Live blog: Israel prefers diplomacy with Hezbollah, Gallant tells Blinken

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

1742 GMT — Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel would prefer a diplomatic resolution to the conflict with Lebanon's Iran-backed group Hezbollah, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

"We think a diplomatic resolution is possible. We think it is in the interests of all parties," Miller said.

Shelling on Israel's northern border has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from areas on both sides of the frontier, and has escalated in recent weeks, leading to fears of an all-out conflict.

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1734 GMT — UN Palestinian envoy urges immediate ceasefire to undermine Netanyahu's goals

Palestinian envoy to the UN, Riyad Mansour, urged an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to undermine Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's goals.

"We are well aware of the objective of the conflicting messages from Israeli leaders, notably Netanyahu himself, suggesting this is all a scheme and that the assault will continue under any circumstances," Mansour told a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue.

"The aim is to sabotage the US initiative without taking the blame for it, to sabotage the efforts of Egypt and Qatar and the international community as a whole... The best way to frustrate Netanyahu’s goals is by achieving an immediate ceasefire."

1632 GMT — Any deal excluding ceasefire 'not an agreement': Haniyeh

Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, has issued a statement following the recent death of his sister, saying any deal that does not guarantee a ceasefire and an end to Israel's war on Gaza was "not an agreement."

"If thinks targeting my family will change our position or that of the resistance, they are delusional," the statement said.

1618 GMT — UNSC, including US, voices concern about violence in West Bank

Some UN Security Council members voiced concern about the violence in the West Bank and urged Israel to end all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory.

"The world's eyes are rightfully on Gaza, but we cannot ignore the situation in the West Bank," US envoy to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Stressing that the number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank remains "deeply alarming," she said: "We're concerned by the significant uptick in deadly violence against Palestinian civilians by settlers in the West Bank, and condemn it in the strongest terms."

1546 GMT — UN tells Israel it will suspend aid operations across Gaza without improved safety

Senior UN officials told Israel they will suspend aid operations across Gaza unless urgent steps are taken to better protect humanitarian workers, two UN officials said.

A UN letter sent to senior Israeli officials this month said Israel must provide UN workers with direct communication with Israeli forces on the ground in Gaza, among other steps, the officials said.

They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations with Israeli officials. The UN officials said there has been no final decision on suspending operations across Gaza and that talks with Israelis were ongoing.

Israeli military officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

1545 GMT — Netanyahu's wife accuses Israeli army chiefs of plotting coup against her husband

The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused top army officials of attempting to orchestrate a coup against her husband.

The accusations were made during a meeting last week with several families of Israelis held captive in Gaza, Haaretz newspaper reported.

"Israeli forces are seeking to stage a military coup against my husband," Sara Netanyahu was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

1454 GMT — Ongoing hostilities in Gaza further fueling regional instability: UN envoy

The UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process expressed "serious concerns" about the risk of escalation in the region, particularly between Israel and Hezbollah along the Blue Line.

"I reiterate the Secretary-General's (Antonio Guterres) concern that further military escalation will only guarantee more suffering, more devastation to communities in Lebanon and Israel, and more potentially catastrophic consequences for the region," Tor Wennesland told a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

He encouraged all sides to "immediately" take urgent steps to de-escalate the situation.

1418 GMT — US airman resigns over support for Israel's war on Gaza

Mohammed Abu Hashem, a Palestinian-American US airman, resigned after a career of 22 years over Washington's support for Israel in its war in Gaza, a report said.

Abu Hashem lost his aunt, and more than 20 neighbours and relatives were injured in an Israeli air strike, said The Washington Post.

"His thoughts turned to Washington's 'ironclad' support for Israel through policy and vast amounts of weaponry, and soon he concluded that 22 years was in fact enough," according to the report.

In an interview with the newspaper, the airman said it was emotional for him to know "the amount of bombs that are being supplied to Israel was the cause of her death."

