Live blog: US approves 155mm projectile sale to Israel, bypassing Congress

Friday, December 29, 2023

2130 GMT — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has approved the potential sale to Israel of M107 155mm projectiles and related equipment for $147.5 million and skipped its review by the Congress, the Pentagon said.

Blinken determined that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to Israel, thereby waiving the congressional review requirements, according to the Pentagon.

This is the second time this month the Biden administration has skipped congressional review of a weapons sale to Israel.

On December 9, the administration used the emergency authority to allow the sale of about 14,000 tank shells to Israel.

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1818 GMT — South Africa files ICJ case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza

South Africa has launched a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel for what it said were "genocidal" acts in Gaza.

According to a statement, the ICJ application related to alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Genocide Convention, and said that "Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza".

In The Hague application, South Africa also says that Israel has been acting "with the requisite specific intent...to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group."

1835 GMT — WHO chief 'very concerned' by Gaza infectious disease threat

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said he was "very concerned" about the growing threat of infectious diseases in Gaza.

"As people continue to be massively displaced across the south of Gaza, with some families forced to move multiple times and many sheltering in overcrowded health facilities, my WHO colleagues and I remain very concerned about the increasing threat of infectious diseases," Tedros said on X, formerly Twitter.

1828 GMT — Israeli army killed another Palestinian near occupied East Jerusalem

The Israeli army has killed another Palestinian young man in the town of Al Eizariya in the occupied east Jerusalem.

Israeli forces raided the town and clashed with Palestinians, during which one person, identified as Mahmoud Warni, was killed by bullets fired by soldiers, the Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported, citing local sources and witness accounts.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said two Palestinians were injured, one critically, in clashes with the Israeli forces in the southern West Bank.

1758 GMT — Israel again turns down US request to transfer tax money collected in Palestine

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich once again has turned down the US request to transfer tax money collected by Tel Aviv to the Palestinian Authority as the allies remain divided on the issue.

Not a single shekel (Israeli currency) will be sent to Gaza as long as “I am Finance Minister," Smotrich said in a statement.

He has a high respect for the US, whom he describes as Israel's best ally in the world, but the minister said, "We will never abandon our fate to others."

1741 GMT — UN chief 'gravely concerned' about further spillover of Gaza conflict

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "gravely concerned" about the spillover of the Gaza conflict, and urges all parties to exercise "maximum restraint" for regional peace, his spokesman has said.

"As the hostilities between Israel and Hamas and other groups in Gaza intensify, the Secretary-General remains gravely concerned about the further spillover of this conflict, which could have devastating consequences for the entire region," Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including intensified Israeli security forces raids, high numbers of fatalities, settler violence and attacks on Israelis by Palestinians, "is extremely alarming, " he added.

1723 GMT — Turkish first lady calls on global community to end persecution of Palestinians in Gaza

Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan has called on the international community to take steps to end the persecution of people in Gaza, promising to make the voices of Palestinian children heard globally.

Speaking at the "Bulletproof Dreams: Exhibition of Gazan Child Artists" in Istanbul, Emine Erdogan said they must make the voices of Palestinian children, whose right to life is their most basic right, more audible and their suffering more visible.

"We call on the world to take action as soon as possible to put an end to this persecution and as Türkiye, under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we are making intense efforts in this direction," she said.

1720 GMT — Three Gaza brothers say they were beaten, mistreated in Israeli detention

Three Palestinian brothers rounded up by Israel in Gaza have said they and fellow detainees were beaten, stripped to their underwear, burnt with cigarettes and subjected to other forms of mistreatment during their detention.

Sobhi Yaseen, and his brothers Sady and Ibrahim, were among a group of dozens of Palestinian men sheltering in a school in Rafah in southern Gaza who spoke to Reuters about their treatment at the hands of Israeli soldiers..

1609 GMT — Israeli army kills Palestinian after accusing him of running his car over Israeli settlers in W.Bank

The Israeli army has shot and killed a young Palestinian man after accusing him of running his car over Israeli settlers near Al Halil city in the southern occupied West Bank.

Amr Abu Hussein was shot by Israeli forces and left bleeding until he died, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement, adding that the Palestinian General Authority for Civil Affairs informed the ministry about the killing near the town of Abda.

Israeli forces later assaulted several journalists who arrived at the scene to cover the incident, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

1557 GMT — 2023 'deadliest year' for Palestinians in occupied West Bank: UN

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said that 2023 was "the deadliest year on record" for Palestinians in the West Bank, with 504 people killed in the occupied territory.​​​​​​​

In an interview with the BBC, Juliette Touma, director of communications at the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said at least 70 children have been killed in the West Bank since the ongoing war in Gaza on Oct. 7.

