Live blog: Israel approves plans for ‘continuation of war’ on Gaza

Sunday, 21 April, 2024

2001 GMT — Despite growing global outrage over the continuing offensive on Gaza, the Israeli army chief has approved plans for “continuation of the war” in the enclave, according to an official statement.

Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi “approved plans to continue operations in the southern front (Gaza),” army spokesperson Daniel Hagari told a news conference at Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv.

He added that “preparations are being made for the next steps of the war in the Gaza Strip,” despite international calls for a ceasefire.

“We completed another operation in the middle of the Gaza Strip against Hamas this week to destroy its infrastructure,” he said.

“There are always forces operating inside Gaza, along with additional forces preparing for the next steps in the war,” he said.

More updates👇

1809 GMT — Israeli troops kill three Palestinians in occupied West Bank: ministry

Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinian teenagers and a woman in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry has said.

Sunday's incidents, after numerous deaths during an Israeli raid further north in the Palestinian territory, added to a two-year surge of violence in the West Bank that has accelerated since the war in Gaza began on October 7.

The Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah said the deaths of the two Palestinian teenagers were "caused by occupation (Israeli army) bullets".

It identified them as Muhammad Majid Musa Jabareen, 19, and Musa Mahmud Musa Jabareen, 18.

In a separate incident on Sunday, the Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces shot dead Palestinian woman Labiba Faza Sidqi Ghannam, 43, at the Hamra checkpoint.

1651 GMT — Hamas claims rocket fire from Lebanon on Israel’s Upper Galilee

Hamas has claimed responsibility for a rocket fire from Lebanon on Upper Galilee in northern Israel.

The group’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said 20 Grad rockets were launched from Lebanon at an Israeli army base near the town of Shomera.

It said the rocket fire was in response to “massacres committed by the Israeli enemy” in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

1645 GMT — Israel's Gantz asks US to reconsider decision to sanction IDF battalion, Axios reports

Israel war cabinet member Benny Gantz spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and asked him to reconsider the decision to sanction the Israeli army's Netzah Yehuda battalion, an Axios reporter has said, citing Gantz's office.

1641 GMT — Germany's Scholz warns Israel's Netanyahu against escalation

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed the state of the region, a spokesperson for the German government said.

"The Chancellor emphasised that it was essential to avoid a regional escalation," the spokesperson said.

1638 GMT — Israeli army unit accused of abuses ‘kills Palestinians for no real reason,’ says party leader

Israeli Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli has called for dismantling an army unit with a history of abuses, saying it is killing Palestinians “for no real reason.”

Her call came amid reports that the US was preparing to impose sanctions on the Netzah Yehuda battalion over human rights violations committed by the combat unit against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

“The sanctions are an acknowledgement of the reality and an understanding that Israel’s conduct in the territories cannot continue,” Michaeli said on X.

“The violent and corrupt conduct of the Netzah Yehuda battalion and those around it has been known for years, and nothing has been done to stop it.”

1447 GMT — Israel vows to increase 'military pressure' on Hamas soon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will increase "military pressure" on Palestinian resistance group Hamas in a bid to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza.

"In the coming days we will increase the military and political pressure on Hamas because this is the only way to free our hostages," Netanyahu said in a video statement on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover, threatening to "deliver additional and painful blows" without specifying.

Despite an international outcry, Netanyahu has repeatedly said that the army will launch a ground assault on Rafah, a southern Gaza city so far spared an Israeli invasion where more than 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge.

1422 GMT — Israeli PM Netanyahu says he will fight any sanctions on army battalions

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would fight against sanctions being imposed on any Israeli military units after media reported that Washington was planning such a step against a battalion for alleged rights violations.

On Saturday, the Axios news site reported that Washington was planning to impose sanctions on Israel's Netzah Yehuda battalion that has operated in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said it was not aware of any measures being taken.

"If anyone thinks they can impose sanctions on a unit of the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) - I will fight it with all my strength," Netanyahu said in a statement.

1349 GMT — Israel arrests 50 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank raids

At least 50 Palestinians were detained by Israeli army forces in military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to a local non-governmental organisation.

All the detainees were taken into custody during a military raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement.

At least 14 Palestinians were killed during a 3-day Israeli raid in the camp, according to figures released by the Health Ministry.

