Live blog: Israel to close Ireland embassy as Gaza death toll nears 45,000

Sunday, December 15, 2024

1600 GMT — Israel said it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorated over Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials said new Israeli air strikes killed over 30 people including several children.

The decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister has described as Ireland’s “extreme anti-Israel policies.” In May, Israel recalled its ambassador to Dublin after Ireland announced, along with Norway, Spain and Slovenia, it would recognise the Palestinian state.

On Sunday, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called the Israeli decision to close its Dublin embassy "deeply regrettable".

"I utterly reject the assertion that Ireland is anti-Israel. Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-International law," he posted on X.

The Irish cabinet last week decided to formally intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

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1330 GMT — Netanyahu government approves plan to expand settlements on Israeli-occupied Golan

Israel's government approved a plan to expand Israeli settlements on the Golan Heights it occupies, saying it had acted "in light of the war and the new front facing Syria" and out of a desire to double the Israeli population on the Golan.

"Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it is especially important at this time. We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the statement.

1300 GMT — Netanyahu pushing Israel toward civil war: Ex-defence minister

Former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fueling the risk of civil war in Israel.

"Has Netanyahu decided to spark a civil war?" Lieberman, the leader of Yisrael Beiteinu Party, said on his X account.

"It is impossible to fight against Iran, the Supreme Court, and the Attorney General simultaneously," he added.

His accusation came as the ruling coalition discussed plans to advance a controversial judicial reform scheme and dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

Lieberman called for a halt to "Jewish infighting" and urged the government to focus on external threats.

1245 GMT — Israel files appeal against ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

Israel submitted an appeal against arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Israel’s Army Radio carried the news without providing any further details.

Last month, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel has consistently challenged the court’s jurisdiction, as it is not a member state of the ICC.

0908 GMT — Israel continues unabated killing of Palestinians across Gaza

At least 34 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli attacks targeting homes and tents in displacement camps across Gaza, medical sources said.

Fifteen people were killed when Israeli forces raided a school housing displaced families in Izbat Abd Rabbo, a neighbourhood in the northern town of Beit Hanoon, a medical source said.

Israeli fighter jets hit a house in al-Nafaq neighbourhood in northern Gaza, leaving five people dead and wounding several others, a medical source said.

Three more people were killed and several wounded in another strike on a Palestinian home in the Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza City, he added.

The bodies of four people were recovered after an Israeli strike on another house in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in Gaza City, taking the death toll in the attack to seven, another source said.

1038 GMT — Death toll from Israel's war on Gaza rises to 44, 976

Health ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave has said that Israel's war in Gaza has killed at least 44,976 Palestinians and wounded 106,759 others, since October last year.

0808 GMT — Hamas claims sniper attack on Israeli soldier in northern Gaza

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has claimed to have shot dead an Israeli soldier in northern Gaza.

In a statement, the group’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said that its fighters had sniped the soldier east of Jabalia, without providing further details.

There was no immediate Israeli comment on the statement.

Hamas published footage of its fighters ambushing an Israeli military convoy in al-Faluja in the Jabalia refugee camp.

2255 GMT — Thousands protest in Israel for Gaza hostage deal

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated for a deal to release the remaining hostages still held in Gaza after more than 14 months of Tel Aviv's war in the Palestinian territory.

"We all can agree that we have failed until now and that we can reach an agreement now," Lior Ashkenazi, a prominent Israeli actor, told a crowd gathered in Tel Aviv.

Itzik Horn, whose sons Eitan and Lair are still being held captive in Gaza, said: "End the war, the time has arrived for action and the time has arrived to bring everyone home."

There has been guarded optimism in recent days that a ceasefire and hostage release deal might finally be within reach after months of abortive mediation efforts.

2126 GMT — Israeli army issues new illegal evacuation orders for south Gaza

The Israeli army has ordered Palestinians to evacuate two residential areas in southern Gaza, including locations previously designated as "safe", in preparation for a military attack.

"To all residents of the Gaza Strip located in blocks 2270, 2260, 131, 2352, 2353 and 2354 (in al-Qarara and Wadi al-Salqa), move immediately westward to the humanitarian zone," said army spokesperson Avichay Adraee.

The areas identified by the army on a map attached to the statement include locations previously classified as "safe", where thousands of Palestinians now reside, including displaced individuals who were forced from their original areas and set up tents.

Illegal evacuation orders are usually followed by air strikes or ground incursions by the army.

The Israeli army has warned Palestinians on several occasions to evacuate areas in Gaza to locations it claims are "humanitarian", only to later commit "massacres" by bombing tents sheltering displaced people.

For our live updates from Saturday, December 14, 2024, click here.