Trump admin sanctions four ICC judges over probes into US, Israeli actions

The US has announced sanctions against four judges with the International Criminal Court (ICC), an international legal body tasked with investigating and trying individuals accused of grave violations of international law.

The court roused US anger when it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged abuses in Gaza, including crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The ICC has also drawn the opprobrium of the US by investigating alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the sanctions would target Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

“As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel. The ICC is politicised and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies,” Rubio said in a statement.

ICC slams US sanctions as ‘clear attempt’ to undermine court’s independence

The ICC has released a statement saying that it stands by its staff, condemning US sanctions as a “clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution”.

“Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict. It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity,” the statement said.

“The ICC stands fully behind its personnel, and will continue its work undeterred, in strict accordance with the Rome Statute and the principles of fairness and due process, with a view to bringing justice to victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression,” it added.

‘Block the bombs’: Rights groups urge passage of resolution in US Congress

Several rights groups have urged support for a congressional resolution in the US calling on the Trump administration to use “all diplomatic tools at its disposal” to ensure aid reaches Palestinians in Gaza.

“US-origin weapons have been a significant part of what we determined is an ongoing genocide in Gaza,” Amnesty International USA Director Paul O’Brien said in remarks in support of the measure.

“Despite opportunities to change course, the Biden administration failed to do so, and now the Trump administration is failing to do so,” he said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations also released a statement on Thursday saying every member of Congress “with a shred of morality” should support the bill to end US complicity for Israeli abuses against the Palestinians.

“We saw repeatedly evidence of U.S. weaponry being used to take out multi-generational families... U.S.-origin weapons have been a significant part of what we determined is an ongoing genocide in Gaza. Despite opportunities to change course, the Biden administration failed to do… pic.twitter.com/vFM3IWtAux

— Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) June 5, 2025

Bibi Govt COLLAPSING As Dock Workers BLOCK Weapons

Krystal and Ryan discuss the Bibi gov collapsing as French dock workers fight back.

No end to suffering in Gaza as Israeli airstrikes continue

While two of the sites operated by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation reopened today - apparently without incident - a new twist: Benjamin Netanyahu's admission that Israel authorised the arming of a criminal gang inside Gaza to bolster opposition to Hamas. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed scores more across the Strip.

A warning, this report contains distressing images from the start.

Main events on June 5th

• Israel carried out a series of strikes in the south of the Lebanese capital Beirut, in what Lebanon’s president decried as a “blatant” violation of Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah.
• The Trump administration announced sanctions against four International Criminal Court judges, citing the court’s role in probing alleged Israeli atrocities in Gaza and issuing an arrest warrant for Netanyahu.
• Netanyahu admitted that his government was coordinating with “clans” in Gaza are part of an effort to weaken Hamas. Some of those clans have been accused of stealing humanitarian aid.
• International medical organisations such as Doctors Without Borders and the World Health Organization have warned that Israeli displacement orders could cause Nasser Hospital to cease functioning, warning that closing the facility would be a “death sentence” for at-risk patients.

Hamas says it is ready for a new round of negotiations with US mediators

Hamas has stated that from the outset, they’ve been willing to come to the negotiating table.

That was true even before January, they say, when the initial ceasefire agreement was put into place and both parties agreed to it. At that time, Hamas was pushing for talks on phases two and three of the deal, while the Israelis were the ones who didn’t want to come to the table.

Hamas is saying they did not fully reject a previous proposal from mediators. Instead they gave it back with some amendments, because they wanted to ultimately see a total and complete end of the war.

They wanted a deal that would stop all of the aggression on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which Israel had refused, saying that they would only be willing for a partial agreement for a period of up to 60 days.

Netanyahu confirms Israel arming clans opposed to Hamas in Gaza

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyn2m9yk0vo

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that Israel is arming clans in Gaza that he says are opposed to Hamas.