The new arrests brought to 8,400 Palestinians detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Palestinian figures.

1259 GMT — Yemen’s Houthis say departure of German frigate from Red Sea ‘step in right direction’

Yemen’s Houthi group has hailed the departure of a German frigate from the Red Sea as a “step in the right direction.”

German broadcaster Deutsche Welle said Saturday that frigate Hessen left the Red Sea after completing its mission of “protecting commercial ships from Houthi militants in Yemen.”

“The departure of the German frigate is a step in the right direction,” said Hussein Al Ezzi, who acts as a deputy foreign minister in the Houthi-led government, said in a statement.

1246 GMT — Türkiye calls on international community to recognise Palestine state

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called on the international community to oppose the US veto on Palestine’s UN bid and recognise Palestine state.

“It is unjust that Palestine is not allowed to become a member of the UN. We call on the international community to oppose this injustice and recognise the state of Palestine,” said Hakan Fidan in a joint news conference with his Mauritanian counterpart Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug in Istanbul.

During a meeting with Merzoug, Fidan said that they discussed the “ongoing massacre in Gaza,” adding: “Just like Türkiye, Mauritania also adopts a sensitive policy regarding the Palestinian issue, particularly the situation in Gaza, and provides all possible support.”

1227 GMT — 190 bodies found in mass grave at hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis

Palestinians exhumed at least 190 bodies from a mass grave at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis city in southern Gaza, the state news agency Wafa has reported.

The bodies were found following Israeli troop withdrawal from the city on April 7 after a military offensive there, Wafa said.

It said women and children made up the majority of the victims in the mass grave.

According to the broadcaster, around 500 people have been reported missing following the Israeli offensive on Khan Younis.

1206 GMT — US aid to Israel 'green light' for Gaza 'aggression': Hamas

Palestinian resistance group Hamas has condemned the US House of Representatives' approval of billions of dollars in new military aid to Israel, much of which is to strengthen Israeli air defences.

"This support, which violates international law, is a licence and a green light for the Zionist extremist government (Israel) to continue the brutal aggression against our people," Hamas said in a statement.

"We consider this step a confirmation of the official American complicity and partnership in the war of extermination waged by the fascist occupation army against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."

1144 GMT — 485 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in occupied West Bank since Oct. 7: Health Ministry

At least 485 Palestinians have been killed and 4,900 others injured in attacks by Israeli army forces and illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank since last October, the Health Ministry has said.

A ministry statement said more than 340 were reported on healthcare facilities and workers in the occupied territory during the same period.

The ministry accused Israel of "deliberately obstructing” health care services for Palestinians in the West Bank.

“This policy constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and exacerbates the suffering of civilians," it added.

1110 GMT — Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli soldiers gathering off southern border

Lebanon’s Hezbollah group has announced that it had targeted Israeli soldiers' deployment points in northern Israel.

In separate statements, the group said its fighters targeted "the deployment points of Israeli enemy soldiers southern Jal al Alam site with Burkan missiles."

It added that the fighters also targeted “the modern espionage equipment that was raised in the vicinity of the Dovev Barracks with appropriate weapons, hitting it directly.”

1007 GMT — Pakistan dispatches 8th relief consignment for Gaza

Pakistan dispatched the 8th relief consignment comprising food items, medical supplies, and other relief goods for the people of Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed over 34,000 people since October.

The 400 tons of shipment was dispatched from the Karachi port to Port Said in Egypt in collaboration with Al-Khidmat Foundation, Pakistan's largest aid agency.

A handing over ceremony was organised at Karachi port, where Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Ahmad Rabaie received the shipment, a statement by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said.

0942 GMT — 34,097 Palestinians killed in Israel's offensive on Gaza: health ministry

At least 34,097 Palestinians have been killed and 76,980 others injured in Israel's ongoing military offensive on Gaza since October 7, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has said.

At least 48 more Palestinians were killed and 79 others injured over the last 24 hours as Israel continues its onslaught on the besieged Gaza, it said.

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

0847 GMT — Israel kills 18 in Rafah, mostly children and women

Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight killed 18 people, including 14 children, health officials said Sunday, as the United States was on track to approve billions of dollars of additional military aid to its close ally Israel.

