WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has been flying surveillance drones over Gaza in search of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, two American officials stated on Thursday.
Reuters reported that the two US officials told the media on the condition of anonymity that the US was flying surveillance drones on Gaza to help with hostage location efforts. One of the officials maintained that the US had been flying the drones for over a week.
Israeli army on Thursday encircled Gaza City in its attack on the Gaza Strip while Hamas resisted with attacks from underground tunnels.
Palestine-Israel War: US Flying Surveillance Drones on Gaza
Amnesty International’s Donatella Rovera said that probes into four incidents on October 10, 11, 16 and 17 in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon have shown that Israeli military used white phosphorus as a weapon against people in civilian areas.
“The incidents that took place increase concern as white phosphorus has been used by Israeli army in the past with devastating consequences for the civilians,” Rovera stated.
Read Also: Amnesty International Conforms Israeli Army Used White Phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon
She said that this was something that must never be used in region where there are civilian population. She further said that they have seen that the white phosphors have been used in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon and it should not happen again.
Earlier, UN experts called on Thursday for a humanitarian truce in Gaza, adding time was running out for Palestinians there who find themselves at “grave risk of genocide.”
About four weeks of barbaric Israeli bombing against the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 have martyred over 9,000 people including women and children, health officials in Gaza said.
