UN chief condemns attack on occupied Golan Heights

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned a rocket attack that killed 12 children in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

According to a statement, Guterres called on all parties to “exercise maximum restraint” and sent his “deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives”. “Civilians, and children in particular, should not continue to bear the burden of the horrific violence plaguing the region,” he said.

Rocket from Lebanon hits house in northern Israel

Video posted on X, and verified by Al Jazeera, shows the scene of a rocket strike on the Israeli town of Moshav Shtula.

Several hours ago, Lebanon’s Hezbollah claimed an attack on Israeli army positions “in the Shtula colony and its surroundings”.

The journalist who posted the video did not make mention of any casualties that resulted from this attack, but said that another rocket that fell nearby injured a “foreign worker slightly, in the leg”.

https://x.com/yair_kraus/status/1817582214047207756

Israeli raids target Shihin in southern Lebanon

Footage verified by Al Jazeera shows an explosion and smoke billowing from Shihin in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel.

Local media outlets showed video of the Israeli raid, which targeted a house and caused material damage to it.

The Lebanese National News Agency said that an Israeli military drone later targeted the town with a second raid.

‘Hamas must be defeated’: Ben-Gvir

Israel’s far-right national security minister has said that the country must not agree to a ceasefire deal that demands “surrender”.

“Hamas must be defeated, and [Israel must] not submit to its dictates that demand surrender,” he said in a post on X. “The territory of the Gaza Strip must be occupied permanently, humanitarian aid must be stopped, and it must be defeated.”

Ben-Gvir, who is also in charge of the prisons where Palestinians are being detained, also said: “The conditions of the terrorists in the prisons have indeed worsened and I am proud of that – I have no intention of submitting to the dictates of Hamas.”

Netanyahu denies children exit from Gaza to UAE for treatment

According to Israeli media reports, Israel had perviously given approval to allow 150 critically ill children from Gaza to receive treatment in the UAE.

However, following the incident in Majdal Shams, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended this decision, the reports said.

Tania Hary, executive director at Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, said the children were meant to leave tomorrow via Israel’s Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.

Reports say Israel will delay a convoy of children who were meant to exit Gaza tomorrow via Kerem Shalom xing to the UAE for medical treatment, for fear of public backlash after the horrific attack on Majdal Shams.
We should be working towards fewer children suffering, not more! https://t.co/C1Ul0AKCVA

— Tania Hary (@taniahary) July 28, 2024

Israeli security cabinet meetings ends, reports say

Israeli media is reporting that the cabinet, which was convened earlier by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has authorised him and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to decide on the country’s response to yesterday’s deadly attack on Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Israeli news outlet Yedioth Ahronoth reports that the military will take “limited” but strong action against Hezbollah, the group in Lebanon that Israel blames for the attack.

Hezbollah has denied all responsibility.

Lebanon’s deputy Parliament speaker: ‘We do not want war’

Elias Bou Saab has given an interview to our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic, as Israel appears poised to retaliate against Hezbollah for an attack on the occupied Golan Heights yesterday that killed 12.

Israel blames Hezbollah, the Lebanese political party and paramilitary force, for the attack, a charge it has denied.

Here are a few of his key points:

Antony Blinken accidentally punctures Israeli claims on Golan Heights attack

Rifat Jawaid examines the claims and counterclaims claims made by parties in the Golan Heights attack. He also looks at the body language of Antony Blinken to assess how the US Secretary of State had accidentally embarrassed Israel with his weak statement.

Harris’s support for Israel ‘ironclad’ after attack on Golan Heights

US Vice President Kamala Harris’ support for Israel’s security is “ironclad,” her national security adviser Phil Gordon says, adding that she has been briefed and is closely monitoring a rocket attack on a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

“The Vice President has been briefed and is closely monitoring Hezbollah’s horrific attack on a soccer field in Majdal Shams in northern Israel yesterday which killed a number of children and teenagers. She condemns this horrific attack and mourns for all those killed and wounded.

