Israeli strikes
Israeli Strikes in Gaza Kill 4, Including 2 Children
Israeli airstrikes and tank fire killed at least four Palestinians, including two children, in Gaza on Monday, hospital officials said, as residents fled their homes following evacuation warnings.
The attacks came about a week after a US delegation urged Israel to reduce its military strikes in the territory.
In central Gaza's Bureij refugee camp, an Israeli strike hit a building after residents received an evacuation warning. A 4-year-old boy was killed after his family was unable to leave in time, according to Awda Hospital. His mother and sister were wounded.
Israel's military did not immediately comment on the strike.
Three other buildings were hit across Gaza after residents said they received similar warnings. People were seen rushing to safety, with some mothers carrying their children. Others moved through the rubble using wheelchairs or walking sticks.
Israel's military said it carried out strikes in Gaza City's Shati refugee camp and Deir al-Balah after issuing warnings. It said the attacks targeted two Hamas weapons storage facilities located inside mosques.
The military said the facilities contained dozens of Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition magazines and other military equipment, but did not provide evidence to support the claim.
An earlier Israeli strike on a tent in Deir al-Balah killed a man, according to Al-Aqsa Hospital. The Israeli military said the man was a Hamas militant linked to its special forces.
More casualties in southern Gaza
In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, an Israeli strike killed one person and wounded five others, according to Nasser Hospital.
Israeli tank fire also struck an area east of Khan Younis, killing a 10-year-old girl, the hospital said.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the Khan Younis strike and said it was unaware of the incident involving the child.
Israel has continued its military operations in Gaza despite a recent meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a US delegation seeking to advance a ceasefire agreement.
US negotiator Jared Kushner asked Netanyahu to reduce Israel's attacks in Gaza during the meeting, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Israel has reported strikes on six of the seven days since the meeting.
Israel says it is targeting militants
Israel says its attacks target Hamas militants and military sites and are carried out in response to attacks and other alleged ceasefire violations.
Although the intensity of fighting has declined since the ceasefire began in October, Gaza's Health Ministry says at least 1,288 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since then. The ministry, which is run by the Hamas-led government, does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its casualty figures.
Militants have also carried out attacks on Israeli troops, and Israel says its military operations are a response to those attacks. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire began.
Palestinian officials have reported strikes on homes and police stations. Hamas has accused Israel of trying to destabilise Gaza and block progress on the next stages of the ceasefire, including disarmament, reconstruction and the deployment of an international stabilisation force.
Israel warns over kites from Gaza
Israeli officials have also raised concerns after several kites were found in a kibbutz near Gaza. No weapons or dangerous materials were attached to them.
Before Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, burning kites and balloons launched from Gaza caused fires and other damage in Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Sunday that Israel could intensify its attacks if Hamas does not prevent kites from being flown toward Israel.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem described the kites as “essentially children's toys” and accused Israel of using them as a justification for continuing military action.
The October 7 attack killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 251 people being taken hostage. All hostages or their remains were later released.
Israel's subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,422 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
6 days ago
Israeli strikes hit Syrian air base after Turkish delegation visit
A Turkish delegation visited a Syrian air base in the northwestern province of Idlib just a day before the facility was hit by Israeli airstrikes, Syrian officials said.
The Israeli strikes targeted the Abu Duhur air base early Tuesday, causing damage but no casualties. The attack came only hours after the Turkish delegation left the site.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel carried out the strikes because Syria was "on the verge of breaching" an agreed security arrangement by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the base.
Two Syrian officials, speaking anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly, said the Turkish delegation visited Abu Duhur on Monday to inspect rehabilitation work at the facility.
The visit was the first confirmed indication of a Turkish presence at the air base.
Neither Turkish nor Syrian officials have publicly explained Turkey's role at the facility. However, both countries condemned the Israeli strikes. US Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, along with several Arab countries, also criticised the attack.
Turkish officials did not comment on the reported military visit on Wednesday. However, Turkey's communications directorate accused Netanyahu of making claims aimed at justifying what it called Israel's unlawful attacks on Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It also accused Netanyahu of pursuing policies that could destabilise and expand Israel's influence in the region ahead of elections in Israel.
Turkey said it would continue working with the Syrian government to promote peace, stability and development in the country and would not allow Syria to be destabilised.
Strategic locationThe Abu Duhur air base is located in a strategically important area near the borders of Idlib, Aleppo and Hama provinces.
Under former Syrian President Bashar Assad, who was ousted by a rebel offensive in December 2024, the base was used by MiG-23 and MiG-21 fighter jets and L-39 aircraft.
