Live blog: 90 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza's Jabalia camp

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Israeli air strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza has killed 90 Palestinians, Health Ministry spokesman in Gaza told Reuters.

Earlier, Palestinian media reported at least 47 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes targeting houses in the town of Jabalia and the Deir al Balah refugee camp in Gaza.

“35 Palestinians were killed and dozens were injured on Sunday during an Israeli bombing of a house in the town of Jabalia in northern Gaza,” Palestine's official news agency Wafa reported.

At least 90 others were wounded and many others are still under the rubble, local sources said.

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1817 GMT — Israel 'refuses' to withdraw from Gaza, hinders truce efforts

Two Egyptian security sources have said that Israel and Hamas are both open to a renewed ceasefire and hostage release, although disagreements remain on how it would be implemented.

Hamas is insisting on setting the list of hostages to be released unilaterally, and demanding that Israeli forces withdraw behind pre-determined lines, the sources told Reuters.

While Israel agreed on Hamas setting the list, the sources said it had asked for a timeline and to see the list in order to set the time and duration of the ceasefire.

Israel refuses to withdraw, the sources added.

1817 GMT — Another Israeli soldier killed in Gaza: military says

One Israeli soldier has been killed in clashes with Palestinian fighters in Gaza, the military confirmed, adding that another was seriously injured.

A military statement said a soldier from the 401st Brigade’s 46th Armored Battalion was killed north of the Palestinian territory.

It raised the Israeli army death toll in the ongoing conflict since October 7 to over 450.

1801 GMT — Another Hezbollah militant killed in clashes on Lebanon’s border with Israel

Lebanese group Hezbollah has said one of its militants was killed in clashes near Lebanon’s border with Israel.

The group, however, did not give any details about the circumstances leading to its militant's death.

Tension has flared along the Lebanese-Israeli border amid intermittent exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

1712 GMT — Israeli soldier injured in occupied West Bank knife attack amid tension

An Israeli reserve soldier has been lightly injured in a suspected stabbing attack in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, according to Israeli media.

The soldier was stabbed in the back near the Rantis checkpoint and was transported to hospital for medical attention, Israeli Channel 12 reported.

The suspected attacker was arrested after a manhunt, the army confirmed in a statement.

Tension has been growing across the occupied West Bank amid almost daily Israeli military raids into Palestinian towns.

1630 GMT — Israel questions Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa preacher amid incitement charges

Israeli authorities have summoned the preacher of Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, for questioning on incitement charges, according to his defence lawyer.

“Sabri was questioned on accusations of incitement at the Moscovia Detention Center in Jerusalem,” Hamza Qutina said in statements cited by Palestinian official Wafa news agency.

Israeli intelligence agents raided Sabri’s home on December 4 and slapped him with a travel ban.

1623 GMT — Türkiye calls on US to use influence over Israel to stop attacks on Gaza

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called on the US to use its influence over Israel to stop the attacks on Palestine's besieged Gaza during his talks with his American counterpart Antony Blinken.

According to diplomatic sources, Fidan on Sunday discussed regional and global issues as well as Ankara-Washington relations with Blinken over the phone.

During discussions about the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Fidan pointed out that the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank is deteriorating and urged the US to exert pressure on Israel to halt the attacks.

1512 GMT — Phones and internet partially restored in Gaza: telecom firm

Gaza's main telecoms company has said that mobile and internet services were gradually been restored in the centre and south of the besieged Palestinian territory, after the latest service disruption.

"We would like to announce the gradual restoration of telecom services... our field teams were able to reach and repair the main damaged site after numerous attempts in the past days", PalTel said after announcing communications were cut on Thursday.

1441 GMT — Israeli fire kills 505 Palestinians in occupied West Bank in 2023

At least 505 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank this year, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

A ministry statement on Sunday said that 111 children were among the victims.

Last year, the Palestinian death toll from Israeli army fire reached 224 people, according to Palestinian figures.

The Health Ministry said 297 Palestinians lost their lives in the West Bank since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7.

1435 GMT — UN reports 'disturbing' mass detentions of Palestinians in Gaza

The UN human rights office said it had received "disturbing reports" from northern Gaza of mass detentions and ill-treatment of Palestinians by Israeli forces.

“Most were rounded up as they were attempting to move south or were taken during operations conducted on their homes, hospitals, schools and other places of refuge," the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement.

According to reports obtained by the UN office, "children as young as 12 and persons as old as 70 are among those detained" by the Israeli army.

Most of the detainees were subjected to torture and ill-treatment, the reports also noted.

1345 GMT — Israel plans to build anti-tunnel wall on Egypt-Gaza border: report

Israel is planning to build an underground anti-tunnel wall near the border between Gaza and Egypt, according to local media.

