US Rushes Aid To Israel As Hundreds Killed In Gaza

Israeli warplanes hammered the Gaza Strip neighbourhood by neighbourhood on Tuesday, reducing buildings to rubble and sending people scrambling to find safety in the tiny, sealed-off territory as Israel vowed a retaliation for Hamas’ surprise weekend attack.

Four days after Hamas launched a multi front attack, Israel’s military said Tuesday morning that it had regained control over areas the militant group attacked in its south, and of the Gaza border, as the Israeli death toll crossed 1,000. Israel pressed ahead with a fierce offensive of airstrikes in Gaza that has claimed 830 lives on the other side, resulted in 187,000 people fleeing their homes and caused widespread destruction. The US does not want to see

innocent civilians killed anywhere, including in Gaza and Israel, White House national security spokesman JohnKir by said on Tuesday as the first tranche of US security assistance headed to Israel. “What we’re focused on is making sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and to take action against Hamas as the first tranche of military assistance is on its way to Israel as we speak,” Kirby said in a CNN interview. President Joe Biden connected with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over a phone call to discuss “coordination to support Israel, deter hostile actors, and protect innocent people”. Biden was expected to outline actions speech following the call.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a meeting with Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in Moscow, accused the US of trying to monopolise efforts toward a resolution, putting pressure on both sides "without taking into account the fundamental interests of the Palestinians". He said an independent, sovereign Palestinian state was a necessity.