Turkey has been helping Syria rebuild its military by training Syrian personnel at Turkish military schools and bases and providing equipment and logistical support. The two countries signed an agreement last year to formalise their military cooperation, although officials have not disclosed details of the equipment supplied.
Syrian troops also participated in military exercises in Turkey earlier this year.
Turkish officials have repeatedly said that Syria's security is closely linked to Turkey's own security.
Tensions between Turkey and IsraelIsrael has remained wary of Syria's new authorities, who are led by former Islamist insurgents. Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has repeatedly said he does not want a conflict with Israel.
Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria after Assad's fall, mainly targeting military equipment and facilities belonging to the former Syrian army.
The Israeli military also took control of a UN-patrolled buffer zone in southern Syria, where its forces remain stationed.
Turkey, a NATO member that recently signed a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, has not indicated that it plans to respond militarily to the Israeli strikes.
However, the incident has added to already tense relations between Turkey and Israel.
The two countries were once close allies, but relations have deteriorated during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's more than two decades in power, despite brief periods of improved ties.
Erdogan has strongly criticised Israel's policies toward the Palestinians, while Israel has objected to his support for Hamas.
The fall of Assad's government has further increased tensions as Turkey and Israel have sought to limit each other's influence in Syria. Some analysts have warned that the rivalry could eventually develop into a proxy conflict.
12 days ago
Iran says Qatar holding 3 missing pilots; Israeli strikes kill 11 in Lebanon
Iran said Saturday that Qatar is holding three of its pilots who went missing after their aircraft were shot down in March, a claim Doha rejected, as Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people amid rising tensions across the Middle East.
Iran’s Missing Persons Committee of the Armed Forces General Staff said Qatar’s military captured the three pilots after their jets were downed. Tehran had previously said it had no information about the pilots’ fate.
Iran also alleged that Qatar had prevented the pilots from meeting or communicating with their families and Iranian officials. It appealed to the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross for assistance.
Qatar denied the allegation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said the pilots’ aircraft had been shot down and that Qatari search teams had recovered the remains of one of them. He said Iran had been invited in April to inspect the search efforts but did not respond.
Iran said a fourth pilot was killed during a mission targeting a military base in Qatar, according to Iranian state media.
Meanwhile, an oil tanker operated by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil and gas company ADNOC was attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency reported.
No one was injured in Friday evening’s incident, which the UAE described as the third attack on an ADNOC-operated vessel in the strategic waterway within a week.
The United Arab Emirates called on Iran to halt what it described as unprovoked attacks.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre separately reported that a bulk carrier was hit in its hull by an unidentified projectile on Friday. It was not immediately clear whether it was the same vessel.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas passed before the latest conflict, has remained a major flashpoint since the war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people on Saturday, among the deadliest attacks since a fragile truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah took effect on June 20.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency said an Israeli strike on a house near Ansar killed seven people, including three children, and wounded two others. Another strike in Deir al-Zahrani killed four people and injured 17.
The Israeli military said it killed a Hezbollah battalion commander and several other militants at a command centre in southern Lebanon, saying the strike was carried out in response to Hezbollah activity against Israeli troops.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said three Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded and blamed an explosive drone.
The Israeli military said the commander’s family was present at the site but was not the intended target, while Israeli authorities accused him of using family members as human shields.
The strikes came amid a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel aimed at paving the way for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in return for Hezbollah’s disarmament. Hezbollah has rejected direct negotiations and was not part of the agreement.
In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked the government-controlled Red Sea port of Mokha, killing at least three people, including two marines, Yemeni authorities said.
Port director Abdul-Malik al-Sharabi said Friday evening’s attack also forced the suspension of port operations.
Yemeni military spokesperson Col. Majed al-Nazili said the Houthis fired six ballistic missiles at the port.
The attack was the latest escalation by the Houthis against government-held areas and neighbouring Saudi Arabia, raising concerns that the conflict could push Yemen back into a wider civil war.
Analysts say the escalation is part of Iran’s broader effort to increase pressure on the United States and its regional allies.
15 days ago
Israeli strikes killed 39 in Lebanon amid continued cross-border hostilities
At least 39 people were killed in a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, the country’s health ministry said, as hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah persist despite a ceasefire announcement.
One of the deadliest strikes hit the southern town of Saksakiyeh, where at least seven people, including a child, were killed and 15 others injured, among them three children, according to the ministry.
The Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah operatives using a structure for military purposes and acknowledged reports of civilian casualties. It added that precautions were taken to minimise harm to civilians, including the use of precision weapons and aerial surveillance, and that the incident is under review.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported multiple Israeli strikes across southern regions on Saturday.
