Live blog: Israeli air strikes target Gaza school-shelter, several killed

Sunday, September 15, 2024

1718 GMT — At least nine Palestinians have been killed and several others wounded in Israeli air strikes targeting different areas in Gaza, including a school housing displaced people in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.

An Israeli strike on a group of civilians in the Zeitoun neighbourhood east of the city killed five Palestinians and injured several others, the Palestinian Civil Defence said in a statement.

In another statement, the Palestinian department stated that an Israeli air strike killed two Palestinians and injured many more while they were collecting firewood west of Gaza.

According to a medical source at al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, an elderly man and a child were killed in an air strike on the "Nemr" family's home in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood north of Gaza City.

In northern Gaza, Anadolu correspondent reported that Israeli fighter jets bombed the Ghazi al Shawa school in Beit Hanoun, which housed hundreds of displaced families, with three missiles and destroying it completely.

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1839 GMT — Israeli policeman injured in alleged knife attack in East Jerusalem

An Israeli police officer was injured in an alleged stabbing attack at the Damascus Gate of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, Israeli media has said.

The officer sustained light injuries and was transported to hospital, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.

Police shot dead the attacker, police said.

1830 GMT — Another journalist killed in Israeli attack in Gaza as death toll rises to 173 since Oct. 7

Another Palestinian journalist was killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza, bringing the total number of media professionals killed since Oct. 7 of last year to 173, the media office in Gaza has said.

According to a statement from the media office, the Israeli army killed Abdullah Shakshak, "who worked with several Arab media outlets."

The statement condemned Israel's targeting of Palestinian journalists and called on the international community to hold the Israeli government accountable for "crimes against journalists."

1823 GMT — Hezbollah drone flies over 30 km into Israeli airspace

A drone fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon penetrated more than 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) into Israel’s airspace without being intercepted, according to Israeli media.

The drone flew for at least 10 minutes in Israeli airspace before it exploded in Upper Galilee in northern Israel, Army Radio reported.

The broadcaster did not provide details about any injuries or damage from the drone fire.

1440 GMT — Israeli military investigating unauthorised leaflets ordering Lebanon evacuation

The Israeli military has said it was investigating after a unit dropped unauthorised leaflets on a border area in southern Lebanon ordering residents to leave.

The Israeli military said dropping the leaflets was an unauthorised action by a unit that had not sought appropriate approval, and that there was no evacuation underway.

1358 GMT — Army says 'high probability' Israel air strike caused deaths of three hostages in November

The Israeli military has said there was a "high probability" an Israeli air strike was responsible for the deaths of three hostages who were killed in Gaza in November.

"The findings of the investigation suggest a high probability that the three were killed as a result of a byproduct of an IDF air strike, during the elimination of the Hamas Northern Brigade commander, Ahmed Ghandour, on November 10th, 2023," the military said in a statement, referring to the three captives.

"This assessment is based on the location of where their bodies were found in relation to the strike's impact, performance analysis of the strike, intelligence findings, the results of the pathological reports, and the conclusions of the Forensic Medicine Institute."

1338 GMT — Palestinians must 'jointly' lead post-war Gaza: Hamas

A senior Hamas official has said that the group wants "joint Palestinian rule" in Gaza once the war ends in the besieged territory.

"Clearly we said that the next day must be Palestinian... the day after the battle is a Palestinian day," Osama Hamdan told AFP during an interview.

He also said that the United States was not doing enough to force concessions from Israel that could lead to a truce in the war in Gaza.

1301 GMT — Palestinians warn of imminent famine as Israeli siege forces bakeries in northern Gaza to close

Palestinians have warned of an imminent famine in northern Gaza as an ongoing Israeli blockade has forced five out of six functioning bakeries to shut down in the region.

“Five out of six bakeries in northern Gaza have shut down due to Israel’s blockade on the entry of fuel and raw materials needed to produce bread,” Kamel Ajjour, a baker owner, said.

“Our bakery is the only one still functioning in the area and is likely to close within a week if Israel continues to block the entry of fuel and essential supplies,” he warned.

1242 GMT — Hamas vows Israel 'will not enjoy security', praises Yemen missile attack

Hamas has vowed that Israel "will not enjoy security" unless it ends its offensive in Gaza, as the Palestinian resistance group praised Yemen's Houthis for their rare missile attack on Israel.

Hamas considers the missile attack a "natural response to the Zionist entity's aggression against our Palestinian people ... We affirm that the Zionist enemy will not enjoy security unless it ceases its brutal aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip," the group said in a statement.

1059 GMT — Israeli PM to travel to US on September 24: office

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to New York on September 24, the first day of the high-level General Debate by world leaders at the annual UN General Assembly, his office has said.

It said Netanyahu is scheduled to stay until September 28 in the United States, which he had visited in July for official talks and a congressional address.

1036 GMT — Israeli army urges residents of southern Lebanese town to evacuate

Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets in southern Lebanon urging residents to evacuate, according to local media.

The leaflets called on residents of the town of al-Wazzani town and its surroundings to leave, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The warning came as four people were injured in Israeli artillery shelling in Kfar Kila and Odaisseh in southern Lebanon as they evacuated their homes, the broadcaster said.

The Israeli army said early Sunday that around 40 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel, causing several fires.

