The Evening Wrap: Israel cuts off communications, bombs Hamas tunnels in Gaza

Israeli warplanes bombed Hamas tunnels and underground bunkers in the northern Gaza Strip, the military said on October 28, signalling a further escalation in its campaign to crush the territory’s ruling militant group after its bloody incursion in southern Israel three weeks ago. Fighter jets hit dozens of underground targets, the military said. As part of the stepped-up bombardment, Israel also knocked out communications and created a near-blackout of information, largely cutting off the 2.3 million people in besieged Gaza from contact with the outside world. Explosions from continuous airstrikes lit up the sky over Gaza City for hours after nightfall on October 27. The Palestinian telecom provider, Paltel, said the bombardment caused “complete disruption” of Internet, cellular and landline services. The cut-off meant that casualties from strikes and details of ground incursions could not immediately be known. Some satellite phones continued to function. Already plunged into darkness after most electricity was cut off weeks ago, Palestinians were thrown into isolation, huddling in homes and shelters with food and water supplies running out. Attempts to reach Gaza residents by phone were largely unsuccessful early Saturday. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that his forces will continue targeting tunnels and other infrastructure of Hamas as well as leaders of the Islamist movement. “We attacked above the ground and under ground, we attacked terror operatives of all ranks, everywhere,” he said in a video statement. “The instructions for the forces are clear: the operation will continue until a new order,” he said. Israel also re-issued its call to civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate ahead of its impending ground offensive. Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyep Erdogan addressed a pro-Palestine rally in Istanbul, where he reiterated his stance that the Hamas was not a terrorist organisation. “I reiterate that Hamas is not a terrorist organisation. Israel was very offended by this. (...) Israel is an occupier,” he said in the rally. “The main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza is the West,” he added. Earlier in the day, Erdogan also called on Israel to “immediately stop this madness” and end its “attacks” on targets in Gaza. “The Israeli bombardments on Gaza intensified last night and once again targeted women, children and innocent civilians and worsened the ongoing humanitarian crisis,” Erdogan said on X, formerly Twitter. “Israel must immediately stop this madness and end its attacks,” he said. London also witnessed thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators march to demand the British government call for a ceasefire. Aerial footage showed large crowds setting off on the march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, with the protest due to end outside the Houses of Parliament after passing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street office. Supreme Court names Constitution Bench for electoral bonds case The Supreme Court on October 28 named the five judges on the Constitution Bench scheduled to hear petitions challenging the legality of the electoral bonds scheme, which facilitates anonymous donations to political parties, from October 31. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud would head the Bench with Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra serving as Associate Judges. The Chief Justice made a brief mention orally on October 16 about the reference of the case to a Constitution Bench, which would convene after the Dasara holidays on October 31. The case has been pending in the apex court for over eight years now. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, for petitioner NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, on October 10, pressed the court to hear and decide the electoral bonds issue before the General Elections in 2024. The court has agreed to the petitioners’ plea urging to focus primarily on two issues concerning electoral bonds scheme, that is, the legalisation of anonymous donations to political parties and the violation of citizens’ right to information about the funding of political parties, promoting corruption. The two issues concern violation of Articles 19, 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The five-judge Bench may not wade into the legal question concerning the passage of the electoral bonds scheme as a Money Bill. It may, instead, wait for a seven-judge Bench to deliver an authoritative pronouncement on “when a Bill could be designated a Money Bill”. BSF lodges strong protest with Pakistani counterpart over unprovoked firing along IB in Jammu The Border Security Force (BSF) on October 28 lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan Rangers over the recent unprovoked firing and mortar shelling on forward posts and villages along the International Border in Jammu, officials said. The cross-border shelling by Pakistan Rangers, the first major ceasefire violation since 2021, started around 8 p.m. on Thursday in the Arnia area of RS Pura sector and lasted around seven hours, leaving a BSF jawan and a woman injured. The protest was registered at an hour-long commander-level