Lakshman ji. She went to Lakshman ji. He got very angry at Sarpanakha, far from getting married, Lakshman ji cut off his nose. His face became very ugly. His entire nose was cut off. With such courage, she went to her brother and narrated the whole story. Telling about the beauty of Sita, Shurpanakha awakened the infatuation in the heart of Ravana. Ravana started making preparations to get the beautiful woman by force. He found out the whereabouts of Rama and Lakshmana. He had a pet deer named Marich. Which was more beautiful than other deer Left that deer near his hermitage. The deer started roaming around Shri Ram's ashram. Sita ji was fascinated by seeing the gold-coloured deer and started urging Shri Ram to get hold of that golden deer Ramji could not refuse Mata Sita. Shri Ram asked Mata Sita to stay inside the hut and be alert and followed the deer with Lakshmana and went in search of him. In the end, on the day of Dussehra in the month of Kuwar, Shri Ramchandraji killed Ravana, Sitaji came back. Shri Ram became very happy to meet Sita, along with him the whole army started celebrating. Now fourteen years were about to end. Ram Chandra ji gave the kingdom of Lanka to Vibhishana, after that he returned to Ayodhya. Hanuman ji, Sugriva ji etc. had also come with him. Even today this day is celebrated as Diwali festival. Now the coronation of Lord Shri Ram took place with full pomp. Once again, the preparations for the coronation of Shri Ram started going on in full swing in the whole of India. Everyone wanted to see their favorite prince becoming the king soon. He wanted to fulfill his unfinished dream. After all, that auspicious moment has come and the historic coronation of Shri Ram took place, Shri Ram sat on the throne with Mata Sita and started performing his religion with great skill and serving the people. In his kingdom, human beings are human beings, all living beings, animals, birds, trees and plants were all ecstatic. all used to live happily. In the Ram Charit Manas, Tulsi Das Maharajji, while describing the kingdom of Rama, says that in the kingdom of Rama, the sun used to give as much heat as the body could easily bear The rain was only as much as the crops and animals could bear. The trees were laden with fruits. Many different types of flowers were spreading different fragrances. One day Shri Ram decided to go among the public to understand the well being of his subjects closely. No one should recognize him, so he changed his disguise. While roaming in Shri Ram Nagar, under a tree where some people were already there, they stopped near them. There, the words of a washerman made Shri Ram very sad and forced him to take a tough decision again. That washerman questioned Mother Sita, which made Shri Ram sad. He came back to the palace and took a tough decision to send Mother Sita to Valmiki's ashram for the satisfaction of his subjects. Mother Sita ji had to stay in Valmiki Ashram due to public shame. In this ashram, Mother Sita gave birth to two stunning sons, whose names were Lav and Kush. Both of them were disciples of Maharishi Valmiki and became proficient and brave in knowledge of Vedas and war. Ramchandra performed the Ashwamedha Yajna. At this time Sitaji was called back and again on the demand of the subjects, she was asked to give a test of fire, due to this Mother Sita was again very sad and, taking an oath of her purity, pleaded with God in her mind to burst the earth and in the event of an earthquake Because the earth was torn apart proving Mother Sita the most holy and Mother Sita got absorbed in the earth forever and ever. Lord Shri Ram was very sad, he became alone forever, after some time Shri Ram also left his body in Saryu and took water samadhi. Luv and Kush were very brave, later they became kings and started ruling.
    Sri Ram (Historical Story) It is a long time ago that according to the Hindu calendar, about 9 lakh years ago in Tretayuga, there used to be a very majestic Suryavanshi king Dasharatha. The name of their capital was Ayodhya. King Dasharatha was a very just and righteous king. All the subjects used to live their life happily under his rule. The great majestic Satyawadi king Harishchandra and the successful king Bhagirathi were one of the ancestors of King Dasharatha. Like his ancestors, King Dasharatha was very involved in religious work. King Dasharatha had no children. Due to which he was often sad. King Dasharatha had three queens. The name of the first queen was Kausalya, the name of the second queen was Sumitra and the name of the third queen was Kaikeyi, King Dasharatha was a great archer. He was adept at playing slang. He could penetrate the target without seeing the target just by hearing the sound of the word, always in the mind of King Dasharatha. One day Rajguru Vashistha, who was immersed in this concern, suggested Dasharatha to perform Putreshti Yagya. He performed this yagya under the supervision of Shringi Rishi. A lot of donations and donations were made in this yagya. After this yajna, kheer in the form of Prasad was fed to the three queens. After several months, the three queens had four sons. The eldest queen was Rama of Kausalya, Bharata of Kaikeyi and Lakshmana and Shatrudhan of Sumitra. The four brothers were very beautiful and stunning. Maharaj Dasaratha was very happy to see his four