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SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

Palestinian fighters keep up Rafah attacks day after 4 Israelis killed by ‘house-borne’ IED

Three Palestinian armed groups conducted attacks on Israeli forces in Rafah on Tuesday, a day after Hamas said its fighters in the southern city detonated a “house-borne improvised explosive device (HBIED)” that killed four Israeli soldiers, war monitors report.

A unit of Israel’s Givati Brigade entered the booby-trapped house in eastern Rafah – which was the home of a Hamas member – thinking it was free of explosives. The detonation of explosives collapsed the building on top of the soldiers, US-based think tanks the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP) report.

The latest ISW/CTP joint report on the situation in Gaza also notes that fighters with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fired a salvo of rockets at an Israeli military target in southern Israel’s Kissufim area on Tuesday.

A PIJ sniper also reported targeting an Israeli soldier operating along the Netzarim Corridor on the same day.

Three more killed in Gaza City

An Israeli attack on a Gaza City home has killed at least three people. The attack took place in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, report our colleagues on the ground.

Earlier, we reported a separate attack on a home in Gaza City’s Shujayea neighbourhood that killed at least seven people and injured others.


Israeli forces storm Shaboura in Rafah refugee camp

Israeli forces have stormed Shaboura, the northern area of the Rafah refugee camp, while firing artillery and conducting air strikes, our colleagues on the ground report.

Fighting is taking place between Israeli forces and Palestinian groups in the camp as well as in areas in central Rafah in southern Gaza.

Israeli bombing kills 6 in Gaza City

Israeli forces have bombed a house in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood and killed six Palestinians, our colleagues on the ground report.

Death toll in Gaza City attack rises to 14

Six people have now been confirmed killed in an Israeli air attack on a home in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, reports Wafa news agency.

This brings the total number of people killed by Israeli attacks since dawn to 14, with a number of others wounded.

Israeli military claims to strike 30 Gaza targets in last day

Israeli ground troops and air forces have continued operating in Rafah and central Gaza, targeting fighter cells, weapons depots, launch sites and other military infrastructure, according to Israel’s military.

This included carrying out close-quarter combat in Rafah, said the military, claiming its forces have destroyed several fighter cells and booby-trapped structures in the last day.

It also included targeted air strikes throughout central Gaza, which hit an armed fighter cell and a weapons depot, the military added. Israel’s latest attacks throughout Gaza have also killed numerous civilians, including a child in a home in Rafah, according to the Wafa news agency.



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SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

Hezbollah commander ‘most senior’ to be killed since war began

A senior Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday is the most senior casualty from the group since war broke out with Israel in October, Reuters reports, citing security sources.

The air strike hit Taleb Abdallah, also known as Abu Taleb, in the town of Jouaiya, killing him and three others. The anonymous sources told Reuters they were likely targeted during a meeting.

The sources added that Abdallah was Hezbollah’s commander for the central region of Lebanon’s southern border and was senior to Wissam al-Tawil – another high-level Hezbollah commander killed in January.

Israel’s military claims attack that killed senior Hezbollah commander

In a post on X, Israel’s military confirmed reports that it killed four Hezbollah members on Tuesday, including senior commander Sami Taleb Abdullah.

The military claimed Abdullah was one of Hezbollah’s “most senior commanders in southern Lebanon”, responsible for planning and waging attacks on Israeli civilians.

The strike that killed Abdullah near the town of Jouaiyya, 15kms (nine miles) from the border, was part of an attack on a “Hezbollah command and control center”, according to the military.


Northern Israel comes under heavy rocket fire: Reports

Israeli news outlets are reporting a heavy barrage of rockets fired towards the Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee and Jordan Valley regions of northern Israel this morning.

Israeli broadcaster Kan posted video footage of missile defence systems intercepting incoming rockets.

Israel’s Channel 12 also posted video footage of missile defences in action and quoted the Israeli military as saying “about 100 launches” from Lebanon targeted Israel.


Israeli military reports fires after rockets hit northern parts

In a post on Telegram, Israel’s military has confirmed a major rocket attack from Lebanon, saying some 90 projectiles were fired into Israel. It said some of the projectiles were shot down, while others struck areas in northern Israel, sparking fires.

Videos shared on Israeli social media accounts, verified by Al Jazeera, show explosions in the skies of northern Israel and smoke rising in the city of Tiberias, which was reportedly hit by some rockets.


