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For more on the incident that unfolded in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, where Israeli forces opened fire towards a group of diplomats visiting the area, read this.
Israel’s war on Gaza doesn’t betray European values – it embodies them, writes Somdeep Sen, associate professor of international development studies at Roskilde University. Read more in this opinion piece.
And, you can follow all our coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza here.
Here’s what happened today
We will be closing this live page soon. Here’s a recap of the day’s major developments:
- Israel’s military continued to pound the Gaza Strip, killing at least 82 Palestinians, as it blocks desperately needed food aid from entering in amounts sufficient to halt famine.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will retain control of all of Gaza when its military assault ends, adding that it will be ready for a potential “temporary” halt to its bombardment to release remaining captives.
- Several countries, including France, Spain, and the UK have summoned Israeli ambassadors after Israeli forces fired towards a group of diplomats in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.
- At least three people have been killed in Israeli attacks on various parts of Lebanon’s south, including the villages of Aitoun and Yater.
- The Health Ministry in Gaza has accused Israel of deliberately hitting power generators to put the enclave’s hospitals out of operation, as aid groups say medical teams face dire conditions amid supply shortages.
- Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief’s spokesperson, has said no humanitarian supplies have been able to leave the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing in southern Israel to enter the Gaza Strip, adding that these supplies are nowhere near enough to meet the vast needs of people in Gaza.
Kneecap member charged with ‘terrorism’ offence
A member of the Irish rap band Kneecap has been charged with a “terrorism” offence in the UK for waving a flag of the armed Lebanese group Hezbollah at a concert in November 2024 in London.
Liam O’Hanna, whose stage name is Mo Chara, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on June 18, charged under the Terrorism Act, British police said.
Kneecap has drawn international attention for its vocal support for Palestinian rights, including during a recent, widely watched performance at the Coachella music festival in California.
Read more in our story here.
ICJ case against Israel ‘did not arise’ in Trump talks: South Africa’s Ramaphosa
The South African president says his country’s case at the top UN court alleging that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians was not discussed during a meeting today with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
“The ICJ issue did not arise during the lunch,” he told reporters.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz had said yesterday that he was confident that Trump “will demand” that South African officials change their policy towards Israel.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said the US was “very concerned” about South Africa’s ICJ case.
For more of our coverage of Trump’s meeting with the South African president, follow our live page here.
Is European pressure on Israel likely to make a difference?
Israel is facing condemnation from some of its strongest allies over its increasing aggression in Gaza.
The UK is cancelling new trade talks and the EU is reviewing old agreements, while both are imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
But will any of this change the reality on the ground for the Palestinians?
Find out below in the latest episode of Al Jazeera’s Inside Story, which features:
- James Moran – Former EU ambassador to Egypt and Jordan
- Yossi Mekelberg – Senior consulting fellow at Chatham House
- Zaid Belbagi – Managing partner of Hardcastle Advisory and political commentator
About 90 truckloads of aid dispatched into Gaza: UN
UN chief Guterres’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, has confirmed that the United Nations collected “around 90 truckloads of goods” and dispatched them to Gaza.
“We have no further details to share at this time,” Dujarric said in a brief statement.
‘World leaders must take firm action to stop Israel’s genocide’: Amnesty
Amnesty International says “firm action” must include halting all military support for Israel, including weapons transfers.
The rights group called on countries to go to the UN Security Council and other international bodies “to collectively adopt targeted sanctions against Israeli officials most implicated in crimes under international law”.
Amnesty also urged world leaders to pledge to implement International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants and support the tribunal.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
There are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Gallant and Netanyahu “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity”, the court said in November when the warrants were issued.
Canada’s PM dodges question about what action could be taken against Israel
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government “will decide” what action it will take if Israel continues with its bombardment of Gaza and blockade of humanitarian aid.
Canada joined the UK and France in a statement this week that said: “If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Carney said the goal of the statement was to push Israel to ensure “that adequate humanitarian aid gets to the population there, many of whom are on the brink of starvation”.
“It’s the Israeli government’s responsibility to act,” the prime minister added in French.
Canada says four personnel among diplomats fired at in Jenin
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand says the country “expect[s] a full investigation and accountability” for the incident.
“I have asked my officials to summon Israel’s Ambassador to convey Canada’s serious concerns,” Anand said in a post on X.