sons. King Dasaratha was not happy when he got the happiness of children. After some time, the four brothers went to the forest with Rajguru Vashistha to receive education, Vashistha was a very learned guru. At that time, the sage Vashistha was highly respected. All the brothers were very unique talents. While Lakshman ji was a little accommodating. Shri Ram was calm and serious in nature. The four brothers were also very smart in reading and writing. Soon he learned martial arts like shooting arrows, etc. The people of Ayodhya were enchanted by his form and qualities King Dasharatha never wanted to keep them away from his eyes. One day a very learned and learned Maharishi Vishwamitra came to King Dasharatha. He was a great and ascetic sage of his time. Many sinners and tyrants used to create obstacles in his yajna. When he heard about Rama and his brothers, he went to Dasharatha. He asked Dasaratha to kill the sinners and tyrants and Rama and Lakshmana to protect the yajna. King Dasharatha with folded hands said to sage Vishwamitra- 'O sage! Both Rama and Lakshmana are still children. Don't take them to war with so many sinful and tyrannical people. I will move my whole army and myself and will fight with them and will also protect your sacrifice. King Dasharatha at first did not want to send his sons with him, then on the persuasion of Rajguru Vashistha, he agreed to send. Both Rama and Lakshmana left with sage Vishwamitra. On the way, the sage taught them two mantras. After learning these mantras, both the princes became more powerful. While going to the sage's ashram, he killed a sinful and tyrannical woman named Tadka. Reaching there, while protecting the yagna, one of his sons Maricha and the other son Subahu were also killed with an arrow. Now Vishwamitra's Yagya was completed very well and very peacefully. After this Maharishi Vishwamitra reached Mithilapuri with both the princes Rama and Lakshmana. King Janak of Mithila was a great scholar and sage. He created the swayamvara of his daughter Sita. There was a lot of pomp and show coming to the King- Maharaj Swayamvar from far and wide. When Vishwamitra reached there, the king gave him a big welcome. King Janak had a bow. This bow belonged to Shiva, with this bow he killed Tripasura. No one could lift it except Sitaji. Because it was very heavy and hard. King Janak had made a promise that anyone who lifts this bow will tie its rope. With that Sitaji will be married. Organized swayamvar for the marriage of Mata Sita ji. The great brave warriors of the entire Aryavrata were called. Ravana also participated in that event. All the kings tried hard, but no one could lift it and tie the rope. All the kings had given up. King Janak started worrying that now where should I find the worthy groom of my daughter. Then Maharishi Vishwamitra ordered Rama to lift the bow and put a string on him. Rama reached near the bow after getting the Guru's orders and he easily lifted the bow and started plucking it. While tying the bow, that bow broke at the hands of Shri Ram. The old bow belonged to Shiva, at that time Parashuram ji, the supreme devotee of Shiva, was also there. Hearing the sound of bow breaking, Parashurama reached there. He was very angry. He started searching for the one who broke this bow. Seeing the anger of Parashurama, there was silence in the whole assembly. No one was speaking out of fear. But Lakshman ji was not afraid, he started arguing with Parashuram ji, due to which Parashuram's anger started increasing. But Shri Ram politely folded his hands and requested Parshuram ji to accidentally break the bow and asked for forgiveness from him. Seeing the simple calm nature of Rama, Parashurama's anger was pacified and he left from there. Immediately after his departure, everyone in the meeting heaved a sigh of relief. After the departure of Parashurama, King Janak went to Maharishi Vishwamitra and asked him- 'O sage: Who are these two young men, the kings of this form, please tell them about them." Sage Vishwamitra told King Janak-these two brothers are Rama and Lakshman, both of them are the sons of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. Among the four sons of King Dasharatha, Rama is the eldest who broke the bow. After hearing the introduction of Shri Ram by the sage, his happiness knew no bounds, he happily decided to marry his four daughters including Sita to the four sons of King Dasharatha. King Janak requested Maharishi for the marriage of all four, Maharishi gladly accepted. After that, celebrations started in the court of King Janak, sweets were distributed, drums started playing. The sage sent this auspicious message to Ayodhya. In Ayodhya, King Dasharatha, on hearing the news, ordered to decorate the entire Ayodhya and distribute gifts to the people. The whole of Ayodhya started celebrating the marriage of its princes. King Dasharatha started preparing for the procession of his sons. Many thousand elephants were decorated, hundreds of chariots were made. The entire Ayodhya city reached Mithilapur in a procession. There was no shortage of preparations for the procession of Mithilapur King Janak. He went ahead and welcomed the procession, hugged King Dasharatha and gave him a lot of respect. In the marriage of Shri Ram, all the people of Ayodhya were dancing and singing. There was an