“Israel continues to face severe threats to its security, and the Vice President’s support for Israel’s security is ironclad,” Gordon said in a statement.

It would be nice if the US also closely monitored what Israel is doing every day in Gaza, the West bank, East Jerusalem... Focusing on the symptoms rather than treating the cause.

Cabinet authorises Netanyahu to decide on Golan Heights attack response

After the meeting of Israel’s security cabinet ended, Netanyahu’s office said the cabinet “authorised the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister to decide on the manner and timing of the response”.

Lebanon has asked the US to urge restraint from Israel, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told Reuters. Bou Habib said the US had asked Lebanon’s government to pass on a message to Hezbollah to show restraint as well.

There are expectations of a strong response following the security cabinet meeting convened by Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.

Several strikes reported in southern Lebanon

Lebanese media has reported several strikes on towns in southern Lebanon, amid rising tensions with Israel after a strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights yesterday killed 12 people.

Lebanese media reported raids on Hula, Markaba, Aita al-Shaab, Khiam, Shaheen, Yaroun, Meiss el-Jabal, Kfar Kila and Bourj al-Shamali.

These towns have been targeted multiple times since Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging fire in October, but Lebanon is now bracing for the possibility of a wider Israeli attack following the rocket that hit Majdal Shams, in the occupied Golan Heights.

Turkey might enter Israel to help Palestinians: Erdogan

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey might enter Israel as it had done in the past in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, though he did not spell out what sort of intervention he was suggesting.

Erdogan, who has been a fierce critic of Israel’s war on Gaza, made his statement during a speech praising his country’s defence industry.

“We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them,” Erdogan told a meeting of his ruling AK Party in his hometown of Rize.

“There is no reason why we cannot do this … We must be strong so that we can take these steps,” Erdogan added in the meeting, which was televised.

In 2020, Turkey sent military personnel to Libya to support the United Nations-recognised Government of National Accord of Libya. Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who heads the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, is backed by Turkey.

Turkey has denied any direct role in Azerbaijan’s military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh, but said last year that it was using “all means”, including military training and modernisation, to support its close ally.

Israel’s Katz sends warning to Erdogan after comments

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has responded to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement on possibly entering Israel to defend Palestinians.

“Erdogan follows in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatens to attack Israel,” Katz said on X, referring to the former Iraqi leader. “Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended.”

Hussein was executed in 2006 after being sentenced to death by an Iraqi court, convicted of crimes against humanity.

As everything else with Israel, upside down analogy. Netanyahu would be the one disposed and convicted for crimes against humanity. But I doubt Turkey would actually enter Israel, more like enter Gaza to support a new government.

WHO gives update on al-Shifa Hospital repairs

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director of the World Health Organization, says on X that WHO teams managed to reach al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza to “assess progress being made to restore emergency care and ongoing services in the hemodialysis unit”.

Tedros shared a video showing the progress of the rehabilitation efforts.

In the video, Dr Marwaan Abu Saadah, the hospital’s acting director, says that he hopes al-Shifa’s new emergency department will be ready to receive patients within two weeks.

Repairs are going well, Tedros said. But, he added: “The hospital lacks specialised personnel, medical supplies and equipment. WHO and partners are working to deploy international medical teams and mobilise medical and surgical supplies.”

Al-Shifa Hospital has been the target of multiple attacks and raids by Israeli forces since the war on Gaza began last October.

Most recently, in late March, the army conducted a two-week raid on the medical complex, leaving behind destruction and dead bodies.

Earlier this week @WHO and partners managed to reach Al-Shifa hospital in northern #Gaza to assess progress being made to restore emergency care and ongoing services in the hemodialysis unit.

Work is underway to rehabilitate the hospital’s former outpatient department and… pic.twitter.com/l1hHmLqJz3

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 28, 2024

Starmer tells Israel ‘immediate steps’ needed towards Gaza ceasefire

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has delivered this message to Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, Starmer’s office says in a statement.

