Live blog: Netanyahu hindering Gaza truce for 'political reasons' — Gantz

Thursday, June 13, 2024

1812 GMT — Former Israeli war minister Benny Gantz has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing a prisoner exchange deal with Palestinian factions in Gaza for "political reasons."

Gantz, who leads the National Unity Party, resigned Sunday from the emergency government, claiming that Netanyahu's actions were preventing a decisive victory in Israel's onslaught against Gaza.

"Netanyahu has made several decisions recently for personal and political reasons," Gantz added, without elaborating.

"I have tried for several months to influence decisions within the War Cabinet for Israel's benefit, but to no avail," he said.

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1848 GMT — Israel has to conduct operations 'consistent' with int'l law: US

Israel must conduct its military operations "consistent with international humanitarian law," the State Department has said in response to reporters' questions about an ongoing raid on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

"Israel, of course, has the right to carry out legitimate counterterrorism activities, but they need to do so in a way that is consistent with international humanitarian law," spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

"They need to do so in a way that minimizes any harm to civilians, and that's what we expect of them whenever they carry out these types of operations."

1805 GMT — Two killed, nine injured in US-UK air strikes on Yemen’s Raymah: Houthis

Two persons were killed and nine others injured in the US-UK air strikes on Yemen’s Raymah district, the Houthi group in Yemen has announced.

The US-UK aggression targeted a government complex in al-Gabin city in Raymah district, killing two people and injuring nine others, said the group leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, in a speech broadcast by the Houthi-affiliated al-Masirah channel.

He added: "The US and UK carried out 22 air strikes this week in the provinces of Sanaa, al-Hudaydah, and Raymah."

1736 GMT — US has not seen major Israeli operation in Gaza'sRafah, State Dept claims

The United States has not yet seen Israel launch a major military operation in the Gaza city of Rafah, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has claimed.

Israel's military operations in Rafah are not of the "size, scope or scale" of operations conducted elsewhere in Gaza, Miller said in a briefing for reporters. "It's been a more limited operation."

1725 GMT — Israel freezing work permits for 80,000 Palestinian workers

Israeli authorities began freezing work permits for around 80,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, an Israeli media outlet has reported.

"The Israeli Civil Administration, which is a unit in the Ministry of Defence, has begun freezing nearly 80,000 work permits for Palestinian workers from the West Bank," the Israeli public broadcaster said.

1714 GMT — Biden at G7: Hamas has to move on Gaza ceasefire

US President Joe Biden has said he discussed a Gaza ceasefire during the Group of Seven summit and that he has not lost hope but the Palestinian Hamas group has to step up.

Asked if he was confident, Biden said, "No. Hamas has to move."

1711 GMT — Germany calls on Israel, Hamas to implement UN-backed ceasefire proposal

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on Israel and Hamas to implement the UN-backed Gaza ceasefire plan.

Speaking to reporters during the G7 summit in Italy, Scholz said the leaders have discussed today's international issues and the ongoing war in the Middle East.

"As you know, the US president presented a plan a few weeks ago which describes in detail how the hostages can be released, how peace can gradually emerge, how a ceasefire can be established," he said.

"We have jointly supported this plan, and we also welcome that the UN Security Council has done the same. Now it is important that all parties implement it. We are calling on Hamas in particular to give the necessary consent, so that this can work," he added.

1654 GMT — Indonesia to evacuate 1,000 injured Palestinians

Indonesia has announced that it will evacuate 1,000 victims of the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza for medical treatment in the Southeast Asian country.

The announcement was made by Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto at a news conference at the State Palace in Jakarta, local English daily Jakarta Post reported.

"We are taking steps to channel assistance to Palestine. Indonesia has announced … readiness to evacuate 1,000 patients for medical treatment in Indonesia. They will be returned to Gaza after recovering and once the situation there is back to normal," Prabowo was quoted as saying.

"We are also ready to accommodate 1,000 (Palestinian) children suffering from war trauma to study here and return them at the appropriate time," he added.

1648 GMT — Israeli forces kill three Palestinians in occupied West Bank raid

Israeli forces have raided a town in the occupied West Bank, killing three Palestinians and detaining several others.

The occupied West Bank has seen a surge in violence since the outbreak of Israel's brutal war on Gaza.

During the raid in Qabatiya, three Palestinians were killed and witnesses saw the body of one of them being lifted out by an armoured bulldozer.

1411 GMT — Spain, Türkiye share 'urgent, imperative' need to achieve ceasefire: PM

The Spanish prime minister has said that his country and Türkiye share the "urgent and imperative" need to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

"Regarding Gaza, both countries share the urgent, imperative need to achieve a ceasefire, the entry of humanitarian aid in proportion to the needs of the people of Gaza, and also the release of the hostages," Pedro Sanchez told a joint press conference in Madrid with Turkish President Erdogan.