meeting at the Border Outpost Octroi in Suchetgarh, a BSF officer said. This was the second flag meeting between the two sides in 10 days after two BSF personnel were injured when their post in Arnia came under fire from across the border on October 17. The incident in this sector was the first violation of the February 25, 2021 renewed ceasefire along Jammu and Kashmir borders between India and Pakistan. The officials said the latest meeting, which was attended by seven members each of the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers, was held in a peaceful atmosphere with both sides highlighting the need to maintain peace along the border. Besides the two ceasefire violations, a group of people escorted by Pakistan Rangers also came close to the International Border on October 21 following which BSF troops fired a couple of warning shots to drive them away. The back-to-back ceasefire violations by Pakistan without any provocation have caused panic among the border residents who had to flee their homes amid intense shelling on Thursday night. The BSF has retaliated to the Pakistani shelling in a befitting manner. Rahul Gandhi promises free education in schools, colleges in Chhattisgarh if Congress retains power Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on October 28 promised free education in government schools and colleges in Chhattisgarh and ₹4,000 a year for ‘tendu’ leaves collectors under the Rajiv Gandhi Protsahan Yojana if his party retains power in the State. Addressing an election rally in the Bhanupratappur assembly constituency in Kanker district, he said caste census will be conducted in the country if the Congress is voted to power at the Centre. “We are going to take a major step for you which we call ‘KG to PG’. From KG (kindergarten) to PG (post-graduation), free education will be provided in government institutions to students (if Congress retains power in state). They will not have to pay a single penny,” Gandhi said. Pitching for a caste census, he said, “Narendra Modi ji uses ‘OBC’ word in every speech but why is he scared of the caste census…OBCs have to become aware as they are being ditched.” Gandhi also said that the Congress would conduct a caste census in the country if it is voted to power in Delhi (at the Centre). The Congress MP targeted the BJP-led Centre and claimed that it works for the benefit of two-three industrialists. The Congress works in the interest of farmers, Dalits, labourers and Adivasis, he said. The Congress party also promised to pass a new Bill guaranteeing protection of the land, forests and rights of the tribal people of the State of Mizoram. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government “bulldozed” amendments to the Forest Conservation Act that evoked tremendous opposition and outrage across the country, even more so in the northeast. “As forests are in the concurrent list, this Bill will be sent to the President of India for assent under the provision of Article 254(2),” he said. “This is what the Mizo National Front (MNF) government should have done immediately after the Monsoon session of Parliament but didn’t do it because it dances to the tune of the BJP,” Ramesh alleged. Indian para athletes create history, bag 111 medals in Hangzhou Asian Para Games Indian para athletes created history on October 28 as they ended their Hangzhou Asian Para Games campaign with an unprecedented 111 medals, the biggest haul for the country in any major international multi-sport event. India ended at fifth place in the medals tally, a remarkable achievement in itself, below China (521 medals: 214 gold, 167 silver, 140 bronze), Iran (44 gold, 46 silver, 41 bronze), Japan (42, 49, 59) and Korea (30, 33, 40). “We have made history, our para athletes have done the country proud. We will win more medals in the Paris Paralympics than in Tokyo,” Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik said. “However, it is not a surprise for us. We have expected between 110 to 115 medals and we ended at 111,” she added. India won 39 more medals than the 2018 edition with athletics contributing 55 (18 gold, 17 silver, 20) out of India’s total of 111. Indian shuttlers contributed the second most medal with 21, including four gold. Chess and archery gave eight and seven medals respectively while shooting contributed six. On the concluding day on October 28, India added 12 medals, including four gold. Seven medals came from chess, four from athletics and one from rowing. In Brief: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who is facing an inquiry into allegations of cash-for-query, was asked to appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on November 2, with the panel ruling out any further extension. Earlier, the committee called her on October 31 but she declined citing prior engagements. Moitra, in a letter, had said that she was looking forward to depose and the committee could choose any date after November 5. The committee, headed by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, told her that that it would not entertain any further request for extension for any reason whatsoever “keeping in view the seriousness of the matter, having implications on the dignity of Parliament as well as its Members”. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 28 October 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Israel cuts off communications, bombs Hamas tunnels in Gaza [Israeli warplanes bombed Hamas tunnels and underground bunkers in the northern Gaza Strip]( the military said on October 28, signalling a further escalation in its campaign to crush the territory’s ruling militant group after its bloody incursion in southern Israel three weeks ago. Fighter jets hit dozens of underground targets, the military said. As part of the stepped-up bombardment, Israel also knocked out communications and created a near-blackout of information, largely cutting off the 2.3 million people in besieged Gaza from contact with the outside world. Explosions from continuous airstrikes lit up the sky over Gaza City for hours after nightfall on October 27. The Palestinian telecom provider, Paltel, said the bombardment caused “complete disruption” of Internet, cellular and landline services. The cut-off meant that casualties from strikes and details of ground incursions could not immediately be known. Some satellite phones continued to function. Already plunged into darkness after most electricity was cut off weeks ago, Palestinians were thrown into isolation, huddling in homes and shelters with food and water supplies running out. Attempts to reach Gaza residents by phone were largely unsuccessful early Saturday. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that his forces will continue targeting tunnels and other infrastructure of Hamas as well as leaders of the Islamist movement. “We attacked above the ground and under ground, we attacked terror operatives of all ranks, everywhere,” he said in a video statement. “The instructions for the forces are clear: the operation will continue until a new order,” he said. Israel also re-issued its call to civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate ahead of its impending ground offensive. Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyep Erdogan addressed a pro-Palestine rally in Istanbul, where he reiterated his stance that the Hamas was not a terrorist organisation. “I reiterate that Hamas is not a terrorist organisation. Israel was very offended by this. (...) Israel is an occupier,” he said in the rally. “The main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza is the West,” he added. Earlier in the day, Erdogan also called on Israel to “immediately stop this madness” and end its “attacks” on targets in Gaza. “The Israeli bombardments on Gaza intensified last night and once again targeted women, children and innocent civilians and worsened the ongoing humanitarian crisis,” Erdogan said on X, formerly Twitter. “Israel must immediately stop this madness and end its attacks,” he said. London also witnessed thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators march to demand the British government call for a ceasefire. Aerial footage showed large crowds setting off on the march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, with the protest due to end outside the Houses of Parliament after passing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street office. Supreme Court names Constitution Bench for electoral bonds case The [Supreme Court on October 28 named the five judges on the Constitution Bench scheduled to hear petitions challenging the legality of the electoral bonds]( scheme, which facilitates anonymous donations to political parties, from October 31. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud would head the Bench with Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra serving as Associate Judges. The Chief Justice made a brief mention orally on October 16 about the reference of the case to a Constitution Bench, which would convene after the Dasara holidays on October 31. The case has been pending in the apex court for over eight years now. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, for petitioner NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, on October 10, pressed the court to hear and decide the electoral bonds issue before the General Elections in 2024. The court has agreed to the petitioners’ plea urging to focus primarily on two issues concerning electoral bonds scheme, that is, the legalisation of anonymous donations to political parties and the violation of citizens’ right to information about the funding of political parties, promoting corruption. The two issues concern violation of Articles 19, 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The five-judge Bench may not wade into the legal question concerning the passage of the electoral bonds scheme as a Money Bill. It may, instead, wait for a seven-judge Bench to deliver an authoritative pronouncement on “when a Bill could be designated a Money Bill”. BSF lodges strong protest with Pakistani counterpart over unprovoked firing along IB in Jammu The [Border Security Force (BSF) on October 28 lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan Rangers over the recent unprovoked firing and mortar shelling]( on forward posts and villages along the International Border in Jammu, officials said. The cross-border shelling by Pakistan Rangers, the first major ceasefire violation since 2021, started around 8 p.m. on Thursday in the Arnia area of RS Pura sector and lasted around seven hours, leaving a BSF jawan and a woman injured. The protest was registered at an hour-long