1507 GMT — Israeli army detains 6 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has detained six more Palestinians from the Al Fara camp near Tubas in the occupied West Bank, bringing the total number of detainees to 4,846 since Oct. 7.

The Israeli army conducted the offensive operation at the camp for four hours, during which its soldiers clashed with Palestinians and injured three people, according to medical sources.

According to a joint statement issued by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, “after the arrest of six Palestinians from the Fara camp near the city of Tubas, the number of detainees in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, has reached approximately 4,846 since Oct. 7.”

1345 GMT — Hezbollah targets Israeli sites off southern Lebanese border

The Lebanese group Hezbollah has said it targeted Israeli military sites along Lebanon’s southern border.

In separate statements, the group announced that its militants had targeted "a crane carrying spy supplies and equipment on the Dovev area."

Hezbollah also said its militants "targeted the Israeli site Hadab Yaron with appropriate weapons" and achieved a "direct hit."

1323 GMT — Israel killed over 300 Palestinians in UN shelters since Oct. 7

The Israeli army has killed a total of 308 Palestinians sheltering in UN facilities in Gaza since Oct. 7, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has said.

"Initial reports indicate on 25 December, 2 people sheltering in UNRWA Maghazi Prep School were killed and 1 injured, result of a direct strike," the agency said in a statement.

"Since the war began, at least 308 people sheltering in UNRWA shelters have been killed," the agency added, noting that 1,095 others have been injured.

The agency stressed that "nowhere in Gaza is safe."

1320 GMT — Three in critical condition, 15 soldiers injured in Gaza in 24 hours: Israeli army

The Israeli army has said that 15 more of its soldiers were injured in Gaza, three of them seriously.

The army said in a statement that 936 soldiers have been injured since Israel launched ground offensives in Gaza on Oct. 27, including the latest count since Thursday, but it did not elaborate on clashes with Palestinian resistance groups.

The army statement said 209 of the 936 wounded soldiers received serious injuries, 345 received moderate harm, and 382 received minor wounds.

1205 GMT — Israeli army detains 20 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has detained 20 more Palestinians in various areas of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

According to a joint statement issued by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since Oct. 7 to 4,840.

The latest arrests took place in the governorates of Tulkarm, Tubas, Ramallah, Al Halil, Jericho, and East Jerusalem.

1156 GMT — Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks tops 21,500: ministry

At least 187 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 21,507 since October 7, the Health Ministry in besieged Gaza has said.

The ministry also added that 55,915 people have been wounded since the start of the Israeli war on the enclave.

Since the brutal Israeli war on Gaza erupted on October 7, more than 80 percent of Gaza's 2.4 million people have been driven from their homes, according to the United Nations.

1155 GMT — Doctors Without Borders reiterates need for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Doctor Without Borders (MSF) has reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The US' "failure to endorse a series of … (UN) resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza has led to the adoption of a watered-down version that makes no sense for those of us on the ground," Jacob Burns, MSF’s project coordinator in Gaza, said in a statement.

"Obstacles to bringing in aid through the complicated series of Israeli and Egyptian checkpoints are real, but the main barrier for our medical staff trying to provide more and better health care here is the continued extreme violence that defines this war," it said. 

1115 GMT — Israel restricts Palestinians' access to Al Aqsa Mosque for 12th consecutive Friday

Israeli authorities have barred Palestinians from entering the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem for the 12th consecutive Friday.

A large number of Israeli police personnel were deployed throughout the city to restrict worshipers’ access to the mosque, witnesses told Anadolu.

Witnesses said that the Israeli police set up barriers at the entrances to the Old City and allowed only the elderly to reach Al Aqsa Mosque.

1006 GMT — Israeli army storms Al Fara refugee camp in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has stormed the Al Fara refugee camp near the city of Tubas in the northern West Bank, followed by armed clashes with Palestinians.

Israeli forces stormed the camp from several angles, deployed their snipers on the roofs of nearby high-rises, and laid siege to several neighbourhoods in the camp, eyewitnesses told Anadolu.

Armed clashes broke out between army forces and Palestinians, they added.

0930 GMT — Israeli army announces expanding operations in Khan Younis, southern Gaza

The Israeli army has announced expanding its military operations in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

In a statement, the Israeli army said: "The Israeli army is expanding its activities in the Khan Younis area."

"The forces began an attack yesterday (Thursday) evening to destroy enemy infrastructure in the city of Khan Younis," it added.

0613 GMT — Israel opens fire on aid convoy: UNRWA

Israeli soldiers have opened fire at an aid convoy as it was returning from Northern Gaza along a route designated by the Israeli army, said the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees or UNRWA.