Seventy more rockets fired at Israel

Israel’s military says at least 70 more projectiles crossed into Israel from Lebanon, bringing the total number fired this morning to 160. Some of the projectiles were shot down, while most fell in open areas, said the military, adding no casualties were reported.

The military said it responded by waging an air strike on the rockets’ launch site in an area near Yaroun in southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces launch numerous raids in southern Lebanon

Israeli forces have launched raids on the towns of Markaba, al-Adisa, and Deir Siryan in southern Lebanon, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent reports.

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah meanwhile said it targeted Israeli spy equipment in the Ruwaisat al-Alam site in the Kafr Shuba Hills.

The news comes as part of an escalation witnessed on the Lebanese front since this morning, as Hezbollah bombed many Israeli settlements and sites with about 170 missiles in response to the Israeli forces’ assassination of four Hezbollah members Tuesday evening, including a senior commander.

Four killed, three wounded following Israeli air strike in Lebanon

The Lebanese Civil Defence has posted photos on X showing the team extinguishing a fire that broke out in a house after it was targeted by an Israeli air strike in Joya at dawn.

The team rescued three people and recovered four bodies from underneath the rubble of the destroyed house, it said.

Hezbollah vows to increase intensity of operations against Israel

Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine says the group will increase the intensity, force and quantity of its operations against Israel after the killing of senior commander Sami Taleb Abdullah.

Cross-border strikes between Israel and Hezbollah have since escalated, with the Lebanese group firing a major rocket barrage at northern Israel today and Israel carrying out a series of raids in southern Lebanon.

Merchant ship hit in Red Sea off Yemen

A merchant vessel issued a distress call after being struck in the Red Sea off Yemen, a security firm said, in what appeared to be the latest attack by the Houthi group.

The ship was hit about 68 nautical miles (126km) southwest of the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah, maritime security firm Ambrey said. The company “assessed the vessel aligned with the Houthi target profile at the time of the incident”, it said in a statement, without giving further details.

The Houthis have launched scores of drone and missile attacks on Israel-linked vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November. They say they hit the vessels as an act of solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s war on Gaza.

Last edited by SvennoJ - on 12 June 2024

SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

Blinken travels to key Gaza ceasefire mediator Qatar: Report

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is travelling today to Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks after Hamas gave a reply to the US-led proposal.

Blinken, who is on a four-country visit to the Middle East, will meet top leaders in Qatar, the AFP news agency reports.

Responding to the Gaza ceasefire plan laid out by US President Joe Biden, Hamas proposed amendments late on Tuesday. The White House said it was “evaluating” the Hamas reply.

The AFP reports that US officials had privately expected Hamas to insist on at least some changes rather than accepting the entire ceasefire proposal immediately, and the US wants to see if there is enough common ground to hammer out differences with Israel.

Blinken’s ceasefire diplomacy ‘proving very difficult’

    Blinken is trying to get this ceasefire over the line. It’s proving very difficult. He’ll be meeting Qatar’s emir and PM later today.

    Hamas has responded to the ceasefire proposal but hasn’t accepted it yet. They are sticking to the position that the group is ready to negotiate but wants a complete end to the fighting and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

    As for the Israelis, there’s a contradiction between what Blinken said Netanyahu says and what the Israeli PM is saying publicly.

    Blinken says that Netanyahu and Israel have accepted this ceasefire deal. Publicly, Netanyahu is saying there is going to be no negotiated permanent ceasefire with Hamas.

    So both sides’ very entrenched positions show the challenges of getting any ceasefire agreement over the line.

    A ceasefire deal is on the table – but neither side has accepted it. Here’s what to know

    A US-backed ceasefire plan has been approved by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), but whether it will be implemented remains unclear. Let us break it down for you.

    What is the deal? 

    The plan was first set out by US President Joe Biden, who said it was an Israeli proposal. It has three phases:

    • Phase 1 envisages an initial ceasefire with the release of hostages including women, the elderly and the wounded, the return of the remains of some hostages who have been killed, withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza, the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes in Gaza, as well as the safe and effective distribution of aid throughout Gaza.
    • Phase 2: With the agreement of the parties, there would next be a permanent end to hostilities, in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; and 
    • Phase 3: the start of a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of any deceased hostages still in Gaza to their families.

    What are Israel and Hamas saying?

    Both sides have signaled a willingness to accept the plan but neither has yet fully endorsed it. Hamas and Israel both said that what Biden said in his speech is not representative of what’s in the actual proposal. 

