Hamas official says no leaders targeted in al-Mawasi

A representative for Hamas has refuted Israeli claims that an air raid that killed at least 71 Palestinians in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza was targeting leaders of the group.

“The truth is that these allegations are an attempt to cover up the scale of the crime and the scale of the massacre, in order to try to justify such a massacre, even though targeting this number of displaced people is not justified by anything,” Izzat al-Rashq, a member of the Hamas political office, told Reuters.

Houthis say ‘false claims’ cannot cover up al-Mawasi massacre

The Yemeni group’s political bureau has condemned the attack that killed dozens of Palestinians in southern Gaza, calling Israel’s leaders “war criminals” and urging accountability against them.

“The enemy’s false claims about targeting leaders in the Palestinian resistance cannot cover up the ugliness of its crimes,” the group said in a statement.

Hamas calls on West Bank to ‘defend people of Gaza’

Senior Hamas official Abdel Hakim Henini has urged Palestinians to “take action against the onslaught on their compatriots in the besieged Strip, and to stand up to Israeli settlers wreaking havoc across the West Bank”.

In a statement on the official Hamas Telegram channel, Henini said, “We reiterate how important it is for Palestinian youth to stand up to the occupying forces.

“A global war is being waged against the Palestinian people, their rights and their resistance forces. The US administration is a true partner in all the massacres being perpetrated against our people.”

Hamas hits out at Fatah official for ‘promoting false Israeli narrative’

The Palestinian group has slammed Palestinian politician and Fatah Movement member Mounir al-Jaghoub for suggesting that Hamas leaders hide among civilians after Israel’s attack on al-Mawasi that killed dozens of displaced people.

“We strongly condemn Fatah official Mounir al-Jaghoub’s statements matching and promoting the false Israeli narrative,” Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha said in a statement.

Earlier today, Israel claimed that its attack on al-Mawasi, which hit an area where tents were sheltering displaced Palestinians, was targeting Hamas senior military official Mohammed Deif. Hamas denied this claim.

He accused al-Jaghoub of justifying the “ugly massacre” against women and children and called on Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, to condemn and reject his comments.

Israeli protesters calling for captive deal condemn deadly Gaza air raid

Israeli demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem to call for a ceasefire and a captive-prisoner exchange deal have condemned the deadly attacks on Gaza earlier that day. An Israeli air raid killed at least 71 Palestinians in a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza in an attack that Israel claims targeted Hamas’ military chief Mohammed Deif.

Israeli demonstrators said the air attack was “an unfortunate event” and urged for a ceasefire to stop the hostilities “for the sake of human life” on both sides of the border.

One protester told Reuters, “I don’t have a military perspective on how important or essential was the air strike now, I’m sure it’s not particularly good for the negotiations. But the most important thing is, we need to know that our government is acting for the sake of freedom and human life of our hostages, of innocence on both sides of the borders.”

Another said that the deadly air raid “does not change the fact that there is a deal on the table and the deal must be signed as soon as possible. I think maybe this timing was unfortunate. And of course, we regret the loss of all lives. We wish this spiral of violence would cease, and we call for a ceasefire and immediate ceasefire and signing the deal right now. And stop this hostility from both sides.”

_{Families of captives and their supporters who have been marching from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for days demand the release of the captives held in Gaza, July 13}

Opposition leader Lapid joins Israeli protesters calling for captive deal

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid marched with Israeli protesters calling for a deal with Hamas to bring back captives held in Gaza.

“We marched to Jerusalem today to make it clear that the captive deal must not be eliminated … We need a hostage deal now,” Lapid said in a post on X.

צעדנו היום לירושלים כדי שיהיה ברור שאסור לחסל את עסקת החטופים. את העסקה צריך לעשות עכשיו, בשביל הילד של עינב ובשביל כל הילדים של האנשים שנמצאים איתנו. אנחנו צריכים עסקת חטופים עכשיו. pic.twitter.com/EQLnJS6V4s

— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) July 13, 2024

Gaza is ‘one massive death zone’: Palestinian lawmaker

Hanan Ashrawi, also a distinguished scholar and an activist, has said that Israel’s latest mass killing of at least 71 Palestinians in al-Mawasi has “turned all of Gaza into one massive death zone”.

“American bombs and shells rain down on Gaza while the Israeli government and thugs succeed in preventing any form of medical, food, or fuel supplies from reaching the devastated population,” she said in a post on X.

She called the attack “horrific” and “savage”.

Me indigno y pienso que la mayor injusticia está en Gaza donde acaban de asesinar bombardeados a 200 civiles. Pero me indigno más porque esta destrucción del derecho internacional humano es la antesala de la barbarie que quieren abrir sobre todos los pueblo débiles de la tierra.…

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) July 13, 2024

Translation: I am outraged and I think that the greatest injustice is in Gaza where 200 civilians have just been bombed to death. But I am even more outraged because this destruction of international human law is the prelude to the barbarism they want to unleash on all the oppressed people of the earth.

