Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC 20240703 : comparemela.com

Into Southern Israel from gaza on saturday. Efforts are under way to recover the bodies of those killed by the attacks. The death toll in israel has reached 1,000. The Health Ministry in gaza says that 900 palestinians have now been killed during israels recent air strikes, with around half of those women and children. President joe biden has described the attack as an act of sheer evil. He confirmed 14 americans were killed and pledged full us support to israel. Well examine all those developments, but first, lets go on the ground to kfar aza israel where the bbc� s jeremy bowen has been reporting on the bodies recovered from attacks there. A warning you may find some of the images in his report distressing. The first few days of war at this small Israeli Community called kfar aza are a microcosm is israel . Trauma and a glimpse of what might come next. Israeli troops only ceased back full control of the kibbutz this morning. It is one of a series of small israeli villages against the gaza wire. When we arrived, they were still firing on houses across on the gaza side. Israeli soldiers started they are sold here at around six oclock on saturday evening, i2 here at around six oclock on saturday evening, 12 hours or so after hamas attacked, and during that day hamas carried out a massacre. Kfar aza was taken by surprise like everywhere else kfar hamas attacks. The Kibbutz Guard Civilian volunteers died fighting back. Dead hamas gunmen are decomposing where they were killed. The evidence is that they stormed through the kibbutz killing families including babies. 0nly the kibbutz killing families including babies. Only this morning could israeli troops finish recovering all the Civilians Hamas killed. They have just Civilians Hamas killed. They have just jihad Civilians Hamas killed. They have just Jihad Machine Civilians Hamas killed. They have just Jihad Machine to i Civilians Hamas killed. They l have just Jihad Machine to kill havejustJihad Machine to kill everybody without have justJihad Machine to kill everybody without defence, without nothing, just normal citizens that want to take their breakfast and thats all. And they cut some of their heads. It is a dreadful thing to see. It is very difficult to see it. But we must remember who is the enemy and what is the mission. 0ur who is the enemy and what is the mission. Our mission is just us and we are on the right side and all the world needs to be behind us. The side and all the world needs to be behind us. Side and all the world needs to be behind us. The woman under this cover. Be behind us. The woman under this cover, another be behind us. The woman under this cover, another officer this cover, another officer said, was decapitated. They said, was decapitated. They said they killed her in her front garden. Even for experienced soldiers, fighting their way back in against a determined enemy was hard going. How difficult was the fighting . Going. How difficult was the fiuuhtin . , going. How difficult was the fiuuhtin . ,. ,. , fighting . You cannot imagine. Have ou fighting . You cannot imagine. Have you ever fighting . You cannot imagine. Have you ever had fighting . You cannot imagine. Have you ever had to fighting . You cannot imagine. Have you ever had to do have you ever had to do anything like this before as a soldier . ,. , ~ anything like this before as a soldier . ,. , ~ , soldier . No, not like this. What happens soldier . No, not like this. What happens next . Soldier . No, not like this. | what happens next . What soldier . No, not like this. What happens next . What you do next . What does do next . I dont know. I will do what they tell me to do. I will do. I hope that we will go inside. Into gaza . Yes. That is going to be tough . Into gaza . Yes. That is going to be tough . We into gaza . Yes. That is going to be tough . We are into gaza . Yes. That is going to be tough . Yes. We are ready for it. To be tough . Yes. We are ready for it the to be tough . Yes. We are ready for it. The bodies of to be tough . 133 we are ready for it. The bodies of the dead israeli civilians will have to be identified. Their murder was without Doubt A War Crime but what about the Palestinian Civilians israel is killing in attacks on hamas . As you know, all armies have obligations under the laws of war to protect civilian life, even in war zones. Are you doing this, with this level of air strikes that are going on at the moment and any Ground Operation that might happen . Im and any Ground Operation that might happen . And any Ground Operation that might happen . Im sure that we fiuht for might happen . Im sure that we fight for our might happen . Im sure that we fight for our value might happen . Im sure that we fight for our value and might happen . Im sure that we fight for our value and our fight for our value and our culture all our life. And you fight with value and you keep your value in the same time and i know that we will be very aggressive and very strong, but we keep our moral and our value. We are is rarely, we are jewish and, you know, war is a very difficult territory, a lot of problems, people that stay in the battlefield suffer a lot. You can see what is happening here but we come to kill the enemy not the civilians. Kill