Canada becomes the latest country to summon an Israeli ambassador over the incident, following EU countries such as France and Spain.
Israeli forces raid, assault Palestinians in town near occupied West Bank’s Bethlehem
Two Palestinians have sustained wounds after being physically assaulted by Israeli soldiers in the village of Wadi Rahhal, the Palestinian news agency reports.
The two men were identified as Iyad Muhammad Abu Aahour, 35, and Ahmad Rajeh Abu Aahour, 19.
Hamdi Ziyada, head of the Wadi Rahhal village council, was cited as saying that the two men sustained bruises and were taken to a hospital in Bethlehem for treatment.
Earlier, Israeli forces raided the village and hurled sound bombs as soldiers stationed themselves in the middle of the town’s square, Wafa added.
‘History will not forget US complicity’ in Gaza crimes: Bernie Sanders
US Senator Bernie Sanders has renewed his push to suspend American military aid to Israel as it wages war on Palestinians in Gaza.
“Almost the entire population of Gaza is acutely malnourished and many are on the brink of starvation,” Sanders wrote in a post on X. “History will not forget US complicity in enabling this horrific humanitarian disaster.”
The US provides at least $3.8bn in military aid to Israel annually and has provided billions more since the Israeli military began its Gaza bombardment in October 2023.
Sanders introduced resolutions in the US Senate last month seeking to suspend American sales of “offensive weapons” to Israel, but the measures failed to pass.
Mahmoud Khalil’s wife slams US refusal to let him hold newborn son
US authorities have refused to allow Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student detained for his Palestine advocacy, to hold his newborn son as his US immigration detention drags on, Khalil’s legal team says.
In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union said US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and private prison contractor GEO Group have refused to allow a contact visit between Khalil and his family.
A graduate student and legal permanent resident, Khalil has been detained since March 8 in a push to deport him over his participation in campus protests for Gaza last year. He is one of several pro-Palestinian students that the Trump administration has targeted for deportation.
“I am furious at the cruelty and inhumanity of this system that dares to call itself just,” Khalil’s wife, Noor Abdalla, said in a statement denouncing ICE’s decision to bar Khalil from being able to meet their son.
“This is not just heartless. It is deliberate violence, the calculated cruelty of a government that tears families apart without remorse,” Abdalla said.
“And I cannot ignore the echoes of this pain in the stories of Palestinian families, torn apart by Israeli military prisons and bombs, denied dignity, denied life. Our struggle is not isolated. This system is unjust, and we will fight until Mahmoud is home.”
Israel ‘going to find itself more and more isolated’: Corbyn
British MP Jeremy Corbyn says Israel’s firing towards diplomats in the occupied West Bank will no doubt raise “huge levels of anger” amongst the governments whose personnel were affected.
“The demand to cease all arms supplies to Israel, which is gaining strength all over the world, will get stronger and stronger,” Corbyn told Al Jazeera in an interview from London.
“What Israel has seen in the past two weeks has been a massive loss of support on the world stage,” he said.
Corbyn added that if an arms embargo is imposed on Israel, Netanyahu “won’t be able to sustain the continued bombardment of Gaza as well as this huge occupation of the West Bank”.
“These are horrible and desperate times, but if Netanyahu thinks it’s OK to shoot at diplomats visiting a refugee camp [in Jenin], then surely something must follow,” he said.
“And I would have thought, at the very least, there’s got to be condemnation from the UN … and a suspension of all arms supplies to Israel.”
‘There must be a full investigation,’ UK minister says after shots fired in Jenin
Hamish Falconer, the British minister for the Middle East and North Africa, has described the incident today in Jenin as “unacceptable”.
“I have spoken to our diplomats who were affected,” Falconer said in a post on X. “Civilians must always be protected, and diplomats allowed to do their jobs.”
Israel has yet to comment on the wave of condemnation from European countries and the UN after it acknowledged that its forces fired near a group of diplomats in the northern West Bank city today.
Earlier, the Israeli military said that it “regrets the inconvenience caused”.
‘We’re running out of time’: UNICEF chief sounds alarm over effects of aid blockade
The head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that life-saving supplies are quickly dwindling inside Gaza as Israeli forces largely maintain an aid blockade, preventing only a trickle of food and other essentials into the enclave.
“Children in Gaza continue to be killed, injured and deprived of aid,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a post on X.