1035 GMT — Gaza death toll surpasses 41,200 as Israel continues aggression

Relentless Israeli attacks claimed 24 more lives in Gaza, taking the overall death toll since last October 7 to 41,206, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said.

A ministry statement added that some 95,337 other people have been injured in the assault.

“Israeli forces killed 24 people and injured 57 others in three ‘massacres’ of families in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said.

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

1000 GMT — Israel PM warns Yemen rebels of 'heavy price' after missile attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Yemen's Houthis of retaliation after the group claimed a missile attack on central Israel.

"This morning, the Houthis launched a surface-to-surface missile from Yemen into our territory. They should have known by now that we charge a heavy price for any attempt to harm us," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting, according to a statement from his office.

0942 GMT — Palestinian pregnant woman suffers miscarriage after Israeli raid in Hebron

A Palestinian pregnant woman miscarried after an Israeli military raid on her home in the West Bank city of Hebron, according to local media.

Israeli forces raided several houses in southern Hebron and assaulted a Palestinian man and his wife, who suffered a miscarriage, the official news agency Wafa reported.

The wife was rushed to hospital for medical attention after the Israeli raid, Wafa said.

0504 GMT — Israeli army kills four Palestinians in Gaza air strikes

Four Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza.

The Palestinian news agency Wafa said warplanes bombed the area around Abu Sarrar Junction in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

Three Palestinians were killed in the attack, while Israeli military vehicles also launched heavy fire on the camp.

The army also targeted a house belonging to the Suweidan family in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza.

0436 GMT — Missile from Yemen fell in central Israel: Israeli army

The Israeli military said a missile fired from Yemen crossed into central Israel and "fell in an open area".

The army said in a statement that "a surface-to-surface missile was identified crossing into central Israel from the East and fell in an open area. No injuries were reported."

"The missile was fired from Yemen," it added in a subsequent statement sent just before 7:00 am (0400 GMT).

"The explosive sounds heard in the last few minutes are from the interceptors. The result of the interception is under review."

Yemen's Houthis have been launching attacks against Israel and its interests in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians during the ongoing Israeli brutal war in Gaza.

0420 GMT — Illegal settlers, Israeli soldiers raid West Bank villages

Illegal Israeli settlers and soldiers stormed several villages and towns in the occupied West Bank overnight Saturday, leading to confrontations with Palestinian residents.

Palestinian Television reported that one person was injured during a raid by settlers who were protected by the army in the village of Umm Safa in northern Ramallah.

The report did not specify the nature or source of the injury.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa indicated that dozens of illegal settlers entered Umm Safa, firing live bullets at homes.

The head of the local village council, Marwan Sabah, said settlers positioned at Jabal al-Ras attacked the village and fired live ammunition at homes, with the backing of the Israeli army.

2255 GMT — Israel wounds four in air strike in northern Lebanon's Hermel

Israel has wounded three children and another person in its air strike in the Hermel district of northern Lebanon.

Warplanes "targeted the vicinity of the town of Kouakh in Hermel, resulting in the injury of four people, including three children," according to the Health Ministry.

Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli warplanes launched another airstrike near the town of Hosh al-Sayyid Ali in Hermel without providing details about casualties.

2248 GMT — Gaza authorities warn of humanitarian crisis ahead of winter

The Gaza Media Office warned about a humanitarian disaster facing 2 million displaced Palestinians in besieged Gaza due to Israel's carnage ahead of winter.

Seventy-four percent of the tents for the displaced people are no longer suitable for use, according to government field assessment teams," it said in a statement.

The teams said, as reported by the office, that "100,000 out of 135,000 tents need immediate replacement due to wear and tear" because they "are made of wood, nylon, and fabric, and have deteriorated due to the sun's heat and the harsh climate conditions in Gaza. After 11 continuous months of displacement, they are now completely unusable under these inhumane conditions."

The Office warned of a "real humanitarian disaster with the arrival of winter, which threatens to leave 2 million people homeless."

The statement cited Israel's closure of crossings has prevented "the entry of a round 250,000 tents and caravans into the Gaza Strip under this dire situation."

2213 GMT — Thousands of Israelis protest to demand hostage deal with Hamas

Tens of thousands of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Caesarea, Kiryat Gat and other cities to demand a hostage swap deal with Hamas.

Demonstrators gathered to protest in Paris Square in occupied Jerusalem, in front of the Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv and near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in Caesarea, according to the Haaretz newspaper.

"Israeli police closed some roads and passages to block the protesters, but they continued their march to express opposition to Netanyahu's policies and to demand a swift completion of a prisoner and hostage swap deal with Hamas," it said.

Police tried to confront some protesters who were burning tyres, including families and relatives of captives held by the Palestinian resistance group in Gaza, according to the newspaper.

2115 GMT — Netanyahu to expand offensive in northern front with Lebanon: Israeli Media

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to expand the offensive on the northern front with Lebanon, an Israeli media outlet said.

Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu made the statement during a strategic dialogue session on Thursday to discuss the escalation on the northern front, without specifying the parties involved in the session.

Israel is "on the verge of a broad and strong operation on the northern front," he said.

The channel quoted an unnamed senior official from Netanyahu's office who said, "No date has yet been set" for the escalation "but it is expected in the near future."

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