Saudi Arabia condemns al-Mawasi attack

The kingdom’s Foreign Ministry has called for “activating international accountability mechanisms” against Israeli abuses.

“The Foreign Ministry condemns in strongest terms the continuation of genocidal massacres against the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli war machine, the latest of which was the targeting displaced people’s camps in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip,” it said in a statement.

Palestinian PM condemns Israel’s ‘genocidal crimes’ in Gaza

In the aftermath of Israel’s attacks in al-Mawasi, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has condemned Israel’s “genocidal crimes” in Gaza, saying Palestinians are “going through a very difficult stage”.

Mustafa said Israel’s actions were targeting the Palestinian project as a whole, including Palestinians’ bid for statehood and independence.

Speaking during a visit to the West Bank city of Nablus, the prime minister said Palestinians would not stop pursuing the goal of “ending the occupation and establishing our independent state with Jerusalem as its capital”.

Qatar condemns ‘horrific Israeli massacre of displaced people in Gaza’

Qatar has said it considers the attack “a brutal and shocking massacre, and a new incident to be added to the ongoing series of occupation crimes against the Palestinian people and all of humanity”.

It also warned that Israel’s “recklessness” will undermine international efforts aimed at implementing the two-state solution, “and thus pave the way for the expansion of the cycle of violence in the region and the threat to international peace and security”.

The ministry also said that Qatar’s position is firm when it comes to securing justice for Palestinians and their legitimate rights, including the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Israel’s attacks on al-Mawasi safe zone breach international law

Israel’s attacks on al-Mawasi, a designated humanitarian zone, are in breach of international law according to several legal principles, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese has told Al Jazeera.

Here are a few of her key quotes:

Death toll in attack on al-Mawasi rises to 90

We’ve been reporting on an Israeli air raid on an area where displaced Palestinians were sheltering in the Khan Younis governorate. The Ministry of Health is now saying that 90 people were killed in that attack, half of whom were women and children.

The ministry added that the number of injuries that resulted from this attack rose to 300.

Death toll from Shati attack rises to 20: Civil defence

The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza says 20 people are now confirmed dead after Israel bombed people who had gathered to pray near the ruins of a mosque in Shati refugee camp in Gaza City.

More people remain in critical condition, the civil defence spokesperson said in a statement.

Nasser Hospital ‘extremely overwhelmed’ amid wave of wounded people: WHO

The World Health Organization says it is responding with partners to injuries resulting from the al-Mawasi attacks as “many remain missing under the rubble”.

WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “134 severely injured people have been admitted to Nasser Medical Complex, which is extremely overwhelmed by the influx of patients”.

He added that the UN agency “dispatched medical and trauma care supplies to cover the urgent needs of 120 people”. Patients were also taken to al-Amal, Kuwait and Al-Quds hospitals as well as other field hospitals.

.@WHO and partners are responding to the injuries from the series of airstrikes in #Gaza’s Al-Mawasi area, near Khan Younis, reportedly resulting in 78 deaths, 294 injuries and many missing under the rubble.

134 severely injured people have been admitted to Nasser Medical… pic.twitter.com/S6P1ILpR5i

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 13, 2024

Amy Kit-Mei Low, project medical reference at Nasser Hospital, told Al Jazeera that the hospital lacked pain medications to relieve patients with severe wounds. It also lacked enough monitors, intravenous cannula and fuel to power all operating theatres (OTs).

“There are three OTs but we only have enough fuel to operate one at a time,” she said. “There is a huge amount of suffering for the civilian population,” Kit-Mei Low added. “It’s horrible what they’re going through. I have no words to describe.”

Defeating Hamas is ‘prerequisite to defeat the axis of evil’: Netanyahu

Netanyahu says the war “will only end after we have accomplished our objectives”, namely destroying Hamas’s military capabilities, freeing the captives and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.

Defeating Hamas is a “prerequisite to defeat the axis of evil,” he told the press conference, referring to Iran and its allies.

He referred to the al-Mawasi attacks, saying that Hamas has been relenting due to Israel’s show of force in Gaza and that the raids earlier today “contributed to that”.

‘Not absolutely certain’ that Hamas’ Deif killed: Netanyahu

Netanyahu says it “is not absolutely certain” that Hamas’ military commander Mohammed Deif and his deputy Rafa’a Salameh were killed in today’s strikes on al-Mawasi. He added that the Israeli military would “one way or another” kill all Hamas leaders.

The prime minister said he approved the strike after receiving satisfactory information on collateral damage and the type of ammunition to be used.