“The few trucks that have entered with life-saving supplies are nowhere near sufficient and have yet to reach those in desperate need. We’re running out of supplies inside Gaza, and we’re running out of time.”
Israeli attack kills five in northern Gaza’s Jabalia
The five who lost their lives are from the Halawa family, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reports.
We’ll bring you more soon.
Trucks loaded with aid enter central Gaza
Videos posted on Palestinian platforms and verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency show aid trucks entering the Deir el-Balah area of central Gaza.
As we’ve been reporting, a spokesman for UN chief Guterres said earlier that no aid had reached Gaza because the Israeli authorities had only authorised one route into the enclave, and the UN had deemed it to be too “insecure”.
Stephane Dujarric also stressed earlier today that the “limited supplies” that Israel is allowing into Gaza “are nowhere near enough to meet the needs” of Palestinians.
We’ll bring you more on the humanitarian deliveries when we can.
Ex-Microsoft engineer sacked over protest of Israel AI ties
Vaniya Agrawal, a former Microsoft engineer, says she was fired for protesting against what she says is the company’s ties to Israel.
Qatar condemns Israel for shooting at EU diplomats in Jenin
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the Israeli army for opening fire on an international diplomatic delegation visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
In a statement, Doha described the incident as a “blatant violation” of international laws, conventions, and diplomatic norms. The ministry urged the international community to fulfil its moral and legal obligations by holding Israel accountable for its violations.
If you’re just joining us
Let’s bring you up to speed on the latest developments:
- Israeli PM Netanyahu has said Israel will retain control of all of Gaza when its military offensive ends, adding that the country will be ready for a possible “temporary” halt to its bombardment to release captives.
- The death toll in Gaza has risen to at least 82 today, our team on the ground reports, as Israel has launched attacks across the enclave.
- Condemnation has grown over the Israeli military’s firing towards a group of diplomats in Jenin, with countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and France saying they will summon Israel’s ambassadors to their countries to explain the incident.
- Former Israeli PM Ehud Barak has sharply criticised the ongoing war and said Israeli forces are committing “war crimes” in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
- At least three people have been killed and several others wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency reports.
‘I hope to live and to play again’
Jana, a 10-year-old Palestinian girl, has described her hopes after being injured in an Israeli attack on her family’s tent in Gaza.
“I hope to leave, for my arm to heal, and to play again,” she said in a video shared on X by the UN agency for children’s relief (UNICEF).
Another girl, 11-year-old Misk, after said she hopes to travel abroad for treatment after she suffered from burns.
Netanyahu pledges to continue fighting in face of growing int’l pressure
Canada, the UK and France had released a joint statement [this week] saying that they would be willing to take actions against Israel, including sanctions, if the blockade of humanitarian assistance was not lifted.
However, the Israeli prime minister has said that that’s not going to happen.
Whenever Israel is faced with any sort of international pressure, they usually don’t respond. They say that they’re doing things for Israel, for the defence of Israel, that they’re fighting a just war.
And the Israeli prime minister reiterated that tonight, saying that whatever pressure comes Israel’s way, they are going to continue fighting and this war is not going to end until Israel gets everything it wants out of it.
Portugal also summons Israeli envoy after Jenin shooting
Portugal has become the latest European country to summon Israel’s ambassador after the Israeli army fired warning shots at diplomats in the occupied West Bank.
The foreign ministry in Lisbon said the request was made “following this incident, which calls international law into question”.
A Portuguese diplomat was a member of the delegation that was fired upon in Jenin.
Gaza ‘a graveyard for humanity’s conscience’: Save the Children
Save the Children UK says Palestinian children in Gaza “are suffering day after day” under Israel’s bombardment and blockade of the territory.
“These children have names, they have hopes and dreams for the future. They are someone’s everything, their entire universe,” the child rights group said in a post on X.
“We refuse to allow their suffering to become normalised.”
Spain to summon Israeli ambassador over Jenin incident
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares says his country has summoned the Israeli ambassador in Madrid over a shooting incident in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.
Earlier, France and Italy also said they are summoning Israeli ambassadors after Israeli forces opened fire at a group of European diplomats who were visiting Jenin today.
“We demand clarity and accountability,” Albares wrote in a post on X.
