New series of explosions seen across Gaza skyline
The IDF has said it has hit approximately 250 targets along the Gaza Strip in the past 48 hours.
Sites include weapon storage facilities, anti-tank missile launch posts, sniper posts, tunnels, and other Hamas sites.
Palestinian officials say negotiations of a new ceasefire deal are stalling.
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Sydney Morning Herald
5 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Israeli shell hits Gaza church that late pope called every day
Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Romanelli was lightly wounded. 'We were struck in the church while all the people there were elders, innocent people and children,' said Shady Abu Dawood, whose mother was wounded by shrapnel to her head. 'We love peace and call for it, and this is a brutal, unjustified action by the Israeli occupation.' The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that 'fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly'. It said it was still investigating. The military said it only struck militant targets and made 'every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them'. Loading Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni blamed Israel for the strike on the church. 'The attacks on the civilian population that Israel has been demonstrating for months are unacceptable,' she said. The church is just a stone's throw from Al-Ahli Hospital, Naem said, noting that the area around both the church and the hospital has been repeatedly struck for more than a week. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which also has a church in Gaza that previously sustained damage from Israeli strikes, said the Holy Family Church was sheltering 600 displaced people, including many children, and 54 people with disabilities. It said the building suffered significant damage. Targeting a holy site 'is a blatant affront to human dignity and a grave violation of the sanctity of life and the inviolability of religious sites, which are meant to serve as safe havens during times of war', the church said in a statement. In the last 18 months of his life, Francis would often call the lone Catholic church in the Gaza Strip to see how people huddled inside were coping with a devastating war. The Washington Post reported that Francis used to ring Romanelli every evening. Francis had repeatedly criticised Israel's wartime conduct, and last year suggested that allegations of genocide in Gaza – which Israel has rejected as a 'blood libel' – should be investigated. The late pope also met the families of Israeli hostages and called for their release. Only 1000 Christians live in Gaza, an overwhelmingly Muslim territory, said the US State Department's international religious freedom report for 2024. Most are Greek Orthodox. The Holy Land's Christian population has dwindled in recent decades as many have emigrated to escape war and conflict or to seek better opportunities abroad. Local Christian leaders have recently denounced attacks by Israeli settlers and Jewish extremists. Separately, another person was killed and 17 were wounded on Thursday in a strike against two schools that sheltered displaced people in the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital reported. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strike. The Gaza Health Ministry said that over the past 24 hours, local hospitals had received the bodies of 94 people killed in Israeli strikes and another 367 wounded. Meanwhile, there has been little visible progress from months of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement, after Israel ended an earlier truce in March. Early on Friday AEST, Axios reported that Qatar, Egypt and the US had presented Israel and Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas with an updated Gaza ceasefire proposal, citing two sources. The two main updates in the latest proposal had to do with the scope of the Israeli military's withdrawal from Gaza during a ceasefire and the ratio of Palestinian prisoners to be released for each Israeli hostage. The Qatari prime minister is expected to meet Hamas leaders in Doha on Saturday to seek their agreement to the updated proposal, the report added. Hamas-led militants killed about 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7, 2023 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Protest crackdown creates 'culture of fear' on campuses
Staff and students describe a pervasive "culture of fear" at one of Australia's top universities following a furore over pro-Palestine encampments. University policies had led to self-censorship, restricting their ability to speak openly about pro-Palestinian movements on campus, they told an inquiry convened by Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, the National Union of Students, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network and others. Encampments sprung up at university campuses around the world, with students calling on their institutions to cut ties with weapons manufacturers and condemn Israel's war in Gaza. The University of Melbourne ordered protesters to leave its Parkville campus in May 2024 after they occupied a building they named 'Mahmoud Hall' in honour of Mahmoud Alnaouq, a young Palestinian man killed in the Israel-Gaza war who had been set to begin his studies at the university. At the time, deputy vice-chancellor Michael Wesley said protesters had crossed a line and police had advised on how to end the indoor demonstration. Sophie Rudolph, a senior lecturer at the university, told the inquiry there was an "atmosphere of fear" among staff members. "We had a number of concerns over the actions the university has taken that (have) repressed speech and action around solidarity with Palestine, and with the universities' links with weapons manufacturers," she said. Dr Rudolph cited an example of a staff member who was not allowed to display posters supporting Palestine on their office door or wear symbols that expressed their support. "These are minor but they are part of the insidiousness of the repression and they contribute to other staff members who may not feel as confident," she said. "(They) are self-censoring and they are thinking about when they can and cannot have these conversations." Dozens attended the inquiry on Wednesday, while security guards patrolled the building where the gathering took place. A Melbourne University spokesperson said