Live blog: Five Israeli soldiers killed in Rafah, rockets fired at Ashkelon

Saturday, May 18, 2024

1722 GMT — The Palestinian resistance group Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, announced that they killed five Israeli soldiers and injured others in eastern Rafah, southern Gaza.

In a statement on Telegram, the group stated that its fighters “succeeded in luring a Zionist infantry unit and detonating an anti-personnel explosive device against them.”

The Israeli army, on the other hand, announced that it had detected 10 rockets fired from northern Gaza toward the city of Ashkelon in southern Israel, the army radio reported.

“The army detected the launch of 10 rockets from the northern Gaza Strip towards the city of Ashkelon, where five of them were intercepted, while the others fell in open areas,” said the army radio.

It added that there were no casualties reported.

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1930 GMT — Failure to reopen land crossings to worsen humanitarian conditions in Gaza, warns UN agency

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned that the failure to reopen land crossings and provide them secure access would exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

“The crossings must re-open and be safe to access.  Without the re-opening of these routes, the deprivation of assistance and catastrophic humanitarian conditions will persist,” stated UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on X.

“Nearly half of the population of Rafah or 800,000 people are on the road, having been forced to flee since the Israeli Forces started the military operation in the area on 6 May,” he added.

1849 GMT — Israel war cabinet minister says to quit unless Gaza plan approved

Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said he would resign from the body unless Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a post-war plan for Gaza.

"The war cabinet must formulate and approve by June 8 an action plan that will lead to the realisation of six strategic goals of national importance.. (or) we will be forced to resign from the government," Gantz said, referring to his party, in a televised address directed at Netanyahu.

"Along with maintaining Israeli security control, establish an American, European, Arab and Palestinian administration that will manage civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip and lay the foundation for a future alternative that is not Hamas or (Mahmud) Abbas," he said, referring to the president of the Palestinian Authority.

He also urged the normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia "as part of an overall move that will create an alliance with the free world and the Arab world against Iran and its affiliates".

1749 GMT — Israeli army says body of another hostage killed on October 7 recovered

The Israeli army announced that it has found the body of another Israeli hostage in Gaza, who was killed in the Hamas attack on October 7.

At a news conference, the Israeli army spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated that “confirmed information available to the army indicates that (53-year old) Ron Benjamin was killed during the attack on October 7 at the Mefalsim junction, where Hamas militants abducted his body to Gaza.”

“There are still 128 hostages in the Gaza Strip, with the deaths of 39 of them announced,” added Hagari.

1557 GMT — US says Houthis launched ballistic missile, striking Greek-owned oil tanker

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the Houthi group in Yemen launched a ballistic missile into the Red Sea, striking a Greek-owned oil tanker.

"At approximately 1 a.m. (Sanaa time) on May 18, Iranian-backed Houthis launched one anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) into the Red Sea and struck M/T Wind, a Panamanian-flagged, Greek-owned and operated oil tanker. M/T Wind most recently docked in Russia and was bound for China," it said in a statement.

"The impact of the ASBM caused flooding which resulted in the loss of propulsion and steering," it added.

"This continued malign and reckless behavior by the Iranian-backed Houth is threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," it said.

1445 GMT — Hezbollah claims it struck Israeli military locations near Lebanon’s border

The Lebanese Hezbollah group announced that it had targeted two military sites in northern Israel, near the southern border of Lebanon.

In a statement, Hezbollah mentioned that its members “targeted surveillance equipment at Ar-Ramtha site with appropriate weapons, achieving a direct hit.”

The group added, in a separate statement, that its fighters “struck Naqoura naval site with artillery shells,” without providing further details.

There has been no immediate comment from the Israeli military regarding Hezbollah's claims.

1310 GMT — Israel destroys 300 homes in Jabalia as fighting rages in Rafah

The Palestinian Civil Defense Service in Gaza said that the Israeli army has destroyed over 300 homes in Jabalia in northern Gaza as heavy fighting and bombardment rocked southern city of Rafah.

Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal told Anadolu Agency that “the Israeli army has completely destroyed more than 300 homes in Jabalia in northern Gaza since the be ginning of its offensive.”

"We are receiving distress calls about numerous bodies lying on the roads and beneath the rubble of destroyed homes," he said, adding that “rescue crews cannot reach them due to the intensity of the Israeli bombing."

Basal explained that the Israeli assault caused massive destruction to residential buildings and infrastructure in the town and Jabalia camp.

1300 GMT — Bodies of 28 Palestinians arrive at hospital northern Gaza

The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital reported that bodies of 28 Palestinians, including children and women, arrived at the hospital following an Israeli bombing near the facility in northern Gaza.

In a press statement, Hossam Abu Safiya, the director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital, said: “28 Palestinian bodies, including 10 children and 10 women, arrived at the hospit al following Israeli bombing targeting the hospital vicinity.”

“We lost many of the wounded due to the lack of essential medical resources needed to save them,” he said.

“The situation is catastrophic due to the lack of a health system and the unavailability of medicines and basic medical supplies,” added Safiya.

1119 GMT — Israel on losing end in Gaza war — Former Mossad deputy chief

Israeli Knesset member and former Mossad deputy chief Ram Ben-Barak said that the ongoing war in Gaza is “futile,” asserting that Israel is on the losing end and facing economic collapse.

“This war lacks a clear objective, and it's evident that we're unequivocally losing it,” Ben-Barak told the Israeli public radio.

“We are forced to engage in fighting in the same areas and end up losing more soldiers,” he said.