Jenin has been at the centre of several wide-scale Israeli incursions over the past few months. Soldiers besieged the city’s refugee camp, and have used drones to launch strikes, as well as military vehicles and bulldozers to ravage the area. The raids resulted in houses, buildings, and basic infrastructure being demolished, and have forced thousands out of their homes.
More from the UN spokesman
We have more remarks from Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief’s spokesperson.
He says:
- “The limited supplies finally being allowed to enter [Karem abu Salem border crossing] Kerem Shalom are nowhere near enough to meet the needs in Gaza, which are vast, which are tremendous. Much, much more aid needs to get in.”
- OCHA, the UN humanitarian office, has reported that 80 percent of Gaza is now subjected to displacement orders or falls within “Israeli militarised zones”, where humanitarian workers must coordinate their movements with Israel.
- “Our partners tell us that over the past few days, almost half of the newly displaced people have fled with none of their belongings.”
- Five aid kitchens have resumed operations, including two in Khan Younis and three that relocated to Gaza City following displacement orders in northern Gaza; five other kitchens in Gaza City and Khan Younis “were forced to shut down after their supplies were depleted”.
- Guterres is “alarmed” by reports that the Israeli army fired shots at a diplomatic delegation in Jenin, which included UN personnel; “It is clear that diplomats who are doing their work should never be shot at, attacked in any way, shape or form.”
Photos: Palestinians line up for food in Gaza City
Death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza rises again
Our colleagues on the ground report that at least 82 people have been killed today across Gaza as Israeli attacks show no signs of letting up.
Dozens of people were also wounded today, our team says, quoting medical sources in Gaza.
Netanyahu says Israel will control all of Gaza when offensive ends
The Israeli prime minister says: “If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we’ll be ready.”
Here’s more from Netanyahu’s televised news conference – his first since December:
- He says all of Gaza will be under Israeli control by the end of its assault on the territory.
- “We must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action,” Netanyahu tells reporters.
- He says 20 Israeli captives held in Gaza “are certainly alive”.
- Netanyahu also pledges that his government will appoint the next head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service, the Shin Bet, despite Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara barring him from doing so.
At least three people killed in Khan Younis: Report
Palestinian media are reporting that the three were killed in an Israeli drone attack on the city in southern Gaza.
An unspecified number of people were also wounded in the strike, which took place in the city’s al-Amal neighbourhood, the reports said.
Netanyahu holding news conference
The Israeli prime minister is speaking from his office.
We’ll bring you some of his remarks as soon as we can.
Lebanon death roll rises to three from Israeli attacks
We reported earlier that an Israeli air strike in the southern Lebanese town of Yater killed one person.
While the Israeli army claimed it was a Hezbollah member, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said the slain man was a local resident operating a bulldozer to clear rubble from his home that had sustained damage in an attack during the war.
NNA is now reporting that another two people have been killed in separate strikes – one on the southern Lebanese town of Aitaroun, and another in an attack on Ain Baal, a village in Tyre.
Several others have been wounded, NNA said, without providing more details.
Turkiye condemns shots fired in Jenin ‘in strongest terms’
The Turkish Foreign Ministry says an official from the Turkish consulate general in Jerusalem was among the group of diplomats fired upon by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city.
“This attack, which endangered the lives of diplomats, is yet another demonstration of Israel’s systematic disregard for international law and human rights,” the ministry said in a statement.
“This attack must be investigated without delay, and those responsible must be held accountable,” it said.
“We call on the international community to condemn this dangerous act in the strongest possible terms and to take concrete steps to bring an end to Israel’s impunity.”
Former Israeli PM slams says country committing ‘war crimes’
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has sharply criticised the ongoing war in Gaza, calling it a politically driven conflict that is inflicting heavy civilian casualties and costing the lives of Israeli soldiers.
“A political war that has no purpose will not return a single hostage and will also involve the loss of the lives of brave soldiers,” he said in comments carried by Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan.
He also said Israeli forces are committing “war crimes”, not only in Gaza, but in the occupied West Bank, where near-daily raids have continued since October 2023.
“Every day in Judea and Samaria, war crimes are being committed by Israelis”, he said, using Israel’s preferred term for the occupied West Bank. “The police and [the military] do not prevent them”, he said.
Israeli High Court rules Netanyahu’s move to fire Shin Bet chief ‘unlawful’: Report
Israel’s top court has ruled that the government acted “improperly” and “unlawfully” in its attempt to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar earlier this year, according to Israeli media.