The first strike killed a man, his wife and their 3-year-old child, according to the nearby Kuwaiti Hospital, which received the bodies. The woman was pregnant, and the doctors managed to save the baby, the hospital said.

The second strike killed 13 children and two women, all from the same family, according to hospital records. An airstrike in Rafah the night before killed nine people, including six children.

0827 GMT — Two Palestinians killed by Israeli troops in West Bank: Palestinian media

Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, as the army confirmed they were "neutralised" after firing at soldiers.

Wafa reported that the latest incident occurred at the entrance to the village of Beit Einun near the city of Hebron.

Quoting two Palestinian security sources, Wafa reported that the men succumbed to their wounds after they were fired on.

Following the incident, troops stormed Beit Einun and raided several homes, the agency reported.

0758 GMT — General strike to protest Israeli attacks paralyses West Bank

A comprehensive strike in the occupied West Bank to protest Israel’s violent incursions paralysed life in the occupied territory.

The strike came in response to calls from political forces, unions, and civil society organisations after the Israeli army raided the Tulkarm city and the Nur Shams camp in the northern West Bank, killing at least 14 Palestinians and causing massive damage to infrastructure in the camp.

0247 GMT — US gives political protection for Israeli murders — Hamas chief

"The US position is deceptive, even though it says it does not want civilians to be harmed, this is an attempt at manipulation. All the civilians killed in Gaza, thousands, tens of thousands of martyrs, were killed with US weapons, with US rockets, under US political protection," Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh said.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu, Haniyeh said, "What does the US veto of the ceasefire resolution at the UNSC mean? It means that the US is giving full protection and umbrella to the continuation of the massacres and murders against Gaza.”

Emphasising that Israel has not accepted a ceasefire in Gaza despite all the negotiations, as dozens of proposals have been submitted through mediators, Haniyeh said: "All it wants is to take back the prisoners and then restart the war in Gaza, and this is not possible."

"The Israeli army must completely withdraw from Gaza. Israel also does not want the displaced people to return to northern Gaza. It accepts a limited and gradual return. It is unacceptable.”

0030 GMT — Doctors in Gaza save baby of Palestinian pregnant woman killed by Israeli soldiers

A pregnant Palestinian woman died in a bombing attack by the Israeli army that targeted a house in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, according to health sources.

Doctors at the Kuwait Hospital saved the baby, sources said on the condition of anonymity.

Footage circulated on social media showed health teams trying to revive a baby.

Many of the dead and injured were transferred to the Abu Yousef el-Najar Hospital in Rafah amid the Israeli army's attacks on the city.

Witnesses reported that the army targeted a farmland area in the Khirbat al 'Adas region in northern Rafah, where a Palestinian refugee family resides.

2300 GMT — Bodies of 50 people buried by Israel recovered in southern Gaza

The Palestinian Civil Defence Administration in Gaza said that the bodies of 50 Palestinians killed by the Israeli army were recovered from a mass grave in the southern Khan Younis province.

"Today, our teams in the Khan Younis Governorate uncovered the bodies of 50 martyrs from different age groups who were collected by the occupation forces and buried collectively at Nasser Hospital,” it said in a statement.

The statement underlined that there are still bodies in mass graves and under the rubble, adding that civil defence teams continue search and recovery efforts.

The Israeli army announced its withdrawal from Khan Younis on April 7 after four months of a ground operation aimed at retrieving Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, but it exited the city without achieving its objectives.

The Israeli operation left extensive destruction to roads, homes and infrastructure.

2200 GMT — 13 Palestinians killed in Israeli raids on Nur Shams refugee camp in West Bank

At least 13 Palestinians were killed in Israeli military raids in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm in the northern occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

The “13 martyrs were brought to Tulkarm Governmental Hospital from Nur Shams camp, raising the death toll due to the occupation's aggression on the city and the camp since Thursday evening to 14,” the ministry said on Facebook.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Saturday that its teams were able to transfer “9 martyrs from the Nour Shams camp to the hospital,” who are among those announced by the Health Ministry.​​​​​​​

Witnesses confirmed to Anadolu that ambulances were able to enter the camp after the withdrawal of the army late Saturday.

For our live updates from Saturday, April 20, click here.