Live blog: 5 killed as Israeli strike hits residence in Gaza's Khan Younis

Thursday, August 8, 2024

1616 GMT — Five Palestinians were killed and two others injured following an Israeli air strike that targeted a residential home in the northeastern part of Khan Younis, a city located in southern Gaza.

The Civil Defense report said in a statement that the bodies of the five victims were recovered from the Al Qarara town in eastern Khan Younis, while search efforts continued for potential survivors beneath the rubble.

The air strike caused significant damage to the targeted home, and rescue teams, alongside residents, are still searching for any missing individuals, witnesses reported.

The attack occurred amid a large-scale evacuation of several areas in eastern Khan Younis, following warnings from the Israeli military earlier in the day.

Military spokesman Avichay Adraee called on residents in the towns of Salqa, al-Qarara, Bani Suheila, Abasan, and Khuza'a, Sheikh Nasser, al-Satar, and al-Mahatta to evacuate immediately towards what he called a “humanitarian zone” west of Khan Younis.

Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing the area under intense artillery fire, adding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

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1553 GMT — Italy's Meloni urges Iran to avoid escalation in Middle East

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to avoid escalation in the Middle East during a call, the government said in a statement.

During the talks, Meloni "emphasised the need to prevent the expansion of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, including with reference to Lebanon, urging her counterpart to avoid further escalation and to reopen the path to dialogue," the Italian prime minister's office said.

1551 GMT — Egypt condemns Israeli minister's comments about justifying Palestinian starvation to death in Gaza

Egypt condemned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's call to starve Palestinians in Gaza to death, calling it “disgraceful and unacceptable in both form and content.”

“Egypt condemns Smotrich's remarks, which claimed there is a moral justification for starving Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry emphasised that “the lives and security of Palestinians in Gaza are the responsibility of the occupying state (Israel) under international law."

It described the Israeli finance minister's comments as “disgraceful and unacceptable in both form and content.”

1353 GMT — Indonesia reiterates commitment to peace, ceasefire in Gaza

Indonesia reiterated its commitment to “peace efforts and the promotion” of a much-demanded ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“Our focus remains on achieving peace, which involves advocating for a cease-fire and ensuring that humanitarian aid can be delivered without obstacles,” Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said during a press conference at the Presidential Palace, local English daily Jakarta Globe reported.

Her remarks came days after the appointment of Yahya Sinwar as the new Hamas political leader following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.

Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of assassinating Haniyeh, but Tel Aviv has not denied or confirmed its responsibility.

Reiterating Jakarta’s support for a two-state solution as the basis for peace between Israel and Palestine, Rento highlighted her country’s “active” role in supporting Palestinian independence and its efforts to gain UN recognition.

1321 GMT — Palestine condemns Israeli decision to revoke accreditation of Norwegian diplomats

Palestine denounced an Israeli decision to revoke the accreditation of Norwegian diplomats dealing with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority as a “violation of international law.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry revoked the accreditation of eight Norwegian diplomats dealing with the Palestinian Authority in response to Oslo’s recognition of Palestine as a state.

"We reject Israel's decision to revoke the diplomatic status of Norway's representatives to the Palestinian Authority," Ahmed al-Deek, a political adviser to the Palestinian foreign minister, told Anadolu.

“This decision is illegal and rejected as Norway's representation is part of the existing status quo that must not be changed,” he said, calling the Israeli move a “violation of international law.”

"The occupying state has no right to take this measure because the diplomats are representatives to the internationally recognised State of Palestine," al-Deek said.

1254 GMT — Israeli drone strike injures 3 in southern Lebanon amid tension with Hezbollah

Three people were injured in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah, the Health Ministry said.

The attack targeted the border town of Yaroun, the ministry added in a statement.

The state-run National News Agency reported another Israeli air strike on a house in the town of Doueir.

No information was yet available about casualties.

Fears have grown about a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire.

1249 GMT — US faces protests in Japan for opposing Nagasaki’s refusal to invite Israel

Scores of pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside Washington’s diplomatic mission in Tokyo to protest the US opposition to the Nagasaki government’s decision to keep Israel away from an event to commemorate the 1945 nuclear bombing of Japan.