atmosphere of celebration throughout Aryavrata. The marriage of the four brothers took place with great pomp. Shri Ramchandra ji got married with Mata Sita, Lakshman ji got married with Mata Urmila, Bharat ji got married with Mata Mandy and Shatrudhan ji got married with Mata Shrutikirti. After marriage, King Dasharatha came back to Ayodhya with everyone. The king now started ruling happily. Time passed and King Dasharatha was now getting old. He wanted to do penance himself by giving royal work to Ramchandra ji. At the behest of Guru Vashistha, an auspicious day was fixed for the coronation of Shri Ram. When all the subjects got the news that Shri Ram was going to become their king, then all the subjects were not happy. There was a lot of joy being celebrated. There was an atmosphere of happiness everywhere. Laughter was scattered on everyone's face, everyone was busy in decorating the palace and preparing for the coronation. Among all these faces there was such a face on which the feeling of sorrow and revenge was clearly visible. That face was none other than that of Queen Kaikeyi's maid Manthara. Manthara did not like being the king of Shri Ram ji, she wanted to see Bharat ji as the king. She was sad and went to Queen Kaikeyi Maharani Kaikeyi was overjoyed with the decision of Sri Rama's coronation and was taking stock of the preparations for the festival. Seeing Manthara's hanging face, he got angry at first but Manthara acted very cleverly. He said that I am a little sad for myself, I am sad for the concern of your son Prince Bharat. Hearing the name of Bharat, the queen said, what is the concern, speak clearly. Manthara took Queen Kaikey) in private and taught her many unconventional things. He cleverly awakened the son's attachment in Kaikey's mind and persuaded Bharata to demand the kingship, reminding King Dasharatha of accepting any two demands before marriage. During a battle before the marriage of King Dasharatha and Queen Kaikeyi, Kaikeyi saved the life of King Dasharatha. Princess Kaikeyi was beautiful, King Dasharatha requested her to marry, Queen Kaikey) asked for two promises, King Dasharatha agreed and both were married. Coming to Manthara's words, the queen made her face sad, untied her hair and slept in Kop Bhavan crying. This matter reached to King Dasharatha, the king immediately reached the queen's palace. He was very sad to see such condition. He loved Kaikeyi very much He asked. "O cakey! Why are you sad, everyone look how happy you are after all, tell me what you need. I will bring the sari after searching the world, don't you feel sad, tell me what do you want? Queen Kaikeyi reminded her of the two promises given by the king before the marriage and she demanded 12 years of exile to Shri Ram as the first demand and Bharata as the king in the second demand. On hearing the demand of Queen Kaikeyi, King Dasharatha's heart sat down. He started getting disturbed by sorrow, somehow managing himself, he said to Kaikeyi - O Kaikeyi, how can you be so cruel? Don't ask my dear son to go to the forest, I am ready to give whatever you ask in return. I cannot live even a moment without seeing Rama, it is time to rule, why are you giving terrible tortures of the forest King Dasharatha tried to persuade Kaikeyi a lot but Kaikeyi remained adamant on his demand. 'Raghukul's ritual has always gone, but the word does not go'. Shri Ram never violated the dignity of the clan, he came to know about his father's promise. Along with this, two demands of Mata Kaikeyi were also reported. He soon decided that his father's promise could not be broken because of him and he decided to go to the forest. Shri Ram went to Mata Kaikeyi in his palace and pleaded with folded hands. O mother! You should not feel sad at all, I will soon leave for exile. If my younger brother Bharata becomes the king, then I will also be very happy, you give up your sorrow. Saying this, Shri Ramchandra along with Mata Sita and Lakshman ji went on exile for 12 years. King Dasharatha was weeping bitterly in the separation of Rama. His heart became very sad. With King Dasharatha, there was mourning in the entire city of Ayodhya. On hearing about the exile of their beloved prince and his wife, the people also started crying, as if calamity had broken out in the whole of Ayodhya, the birds twitter and the flowers stopped blooming. The people of Ayodhya also started going after the exile, dear prince, Shri Ram explained a lot to them but no one listened, then Ram left everyone sleeping alone and crossed the Sarayu river with Lakshmana and Sita, Bharat ji was not in Ayodhya when he went to the forest, he had gone to his maternal grandfather's house. Here Dashrath Maharaj's condition was deteriorating, his life was blown away by crying in his son's fascination. When King Dasharatha died, he did not have any sons with him. Later, the curse given by the parents of Shravan Kumar to King Dasharatha came to fruition. After the departure of Ramchandra ji, Bharat ji was called from his maternal grandfather's house. Till then King Dasharatha's body was kept safe in some oil by scientific method. Bharat ji returned to Ayodhya. When he came to know about the whole story, he was sad and also called his mother Kaikeyi very badly. After the death of King Dasharatha, the queen also repented a lot on her demand. Bharat