commander-level meeting at the Border Outpost Octroi in Suchetgarh, a BSF officer said. This was the second flag meeting between the two sides in 10 days after two BSF personnel were injured when their post in Arnia came under fire from across the border on October 17. The incident in this sector was the first violation of the February 25, 2021 renewed ceasefire along Jammu and Kashmir borders between India and Pakistan. The officials said the latest meeting, which was attended by seven members each of the BSF and the Pakistan Rangers, was held in a peaceful atmosphere with both sides highlighting the need to maintain peace along the border. Besides the two ceasefire violations, a group of people escorted by Pakistan Rangers also came close to the International Border on October 21 following which BSF troops fired a couple of warning shots to drive them away. The back-to-back ceasefire violations by Pakistan without any provocation have caused panic among the border residents who had to flee their homes amid intense shelling on Thursday night. The BSF has retaliated to the Pakistani shelling in a befitting manner. Rahul Gandhi promises free education in schools, colleges in Chhattisgarh if Congress retains power Congress leader [Rahul Gandhi on October 28 promised free education in government schools and colleges in Chhattisgarh]( and ₹4,000 a year for ‘tendu’ leaves collectors under the Rajiv Gandhi Protsahan Yojana if his party retains power in the State. Addressing an election rally in the Bhanupratappur assembly constituency in Kanker district, he said caste census will be conducted in the country if the Congress is voted to power at the Centre. “We are going to take a major step for you which we call ‘KG to PG’. From KG (kindergarten) to PG (post-graduation), free education will be provided in government institutions to students (if Congress retains power in state). They will not have to pay a single penny,” Gandhi said. Pitching for a caste census, he said, “Narendra Modi ji uses ‘OBC’ word in every speech but why is he scared of the caste census…OBCs have to become aware as they are being ditched.” Gandhi also said that the Congress would conduct a caste census in the country if it is voted to power in Delhi (at the Centre). The Congress MP targeted the BJP-led Centre and claimed that it works for the benefit of two-three industrialists. The Congress works in the interest of farmers, Dalits, labourers and Adivasis, he said. The [Congress party also promised to pass a new Bill guaranteeing protection of the land, forests and rights of the tribal people of the State of Mizoram](. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government “bulldozed” amendments to the Forest Conservation Act that evoked tremendous opposition and outrage across the country, even more so in the northeast. “As forests are in the concurrent list, this Bill will be sent to the President of India for assent under the provision of Article 254(2),” he said. “This is what the Mizo National Front (MNF) government should have done immediately after the Monsoon session of Parliament but didn’t do it because it dances to the tune of the BJP,” Ramesh alleged. Indian para athletes create history, bag 111 medals in Hangzhou Asian Para Games [Indian para athletes created history on October 28 as they ended their Hangzhou Asian Para Games campaign with an unprecedented 111 medals]( the biggest haul for the country in any major international multi-sport event. India ended at fifth place in the medals tally, a remarkable achievement in itself, below China (521 medals: 214 gold, 167 silver, 140 bronze), Iran (44 gold, 46 silver, 41 bronze), Japan (42, 49, 59) and Korea (30, 33, 40). “We have made history, our para athletes have done the country proud. We will win more medals in the Paris Paralympics than in Tokyo,” Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik said. “However, it is not a surprise for us. We have expected between 110 to 115 medals and we ended at 111,” she added. India won 39 more medals than the 2018 edition with athletics contributing 55 (18 gold, 17 silver, 20) out of India’s total of 111. Indian shuttlers contributed the second most medal with 21, including four gold. Chess and archery gave eight and seven medals respectively while shooting contributed six. On the concluding day on October 28, India added 12 medals, including four gold. Seven medals came from chess, four from athletics and one from rowing. In Brief: [Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, who is facing an inquiry into allegations of cash-for-query, was asked to appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on November 2]( with the panel ruling out any further extension. Earlier, the committee called her on October 31 but she declined citing prior engagements. Moitra, in a letter, had said that she was looking forward to depose and the committee could choose any date after November 5. The committee, headed by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, told her that that it would not entertain any further request for extension for any reason whatsoever “keeping in view the seriousness of the matter, having implications on the dignity of Parliament as well as its Members”. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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