War and its consequences
Rating agency lowers Israel’s credit rating
As the war in the Gaza Strip rages on, Israel is now also feeling the economic and financial consequences of the fight against the radical Islamic group Hamas. The rating agency Moody's has downgraded Israel's credit rating.
Israel currently has a credit rating of A2 (previously A1). Moody's explained that the "military conflict with Hamas" and its consequences would increase the "political risk for Israel and weaken its (Israel's) executive and legislative institutions and fiscal strength for the foreseeable future".
The outlook for Israel's debt was also set to "negative". The decisive factor for this decision was "the risk of an escalation" of the conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, according to a statement on Friday.
Eyewitnesses: First bombardments in Rafah
The intense fighting is now increasingly shifting to the far south of the Gaza Strip. According to eyewitnesses, the army has attacked targets in the city of Rafah despite international warnings. According to medical sources, more than 20 people were killed in aerial bombardments on Saturday. The mayor of the city in the south of the coastal region, Mohammed al-Sufi, also confirmed the number of victims to the German Press Agency.
Israeli soldiers also bombed a Hamas vehicle, killing three people, including the head of the Islamist organization's police intelligence service and his deputy, according to police sources and eyewitnesses on Saturday. None of the information could initially be independently verified. Israel's military did not initially respond to a request for comment.
Offensive and evacuation mission
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously ordered the army to prepare an offensive on Rafah. There are still four remaining Hamas battalions in the city. Accordingly, the military leadership is to plan the evacuation of civilians in the town.
Da dieser Artikel älter als 18 Monate ist, ist zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt kein Kommentieren mehr möglich.
Wir laden Sie ein, bei einer aktuelleren themenrelevanten Story mitzudiskutieren: Themenübersicht.
Bei Fragen können Sie sich gern an das Community-Team per Mail an forum@krone.at wenden.