His comments came after Israeli media reports quoted defence sources as saying Netanyahu had authorised giving weapons to one particular group in the south of Gaza. Several Israeli politicians have accused Netanyahu of endangering Israeli security.

"What's wrong with this?" Netanyahu says in a short video he's tweeted. "It only saves the lives of Israeli solders", he continues - "and publicising it only helps Hamas".

What the Israeli prime minister is referring to are the reports that Israel under his authorisation has been supplying weapons to a clan in Gaza led by a man called Yasser Abu Shabab.

The group, which some see as a militia or a criminal gang, has presented itself as an opposition force to Hamas. It says its aim is to protect trucks bringing aid into Gaza, but critics say it is doing the opposite and is looting them.

...

Aid vessel heading to Gaza rescues four Libyan migrants in Mediterranean Sea

After three months of a complete blockade, Israel began permitting limited humanitarian aid into Gaza last month, but relief workers continue to warn of an impending famine as conditions remain dire. In a glimmer of hope, a ship carrying life-saving supplies is currently en route to the besieged territory. On Thursday, that same vessel, the Madleen, diverted briefly from its mission to rescue four migrants who had leapt into the sea from another boat in a desperate attempt to avoid capture by Libyan authorities. Matthew-Mary Caruchet reports.

Jews In NATO Nation Explode As Netanyahu Arms Gangs In Gaza | 'We Are Not Israel'

Dozens of pro-Palestine Jewish protesters marched through Brussels to denounce Israel's actions in Gaza and reject the use of Jewish identity to justify the war. Demonstrators carried banners and staged symbolic die-ins to honor victims in Gaza. Many voiced frustration at Western governments and media for equating Jewish identity with Zionism. They condemned Prime Minister Netanyahu’s motives, accusing him of using the war to maintain power and erase Palestinian presence. Protesters emphasized that supporting Jewish security does not mean oppressing Palestinians or enabling genocide.

Israel raids Beirut’s southern suburbs on eve of Eid al-Adha

Israeli raids have hit Beirut’s southern suburbs overnight, as well as several areas of south Lebanon, as Muslims prepared to celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee had ordered residents living near buildings in the neighbourhoods of Hadath, Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh in the Dahiyeh suburbs to evacuate.

The Wafa news agency reported that 100 housing units were destroyed. The Israeli military claimed that these units held underground facilities used by the Lebanese group Hezbollah for drone production.

The attack is the fourth time Israel has bombed Beirut since a ceasefire with Hezbollah went into effect in November.


_{Smoke and flames rise following an Israeli attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs on June 5}

Israeli defence minister says ‘no calm in Beirut’ until Israel is secure

Israel Katz has warned “there will be no calm in Beirut, no order, and no stability in Lebanon without security for Israel.”

His words come after a flurry of Israeli attacks on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, late last night. “Lebanon must respect the agreements, and if it does not do what is required of it, we will continue to act with great force,” he said.

Katz argued that the Lebanese government must disarm Hezbollah and “prevent it from producing drones that threaten Israeli citizens”. Lebanon’s PM Nawaf Salam has called these bombings a violation of November’s ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanese army condemns Israel’s ‘daily violations’ of ceasefire agreement

The Lebanese army has condemned Israel’s overnight attacks on Beirut, saying they “represent a daily violation of Lebanese sovereignty and the ceasefire agreement”. It added that the timing of the strikes, which coincided with the preparations for Eid al-Adha, was a “clear attempt by the enemy to obstruct our nation’s progress and recovery”.

In accordance with the November ceasefire agreement, it said, the army coordinated with the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Committee (CHO) to prevent the attacks after a warning was issued, but Israel did not cooperate.

It also warned that Israel’s “persistent violation” of the ceasefire agreement and of the monitoring mechanism it set in place weakens the role of the army and could prompt it to freeze its cooperation with the CHO regarding site inspections.

Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank mark Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha, the second major Muslim festival after Eid al-Fitr, is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice.

Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was tested by God who commanded him to sacrifice his first-born son, Ismail (Ishmail). Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but God stayed his hand. Instead, he was told to sacrifice an animal, likely a lamb or sheep.

The Torah and the Old Testament both recount a similar version of this story.

The event also marks the end of Hajj, a five-day pilgrimage all able-bodied and financially capable Muslims are obliged to undertake once in their lifetime.

_{Palestinian men and boys perform Eid al-Adha prayers in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip}

Fatal Israeli strike on Khan Younis

A source at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis tells our team on the ground that two people were killed when an Israeli drone attacked a tent housing displaced people. An unspecified number of people were also wounded in the attack, the source said.

Wounded Palestinians observe Eid al-Adha far from home in Doha

Hundreds of wounded Palestinians and their displaced families are observing Eid al-Adha far from home in Qatar’s capital, Doha. A video shared on Instagram by Palestinian photographer Bilal Khaled shows dozens of children joining crowds of worshippers at the al-Thumama Complex in Doha.

Originally built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the complex is now emergency housing for Palestinians who have been evacuated from Gaza, including hundreds of wounded.

This year, Eid al-Adha falls for the second year in a row amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

UN warns of surge in acute malnutrition among Gaza’s young children

More than 2,700 children below the age of five in Gaza have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition, marking a steep increase in the number of children suffering from the serious medical condition since screening in February, the United Nations reports.

Of almost 47,000 under-fives screened for malnutrition in the second half of May, 5.8 percent (or 2,733 children) were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition, “almost triple the proportion of children diagnosed with malnutrition” three months earlier, the UN’s humanitarian office says.

The number of children with severe acute malnutrition, requiring admission to hospital, almost doubled in May compared with earlier months.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to allow only a trickle of aid into Gaza, and its distribution scheme has proved fatal or extremely dangerous for hundreds of Palestinians, shot by Israeli troops as they attempted to collect food.

Millions of bars of soap are sold every day around the world.
They’re stocked up on shelves, bought without a thought.
Not in #Gaza. Even soap is almost impossibly to find.

A regular flow of basic hygiene supplies, including soap, shampoo, sanitary pads is needed.
The siege must… pic.twitter.com/iGLUap5Fww

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) June 6, 2025

Gaza government says journalist killed, total now at 226

The number of journalists killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war has reached 226 after Al Arabiya TV cameraman Ahmed Qaljah was confirmed killed earlier today, Gaza’s Government Media Office has said.

The statement did not specify where Qaljah was killed, but Al Jazeera correspondents reported that medical sources at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City said a journalist had died of his wounds following an attack on the medical facility on Thursday.

UNRWA chief says international journalists must be allowed into Gaza

Philippe Lazzarini has renewed calls to allow international journalists into Gaza, who have so far been prevented from reporting on the ground due to an ongoing Israeli blockade.

“This is unprecedented in any other conflict in history,” the UNRWA chief said, calling it a “ban on the truth.”

“It is the perfect recipe to fuel mis-information, deepening polarization & dehumanization,” he wrote on X.

Lazzarini added that nearly 200 local journalists have been killed so far while reporting on the conflict. Gaza’s government puts the toll at 226.

The Israeli Authorities have banned the entry of international journalists to #Gaza since the war began, 20 months ago.

This is unprecedented in any other conflict in modern history.

It is a ban on the truth.
It is a ban on reporting the facts.
It is the perfect recipe to…

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) June 6, 2025

Aid distribution sites closed, Palestinians advised to stay away

The US-backed group behind the chaotic aid distribution programme in Gaza has said all its sites are closed, and has advised people to stay away from the hubs “for their safety”. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which began distributing aid last week, said in a Facebook post that details about reopening would be announced later.

Operations at the group’s aid distribution hubs were halted earlier this week following days of deadly violence at the sites, in which Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian aid seekers. Two sites distributed aid on Thursday.

