Live blog: Israeli attacks kill 20 more Palestinians in northern Gaza

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

0654 GMT — At least 20 Palestinians have been killed in two separate Israeli army attacks in northern Gaza, sources told Anadolu.

According to a medical source, 12 Palestinians were killed and others injured in Israeli artillery shelling on the displaced in Beit Lahia.

Witnesses said drones are surrounding the Khalifa Bin Zayed School, with officials threatening to kill them if they do not evacuate.

Another medical source said eight more Palestinians were killed in Israeli artillery shelling on the Al Alami area in the Jabalia refugee camp.

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0621 GMT — Arab League to convene in emergency meeting to review ways for ending Gaza genocide

The Arab League is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting at the level of permanent representatives to discuss ways and actions to stop Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The Arab League said in a statement that an emergency meeting to convene on Tuesday in its headquarters in Cairo to discuss the moves to end the Israeli crimes and genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, especially attempts to displace Palestinians from northern Gaza.

0555 GMT — Israel forcibly displaces hundreds of Palestinians from northern Gaza

The Israeli military has forcibly displaced hundreds of Palestinians from shelters in the town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, threatening them with weapons.

According to accounts from the displaced civilians, Israeli soldiers, who have been intensively attacking and besieging northern Gaza for at least 17 days, raided a shelter near the Indonesian Hospital where Palestinians had taken refuge.

The troops detained a large number of Palestinian men staying there.

0532 GMT — Israel kills paramedic on his way to help wounded in Gaza

Israeli forces have targeted and killed a healthcare worker who was en route to assist wounded Palestinians in northern Gaza, an area under tight siege and heavy bombardment where evacuations have not been allowed.

Due to the severe blockade imposed by Israel, rescue teams in northern Gaza struggle to reach devastated areas, leaving the injured unable to be evacuated.

0517 GMT — Hezbollah says targeted 'naval base' in Israel's Haifa

Lebanon's Hezbollah group has said it launched rockets at a "naval base" near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, shortly after it said it targeted positions in Tel Aviv's suburbs.

A "salvo of rockets" targeted the "Stella Maris naval base northwest of Haifa", the Iran-backed group said in a statement, shortly after saying it launched rockets at two positions "in the suburbs of Tel Aviv".

0514 GMT — Hezbollah says it bombed the Glilot base of the military intelligence unit 8200

Hezbollah has said it bombed the Glilot base of the military intelligence unit 8200 located in the suburbs of Tel Aviv with a missile salvo.

0457 GMT — Air raid sirens sound in Tel Aviv, Reuters witness says

Air raid sirens have sounded in Israel's Tel Aviv according to a Reuters witness.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

2343 GMT — Blinken heads again for Middle East to push for Gaza truce

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left for the Middle East Monday on a new push for an elusive Gaza ceasefire two weeks before US elections.

It will be the 11th trip to the Middle East by the top US diplomat since war broke out a year ago.

US President Joe Biden, who personally laid out the ceasefire plan on May 31 that would also free hostages from Gaza, has seen 'new hope' since Israel last week killed Hamas politburo chief Yahya Sinwar.

Biden, speaking to reporters on a visit to Germany, said he called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him and tell him that Blinken would head to the region.

"I told him that we were really pleased with his actions and, further, that now is the time to move on — move on, move towards a ceasefire," Biden said.

2329 GMT — Israel proposes 'limited' ceasefire without withdrawal from Gaza: Report

Israel has presented a ceasefire proposal that does not include its army's withdrawal from occupied Gaza, local media reported.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) said the proposal includes a temporary ceasefire in exchange for a hostage swap.

KAN added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatched Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet internal security service, to Cairo to discuss the proposal with Egyptian officials.

Israel's Walla news website said that Bar presented a proposal to a Cabinet meeting received from Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service (GIS), to initiate ceasefire talks.

Walla noted that the new Egyptian offer includes the general outlines of a small deal with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, under which several Israeli captives would be released for a ceasefire lasting a few days.

2125 GMT — Biden 'deeply concerned' about release of secret documents on Israel's possible attack plans

President Joe Biden is "deeply concerned" about the unauthorised release of classified documents on Israel's preparation for a potential attack on Iran, a White House spokesman said.

The Biden administration is still not certain if the classified information was leaked or hacked, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said. Officials don't have any indication at this point of "additional documents like this finding their way into the public domain," he said.

"We're deeply concerned, and the president remains deeply concerned about any leakage of classified information into the public domain. That is not supposed to happen, and it's unacceptable when it does," Kirby said.

2109 GMT — Iran accuses US of 'complicity' in Israel's anticipated attack by providing 'advanced weaponry'

Iran's mission to the UN has expressed serious concerns over the US involvement in a potential Israeli military attack on Iran, accusing Washington of "complicity."

Iran expressed concern in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council presidency about recent remarks made by US President Joe Biden, who disclosed to be aware of Israel's alleged plans to launch an attack on Iran.

"This inflammatory statement is deeply concerning, as it indicates the United States' tacit approval and explicit support for Israel's unlawful military aggression against Iran," the letter stated, emphasising that such rhetoric undermines Washington's repeated claims of supporting "de-escalation in the Middle East."

The letter cited comments made by Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Oct. 18 on X, where he issued a warning: "Anybody with knowledge or understanding of 'how and when Israel was going to attack Iran', and/or providing the means and backing for such folly, should logically be held accountable for any possible causality."

Accusing the US of involvement "through its provision of technical expertise and advanced weaponry, including sophisticated air defence systems, to Israel," the Iranian mission blamed Washington for complicity "in any Israeli aggression against Iran and its consequences."

2105 GMT — Dozens of US lawmakers urge Biden to allow foreign media access in Gaza

Over five dozen US lawmakers have called on US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to push Israel into allowing international journalists to have "unimpeded" access to Gaza.

"We write to you with deep concern regarding the ongoing restrictions on media access to Gaza, which have persisted since the outbreak of hostilities one year ago," the group of 64 lawmakers led by Representative James McGovern wrote in a letter to the president and his top diplomat.

"It is imperative that the United States urge Israel to allow independent access for US and international journalists, in the interest of transparency, accountability, and the fundamental principle of press freedom," they added.

2101 GMT — Arab League chief, Lebanese army commander discuss Israeli aggression on Lebanon

The Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit met with the Lebanese army commander General Joseph Aoun in Beirut to discuss Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

According to a statement by Aoun's office, Aboul-Gheit and Aoun reviewed the general situation in Lebanon in light of the ongoing war.

2053 GMT — Israel kills 4, including children, in southern Beirut strikes

Lebanon's Health Ministry has said four people, including a child, had been killed in Israeli strikes near the country's biggest public hospital close to the southern suburbs of Beirut.

"The Israeli enemy strike near the Hariri Hospital killed, in a preliminary toll, four people, including a child, and injured 24," the ministry said, adding it had caused "significant damage to the hospital".

For our live updates from Monday, October 21, 2024, click here.