Dramatic footage from Egypt’s New York embassy shows Hamas supporters beaten by security, sparking global attention amid protests. Israel is set for Gaza City offensive amid worldwide condemnations, mediation efforts and mounting warnings.
A dramatic footage from outside the Egyptian Embassy in New York is circulating on X, showing security personnel dragging two Hamas supporters inside the mission, beating them, and later handing them over to police. The incident comes amid a wave of violent protests held outside Egyptian embassies worldwide against Cairo’s stance on Gaza.
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Global Outcry Over Israel’s Gaza Plan
The video of clashes emerges amid growing anger over Israel’s approval of a military plan to seize Gaza City and expand illegal settlements in the West Bank’s E1 area. Leaders worldwide have condemned the move, warning of catastrophic humanitarian fallout.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the plan a ‘dangerous escalation’ that would trigger more deaths, displacement, and destruction, while urging an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and reversal of settlement expansion. French President Emmanuel Macron warned it risked plunging the region into a “cycle of permanent war.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the E1 settlement plan would ‘critically undermine’ a two-state solution, while Germany questioned how such actions would help free hostages or secure peace.
Israel’s Military Offensive In Gaza
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz approved plans to launch fresh operations in Gaza City’s densely populated areas, mobilising 60,000 reservists and extending the service of 20,000 more. Human rights groups warn of worsening famine, displacement, and civilian deaths.
An Israeli military official said the offensive would involve ‘precise and targeted’ strikes. However, reports from Gaza show entire neighbourhoods in ruins, with artillery flattening homes and civilians killed even inside so-called safe zones. At least 35 Palestinians, including aid seekers, died in strikes on Wednesday alone.
Al Jazeera reported the story of a father in al-Mawasi who lost his children in an overnight strike on a tent where they were sleeping. Residents fear Israel’s push to capture Gaza City will displace hundreds of thousands into overcrowded zones.
Mediation and rising pressure
Mediation efforts by Qatar and Egypt, backed by the US, propose a 60-day truce, a staged exchange of prisoners, and wider humanitarian aid. While Hamas says it is open to talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly commit.
The humanitarian crisis deepens: since October 7, 2023, Israel’s war has killed at least 62,064 Palestinians and injured over 156,000, while Hamas’s attack left 1,139 Israelis dead and more than 200 taken hostage. International criticism of Israel’s war strategy and domestic pressure on Netanyahu continue to mount.
(With inputs from agencies)