“Israeli soldiers fired at an aid convoy as it returned from Northern Gaza along a route designated by the Israeli Army,” Thomas White, director of the agency in the Gaza Strip, said in a statement.

“Our international convoy leader and his team were not injured but one vehicle sustained damage,” he added.

0611 GMT — Israeli bombardment of Gaza leaves at least 45 Palestinians killed

The Israeli army has carried out attacks on several parts of blockaded Gaza, killing at least 45 Palestinians and wounding many others.

During an Israeli bombardment in Al Fukhari in the southern city of Khan Younis, 11 people were killed and many others injured, Palestine's official Wafa news agency reported.

Separately, Israel targeting a Palestinian residence in the city of Rafah, also in southern Gaza, led to the deaths of at least 20 people.

The bombing of the Al Shabura refugee camp in Rafah resulted in numerous casualties and injuries, although the exact number has not been determined yet.

Israel also launched an attack on the Al Maghazi refugee camp in the central part of Gaza.

In air strikes that targeted a mosque in the camp along with at least two houses, 14 people were killed.

0128 GMT — US claims warship shoots down drone, missile fired by Houthis

An American warship shot down a drone and an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the US military claimed.

"The USS Mason [DDG 87] shot down one drone and one anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea that was fired by the Houthis," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement, referring to a guided-missile destroyer.

"There was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area or reported injuries," CENTCOM said, adding that it was the 22nd attempted attack on international shipping by the Houthis since mid-October.

0120 GMT — Israeli army says it accidentally killed 3 soldiers in Gaza

The Israeli army has acknowledged responsibility for killing three soldiers during a ground operation earlier this month in Gaza after mistaking them for a threat.

The soldiers were being held captive by the Palestinian group Hamas in the Al Shujaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Speaking at a press conference, Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said that “the Israeli Defence Forces failed in the mission to rescue the captives in this incident.”

0049 GMT — Number of children killed in West Bank has reached unprecedented levels: UN

The United Nations Children’s Fund has said that the number of children killed in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem has reached unprecedented levels.

UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Adele Khodr noted that Israeli forces have killed 83 children in the past twelve weeks alone – more than double the number of children killed in all of 2022.

Khodr added that the suffering of children in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, is part of the war on Gaza and must not fade into the background.

2348 GMT — Hamas says ending Israeli aggression on Gaza is priority

The Palestinian group Hamas' military wing has said that ending Israel's aggression on besieged Gaza is a priority for them, reiterating their rejection of any exchange deal or negotiations without this condition being met.

This was stated in a recorded speech by Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the Al Qassam Brigades, which was broadcast on Al Jazeera satellite channel.

Abu Ubaida announced that Al Qassam fighters "have destroyed more than 825 military vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, tanks, bulldozers and trucks since the beginning of the [Israeli] ground invasion."

"Our priority is to stop the aggression on our people in Gaza, and no other priority precedes it," he added.

He emphasised that "we will not accept any exchange deals or proposals before the complete cessation of the aggression on our people in Gaza."

2331 GMT — Palestinian resistance factions call for national solution based on unity government

The five Palestinian resistance factions agreed on a national solution involving the formation of a unity government, rejecting "all solutions and scenarios for the so-called future of the Gaza Strip" after the end of the war waged by Israel.

During a meeting attended by representatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — General Command in the Lebanese capital Beirut, they emphasised the "necessity to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip before achieving any prisoner exchange deal," according to a statement issued by Hamas.

The statement also said, "The factions agreed on the necessity of confronting the results of the war on our people with a unified struggle strategy, repositioning our cause as a national liberation issue."

2303 GMT — Netanyahu cancels cabinet meeting on 'day after war' in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a meeting of Israel’s war cabinet to discuss what will happen the "day after the war" in besieged Gaza that was scheduled for Thursday evening due to pressure from partners in the coalition government.

The official Israel Broadcasting Authority and Hebrew Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu decided at the last minute not to discuss the issue of the day after the war in Gaza in the war cabinet, referring to a possible plan by Tel Aviv for the enclave after the war, which has been ongoing for more than two and a half months.

The two sources said that partners in the coalition government exerted "significant pressure" on Netanyahu to cancel the discussion.

2238 GMT — Israel hits air defence base in Syria

Israel carried out an aerial strike targeting a main Syrian air defence base in southern Syria in the latest bombing campaign since its war in Gaza, the Syrian regime and intelligence sources said.

Citing a Syrian source, regime media had earlier said missile strikes coming from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights had targeted several sites it did not identify.

"Our air defences confronted the [Israeli] aggressors' missiles and downed some of them with only material losses," a Syrian source said.

For our live updates from Thursday, December 28, click here.