the enemy not the civilians. �. ,. , civilians. But in only a few da s civilians. But in only a few days israel civilians. But in only a few days israel has civilians. But in only a few days israel has inflicted i days israel has inflicted immense damage in gaza. They have cut off supplies of food, water and power and killed hundreds of civilians. Palestinian suffering, israel says, is the responsibility of hamas. Israel has already been accused of breaking the laws of war and that will get louder as more Palestinian Civilians are wounded and killed. At kfar aza, the israeli troops are thinking of what is next. Perhaps a Ground Invasion of gaza. It was tough enough for the israelis to come in recapture this area, the small border communities. It is a different order of challenge to cross the wire, to get into gaza, potentially to fight house to house a time when hamas will have made it plans and will be waiting. Some of these are moving north in case more stars with the powerful Military Dummett militia back via iran make. Why it insists it must break go to and it points to the danger and uncertainty ahead. Jeremy bowen, bbc news, kfaraza. Lets show you live pictures from gaza city now. Its 5 00 in the morning there. As you can see it is still dark. 0n the situation in gaza, the eus Foreign Policy chief, josep borrell, has said that while israel has the right to defend itself, its actions must stay within International Law. He said that some actions such as cutting electricity and food for civilians in gaza would be in breach of International Law. He said not all palestinians were terrorists, and collective punishment would be unfair. Getting in and out of gaza is almost impossible. The borders are sealed, but the bbc has a rare insight into the situation on the ground, with our correspondent, rushdi abu alouf. Hes lived there his entire life and has reported on the conflict for decades. He sent this update from gaza strip. Very quickly, we can see the scale of destruction in this neighbourhood. Its called rimal neighbourhood. Its the economic hub for gaza that has been completely targeted yesterday. Many buildings were destroyed. Behind me is the Ii Storey Building that was knocked down two days ago, but the destruction in this area has been targeted quite recently, last night. Israel has said they carried out 200 air strikes, targeting the hamas infrastructure. In fact, they hit many buildings, government buildings, belonging to the hamas run authority, but look to the scale of destruction in the area and how civilian homes were completely affected and some of them were completely destroyed. Translation i lost everything. My house, my shop has been destroyed completely. Where do we go . We have become homeless. This gentleman just told us we have to leave the area, because it seems the israelis are warning residents of the area that they should leave, they are going to target another building in the area. But look at the scale of destruction. This is happening overnight, with israelis targeting houses, shops, ministries, mosques, everything. The whole neighbourhood was levelled to zero. This is one of the most important economic hubs for gaza, where, as you can see, most of the shops were damaged, houses were damaged, the infrastructure, the street. This is the street that leads to the southern part of the city. Its completely blocked. President joe biden described the mass killing of israeli civilians by hamas as an act of sheer evil. After speaking to israels Prime Minister, benjamin netanyahu, mr biden said he would make sure the country got everything it needed, including extra ammunition and air defence missiles. The United States as israels back. Will make sure thejewish and today tomorrow, as we always have. It is as simple as that. Always have. It is as simple as that. ,. , that. These atrocities sickening. That. These atrocities sickening. We that. These atrocities sickening. We are that. These atrocities sickening. We are with | that. These atrocities sickening. We are with israel no mistake. The State Department announced Secretary Of State Antony Blinken will travel to israel on wednesday. He will also visitjordan. This comes as the uss Gerald R Ford Carrier Strike strike group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean in support of israel. The Israeli Military also says that the first plane carrying american ammunition has arrived in the country. Speaking to the bbc, the White House National Security Council spokesman, john kirby, said the us was helping israel defend itself. We wa nt we want to make sure that support will help them better defend themselves and to go after these Hamas Terrorists where they are and to affect their ability to continue to conduct terrorist attacks. That is the main purpose is giving israel the capabilities that they need to better defend their citizens. Nobody wants to see any more innocent civilian life lost and certainly, hamas, is responsible for the civilian life lost here. The slaughter, the butchery of innocent israeli civilians. Nobody wants to see civilian life thrown away that way and wonder of the great things and the president talked about this in his speech one of the great things about our relationship with israel as we are to make vibrant democracies and respect human life and the rule