Live blog: G7 vows to deliver more aid to Gaza amid Israeli attacks

Sunday, April 14, 2024

1657 GMT — G7 leaders have vowed to work together to deliver more aid to Palestinians in Gaza, in a statement published after a video meeting sparked by Iran's retaliatory attack on Israel.

"We will also strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need," they said in a statement released by the Italian presidency.

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1803 GMT — Israel army claims Hamas holding hostages in Gaza's Rafah

Israel has alleged that Palestinian resistance group Hamas is holding hostages in Rafah in southern Gaza, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to launch a ground invasion despite international outcry.

"Hamas is still holding our hostages in Gaza... We also have hostages in Rafah, and we will do everything we can to bring them back home," Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a briefing.

1740 GMT — Gaza conflict lies at heart of Israeli-Iranian escalation: Turkish foreign minister tells US counterpart

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have discussed the current situation in the region following Iran's retaliatory attack on Israel.

Fidan stressed Türkiye's concern to Blinken regarding the escalation and potential spread of the crisis in the region, highlighting that Türkiye has "repeatedly expressed" the risk of the Gaza crisis evolving into a regional conflict since its inception.

Fidan said the conflict in the Palestinian enclave is at the core of Israel-Iran tensions, and reminded Blinken of the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and uninterrupted humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.

1644 GMT — US House Speaker Mike Johnson says he will push for aid to Israel and Ukraine this week

House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he will try to advance wartime aid for Israel this week as he attempts the difficult task of winning House approval for a national security package that also includes funding for Ukraine and allies in Asia.

The unprecedented attack by Iran on Israel early Sunday further ratcheted up the pressure on Johnson, but also gave him an opportunity to underscore the urgency of approving the funding.

Johnson told Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he and Republicans “understand the necessity of standing with Israel" an d he would try this week to advance the aid.

“The details of that package are being put together right now,” he said. "We’re looking at the options and all these supplemental issues.”

1641 GMT — Israeli military calling up reservists for more attacks on Gaza

The Israeli army has said it will soon call up two reserve divisions for mlitary assaults in Palestine's Gaza.

"In accordance with the situational assessment, the IDF (Israeli army) is calling up approximately two reserve brigades for operational activities on the Gazan front," the military said, though it provided no further details.

Earlier this month Israel pulled some forces out of Gaza, saying troops would be preparing for further offensives in the territory, including in the southern area of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken shelter.

1238 GMT — Israeli minister calls for full occupation of Gaza

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for imposing full occupation over entire Gaza.

Smotrich's remarks came following an announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office that Hamas' response to mediators' proposals for a prisoner exchange deal was negative

"Giving up on Israel's red lines and chasing after Hamas for a deal only makes the chance of bringing everyone (hostages) home further away," the leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party wrote on X.

"It's time to learn lessons, change direction, ... and restore full Israeli control all over the Gaza Strip," he added.

1144 GMT — Israel bombs town in eastern Lebanon

Israeli aircraft has targeted a building in the town of Nabi Shith in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon after a violent night of Israeli attacks in the region.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that “an enemy air strike targeted a building in the town of Nabi Shith in the Bekaa Valley.”

No casualties were reported, according to the agency.

1133 GMT — Five killed as Israeli army shells hundreds of displaced Palestinians returning to northern Gaza

At least five Palestinians, including a woman, were killed and several others injured when the Israeli army shelled hundreds of displaced Palestinians trying to return to their homes in northern Gaza.

“Five fatalities, including a woman, and a number of injured people arrived at Al Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza,” medical sources told Anadolu.

The casualties occurred among “the displaced Palestinians who tried to return to the northern Strip via Al Rashid Street,” they added.

An Anadolu correspondent reported that Israeli artillery shelling targeted hundreds of displaced Palestinians during their attempts to return to northern Gaza.

0943 GMT — Israel kills 43 Palestinians in last 24h, death toll hits 33,729

At least 43 more Palestinians were killed and 62 others injured over the last 24 hours, as Israel continues its onslaught on besieged Gaza, Palestine's Health Ministry in the territory has said.

“The Israeli occupation (forces) committed four massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 43 martyrs and 62 injured during the past 24 hours,” a ministry statement said.

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

Flouting the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on Gaza where at least 33,729 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 76,371 injured since October 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

0915 GMT — Hamas demands written commitment that Israel will withdraw from Gaza

Hamas has demanded a “clear written commitment” that Israel will withdraw from Gaza during the second of a three-phase ceasefire deal, a senior Egyptian official and a Hamas official have said.

“We confirm our readiness to reach a deal regarding a serious exchange of prisoners between the two sides,” Hamas said.

The Egyptian official said Hamas wants “a comprehensive, phased deal” that included ending the war, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and an agreement of all hostages in return for a large number of Palestinian prisoners.

0806 GMT — Israeli army conducted 16 massacres daily since Oct. 7: Report

The Israeli army has been committing an average of 16 massacres daily in Gaza since Oct. 7 where it has been carrying out attacks for over six months, according to the Palestinian government in the enclave.

The government's Media Office issued a statement detailing the 190-day-long bombardment carried out by Israel on Gaza.

The statement reported that the Israeli army has committed "2,973 massacres in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023."

The report stated that during the Israeli military's assaults on Gaza, 14,560 children and 9,582 women were killed.

Additionally, 7,000 individuals are either trapped under the rubble or missing, with hospitals receiving a total of 33,686 fatalities and 76,309 individuals sustaining injuries.

0508 GMT — Israel's Mossad says Hamas rejected Gaza truce proposal

Israel's Mossad spy agency has said that Palestinian resistance group Hamas had rejected the latest proposal by international mediators for a truce in the war in Gaza.

The Palestinian group said Saturday it submitted its response to a six-week ceasefire proposal to Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

It said it’s still committed to its demands for a permanent ceasefire, Israeli army withdrawal from all parts of Gaza, the return of displaced people to their homes, intensifying the flow of aid and the start of reconstruction.

For our live updates from Saturday, April 13, click here.