1400 GMT — Israeli soldiers turn mosque in Gaza’s Rafah into 'cooking place'

Israeli soldiers have turned a mosque in Rafah in southern Gaza into a cooking place, a video showed.

The clip, circulated by an Israeli soldier on social media, showed the Muslim worship place being used by soldiers to serve meals.

It features large tables inside the mosque on which Israeli soldiers placed various types of food items.

A sticker affixed to a cardboard food box used by soldiers is also shown with a production date of May 22, which is likely the time when the video was shot.

1343 GMT — Israel vows to respond forcefully to Hezbollah attacks

Israel has vowed to respond forcefully to all Hezbollah attacks after the Iran-backed Lebanese group fired a barrage of rockets across the border for the second successive day.

"Israel will respond with force to all aggressions by Hezbollah," government spokesman David Mencer said during a press briefing, adding that "whether through diplomatic efforts or otherwise, Israel will restore security on our northern border."

1337 GMT — Erdogan calls on US, UNSC to pressure Israel on Gaza truce

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on members of the United Nations Security Council, particularly the United States, to pressure Israel into a ceasefire in Gaza after the Council backed a US proposal earlier this week.

Speaking in Madrid alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Erdogan said Ankara welcomed any ceasefire proposals that would end the Gaza war, adding Washington's stance on Israel's attacks there were "truly upsetting" Türkiye.

1319 GMT — Hezbollah launches largest drone attack on Israel since Oct. 7

A security source has said that Hezbollah fired at least 30 attack drones at once, making it the group's largest drone attack to date in the eight-month-old war.

Lebanon's Hezbollah, on the other hand, said it had launched rockets and weaponised drones at nine Israeli military sites in a coordinated attack, ramping up hostilities on Lebanon's southern border for the second consecutive day.

The attacks were made in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Tuesday that killed a senior Hezbollah field commander.

The group said in a statement it had fired volleys of Katyusha and Falaq rockets at six Israeli military locations. Its Al-Manar television reported more than 100 rockets fired at once.

Hezbollah's statement said it had also launched attack drones at the headquarters of Israel's northern command, an intelligence headquarters and a military barracks.

1130 GMT — US very concerned about escalation on Israel-Lebanon border

The United States is very concerned about an escalation on the Israel-Lebanon border leading to a full-out war, a senior US official has said, adding specific security arrangements are needed for the area and a ceasefire in Gaza is not enough.

1126 GMT — UK still 'very concerned' over insufficient aid flow into Gaza

Britain remains "very concerned" about the current insufficient aid flow into Gaza and believes Israel should be pushed Israel "very hard" to allow more aid deliveries, the UK foreign secretary has said.

In response to reporters' question about continuing arms sales to Israel, David Cameron said that the UK has "a very detailed process" to examine the commitment a country has to international law.

"We go through that detailed legal process and then we have to make a decision based on that legal advice that is consistent with that legal advice, and we are going through that process (on) each occasion," Cameron said at an event organised by Foreign Press Association London.

1034 GMT — Vessel reports missile impacting it 129 NM east of Yemen's Aden: Ambrey

A merchant vessel has issued a distress call reporting a missile impacting the vessel approximately 129 nautical miles east of Yemen's Aden while en route from Malaysia to Italy's Venice, British maritime security firm Ambrey has said.

1017 GMT — Palestinian death toll in Israel's war on Gaza surges to 37,232

At least 37,232 people have been killed in Gaza during more than eight months of Israel's war, the health ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave said.

The toll includes at least 30 deaths during the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 85,037 others have been wounded.

1008 GMT — Israel's Gaza offensive not a war but a genocide: Prize-winning photojournalist

Israel's months-long offensive on Gaza, wreaking havoc and killing and injuring over 100,000 people, is in fact not a war but a genocide, said a photojournalist who has been working in the besieged enclave for nearly a quarter-century.

The journalists chronicling the death and destruction in Gaza are also facing "very difficult conditions and suffer," said Agence France Presse (AFP) photojournalist Mahmoud Hams, winner of the Istanbul Photo Awards, an international news photography competition organised by Anadolu news agency.

Mahmoud Hams, who won first prize in the Story News category of the 2024 Istanbul Photo Awards — its 10th annual edition — spoke about the terrible conditions in Gaza, saying: "It's not just a war, it's a genocide. I've covered many conflicts, but I've never seen such actions, such a war, such a crime. Too many people have been killed. Too many children have lost their lives."

0939 GMT — Israel reports fresh rocket fire from Lebanon amid rising tension

The Israeli army reported fresh rocket fire from southern Lebanon, shortly after air strikes on Hezbollah targets amid growing border tensions.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN said four rockets landed in open areas near the Shtula settlement in Western Galilee in northern Israel.

No casualties or damage were reported.

