Rescuers say halting work in north Gaza after Israel threats

GAZA CITY

Gaza's civil defense agency said on Thursday that it can no longer provide first responder services in the north of the territory, accusing Israeli forces of threatening to "bomb and kill" its crews.

Since Oct. 6, the Israeli military has mounted a sweeping air and land assault on north Gaza, initially focused on the Jabalia area, describing it as an operation aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping.

"We are unable to provide humanitarian services to citizens in the northern governorate of the Gaza Strip due to threats from Israeli occupation forces, who have threatened to kill and bomb our teams if they remain inside Jabalia camp," said Mahmud Bassal, the agency's spokesman.

First responders had been "targeted" on several occasions, leaving "several members injured, and others are left bleeding on the streets with no one able to rescue them", he said.

His statement came after the World Health Organization announced that it was forced to postpone the last phase of the polio vaccination drive in Gaza due to "intense bombardment" and "escalating violence" in the north.

The second round of vaccinations was due to begin in the north of the Gaza Strip on Oct. 23, after having already been completed in the central and southern sections of the besieged Palestinian territory.

Several media reports said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is examining a plan to seal off humanitarian aid to northern Gaza in an attempt to starve out Hamas militants, a plan that, if implemented, could trap without food or water hundreds of thousands of Palestinians unwilling or unable to leave their homes.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that Israel aims to "empty" the Gaza Strip of Palestinians, especially in the northern part.

"This is part of a plan to empty the territory of its people, especially now in northern Gaza where the occupation forces are resorting to starving the population there,” Abbas said in a speech to members of the BRICS group.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks yesterday in Qatar, a key mediator in the Gaza war, as he seeks to build momentum for a ceasefire after Israel's killing of the leader of Hamas.

After meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Blinken flew to Saudi Arabia and then Qatar, where he will seek assessments of where Hamas stands on a truce.

Blinken "discussed renewed efforts to secure the release of the hostages and end the war in Gaza" with the Gulf state's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the State Department said.

He later went into talks with Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, with whom he will hold a joint news conference.