🇺🇸 US President Joe Biden has appointed a special envoy to lead the United States' response to the humanitarian impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday.

"President Biden has appointed former Ambassador David Satterfield as the Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues. Special Envoy Satterfield will lead US diplomacy to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including work to facilitate the provision of life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people and promote the safety of civilians, in coordination with the United Nations and U.S. partners," the statement read.

The envoy will lead a "whole-of-government campaign to mitigate the humanitarian fallout of Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel," supporting efforts by such US agencies as USAID and the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, it added.

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Israeli ground operation in Gaza may result in genocide, the League of Arab States and the African Union said in a joint statement

The Israeli army's plan to launch a ground operation in the Gaza Strip could lead to genocide, the League of Arab States (LAS) and the African Union said on Sunday, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and coordinated international effort to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.

"Both organizations call on the United Nations and the international community to take a firm stand before it is too late to stop the catastrophe unfolding before our eyes," the statement added.

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🇯🇵 Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet showed the lowest approval in 2 years, ending at 32.3%, a poll conducted by the Kyodo news agency showed on Sunday.

The government's rating fell by 7.5 percentage points compared to September, which is 0.8 points lower than the previous low records set in November and December of last year, the poll showed. The number of respondents unimpressed with the government's performance rose to 52.5% from 39.7% in September, the news agency reported.

The survey also found that 58.6% of the Japanese did not expect significant results from the economic reforms announced by the government. Nearly two-thirds believe that taxes should be cut to counteract price increases, which is a measure proposed by the opposition. More than 70% said that the Fukushima water discharge was reasonable, while 20.8% disagreed, the survey showed.

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🇷🇺 🇮🇷 With Russia and Iran facing the brunt of Western-imposed economic sanctions, the two nations are now expanding their military cooperation.

Economic Isolation Drawing Iran, Russia Closer

🗯 "The core factor behind their friendship is the changing geopolitical landscape in which Washington's dominance as a superpower is being challenged," Indian veteran Shashi Asthana has told Sputnik India.

🤝 Beneficial Partnership

🛩 "With Iran's clout growing in the economic and military arenas, it now wanted to modernize its air force, and hence with the induction of the Russian Su-35, the combat potential of the Iranian Air Force will increase tremendously," the veteran summed up.

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🇷🇺 Putin in an interview with China Central Television:

▪️ Russia grateful to China for thinking about how to end Russian-Ukrainian crisis

▪️ China's plan to resolve Ukraine conflict realistic, could form basis for peace talks

▪️ If Ukraine wants to start negotiations with Russia, it needs to cancel decree banning negotiations and declare readiness for dialogue

▪️ Ukraine’s non-aligned status extremely important for Russia, NATO expansion at expense of Kiev creates threats

▪️ Russia, China working on cooperation on fast neutron reactors

▪️ EAEU countries within framework of Belt and Road Initiative provide $24bln in investments, volume and number of projects growing

▪️ All BRICS countries have their own problems, but growth of potential of these states obvious, including in economy

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Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh: Israel gearing up to flatten Gaza, wants Egypt, Qatar to handle refugees

Once the civilian population of the Gaza Strip gets evicted, Israel intends to launch a full-scale bombing campaign that would result in the destruction of the city, if Hersh’s revelations are to be believed.

First, the Israeli Air Force would wipe out the “remaining structures in Gaza City.” Then, Israeli aircraft would start dropping US-made 5,000-pound bunker buster bombs in the “flattened areas” of the Gaza Strip in order to destroy the Hamas’ underground facilities hidden deep beneath the enclave.

An Israeli insider told Hersh that the “current Israeli war planners” believe such munitions – “upgraded version of JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) with larger warheads” – would be able to penetrate up to 50 meters deep before exploding and “killing all within one-half mile.”

Meanwhile, a former European intelligence official told Hersh that Hamas’ tunnels are situated so deep underground they can withstand the attacks with JDAMs.

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🇮🇱🇵🇸 The “humanitarian ceasefire” from Israel’s side for the southern Gaza Strip is expected to begin at 6:00 GMT and last 5 hours, Israeli TV reports. The checkpoint between the Gaza Strip and Egypt is expected to open for the evacuation of people and the import of humanitarian aid.

🇺🇸 The US military has become 'extremely weak' during the Biden administration, it has become 'overstretched logistically' which means that it can't support several military operations simultaneously, Retired Brigadier General Don Bolduc told Fox News

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🇺🇸🇮🇷 Warmonger alert: Sen. Lindsey Graham has delivered a warning to Iran, stating that if the conflict in Israel escalates, the US will not hesitate to take action.

He also revealed his intention to introduce a Senate resolution that would permit joint military action by the US and Israel to target Iran's oil business if they escalate the conflict.

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🇮🇱🇵🇸 Latest updates on Palestinian-Israeli conflict:

▪️ The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has exceeded 2,750 with more than 9700 people injured, the Palestinian Health Ministry's office said;

▪️ Israeli strikes on the West Bank kill 58 Palestinians with more than 1250 injured, the Palestinian Health Ministry's office reported;

▪️ The US troops' participation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict not necessary, Biden said;

▪️ Fuel reserves in Gaza hospitals to expire on Monday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said;

▪️ Evacuation of 28 settlements' residents in Northern Israel bordering Lebanon announced by the IDF;

▪️ US, Israel, Egypt reportdely agree on start of ceasefire in south of Gaza Strip from 06:00 GMT

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🇷🇺🇰🇵 Sergey Lavrov will visit North Korea on October 18-19, Russian Foreign Ministry says

Latest statements made by Russian Foreign Ministry:

▪️ Russia will not conduct nuclear tests first, will resort to them only if US takes such step first;

▪️ Russia will monitor and analyze US actions towards deployment of nuclear weapons in UK;

▪️ Russia believes US not abandoning idea of conducting full-fledged nuclear test as part of modernization of its nuclear arsenal;

▪️ Russia ready to introduce mirror measures if US deploys arms banned under INF Treaty in Europe;

▪️ West's quasi-civilian infrastructure in space used in conflicts can become legitimate target for a retaliatory strike

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❗️Hamas refutes information about ceasefire in southern Gaza. Israel PM Netanyahu’s office also says no ceasefire implemented

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Hezbollah publishes a video reportedly showing a strike on Israeli hardware 'in response to the killing of journalists in the city of Aalma ech Chaab and civilians in the city of Shebaa'

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Israeli soldier openly tells CNN that “the war is not just with Hamas, the war is with all the civilians.”

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