    On Tuesday, Israel gave its strongest signal yet it was ready to accept the plan, saying the proposal would enable it to achieve its war goals including “destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said that the possibility of a permanent ceasefire without the destruction of Hamas was a “non-starter”. Far-right members of his governing coalition have threatened to withdraw and collapse his administration if he accepts the proposal.

    Hamas on Tuesday submitted its response to the deal, proposing amendments including a timeline for a permanent ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. An Israeli official characterized Hamas’s proposed amendments as a rejection of the proposal but Hamas said Wednesday it has neither accepted nor rejected the deal.

    What next?

    Talks will continue via the Qatari and Egyptian mediators in coordination with the United States to see if an agreement can be reached, a source with knowledge of the talks told CNN.

    Qatari mediators hoping Blinken will come to Doha with guarantees

    As momentum appears to build towards a Gaza ceasefire deal, major sticking points remain, notably on the terms of a permanent ceasefire, which Hamas considers mandatory, according to Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid from Doha.

    Qatari mediators hope that Blinken, due to arrive in Doha today, would bring guarantees they could relay to Hamas on this point, said Javaid.

    However, he added, it would be a difficult task because Israel continues to insist it would not stop the war without destroying Hamas, raising questions about the prospects of such a ceasefire.

    “You have two sides on their maximalist positions. They have dug their heels in,” Javaid said. “The Israeli prime minister has said … he will wipe out Hamas, politically, militarily and from any presence in the Gaza Strip. Whereas with this negotiation, he actually has to accept that Hamas is still an entity on the ground, and he has to deal with it.”

    Nevertheless, mediators believe they have found some leeway within both Israel and Hamas’s parameters and “are hopeful that things are going to move forward”, added Javaid.

    Last edited by SvennoJ - on 12 June 2024

    SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

    Hamas official denies requesting amendments to proposed Gaza ceasefire deal: Report

    Hamas official Osama Hamdan has denied that the Palestinian group had put forward new ideas for the US-backed proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

    Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Hamas had proposed numerous amendments, some unworkable, to the Gaza ceasefire proposal, though he also said mediators remained determined to close the gaps.

    Hamdan, speaking to the pan-Arab Al-Araby TV, also said that Blinken was “part of the problem, not the solution” in the Gaza conflict.

    The only news about 'amendments' was Hamas requesting a timeline and guarantees Israel will be held to the ceasefire deal. No new ideas, merely requesting commitment from Israel to the proposed deal.

    Hamas wants US guarantees about permanent ceasefire: Report

    Hamas is seeking guarantees from the US that Israel will live up to its commitments under the UN-backed ceasefire proposal, including withdrawing from Gaza and negotiating a permanent ceasefire, according to sources quoted by Reuters.

    Earlier, Hamas issued a formal response to the three-stage ceasefire plan, asking for several amendments, including a ceasefire timeline.

    The plan, as outlined by Biden on May 31, starts with a six-week ceasefire in phase one, transitioning to negotiations for a full ceasefire in phase two. The ceasefire is to remain in place as long as negotiations are ongoing.

    However, Israeli leaders, including the prime minister, have insisted Israel is still dedicated to destroying Hamas, raising questions about their commitment to a lasting ceasefire.



    It seems Blinken is trying to pull a fast one

    Blinken, the ‘ultimate spinner’

    This is what’s so infuriating about Secretary Blinken: He is so well-mannered, soft-spoken, very diplomatic. But when it comes to the content of what he says, he is the ultimate spinner – half facts, half truths.

    He said the two proposals are virtually the same. But I will name you two important differences: One is that the Hamas proposal calls for the end of Israel’s siege; the proposal outlined by the US does not. What’s the point of this war or the past 20 years of four wars against Gaza if we’re going to go back to square one where Israel imposes a siege on Gaza? So the Hamas proposal suggested ending the Israeli siege on Gaza. This new proposal does not.

    Two, there’s the key difference between a permanent and temporary ceasefire. This proposal speaks of a temporary ceasefire. Hamas presented a permanent ceasefire. The difference lies in phase two, which says that Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip upon the agreement of the parties – which means Israel will have to agree. And there’s every proof and demonstration that Israel does not want to end the war, and it keeps saying that this resolution will allow it to achieve its war objectives.

    Blinken assures us that Israel said “Yes”  to the proposal. I am not convinced. Why hasn’t Netanyahu come out and said, “I support and embrace the new Security Council resolution”? That’s the question that needs to be posed to Secretary Blinken.