He most likely was never there, just look into the history of the man. Israel doesn't even know for sure what he looks like. The last picture was supposedly leaked in December, the one before decades ago.

https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/12/28/first-photo-of-hamas-terrorist-mastermind-deif-in-30-years-surfaces/

But now Netanyahu can use the same excuse for a future massacre.

‘They’re digging people out of the ground,’ doctor near al-Mawasi says

Mohammad Subeh, an emergency medicine doctor working at one of the field hospitals near al-Mawasi, says operations to retrieve casualties from the site of the Israeli attacks are continuing.

“People are describing the ground turning upside down on individuals, they’re digging people out of the ground,” he told Al Jazeera.

Subeh said Nasser Hospital had stopped accepting new patients and the field hospital was expecting more arrivals. “We’re preparing and hoping there aren’t too many casualties,” he said.

Hamas official to Netanyahu: Mohammed Deif is mocking your statements now

Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, says Netanyahu had wished to declare a “fake victory” during his news conference earlier announcing an assassination attempt against top Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif.

Al-Hayya reiterated that Israel’s claims about targeting Deif are false “despite the pain for the dozens of victims and martyrs, most of whom were women and children”. At least 90 Palestinians were killed on the attack on al-Mawasi.

“The blood of Mohammad Deif is not more valuable or better than the blood of the smallest Palestinian child. Still, we tell Netanyahu: You have failed. Mohammad Deif is listening to you now and mocking your false, empty statements,” al-Hayya told Al Jazeera Arabic in an interview.

Netanyahu showing that he does not want a deal: Hamas official

Khalil al-Hayya says Hamas has been flexible in seeking a deal to end the war in Gaza. Netanyahu had said that his conditions for an agreement include retaining the “right” to resume the fighting until Israel achieves its goals.

“The conditions that Netanyahu is presenting … are clear evidence that he does not want a deal, and he does not want to return the Israeli captives, and he does not want to stop this mad war in the region,” al-Hayya told Al Jazeera Arabic.

UN Human Rights Office denounces Israeli use of weapons in ‘populated areas’

The OHCHR has said it condemns the continued Israeli military use of weapons “with area effects in populated areas of Gaza, including in areas which [the military] has itself designated as humanitarian zones, killing many civilians”.

The Office said that the Israeli military reportedly “fired several Air Dropped Munitions in al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, next to a makeshift camp hosting around several hundreds of people.”

The strikes hit multiple civilian objects, including tents for the internally displaced, a food kitchen for them and a water salination plant where people were gathering to collect water, leading to tens of fatalities, the OHCHR said.  Israeli military quadcopters also reportedly targeted emergency rescue workers, killing at least one Civil Defence worker and injuring several others.

Second civil defence member killed in Gaza

According to the Palestinian Civil Defence, a staff member has succumbed to wounds sustained in the Israeli attack on al-Mawasi, Khan Younis. Ahmad Hamoudeh is the second civil defence member killed in the attack.

Israeli attacks on al-Mawasi leave trail of death and destruction

The attack has killed at least 90 Palestinians. Israeli officials said the air raids targeted top Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, but the Palestinian group has denied the claim, stressing that Israel targeted defenceless civilians.

Palestinian president blames Israel, US for ‘slaughter’ in Gaza

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said that Israel and the US were responsible for the attack on the al-Mawasi refugee camp that killed at least 90 people.

“The Palestinian presidency condemns the slaughter and holds the Israeli government fully responsible, also the US administration that provides all kinds of support to the occupation and its crimes,” Abbas said in a statement published by his office.

He also hit out at Hamas for the ongoing war in Gaza. “The presidency sees that by escaping national unity, and providing free pretexts to the occupation state, the Hamas movement is a partner in bearing legal, moral and political responsibility for the continuation of the Israeli war of genocide in [the] Gaza Strip,” the statement said.

Hamas rejected the president’s statement, saying it equates the victim with the aggressor. “We call for withdrawing these regrettable comments, stressing that the Zionist occupation and US administration bear responsibility for these massacres,” the group said in a statement.

Nasrallah says Hezbollah has ‘duty’ to support Palestinians

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah says the group’s attacks against Israeli targets fulfil the “duty” to support Palestinians and are not a “favour”. Nasrallah also decried the attack on al-Mawasi, which killed dozens of Palestinians.

“Today, the occupation carried out a large massacre against displaced people in al-Mawasi in Khan Younis. Then it justified it by saying it wanted to target [Hamas] leaders,” he said. “Are there worse injustices and oppression in the world?”

Hamas chief Haniyeh calls for pressuring Israel to ‘end the aggression’

The Palestinian group says its political chief Ismail Haniyeh held phone calls with officials in Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating ceasefire talks with Israel, as well as other regional countries after the deadly Israeli attacks in Gaza today.