protesting on campus must be conducted peacefully and respectfully. The university said it did not support protest activity that "unreasonably disrupts activities or operations of the university" or the safety and wellbeing of staff and students. "Freedom of speech, and the right to lawful peaceful protest, are respected and supported at the University of Melbourne and are central to our values and identity," the spokesperson said. Organiser Jos Downey detailed conditions protesters faced during their encampment at Monash University, claiming intimidation, abuse and threats from campus security and opposing groups. Jasmine Duff, a leader of the Deakin University encampment, told the inquiry she had been tipped off that gardeners were instructed to disrupt the protesters' sleep, including one incident where they were woken at 2am. Ms Duff, the co-convenor of Students for Palestine, testified that universities had been "extraordinarily repressive" towards students who wished to protest. "Students have been put through serious disciplinary procedures, risking their degrees, for participating in peaceful protests against the genocide in Gaza," she said. "Universities should be havens of free speech and debate, but instead those who speak out against the brutal onslaught in Gaza are punished." The inquiry comes shortly after the federal government received recommendations from a major anti-Semitism report. The nation's special envoy against anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, called for the defunding of universities and cultural institutions that enable or fail to prevent anti-Semitism. Staff and students describe a pervasive "culture of fear" at one of Australia's top universities following a furore over pro-Palestine encampments. University policies had led to self-censorship, restricting their ability to speak openly about pro-Palestinian movements on campus, they told an inquiry convened by Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, the National Union of Students, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network and others. Encampments sprung up at university campuses around the world, with students calling on their institutions to cut ties with weapons manufacturers and condemn Israel's war in Gaza. The University of Melbourne ordered protesters to leave its Parkville campus in May 2024 after they occupied a building they named 'Mahmoud Hall' in honour of Mahmoud Alnaouq, a young Palestinian man killed in the Israel-Gaza war who had been set to begin his studies at the university. At the time, deputy vice-chancellor Michael Wesley said protesters had crossed a line and police had advised on how to end the indoor demonstration. Sophie Rudolph, a senior lecturer at the university, told the inquiry there was an "atmosphere of fear" among staff members. "We had a number of concerns over the actions the university has taken that (have) repressed speech and action around solidarity with Palestine, and with the universities' links with weapons manufacturers," she said. Dr Rudolph cited an example of a staff member who was not allowed to display posters supporting Palestine on their office door or wear symbols that expressed their support. "These are minor but they are part of the insidiousness of the repression and they contribute to other staff members who may not feel as confident," she said. "(They) are self-censoring and they are thinking about when they can and cannot have these conversations." Dozens attended the inquiry on Wednesday, while security guards patrolled the building where the gathering took place. A Melbourne University spokesperson said protesting on campus must be conducted peacefully and respectfully. The university said it did not support protest activity that "unreasonably disrupts activities or operations of the university" or the safety and wellbeing of staff and students. "Freedom of speech, and the right to lawful peaceful protest, are respected and supported at the University of Melbourne and are central to our values and identity," the spokesperson said. Organiser Jos Downey detailed conditions protesters faced during their encampment at Monash University, claiming intimidation, abuse and threats from campus security and opposing groups. Jasmine Duff, a leader of the Deakin University encampment, told the inquiry she had been tipped off that gardeners were instructed to disrupt the protesters' sleep, including one incident where they were woken at 2am. Ms Duff, the co-convenor of Students for Palestine, testified that universities had been "extraordinarily repressive" towards students who wished to protest. "Students have been put through serious disciplinary procedures, risking their degrees, for participating in peaceful protests against the genocide in Gaza," she said. "Universities should be havens of free speech and debate, but instead those who speak out against the brutal onslaught in Gaza are punished." The inquiry comes shortly after the federal government received recommendations from a major anti-Semitism report. The nation's special envoy against anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, called for the defunding of universities and cultural institutions that enable or fail to prevent anti-Semitism. Staff and students describe a pervasive "culture of fear" at one of Australia's top universities following a furore over pro-Palestine encampments. University policies had led to self-censorship, restricting their ability to speak openly about pro-Palestinian movements on campus, they told an inquiry convened by Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, the National Union of Students, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network and others. Encampments sprung up at university campuses around the world, with students calling on their institutions to cut ties with weapons manufacturers and condemn Israel's war in Gaza. The University of Melbourne ordered protesters to leave its Parkville campus in May 2024 after they occupied a building they named 'Mahmoud Hall' in honour of Mahmoud Alnaouq, a young Palestinian man killed in the Israel-Gaza war who had been set to begin his studies at the university. At the time, deputy vice-chancellor Michael Wesley said protesters had crossed a line and police had advised on how to end the indoor demonstration. Sophie Rudolph, a senior lecturer at the university, told the inquiry there was an "atmosphere of fear" among staff