Videos posted on social media platform X showed protesters chanting pro-Palestine and anti-Israel slogans and police stopping them from approaching the embassy building.

Carrying tri-colour Palestinian flags, the protesters could be heard chanting “Free Free Gaza”, “No No occupation”, and "Yes Yes liberation” in a video posted by peace activist Thoton Akimoto, who has been vocal against Israeli invasion of Gaza.

1247 GMT — Iran says Hamas leader's killing a costly 'strategic mistake' by Israel

Israel committed a costly "strategic mistake" with its killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week, Iran's acting foreign minister told AFP in an interview.

"The act that the Zionists carried out in Tehran was a strategic mistake because it will cost them gravely," Ali Bagheri said one day after attending an extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah.

Although Israel has not commented on Haniyeh's death, Iran has vowed to retaliate, setting the region on edge.

Bagheri accused Israel of wanting "to expand tension, war and conflict to other countries," while asserting it was not in a position to fight Iran.

"The Zionists are in no position to start a war against the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.

1242 GMT — Israel orders evacuation of Khan Younis ahead of new offensive

The Israeli army issued new evacuation orders for civilians in southern Gaza of Khan Younis in preparation for a new offensive in the area.

Military spokesman Avichay Adraee called on residents in the towns of Salqa, al-Qarara, Bani Suheila, Abasan, and Khuza'a, Sheikh Nasser, al-Satar, and al-Mahatta to evacuate immediately towards what he called a “humanitarian zone” west of Khan Younis.

The spokesman claimed that Hamas uses these areas for launching rockets towards Israel.

0955 GMT — Palestinian death toll nears 39,700 in Israel's brutal Gaza war

The health ministry in Gaza has said that At least 39,699 people have been killed in Israel's war on Gaza, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said.

The toll includes 22 deaths in the past 24 hours, according to ministry figures, which also list 91,722 people as having been wounded in Gaza since October 7 last year.

0935 GMT — Palestine demands ICC arrest warrant for Israel’s Smotrich

Palestine has demanded an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for his call to starve two million people in Gaza to death.

"This is an explicit admission of adopting and bragging about the policy of genocide," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Smotrich said Monday that letting two million people in Gaza die from hunger might be "justified and moral."

0930 GMT — EU condemns Israeli Smotrich's starving-to-death comments

The EU has "strongly" condemned recent statements by Israel's finance minister suggesting it might be "justified" to let civilians in Gaza starve to death.

"Deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime," the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

"Bezalel Smotrich saying that 'it might be justified and moral' to let Israel 'cause 2 million civilians to die of hunger' until the 'hostages are returned' is beyond ignominious," said Borrell, adding: "It demonstrates, once again, his contempt for international law and for basic principles of humanity."

0918 GMT — UK urges Israel to comply with humanitarian law over prison abuse

Britain has expressed serious concern after an Israeli human rights group described Israeli prisons as a "network of torture camps", reporting systematic abuse of Palestinian detainees.

B'Tselem's report, based on testimonies from 55 Palestinian detainees, detailed numerous forms of mistreatment by Israeli prison authorities, including "arbitrary violence, sexual assault, humiliation and degradation, deliberate starvation, sleep deprivation, and the denial of adequate medical treatment".

0905 GMT — Israel to revoke diplomatic status of Norwegian envoys

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said the diplomatic status of Norwegian envoys to the Palestinian Authority would be revoked over Oslo's "anti-Israel behaviour" since the Gaza war began in October.

"I ordered the termination of any representation on behalf of the Norwegian Embassy in Israel vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority", Katz said in a statement, adding that "there is a price for anti-Israel behaviour".

0755 GMT — Aid worker from World Central Kitchen killed in Gaza

The World Central Kitchen (WCK), a US-based aid group, has said that one of its staff members was killed in central Gaza.

In a statement, WCK said Nadi Sallout, a Palestinian, was killed near the central city of Deir al-Balah, without providing details about the circumstances of his death.

"He was an integral member of our warehouse team from the early days of our response in Rafah and a humanitarian at his very core," WCK said.