    Gaza deal would help Israel-Lebanon tensions: Blinken

    During the presser in Qatar, Blinken renewed calls for a diplomatic solution between Israel and Lebanon and said a Gaza ceasefire deal would have a major effect in lowering tensions.

    “What I’ve heard from everyone concerned,” Blinken told reporters in Doha, “is there’s a strong preference for a diplomatic solution.”

    “There’s no doubt in my mind that the best way also to empower a diplomatic solution to the north – in Lebanon – is a resolution of the conflict in Gaza and getting a ceasefire,” he said. “That will take a tremendous amount of pressure out of the system,” Blinken said.

    No shit Sherlock, Hezbollah has been saying since the beginning they're attacking Israeli military positions in Northern Israel in reaction to the Gaza genocide.



    SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

    ‘No guarantee’ that ceasefire agreement will come through: Blinken

    Blinken declined to say what specific changes Hamas was seeking, adding that there was “no guarantee” that the “gaps” between the two sides are “bridgeable” at this point.

    “I can’t tell you right now if we [the mediators] will succeed,” said Blinken. “I believe it’s doable. I believe it’s absolutely necessary to do our best.”

    ‘It’s time for the haggling to stop and for the ceasefire to start’: Blinken

    Blinken says negotiators will “try to bridge the gaps” between Israel and Hamas and “bring it to a conclusion.

    “Remember, Hamas had this for 12 days, and it’s not like the world stood still for those 12 days; people were suffering for those 12 days,” Blinken said.

    “The longer this goes on, the more people will suffer. It’s time for the haggling to stop and for the ceasefire to start; it’s as simple as that. Israel accepted the proposal as it was and as it is, and Hamas didn’t.

    “If Hamas continues to say no, I think it will be clear to everyone around the world that it’s on them and that they made a choice to continue a war that they started.”

    What a snake, Blinken isn't fit as a negotiator. He's nothing but a propagandist.

    Europe will have to come with sanctions as it looks like the US isn't serious about pressing Israel into a ceasefire. They're only interested in blaming Hamas. This is not going to help Biden either. Paving the way for Trump to take the upcoming elections.


    Blinken doesn't think it's bridgeable, Sullivan says it's minor changes, yet nobody will actually say what they are

    White House’s Sullivan says ceasefire proposal changes from Hamas are ‘minor’

    White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says changes proposed by Hamas to the ceasefire proposal are minor and the US will work with Egypt and Qatar to bridge gaps in the proposal.

    “Many of the proposed changes are minor and not unanticipated. Others differ more substantially from what was outlined in the UN Security Council resolution,” Sullivan said.



    Qatari PM highlights need for ‘sovereign Palestinian state’

    The Qatari prime minister emphasises the need for a “permanent solution” to the Gaza war rather than simply “temporary measures”. He also said a “just solution” should lead towards the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

    Such a state should live “side by side” with Israel in peace and security, he said.

    Seeking compromises to reach ‘a permanent solution’

    Qatar’s prime minister says negotiators have discussed the response received on Tuesday from Hamas on the ceasefire proposal.

    “We are examining the details of this proposal and response. Qatar, Egypt and the US are committed in their partnership to bring this war to an end and to strike a swap deal between Palestinian detainees and the Israeli captives,” he said.

    “Within this context, we commend the concerted efforts by the US represented by Blinken and the efforts that were reflected in the formulation of the proposal that bring the views of both the parties to a common ground.”

    He added that they are seeking to offer compromises so “a permanent solution is reached”.

    Last edited by SvennoJ - on 12 June 2024

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    SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

    Israel expanding policy of withholding Palestinian bodies to use them as bargaining chips: Adalah

    The Israeli government has informed the Supreme Court that it will continue withholding the body of Walid Daqqa, a Palestinian citizen of Israel who died in prison, the human rights group Adalah says, slamming what it describes as Israel’s “longstanding policy of withholding Palestinian bodies in order to use them as bargaining chips”.

    The government submitted an update to the court ahead of Thursday’s hearing on a petition filed on behalf of Daqqa’s family by Adalah. Daqqa’s body has been withheld since he died of cancer on April 7.

    “Military orders are [now] being used to detain the bodies of Palestinian citizens for political purposes, illustrating that citizenship does not shield Palestinians from Israeli oppression. Israel is denying Palestinians the right to bury their deceased promptly and with dignity,” Adalah said in a statement.

    “This policy not only contravenes international law, but exposes yet again Israel’s system of subjugation and repression of Palestinians, both in life and death.”