The wall is planned to be built on the Philadelphia Axis following the end of the current war on Gaza, Army Radio reported.

According to the broadcaster, an Israeli delegation had traveled to Egypt for talks on the construction of the wall.

“The Egyptians understand Israel’s security need for this,” the radio said, citing an Israeli security official. There was no immediate comment from Egypt on the Israeli report.

1318 GMT — French foreign minister reiterates support for Israel despite killing of ministry staffer in southern Gaza

Despite the killing of a Foreign Ministry staffer in southern Gaza a day earlier, France's top diplomat on Sunday reiterated the country’s support for Israel.

"I have come here also to recall the importance of a new humanitarian truce... and a truce that should lead us to a humanitarian cease-fire," Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told a joint news conference with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen during a two-day visit to the Middle East.

A French Foreign Ministry employee succumbed to injuries from an Israeli airstrike in Rafah in southern Gaza, said the ministry late Saturday.

1241 GMT — Israeli opposition leader calls for fresh elections during Gaza conflict

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has called for fresh elections amid the ongoing attacks on Gaza.

“[Benjamin] Netanyahu cannot continue as prime minister,” Lapid told Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. “Elections can be held during the war.”

This was the first time for an Israeli opposition leader to call for holding fresh elections during the attacks in the besieged enclave.

1203 GMT — Aid enters Gaza through Kerem Shalom crossing for first time

The Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza has opened for the first time for aid trucks since the outbreak of the war, a spokesperson from the Israeli prime minister's office said.

The crossing had been closed to aid trucks since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.

Israel agreed to reopen the crossing to aid trucks last week.

1159 GMT — Pope Francis deplores the death of two women in Gaza parish

Pope Francis has deplored the killing of two women in a Catholic parish in Gaza, where he said "defenceless civilians" were targeted by Israeli shootings and bombings.

"I continue to receive very serious and painful news from Gaza," he said at the end of the Angelus prayer. "A mother and her daughter... were killed and other people injured by sniper fire."

"This happened even inside the parish of the Holy Family where there are no terrorists, but families, children, sick or disabled people," the pope stressed.

1149 GMT — WHO team calls Gaza's Al Shifa hospital a 'bloodbath'

The emergency department at the Al Shifa hospital in northern Gaza, devastated by Israeli bombardments, is "a bloodbath" and is "in need of resuscitation", the WHO has said.

In a statement, the WHO said that "tens of thousands of displaced people are using the hospital building and grounds for shelter", and that there is "a severe shortage" of drinking water and food.

"The team described the emergency department as a 'bloodbath', with hundreds of injured patients inside, and new patients arriving every minute," the organisation said, adding that "patients with trauma injuries were being sutured on the floor... (and) no pain management is available".

1106 GMT — French top diplomat calls for 'immediate and durable' Gaza truce

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has pressed for an "immediate and durable" truce in the Gaza war, adding Paris is "deeply concerned" over the situation in the Palestinian territory.

"Too many civilians are being killed," Colonna said during remarks in Tel Aviv with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen as Israel pushed on with its offensive after the October 7 attacks, sending tensions spiralling across the region.

1106 GMT — Israeli army arrests 20 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces have rounded up 20 more Palestinians in military raids in the occupied West Bank, raising the total number of Palestinian detainees to 4,540 since October 7, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.

A joint statement issued by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said the majority of the arrests took place in Hebron, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, and Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank.

The total number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails is estimated at around 7,800, including more than 2,870 held under Israel's notorious administrative detention policy without charge or trial.

1039 GMT — UK and Germany call for 'sustainable ceasefire' in Gaza

UK foreign minister David Cameron and German counterpart Annalena Baerbock have stressed that the "need is urgent" for a "sustainable ceasefire" in Gaza in a joint article for Britain's Sunday Times.

The two ministers wrote that "too many civilians have been killed" in the conflict, and raised the pressure on Israel to bring its offensive in Gaza to a swift, but "sustainable", end.

"We must do all we can to pave the way to a sustainable ceasefire, leading to a sustainable peace. The sooner it comes, the better — the need is urgent," they wrote.

However, the pair also said that they "do not believe that calling right now for a general and immediate ceasefire, hoping it somehow becomes permanent, is the way forward.

0935 GMT — Israeli attacks kill 92 journalists in Gaza since October 7

At least 92 journalists have been killed in the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza since October 7, the government media office in the besieged Palestinian enclave said.

In a statement, the office said the latest fatalities were journalists Rami Badir and Assem Kamal Musa, who was killed in Israeli raids during the past two days.

The office did not provide details regarding the circumstances of the journalists deaths.

