An Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced people in northern Gaza on Thursday killed at least 15 people, including five children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The Israeli military said the strike targeted dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants who had gathered at the school. The strike hit the Abu Hussein school in Jabaliya, an urban refugee camp in northern Gaza where Israel has been waging a major air and ground operation for more than a week. Israel pressured by UN and US to step up action to tackle Gaza's escalating humanitarian crisis Fares Abu Hamza, head of the ministry's emergency unit in northern Gaza, confirmed the toll and said dozens of people were wounded. He said the nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital was struggling to treat the casualties. "Many women and children are in critical condition,” he said. The military said it targeted a command center run by both militant groups inside the school. It provided a list of dozens of names of people it identified as militants who were present when the strike was called in. It was not immediately possible to verify the names.

As the conflict between Israel and Palestine intensifies, the residents of Gaza are enduring profound hardships. Amidst this escalating humanitarian crisis, international charities, including the Mastul Foundation’s Mastul Mehmankhana (Mega Kitchen) from Bangladesh, are stepping up to deliver crucial aid to those in need. Currently, approximately 1.5 million people in besieged Gaza face severe food scarcity. The Mastul Foundation has mobilized its Mega Kitchen in Palestine to alleviate this urgent issue. Despite numerous challenges, they are providing daily meals to 200-250 individuals, primarily orphaned children and widows, who are among the most affected. Dhaka seeks peace, effective steps to de-escalate Iran-Israel tension: Foreign Minister The gratitude expressed by the Palestinians has been overwhelming, according to a media release from the Foundation. Parents are especially relieved as the efforts ensure their children won't sleep hungry, at least for now, the release added, highlighting the acute worries about dwindling food supplies. Kazi Reaz Rahman, founder and executive director of Mastul Foundation, emphasized the ongoing nature of their mission. "While our current capacity allows us to prepare 200-250 meals daily, it's barely a drop in the ocean given the scale of the crisis. We are urgently calling for more funds to expand our operations," he stated. The Foundation's future plans include not only continuing food assistance but also enhancing medical logistics, providing educational opportunities for orphans, empowering widows, and improving sanitation and water facilities.  Bangladesh, Thailand nearing energy cooperation MOU: Nasrul Hamid Mastul Foundation appealed for support for their initiatives in Gaza during this critical time. More funding and resources are crucial to sustain and expand their humanitarian efforts in the region.

In a decisive statement released by the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday (February 07, 2024), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has clarified its stance to the United States regarding the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel. The Saudi Foreign Ministry articulated that such relations depend upon the recognition of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem serving as its capital. This announcement underscores the kingdom’s unwavering position on the Palestinian issue, emphasizing the necessity for the Palestinian people to secure their legitimate rights. Read more: ICJ should work to achieve its goal: Palestine Ambassador The statement further demanded an immediate cessation of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the area. This stance was conveyed amidst discussions on the Arab-Israeli peace process, particularly in response to comments attributed to the US National Security Spokesperson. Saudi Arabia also renewed its appeal to the permanent members of the UN Security Council, urging those who have not yet recognized the Palestinian state to do so promptly. The goal is to ensure that the Palestinian people attain their legitimate rights and to pave the way for a comprehensive and just peace for all parties involved. This development comes in the wake of White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby’s remarks on Tuesday, indicating optimistic signals that Saudi Arabia and Israel are open to continuing normalization discussions. The move would follow in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia’s Gulf neighbors, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which established diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords. Read more: Silencing Palestinian perspectives: CNN staff criticize network’s pro-Israel bias

In a striking revelation reported by the Guardian, CNN faces internal criticism and a growing backlash over its coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Journalists from CNN’s newsrooms, both in the United States and internationally, have raised concerns about the network’s editorial policies. These policies, they claim, have led to the dissemination of Israeli perspectives while marginalizing Palestinian voices in the coverage of the war in Gaza. The core of the discontent centers around the network’s handling of key events, particularly the October 7 Hamas massacre and Israel’s subsequent retaliatory attack on Gaza. One CNN staffer lamented, “The majority of news since the war began, regardless of how accurate the initial reporting, has been skewed by a systemic and institutional bias within the network toward Israel,” branding it as “journalistic malpractice.” According to detailed accounts from six CNN staff members and a review of over a dozen internal communications, the daily news output is heavily influenced by directives from CNN headquarters, the Guardian says. These directives have imposed strict guidelines on reporting, including significant restrictions on quoting Hamas and presenting Palestinian perspectives, while often uncritically broadcasting Israeli government statements. Read more: UN experts condemn killing, silencing of journalists in Gaza Mark Thompson, CNN’s new editor-in-chief and CEO, who assumed his role shortly after the October 7 incident, is at the heart of the controversy. Staffers express concern over Thompson’s history of yielding to external pressures in his previous position at the BBC, fearing a similar