Live blog: Main hospital in northern Gaza to shut down despite war, hunger

Friday, June 28, 2024

1730 GMT — A hospital in northern Gaza announced that it will be closed in the coming hours due to a lack of fuel, urging the international community to save the lives of patients, particularly babies in the nursery unit.

"Kamal Adwan Hospital will cease operations in the coming hours if the much-needed fuel to power the generators is not provided," hospital Director Hussam Abu Safiya warned while speaking with Anadolu Agency.

He added that the hospital's closure means the death of patients, including babies in the nursery unit.

"We urge the international institutions and the UN to bring fuel for the hospital as soon as possible and before it’s too late," the director urged.

Abu Safiya noted that in recent days, dozens of children have been admitted to the hospital due to malnutrition.

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1833 GMT — Palestinian resistance groups engage in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in Gaza

Palestinian resistance groups said in separate statements that their fighters are engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in different areas of Gaza.

The Qassam Brigades of Hamas said its fighters are fighting Israeli forces at point-blank range in the Shejaiya neighborhood of eastern Gaza City, claiming to have killed and injured Israeli soldiers.

It added that the brigade fighters used locally-made Yasin 105 anti-tank shells to target two Israeli Merkava-4 tanks in Shejaiya and Rafah, both in southern Gaza.

The Al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad group said its fighters booby-trapped a house in Shejaiya and detonated it when an Israeli force entered.

1820 GMT — Thousands rally in Morocco, Yemen in solidarity with Gaza

Thousands of people in Morocco and Yemen took to the streets on Friday in solidarity with Gaza, demanding support for the Palestinians and urging assistance for the war-torn enclave.

In Morocco, the demonstrations took place in several cities including Fez, Meknes, Tangier, Kenitra, Agadir, Berka ne, Oujda, and Jerada.

The protesters called for action to support the Palestinian cause and the delivery of aid, considering the immense suffering and humanitarian crisis in the blockaded enclave.

In Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, crowds gathered and raised banners with writings such as “There is no dignity for the nations without victory for Gaza."

Similar demonstrations took place in other provinces, including Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, Saada, Taiz, and Ad Dali.

1727 GMT — Gaza pier removed due to 'sea states': Pentagon

The US military’s floating pier off the coast of Gaza was dismantled due to expected "high sea states," the Pentagon said.

"Now, due to high sea states expected this weekend, Central Command has removed the temporary pier from its anchored position in Gaza and will tow it back to Ashdod, Israel," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.

Temporarily relocating the pier will prevent potential structural damage that could be caused by the heightened sea state, Singh said.

1642 GMT — At least 11 killed as Israel hits safe zone near Rafah

At least 11 people were killed and 40 others injured as Israeli forces targeted a safe zone near Rafah, southern Gaza, sources and witnesses said.

Anadolu Agency learned that Israeli military vehicles shelled tents in the Al Mawasi area – designated as a safe zone – over the past hours, resulting in the casualties among the displaced who fled Rafah after Israel began its onslaught on the city early May.

The bombardment accompanied the advancement of Israeli forces towards the Shakoush area, causing panic among the displaced, who were then forced to flee their tents towards Khan Younis.

1612 GMT — 200 Israeli soldiers evacuated from military base in occupied West Bank due to nearby fire

The Israeli army said that it had evacuated some 200 soldiers from a military base in the occupied West Bank due to a fire breaking out nearby.

According to news website Israeli Ynet, the army evacuated the soldiers from a base near the southern Kfar Etzion settlement as a fire broke out in an open area near the base.

The army did not, however, give a cause for the fire.

Kfar Etzion is an illegal Israeli settlement built on Palestinian land in the southern occupied West Bank.

1563 GMT — US shifts assault ship to the Mediterranean to deter an escalation of the Israel-Lebanon conflict

The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp entered the eastern Mediterranean Sea this week as the US positions warships to try to keep fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon from escalating into a wider war in the Middle East.

While the Wasp has the capability to assist in the evacuation of civilians if full-scale war breaks out between Israel and the Lebanese group along the Lebanon border, that’s not the primary reason it was rotated in, a US official said. “It’s about deterrence,” the official said.

A second US official said the rotation is similar to the US sending the USS Bataan assault ship into the waters around Israel shortly after Hamas’ October 7 attack, with the vessel remaining for months in the eastern Mediterranean to help provide options and try to contain the conflict.

1500 GMT — Illegal settlers set fire to crops, trees in occupied West Bank

Illegal Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian agricultural lands near Nablus city in the occupied West Bank, reducing grain crops and olive trees to ashes.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that a group of illegal Israeli settlers deliberately set fire to fields in the town of Bayt Furik, east of Nablus city.