1414 GMT — Gaza war's toll on children, 'catastrophic' hunger alarms UN

UN agencies have sounded the alarm about war-torn Gaza, saying that 10 children a day are losing one or both legs and half a million Palestinians suffer "catastrophic" hunger.

There was no let-up in Israel's bombardment of Gaza and attacks against the Palestinian resistance group Hamas over the October 7 attack, as it maintained the siege on the territory's 2.4 million people.

Palestinian officials said one strike killed 10 members of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh's family, including his sister.

Israel's military did not immediately confirm the strike, which the civil defence agency in Gaza said hit the family's house in the northern Al Shati refugee camp, leaving some bodies trapped under the rubble.

1409 GMT — Gaza high school students miss final exams as war rages

Palestinian officials say it is the first time in decades that high school exams are going ahead this month without the participation of students in Gaza.

Some 40,000 high school students in Gaza would normally be taking their final exams this month. A further 10,000 are doing so in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the diaspora, and they would usually all take the exams at the same time.

Gaza's Education Ministry said in a statement that 450 high school students had been killed since the war erupted last October. Other Palestinian data showed more than 350 teachers and academics have been killed, while all 12 of Gaza's higher education institutions have been destroyed or damaged.

1408 GMT — Israel eyes use of Musk's Starlink in event of war with Hezbollah, Calcalist reports

Israel is looking to use Elon Musk's Starlink to maintain Internet connectivity should there be a potential all-out-war with Lebanese Hezbollah on the northern border that causes power outages in Israel, a newspaper report said.

The Calcalist financial daily said that the finance and communications ministries were seeking to utilise Starlink's 5,000 low-orbit satellites to ensure stable data and information flow for state authorities during emergencies.

Both ministries did not immediately comment when contacted.

1350 GMT — UN agency for Palestinian refugees has funding up to end of August: chief

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) underlined the funding gap, saying that the agency has a budget until the end of August.

Philippe Lazzarini told a press conference in Geneva that he is referring to the regular budget, which is the "backbone" of the organisation that covers 30,000 staff.

"We have the cash until the end of August, and basically, we still have a shortfall of about $100-140 million to reach the end of the year," Lazzarini said.

1320 GMT — US pier in Gaza may be extended past July: US official

The US military's pier off Gaza may be extended well beyond its July 31 authorisation date if the United States and aid organisations can get aid flowing again to Palestinians in the coming days and weeks, a senior US official said.

"While the pier was authorised through July 31st, I think it is entirely possible that it will continue on for at least another month, if not longer," said Isobel Coleman, deputy administrator for policy and programming at the United States Agency for International Development.

US President Joe Biden announced in March the plan to put the pier in place for aid deliveries as famine loomed in Gaza.

1253 GMT — 10 children per day losing one or two legs in Gaza: UNRWA

Ten children per day are losing one or both of their legs in the war in Gaza, the head of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees has said.

"Basically we have every day 10 children who are losing one leg or two legs on average," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told reporters in Geneva.

Citing figures from the UN children's agency UNICEF, he said that figure "does not even include the arms and the hands, and we have many more" of these.

"Ten per day, that means around 2,000 children after the more than 260 days of this brutal war," Lazzarini said.

He said amputation often takes place "in quite horrible conditions," sometimes without anaesthesia.

Save the Children said on Monday that up to 21,000 children are estimated to be missing in the chaos of the war.

1211 GMT — At least 2,000 medical evacuations prevented by Rafah crossing closure: WHO

The closure of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza has prevented the medical evacuations of at least 2,000 patients, a World Health Organization official said, calling for Rafah and other routes to be reopened.

Before the closure, "approximately 50 critical patients a day left Gaza ... It means that since the 7th of May at least 2,000 people have been unable to leave Gaza to receive medical care," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

The Rafah crossing was the main conduit for evacuations as well as for humanitarian aid earlier in the war on October 7. It shut when Israel launched a war on the southern edge of Gaza in May.

