Live blog: UN decries latest Israeli evacuation order in Rafah, Khan Younis

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

1754 GMT — The United Nations has voiced concern over Israel's recent evacuation order for Palestinians in Khan Younis and Rafah, highlighting the effect of the order.

"Turning to the situation on the ground (Gaza) with some updated information we're receiving from our humanitarian colleagues, who are deeply concerned over the impact of Israel’s latest evacuation order on tens of thousands of civilians, many of whom have been repeatedly displaced over the last nine months," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told during a news conference.

Saying the order for "Palestinians to evacuate 117 square kilometres (1,259 square feet) in Khan Younis and Rafah governorates applies to about a third of the Gaza Strip," Dujarric said it is "the largest since October when residents were ordered to evacuate northern Gaza."

"OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) underscores that an evacuation of such a massive scale will only heighten the suffering of civilians and drive humanitarian needs even higher," said Dujarric.

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1851 GMT — Israel's increasing threat rhetoric, attacks on Lebanon deeply concerning: Erdogan

Israel's escalating rhetoric and attacks on Lebanon seriously concern Türkiye about the future of the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

"No state in our region, including Türkiye, can feel safe as long as Israeli aggression under [Israel's Prime Minister] Netanyahu's administration is not stopped," Erdogan said after a cabinet meeting in Ankara.

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging border fire since the eruption of the Gaza war in October, but recent escalation has fueled concern of a bigger confrontation.

On Türkiye's foreign policy, Erdogan said: "We believe it is beneficial to open clenched fists in foreign policy.

1802 GMT — Another Biden administration appointee resigns because of US policy in Gaza

Another Biden administration appointee has resigned, joining a chorus of those who have criticized the president's policy on the war in Gaza that is being prosecuted by Israel.

Maryam Hassanein said she left as a special assistant at the Interior Department.

"I am resigning today from my position as a Biden administration appointee in the Department of the Interior.

As a Muslim American, I cannot continue working for an administration that ignores the voices of its diverse staff by continuing to fund and enable Israel's genocide of Palestinians," she said in a statement.

1716 GMT — Cross-border fire intensifies as Israeli army, Hezbollah trade attacks

Cross-border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah escalated with both sides continuing to exchange attacks.

The Israeli army reported the launch of 15 rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel, specifically targeting the town of Kiryat Shmona.

"Following the sirens that sounded regarding rocket and missile fire in northern Israel, approximately 15 project iles were identified crossing from Lebanon," the army said in a statement.

The army said it intercepted 10 of these projectiles, with no damages or injuries reported.

The military said a fighter jet targeted a Hezbollah military structure in Yarin in southern Lebanon.

1700 GMT — Hezbollah would stop fighting with Israel after Gaza ceasefire: official

Hezbollah’s deputy leader has said the group would stop fighting with Israel after the Gaza ceasefire.

The deputy leader of the Lebanese group Hezbollah said the only sure path to a ceasefire on the Lebanon-Israel border is a full ceasefire in Gaza.

"If there is a ceasefire in Gaza, we will stop without any discussion," Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Kassem, said in an interview with The Associated Press at the group’s political office in Beirut's southern suburbs.

1541 GMT — Israeli premier denies potential Gaza ceasefire while Hamas in power

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied a United States media report suggesting that Tel Aviv might end its war on Gaza while Hamas remains in power.

The New York Times reported that Israel’s top generals want to begin a ceasefire in Gaza even if it keeps Hamas in power for the time being.

“Underequipped for further fighting after Israel’s longest war in decades, the generals also think their forces need time to recuperate in case a land war breaks out against Hezbollah,” the US daily said.

Israeli military officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believe that a truce with Hamas could also make it easier to reach a deal with Hezbollah, it added.

But Netanyahu dismissed the US media report.

"Anonymous sources briefing the New York Times claim that Israel wants a cease-fire in Gaza even if it leaves Hamas in power for the time being," Netanyahu said in a video message.

1538 GMT — Gaza faces 'maelstrom of human misery' — UN coordinator

The United Nations' senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza has emphasised the extreme distress faced by Palestinian civilians, saying that Israel's onslaught has "unleashed a maelstrom of human misery."