In another incident, an Israeli drone strike in Nabatieh targeted a motorbike carrying a Syrian man and his 12-year-old daughter. The health ministry said the pair were hit in successive strikes, killing the father and critically injuring the girl, who was undergoing surgery.
Hezbollah also launched a drone attack into northern Israel, wounding three Israeli soldiers, one of them seriously, according to the Israeli military.
Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have continued since a ceasefire deal announced on April 16. Israel says its strikes are aimed at Hezbollah-linked targets, while the group has responded with rocket and drone attacks.
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, more than 120 people have been killed in Israeli attacks over the past week, including women and children, though it does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of southern Lebanon along the border, aiming to establish what they describe as a Hezbollah-free buffer zone. Reports indicate widespread destruction in some villages, drawing concern from rights groups.
Since early March, nearly 2,800 people have been killed in Lebanon, while Israeli authorities report 17 soldiers and three civilians killed in related violence on both sides of the border.
Source: BBC
3 months ago
Israel strikes Gaza, kills 19 including women and children
Israeli air and ground strikes in Gaza killed at least 19 Palestinians, mostly women and children, by midday Wednesday, hospital officials said, amid rising tensions following a militant attack on Israeli troops.
Among the dead were five children—including a 5-month-old and a 10-day-old infant—seven women, and a paramedic, according to Gaza’s Shifa and Nasser hospitals. The casualties mark the latest fatalities in Gaza since a U.S.-backed ceasefire, effective from Oct. 10, 2025, which has repeatedly been punctuated by deadly Israeli strikes. More than 530 Palestinians have been killed during this period, the Gaza health ministry reported.
“The genocidal war against our people in the Gaza Strip continues,” said Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, in a Facebook post. “Where is the ceasefire? Where are the mediators?”
An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel would continue targeting sites in Gaza. The military has defended its strikes since the ceasefire by citing militant attacks on Israeli soldiers or Hamas violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire began.
Early Wednesday, Israeli troops fired on a building in Gaza’s Tuffah neighborhood, killing at least 11 people, mostly from the same family. The victims included two parents, their 10-day-old daughter, her 5-month-old cousin, and their grandmother. The military said its forces returned fire after militants opened fire on Israeli troops, seriously wounding a reservist. Israel described the attack as a violation of the ceasefire deal.
Subsequent strikes hit multiple areas across Gaza. An Israeli attack on a family tent in southern Khan Younis killed three people, including a 12-year-old boy, according to Nasser Hospital. Tank shelling in Zaytoun, eastern Gaza City, killed another three Palestinians, including a husband and wife, Shifa Hospital said. A strike on a tent in Muwasi, Khan Younis, killed at least two people and injured five others, including Hussein Hassan Hussein al-Semieri, a paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent, the field hospital reported.
Since the start of the conflict, over 71,800 Palestinians have been killed, the Gaza health ministry said, without specifying civilian or militant numbers. The ministry, run by Hamas, maintains detailed casualty records considered generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts.
6 months ago
Gaza peace talks gain traction on war’s second anniversary
Peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed on Tuesday at Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, coinciding with the second anniversary of the militant group’s surprise attack on Israel that triggered the devastating war in Gaza.
The renewed round of indirect negotiations is centered on a peace plan proposed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump, which aims to end the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya told Egypt’s Qahera TV that the group seeks guarantees of a permanent ceasefire as part of any agreement involving the release of the remaining 48 hostages—around 20 of whom are believed by Israel to still be alive.
It marked his first public appearance since an Israeli airstrike in Qatar last month targeted him and other top Hamas figures, killing six people, including his son and office manager.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already accepted Trump’s plan, which calls for the immediate release of hostages, Hamas’s disarmament, and placing Gaza under international administration—conditions yet to be endorsed by Hamas.
Netanyahu’s office said Israel was “cautiously optimistic,” describing the ongoing discussions as technical negotiations on a framework both parties have tentatively approved.
Trump’s initiative has drawn wide international support. Speaking to reporters Monday, the U.S. president said he believed there was a “really good chance” of reaching a lasting peace deal.
Global rallies mark Oct 7 anniversary as Gaza war’s toll deepens, protests grow worldwide
Momentum appeared to build further as Qatar announced that its prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, would travel to Egypt on Wednesday to join the mediation efforts. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Netanyahu’s senior adviser Ron Dermer are also expected to participate.