0706 GMT — Israeli army blows up Palestinian home in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army early blew up the home of a Palestinian in the southern occupied West Bank who was killed by the Israeli forces in an alleged stabbing attack a few months ago.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the Israeli forces raided the town of Dura in the southern Hebron city, and forced the family of Momen Masalema to leave their home in preparation to destroy it.

Later, the Israeli army blew up the home in a retaliatory measure against one member of the family accused by Israel of carrying out a stabbing attack in April that left an Israeli settler killed.

0635 GMT — Japan stands firm on Israel decision on atomic bomb ceremony

Nagasaki's mayor has said he would stick to a decision to exclude Israel's ambassador from Friday's event to mark the city's atomic bombing, though senior diplomats of the United States and other Group of Seven nations said the snub would keep them away.

"It's not that we haven't issued an invitation to the Israeli ambassador for political reasons, but rather, we want to conduct the ceremony smoothly in a calm and solemn atmosphere," said Nagasaki's mayor, Shiro Suzuki.

"There has been no change in that judgment," he added, but did not elaborate.

0633 GMT — Turkish deputy foreign minister condemns Netanyahu's government for regional chaos

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz has condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for regional chaos, calling it extremist and racist.

During a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Yilmaz accused Netanyahu's administration of being extremist and racist, saying it has deliberately thrown the region into chaos for political gain.

He pointed to the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh as an example, stating that this act undermined efforts towards peace.

0330 GMT — US destroys Houthi drones, missiles in Yemen

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it destroyed two Houthi drones, a ground control station and three missiles in Yemen.

"In the past 24 hours, US Central Command forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicles, one Houthi ground control station, and three Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," it said in a statement.

The weapons presented a "clear and imminent threat" to US and coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region, CENTCOM said. "This reckless and dangerous behavior by Iranian-backed Houthis continues to threaten regional stability and security," it added.

Yemen's Houthi group has been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Gaza.

0303 GMT — Canada to pull children of diplomats out of Israel, Canadian Press reports

The Canadian government said it has decided to pull the children and guardians of its diplomats out of Israel, amid fears of a widened conflict in the Middle East, the Canadian Press reported.

Israel's tensions with Iran and Hezbollah have fanned fears of a broader conflict in a region already on edge amid Israel's assault on Gaza which has killed tens of thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis, including widespread hunger.

Global Affairs Canada, in a statement cited in the Canadian Press, said it has approved the temporary relocation of the diplomats' children and their guardians to a safe third country. It added that diplomats stationed in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and in Beirut do not have dependents living with them.

0105 GMT — Talks over Gaza truce, prisoner swap stalled: Israeli media

Negotiations over a proposed hostage-prisoner exchange and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza have hit a standstill, with no meetings planned, Israeli media reported.

The information was reported by KAN, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, citing unnamed Israeli and foreign sources.

The sources indicated that talks on resuming negotiations on the proposed deal are currently "stalled".

Consequently, no new dates have been set for meetings between the heads of the Israeli, Qatari, Egyptian and American security agencies.

Additionally, KAN reported that families of Israeli captives in Gaza who met with the Israeli negotiating team recently received "highly pessimistic messages" about the prospects of progress in the negotiations.

2336 GMT — Israel kills another World Central Kitchen member in Gaza

Israel has killed Nadi Sallout, member of World Central Kitchen, in an attack on Deir al Balah in central Gaza, Palestinian media reported.

World Central Kitchen, whose seven members were bombed to death by Israel in April, confirmed the killing of Sallout and called him "a humanitarian at his very core."

The US-based non-governmental organisation said Sallout was "an integral member of our warehouse team from the early days of our response in Rafah and a humanitarian at his very core".

2129 GMT — Jordan calls for 'transformative actions' to force Israel to accept truce

Jordan has called for taking "transformative actions" to force Israel to accept a ceasefire in besieged Gaza.

Speaking to the US news channel CNN, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, "The assassination of the chief negotiator of Hamas (Ismail Haniyeh) is a violation of international law and a reckless move that we condemn as a crime."

"We must undertake transformative actions to force Israel to accept a ceasefire and end its aggression on Gaza," he added.