The flames engulfed a large area of grain crops and olive trees, despite Palestinians’ efforts to extinguish them, the witnesses said.

Separately, illegal Israeli settlers in the southern West Bank damaged Palestinian crops by grazing their sheep among the plants, local sources told Anadolu Agency.

Another incident in the southern West Bank occurred when illegal Israeli settlers destroyed crops on Palestinian land while tending to their sheep, local sources said.

1433 GMT — Over 500 Israeli armored vehicles in Gaza damaged since last October

More than 500 Israeli armoured vehicles have incurred damage in Gaza since the start of war last October, the Maariv newspaper has reported.

The Hebrew-language Israeli daily said dozens of these military vehicles had been completely decommissioned and removed from service.

The military has established two logistics centres within Gaza, where it has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians in nearly nine months, to repair the vehicles damaged in fighting with Hamas, which conducted a cross-border incursion on October 7.

1424 GMT — Jordan advises citizens to avoid traveling to Lebanon

Jordan strongly advised its citizens not to travel to Lebanon, citing the ongoing developments in the region.

In a statement, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “In light of ongoing developments in the region and the safety of Jordanian citizens abroad, they are urged to avoid traveling to Lebanon.”

1414 GMT — EU imposes sanctions on Hamas financiers

The European Union imposed asset freezes and visa bans on several firms and individuals accused of helping to finance Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Among the alleged front companies used by a key financier to funnel funds to the group was Spanish real estate firm Al Zawaya Group, and two others based in Sudan, an EU statement said.

1347 GMT — US prepares to evacuate Americans from Lebanon

In response to escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the Pentagon has strategically repositioned US military assets in the Mediterranean, preparing for potential evacuations of American citizens.

The USS Wasp, an amphibious assault ship, along with Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, has joined other US naval forces in the region, preparing for potential evacuations of American citizens and other missions, NBC News reported, citing US defense officials.

This move aims to deter regional escalation and support potential military-assisted departures.

1310 GMT — Germany condemns Israeli plan to legalise 5 settlements in West Bank

Germany condemned Israeli plans to legalise five settlements in the occupied West Bank, urging Tel Aviv to overturn its controversial decision.

“The federal government clearly condemns the so-called legalization of Israeli outposts and the approval of new housing. Israel's policy of building settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories constitutes a serious violation of international law and undermines efforts to achieve a two-state solution,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said at a news conference in Berlin.

“The expansion of settlements endangers the peace and security of all people in the region and we therefore call on the Israeli government to immediately reverse the decisions…,” he added.

1233 GMT — Palestine condemns Israel's decision to ‘legalise’ settlement outposts in occupied West Bank

Palestine criticised the Israeli government's decision to "legalise" settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry “strongly condemned the Israeli government's legitimising of five settlement outposts in the West Bank, alongside plans to construct thousands of new settlement housing units across the region,” according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The ministry expressed “deep concern over the Israeli government's continued settlement expansion and consolidating of the apartheid regime.”

It emphasised that these actions “aim to close the door on any opportunity for the realisation of a Palestinian state.”

1220 GMT — UN rapporteur calls Israel's actions in Gaza 'genocide'

As people in Gaza are literally being destroyed, no other term but "genocide" can be used to express this situation, said the UN special rapporteur on the right to health.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Tlaleng Mofokeng provided a grim account of the conditions in Gaza, which has been under intense Israeli bombardment since October 7, 2023.

Mofokeng emphasised the catastrophic humanitarian crisis, noting that Gaza's residents are deprived of essential services and basic needs. "We know that people are trying to survive, but that’s really all they can do," she said, adding there is no food, safe drinking water, and safe housing.

She highlighted that the mental health of Palestinians in Gaza has deteriorated severely due to the relentless bombings, leading to widespread trauma.

The rapporteur called for an immediate ceasefire, stressing that it is everyone's duty to ensure that hostilities cease to allow life in Gaza to return to normal.

1105 GMT — UN human rights office 'extremely worried' over tension between Lebanon, Israel

The UN human rights office said that it is "extremely worried" over the tension between Lebanon and Israel.

"We are extremely worried about the situation – with hundreds killed, thousands injured and tens of thousands displaced already, plus worrying rhetoric increasing too," spokesperson Ravina Shamdasan said in response to a question by Anadolu Agency.

"We stress the need for de-escalation and a cessation of hostilities," Shamdasan said.

She urged a full investigation into any incident that involved civilian killing, calling it "crucial."

She added that the human rights office received "very worrying" reports of children, paramedics and journalists among those killed.

1024 GMT — Israeli forces push deeper into southern and northern Gaza

Israeli forces deepened their incursion into two northern and southern areas of Gaza, and Palestinian health officials said tank shelling in Rafah killed at least 11 people.

