VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Israel said its ground forces had pushed into Gaza overnight to attack Hamas targets as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was "preparing for a ground invasion" that could be one of several.

"I will not elaborate on when, how or how many," he said in a televised update to citizens on Wednesday evening.

The besieged Palestinian enclave is already reeling from almost three weeks of Israeli bombardment, which was triggered by a mass killing spree in southern Israel by the Iranian-backed Hamas militants who run Gaza.

Hamas has threatened to kill some of the more than 200 hostages it brought back to Gaza, of whom Israel says more than half hold foreign passports, from 25 countries.

Other Iranian-backed groups have since attempted attacks on Israel elsewhere in the region; Western leaders fear that a high death toll among Palestinian civilians, who have already been killed in large numbers by Israeli air strikes, could spark a wider war.

U.S. President Joe Biden held a call with Netanyahu, discussing "ongoing efforts to locate and secure the release" of Americans believed held hostage in Gaza, the White House said overnight.

It said safe passage for foreigners wishing to leave Gaza, a continuous flow of aid into the narrow coastal strip, which is blockaded by Israel, and a pathway to permanent peace with the Palestinian people were also discussed.

"The President reiterated that Israel has every right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism and to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law," the White House said.

The comments reflect a balancing act over U.S. support for Israel's actions after Biden was criticised for casting doubt on Palestinian casualty figures.

NETANYAHU SUGGESTS MORE THAN ONE GROUND INVASION PLANNED

Israeli army radio said the military had overnight staged its biggest incursion into northern Gaza in the current war against Hamas, which Israel has vowed to eliminate.

The military later released video on X showing armoured vehicles crossing the highly fortified barrier from Israel and blowing up buildings "in preparation for the next stages of combat".

"Tanks and infantry struck numerous terrorist cells, infrastructure and anti-tank missile launch posts," it said.

Palestinians in Gaza said Israeli air strikes had pounded the territory again overnight and people living in central Gaza, near the Bureij refugee camp and east of Qarara village, reported intensive tank shelling all night.

Hamas did not comment directly on the Israeli report but said its armed wing had struck an Israeli helicopter east of Bureij. The Israeli military said it was "not aware of this".

Israel has carried out weeks of intense bombardment of the densely populated Strip following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli communities, which it says killed some 1,400 people.

Gaza's health ministry said on Wednesday that more than 6,500 Palestinians had been killed in the air strikes.

In Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, an Israeli air strike hit a house, killing a mother, her three daughters and a baby boy.

The father said his parents had been made homeless by Israelis in 1948 and that he would not leave, whatever happened. Holding the baby's body, with those of his family nearby, he said:

"He is only two months and a half old, what did he do? Did he kill? Did he wound someone? Did he capture someone? They were innocent children inside their house."

The director of the Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, Nahed Abu Taaema, said the bodies of 77 people killed in air strikes had been brought in overnight, most of them women and children, Hamas's Al-Aqsa radio station reported.

Many Palestinians are sheltering in Khan Younis's hospitals, schools, homes and existing refugee camps and on the street after Israel warned them to leave their homes in the north.

Israel did not respond directly to the report but said its forces had struck a Hamas surface-to-air missile launch post in the Khan Younis area, which it said had been placed next to a mosque and kindergarten.

It was not clear if both sides were referring to the same incident.

Humanitarian supplies are critically low but world powers failed at the United Nations to agree on how to call for a lull to the fighting to deliver significant amounts of aid. Mass graves have begun to be used as the civilian toll has mounted.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said 12 trucks had crossed from Egypt carrying food, water and medical supplies on Thursday, making 74 trucks since Saturday, still only a small fraction of Gaza's peacetime needs. Israel has not allowed fuel in, saying Hamas would just add it to its stockpile.

U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT IRANIAN-BACKED ATTACKS ON ITS TROOPS

Reflecting concerns the Gaza war may spread, the Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had agreed to delay invading Gaza until U.S. air defence systems can be placed in the region, as early as this week, to protect American forces.

Asked about the report, U.S. officials told Reuters that Washington had raised concerns with Israel that Iran and Iranian-backed Islamist groups could escalate the conflict by attacking U.S. troops in the Middle East. An Israeli incursion into Gaza could be a trigger for Iranian proxies, they said.