1158 GMT — Gaza suffers near total breakdown of law and order: UNRWA

Chaos is taking hold in Gaza as smuggling bands form and add to the difficulties in delivering aid, the head of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency said.

"Basically, we are confronted nowadays with a near total breakdown of law and order," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told reporters, blaming in part an increase in gangs involved in cigarette smuggling. "It's becoming more and more complicated (to deliver aid)," he added.

Established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, UNRWA provides services including schooling, primary healthcare and humanitarian aid in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

1144 GMT — Australian parliament makes fresh effort to recognise Palestine

The Australian senators made a fresh effort in parliament to recognise the Palestinian state but failed as the Labor-led government opposed the motion.

The motion was moved in the Senate by lawmaker Mehreen Faruqi, deputy leader of the Australian Greens party.

It was the second attempt in as many months by Australian lawmakers to follow 145 nations that recognise Palestine as an independent state.

1143 GMT — Half a million Palestinians still facing 'catastrophic' hunger: UN

Almost half a million people are still experiencing "catastrophic" hunger in Gaza, with famine still a high risk, a United Nations-backed assessment found.

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partnership said its March warning of imminent famine in the north of the Palestinian territory had not materialised.

"However, the situation in Gaza remains catastrophic and there is a high and sustained risk of famine across the whole Gaza Strip," the report said, warning against any complacency.

It said around 495,000 people — around 22 percent of the Gaza population, according to the UN — are still facing "catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity" known as IPC Phase 5. Another 745,000 people are classified as in a food security emergency.

1116 GMT — War between Israel, Lebanon would have 'disastrous consequences': Germany

Growing tensions between Israel and Lebanon could trigger a war with "disastrous consequences" for the entire Middle East, Germany's foreign minister warned.

Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem after her meeting with Israeli counterparts, Annalena Baerbock said the situation is "very serious" and could get out of control in the coming days and weeks.

"With every rocket over the Blue Line, the danger grows that the situation will get out of control, the danger grows that a miscalculation will trigger a hot war. All those who bear responsibility must therefore exercise the utmost restraint, and above all, Hezbollah must stop firing at Israel," she said.

The minister underlined that during her talks in Beirut later in the day, she will deliver clear messages, and will try to contribute to a de-escalation of the situation.

1115 GMT –– Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks since Oct 7 rises to 37,658

Gaza's death toll from relentless Israeli attacks since last October has reached 37,658, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave has said.

At least 86,237 people have also been wounded in the onslaught, the ministry added in a statement, as the Israeli deadly onslaught enters day 263.

"In the last 24 hours alone, Israeli forces killed 32 people and injured 139 others in three massacres of families," the ministry also said.

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

1057 GMT –– UN says Palestinians in Gaza forced to rely on contaminated sea water for daily needs

Thousands of families in Gaza are forced to rely on contaminated seawater for their daily needs as Israel continues to block most of the humanitarian aid in the war-torn Palestinian enclave, leaving the population hungry and thirsty, the UN has said.

"In Gaza's burning summer heat, children have to wait in long queues to access minimal amounts of water," the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said on X.

"Thousands of families are forced to rely on dirty seawater for their daily needs. Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to the #GazaStrip is urgently needed to save lives," it added.

1043 GMT –– High risk of famine persists across Gaza: global hunger monitor

A high risk of famine persists across the whole of Gaza as long as Israel's brutal war on the besieged enclave continues and humanitarian access remains restricted, a global hunger monitor has said.

Over 495,000 people, or more than one-fifth of Gaza's population, are facing the most severe, catastrophic level of food insecurity, said an update from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

The IPC said increased deliveries of food and nutrition services to northern Gaza in March and April appeared to have reduced the severity of hunger in the area, where the UN-backed body had previously projected that famine was likely.