The Times of Israel reports that the court found Netanyahu’s move to remove Bar, which sparked widespread controversy and fuelled antigovernment protests, had no “factual basis” and denied Bar the right to an official hearing.
However, as Bar has already announced plans to step down on June 15, the court said it would not issue a binding order.
No aid delivered to Gaza yet due to ‘insecure’ access: UN spokesperson
Stephane Dujarric, UN chief Antonio Guterres’s spokesperson, says no humanitarian supplies have been able to leave the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing in southern Israel to enter the Gaza Strip.
As we’ve been reporting, Israel allowed a limited amount of supplies to be transferred there amid a wave of international pressure and condemnation of its weeks-long blockade of Gaza.
“None of the supplies have been able to leave the Kerem Shalom loading area,” Dujarric told reporters during a briefing at UN headquarters in New York.
“This is because by yesterday evening, the Israeli authorities had only allowed our teams to go through one area that was highly congested, that we felt was insecure, and where we felt looting was highly likely to take place given the prolonged deprivation in Gaza” amid Israel’s blockade, he said.
“We hope that will change very soon. The discussions are ongoing – as we speak – between our colleagues and the Israeli security authorities,” Dujarric added.
“We are continuing to engage with them to identify the best possible routes out of Kerem Shalom towards Gaza to ensure that the flow of aid is not disrupted or suspended.”
France to summon Israeli ambassador over ‘unacceptable’ Jenin incident
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has announced the move in a post on X.
As we reported earlier, Italy also says it is summoning the Israeli ambassador over the shooting incident in Jenin earlier today.
Israeli army says intercepted firing from northern Gaza
The military says the projectile was launched from northern Gaza towards Israeli territory.
No casualties were reported, it added in a brief statement.
Earlier, the army said alerts were activated in the Lachish area of the Negev (Naqab) desert region.
‘A drop in the ocean’: IRC calls for scale-up in humanitarian aid
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has issued a strong statement following the Israel’s decision to allow a limited amount of essential supplies into Gaza after more than 10 weeks of complete blockade.
The IRC warned that the aid allowed so far is vastly insufficient in the face of a deepening humanitarian crisis.
It said Palestinians in Gaza are “on the brink of famine” and facing a total collapse of the health system. Citing recent assessments, the IRC reported that nearly 60 percent of families cannot access bread or fresh food, and more than 60 percent lack access to clean water.
Canned goods are nearly gone, and child malnutrition has doubled in the past month, it added.
“The decision to allow limited food aid to enter Gaza barely scratches the surface of what is needed. We are encouraged to see nine trucks with nutrition supplies entering yesterday – the first aid to enter Gaza in over 10 weeks. But what people in Gaza need is consistent, sustained access to all essential supplies – not just food and medicine, but also water, fuel, and hygiene items,” IRC’s Zoe Daniels said.
“Without this, humanitarian operations cannot function.”
One killed in Deir el-Balah
We are getting reports of another deadly Israeli attack in central Gaza.
The attack struck near a group of people in Deir el-Balah city, killing at least one person and injuring others, report our colleagues on the ground.
We’ll bring you more information as we have it.
Gaza’s media office warns of worsening humanitarian catastrophe
The Israeli army is continuing to block the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip for the third consecutive day, according to a statement from Gaza’s Government Media Office.
The office described the move as a “blatant violation” of previously announced Israeli commitments to allow the flow of some humanitarian assistance as an aid blockade persists for the 81st day.
The office warned of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, citing severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel as Gaza’s health and infrastructure systems edge closer to total collapse, and it called the siege a “deliberate policy of siege and starvation”.
All border crossings have been shut for 81 days, the statement said, accusing Israeli authorities of using food and medicine as tools of war.
Israel claims to kill Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon
Israel’s military says it carried out an air strike in the southern Lebanese area of Yater, killing a commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force.
The announcement was posted on X, accompanied by footage of what appears to be an aerial strike.
It comes after Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike in the same area killed a man operating a bulldozer to clear rubble from a home.
Italy to summon Israeli ambassador over shooting in Jenin
Italy will summon Israel’s ambassador to the foreign ministry affairs to provide “official clarifications” on today’s incident in Jenin, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says.
As we’ve been reporting, the Israeli army says it fired shots near a delegation of foreign diplomats in the city in the occupied West Bank earlier.
