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SvennoJ 3 days ago
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10,000 Israeli soldiers required immediately: Defence chief

The Israel Broadcasting Authority has quoted Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as saying the Israeli army needs 10,000 additional soldiers immediately.

He told the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that 4,800 of those required can be recruited from Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community, broadcaster N12 News reports.

Last week, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men for military service. Under longstanding arrangements, men from the ultra-Orthodox community had been exempt from the draft for religious reasons.


An ultra-Orthodox Jew protests conscription in West Jerusalem

‘Ongoing catastrophe’: Call for safe entry of aid into Gaza

Safe access for humanitarian workers and goods into Gaza is “a matter of life and death”, says Janez Lenarcic, coordinator for the European Commission’s crisis management body.

"It must be granted at scale to address the ongoing catastrophe,” he said.


Foreign envoys condemn largest Israeli demolition since October 7

Diplomats based in West Jerusalem and Ramallah condemned Israeli destruction of Palestinian buildings during a visit to Um al-Kheir in Hebron.

Representatives from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom noted in a joint statement that this was the largest demolition operation in the occupied West Bank since October 7.

Diplomats witnessed the aftermath of the Israeli demolition of residential structures, the community centre, and an electricity generator that supplied power to the community.

The delegation called on Israel to respect its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention, including the prohibition of forcible transfer and to stop demolitions and confiscation of Palestinian property.