to report «iusnews»; Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kana'ani said that ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip is not a war but genocide that has caused the deaths of thousands of Palestinians in the besieged enclave.
Reacted to a Saturday announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who blatantly claimed the Zionist regime has the most moral army in the world which does everything to avoid harm to non-combatants, Kana'ani published images of children killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip, and stressed that the “child-killing” Zionist regime is committing genocide in the besieged territory.
“These photos are just a very small example of the crimes committed by the criminal Zionist regime’s army in the Gaza Strip," the spokesperson wrote in a post on his official X account on Sunday.
“The Zionists’ crimes in Gaza amount to flagrant genocide," he added.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health has announced the number of people killed during Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 8,005. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of those killed are from vulnerable populations, including children, women and elderly people, according to the ministry’s report. More than 20,000 people have been injured, the ministry added.
The reported death toll includes 116 medical personnel, as many hospitals have been hit by military strikes. At least twelve hospitals and 32 primary care centers are out of service due to strikes or a lack of fuel.
Speaking at a Sunday session of the Iranian cabinet, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian also said the Palestinian resistance leaders have warned that the Israeli Army will be swallowed up in the quagmire of Gaza and suffer heavier casualties if the Zionist regime’s plan for ground incursion on the enclave continues.
“Despite the Zionist regime’s war machine operation under the political, media and security management of the US with the purpose of restoring the ruined reputation, the resistance current’s fighters still have the initiatives on the field,” he added.
The Israeli regime’s recent attempts to invade Gaza with a ground operation has ended in failure and resulted in heavy Israeli casualties, Amirabdollahian continued, adding, “According to the evaluation of the resistance leaders, if such conditions continue, Gaza will undoubtedly become a quagmire in which the Zionist military forces will go down.”
On October 7, Hamas launched a multi-pronged surprise military operation via land, sea and air. The group announced it was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians. The attacks have so far killed more than 1,400 and injured over 5,000, according to Israeli officials. Hamas also announced it is holding between at least 200 and 250 hostages.
Following the multi-front attack by Hamas, Israel carried out heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing more than 8,000 Palestinians, including at least 3,500 children and over 2,000 women, and wounding over 20,000 others, and levelling entire neighbourhoods.
Tel Aviv has ordered a "complete siege" of Gaza, saying it would halt its supply of electricity, food, water and fuel. Israel’s military has also ordered 1.1 million people living in Northern Gaza to evacuate their homes, amid signs it is set to ramp up its offensive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said in a televised address on Saturday night the Israeli military has launched the “second stage” of its war against Gaza, warning settlers to prepare for a long struggle ahead.
“We are only at the beginning of the road. The battle within the Gaza Strip will be difficult and long,” Netanyahu cautioned.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also stated on Saturday that Israel has “moved on to a new phase in the war”, adding that ground operations in Gaza will continue “until new orders are given”.
The bombing, as well as enforced displacement orders by the Israeli Army, has pushed 1.5 million people out of their homes.
The Gaza Health Ministry has confirmed that the healthcare system in the besieged territory has “totally collapsed due to the Israeli war”.
The UN agencies have warned that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is "catastrophic", calling for more international help as conditions deteriorate in the densely populated besieged enclave.
Iranian officials say the current status in West Asia resembled a powder keg which could spiral out of control. They caution that if diplomatic efforts to stop Israeli relentless bombardment and prevent a ground offensive on Gaza are unsuccessful, there is a risk of the conflict escalating uncontrollably, with multiple regional players joining the fight.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, where some 2 million people live in an area of 140 square miles. It has been almost completely cut off from the rest of the world for nearly 17 years. More than half of its population lives in poverty and is food insecure, with nearly 80% of its population relying on humanitarian assistance.
Tehran says the history of the apartheid regime is full of assassinations, massacre, torture and killing of Palestinian kids, and described Tel Aviv regime's atrocities and massacre of Palestinian women and children as indicative of the destitute of Zionists. Iranian officials say the Tel Aviv regime has been struggling for more than 70 years to exit its identity crisis which has been mixed with genocide, plunder, forced displacement and scores of other inhumane moves.