Doctor says M16 bullets removed from victims of aid centre shooting

Goher Rahbour, a surgeon working in Gaza’s Khan Younis, has told Al Jazeera that the bullets extracted from victims of the shooting near the aid distribution centre on Sunday were from an M16 assault gun, consistent with those used by the Israeli military.

“I operated on two patients and we removed M16 bullets from abdominal injuries,” Rahbour told Al Jazeera. “When I spoke to these patients, they were very clear to say they came from Israeli forces.”

The surgeon also said hospitals were operating with little or no resources. “There is a lack of everything – antibiotics, swabs, surgical instruments,” he said.

Desperate conditions on the ground are compounded by personal grief and loss. “One of the consultant surgeons I was working with on Sunday lost his cousin, who had gone to the distribution centre,” Rahbour said. “He went to bury him and then came to work.”

Israeli shelling kills at least 7 near aid distribution points in southern Gaza

A medical source at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis has told Al Jazeera that seven Palestinians have been killed in Israeli shelling near aid distribution centres west and north of Rafah, also in southern Gaza.

Israeli army warns Gaza residents not to approach aid distribution centres outside set timeframe

The Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson has warned Palestinians in Gaza that movement towards humanitarian aid distribution sites is only permitted during daylight between 6am and 6pm.

Outside this timeframe, “the area is considered a closed military zone,” Avichay Adraee wrote on X. “Entering it poses a great danger to your lives. It is strictly prohibited to enter the distribution centres and the area near them” during the night.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been injured or killed by the Israeli army as it opened fire on aid seekers approaching the centres, which are managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial US- and Israel-backed body supposed to be replacing the United Nations’ aid delivery system.

Aid distribution centres ‘have killed more people than they helped’

Journalist and Khan Younis resident Ahmad al-Najjar has told Al Jazeera that the closure of aid distribution points operated by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has little negative impact for Palestinian residents on the ground.

“It’s comical to say these distribution centres are closed today, as if they had been making a major difference,” al-Najjar said. “These distribution centres have killed more people than they helped.”

Hundreds of aid seekers were killed or wounded by Israeli fire before the centres were closed earlier in the week. The journalist said one of his former neighbours was shot in the arm at a GHF distribution point.

“He said he had no other choice but to go there and risk his life because he had to feed his children,” al-Najjar said.

“The painful thing is that he used to run a restaurant before this genocide began … but, like most of the families here, now he has no source of income or food and has been put in a desperate situation.”

Israel using gangs to elbow out aid groups who are ‘witnesses to genocide’

Israel’s newly revealed cooperation with criminal gangs in Gaza has been pursued to help it achieve its war aims, including sidelining aid agencies who are “witnesses to … genocide”, says a Palestinian analyst.

Muhammad Shehada, visiting fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Israel had used a criminal group led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a local clan leader in Rafah, to loot aid supplies sent through established international networks.

By doing so, it helped Israel advance an argument that the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was the “sole solution” to aid distribution in Gaza, allowing Israel to “elbow out those UN agencies who act not only as providers of humanitarian aid, but also as witnesses to Israel’s genocide on the ground”, Shehada told Al Jazeera.

The use of the group helped Israel “advance and maintain starvation and ethnic cleansing by other means, rather than by directly implicating” the Israeli military itself, he said, adding that Israel was also using the group to carry out tasks like reconnaissance, espionage and kidnappings.

Netanyahu admitted on Thursday that Israel had “activated” criminal groups in Gaza on the advice of security officials, hours after former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused him of backing the gangs.

...

It was only when approached by BBC Verify that the IDF admitted it had carried out an artillery strike and said the incident was the result of "technical and operational errors".

They said troops had fired towards a "target" but the artillery had "deviated" and "wrongfully hit the Mawasi area" - a coastal strip of Khan Younis. The IDF did not provide evidence for these assertions.

And goes on about a little spat between the White House and the BBC, 2 sides of the same coin anyway.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce814ez7030o
But that seems to be what prompted this update.