    Since October 7, the police have released the bodies of two Palestinian citizens of Israel after Adalah petitioned the Supreme Court on behalf of the families of the deceased.


    Displaced Palestinians grow food between tents using dirty water

    The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has shared photos showing siblings Luay and Najah using dirty water to grow food between tents for displaced people in Gaza.

    They were displaced from their homes to Rafah in southern Gaza. “We hope to return to our homes and farms, knowing they have all been destroyed,” UNRWA quoted them as saying.



    Gaza’s Government Media Office marks 250 days of war

    The Government Media Office has released statistics to mark the 250th day of Israel’s war on Gaza. Here are some of what it reported:

    • 37,202 people in Gaza have been documented as killed, and another 10,000 people are missing.
    • 15,694 children have been killed.
    • 33 people have died due to famine.
    • 498 medical staff have been killed.
    • 150 journalists have been killed.
    • 70 percent of the victims are women and children.
    • 17,000 children are living without either or with only one of their parents.
    • 5,000 people from Gaza have been detained.
    • 79,000 tonnes of explosives have been dropped by Israeli forces.
    • 206 archaeological and heritage sites have been destroyed.
    • Initial losses from the destruction are estimated at $33bn.

    The ministry says more than 10,000 cancer patients “are at a risk of dying and require urgent treatment”. In a report, it also said:

    • 71,338 Palestinians have viral hepatitis infections due to displacement.
    • 60,000 pregnant women are in danger of losing their babies because of a lack of healthcare.
    • 350,000 chronic patients are at risk due to lack of medication.


    SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

    250 days on, Israel continues to carry out crimes against detainees: Rights group

    The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club has said that Israeli authorities continue to hold 9,170 Palestinians from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in prisons, where they are being subject to systemic violence.

    In a statement, the organisation said there has been an increase in detentions since October 7 and also in the “level of crimes that accompany the arrest campaigns, most notably field executions carried out by the army as it raids towns and villages”.

    Israeli forces, the organisation said, have focused on the families of prisoners, especially fathers, and those who had previously been arrested, in addition to the families of those killed – subjecting them to harassment and threats.

    “Israeli authorities have been carrying out crimes against detainees for decades. The difference since the war began, however, is the intensity of these assaults and the fact that the occupation has institutionalised these violations at unprecedented levels,” it said.

     

    Detainees in Ofer prison facing difficult living conditions: Organisation

    The Commission for Detainees’ Affairs has said conditions in detention in the military prison located near Ramallah has been deteriorating since October 7 as part of Israel’s “systematic escalation policy against all detainees”.

    The organisation said lawyers who managed to visit detainees there say that since the war on Gaza began, Israeli authorities have reduced food quantities, while at times providing spoiled meals that have made prisoners sick.

    It said that detainees are being forbidden from getting clothes for the hotter weather, and that some have not been able to change their outfits for three months.

    The organisation also said that Israeli prison authorities are collectively punishing prisoners by reducing the time they’re allowed out into the yard to 40 minutes instead of one hour.



    SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

    WHO says 1,600 children facing severe acute malnutrition

    The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) says a significant proportion of people in Gaza are now facing “catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions”.

    “Despite reports of increased delivery of food, there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving sufficient quantity and quality of food,” said Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    Tedros said there were more than 8,000 children under five years old who had been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, including 1,600 children with severe acute malnutrition.

    “However, due to insecurity and lack of access, only two stabilisation centres for severely malnourished patients can operate,” he added. “Our inability to provide health services safely, combined with the lack of clean water and sanitation, significantly increases the risk of malnourished children.”


    More than 60% of Gaza residents report losing family members in war: Poll

    A poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research has also found that nearly 80 percent of Gaza residents polled say that at least one of their family members has been killed or injured in the current Israeli war.

    Nevertheless, two-thirds of the public support the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and nearly 80 percent believe it has placed the Palestinian issue at the centre of global attention, according to the polling data.

    The survey explains, “It is important to note that support for this attack, as we will see later, does not necessarily mean support for Hamas and does not mean support for any killings or atrocities committed against civilians.

    Support comes from another motive: findings suggest that more than 80 percent of Palestinians believe that the attack has put the Palestinian issue at the center of attention and eliminated years of neglect at the regional and international levels.”

    The survey includes respondents from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but does not include residents of the northern Gaza Strip who remained in their homes since the beginning of the war due to the inability of researchers to reach them and the lack of reliable data on their numbers and whereabouts.