“The Prime Minister said there must be immediate steps towards a ceasefire, so that hostages can be released and more humanitarian aid can get in for those in desperate need,” the statement reads.

“The Prime Minister reiterated his ongoing support for Israel’s right to self-defence in accordance with international law,” the statement added.

More countries issue travel warnings for Lebanon

We reported earlier that the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beirut encouraged all Norwegian citizens to leave Lebanon amid escalating tensions with Israel.

The Irish government also said that it “strongly advises all Irish citizens currently in Lebanon to leave now, while commercial options remain available.” “In light of the unpredictability of the situation, events could escalate throughout the country with very little warning. This could affect exit routes out of Lebanon,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The US Embassy in Beirut told its citizens to “monitor their flight status closely, to be aware that itineraries could change with little or no warning, and to make alternate plans” after Lebanon’s MEA company changed its flight schedule citing security concerns. “The security environment in Lebanon remains complex and can change quickly,” it added.

In Lebanon, all eyes are on Israel and what it may do next

In recent hours, Israel has carried out several air strikes on southern Lebanon, as well as a drone strike on eastern Lebanon. We understand that a building was hit but there are no reported casualties.

Hezbollah has also said that it’s targeted Israeli positions.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said the Lebanese government has spoken to the United States urging restraint from Israel and he also said the United States has passed a message to the Lebanese government urging them to tell Hezbollah to also show restraint. He added that a significant attack by Israel will lead to a regional war.

Both sides have said that they don’t want an all-out-war but are prepared for it. So tensions are high. The Middle East Airlines, one of the main carriers here in Lebanon, has said they’ve delayed some of their flights so that they don’t land here late at night during the early hours of the morning.

Now, people here do think that this is a tipping point and all eyes are on Israel, about where they will attack, who they will attack, and if that will lead to an escalation.

Israeli jets bomb Bureij and Nuseirat camps after evacuation order

The Israeli military has launched a series of air attacks on the Bureij and Nuseirat refugee camps, hours after ordering Palestinians there to leave, according to Palestinian media.

The Wafa news agency is also reporting that Israeli forces have burned several homes in Nuseirat.

_{Palestinian families evacuate the area after the Israeli army announced it was planning a ground operation in the Bureij refugee camp in Deir el-Balah, Gaza, on Sunday}

Three killed as Israeli jets, drones attack Gaza City

The Wafa news agency is reporting that three Palestinians have been killed and several others wounded after Israeli fighter jets bombed a home in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City. The casualties included women and children, Wafa added, citing local sources.

Israeli forces also blew up homes in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood, while Israeli drones fired bullets on streets in southern Gaza City, the agency added.

‘Enough of this. Where do we go?’

In the wake of the latest Israeli evacuation orders, Palestinians in central Gaza said they’ve been forced to flee several times and that there is nowhere left to go.

“I swear, I don’t know where to go. In 1948, they were displaced once,” said Um Mohammad, a displaced Palestinian in the Bureij refugee camp. “But this is the 10th time for us. I swear to God, I don’t know where to go.”

Abu Omar, another Palestinian in Bureij, called for an end to the war.

“Find a solution for us. Enough. Where do we go?” he said. “They destroyed our homes. They killed our children. They displaced our women and men. Where do we go? Enough of this. Where do we go?”

_{Children look on from the back of a truck as Palestinians flee the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 28}

Israeli gunboats shell Gaza City as tanks advance into Khan Younis

Israeli forces raid occupied East Jerusalem

A large number of Israeli soldiers have raided the al-Issawiya neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, arresting a young man and wounding several Palestinians as confrontations broke out, according to the Wafa news agency.

The Israeli soldiers also stormed a medical centre and sprayed waste water on homes and vehicles, Wafa reported, citing witnesses.

Several Palestinians arrested as Israeli forces raid West Bank

Israeli soldiers have stormed several towns and villages across the occupied West Bank, raiding homes and arresting a number of Palestinians.