Israel vows to block aid boat from reaching Gaza Strip
"To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists - I will say this clearly: you should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza," he said in a statement.
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West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Israeli army shows tunnel under Gaza Strip hospital
The Israeli army says it has retrieved the body of Hamas military chief Mohammed al-Sinwar in an underground tunnel beneath a hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip, following a targeted operation last month. Another senior Hamas leader, Mohammad Shabana, commander of the Rafah Brigade, was also found dead at the scene along with a number of other militants, who are still being identified, IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Israeli forces gave a small group of foreign reporters a tour of the tunnel that had been uncovered beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, which Defrin said was a major command and control compound for Hamas. "This is another example of the cynical use by Hamas, using civilians as human shields, using civilian infrastructure, hospitals again and again," said Defrin. "We found underneath the hospital, right under the emergency room, a compound of a few rooms. In one of them we found, we killed Mohammed Sinwar," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sinwar's death last month but Defrin said they now had his DNA which proved beyond doubt it was him. Hamas has not commented on reports of the death of either Sinwar or Shabana. Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the Palestinian militant group's deceased leader and mastermind of the October 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1200 people according to Israeli tallies, and which triggered the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Shabana was one of Hamas' most senior and battle-hardened commanders in the south of the enclave. He played a central role in constructing the network of tunnels under the southern city of Rafah, which were used for ambushes and cross-border raids. The drive to Khan Younis in Israeli military vehicles showed widespread devastation, with countless buildings lying in ruins and piles of rubble collected at the roadside. The Israeli military has raided or besieged numerous hospitals during the war, alleging that Hamas uses them to conceal fighters and orchestrate operations - a charge Hamas has repeatedly denied. While Israel has presented evidence in certain cases, some of its assertions remain unverified. Defrin said the army had carefully planned the strike near the European Hospital in order not to damage it. A large trench dug in front of the emergency room entrance led down to a hole in the claustrophobic concrete tunnel, that was used as a hideaway by Hamas fighters, the army said. During the search of the site, Israeli forces recovered weapon stockpiles, ammunition, cash and documents that are now being reviewed for intelligence value. "We will dismantle Hamas because we cannot live with this terror organisation right in our backyard, right across our border," Defrin said. More than 54,000 Palestinians have died during the ongoing Israeli assault, according to Gaza health authorities. The U.N. has warned that most of Gaza's 2.3 million population is at risk of famine.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Israeli army shows tunnel under Gaza Strip hospital
The Israeli army says it has retrieved the body of Hamas military chief Mohammed al-Sinwar in an underground tunnel beneath a hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip, following a targeted operation last month. Another senior Hamas leader, Mohammad Shabana, commander of the Rafah Brigade, was also found dead at the scene along with a number of other militants, who are still being identified, IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Israeli forces gave a small group of foreign reporters a tour of the tunnel that had been uncovered beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, which Defrin said was a major command and control compound for Hamas. Mohammad Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of countless civilians. He was eliminated in an IDF & ISA strike on May 13. His body was found beneath the European hospital in Khan Yunis—more proof of how Sinwar, and Hamas, hide behind their civilians and purposely embed… Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 8, 2025 "This is another example of the cynical use by Hamas, using civilians as human shields, using civilian infrastructure, hospitals again and again," said Defrin. "We found underneath the hospital, right under the emergency room, a compound of a few rooms. In one of them we found, we killed Mohammed Sinwar," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sinwar's death last month but Defrin said they now had his DNA which proved beyond doubt it was him. Hamas has not commented on reports of the death of either Sinwar or Shabana. Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the Palestinian militant group's deceased leader and mastermind of the October 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1200 people according to Israeli tallies, and which triggered the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Shabana was one of Hamas' most senior and battle-hardened commanders in the south of the enclave. He played a central role in constructing the network of tunnels under the southern city of Rafah, which were used for ambushes and cross-border raids. The drive to Khan Younis in Israeli military vehicles showed widespread devastation, with countless buildings lying in ruins and piles of rubble collected at the roadside. The Israeli military has raided or besieged numerous hospitals during the war, alleging that Hamas uses them to conceal fighters and orchestrate operations - a charge Hamas has repeatedly denied. While Israel has presented evidence in certain cases, some of its assertions remain unverified. Defrin said the army had carefully planned the strike near the European Hospital in order not to damage it. A large trench dug in front of the emergency room entrance led down to a hole in the claustrophobic concrete tunnel, that was used as a hideaway by Hamas fighters, the army said. During the search of the site, Israeli forces recovered weapon stockpiles, ammunition, cash and documents that are now being reviewed for intelligence value. "We will dismantle Hamas because we cannot live with this terror organisation right in our backyard, right across our border," Defrin said. More than 54,000 Palestinians have died during the ongoing Israeli assault, according to Gaza health authorities. The U.N. has warned that most of Gaza's 2.3 million population is at risk of famine.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Israel vows to block aid boat from reaching Gaza Strip
Israel's government has vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip. Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. "To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists - I will say this clearly: you should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza," he said in a statement. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis 20 months into the Israel-Hamas war. The activists had said they planned to reach the Gaza Strip's territorial waters as early as Sunday. Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media on Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices about 160 nautical miles from the strip. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a two and a half month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into the Gaza Strip last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israeli forces ends their military offensive. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach the Gaza Strip by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of the territory's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed the Gaza Strip off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed about 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It does not say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. Israel's government has vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip. Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. "To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists - I will say this clearly: you should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza," he said in a statement. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis 20 months into the Israel-Hamas war. The activists had said they planned to reach the Gaza Strip's territorial waters as early as Sunday. Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media on Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices about 160 nautical miles from the strip. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a two and a half month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into the Gaza Strip last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israeli forces ends their military offensive. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach the Gaza Strip by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of the territory's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed the Gaza Strip off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed about 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It does not say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. Israel's government has vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip. Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. "To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists - I will say this clearly: you should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza," he said in a statement. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis 20 months into the Israel-Hamas war. The activists had said they planned to reach the Gaza Strip's territorial waters as early as Sunday. Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media on Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices about 160 nautical miles from the strip. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a two and a half month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into the Gaza Strip last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israeli forces ends their military offensive. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach the Gaza Strip by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of the territory's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed the Gaza Strip off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed about 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It does not say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. Israel's government has vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip. Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would not allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. "To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists - I will say this clearly: you should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza," he said in a statement. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis 20 months into the Israel-Hamas war. The activists had said they planned to reach the Gaza Strip's territorial waters as early as Sunday. Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media on Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices about 160 nautical miles from the strip. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. After a two and a half month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into the Gaza Strip last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israeli forces ends their military offensive. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach the Gaza Strip by sea failed after another of the group's vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Critics of the blockade say it amounts to collective punishment of the territory's roughly two million Palestinians. Israel sealed the Gaza Strip off from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 but later relented under US pressure. In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed about 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages, more than half of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It does not say whether those killed are civilians or combatants.
