3,300 year-old Rafah city 'wiped off the map' by Israel's ethnic cleansing campaign

Palestinian authorities in Gaza have released alarming figures on the starving civilians killed by Israeli live fire while waiting in line for humanitarian aid.

The Palestinian authorities condemned the regime forces’ ongoing attacks on Palestinians seeking aid across the territory.

Gaza’s Government Media Office said approximately 580 Palestinians have been killed and over 4200 others injured as a result of Israeli attacks on civilians seeking aid.

It held Israel and its allies, particularly the US, the UK, France, and Germany, legally and morally responsible for supporting the systematic extermination of civilians in Gaza.

The office also urged the international community to pressure Israel to open Gaza’s crossings, lift its blockade, and allow the immediate entry of humanitarian aid before it is too late.

The new revelation came after Israeli media reported that soldiers have deliberately shot at unarmed Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza after being “ordered” to do so by their commanders.

UN agencies have also condemned the so-called US-Israeli food distribution system in Gaza, calling it a death trap.

Researchers have found that almost 100,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

The figure was published in a new study led by University of London economist Professor Michael Spagat and Palestinian political scientist Khalil Shikaki, who surveyed 2,000 households in the besieged Gaza, comprising almost 10,000 people.

The researchers concluded that, as of January 2025, some 75,200 people died a violent death in Gaza during the Israeli aggression, the vast majority caused by Israeli munitions, along with 8,540 killed via a non-violent death.

Since January, more than 10,000 people have also been reported killed by the Gaza Health Ministry, bringing the combined fatality count to nearly 100,000.

The new death toll shows that the Gaza Health Ministry understates the true scale of the crisis caused by the Israeli aggression, compounded by hunger, disease, and gunfire at food distribution centers

Mangaluru, July 6: MLC Ivan D’Souza has urged the Karnataka government to convene a Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru, calling it crucial to address long-pending developmental and administrative issues in the coastal districts of the state.

Speaking to the media, D’Souza pointed out that the government has already conducted Cabinet meetings in Chamarajanagar, Nandi Hills, and Kalaburagi, with the next session scheduled in Vijayapura. He said it's high time the coastal belt — especially Dakshina Kannada and Udupi — received the same level of attention.

“A Cabinet session in Mangaluru would bring state-level focus to the unique challenges and aspirations of the coastal region,” he said.

D’Souza added that he would raise the demand formally in the upcoming Legislature session and personally meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to push for it.

Key Demands Highlighted by Ivan D’Souza

Renaming Dakshina Kannada as ‘Mangaluru’:

The MLC said there is broad consensus among political and social leaders on renaming the district to reflect its global identity.

“Across the world, people identify the district as ‘Mangaluru’. It’s time we create Brand Mangaluru,” he said.

Boosting Coastal Tourism and Fisheries:

Despite prior discussions, no major tourism projects have been announced for the region. D’Souza called for focused investment in both tourism and fisheries.

Special Package for Mangalore University:

Calling it an educational hub, D’Souza demanded a dedicated development package for Mangalore University to address infrastructural and academic needs.

Mangaluru Airport Development:

He criticised the lack of development at Mangaluru Airport, despite its international status, and called for urgent upgrades.

Addressing Sand and Red Stone Shortage:

D’Souza highlighted the construction delays due to raw material shortages and urged the government to simplify related legal procedures.

Why It Matters

D’Souza said a Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru would allow ministers to engage directly with local stakeholders and address region-specific concerns that have been neglected by successive governments.

Israel has suffered an estimated $12 billion in direct losses from its 12-day war of aggression against Iran, with total losses potentially rising to $20 billion, according to Israeli media and economic reports.

The losses encompass military expenditures, missile strike damages, payouts to affected individuals and businesses, and infrastructure repairs.

Experts warn the final tally may reach $20 billion once indirect economic impacts and civilian compensation claims are fully calculated.

According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the regime’s treasury has already sustained 22 billion shekels ($6.46 billion) in damages.

The Israeli military is now seeking an extra 40 billion shekels ($11.7 billion) to restock arms supplies, purchase additional interceptors and offensive weapons, and maintain reserve units, following pre-war requests of 10 billion and later 30 billion shekels.

Israel’s budget deficit is expected to rise to approximately 6 percent amid challenges to finance war expenses, building on deficits already accumulated during the Gaza war.

The move coincides with forecasts of at least a 0.2 percent economic slowdown, which would further reduce tax revenues.

Massive military spending

Israeli business daily Calcalist reported that the regime’s cabinet had spent roughly $5 billion, around $725 million per day, on offensive operations against Iran and defensive measures to intercept Tehran’s missile and drone barrages

Compensation alone is expected to cost at least five billion shekels ($1.5 billion).

TheMarker confirmed on Monday that physical damage from Iranian missile attacks has already surpassed 5 billion shekels ($1.5 billion).

Economic analysts had cautioned that prolonging the war could have pushed Israel's embattled economy to the brink of collapse.

According to property tax estimates, approximately 15,000 Israeli settlers were forced to evacuate their units due to damages caused by Iranian retaliatory operations, with many relocating to hotels across the occupied territories.

The cost of their hotel accommodation is currently estimated at around 100 million shekels ($29 million. The regime will have to pay rent for an unknown period of time to hundreds or thousands of families, some of them long-term, until the collapsed buildings are rebuilt - a process that could take years.”

So far, more than 41,000 claims have been submitted to the regime’s compensation fund, with many more expected, according to data published by the right-wing newspaper Israel Hayom.

Of these, approximately 33,000 claims were for damage to buildings, while over 8,000 related to damage to vehicles, property, and equipment. The majority of claims - around 26,000 - were submitted by residents of Tel Aviv.

Before October 7, 2023, around 6,000 settlers were receiving permanent compensation from the regime. That number rose sharply to 25,000 following the Hamas-led operation inside southern settlements.

According to TheMarker, this figure is expected to increase further in the aftermath of the war on Iran.

Calls for US support

According to a report, citing a finance ministry insider, Israel is considering asking Washington for additional financial backing, whether as aid or guaranteed loans, to mitigate war costs and fund pressing military priorities.

On June 13, Israel launched an unprovoked aggression against Iran, targeting nuclear facilities and assassinating senior military commanders and scientists along with ordinary civilians.

In response, Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones that struck multiple sensitive and strategic Israeli locations, as confirmed by Israeli media outlets.

The Israeli health ministry confirmed 29 fatalities and 3,238 injuries from the Iranian retaliatory attacks, though observers say the figure is likely to be much higher due to Israel's history of censoring casualty statistics.

The Marker characterized the missile strikes as creating “apocalyptic'” devastation, with preliminary damage assessments reaching at least 5 billion shekels ($1.4 billion).

Israel was forced to unilaterally accept a US-proposed ceasefire after incurring heavy losses and failing to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

After the ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday, Israel’s extremist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich was quoted as saying “There is no doubt that this morning leaves a bitter taste.”