    Findings indicate that two-thirds of the public expect Hamas to win the war on Gaza, but this percentage drops to only about half in the Gaza Strip. Also, only half of Gaza Palestinians expect Hamas to return to controlling the Strip after the war.

    Demand for Palestinian Authority President Abbas’s resignation is increasing, the findings suggested, as well as a rise in the popularity of Hamas and Marwan Barghouti. The survey also indicates a significant drop in the Gaza Strip in support for the two-state solution, while support for armed struggle rises and support for dissolving the PA stands at more than 60 percent.

    Slovenia announces 2.5 million euros towards victims of war in Gaza

    One million euros ($1.08m) will be allocated for the Palestinian people through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs said in a statement.

    Meanwhile, another million euros will be allocated to the UN’s World Food Programme, and the remaining 0.5 million euros ($0.54m) will be assigned “to health and psychosocial rehabilitation projects” for victims of the war in Gaza.

    The ministry said it has so far given 4.3 million euros ($4.6m) in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians since the war began on October 7.



    SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

    Multiple civilians injured in Old City, occupied East Jerusalem

    An Israeli soldier has opened fire on civilians in the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem, injuring four people, Israeli news outlet Kann has reported.

    Earlier local platforms on Telegram shared videos showing a young Palestinian man lying on the ground bleeding after he was shot in the Old City. According to local sources, an armed Israeli settler shot the young man.

    Several wounded in Israeli attack on central Gaza

    Palestinians are sharing videos on social media showing several people injured after an Israeli attack on a home in the Bureij refugee camp. The video, verified by Al Jazeera’s fact-checking unit Sanad, shows a child being treated on the floor of a hospital.

     

    Reports of Israeli attacks on Mawasi, near Rafah

    Al Jazeera’s correspondents in Gaza are reporting intense Israeli army shelling of the Mawasi area, adjacent to the southern city of Rafa, on Gaza’s coast.

    The area has been used over the course of Israel’s war as a so-called humanitarian safe zone, which the Israeli army has told Palestinians fleeing violence to evacuate, too.

    According to reports, the Israeli military warned NGOs and the Palestinian Red Crescent to “take ultimate precautions” in the Mawasi area.

    So far, reports are of shelling only. At least one house hit.


    Qassam Brigades hit Israeli forces in northern Gaza

    The armed wing of Hamas says it has targeted the headquarters of Israeli forces in the Netzarim axis, south of Gaza City with a 114mm (4.5-inch) missile.

    Earlier, the Qassam Brigades said its fighters were engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces east of the Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza City.


    SvennoJ on 12 June 2024

    Fires caused by Hezbollah rockets threaten Israeli ‘strategic sites’, media says

    We’ve been reporting all day on a massive rocket barrage unleashed against Israel by Lebanon’s Hezbollah, one of the largest since the Gaza war began, after Israel killed one of the group’s top commanders late last night.

    Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted an official with Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service, who said that the brushfires that broke out as a result of Hezbollah’s rockets endangered “strategic sites and facilities”.

    It added that firefighting teams are close to gaining control of the fires in the towns of Biriya, Kadita, Ein Zeitim, and Tziv’on. In addition, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reports that the fires burned an area of ​​about 30,000 square metres (about 322,917 square feet).


    Hezbollah says fighters targeted an Israeli warplane

    The Lebanese armed group in a statement has claimed its forces attacked “a hostile Zionist warplane that violated Lebanese airspace”. Hezbollah said its fighters fired a surface-to-air missile at it, “forcing it to retreat towards occupied Palestine and leave Lebanese airspace immediately”.

    Earlier, our Al Jazeera Arabic colleague reported that Israeli forces launched raids on the towns of Markaba, Odaisseh, and Deir Siriane in southern Lebanon.

     

    Israeli education minister: Hezbollah attacks could disrupt coming school year

    Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 has quoted Yoav Kisch, who said that if the “reality” in northern Isreal, where Hezbollah has launched daily attacks on Israeli military positions and settlements, does not change by August 1, “The school year will not open.”

    Currently, there are fires raging in northern Isreal, after the Lebanese group attacked Israel with one of the largest rocket barrages it has unleashed since the beginning of the war.

    The launch of close to 100 projectiles this morning came in response to the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in southeastern Lebanon in a strike the previous evening.

    The attacks raise concerns that the military confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah is escalating, with both sides saying they are prepared for war.