pattern at CNN. The coverage, as a result, has been criticized for disproportionately highlighting Israeli suffering and narratives, with a notable deficiency in reporting on the Palestinian civilian casualties and the devastation in Gaza. A particularly contentious point is the editorial process, where every story related to the conflict requires approval from the Jerusalem bureau, effectively filtering the content that reaches the public. This process has been condemned for introducing biases, as reports undergo modifications that detract from the Palestinian plight, according to some CNN journalists. Critics within the network have pointed out a notable imbalance, citing an early November directive by David Lindsay, senior director of news standards and practices, that limited the reporting of Hamas statements, labeling them as “inflammatory rhetoric and propaganda.” This contrasts starkly with the network’s approach to Israeli officials’ statements, which have been aired frequently and often without challenge. Amidst these editorial decisions, CNN’s coverage has been accused of utilizing a framework that implicitly justifies Israeli actions by continuously referencing the Hamas attack as the conflict’s “immediate cause.” This narrative, staff members argue, marginalizes other contexts and histories that are crucial for a balanced understanding of the conflict. The network’s spokesperson has defended CNN’s reporting, emphasizing the care taken to attribute claims across their coverage. However, the restrictions on foreign journalists’ access to Gaza, except under Israeli Defense Forces control, have further complicated efforts to present a balanced view, keeping the full impact of the war on Palestinians largely unseen on CNN and similar channels.  This internal critique of CNN’s coverage echoes past accusations of bias, reminiscent of the network’s approach post-9/11 and its coverage of the Afghan conflict. The current discontent among CNN staff highlights a deep-seated concern over journalistic integrity and the challenge of maintaining balanced reporting amidst external pressures and editorial mandates. Read more: Hamas shows signs of resurgence in parts of Gaza where Israeli troops largely withdrew weeks ago

Ambassador of Palestine to Bangladesh, Yousef S. Y. Ramadan, on Thursday said the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gives a sense of optimism for the Palestinians to be independent after 75 years of struggle. "It's the first step on the way. We can build upon this," he said while speaking at the DCAB Talk at Jatiya Press Club. BNP and Jamaat still haven’t uttered a single word against genocide in Palestine: Foreign Minister Responding to a question, Ambassador Ramadan said they should not just stop there. "No. We wanted to wait and see. We want to provide ICJ with the evidence that Israel did commit genocide. This is our duty. This is the duty of everyone," he said. PM Hasina denounces Israeli attacks on Palestine, calls for ending the war The envoy added, "That's what we need ....to continue. And ICJ should continue the work to achieve its goal. It should not just relax." The ambassador said they are extremely grateful to Bangladesh and South Africa for their role. Bangladesh supported the genocide case filed by South Africa with the ICJ. Creation of Palestine state urgent; US key actor in bringing this to reality: Dr Yunus Lauding Bangladesh's position, he said this was a very courageous move from Bangladesh. In the ICJ proceedings, South Africa contended that Israel is violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention with its military assault on Gaza, which began on October 8, 2023, after the attack by Hamas in Israel, which killed 1,200 people and wounded many more. Around 240 people were also taken hostage in the attack. During oral hearings earlier this month, Israel sought to have the case dismissed by the ICJ judges — a motion that was rejected last Friday (January 26). The landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) offers the first concrete hope to protect civilians in Gaza enduring apocalyptic humanitarian conditions, destruction, mass killing, wounding and irreparable trauma, UN experts said today. “The ruling is a significant milestone in the decades-long struggle for justice by the Palestinian people,” the experts said. The ICJ found it plausible that Israel’s acts could amount to genocide and issued six provisional measures, ordering Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent genocidal acts, including preventing and punishing incitement to genocide, ensuring aid and services reach Palestinians under siege in Gaza, and preserving evidence of crimes committed in Gaza. “We echo the sense of urgency demonstrated by the Court in its short, two-week deliberation, as hundreds of Palestinians, primarily women and children, are being killed by Israeli forces every day, resulting in a death toll of 26,751 people in Gaza over the past three months. This amounts to over 1% of the population,” they said. Ambassador Ramadan said that the international community is gradually abandoning Israel that has so far been enjoying impunity just because it is powerful. On January 30, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Britain is ready to bring forward the moment when it formally recognises a Palestinian state. He said Palestinians had to be given a political horizon to encourage peace in the Middle East, BBC reported. When his attention was brought to that, the ambassador said the UK should have been the first to recognise the Palestinian State because all the problems of Palestine were created because of British policy. He said US President Joe Biden is working very hard to find a solution but he should have done it much earlier. Ambassador Ramadan said the international community for long has ignored the Palestinians' issue just because Israel is powerful. "Israel is there fighting us. But who are the countries standing beside it? The powerful countries," he said. Ambassador Ramadan said he does not represent Hamas or Fattah but the Palestine Liberation Organization. “This is a very hot issue. Talk about this,” he said, expressing disappointment over the lack of unity among the Muslim countries while he referred to the unity in Europe. The ambassador said he never felt like a refugee during his nine-year stay in Bangladesh as he always received warmth and love from the people here. DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib and its General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu also spoke.

Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud has met Riyad al-Maliki, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Kampala, Uganda. Palestine Foreign Minister fondly recalled Bangabandhu’s unflinching support for the Palestine cause and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for carrying forward his legacy and firmly standing by the people of Palestine at this critical moment, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. Every country should take its responsibilities towards refugees very seriously: David Cameron Hasan Mahmud assured Foreign Minister al-Maliki of the continued support of the government and people of Bangladesh. Underscoring the profound need for a lasting and permanent solution to the Palestine issue, Hasan Mahmud committed to continue to extend necessary diplomatic and legal support and further humanitarian assistance to our brothers and sisters of Palestine. Dhaka, Delhi ties growing from strength to strength: Jaishankar Hasan Mahmud led the Bangladesh delegation to the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) that ended on Sunday. He will also lead the third South Summit of the G77 and China scheduled to be held on January 21-22. FM Hasan holds bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Nepal, Botswana, Belarus, Qatar, Indonesia Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Muhammad A Muhith and Bangladesh High Commissioner to Kenya and Uganda among others are accompanying the Foreign Minister.

Amid the delay in voting on the Gaza resolution at the UN Security Council, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination warned of hate speech and dehumanising discourse targeted at Palestinians, raising severe concerns regarding Israel’s and other State parties’ obligation to prevent crimes against humanity and genocide. In a decision adopted on Thursday under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures, the Committee said it is “gravely concerned about the resumption of the brutal hostilities in the occupied Gaza Strip on December 1 this year after a seven-day ‘pause’.” UN report says more than 570,000 people in Gaza are now 'starving' due to fallout from war It was deeply shocked by the intensified, brutal and indiscriminate Israeli bombardments from the air, land and sea all across the occupied Gaza Strip and the expansion of the Israeli military ground operation to the south of the occupied Gaza Strip, resulting in the killing of about 20,000 Palestinians. The catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the occupied Gaza Strip, it said, raised serious concerns regarding the obligation of Israel and other State parties to prevent crimes against humanity and genocide. Türkiye's Erdogan, Egypt's Sisi call for efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza It also expressed its grave concerns about the racist hate speech, incitement to violence and genocidal actions, as well as dehumanising rhetoric targeted at Palestinians since 7 October 2023 by Israeli senior government officials, Parliament members, politicians and public figures. The Committee also raised the alarm on the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in the past few weeks, including the increase in unlawful use of lethal force by the Israeli forces, violence by settlers, arbitrary arrests and detention of Palestinians. The Committee urged an immediate and sustained ceasefire in the occupied Gaza Strip. US is engaging in high-level diplomacy to avoid vetoing a UN resolution on critical aid for Gaza It called upon Israel and the State of Palestine to fully collaborate with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, in their investigations. Highly alarmed by the killing of at least 136 UN staff, the Committee asked Israel to grant access to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to document significant violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including those committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. The Committee urged all States parties to ensure that all those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as other international crimes in the ongoing armed conflicts are promptly brought to justice.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said It is time for all to unite as one world and demand the end of the conflict going on in Palestine. “Here, I express my profound concern at the tragic, inhuman existence of the hapless Palestinians in the face of merciless carnage. It is time for all of us to unite as one world and demand the end of the conflict,” she said. The prime minister made the call while addressing the 2nd Voice of the Global South Summit 2023, which is hosted by India in virtual platform, from her official residence Ganabhaban. She said that theme of the summit, “Together for Everyone’s Growth with Everyone’s Trust” is most timely as it flags the pressing issue world faces today, namely, "trust deficit.” “It is the trust deficit among nations and lack of respect for international law that have led to the ongoing war in Europe and the carnage in Palestine,” she said. Hasina