The military said it fired “warning shots” after the delegation “deviated” from their approved route and moved to an “unauthorised” area.
Italian media reported that a group of foreign diplomats from numerous countries, including Italy, had to flee for cover during the incident.
German chancellor ‘concerned’ by Gaza’s humanitarian situation
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and is in close contact with EU counterparts to convey his worries to the Israeli government, his spokesperson says.
“It is always important for the German government to keep its lines of communication open with the Israeli government and to be able to make its points directly,” Stefan Kornelius said during a news conference.
Germany has been criticised for its staunch defence of Israel amid the war on Gaza, as well as its crackdown on Palestine solidarity protests in Germany. Rights advocates have also urged Berlin to end weapons transfers to Israel.
While Germany signed onto an EU statement this week urging Israel to allow aid into Gaza, news outlets reported it was among several European countries opposed to launching a review of an EU trade pact with Israel.
Without explicitly confirming the reports that Berlin had opposed the review, a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said today that “the EU-Israel Association Agreement is an important forum that we must use in order to discuss critical questions” over the situation in Gaza.
‘Grinding pace of destruction’ continues across Gaza
That’s what makes this period of time quite different – and what distinguishes it this time is not just the scale of destruction … but the magnitude, as well as the grinding pace of destruction that is going places that were off limits in the past weeks.
We’re talking about solar panels, generators and facilities that were long considered protected under international law – facilities that belong and are operated by international organisations.
In terms of new attacks, three people were killed in a drone strike on a residential home in Jabalia refugee camp. Three more [were killed] almost at the same time in al-Amal neighbourhood at the heart of Khan Younis.
The number [of casualties] keeps increasing by the hour.
‘Barbaric’: Ireland’s Harris slams Israel’s actions in Gaza
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris delivered a powerful statement in parliament earlier today, sharply criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Here are some of the key points he made:
- Harris called Israel’s actions in Gaza “barbaric” and a violation of human dignity.
- He said Israel is targeting medics, journalists and children, calling the situation “difficult to witness day and night”.
- He described Israel’s blockade of aid as a “blatant violation of international law”.
- He warned that up to 15,000 children could die in Gaza if conditions persist.
- He condemned Israeli practices in the occupied West Bank as well.
- He reiterated Ireland’s support for a two-state solution.
- He announced plans to pursue legislation to ban products from Israeli settlements.
Gaza death toll rises again
Medical sources tell Al Jazeera that Israeli forces have so far killed at least 71 Palestinians across Gaza since dawn.
UK commits more than $5m in aid to Gaza
The UK government has pledged to send 4 million pounds ($5.37m) in humanitarian aid to Gaza as conditions in the enclave deteriorate.
The announcement comes a day after UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy issued some of the harshest official criticism of Israel to come from the UK during the war, calling its conduct “monstrous” and “repellent”.
It also comes as UK Minister for Development Jenny Chapman visits Israel and occupied Palestinian territory.
If you’re just joining us
Let’s bring you up to speed on the latest developments:
- The Israeli army continues to bombard the Gaza Strip, with at least 82 Palestinians killed and another 262 wounded in the past 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry.
- The Health Ministry in Gaza has accused Israel of deliberately hitting power generators to put the territory’s hospitals out of operation, as aid groups say medical teams face dire conditions amid supply shortages.
- The EU’s foreign policy chief has called for Israel to investigate after its army said it fired “warning shots” towards a group of diplomats in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
- One person has been killed in an Israeli drone strike on the Lebanese town of Yater, according to the town’s mayor, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency is reporting.
- Israeli forces have rounded up 20 people in raids throughout the occupied West Bank since last night, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society.
Hamas accuses Israeli government of using starvation as ‘weapon of war’
Hamas has released a statement about the ongoing Israeli blockade in the coastal enclave. Here are some of the translated comments:
- The Netanyahu government continues to use starvation as a weapon of war in a systematic crime of genocide against our people in Gaza.
- We call for urgent international action to stop the genocide, end the blockade and allow unrestricted aid into Gaza.
- The [Israeli] occupation is misleading the world by claiming to bring in aid while it is carrying out the most heinous crimes of starvation and genocide in modern times.
- Silence on the crimes of starvation and mass killing in Gaza is a de facto partnership in crime.
- The [Israeli] occupation forces’ shooting at 25 ambassadors and diplomats in Jenin camp is a clear violation of all international norms and conventions.
