Live blog: Hamas urges Palestinians  to 'rise up and march' against Israel

Sunday, May 26, 2024

2156 GMT — Hamas has said that Palestinians must "rise up and march" against the Israeli army’s "massacre" in Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah.

"In light of the horrific Zionist massacre this evening committed by the criminal occupation army against the tents of the displaced... we call on the masses of our people in the West Bank, Jerusalem, the occupied territories, and abroad to rise up and march angrily against the ongoing Zionist massacre against our people in the sector," the Palestinian resistance group said in a statement.

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1944 GMT — Israel bombs Palestinian shelters in Rafah, leaving dozens dead

Israeli forces have targeted tents of displaced Palestinians near the UNRWA headquarters in northwestern Rafah, resulting in numerous casualties, according to the Palestine Red Crescent.

The attacks have claimed the lives of at least 30 people and left dozens more injured, according to Gaza's government media office.

Gaza's civil defence agency corroborated these reports, highlighting the severe impact on an area sheltering approximately 100,000 displaced individuals.

Initial reports from Gaza's civil defence agency indicate that at least 50 people have been either killed or wounded in the strikes.

The agency emphasized the extensive damage inflicted on the densely populated area, which continues to reel from the sudden violence.

A definitive death toll at the Tal Al-Sultan camp is yet to be established.

Gaza's government media office has labelled the incident as the "Rafah massacre." It stated this as a clear message from Israel to the International Court of Justice and the global community, underscoring the ongoing attacks against civilians in Gaza.

The Israeli army has confirmed that an attack was carried out this evening in Tel al-Sultan but its details are under investigation.

1839 GMT — Israeli army kills Palestinian teen in occupied West Bank

Israel's military has said its troops killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank, with the Palestinian health ministry identifying him as a teenager.

"The soldiers fired at him and killed him," it said.

The Palestinian health ministry identified the fatality as Majd Shahir Aramin, 14, and said he had been killed by Israeli forces.

1820 GMT — Israel war cabinet to discuss new push for Gaza hostage deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he "strongly opposes" ending the war in Gaza, ahead of his war cabinet convening amid intense diplomacy to forge a truce and hostage release deal.

Netanyahu has long rejected Hamas's demand in negotiations for a permanent end to the fighting.

1817 GMT — Two more Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza, military says

Another two Israeli soldiers died from fighting in Gaza, the military has said.

A military statement said Staff Sergeant Betzalel Zvi Kovach, 20, a soldier in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, succumbed to his critical injuries from clashes in the northern city of Beit Hanoun last Wednesday.

1715 GMT — Israeli drone strike kills 1, injures 3 in southern Lebanon

One person was killed and three others were injured in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, according to local media.

The strike targeted a motorcycle in the border town of Houla, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Two people were earlier killed and others injured in another drone attack on a motorbike in the town of Ayta Ash-Shaab, according to the same news agency.

1639 GMT — Famine looms in Gaza amid Israel's closure of crossings: report

Gaza’s government media office has warned of a looming famine in northern Gaza amid Israel’s closure of the territory’s crossings.

“The humanitarian crisis is deepening in Gaza as Israel continues to tighten its blockade on the entire enclave,” the media office said in a statement.

It said that less than 100 aid trucks entered the besieged enclave via a US-built pier on Gaza’s coast over the past week.

“Only 214 trucks were allowed into northern Gaza last week via a point (established by the Israeli army) west of Beit Lahia, including 109 loaded with flour, and only 6 medicine trucks,” it added.

The media office appealed to the international community to pressure Israel “to allow the entry of aid convoys via land crossings such as Rafah and Karem Abu Salem".

1340 GMT — Recognising a Palestinian state is 'justice' for Palestinians: Spain

Recognising the State of Palestine "is justice for the Palestinian people (and) the best guarantee of security for Israel," Spain's foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares has said alongside Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa.

Welcoming Spain's move, with Norway and Ireland, to recognise the Palestinian state on Tuesday, Mustafa said, "We want to have every country in Europe do the same."

Albares and Mustafa spoke side-by-side in Brussels, where the Palestinian leader was also meeting EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

1210 GMT — Israel’s Lapid accuses Prime Minister’s office of ‘orchestrating’ mutiny video

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office of orchestrating the video of a reservist soldier threatening mutiny.

“Throughout the history of nations, there have been instances where the opposition advocated for chaos. However, for the first time, the government itself deliberately incited chaos,” Lapid said in an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

He said the video was shared by Netanyahu’s son and Yinon Magal, a journalist close to the prime minister.

1150 GMT — ICC prosecutor justifies arrest warrants against Israel's prime minister

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan has justified his decision to request arrest warrants for Israel's prime minister and defence minister in an interview with a British newspaper.

Khan said that he was seeking warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, on suspicions of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

1120 GMT — Hamas' military wing fires rocket on Tel Aviv

Hamas' military wing Qassam Brigades said it launched a "big" rocket attack on Tel Aviv as the Israeli military sounded sirens in the central city warning of possible incoming rockets.

In a statement on its Telegram channel, Qassam Brigades said the rockets were launched in response to what it called "Zionist massacres against civilians".

Hamas Al-Aqsa TV said the rockets were launched from Gaza. Rocket sirens had not been heard in Tel Aviv for the past four months.

The reason for the sirens was not immediately stated by the Israeli military.

1052 GMT — Israeli soldier injured by sniper in Gaza

The son of a former Israeli minister was wounded by a Palestinian sniper in northern Gaza, Israeli media has reported.

“Lieutenant Colonel Itamar Eitam, a major in the Bislamach Brigade, was moderately injured during a clash in Jabalia,” said the army radio.

He is the son of former Israeli Housing Minister Efraim Eitam.