of law and we respect the need to observe the law of war specifically. The president talked about that. So, again, we do not want to see any more innocent life taken, but we also recognise that what has been visited upon the israeli people isjust horrific. The numbers are approaching 1,000 deaths and thatis approaching 1,000 deaths and that isjust dead. Approaching 1,000 deaths and that is just dead. Let alone the thousands more wounded by this butchery and we know they are going to be prosecuting this aggressively. We understand given the circumstances they decide to do that. We obviously do not want to see again any more innocent life taken here. Earlier, my colleague Sumi Somaskanda spoke to michael 0ren, former ambassador of israel to the us about President Biden� s remarks. Thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news. We have heard that us President Biden and israeli Prime Minister netanyahu have held a phone call. The us says it is searching Military Assistance to israel. What role do you think the us should be playing right now . Are you happy with the level of support you are seeing . The level of support you are seeinu . The level of support you are seeina . ,. ,. ,. , the level of support you are seeina . ,. ,. ,. , the level of support you are seeinu . ,. ,. ,. ,. , seeing . Great to hear from you. I want to seeing . Great to hear from you. I want to say seeing . Great to hear from you. I want to say as seeing . Great to hear from you. I want to say as an seeing . Great to hear from you. I want to say as an historian i want to say as an historian who has researched the history of the us relationship is someone who has been involved in that relationship at senior level for many, many years, i have never heard a speech like President Bidenjust have never heard a speech like President Biden just gave at the white house and the president , and the presence of Vice President harris and Secretary Of State lincoln. I have never heard anything like it. Go back to president nixon in the early 1970s, even president johnson in the 60s, it was unequivocal support for the state of israel. Categorical condemnation of hamas terror and basically given israel a green light to proceed with this operation, which is very likely to involve a Ground Operation into gaza, with all of the complexities involved in that. The president even seemed to anticipate the International Condemnation of israel, as that Operation Proceeds by saying at the end of the day Israeli Forces operate according to the rule of law as to american forces, hamas does not. I of law as to american forces, hamas does not. Hamas does not. I ust want develops hamas does not. I ust want develops a h hamas does not. I ust want develops a beat hamas does not. Ijust want develops a beat secretary. Hamas does not. Ijust want| develops a beat Secretary Of State Antony Blinken is also according to state Department Going to be visiting israel in the coming days. What you think that shows . That shows . How significant is that . Very that shows . How significant is that . Very significant. That . Very significant. Everything was significant. The president basic look American Power at the disposal of israels defence. He is actually not a spoken about this he has moved enabled forces from the six fleet closer to the lebanese coast. He has i think quoting the Aircraft Carrier forward, he has i think quoting the Aircraft Carrierforward, he has moved elements of the fifth fleet through the straits of hormuz, that is obviously demonstrating opposite hezbollah and opposite iran. And again his warning was clear that the president said that no state should think that they can join state should think that they canjoin in the state should think that they can join in the fight against israel. And he said and something i did not expect him to say he basically said that American Navalforces to say he basically said that American Naval forces would to say he basically said that American Navalforces would use power, would use theirforce, my assumption was they would maybe participate in Missile Defence against israel that this was something very, very different. I this was something very, very different. This was something very, very different. ,. ,. , different. I ust want to ump in there. I different. I just want to ump in there, because i different. I just want to ump in there, because you b different. I just want to jump in there, because you talk. In there, because you talk about the likeliness of a Ground Offensive now from israel and you talk about the complexities that that involves and the possibility International Condemnation. We know there are more than 4 million civilians living in the gaza strip and just today the eu Foreign Policy chief said basically that the eu opposes a total siege of gaza and said israel can defend itself but it has to follow International Law. Cutting food and electricity is not in line with international what you say to that . I international what you say to that . ,. , international what you say to that . ,. , that . I say that it is in conflict that . I say that it is in conflict with that . I say that it is in i conflict with International Law. During world war ii the United States cut off every source of electricity and elements to nazi germany and to imperialjapan. We are in