mentioned that these conflicts call for an urgent need to create genuine trust and mutual respect among the warring nations and involved international actors. Make high-quality movies using modern technology: PM Hasina urges film industry “Our world is plagued with unbearable poverty, undesirable inequality, intolerable terrorism, and the catastrophic threat of climate change,” she said. In addition, she said, there have now appeared sanctions and counter sanctions, with new challenges and increasing hardship for the people of the Global South. “In this critical time, the world must unite as one and strengthen ‘Everyone’s Trust’ to achieve ‘Everyone’s Growth’,” she said. The PM opined that the Global South is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping our future although it is often vulnerable to various socio-economic challenges. “These need to be addressed by allowing more space and voice for the Global South to enable the creation of a more equitable and peaceful world based on Everyone’s Trust,” she added. She expressed Bangladesh’s commitment in this regard. She mentioned that Bangladesh stands ready to share with the Global South its experiences on achieving food security, free housing, community healthcare, women’s empowerment, and climate adaptation. She made some recommendations for the betterment of Global South and the world. Govt extends total cooperation for a free and fair national election: PMO  These are- First: As keen advocate of promoting peace, she believes it is vital to uphold global peace and stability for the overall well-being of humanity. “The Global South must maintain a united front against unilateral sanctions and counter-sanctions.” Second:  Women, as half of the global population, are crucial for the creation of inclusive and vibrant societies. “As the longest-serving female leader, I know for sure that empowering women is a strategic necessity for a brighter and more equitable future.” Third: All efforts are vital to limiting the global temperature to 1.5° Celsius. “Increased financing and the transfer of relevant technologies for climate adaptation to the Global South are imperative.” Fourth, The Global South as major manpower-exporting countries, should streamline migration in the development process to offer a better life to all and to contribute to economic growth in both host and home countries. PM Hasina declares 11 more districts having no one without land and home Fifth, LDCs are facing various economic challenges resulting from COVID-19 and conflicts in parts of the world. “I urge here the continuation of duty, quota-free access, and other facilities for a good period for graduating LDCs and after their graduation.” Finally, she stressed the importance of South-South and Triangular Cooperation for the promotion of global human development. “I also urge development partners, international financial institutions, and stakeholders to generously support the Global South for a better future.” India is hosting the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit on Friday in a virtual format, in what will be the second time since January this year. The Inaugural Leaders’ Session was chaired by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The theme of the Inaugural Leaders’ Session is “Together, for Everyone’s Growth, with Everyone’s Trust” and that of the Concluding Leaders’ Session is “Global South: Together for One Future”. According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs the 2nd summit would focus on sharing with countries of the Global South the key outcomes achieved in various G20 meetings over the course of India’s Presidency. The challenges posed by global developments are also likely to be discussed. Further, the summit will serve as a platform to discuss ways to sustain the momentum generated towards our common aspiration of a more inclusive, representative and progressive world order, it said. According to MEA, the 2nd summit will be structured into 10 sessions. In addition, there will be eight Ministerial Sessions, with the following themes: Foreign Ministers’ Session on “India & the Global South: Emerging Together for a Better Future”, Education Ministers’ Session on “Making Human Resources Future Ready”, Finance Ministers’ Session on “Financing People-Centric Development”, Environment Ministers’ Session on “Sustainable Solutions for Climate Resilience and Climate Finance”. It will also include Foreign Ministers’ Session on “Global South and One Development”, Energy Ministers’ Session on “Affordable & Inclusive Energy Transition for Sustainable Development”, Health Ministers’ Session on “Solutions from the Global South for One Health” and Commerce / Trade Ministers’ Session on “Global South & Resilient Supply Chains”. The eight ministerial sessions will include two Foreign Ministers’ Sessions; one Ministerial session each of Education, Finance, Environment, Energy, Health & Commerce Ministers and a Concluding Leaders’ Session in the evening. The theme for the first Voice of Global South Summit was “Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose” and had a total of 10 sessions.