1035 GMT — Israeli army continues bombarding southern Lebanon

The Israeli army has continued bombarding southern Lebanon, targeting various regions as well as a motorcycle, with local media reporting several casualties.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that “the Israeli enemy bombing targeted the outskirts of the towns of Shihin and Majdal Zoun, in conjunction with the bombing of Wadi Hamul and Wadi Hassan with several artillery shells".

“Israeli aircraft also raided the town of Naqoura near UNIFIL forces (the UN Interim Force in Lebanon), targeting a motorcycle, causing many casualties,” it added.

1015 GMT — Palestinian death toll from Israeli assault in Gaza nears 36,000

With 81 Palestinian deaths reported in the last 24 hours in the latest Israeli forces bombardments on besieged Gaza, the total number of people killed in the enclave since last October has approached the grim mark of 36,000.

At least 35,984 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza since last October 7, 2023, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement said 80,643 people have been injured as a result of the ongoing Israeli military offensive.

“Israeli attacks killed 81 people and injured 223 others in the last 24 hours,” it said, adding, “Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them.”

0904 GMT — Israel fights Hamas in Gaza but says ready for new truce talks

Israeli officials said diplomatic efforts were expected to resume in coming days towards a truce and hostage release deal.

Mediator Egypt was continuing "its efforts to reactivate ceasefire negotiations", said Al-Qahera News, which has links with Egyptian intelligence.

Israeli media has said intelligence chief David Barnea had agreed a new framework for talks on a ceasefire in a meeting with America's CIA chief and Qatari mediators in Paris.

An Israeli official, requesting anonymity, told AFP on Saturday that "there is an intention to renew these talks this week".

However, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Qatar's Al Jazeera network that so far "there is nothing practical on this issue. It is just talk coming from the Israeli side."

0840 GMT — 11 Palestinians killed in fresh Israeli attacks on Rafah

At least 11 Palestinians were killed and several others injured in four Israeli attacks on residential areas and a gathering in Rafah, in southern Gaza, sources said.

Medical sources told Anadolu that six Palestinians were killed and several others injured in the bombing of a house belonging to the Qishta family near the Al-Aqqad School in northern Rafah.

In central Rafah, the Israeli army targeted a Palestinian gathering at the Najma roundabout, killing at least three people, medical sources added.

The Israeli army also used a reconnaissance missile to target a Palestinian on Awni Dhair Street in central Rafah, as well as another Palestinian in the Khirbet Al-Adas area to the north, according to medical sources.

Several violent Israeli raids took place in the neighborhoods of Al-Geneina, Al-Shaboura, Yabna camp, Brazil, and Al-Salam on Saturday night and early Sunday morning, eyewitnesses told Anadolu.

0716 GMT — Aid trucks from Egypt enter Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing: media

Aid trucks from Egypt began entering Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing, state-linked media Al-Qahera News reported.

A total of "200 trucks" had moved from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, which has been shut since early May when Israel seized the Palestinian side of the terminal, to the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Al-Qahera News did not specify how many trucks had made their way through inspection into besieged Gaza, but said "four fuel trucks" had already crossed and were heading to hospitals.

2347 GMT — Israel hits Rafah, kills several Palestinians despite ICJ order

Several Palestinians were killed and injured Saturday following Israeli air strikes on Rafah in southern Gaza, according to an Anadolu news agency correspondent.

A warplane targeted a gathering of civilians in the Shaboura refugee camp in central Rafah. Other Israeli warplanes bombed several houses in downtown Rafah and carried out air strikes on agricultural lands in the area, said the correspondent.

In another escalation of the attack on Rafah, Anadolu reported, that Israeli artillery targeted an apartment in the Al-Fayrouz residential tower in the Tel Al-Sultan neighbourhood west of the city, injuring three Palestinians — the severity of whose injuries could not be immediately determined.

2356 GMT — Qassam Brigades releases video of hostages killed in Israeli air strikes

The Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, has released a video addressed to the families of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

It included images of several hostages who were killed in Israeli air strikes.

“Your own army, under orders from Netanyahu, insulted your captives' dignity; alive and dead,” said the video that had previous statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and army spokesperson Daniel Hagari, shown behind bullet-riddled glass.

"Since the beginning of the war, we have been working to return all the hostages home, and when I say all, I mean all,” said Netanyahu in the video. Gallant states, “We are making tremendous efforts to return the hostages."

2321 GMT — Anti-tank missile from Lebanon hits house in northern Israel

An anti-tank missile from southern has hit a house in northern Israel, according to Israeli media.

“An anti-tank missile launched from southern Lebanon hit a house in Metula, without causing any casualties,” Israeli Army Radio reported.

The broadcaster did not note further details.

2312 GMT — Illegal Israeli settlers attack Palestinian village in northern West Bank

Illegal Israeli settlers attacked homes of Palestinians under the protection of the Israeli army in the village of Qusra in the southern city of Nablus in the northern West Bank, the Palestine news agency, WAFA has reported.

“The townspeople rushed to repel the attack, which led to clashes with the occupation army and settlers,” during which the army used “live bullets,” it said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said it treated the wounds of a 29-year-old man who was injured during fighting in Qusra and transported him to the hospital.

2311 GMT — German vice-chancellor accuses Israel of violating international law

German Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck, has said that Israel has crossed the line by violating international law with its actions in Gaza.

Habeck responded to questions by Germans at the "Democracy Festival" in Berlin, organized to mark the 75th anniversary of the German Constitution.

Emphasizing that Israel must comply with international law, Habeck said, "The famine, the suffering of the Palestinian population, the attacks in the Gaza Strip are — as we are now seeing in court — incompatible with international law."

For our live updates from Saturday, May 25, 2024, click here