ji soon performed the proper cremation of his father Dasharatha. After this Bharat ji went to the forest to bring back Ramchandra ji. Bharat ji had also taken the army of Ayodhya with him to the forest, due to which doubts arose in Lakshman j's mind that he was coming to fight with Bhaiya Shri so that he would kill Shri Ram and take the kingdom of Ayodhya forever, and remain king for life. Lakshman ji took up his bow and arrow and started preparing to fight with India and started asking Shri Ram to prepare as well. Lakshman ji became very angry, he was going to take the vow to kill Bharat, when Shri Ram explained to Lakshman ji and said that Bharat is not like that, if I make a gesture now, he can give you the whole kingdom. Then he withheld his promise. Shri Ram was right, Bharat had come to call them back not to fight, but Shri Ram refused to go back. Even after many requests of Bharat ji, Ram ji did not agree. In the end, Bharata came back to Ayodhya with his foot-padukas and started running the kingdom by placing these padukas on the throne. After some time, Shri Ram, along with Lakshmana and Sita reached the forest named Dandakaranya. There the great mighty Ravana, Shurpanakha was fascinated by the form of Shri Ram. She wanted to get married with Shri Ram. He proposed her marriage in front of Shri Ram. Shri Ram said-'I am married, see that my younger brother is Lakshman, he is also very beautiful, why don't you go to him. Saying so, Shri Ram sent him to Lakshman ji. She went to Lakshman ji. He got very angry at Sarpanakha, far from getting married, Lakshman ji cut off his nose. His face became very ugly. His entire nose was cut off. With such courage, she went to her brother and narrated the whole story. Telling about the beauty of Sita, Shurpanakha awakened the infatuation in the heart of Ravana. Ravana started making preparations to get the beautiful woman by force. He found out the whereabouts of Rama and Lakshmana. He had a pet deer named Marich. Which was more beautiful than other deer Left that deer near his hermitage. The deer started roaming around Shri Ram's ashram. Sita ji was fascinated by seeing the gold-coloured deer and started urging Shri Ram to get hold of that golden deer Ramji could not refuse Mata Sita. Shri Ram asked Mata Sita to stay inside the hut and be alert and followed the deer with Lakshmana and went in search of him. In the end, on the day of Dussehra in the month of Kuwar, Shri Ramchandraji killed Ravana, Sitaji came back. Shri Ram became very happy to meet Sita, along with him the whole army started celebrating. Now fourteen years were about to end. Ram Chandra ji gave the kingdom of Lanka to Vibhishana, after that he returned to Ayodhya. Hanuman ji, Sugriva ji etc. had also come with him. Even today this day is celebrated as Diwali festival. Now the coronation of Lord Shri Ram took place with full pomp. Once again, the preparations for the coronation of Shri Ram started going on in full swing in the whole of India. Everyone wanted to see their favorite prince becoming the king soon. He wanted to fulfill his unfinished dream. After all, that auspicious moment has come and the historic coronation of Shri Ram took place, Shri Ram sat on the throne with Mata Sita and started performing his religion with great skill and serving the people. In his kingdom, human beings are human beings, all living beings, animals, birds, trees and plants were all ecstatic. all used to live happily. In the Ram Charit Manas, Tulsi Das Maharajji, while describing the kingdom of Rama, says that in the kingdom of Rama, the sun used to give as much heat as the body could easily bear The rain was only as much as the crops and animals could bear. The trees were laden with fruits. Many different types of flowers were spreading different fragrances. One day Shri Ram decided to go among the public to understand the well being of his subjects closely. No one should recognize him, so he changed his disguise. While roaming in Shri Ram Nagar, under a tree where some people were already there, they stopped near them. There, the words of a washerman made Shri Ram very sad and forced him to take a tough decision again. That washerman questioned Mother Sita, which made Shri Ram sad. He came back to the palace and took a tough decision to send Mother Sita to Valmiki's ashram for the satisfaction of his subjects. Mother Sita ji had to stay in Valmiki Ashram due to public shame. In this ashram, Mother Sita gave birth to two stunning sons, whose names were Lav and Kush. Both of them were disciples of Maharishi Valmiki and became proficient and brave in knowledge of Vedas and war. Ramchandra performed the Ashwamedha Yajna. At this time Sitaji was called back and again on the demand of the subjects, she was asked to give a test of fire, due to this Mother Sita was again very sad and, taking an oath of her purity, pleaded with God in her mind to burst the earth and in the event of an earthquake Because the earth was torn apart proving Mother Sita the most holy and Mother Sita got absorbed in the earth forever and ever. Lord Shri Ram was very sad, he became alone forever, after some time Shri Ram also left his body in Saryu and took water samadhi. Luv and Kush were very brave, later they became kings and started ruling.
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