“He underscored that at a time when Hamas has been dealing positively and responsibly with the latest proposal for a deal to end the aggression against our people, the Israeli position articulated by Netanyahu has been to put obstacles to prevent reaching an agreement,” Hamas said in a statement.

Netanyahu had said earlier that Israel would not give up its “right” to resume the fighting as part of a deal with Hamas. He also argued that the Israeli attack that killed 90 people in al-Mawasi would send a clear message that “Hamas’s days are numbered”.

Hamas said Haniyeh asked the mediators in Egypt and Qatar to “do what is needed with the US administration and others to stop the massacres against our people”.

Pentagon chief says US shares Israel’s goal of ‘enduring’ Hamas defeat

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Yaov Gallant after the al-Mawasi attack.

“Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant reaffirmed the shared goals of ensuring the enduring defeat of Hamas and securing the release of all hostages, and the Secretary emphasized the importance of taking all necessary steps to minimize civilian harm,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

Israeli media outlets had reported that Israel did not give the US prior knowledge of the al-Mawasi raids, which Netanyahu said targeted top Hamas commander Mohammed Deif.

Hamas has stressed that Deif was not harmed in the attack.

Turkey says al-Mawasi strikes part of effort to ‘annihilate’ Palestinians

Israel’s attack on Palestinians sheltering in al-Mawasi, a designated “safe zone”, is a “phase in the Netanyahu government’s efforts to completely annihilate the Palestinians”, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has said in a statement.

“While Israel is expected to reciprocate Hamas’ positive response to the ceasefire, its preference for bloodshed proves once again that the Netanyahu government is trying to prevent the negotiation of a lasting ceasefire,” it added.

“The countries that support Israel must put an end to this barbarity.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said that the war in Gaza was a “genocide” rather than a war of self-defence and that Turkey and all nations in the region would not feel safe as long as the conflict was allowed to continue.

Oman condemns Israel’s ‘explicit act of terrorism’ after strikes

Oman has joined other countries in condemning Israel’s strikes on al-Mawasi, saying the attack was “an explicit act of terrorism and new evidence of the policy of deliberate extermination… towards the Palestinian people”.

The country’s foreign minister said in a statement that the raids, which targeted “unarmed civilians”, were in clear breach of international law.


UAE condemns al-Mawasi attack

The United Arab Emirates had denounced Israeli abuses in Gaza, including “the most recent targeting of camps for displaced people in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, which led to numerous deaths and injuries to dozens of innocent civilians”.

In a statement, the UAE’s Foreign Ministry “reaffirmed the need for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life, reiterating the importance of protecting civilians and civilian institutions, according to the international law including international treaties”.

The UAE established formal diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020 and enjoys close security and trade ties with the country.

OIC condemns Israel’s ‘heinous massacres’ across Gaza

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said it strongly condemned Israel’s “heinous massacres” in al-Mawasi as well as in Khan Younis and the Shati refugee camp.

The organisation said it considers the attacks an “extension of the crime of genocide that the Israeli occupation continues to commit against Palestinian civilians, in blatant defiance of” the orders of the International Court of Justice and resolutions by the United Nations.

_{Palestinians stand at the scene of the al-Mawasi attack, west of Khan Younis, Gaza on Saturday}

Palestinians in West Bank denounce Gaza attacks

Hundreds of Palestinians have taken to the streets in cities across the occupied West Bank to protest Israel’s deadly attacks on al-Mawasi and Shati camps in Gaza, according to videos posted online.

These include the cities of Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron and Tubas.

Palestinians march through the streets of Ramallah to condemn the Israeli massacres in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/eL5x1oonzT

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 13, 2024

Four killed in new Israeli attack on Gaza City

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that Israeli forces have attacked a residential building in Gaza City, killing at least four people and wounding three others.

The attack followed an earlier deadly air raid on a ruined mosque at the Shati refugee camp, which is also in Gaza City. At least 20 people were killed in that attack.

The Israeli military had ordered Palestinians last week to immediately leave Gaza City, in the war-torn north of the Gaza Strip, where some 300,000 people were estimated to have remained.

Israeli air raid kills Syrian soldier, wounds three

An Israeli air attack on a residential building in Syria’s capital, Damascus, has killed at least one Syrian soldier and wounded three others, the Reuters news agency reported, citing the Syrian military.

Israeli army radio also confirmed the attack, saying Israel’s military launched a “missile barrage” at a building in Damascus in response to two drones that were intercepted north of the Israeli port city of Eilat yesterday.

The drones came from Syrian territory, it said.

Israeli attacks on Syria have increased since the start of the war in Gaza last October, including from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, where Reuters said the latest attack was launched from.