0727 GMT — Dozens suffer breathing problems in occupied West Bank amid clashes with Israeli army

Dozens of Palestinians are having difficulty breathing after the Israeli army used tear gas bombs on Wednesday evening during clashes in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli army forces "raided the town of Beita south of the city of Nablus, firing live ammunition, sound bombs, and tear gas intensively towards civilians and their homes," according to Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The sources added that these actions led to clashes between the army forces and several Palestinians, resulting in dozens of civilians suffering from breathing injuries.

0725 GMT — Blinken seeking to exonerate Israel from obstructing Gaza truce: Hamas

Palestinian resistance group Hamas accused US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of seeking to exonerate Israel from obstructing the ceasefire.

"Blinken's attempts to exonerate the (Israeli) occupation and hold us responsible for obstructing a ceasefire are part of his country's complicity in the war of annihilation," Hamas said in a statement.

On Monday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution supporting a Gaza ceasefire proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden.

0714 GMT — Israeli forces advance deeper into western Rafah

Israeli tanks have advanced deeper into the western area of Rafah, amid one of the worst nights of bombardment from air, ground and sea, forcing many families to flee their homes and tents under darkness, residents said.

Residents said the Israeli forces thrust towards the Mawasi area of Rafah near the beach, which is designated as a humanitarian area in all announcements and maps published by the Israeli army since it began its Rafah offensive in May.

The Israeli military denied in a statement it had launched any strikes inside the Mawasi humanitarian zone.

0703 GMT — Israeli army raids Jenin in West Bank, searches houses

Israeli army forces raided the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, according to witnesses.

Israeli soldiers searched several houses and shops in the camp and arrested at least one person during the raid, witnesses said.

Clashes erupted between stone-throwing Palestinian residents and Israeli forces, which used live fire, leaving at least one person injured, medical sources said.

0635 GMT — Qatar emir, US secretary of state discuss mediation efforts on Gaza ceasefire

Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed with the US secretary of state the latest mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.

The meeting with Antony Blinken was held in Doha. Also in attendance was Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to the Qatar News Agency.

The meeting discussed "the close strategic relations between the two friendly countries and ways to support and develop them across various fields," the official news agency said.

0616 GMT — Qassam Brigades claims it targeted two Israeli tanks in Rafah

The armed wing of Hamas announced it targeted two Israeli tanks in Rafah and engaged in "fierce clashes" with Israeli soldiers in Gaza City.

The Qassam Brigades said on Telegram that the group "targeted 2 Israeli tanks with rocket shells in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza."

It said separately that fighters are "engaging in fierce clashes with enemy forces penetrating east of the Zeitoun neighbourhood."

0518 GMT — Hamas proposed amendments to truce plan 'not significant', senior leader says

The changes that Hamas have requested to a ceasefire proposal presented by the United States are "not significant" and include the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a senior leader within the group told Reuters news agency.

0352 GMT — Türkiye hails Brazil's stance on Gaza: Foreign minister

Türkiye applauds Brazil's stance on the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a joint news conference with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira in the capital Ankara.

Fidan highlighted that the two countries had overlapping approaches concerning global developments in many areas and said they share largely the same sensitivities with Brazil on the issue of Gaza and Israel's ongoing attacks on the Palestinian enclave.

He expressed Ankara's appreciation for Brazil's solidarity with Palestine, adding that Brasilia was "actively working for the official recognition of Palestine as a full UN member."

2138 GMT — Hamas reports no signs of Israel accepting Biden's ceasefire proposal

Hamas said it has shown "full positivity" in efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement with Israel in besieged Gaza but also accused top US diplomat Antony Blinken of trying "to hold us accountable for obstructing truce deal" in collusion with Israel.

In a statement, the Palestinian resistance group said it urged the US, Israel's biggest ally, to pressure Israel to accept a deal leading to a permanent ceasefire in the blockaded enclave.

Hamas said that while US officials have said Israel has accepted a ceasefire proposal outlined by President Joe Biden on May 31, "we have not heard any Israeli official confirm this acceptance."

2120 GMT — Houthi boat-borne bomb strikes ship in Red Sea

Yemen's Houthis have launched a boat-borne bomb attack against a commercial ship in the Red Sea, authorities said.

Yemen's military spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for the attack, identifying the vessel targeted as the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Tutor.

He described the attack as using a "drone boat," as well as drones and ballistic missiles.

2000 GMT — Israeli bombardment kills six, wounds 20 in central Gaza

Israel has killed at least six Palestinians and wounded 20 others in its bombardment on central Gaza, official WAFA news agency reported.

Israel struck a house in al Bureij camp, killing at least one civilian, WAFA said, adding Israel killed five Palestinians in a drone attack in al Mughraqa town.

For our live updates from Wednesday, June 12, 2024, click here.