1036 GMT –– Israel claims to announce Hamas 'defeat' in Rafah, moving to 3rd phase of war

The Israeli army will declare the "defeat" of Hamas's Rafah Brigade in the southern Gaza city of Rafah within days, signifying the "transition to the third phase of the war," Israeli media has revealed, after the first phase of bombing from outside the enclave and the second phase of ground incursion into the area.

"The army estimates that it will be possible within a few days to announce the defeat of the Rafah Brigade, effectively concluding the intense phase of the ground manoeuvre throughout the strip," the Israeli Army Radio reported.

“"This means that the Israeli army will fully shift to airstrikes across the entire strip," said the outlet, adding: "The security establishment estimates that even in the third phase (of the war), we will be required to leave two brigades in Gaza to continue carrying out repeated air strikes."

1009 GMT –– Germany calls on Israel to release withheld tax revenues for Palestinian Authority

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on Israel to release withheld tax revenues and customs duties for the Palestinian Authority.

Baerbock made the remarks following her meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Ramallah, on the second day of her visit to the Middle East region.

"Sustainable security in the Middle East requires a strong and reliable partner on the Palestinian side. With the necessary reforms, the Palestinian Authority can grow into this important role," Baerbock said, according to a statement released by the ministry.

0950 GMT –– Humanitarian assistance 'never been near enough' meeting needs of Palestinians in Gaza: UN

The UN Humanitarian Office (OCHA) has said that since last Oct. 7, humanitarian assistance has "never been near enough" to meet Palestinians' needs in Gaza.

"We try to measure and quantify that suffering with figures: the total number of displaced, the litres of water they get per day, the truckloads of aid that cross in every week," Yasmina Guerda, a humanitarian affairs officer from OCHA, told a UN press briefing in Geneva after returning from three months in Gaza.

"No matter the numbers, it's never been near enough to meet the food, shelter, health, and other needs of a population that has lost nearly everything — their jobs, their roofs, their clothes, access to their bank accounts, access to privacy," Guerda said.

0840 GMT –– Israeli supreme court says ultra-Orthodox men must serve in military

Israel's Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for military service, a decision that could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition as Israel continues to wage war in Gaza.

The court ruled that in the absence of a law that distinguishes between Jewish seminary students and other draftees, Israel's compulsory military service system applies to the ultra-Orthodox like any other citizens.

Read more here.

0838 GMT –– Israel prefers diplomacy to end Hezbollah conflict, security adviser says

Israel will spend the coming weeks trying to resolve the conflict with Lebanon's Iran-backed group Hezbollah and would prefer a diplomatic solution, Israel's national security adviser has said.

National security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said Israel had been discussing with US officials the possibility that an expected end of intense Israeli military operations in Gaza would allow an "arrangement" to be reached with Hezbollah.

0825 GMT –– Health Ministry in Gaza says lack of medicine threatens 1,000 dialysis patients

The Health Ministry in Gaza has warned that 1,000 dialysis patients in the Palestinian enclave are at risk due to severe shortage of medicines amid the ongoing Israeli onslaught that has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, created conditions of famine and rendered most of hospitals non-operational.

The ministry in a statement said medical teams are only providing palliative treatment to the patients due to the lack of supplies.

"Hospitals and health centers suffer from a severe shortage of medicines and disposable supplies badly needed for providing services to save the injured and patients," the statement added.

0756 GMT –– Israeli defence minister discusses with Blinken, in search for 'alternative' to Hamas rule in Gaza

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has discussed with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, seeking an "alternative" to the rule of the Palestinian Hamas group in Gaza.

The Israeli Defence Ministry said in a statement that Gallant met with Blinken in Washington and that they discussed the developments of the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza along with the escalation in northern Israel with the Lebanese Hezbollah group.

According to the statement, Gallant told Blinken "the eyes of both our enemies and our friends are on the relationship between the US and Israel," adding that they "must resolve the differences between us quickly and stand together."