"Palestinian civilians in Gaza have been plunged into an abyss of suffering. Their homes lie shattered, their lives upended," Sigrid Kaag told the UN Security Council.

Kaag reported that the public health system in Gaza has collapsed, with schools destroyed and an education system in ruins, posing a severe threat to future generations.

She warned about "summer temperatures soaring and severe shortages of basic services such as waste management, sanitation facilities and water supply, the spectre of outbreaks of infectious and communicable diseases looms large."

1537 GMT — Israel will not allow 'winds of defeatism' in Gaza: Netanyahu

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that his country would not give in to the "winds of defeatism" as he reaffirmed his war aim of defeating Hamas.

After the October 7 attacks by Hamas, Netanyahu's far-right government vowed to destroy Hamas and return all hostages seized during the incursion by the Palestinian resistance group.

Israel has faced international pressure to ease its military onslaught on Gaza. Netanyahu made his new vow of victory after the New York Times quoted sources as saying Israel was ready to make a deal without reaching all its goals.

"I am here to make it unequivocally clear: This will not happen," he said. "The war will end once Israel achieves all of its objectives, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all of our hostages."

1449 GMT — War in Lebanon riddled with challenges, risks for Israel: experts

If Israel’s recent moves, posturing and messaging are anything to go by, then all-out escalation with Lebanon could be a matter of when not if.

However, analysts warn that Tel Aviv will face significant challenges in all domains, from military to political, if it goes down that route.

Geopolitical analyst Giorgio Cafiero said it would be “unimaginable for the Israelis to have some quick and decisive victory” in a large-scale conflict with Hezbollah.

“If Israel would decide to launch such an all-out war, the conflict would inevitably last for a very long time and would probably do nothing to advance Israel’s security interests,” Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics, a Washington-based geopolitical risk consultancy, told Anadolu.

“To the contrary, such a move would likely come with extremely high costs for Israel.”

1419 GMT — 1.9 million now displaced in Gaza: UN humanitarian coordinator

The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Gaza said that 1.9 million people were now displaced in the territory, adding she was "deeply concerned" by reports of new evacuation orders for Khan Younis.

"Over 1 million people have been displaced once again, desperately seeking shelter and safety (and) 1.9 million people are now displaced across Gaza... I'm deeply concerned about reports of new evacuation orders issued in the area of Khan Younis," Sigrid Kaag told the UN Security Council.

1411 GMT — WHO reports evacuation of patients from Gaza's European hospital

The World Health Organization (WHO) said 270 patients reportedly self-evacuated from Gaza's European Hospital in Khan Younis following Israel's evacuation orders.

Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, told a United Nations press briefing in Geneva that the latest evacuation orders have an impact on operations at the European Gaza Hospital, even though the hospital itself is not under evacuation orders.

"But as witnessed several times during the ongoing war, insecurity in a hospital's proximity and lack of access for patients, health workers, and humanitarians to resupply fuel, medical supplies, water and food can make hospitals non-functional very quickly," Peeperkorn warned.

Noting that 270 patients, besides medical staff, self-evacuated, he said the evacuations from the hospital resumed with the assistance of the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Now, "only there patients" remain at the European Gaza Hospital, and "three" at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) field hospital, he said.

1246 GMT — Israel carries out deadly air strike in southern Lebanon

An Israeli air strike kills a Lebanese civilian in the border town of Al Bustan in southern Lebanon, as tensions between the two countries escalate.

The attack targeted the border town of Al Bustan, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Another Israeli strike hit Taybeh town near the Lebanese-Israeli border, causing a fire and power outage in the area.

No reports were available about injuries.

1147 GMT — Accusations escalate among Israeli officials over prisons overcrowding

The debate and trading of accusations among Israeli officials have escalated over the overcrowding of prisons holding Palestinian prisoners since the start of the offensive on Gaza last October.

The General Security Service (Shin Bet) accused the Israeli government and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for more violations of the detainees' rights, for ignoring months of warnings that huge amounts of additional detainee space were needed to absorb thousands of new Palestinian detainees related to the ongoing offensive.

The issue of prison overcrowding came to light after the release of Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, on Monday.

In a lengthy statement on X, Ben-Gvir said: "Since I took office as Minister of National Security, one of the highest goals I set for myself was to exacerbate the conditions of 'terrorists' in prisons and reduce their rights to a minimum."

