Everything About the Israel-Gaza Conflict & Singapore’s Response to It

In case you haven’t heard the news yet, Israel and Gaza are in some serious conflict right now.

Hamas, a militant group in Gaza, launched a surprise attack on Israel, which has led to much death and destruction in the area.

The conflict started early on Saturday in Israel’s time and has left the nation scrambling to respond to the surprise attacks.

It’s always sad when countries are in serious conflict with each other because innocent civilians are usually the ones who are hurt the most.

Is it not enough that Russia and Ukraine are battling each others’ guts?

Now we have another two countries who look set to fight each other to the death.

With heavy hearts, we share more about what is happening in Israel and Gaza. Singapore has also since responded to the conflict.

Israel and Gaza Are in Serious Conflict; Surprise Attack Occurred Yesterday

The breaking news that you need to know is that Israel and Gaza are engaged in bitter conflict right now.

And by the looks of it, the conflict will only escalate with more deaths and casualties.

It’s a situation of an eye for an eye as both sides retaliate after suffering losses.

This tragic and horrendous situation started when Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, launched a surprise attack on Israel yesterday (7 October 2023).

The operation, called Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, was launched when a barrage of rockets and other weapons were fired from Gaza into Israel in the early morning of Saturday (Israel time).

But the attack was not just limited to attacks through the air. It was also coupled with land invasion at dawn.

Invasion by sea also occurred, with motorboats carrying fighters into Israeli coastal towns.

Needless to say, the surprise comprehensive attack took Gaza by surprise.

After all, the attack occurred on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. People were probably expecting festivities and celebrations instead of blood and death.

While the death and casualty count is constantly rising, there have been at least 300 reported deaths of Israelis, according to Axios, quoting health authorities on the ground.

Over 200 Palestinians have also lost their lives because of this conflict.

For those who are unaware, this conflict is terrible because the last serious conflict that Israel had to deal with was in 1973 when it was again invaded by surprise.

In response to the surprise attack, CNN reported that the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, declared that his country is now “at war” with Gaza militants.

Israel also vowed to take “mighty vengeance” for the wicked deeds of the invaders.

Militants Are Taking Women and Children as Captives

Apart from bombing, burning and fighting, the invaders into Gaza’s lands are also apparently taking hostages.

In particular, women and children are being targeted by the militants as hostages.

How brutal.

CNN reported that an Israeli man saw his wife and daughter being kidnapped in a video showing how the conflict was unfolding on the ground.

The man, Yoni Asher, spoke to CNN, saying that he recognised his wife being herded onto a truck by Hamas militants.

He has since identified that his wife is near the Gaza border, based on his tracking of her phone (which showed Gaza as the location).

Asher’s wife reportedly holds German citizenship, and Asher has reached out to the German government for assistance.

We sure hope that family is eventually rescued and reunited.

Singapore Has Responded to the Issue Saying No Singaporeans Are Harmed So Far

In an attack of this scale, it is impossible that foreign nationals are not impacted by the conflict.

They could be collateral damage caught in the crossfire.

Or they may have stronger ties to the locals, such as through marriage or work.

Thankfully, no Singaporeans have been reported to be caught in the crossfires.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) released a statement yesterday (7 October 2023), saying that there are “currently no reports of any Singaporeans affected”.

It also advised Singaporeans in Israel to “stay near protected places and avoid unnecessary travel”.

Furthermore, these individuals at heightened risk of attack should “be on high alert and monitor the news closely”.

They should also heed the instructions of local authorities and take necessary precautions for their personal safety.

For those who are planning to travel to Israel, the MFA suggests that they “avoid all travel to the south of Israel” and should e-register with the MFA if they intend to travel to Israel.

Here’s hoping that it continues to be the case that no Singaporeans are affected by the conflict.

Apart from providing a status update on the safety of Singaporeans in Israel and providing travel advisories, Singapore also indicated its stance on the conflict.

The MFA revealed that it “strongly condemns the rocket and terror attacks from Gaza on Israel, which have resulted in deaths and injuries of many innocent civilians”.

The institution sent their condolences to the victims, saying that their “thoughts are with the families of the victims”.

The MFA also urged for the conflict to be put to an end, expressing that the MFA calls “for an immediate end to the violence and urge all sides to do their utmost to protect the safety and security of civilians”.

This stance is quite expected, given that Singapore is small and any invasion by foreign countries could greatly devastate our tiny island.

As this story is unfolding very quickly, it is sure to be a story that we’re keeping our eyes on.