During the meeting, they also discussed promoting "a governing alternative" to Hamas rule in Gaza.

0745 GMT –– Israel kills at least 24 displaced Palestinians in Gaza City

Israeli forces have killed at least 24 Palestinians in three separate air strikes on Gaza City, health officials said, while tanks deepened their incursion into the town of Rafah in the south of the enclave.

Two of the strikes hit two schools in Gaza City, killing at least 14 people, medics said. Another strike on a house in the Shati (Beach) camp, one of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps, killed 10 others.

The house in Shati belonged to the extended family of Hamas political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar, killing one of his sisters along with other relatives too, family members and medics said.

0727 GMT –– Palestinian groups confirm commitment to success of China's mediation for reconciliation

The Palestinian Hamas and Fatah groups have announced their commitment to the success of China's mediation efforts to achieve the Palestinian reconciliation.

This comes in two separate statements as both blamed each other for obstructing Tuesday's scheduled expanded national dialogue meeting in the Chinese capital Beijing.

In a statement, Hussam Badran, responsible for national relations within the Hamas group, said his group "responded to the invitation of the friends in China related to achieve the Palestinian national unity," stressing that the group dealt with "high positivity and great responsibility."

He added that Tuesday's scheduled meeting was agreed based on the bilateral meeting between Hamas and Fatah held in Beijing in April, and was planned to be an expanded meeting that includes several Palestinian groups.

0702 GMT –– Palestinian leader Abbas to visit Moscow, Russian agencies report

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Russia, Russian news agencies have reported, citing Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.

TASS said Ushakov did not disclose the timing but said the dates had been agreed. Another state agency, RIA, said Abbas had planned to come to Russia in November last year, but the visit was postponed at the request of the Palestinian side.

Russia says it wants to help resolve the conflict in the Middle East and that peace will not be possible without the establishment of a Palestinian state.

0447 GMT –– Israel bombs Gaza as US warns against wider war

Israel kept up its bombardment of Gaza after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the "intense phase" of the war was winding down, as the United States urged its ally to avoid further escalation along the Lebanon border.

Israeli forces launched more deadly strikes, with 13 people killed across two schools and a home hit in Gaza, according to territory's civil defence agency.

With Israel planning to redeploy some soldiers from Gaza to the Lebanese border, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday pressed the country's defence minister not to allow the violence to spiral.

0404 GMT –– Probe highlights 'attack on press freedom' in Gaza war

A collaborative investigation by international media outlets shed light on the circumstances behind more than 100 Palestinian journalists and media workers being killed in the Gaza war, some while wearing a press vest.

A consortium led by investigative outlet Forbidden Stories and involving around 50 journalists from 13 organisations including AFP, The Guardian and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism group (ARIJ) took part in the four-month probe.

It looked into strikes involving journalists and media infrastructure since Israel launched a devastating offensive in Gaza in response to Palestinian resistance group Hamas carrying out an unprecedented attack in Israel on October 7.

"More than 100 journalists and media workers have been killed," Forbidden Stories' Laurent Richard said in an editorial accompanying the Gaza Project's publication.

0106 GMT — Hamas denies report it plans to move its political bureau to Iraq

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has denied a report that it plans to move its political bureau from Qatar to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

"There is no truth to what Sky News Arabia reported, citing The National newspaper, of allegations that Hamas plans to leave Qatar and head to Iraq," Izzat al-Rishq, a member of the political bureau, said in a statement on his Telegram account.

The UAE-based The National quoted sources that said the Iraqi government granted approval in May to Hamas to open the bureau in Iraq and that "Iran will be responsible for protecting Hamas' leaders, offices and personnel in Baghdad."

The newspaper said the decision to move the bureau was made to avoid pressure from Qatar and the US to show flexibility in negotiations with Israel for a deal in Gaza.

