Iraq calls for urgent Arab League meeting to address ‘serious’ Palestinian developments

The Iraqi government urged the Arab League to convene “urgently” to discuss “serious” developments within the Palestinian territories, reaffirming its steadfast position on the Palestinian issue. A statement by the government spokesperson, Bassam Al-Awadi, received by Network 964, reads: “Iraq reaffirms its steadfast position, as a people and a government, towards the Palestinian issue, and its support for the Palestinian people in achieving their legitimate aspirations and securing their full rights. Injustice and the violation of these rights cannot produce sustainable peace. Israel and Hamas are once again at war after the Palestinian militant group launched a large aerial and ground operation from the blockaded Gaza Strip, its biggest attack in years. Sirens sounded across Israel and as far north as the contested city of Jerusalem from about 7 a.m. on Saturday after volleys of what Hamas claimed were 5,000 rockets launched from the blockaded enclave. A ground infiltration by Hamas gunmen into Israeli towns and villages on the periphery – an unprecedented development in the 16 years since the Islamists took over the strip – is ongoing, with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) saying seven villages and towns are under Hamas control. The Israeli army also put the number of projectiles at around 2,000. In response to the attacks, which appear to have caught the Israeli security services by surprise, Israel has declared a state of war. The Hamas terror group also published footage showing its members capturing a number of Israeli soldiers during an attack on a military base on the border with the Gaza Strip on Saturday. The multi-pronged attack, coming a day after Israel marked the 50th anniversary of the surprise invasion on Yom Kippur, appeared to have caught the Israeli military and security forces completely by surprise. Other clips circulated online have purported to show Israeli civilians taken hostage by the terror group. Arabic media claimed 52 Israelis had been captured. Some of those captured appeared to have been killed.