Morning Briefing: Oct. 23, 2023

Anadolu’s recap of top stories from around the globe

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Monday, including Israel’s air attacks killing 400 Palestinians on Sunday, second convoy of aid heading for Gaza, pro-Palestine demonstrations worldwide, and elections in Argentina.

TOP STORIES

Israeli attacks kill over 400 Palestinians in Gaza

More than 400 Palestinians were killed on Sunday as a result of intensified Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, medical sources said.

The number of women, children and elderly killed accounted for about 70% of the casualties.

At least 44 Palestinians were killed in Khan Younis governorate, 57 in Rafah, 168 in Al-Wusta, 66 in Gaza and 44 in the north.

The Israeli army continued to bomb Gaza for the 16th day with intensive airstrikes that destroyed entire neighborhoods.

At least 4,385 Palestinians, including 1,756 children have been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, while the figure stands at 1,400 in Israel.

2nd aid convoy enters Gaza through Egyptian Rafah crossing

The second convoy of relief trucks began to enter the Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on Sunday.

The land crossing opened for the second consecutive day to bring new humanitarian and relief aid into the besieged Palestinian enclave.

A 20-truck relief convoy carrying medical aid, food and water entered the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the first aid delivery to the area since Oct. 7.

Thousands rally worldwide in support of Palestine

Thousands of people gathered in the capitals of Western Balkan countries to rally in a show of support for Palestine amid its conflict with Israel.

In the first pro-Palestinian demonstration in Paris allowed by police since Oct. 7, more than 15,000 people gathered at the Place de la Republique square.

In Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, pro-Palestinian protesters marched towards the US Consulate.

Thousands of people also gathered in Brussels for the Stop the Massacre in Gaza rally, urging the EU to work toward a cease-fire and remove an Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Argentinian voters cast ballots in elections

More than 35 million Argentines headed to the polls to elect the nation's next president who will head a country mired in a deep economic crisis.

Javier Milei, Sergio Massa, Patricia Bullrich, Myriam Bregman, and Juan Schiaretti faced each other in the presidential race.

Milei, a radical outsider standing for the La Libertad Avanza party, unexpectedly took the lead in the August primaries.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated in front of President Isaac Herzog’s West Jerusalem home to demand the release of prisoners held by Hamas.

The Israeli army announced it had "accidentally" fired a tank shell across the border into Egypt in the southern Kerem Shalom area.

The US, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada released a joint statement reaffirming their support for Israel's “right to self-defense against terrorism.”

At least 29 UN staffers have been killed in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said ground operation in Gaza "may take months," referring to the campaign as "the last" for Israel in the Gaza Strip as "there will be no Hamas" afterwards.

Israel has been using “unusual weapons” that cause severe burns to the bodies of victims, said Gaza’s Health Ministry official Ashraf al-Qudra.

US President Joe Biden held phone calls with Pope Francis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, condemning the “the barbarous attack” by Hamas and affirming the need to protect civilians in Gaza.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will resume peace talks this week in the Saudi port city of Jeddah, said a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council.

SPORTS