Israeli forces severed northern Gaza from the rest of the besieged territory and pounded it with intense airstrikes overnight into Monday, setting the stage for an expected push into the dense confines of Gaza City and an even bloodier phase of the month-old war. Already, the Palestinian death toll passed 10,000, the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Monday. The ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. Some 1,400 Israelis have died, mostly civilians killed in the Oct. 7 incursion by Hamas that started the war. The figures mark a grim milestone in what has quickly become the deadliest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence since Israel's establishment 75 years ago, with no end in sight as Israel vows to remove Hamas from power and crush its military capabilities. Jordan airdrops medical supplies to Gaza hospital Casualties are only likely to rise as the war turns to close urban combat. Troops are expected to enter Gaza City soon, Israeli media reported, and Palestinian militants who have had years to prepare are likely to fight street by street, launching ambushes from a vast network of tunnels. "We're closing in on them," said Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli military spokesman. "We've completed our encirclement, separating Hamas strongholds in the north from the south." The military said it struck 450 targets overnight and ground troops took over a Hamas compound. A one-way corridor for residents to flee south remains available for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who remain in Gaza City and other parts of the north, according to the military. Some 1.5 million Palestinians, or around 70% of Gaza's population, have fled their homes since the war began. Food, medicine, fuel and water are running low, and U.N.-run schools-turned-shelters are beyond capacity. Many people are sleeping on the streets outside. Mobile phone and internet service went down overnight, the third territory-wide outage since the start of the war, but was gradually restored on Monday. Aid workers say the outages make it even harder for civilians to seek safety or call ambulances. Israel has so far rejected U.S. suggestions for a pause in fighting to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries and the release of some of the estimated 240 hostages seized by Hamas in its raid. Israel has also dismissed calls for a broader cease-fire from increasingly alarmed Arab countries — including Jordan and Egypt, which made peace with it decades ago. After days of intense diplomacy around the Middle East, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his tour of the region on Monday, saying efforts to secure a humanitarian pause, negotiate the release of hostages and plan for a post-Hamas Gaza were still "a work in progress" without pointing to any concrete achievements. Israeli warplanes hit refugee camps in Gaza while UN agencies call siege an 'outrage' The war has also stoked wider tensions, with Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group trading fire along the border. In another sign of growing unrest, a Palestinian man stabbed and wounded two members of Israel's paramilitary Border Police in east Jerusalem before being shot dead, according to police and an Associated Press reporter at the scene. Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with Gaza and the West Bank, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for a future state. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized by most of the international community and considers the entire city its capital. In northern Gaza, a Jordanian military cargo plane air-dropped medical aid to a field hospital, King Abdullah II said early Monday. It appeared to be the first such airdrop of the war, raising the possibility of another avenue for aid delivery besides Egypt's Rafah crossing, which has so far been the only entry point. Over 450 trucks carrying aid have been allowed to enter Gaza from Egypt since Oct. 21. But humanitarian workers say the aid that has come through the Rafah crossing is insufficient to meet mounting needs in the territory, which is home to some 2.3 million Palestinians. The crossing was closed on Saturday and Sunday because of a dispute among Israel, Egypt and Hamas. But it reopened Monday for the evacuation of patients and foreign passport holders, according to Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority. Northern Gaza is facing a severe water shortage, as there is no fuel to pump from municipal wells and Israel shut off the region's main line. The U.N. office for humanitarian affairs said seven water facilities across Gaza were struck over the last two days and sustained "major damage," raising the risk of sewage flooding. Israel has restored two water pipelines in central and southern Gaza, the U.N. said. Protest marches from US to Berlin call for immediate halt to Israeli bombing of Gaza Some 800,000 people have heeded Israeli military orders to flee to southern Gaza. Some 2,000 people, many carrying only what they could hold in their arms, walked down Gaza's main north-south highway on Sunday. "The children saw tanks for the first time. Oh world, have mercy on us," said one Palestinian man, who declined to give his name. But Israeli bombardments have continued across the territory, and strikes in central and southern Gaza — the purported safe zone — killed dozens of people on Sunday. Israel blames civilian casualties on Hamas, accusing the militants of operating in residential neighborhoods. After another strike Monday, in the southern town of Khan Younis, men dug through the rubble with sledgehammers and their bare hands. A young boy caked in dust screamed as he was rolled onto a stretcher and carried away. At least two people were killed, according to an AP reporter at the scene. Earlier Monday, Palestinians held a mass funeral for 66 people outside a hospital in the central town of Deir al-Balah. The bodies were wrapped in white sheets on the ground outside the hospital morgue. A man with bandages wrapped around his head placed his hand on a child's body and wept. The Health Ministry said that 10,022 people have been killed in Gaza, including over 4,100 children and 2,600 women. Meanwhile, four civilians were killed by an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in south Lebanon late Sunday, including three children, a local civil defense official and state-run media reported. The Israeli military said it was reviewing the strike, after initially saying it had struck Hezbollah targets following anti-tank fire that killed an Israeli civilian. Hezbollah said it fired Grad rockets into Israel in response. In the overnight strikes in Gaza, the Israeli military said it had killed a senior Hamas militant, identified as Jamal Mussa, who had allegedly carried out a shooting attack against Israeli soldiers in Gaza in 1993. It said 30 Israeli troops have been killed since the ground offensive began over a week ago. Hamas and other militants have continued firing rockets into Israel, disrupting daily life even as most are intercepted or fall in open areas. Tens of thousands of Israelis have evacuated from communities near the volatile borders with Gaza and Lebanon.