“We're also facing setbacks on the international stage, with our relations with the United States deteriorating significantly, and the Israeli economy in decline,” he said, adding: "Show me one thing we have succeeded in.”

1106 GMT — Fighting rages in Gaza's Rafah after first aid delivery via pier

Heavy clashes and bombardment rocked Gaza's southern city of Rafah as the Israeli military announced the first humanitarian aid had entered the besieged territory via a US-built pier.

The military said its air forces "struck over 70 targets" across Gaza over the past 24 hours while ground troops "continue precise operations" in eastern Rafah.

The Kuwaiti hospital said an overnight Israeli strike killed two people in a displacement camp in Rafah, with witnesses reporting heavy gunfire and shelling in the city's southeast and jets bombarding its eastern areas.

AFP correspondents, witnesses and medics said there were intense battles overnight in the northern Jabalia refugee camp, after the Israeli army reported on Friday "perhaps the fiercest" violence in the town in more than seven months of war.

0955 GMT — Gaza death toll nears 35,400

At least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza since last October, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said.

A ministry statement said that 79,366 other people have also been injured in the onslaught.

“Israeli attacks killed 83 people and injured 105 others in the last 24 hours,” the statement said.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

0917 GMT — Palestinian youth injured by Israeli army gunfire in occupied West Bank

At least one Palestinian youth was injured by Israeli army gunfire at the Balata refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that its crew members dealt with “a live bullet injury to the shoulder of a 17-year-old boy during the Israeli army’s storming of Balata camp in Nablus city.”

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that “occupation forces accompanied by a bulldozer stormed the Balata camp amid heavy gunfire and raided several homes.”

0914 GMT — CIDE condemns Gaza violence, calls for end to Israeli genocide

The Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) of Mexico released a powerful statement condemning the ongoing violence in Gaza.

"CIDE categorically condemns the events occurring in Gaza and calls for an end to the genocide by Israeli troops," CIDE said in a statement in response to recent inquiries from the CIDEOllín community.

It criticised Israel for ignoring international calls to halt "asymmetric warfare" and violating "recommendations from the International Court of Justice."

CIDE’s condemnation extends to the destruction of educational institutions in Gaza, emphasizing that such actions undermine the fundamental human right to education, as outlined in the "1948 Declaration of Human Rights and the 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education."

0840 GMT — Battle in Gaza’s Jabalia ongoing as Rafah civilians fear attack

Israeli forces launched an offensive in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza overnight on Friday, while residents in Rafah expressed concern about having nowhere to seek refuge if Israel escalates its offensive on the southern city.

Air strikes targeted Jabalia overnight, following ground battles between Israeli tanks and troops and Palestinian fighters within the narrow alleys of Gaza's largest refugee camp.

Israel began its offensive in Jabalia a week ago, initially claiming to have cleared the area of Hamas fighters, but clashes have reignited since then.

0508 GMT — Multiple casualties reported in Israeli strike on West Bank

The Al-Quds Brigade has confirmed in a statement that Khamayseh, leader of the Jenin Battalion was killed and several others wounded during an Israeli raid.

The Israeli military said it killed a Palestinian fighter during an air strike on an "operations centre" in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

"Several Palestinian fighters were inside the compound," the Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement posted to Telegram.

It said the strike by a fighter jet and helicopter killed Islam Khamayseh, in the Jenin Camp".

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said one person was killed and eight were wounded and receiving hospital treatment as a result of Israel's offensive in Jenin on Friday night.

0646 GMT — Oil tanker hit by missile off Yemen: security firm

A crude oil tanker was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen's city of Mokha overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait, maritime security firm Ambrey has said.

"A Panama-flagged crude oil tanker was reportedly 'attacked'" about 10 nautical miles southwest of Mokha, Ambrey said, adding that information "indicated the vessel was hit by a missile and that there was a fire in the steering gear flat".

2225 GMT — US evacuates 17 US citizen doctors from Gaza

The United States has evacuated out of Gaza 17 American doctors who had been stuck since an Israeli siege of the Rafah crossing closed the border with Egypt, official sources said.

US diplomats arranged for the 17 doctors to leave instead through the Karem Abu Salem crossing into Israel.

"Some of the US citizen doctors who had been stuck in Gaza have now safely departed and made their way to safety" a State Department spokesperson said.

"We have been in close contact with the groups that these US doctors are part of, and we have been in contact with the families of these US citizens," he said.

A source familiar with the operation said that three other US citizen doctors who were part of the volunteer medical mission chose to stay and help wounded Palestinian children and women despite the uncertainty on when they will again have a chance to leave.

2022 GMT — Hamas says US pier not 'alternative to opening all land crossings'

Hamas resistance group has said the US-built temporary pier in Gaza to provide humanitarian aid cannot be an alternative to opening land crossings.

In a statement, the Palestinian group affirmed on "the right of [Palestinian] people to receive all the aid they need in light of the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the occupation after its brutal aggression against Gaza."

"We reaffirm our rejection to any military presence of any force on our Palestinian lands," the statement said.

Besides mass killings, mass destruction and mass exodus of Palestinians, Israeli restrictions on fence crossings have hindered the delivery of supplies, leaving Palestinians in need of food, shelter and other assistance.

US troops finished installing the floating pier on Thursday, and aid trucks rolled across the newly built docking facility and into the besieged enclave on Friday. ​​​​​​The UN, primarily the World Food Program, would be responsible for the onward distribution of aid.

For our live updates from Friday, May 17, click here.