2117 GMT — Officials of Russia and Palestine discuss Gaza

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has discussed the situation in the Middle East with the head of the Palestinian National Initiative movement, Mustafa Barghouti, in a phone call.

The conversation was held at the initiative of the Palestinian side, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the bulk of the call concerned Israel's ongoing military carnage in Gaza and the growing humanitarian disaster in the blockaded enclave.

"The issues of restoring Palestinian national unity on the political platform of the Palestine Liberation Organization were separately touched upon, including in light of the results of inter-Palestinian meetings held earlier in Moscow and Beijing," it said.

2027 GMT — Netanyahu denies US claims of progress in Gaza truce talks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to comments by US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby on a ceasefire deal in besieged Gaza.

Netanyahu claimed that his government had not received a response from the Palestinian resistance group on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal, despite submitting a "clear proposal" and sending a negotiation team to Cairo last Saturday.

That was after Kirby told the reporters that "there is a good proposal before both sides, and they need to both accept that proposal so we can get this in place".

The US believes both sides "need to do a final bit of work" to get to a conclusion, he added. "We are as close as we think we have ever been."

2137 GMT — Israel court hears bid to close prison where soldiers raped Palestinian

The Israeli Supreme Court has considered a petition to shutter a notorious desert military torture centre where soldiers have been abusing and raping Palestinians, as a new video emerged showing the sexual assault of a Palestinian abductee by Israeli troops, who Netanyahu claims are part of the "most moral army" in the world.

Rights groups have been engaged in a legal battle since June to shut down the torture facility known as Sde Teiman, where Israel has held many Palestinians abducted in besieged Gaza during the 10-month carnage.

The groups claim that conditions at the facility are grave and that abuse by Israeli soldiers is common, basing their claims on testimony from released abductees and Israeli whistleblowers.

Defence lawyer Nati Rom told the Associated Press that the soldiers were arrested about a month after the attack and are accused of performing acts of sodomy on the detainee.

2052 GMT — Turkish, Saudi officials discuss Israeli genocide

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz and his Saudi Arabian counterpart have discussed the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, said the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Yilmaz met with Waleed A Elkhereiji on the margins of an extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation Executive Committee meeting in the Saudi port city of Jeddah, the ministry said on X.

"During the meeting, the ongoing Israeli massacre in Gaza and regional developments were discussed," it added.

2017 GMT — US urges Israel to probe itself over rape of Palestinian abductees

Israel should fully investigate allegations of sexual abuse against Palestinian abductees by its soldiers, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller hassaid, calling for "zero tolerance" for perpetrators.

Asked about a video, aired by Israel's Channel 12, that appeared to show soldiers taking an abductee out of sight of surveillance cameras to carry out abuses and about broader allegations of abuses against prisoners, Miller said US officials had reviewed the video.

"We have seen the video, and reports of sexual abuse of detainees are horrific. They ought to be investigated fully by the government of Israel, by the IDF," Miller said, referring to the Israeli military.

"There ought to be zero tolerance for sexual abuse, rape of any detainee, period ... If there are detainees who have been sexually assaulted or raped, the government of Israel, the IDF need to fully investigate those actions and hold anyone responsible accountable to the full extent of the law."

The White House also called the reports of rape, torture and abuse of Palestinian prisoners "deeply concerning."

1951 GMT — EU, France, UK slam Israel minister for Gaza starvation comment

The European Union, UK and France condemned far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for suggesting it would be "justified and moral" to starve two million Palestinians in besieged Gaza to free scores of captives held in the Palestinian territory.

"It demonstrates, once again, his contempt for international law and for basic principles of humanity," the EU said in a statement.

"We expect the Israeli government to unequivocally distance itself from the words of Minister Smotrich," the EU said, as it called for access to cover the humanitarian needs of Gazans, including hundreds of thousands of children.

France also criticised Smotrich, expressing its "deep dismay at the scandalous remarks".

UK Foreign Minister David Lammy said on X that there "can be no justification for Minister Smotrich's remarks", and called on "the wider Israeli government to retract and condemn them".

For our live updates from Wednesday, August 7, 2024, click here.