Residents and local media said tanks advanced further west into the Shakoush neighbourhood of Rafah, forcing thousands of displaced people there to leave their tent camps and head northward to the nearby Khan Younis.

One resident, who spoke to Reuters via a chat app, said some bulldozers in the Shakoush area were piling up sand for Israeli tanks to station behind.

"Some families live in the area of the raid and are now besieged by the occupation forces," he added.

"The situation there is very dangerous and many families are leaving towards Khan Younis, even from the Mawasi area as things became unsafe for them," said the man, who moved northward overnight.

In parallel, Israeli forces continued their new raid into the Shujaiya neighbourhood in northern Gaza, into which tanks advanced on Thursday.

0820 GMT — Israeli army storms Palestinian towns in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has stormed cities and towns in the occupied West Bank, arresting Palestinians and destroying properties.

Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli army stormed the city of Ramallah on the northern occupied West Bank and clashed with Palestinians.

They said the Israeli army used metal bullets and tear gas bombs, which led to a number of Palestinians suffering from suffocation.

Witnesses also pointed out that the army arrested two Palestinians from the city before its withdrawal.

0820 GMT — Eleven Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on tents in southern Gaza

At least 11 Palestinians have been killed and dozens wounded in an Israeli attack targeting displaced peoples’ tents in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza.

Medical sources said that at least 11 Palestinians were killed and more than 40 others were injured in an Israeli bombing targeting tents of displaced persons in the Al Mawasi area, west of the southern city of Rafah.

0812 GMT — 'Enough is enough': UN General Assembly president laments civilians killings in Gaza

UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis has lamented the killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, saying the avoidable situation in the Palestinian enclave should be brought to hold.

"Enough is enough," Francis said in an interview. "Too many civilians have already lost their lives in Gaza. Too many women, too many children, in what was, without a doubt, an avoidable situation, it's time to bring this to a halt."

"The ceasefire is important, among other things, because hopefully, it will, in some way, engender a political process that could and should result in the adoption of a two-state solution," he said.

0802 GMT — EU 'deeply concerned' over Rafah amid Israeli attacks

The European Council has expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, reiterating its calls for the implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) orders.

"Recalling the need to implement the ICJ order of 24 May 2024, the European Council expresses deep concern about the consequences on the civilian population of the ongoing ground operations in Rafah," the council said in a statement.

"The European Council stresses the importance of respecting and implementing the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which are legally binding," said the statement, also welcoming Resolution 2735 adopted by the UN Security Council aiming to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

0622 GMT — Australia advises citizens against travelling to Lebanon

Australia has “strongly advised” its citizens against travelling to Lebanon.

“The security situation in Lebanon remains extremely volatile,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a brief statement.

Wong said Canberra continues to "strongly advise Australians not to travel to Lebanon."

“Australians in Lebanon should leave now while commercial flights remain available,” said Wong on X.

2123 GMT — US may lift embargo on 500-pound bomb shipment to Israel

The United States is discussing with Israel the release of a shipment of 500-pound bombs that was suspended in May over widespread criticism about the mass casualties in the Israeli military invasion of Rafah, a US official told Reuters news agency.

The official said the matter was discussed this week during a visit to Washington by Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

Axios news website, citing a US and an Israeli official, said the United States was preparing to deliver the bombs.

Top aides to President Joe Biden told Gallant that Washington was maintaining a pause on a shipment of heavy bombs for Israel while the issue is under review, a senior US official said on Wednesday.

2032 GMT — Hezbollah fires rockets at Israeli base

Hezbollah has said it fired "dozens" of rockets at a military base in northern Israel in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Lebanon, announcing four of its fighters had been killed.

Hamas ally Hezbollah said that "in response to the enemy attacks that targeted the city of Nabatiyeh and the village of Sohmor", its fighters bombed "the main air and missile defence base of the (Israeli) northern area command... with dozens of Katyusha rockets".

It said in separate statements that four of its fighters, one from eastern Lebanon's Sohmor, had been killed, and claimed two other attacks on Israeli troops and positions, including one with drones.

The Israeli military said in a statement that "approximately 35 launches were identified crossing from Lebanon".

2020 GMT — US House votes to block State Department from using Palestine's statistics

The US House of Representatives has passed an amendment to prevent the State Department from disclosing death toll numbers from the Gaza Health Ministry.

Lawmakers voted 269 - 144, with 62 Democrats joining 207 Republicans to add an amendment mandating the change to an appropriations bill for the agency not to cite statistics obtained from the Gaza Health Ministry.

The bill needs to pass the Senate. Representative Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, told the House it is "disgusting" that lawmakers would support the legislation.

"This is genocide denial," she said.

For our live updates from Thursday, June 27, 2024, click here.