0001 GMT — Biden 'disturbed' by alleged drowning attack on US-Palestinian child

US President Joe Biden has said he was "deeply disturbed" by reports that a woman allegedly attempted to drown a Palestinian-American child at a pool in Texas.

The woman has been charged with capital murder, court records show, following the May incident, which gained national attention over the weekend.

"No child should ever be subjected to a violent attack, and my heart goes out to the family," Biden said on X.

"I am deeply disturbed by the reports of an attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian-American at a neighbourhood pool," he said.

2341 GMT — Israel's showing 'clear will' to annex occupied West Bank 'little by little'

The European Union's foreign policy chief has said that Israel seems to have a "clear will" to annex the occupied West Bank "little by little," warning that this will not lead to peace.

"There seems to be a clear will to annex the West Bank, little by little, bit by bit. There seems to be that will, and that's certainly not going to lead to peace, " Josep Borrell said at a press conference following the bloc's Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.

Noting that a ceasefire has not been reached in Gaza despite three weeks passing since a proposal was put forth supported by the international community, he said: "We are nowhere in terms of a ceasefire."

2133 GMT — Blinken tells Israel's Gallant to ease tensions with Hezbollah

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has asked visiting Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to avoid escalation with Lebanon's Hezbollah as Tel Aviv's genocidal war in besieged Gaza continues, a State Department spokesperson said in a readout of their meeting.

Blinken also emphasised the need to take measures to ensure the protection of humanitarian workers in the blockaded enclave.

Blinken "underscored the importance of avoiding further escalation of the conflict and reaching a diplomatic resolution that allows both Israeli and Lebanese families to return to their homes," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

Miller's statement came as hawkish Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu threatened a military invasion of Lebanon.

Just days ago, Israel’s military said it had "approved and validated" plans for an invasion in Lebanon, even as the US works to prevent the months of cross-border attacks from spiralling into a full-blown war.

2105 GMT — US says multipurpose jet being used for airdrops

The US military has said that it is using a cutting-edge aerial communications platform to aid its ongoing airdrops of humanitarian assistance within besieged Gaza.

The E-11A aircraft is equipped with the Battlefield Airborne Communication Node (BACN), which "acts as a communication relay and gateway system, facilitating information exchange and enhancing operations' versatility and effectiveness," the US Air Forces Central (USAFC) said on the military's DVIDS website.

According to Air Forces Central, the plane has been used in Gaza since March.

"As the E-11 was repurposed post-Afghanistan, it has now been providing behind-the-scenes support to US partners & allies facilitating airdrops in Gaza," it said.

"The BACN ensured mission success by consolidating critical data from different sources for seamless coordination. Since March 2024, the E-11 has aided humanitarian assistance in Gaza by ensuring all air assets deliver aid promptly, totalling more than 2.3 million pounds," it added.

2100 GMT — Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli soldiers in northern Israel

The Lebanese group Hezbollah has said it targeted Israeli soldiers in northern Israel.

In a statement, the group said its fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers "between the Al-Manara and Margaliot settlements, with appropriate weapons."

In another statement, Hezbollah announced targeting Israeli soldiers "in the vicinity of the Al-Samaqa site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba hills with artillery shells."

Meanwhile, the Lebanese official news agency reported at least three Israeli air strikes on the towns of Jard.

2022 GMT — Israel kills 5 Palestinians, 4 of them children, in Gaza

Israel has killed five people, including four children, and wounded at least ten after striking a house in central Gaza, hospital officials said.

The dead and wounded were taken from Maghazi camp to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in nearby Deir al-Balah, where they were viewed by an Associated Press journalist.

A young girl, her face covered in blood and grey dust, shrieked as she was rushed out of an ambulance on a stretcher under in a foil blanket.

Other wounded patients lay or sat on the hospital's tile floor while people held their IV bags aloft.

Somberly, the dead were brought into the hospital and laid out in the morgue. Officials said the children were ages 4, 9, 13 and 16.

For our live updates from Monday, June 24, 2024, click here.