Israeli warplanes struck Syrian army infrastructure on Wednesday in response to rockets fired from Syria, an ally of Iran. Israel has also targeted Syria's Aleppo airport and Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran, Israel's arch-enemy, which backs armed groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen as well as Hamas as part of a long-running bid for regional ascendancy, has warned Israel to stop its onslaught on Gaza. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - Israel has told civilians in the northern Gaza Strip, including residents of Gaza City, to move to the south of the enclave, saying it will be safer there as the military attacks Hamas following its Oct. 7 cross-border assault.

However, Israeli warplanes have continued to hit sites in southern Gaza, spreading fear among the evacuees that they are just as vulnerable there as they were in their homes in the north. Here is an overview of the situation.

WHY IS ISRAEL STILL HITTING THE SOUTH?

Since telling Gazans to head south, the Israeli military (IDF) has continued to pound targets across the area, killing an unknown number of civilians. In all, authorities in Gaza say 6,546 Palestinians have died since Israeli strikes started on Oct. 7.

Residents said the bombardment of the south intensified on Oct. 25. One strike brought down several apartment buildings in Khan Younis, some 10 km (6 miles) from the Egyptian border.

The IDF has said that even if Hamas's main power centre is in Gaza City, it is nonetheless entrenched among the civilian population across the enclave.

"Wherever a Hamas target arises, the IDF will strike at it in order to thwart the terrorist capabilities of the group, while taking feasible precautions to mitigate the harm to uninvolved civilians," the military said on Wednesday, reiterating previous statements.

The military has said the homes where militants live are "legitimate targets" even if civilians live alongside them.

"The so-called private home is not a private home," a senior Israeli air force officer told reporters in a recent briefing.

WHY DID ISRAEL ORDER THE EVACUATION SOUTH?

The Israeli military said on Oct. 12 that nearly half of Gaza's 2.3 million population should move to the southern half of Gaza within 24 hours. The military said the order was aimed at moving civilians away from "Hamas terror targets", which it believes are concentrated in the north.

Military spokesman Jonathan Conricus subsequently said: "We are preparing the area for significant military activity in Gaza City. That is the next stage. That's why we are asking civilians to go south of the Gaza River."

Israel has massed troops on the border with Gaza and is widely expected to launch a land invasion.

On Oct. 18, the military urged residents of Gaza to evacuate to what it called a humanitarian zone in Al Mawasi, on the coast of southern Gaza.

Israel renewed its warnings on Oct. 22, saying that anyone staying in the north could be identified as sympathisers of a "terrorist organisation" if they did not leave.

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE MOVED?

Hamas has urged Palestinians to ignore the Israeli warnings.

Israel said on Wednesday it had attacked Hamas roadblocks that it believed were stopping people evacuate.

Despite Hamas's attempts to stop an exodus, residents and international aid organisations say there has been a mass displacement of people away from the north and other areas of the enclave seen as a especially vulnerable to attack.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated on Oct. 24 that more than 1.4 million people are internally displaced (IDPs) within Gaza.

Gaza's border crossings with both Egypt and Israel are closed, effectively trapping residents inside the enclave.

WHAT HAS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SAID?

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said giving hundreds of thousands of people just hours to leave their homes was "dangerous and deeply troubling". Many Western governments have called for a pause in the fighting to open humanitarian corridors for the trapped civilians. Arab nations have called for Israel to stop the war. (Reuters)

UK AMbassador to Indonesia give his credential to Indonesian President, Joko Widodo at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta - 

VOInews, Jakarta : Dominic Jermey CVO OBE, who has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia and non-resident Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Timor- Leste, presented his credentials to the President of Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency President Joko Widodo on 23 October 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Dominic Jermey’s previous diplomatic postings include serving as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Afghanistan (2016-2017) and to the United Arab Emirates (2010–2014). Mr Jermey was British Representative to the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor, reporting to the UK Ambassador in Jakarta. 