Spain’s Catalonia region closes trade office in Tel Aviv
The government of the Spanish region of Catalonia has announced it will be shutting down its trade and investment office in Tel Aviv in response to Israel’s renewed offensive on Gaza.
The office, opened 10 years ago, will cease operations immediately and is expected to be nonoperational by the end of the day, the government said in a statement.
The move is largely symbolic since the office suspended all promotional and business missions in the region after attacks on Gaza began. It had continued to function in a limited capacity without any political representation.
Vehicle targeted near Gaza’s European Hospital, today’s death toll at 62
We are getting reports of a deadly Israeli attack in the Khan Younis area.
The attack, which targeted a vehicle near the European Hospital, located east of the city, has killed at least one person, report our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic.
That casualty brings today’s total death toll in Gaza to 62, they report, citing local medical sources.
EU top diplomat calls on Israel to investigate incident in Jenin
We have been reporting throughout the day on an incident in which Israeli forces fired shots near a delegation of foreign diplomats in Jenin, the occupied West Bank.
Kaja Kallas has called on Israel to investigate the incident.
“I heard about the incident in Jenin today where Israel’s [military] shot warning shots, but still shots, at a group of diplomats approaching the refugee camp, within the visit organised by the Palestinian Authority,” Kallas told reporters.
“We definitely call on Israel to investigate this incident and also hold [to] account those who are responsible for this, and any threats on diplomats’ lives are unacceptable.”
She said Israel was a signatory to the Vienna Convention and hence had the obligation to “guarantee the security of all foreign diplomats”.
French Foreign Ministry says considering expanding sanctions on Israel
A French Foreign Ministry spokesperson has condemned Israel’s expanding military operation in Gaza as “horrific” and repeated warnings of potential sanctions as a result.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, the official said France is looking into a range of options to pressure Israel to halt its operations in Gaza and allow sufficient aid into the enclave. It also stressed the need for a two-state solution that takes both Israeli and Palestinian interests into account.
The remarks follow a joint statement by the leaders of France, the UK and Canada on Monday threatening sanctions against Israel.
Netanyahu to have news conference tonight
Israel’s prime minister plans to hold a news conference, his first in several months, from his office at 8:15pm (17:15 GMT), according to Israel’s Ynet news site.
Corbyn calls for independent inquiry into UK’s role in Israel’s war on Gaza
Former Labour leader and British MP Jeremy Corbyn has announced he will introduce a bill calling for an independent public inquiry into the UK’s involvement in Israel’s war on Gaza.
“The government must decide: will it support this inquiry, or will it block our efforts to establish the truth?” Corbyn posted on X.
The move comes one day after the Labour-led UK government suspended trade talks with Israel over the deteriorating conditions in Gaza amid Israel’s 11-week blockade of the territory, preventing much-needed aid from getting in.
Shooting incident in Jenin underlines harsh ‘reality’ of West Bank occupation
The Israeli army said it “regrets any inconvenience” [from the shooting incident in Jenin] and that army officials are speaking with diplomats in different counties to try to mitigate the situation.
Nonetheless, this just goes to show the reality of what’s happening on the ground in the West Bank.
Even if you go to visit as part of a delegation from another country, some of which are allies of Israel, you can be subjected to that same type of treatment by the Israeli army, which has imposed a siege on the refugee camp since January.
Gaza struggles with food, water shortages amid ongoing attacks
With air raids and tank fire continuing to pound the enclave, local bakers and transport operators said they had yet to see fresh supplies of flour and other essentials.
Abdel-Nasser al-Ajramy, the head of the bakery owners’ society, told the Reuters news agency that at least 25 bakeries that were told they would receive flour from the World Food Programme had seen nothing and there was no relief from the hunger for people waiting for food.
“There is no flour, no food, no water,” said Sabah Warsh Agha, a 67-year-old woman from northern Gaza sheltering in a cluster of tents near the beach in Gaza City.
“We used to get water from the pump. Now the pump has stopped working. There is no diesel or gas.”
Israeli attacks on the besieged territory have killed at least 82 Palestinians and wounded 262 during the past 24-hour reporting period, the Gaza Health Ministry said earlier today.
Israeli army admits firing shots near foreign diplomats in Jenin
The Israeli army has issued a statement addressing reports its forces fired shots near a delegation of foreign diplomats in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
The military said the bullets were “warning shots”, fired after the delegation “deviated” from their approved route and moved to an “unauthorised” area.