1104 GMT — Gaza death toll rises to 37,925 as Israeli attacks kill 25 more Palestinians

At least 25 more Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, pushing up the overall death toll to 37,925 since last Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave has said.

A ministry statement added that some 87,141 other people have been injured in the onslaught.

“Israeli forces killed 25 people and injured 81 others in three ‘massacres’ against families in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said.

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

1046 GMT — 250,000 people impacted by recent Khan Younis evacuation orders in Gaza: UNRWA

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said about 250,000 in Gaza were affected by the recent evacuation orders issued by Israel, and that they are heading towards the West.

"UNRWA estimates that around 250,000 people have been impacted by these orders. Of course, as usual, we expect these numbers to grow," said a senior communications officer of the agency participating virtually in the UN briefing from Central Gaza.

Describing evacuation orders as not only "another devastating blow to the humanitarian response" but also devastating for the people and the families on the ground, Louise Wateridge stressed that making decisions such as where to go is "now impossible."

0957 GMT — 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza market

Ten Palestinians were killed and others injured in an Israeli air strike that hit a market in southeastern Gaza City.

“Some 10 martyrs and several injured people were brought to al-Ahli Baptist hospital as a result of an Israeli air strike in the Zeitoun neighbourhood,” medical sources at the hospital told Anadolu.

Israeli aircraft bombed a crowded market near the Shama’a Mosque in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, causing numerous deaths and injuries, eyewitnesses told Anadolu.

0928 GMT — Israeli army announces killing of two more soldiers in central Gaza

The Israeli army has announced that two more of its soldiers were killed in overnight fighting in central Gaza.

The two slain soldiers were identified as Master Sgt. (res.) Nadav Elchanan Knoller, 30, and Maj. (res.) Eyal Avnion, 25, both of them serving in the army's 8th Reserve Armored Brigade's 121st Battalion.

0907 GMT — Israel's war on Gaza to enter third phase soon: local media

Israeli media has reported that the Israeli army is preparing to enter the war's third phase of the military operations in Gaza, after almost nine months of fighting.

The Israeli Channel 12 said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the army's southern command and general security service (Shin Bet) discussed the preparations for the third phase of the war.

In recent weeks, Israeli media indicated that the third phase of the war means transitioning from intensive bombing of Gaza to targeted airstrikes based on intelligence.

0726 GMT — Palestinians in Israeli jails die under torture — released medic

The director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City has said several Palestinians in Israeli jails died during interrogation, torture, medical negligence, and deprivation of medicine.

He also noted that the Israeli doctors and nurses were also part of the assault and punishment of the Palestinian prisoners by not providing them with the required medical treatment.

He added that the Palestinian detainees are subjected to physical and psychological torture, and are offered few quantities of food.

"Gaza prisoners lost (on average) 25 kilograms of their weight because of lack of food," Dr. Abu Salmiya said.

0709 GMT — Israel moves patients from northern hospitals as war in Lebanon looms

Israeli health authorities are moving patients from areas of north Israel hospitals to central parts of the country in what appears to be preparations for a war with Lebanon, local media has reported.

Israeli private Channel 12 said it was the first time such a move has occurred since the start of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza on Oct. 7 last year.

It added that the patients transferred from the north are complex medical cases, and many of them are placed on ventilators.

0444 GMT — Israeli army admits soldier killed, another seriously wounded in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has said that one soldier was killed and another seriously wounded by a roadside bomb that exploded during a raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem.

The dead soldier was identified as Sgt. First Class (res.) Yehuda Geto, 22, who was driving a Panther armoured personnel carrier when the bomb exploded.

The number of army deaths since the start of Israel's war on Gaza has now risen to 672.

0431 GMT — Lebanese premier hopeful of resolving Israel-Hezbollah tensions diplomatically

Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has expressed optimism about reaching a diplomatic solution to the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

"I am sure with the help of Allah that we will solve the situation (in southern Lebanon) in the coming days," Mikati said at an event in Beirut.

Commenting on recent statements by some countries asking their nationals to leave Lebanon amid tensions with Israel, he said some of those countries that took such a decision still want to come to Lebanon.

0417 GMT — Israel strikes southern Gaza after ordering evacuations

Israel has carried out fresh strikes in southern Gaza forcing hundreds of Palestinians to flee after the army once again ordered the evacuation of certain densely populated areas.