Since Israel activated the Iron Dome in 2011, the cutting-edge rocket-defense system has intercepted thousands of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. The system has given residents a sense of security, and Israelis can often be seen watching the projectiles flying through the skies and destroying their targets overhead. But the current war with Gaza's militant Hamas group might be its stiffest challenge yet. Pro-Palestinian activists occupy international court entry, demanding action against Israeli leader In just two weeks, Hamas has fired 7,000 rockets toward Israel, according to the Israeli military. That is more than any of the previous four wars fought between Israel and Hamas since the militant group seized power in Gaza in 2007. On Oct. 7 alone, the first day of fighting, Hamas launched at least 2,000 rockets, according to data from West Point. Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group has also fired hundreds of rockets along Israel's northern front since the fighting began. Most of the rockets have been intercepted. But some have managed to get through, killing at least 11 people and hitting buildings as far away as Tel Aviv, according to Israeli officials. Here is a look at the accomplishments — and limitations — of the Iron Dome. Second aid convoy reaches Gaza as Israel attacks targets in Syria and occupied West Bank HOW DOES THE IRON DOME WORK? The Iron Dome is a series of batteries that use radars to detect incoming short-range rockets and intercept them. Each battery has three or four launchers, 20 missiles, and a radar, according to Raytheon, the U.S. defense giant that co-produces the system with Israel's Rafael Defense Systems. Once the radar detects a rocket, the system determines whether the rocket is headed toward a populated area. If so, it launches a missile to intercept and destroy the rocket. If the system determines the rocket is headed to an open area or into the sea, it is allowed to land, thus conserving missiles. According to the military, all interceptions occur in Israeli airspace. The military declined to comment on how many Iron Dome batteries are currently deployed. But as of 2021, Israel had 10 batteries scattered around the country, each able to defend a territory of 60 square miles (155 square kilometers), according to Raytheon. Little light, no beds, not enough anesthesia: A view from the 'nightmare' of Gaza's hospitals The Iron Dome is part of a larger multi-layer air-defense system that includes the Arrow, which intercepts long-range ballistic missiles, and also David's Sling, which intercepts medium-range missiles such as those believed to be possessed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both systems, like the Iron Dome, were jointly developed with the United States. Israel is also developing a laser-based system called the Iron Beam that it says will be able to intercept rockets and other short-range threats at a fraction of the cost of the Iron Dome. Israel says that system, developed with U.S. funding, has not yet been deployed. HOW ACCURATE IS THE IRON DOME? It is roughly 90% effective, according to Rafael. But it can get overwhelmed if a mass barrage of rockets is fired, allowing some to slip through. While it has performed well so far, the risk could be raised if Hezbollah enters the war. Hezbollah has an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles. HOW EXPENSIVE IS THE SYSTEM? Each missile costs an estimated $40,000 to $50,000, according to the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. The U.S. has invested heavily in the system, helping with development costs and replenishing it during times of fighting. Israel plans to step up attacks on the Gaza Strip President Joe Biden has said he will ask Congress for $14.3 billion in military aid for Israel. The majority of that would help with air and missile defense systems, according to the White House. "We're surging additional military assistance, including ammunition and interceptors to replenish Iron Dome," Biden said. Journalists in Gaza wrestle with issues of survival in addition to getting stories out