0900 GMT — Israel army kills five Palestinians in occupied West Bank raid

At least five Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli attack targeting the Nour Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian media reported.

The young men, with their ages ranging between 22 and 33, were killed in an Israeli attack on the refugee camp in the city of Tulkarm, Palestine’s official news agency Wafa reported.

“The young men Mahmoud Samer Jaber, 22, and Ghaith Yasser Shehadeh, 25, were killed earlier Sunday in an Israeli drone attack on the Nour Shams camp in Tulkarm,” Palestine’s official news agency Wafa reported.

Several people were injured in the attack amid arrests and destruction of infrastructure, it added.

0850 GMT — Palestinians killed as Israeli air strikes hit civilian houses

At least 47 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes targeting houses in the town of Jabalia and the Deir al Balah refugee camp in Gaza, Palestinian media reported.

“35 Palestinians were killed and dozens were injured during an Israeli bombing of a house in the town of Jabalia in northern Gaza,” Palestine's official news agency Wafa reported.

At least 90 others were wounded and many others are still under the rubble, local sources said.

0655 GMT — Israel continues to strike Gaza amid ongoing negotiations

Israel carried out fresh strikes on Gaza as its leaders came under growing pressure to secure the release of hostages still held in the Hamas-run territory more than two months after the October 7 attacks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced protests on Saturday by relatives of hostages who called for an urgent deal to secure their freedom after the army admitted mistakenly killing three captives in Gaza.

The trio were among an estimated 250 people taken hostage during Hamas's October 7 raids into Israel.

0650 GMT — Dozen killed in Israeli strikes on the central city of Deir al Balah

At least 12 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on the central city of Deir al Balah, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.

Witnesses also reported Israeli air and artillery strikes on the southern municipality of Bani Suhaila east of Khan Yunis, Gaza's second city.

0640 GMT — Three Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in occupied West Bank

Two Palestinians from Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank have been shot dead by Israeli forces, and a third from Jenin died from injuries sustained a few days ago, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

0020 GMT — Israeli military chief takes responsibility for killing 3 hostages in Gaza

Israeli Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi has taken responsibility for 'mistakenly' killing three Israeli hostages by Israeli soldiers.

"The IDF (Israeli army) and I, as its commander, are responsible for what happened," Halevi said in a video statement, referring to the three hostages who were raising a white flag in besieged Gaza when they were killed.

He pointed out that during intense clashes in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza, Palestinian militants were able to approach Israeli soldiers in civilian clothes for days.

"A split-second decision could be a life-or-death decision,” he said.

0010 GMT — UK lawmaker submits complaint to ICC for Israeli war crimes in Gaza

British Independent lawmaker Claudia Webbe has submitted a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) that urged an investigation and trial for Israel’s war crimes committed in Gaza.

Webbe announced during a parliamentary session that she lodged the complaint that includes genocide and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people.

0000 GMT — Palestine demands probe into Israel burying Gaza victims alive

Palestine has demanded an investigation into reports of the Israeli army burying civilians alive in the courtyard of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.

“Information and testimonies from citizens, medical crews, and media indicate that the occupation buried living civilians in the Kamal Adwan Hospital courtyard, and that some of them were seen alive before being besieged by the occupation,” according to Palestinian Health Minister Mai Al Kaila.

“The world should take serious action to uncover the details of this file and not tolerate or remain silent about the information coming from the Gaza Strip,” said Al Kaila as she urged an international inquiry into the reports.

2303 GMT — Israeli air strike killed a USAID contractor in Gaza, his colleagues say

An Israeli air strike has killed a US Agency for International Development contractor in Gaza last month, his colleagues said in a statement.

The US development agency noted the death and urged greater protection for humanitarian workers in the fighting there.

Hani Jnena, 33, was killed November 5 along with his wife, their 2-year-old and 4-year-old daughters, and her family, the US-based humanitarian group Global Communities said.

An internet-technology worker, Jnena had fled his neighbourhood in Gaza City with his family to escape the airstrikes, only to be killed while sheltering with his in-laws, the group said. His employer was an on-the-ground partner for USAID, the US agency said.

2230 GMT — Israel says Gaza hospital military 'activity' over

The Israeli army has claimed it discovered weapons and arrested around 80 Hamas members in military "activity" at a hospital in Gaza, which Hamas described as a "horrific massacre".

The Gaza-based health ministry said on Wednesday that Israeli forces had "fired at patient rooms" and arrested staff at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza City during a "siege" that lasted several days.

The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said the same day that the hospital director and about 70 other medical staff were "detained in an unknown location outside of the hospital".

For our live updates from Saturday, December 16, click here.