Trump’s peace plan
The U.S.-brokered proposal envisions Israel withdrawing its forces from Gaza once Hamas disarms, to be followed by the deployment of an international security force. The plan also calls for Gaza to come under international governance, overseen by Trump and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In a statement Tuesday, Hamas reiterated its demands for a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, without mentioning the issue of disarmament.
The war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 others. Most hostages have since been released through ceasefire deals.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 67,160 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 170,000 injured in the ensuing conflict. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters but says about half of the dead are women and children. The United Nations and independent analysts regard its data as the most credible estimate of casualties.
Gaza peace talks continue on war's two-year anniversary
Several international experts, including those commissioned by a U.N. body, have said Israel’s military campaign amounts to genocide—an allegation Israel vehemently rejects.
On Tuesday, thousands of Israelis gathered at the sites attacked two years ago to commemorate victims and hostages. During the memorial, a rocket fired from northern Gaza exploded nearby, though no damage or casualties were reported.
In Gaza City, residents said Israeli strikes continued until early Tuesday, though there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Humanitarian lifeline in focus
Ahead of the latest talks, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres described the Gaza conflict as “a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale that defies comprehension.”
Trump’s proposal, he said, “offers an opportunity that must be seized to end this tragic conflict.”
Egypt and Qatar, which have mediated between Israel and Hamas throughout much of the war, are again facilitating the current round of discussions. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Monday’s talks lasted around four hours.
Witkoff, Kushner, and Dermer are due to arrive in Egypt on Wednesday, according to U.S. and Israeli officials who spoke on condition of anonymity as their trips had not yet been formally announced.
A key element of Trump’s plan is to accelerate the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where over 2 million Palestinians are facing severe hunger and, in some areas, famine conditions.
Source: AP
10 months ago
Trump signs order pledging US defense of Qatar after Israeli strike
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order committing to defend Qatar against external threats, including through possible military action, following Israel’s surprise strike on the Gulf nation.
The order, posted on the White House website Wednesday but dated Monday, pledges to safeguard Qatar’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and critical infrastructure. It came amid efforts to reassure Doha after the Israeli attack, which killed six people, including a member of Qatar’s security forces, as Hamas leaders were reportedly weighing a ceasefire deal in the Gaza war.
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to U.S. peace and security,” the order states. It further authorizes “all lawful and appropriate measures — diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military” to defend both American and Qatari interests.
US begins troop drawdown in Iraq under agreement with Baghdad
The move followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Washington visit, during which Trump arranged a call between Netanyahu and Qatar’s leadership. Netanyahu conveyed his “deep regret” over the strike, the White House said. Later, Trump also spoke by phone with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani about Doha’s mediation in ceasefire talks.
Qatar welcomed the U.S. pledge as a “significant step in strengthening defense ties,” while Al Jazeera described the order as a security guarantee. However, questions remain about its binding nature, as treaties typically require Senate approval. Analysts noted that Trump, like previous presidents, has at times pursued international commitments without Senate consent.
The order has already stirred debate. Right-wing activist Laura Loomer posted on X: “I don’t want to die for Qatar. Do you?” The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board also criticized the decision, saying it came “without public debate.”
Qatar hosts the U.S. Central Command’s forward base at Al Udeid Air Base and was designated a major non-NATO ally by President Joe Biden in 2022 for its role in aiding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Gulf state also maintains close ties with Trump, ranging from business projects to support for his presidential travel.
Meanwhile, Israel’s strike has triggered broader regional repercussions. Saudi Arabia has signed a mutual defense pact with Pakistan, reportedly extending Islamabad’s nuclear umbrella over the kingdom. Analysts suggest other Gulf states, facing uncertainty over Israel and renewed U.N. sanctions on Iran, may also seek formal guarantees from Washington.
“The Gulf’s centrality to the Middle East and its strategic value to the United States demand clear guarantees beyond verbal assurances and ceremonial meetings,” wrote Bader al-Saif, a Gulf affairs expert at Kuwait University.
Source: AP
10 months ago
Israeli strikes kill at least 25 family members in Gaza City homes
At least 25 members of the same family were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed a cluster of homes in Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood early Sunday, amid intensifying attacks across the besieged territory.
The strikes hit as Israeli tanks pushed further into Sabra, part of a broader plan to seize control of the area. Rescue efforts were underway, with at least 17 people pulled from the rubble. Family members feared as many as 50 others remained trapped, with survivors saying they could still hear voices beneath the debris.
“We keep hearing their screams from under the rubble, but we cannot reach them,” one family member pleaded. “I appeal to the whole world: Please lend us a helping hand. Our relatives are buried alive.”