“It is a great privilege and honour for me to present my credentials to the President of Republic of Indonesia His Excellency Joko Widodo. There is huge potential to further strengthen the relationship between Indonesia – the largest economy in Southeast Asia and the UK – a G7 economy and Permanent Member of the UN Security Council. The UK’s partnership with Indonesia continues to grow from strength to strength, focused on business, climate change, biodiversity as well as prosperity and security in the Indo Pacific. Our trade between the UK and Indonesia was worth £3.5bn in 2022 and I want to grow this further as we continue to boost two-way investment. I am very proud of the UK’s long standing collaboration with Indonesia on climate change, energy transition and clean growth – demonstrated through the recent agreement around the Low Carbon Development Initiative - this will ensure Indonesia’s economic growth is sustainable and resilient against the impacts of climate change. I am very much looking forward to my new role as the British Ambassador to Indonesia, working together with our friends and colleagues from Sabang to Merauke, delivering benefits and creating a better, safer and greener future for our peoples”, British Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste Dominic Jermey said//VOI 

Integrated Crisis Communication Management System webinar in the Parekraf Sector - 

VOInews, Jakarta : Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Menparekraf/Kabaparekraf), Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno believes in the presence of the Surebro system! (Surveilance, Response and Broadcast) issued by the Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Baparekraf is able to overcome issues that trigger tourism crises quickly and accurately.

In the Integrated Crisis Communication Management System webinar in the Parekraf Sector, Wednesday (25/10/2023), Sandiaga said the tourism business is a reputation business that is felt by tourists through sensory perception. So, when this reputation is disturbed by something that is not in accordance with tourists' perceptions, this will trigger a tourism crisis.

"A reputation crisis is the starting point for the threat of a tourism crisis. If there is bad news that creates uncertainty and anxiety, such as during a pandemic, we must immediately address this," said Sandiaga.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Thursday, One of the efforts to prevent this crisis from occurring, continued Sandiaga, is strategic communication which is able to reduce the negative impact of the tourism crisis and reduce the anxiety of various parties, especially tourists and creative tourism actors. For this reason, the presence of the Surebro system! issued by the Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Baparekraf is believed to be able to overcome the impact of a tourism crisis such as what occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This will certainly strengthen synergy and collaboration across ministries/agencies and a good narrative at the regional tourism level so that this (crisis) can be handled together," he said.

Sesmenparekraf/Sestama Baparekraf, Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani, added that the parekraf sector is very vulnerable to being affected by crises which can have an impact on the economy, job creation and infrastructure development. Therefore, there needs to be holistic crisis management by prioritizing effective communication that involves many elements and components.

This is because this integrated crisis communication management system cannot run alone without the support of parekraf stakeholders as well as tourism agencies and ministries/institutions as official information contributors.

"Effective communication is one of the most important resources in managing a crisis. Communication must be carried out in all stages of a crisis, namely before, during and after crisis. Through effective crisis communications, we can understand the risks we face; provide more complete, accurate and fast information; and reduce circulation "disinformation and misinformation can worsen crisis conditions," said Giri.

Meanwhile, Head of the Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Baparekraf I Gusti Ayu Dewi Hendriyani explained the Surebro Crisis Communication Integrated Management System! is a new breakthrough for the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy organization which has five innovation values, namely the creation of an integrated management system, novelty, adjustments to the organizational structure, sustainability, and in accordance with the organizational values ​​of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

Utilization of the Surebro system! In overcoming the tourism crisis, three steps are carried out, namely :

1. Surveillance, by looking at public sentiment through crisis detection analysis (CDA) and media monitoring. Furthermore, these potentials are categorized into three impacts on the tourism and creative sector, namely low, medium and high.

2. Response, with a crisis risk assessment strategy, action in the first 15 minutes, 30 minutes and one hour, as well as action when the crisis continues up to the preparation of a press release.

3. Broadcast, with amplification on owned and paid media of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, PR-ing, and regional Tourism and Creative Economy Crisis Management Forum

"One of the monitoring products that we have in crisis communication is Crisis Detection Analysis. So this is our monitoring of issues in the tourism and creative sector and we detect potential crises in the future and then we mitigate them early on before the issues get bigger by preparing recommendations "follow-up on crisis communication management with outputs such as standby statements, press releases, infographics and posters," said Dewi.

This webinar was also attended online by a number of officials within the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy as well as representatives from Ministries/Agencies and local governments//VOI