“No injuries or damage were reported,” said the military, adding that a commander is reviewing the incident and their findings would be relayed to the relevant diplomats.
The military said it “regrets the inconvenience caused”.
Abbas applauds international rejection of Israeli blockade of Gaza
The Palestinian Authority president has welcomed recent statements by European countries condemning Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
“We reiterate our welcome for the joint statement issued by the leaders of Britain, France, and Canada, as well as for the positions of the European Union countries, the joint statement of the donor countries and the statement of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on this matter,” Abbas said in a statement.
“They all rejected the policies of blockade, starvation, displacement and land seizure.”
Still no aid coming in as people ‘waste away’ with malnutrition
Ahmed Bayram, the Middle East spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has spoken to Al Jazeera about Gaza’s humanitarian situation, which continues to deteriorate.
Bayram, citing reports from his colleagues on the ground in Gaza, said there is still “no aid coming in as of this morning”.
“As things stand, the impact of the blockade continues,” he told Al Jazeera. “It’s going to be a while before we see any impact really … particularly with the meagre numbers [of aid trucks approved] by Israel.”
Bayram said people’s needs in Gaza are “soaring” with many families surviving on just one modest meal per day.
“More people are coming to us, telling us how they are watching their children waste away,” he said. “These children suffer from malnutrition, some of them will probably never make it, never recover from it.”
He urged for greater global pressure on Israel to allow aid in without “limits or conditions”. “I hope countries do continue to apply that pressure … people are literally on the verge of death,” he said.
Israel’s army claims to hit 115 Gaza targets in 24 hours
In its latest war update, the Israeli army says its aerial attacks struck 115 targets in Gaza in the last day, including fighter cells, rocket launchers, tunnels and other military infrastructure.
One strike, it claimed, killed a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba special forces unit who took part in the October 7 attack.
As we’ve been reporting, Israel’s latest attacks in Gaza have killed numerous civilians, including a strike on a school-turned-shelter yesterday that killed children and a pregnant woman.
Israel hitting power generators, putting hospitals ‘out of service’
Gaza’s Health Ministry said Israel deliberately hit power generators to put Gaza’s hospitals out of operation.
“The health situation in northern Gaza is now catastrophic after the Indonesian Hospital went out of service,” the ministry said. “The [Israeli] occupation aims to destroy electromechanical systems to put more hospitals out of service.
“Hospitals are operating on limited fuel supplies, threatening the continued provision of emergency medical care to the wounded and sick.”
More on European diplomatic delegation under fire in Jenin
We now have more information on the reported Israeli gunfire near a diplomatic delegation in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
According to Wafa news agency, Israeli soldiers fired five bullets towards the delegation, which was made up of officials from numerous European and Arab states. The report did not mention any casualties.
The delegation had travelled to Jenin, along with a group of journalists, to see the camp’s conditions and speak to its governor, Wafa said.
Gaza death toll rises
Israeli attacks on the besieged territory have killed at least 82 Palestinians and wounded 262 during the past 24-hour reporting period, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The casualties bring the total number of people confirmed killed in Gaza during the war to 53,655 with 121,950 wounded, the ministry said.
Since March 18, when Israel broke the nearly two-month ceasefire in Gaza, at least 3,509 people have been killed and 9,909 injured, it added.
Israeli forces ‘shoot towards’ European diplomatic delegation in Jenin
Local media is reporting that Israeli forces fired towards a diplomatic delegation visiting Jenin camp in the occupied West Bank.
The delegation included diplomats from the European Union, reports Quds News Network. They were fired at near a gate at the camp’s eastern entrance, according to the Palestinian Information Center.
We’ll bring you more information on the incident as soon as possible.
Italy urges Israel to halt Gaza attacks, open crossings for humanitarian aid
Italy has renewed its call for Israel to stop attacks on Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the besieged Palestinian enclave.
“I once again called on Israel to halt military operations involving civilians and to immediately open all crossings to allow humanitarian aid to enter,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani posted on X. “We want a ceasefire and the release of the hostages: the war in Gaza must end.”
Tajani also announced that 52 Palestinians, relatives of those who were evacuated from Gaza to Italy for medical treatment, were transferred to Jordan, adding they would eventually be brought to Italy.