Rescue workers said their efforts were being hampered by Israeli drones firing at those digging through the rubble. “For every five men making an attempt, four are killed and only one survives,” a relative said.
Push for two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict faces hurdles and risks backfire
Video circulating online showed casualties being carried away in small vehicles, including a grieving mother who cried that she had lost “all of my children” in the attack.
Israeli forces also carried out air raids on the Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City and the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood to the southwest, as well as targeting Laval Tower in the Nasr district and a nearby house.
Separately, seven Palestinians — including four children — were killed in a strike on the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, near a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) clinic, according to emergency sources.
Medical sources cited by the Wafa news agency said at least 68 people had been killed across Gaza since dawn on Sunday. The Gaza Health Ministry reported Saturday that overall casualties since October 2023 had reached 65,283 dead and 166,575 wounded. It also confirmed four more deaths from Israeli-induced starvation, raising that toll to 440, including 147 children.
Israel continues demolishing buildings and forcing residents to flee as it presses its ground assault. The military said three divisions are advancing in Gaza City and northern Gaza, while another is operating in Khan Younis. It claimed its forces killed “many terrorists” in the past 24 hours.
Gaza authorities estimate nearly 900,000 people remain in Gaza City, though Israel says more than 450,000 have already been displaced since early September.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, Pope Leo condemned the forced displacement of civilians, stressing, “There is no future based on violence, forced exile, and revenge.”
Meanwhile, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal announced formal recognition of Palestinian statehood just days ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly. Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin welcomed the move, calling Israel’s actions “a systematic assault on the very fabric of humanity, designed to erase the Palestinian people’s existence, culture and future.”
Source: Agency
11 months ago
Israeli airstrikes kill at least 35 in Yemen: Houthi officials
Israel launched another round of heavy airstrikes in Yemen on Wednesday, killing at least 35 people and wounding more than 130, just days after Houthi rebels carried out a drone attack on an Israeli airport, according to the Houthi-run health ministry. Rescue teams continued searching through the rubble.
Most of the casualties were reported in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, where a military headquarters and a fuel station were among the sites hit. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-controlled news channel, said nearby homes were also damaged. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said rebels fired surface-to-air missiles at Israeli jets in response.
The strikes came amid rising international scrutiny of Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would push for sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel over its operations in the Gaza Strip. The EU remains divided on the issue.
Israel has urged around 1 million Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City as it steps up its offensive targeting Hamas’ remaining stronghold, while the Gaza Health Ministry reported 41 more deaths and 184 injuries in the past 24 hours, including 12 people seeking humanitarian aid. Thousands remain displaced, struggling with limited food, shelter, and fuel.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and abducting 251. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has so far killed more than 64,600 Palestinians, with women and children accounting for about half of the deaths, according to Gaza authorities.
Meanwhile, Israel’s strike on Qatar, a U.S. ally, targeting senior Hamas figures drew widespread condemnation and added to Israel’s diplomatic isolation. Hamas said its senior leaders survived the attack, though several bodyguards were killed.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening, with famine declared in parts of the city. Von der Leyen described it as a “man-made famine” and urged immediate action to protect civilians, especially children. Israel maintains that it allows sufficient humanitarian aid and blames Hamas for civilian casualties.
11 months ago
Israeli strikes kill 36 in Gaza amid rising hunger crisis
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 36 Palestinians across Gaza on Monday, including a pregnant woman and her newborn, according to local health officials. The strikes came as Israel eased some aid restrictions under global pressure over the growing hunger crisis.
A pregnant woman, Soad al-Shaer, was killed in an Israeli strike in Muwasi, Khan Younis. Her baby, delivered by emergency surgery, died hours later despite being placed in an incubator. Eleven others were killed in a separate strike on a house in Khan Younis, mostly women and children.
The Israeli military did not comment on most of the reported strikes. One incident in Gaza City during Israel’s announced humanitarian pause reportedly killed one person.
Israel initiates daily pauses in Gaza fighting to allow limited aid amid growing hunger
To address the worsening humanitarian crisis, Israel said it would pause military operations for 10 hours daily in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Muwasi to allow aid to enter. Aid agencies welcomed the move but called it insufficient.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said 300 aid trucks entered Gaza Sunday, but the UN says 500-600 trucks are needed daily. Nearly all local food production has collapsed due to the blockade and ongoing conflict.
Two military planes from Jordan and the UAE dropped 17 tons of aid, though UN officials warned that airdrops are ineffective and risky.
Awda Hospital said Israeli fire near an aid site killed seven people and injured 20 more. The site was run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed contractor.
The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis. Israel’s offensive has since killed over 59,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
1 year ago