members. "We had a number of concerns over the actions the university has taken that (have) repressed speech and action around solidarity with Palestine, and with the universities' links with weapons manufacturers," she said. Dr Rudolph cited an example of a staff member who was not allowed to display posters supporting Palestine on their office door or wear symbols that expressed their support. "These are minor but they are part of the insidiousness of the repression and they contribute to other staff members who may not feel as confident," she said. "(They) are self-censoring and they are thinking about when they can and cannot have these conversations." Dozens attended the inquiry on Wednesday, while security guards patrolled the building where the gathering took place. A Melbourne University spokesperson said protesting on campus must be conducted peacefully and respectfully. The university said it did not support protest activity that "unreasonably disrupts activities or operations of the university" or the safety and wellbeing of staff and students. "Freedom of speech, and the right to lawful peaceful protest, are respected and supported at the University of Melbourne and are central to our values and identity," the spokesperson said. Organiser Jos Downey detailed conditions protesters faced during their encampment at Monash University, claiming intimidation, abuse and threats from campus security and opposing groups. Jasmine Duff, a leader of the Deakin University encampment, told the inquiry she had been tipped off that gardeners were instructed to disrupt the protesters' sleep, including one incident where they were woken at 2am. Ms Duff, the co-convenor of Students for Palestine, testified that universities had been "extraordinarily repressive" towards students who wished to protest. "Students have been put through serious disciplinary procedures, risking their degrees, for participating in peaceful protests against the genocide in Gaza," she said. "Universities should be havens of free speech and debate, but instead those who speak out against the brutal onslaught in Gaza are punished." The inquiry comes shortly after the federal government received recommendations from a major anti-Semitism report. The nation's special envoy against anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, called for the defunding of universities and cultural institutions that enable or fail to prevent anti-Semitism. Staff and students describe a pervasive "culture of fear" at one of Australia's top universities following a furore over pro-Palestine encampments. University policies had led to self-censorship, restricting their ability to speak openly about pro-Palestinian movements on campus, they told an inquiry convened by Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, the National Union of Students, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network and others. Encampments sprung up at university campuses around the world, with students calling on their institutions to cut ties with weapons manufacturers and condemn Israel's war in Gaza. The University of Melbourne ordered protesters to leave its Parkville campus in May 2024 after they occupied a building they named 'Mahmoud Hall' in honour of Mahmoud Alnaouq, a young Palestinian man killed in the Israel-Gaza war who had been set to begin his studies at the university. At the time, deputy vice-chancellor Michael Wesley said protesters had crossed a line and police had advised on how to end the indoor demonstration. Sophie Rudolph, a senior lecturer at the university, told the inquiry there was an "atmosphere of fear" among staff members. "We had a number of concerns over the actions the university has taken that (have) repressed speech and action around solidarity with Palestine, and with the universities' links with weapons manufacturers," she said. Dr Rudolph cited an example of a staff member who was not allowed to display posters supporting Palestine on their office door or wear symbols that expressed their support. "These are minor but they are part of the insidiousness of the repression and they contribute to other staff members who may not feel as confident," she said. "(They) are self-censoring and they are thinking about when they can and cannot have these conversations." Dozens attended the inquiry on Wednesday, while security guards patrolled the building where the gathering took place. A Melbourne University spokesperson said protesting on campus must be conducted peacefully and respectfully. The university said it did not support protest activity that "unreasonably disrupts activities or operations of the university" or the safety and wellbeing of staff and students. "Freedom of speech, and the right to lawful peaceful protest, are respected and supported at the University of Melbourne and are central to our values and identity," the spokesperson said. Organiser Jos Downey detailed conditions protesters faced during their encampment at Monash University, claiming intimidation, abuse and threats from campus security and opposing groups. Jasmine Duff, a leader of the Deakin University encampment, told the inquiry she had been tipped off that gardeners were instructed to disrupt the protesters' sleep, including one incident where they were woken at 2am. Ms Duff, the co-convenor of Students for Palestine, testified that universities had been "extraordinarily repressive" towards students who wished to protest. "Students have been put through serious disciplinary procedures, risking their degrees, for participating in peaceful protests against the genocide in Gaza," she said. "Universities should be havens of free speech and debate, but instead those who speak out against the brutal onslaught in Gaza are punished." The inquiry comes shortly after the federal government received recommendations from a major anti-Semitism report. The nation's special envoy against anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, called for the defunding of universities and cultural institutions that enable or fail to prevent anti-Semitism.
Canberra Times
9 hours ago
- Canberra Times
Protest crackdown creates 'culture of fear' on campuses
The University of Melbourne ordered protesters to leave its Parkville campus in May 2024 after they occupied a building they named 'Mahmoud Hall' in honour of Mahmoud Alnaouq, a young Palestinian man killed in the Israel-Gaza war who had been set to begin his studies at the university.