Witnesses have reported multiple strikes in and around the city of Khan Younis, where eight people were killed and more than 30 were wounded, according to a medical source and the Palestinian Red Crescent.

0414 GMT — Australia suspends lawmaker for supporting Palestinian state

Australian ruling Labor Party Senator Fatima Payman has said that the prime minister's decision to suspend her from the party’s caucus indefinitely had left her in "exile.”

Payman, who faced suspension after supporting a motion in parliament to recognize a Palestinian state, said she had lost all contact with her caucus colleagues, SBS News reported.

She said she was excluded from caucus meetings, committees, internal caucus chats and whip bulletins.

0308 GMT — Yemen's Houthis attack ships linked to Israel, US, UK

Yemen’s Houthi group has announced that they carried out military operations targeting four ships in the Red, Arabian and Mediterranean Seas and Indian Ocean in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

In a statement, the group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said its fighters targeted vessels “linked with the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel” with cruise missiles and achieved direct hits.

It noted that it attacked the Israeli ship MSC Unific in the Arabian Sea, the American oil tanker Delonix in the Red Sea, the British landing ship “Anvil Point” in the Indian Ocean and the vessel Lucky Sailor in the Mediterranean Sea, without specifying which country it was associated with.

0227 GMT — Patients flee Khan Younis hospital ahead of Israeli reinvasion

Medical and technical teams have begun evacuating patients from Gaza's European Hospital in Khan Younis city ahead of a possible Israeli reinvasion.

Medical teams started evacuating patients, wounded people and some of the hospital's medical equipment as the hospital is located in one of the areas where residents received text ultimatums from Israel to flee again to another location.

Medical sources told Anadolu Agency that the medical teams moved several patients and wounded people to Nasser Hospital in central Khan Younis.

They added that the hospital's technical teams also moved some medical devices and equipment out of fear that they would be damaged if the Israeli army raided the hospital.

An Anadolu correspondent also reported that displaced people also dismantled their tents around the hospital and moved to other places upon receiving the Israeli army's invasion threats.

1924 GMT — Houthis target ships in three seas and ocean amid Gaza war

Yemen's Houthis have claimed to gave conducted four military operations targeting four ships in the Red, Arabian and Mediterranean Seas as well as the Indian Ocean "linked to the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel."

In the first operation, "Israeli ship MSC Unific was targeted in the Arabian Sea," Yahya Sarea, the Yemeni group's spokesperson said.

"A US oil tanker Delonix" was also targeted in a second operation that was carried out in the Red Sea "for the second time this week," he added.

The third operation targeted "UK landing ship Anvil Point in the Indian Ocean", and a fourth operation in the Mediterranean Sea targeted a ship that Sarea identified as the "Lucky Sailor."

Houthis have been launching drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes since November, saying they are in solidarity with besieged Palestinians of Gaza.

The US and United Kingdom militaries have launched air raids across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen to weaken the group's military capabilities.

1911 GMT — Russia pokes holes in US resolution on Gaza

Russia's permanent representative to the UN has criticised a US-backed three-phase ceasefire plan for Gaza, saying it lacks details for its implementation.

Vassily Nebenzia held a news conference after Russia took over the presidency of the Security Council in July, and responded to Anadolu Agency's question on the implementation of the resolution that supports the truce proposal announced by US President Joe Biden, with 14 votes in favour and Russia abstaining on June 10.

Emphasising that an "unequivocal, immediate and verifiable ceasefire" must be demanded by the Security Council first, Nebenzia said the US proposal did not clearly address the issue of the truce.

He said the proposal in the resolution was "vague" and lacked necessary details. Nebenzia said Russia abstained as it did not want to sign a resolution whose implementation, objectives, and timeframe were unclear.

"We did not want to give a blank document to our colleagues to pretend the implementation, in fact, sabotage the [ceasefire] process, which we see happening," he said.

The Russian envoy said that despite US assurances of support for the decision, Israel's statements immediately after its adoption showed it was not true.

"Now they're blaming Hamas as if Israel has agreed to which is not the case ... This ping pong continues, but nothing happens. Nothing happens in reality," he added.

For our live updates from Monday, July 1, 2024, click here.