At least eight killed in Israeli airstrike on northern Gaza
Gaza rescuers said eight people were killed Wednesday in an Israeli strike in the north of the besieged Palestinian territory.
'Eight dead (were) transported as a result of an Israeli airstrike' on the home of a local journalist in the Al-Saftawi area north of Gaza City at around 2:00 am (2300 GMT Tuesday), civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.
Israel has stepped up its offensive in Gaza this month, aiming for 'the defeat of Hamas,' more than 18 months after the group's October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.
The health ministry in Gaza said on Monday that at least 3,822 people had been killed in the territory since Israel ended a ceasefire on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 53,977, mostly women and children.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Saudi Gazette
Climate activist Greta Thunberg joins aid ship sailing to Gaza
CATANIA, Italy — Greta Thunberg and other 11 activists set sail on Sunday afternoon for Gaza on a ship aimed at 'breaking Israel's siege' of the devastated territory, the Associated Press new agency reported. The sailing boat Madleen – operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition — departed from the Sicilian port of Catania, in southern Italy. It will try to reach the shores of Gaza in an effort to bring in some aid and raise 'international awareness' over the ongoing humanitarian crisis, the activists said at a press conference on Sunday, ahead of departure. 'We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,' climate activist Thunberg said, bursting into tears during her speech. 'Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it's not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide,' she added. Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an antisemitic 'blood libel.' In mid-May, Israel slightly eased its blockade of Gaza after nearly three months, allowing a limited amount of humanitarian aid into the territory. Experts have warned that Gaza is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in. UN agencies and major aid groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza's roughly two million Palestinians. Among those joining the crew of the Madleen are 'Game of Thrones' actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent. She has been barred from entering Israel due to her active opposition to the Israeli assault on Gaza. The activists expect to take seven days to get to their destination, if they are not stopped. Thunberg, who became an internationally famous climate activist after organizing massive teen protests in her native Sweden, had been due to board a previous Freedom Flotilla ship last month. That attempt to reach Gaza by sea, in early May, failed after another of the group's vessels, the 'Conscience', was attacked by two alleged drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship, in the latest confrontation over efforts to send assistance to the Palestinian territory devastated by nearly 19 months of war. The Israeli government says the blockade is an attempt to pressure Hamas to release hostages it took during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict. Hamas-led militants assaulted southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 58 hostages, 23 of whom are believed to be alive. In response, Israel launched an offensive that has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. Israel's bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of the territory and left most of its population homeless. The Flotilla group was only the latest among a growing number of critics to accuse Israel of genocidal acts in its war in Gaza. Israel vehemently denies the allegations, saying its war is directed at Hamas militants, not Gaza's civilians. 'We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that's part of a broader strategy of mobilizations that will also attempt to break the siege by land,' said activist Thiago Avila. Avila cited the upcoming Global March to Gaza – an international initiative also open to doctors, lawyers and media – which is set to leave Egypt and reach the Rafah crossing in mid-June to stage a protest there, asking Israel to stop the Gaza offensive and reopen the border. — Agencies
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Multiple burn injuries after attack on Gaza war protest in US
Several people suffered burns and other injuries Sunday in the US state of Colorado in what the FBI called a 'targeted terror attack' against demonstrators seeking the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Police in the city of Boulder said a man was taken into custody. They were more cautious in presuming a possible motive for the attack, which multiple sources said was committed against members of the Jewish community during a peaceful gathering. Local media cited eyewitnesses describing a man throwing something resembling a homemade Molotov cocktail at the group. In one video apparently of the attack, a shirtless man holding clear bottles in his hands is seen pacing as the grass in front of him burns. He can be heard screaming 'End Zionists!' 'Palestine is Free!' and 'They are killers!' towards several people in red t-shirts as they tend to a person lying on the ground. Other images showed billowing black smoke above a park. 'We are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado,' FBI chief Kash Patel said on X. The White House said President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident. Asked if it was a terror attack against the protesters, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn insisted it was 'way too early to speculate motive' behind the violence, which took place shortly before 1:30 pm (1930 GMT). He told reporters that 'initial callers indicated that there was a man with a weapon and that people were being set on fire.' 'When we arrived, we encountered multiple victims that were injured, with injuries consistent with burns and other injuries,' Redfearn said. Police on the scene 'immediately encountered that suspect, who was taken into custody without incident,' he added. 'Antisemitic attack' The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish activist group, said on X that the attack occurred at Sunday's 'Boulder Run for Their Lives' event, a weekly gathering of the Jewish community in support of the hostages seized during Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, voiced outrage at the incident. 'Terrorism against Jews does not stop at the Gaza border -- it is already burning the streets of America,' he said in a statement, describing how people marching for the return of hostages were attacked by someone 'throwing... Molotov cocktails.' 'Make no mistake -- this is not a political protest, this is terrorism.' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio weighed in, like Patel describing the incident as a 'targeted terror attack.' 'Terror has no place in our great country,' Rubio said. Several organizations decried the apparent hate-fueled violence. 'Today, during a peaceful walk on Pearl Street in Boulder to raise awareness for the hostages still in Gaza, our community was targeted in a violent, antisemitic attack,' the Israeli-American Council said in a statement. 'This is an attack on all of us -- and we will not stay silent,' it added. The Boulder violence comes almost two weeks after the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington, where a 31-year-old suspect who shouted 'Free Palestine' was taken into custody by police.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Makkah mobile stroke unit saves Ugandan pilgrim
MAKKAH: A medical team stationed at the Grand Mosque in Makkah successfully intervened to save a Ugandan male pilgrim who suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday. The pilgrim reportedly lost consciousness within the Grand Mosque due to the hemorrhage, prompting an immediate response from the specialized unit. "The Ugandan pilgrim received critical treatment within an impressive 16 minutes — one-sixth of the internationally accepted standard time of 60 minutes for such cases," said the report, quoting the Makkah Health Cluster. After getting emergency care, the patient was transferred to King Abdulaziz Hospital for further comprehensive medical treatment. He is now undergoing rehabilitation and expected to be discharged to complete his pilgrimage. As part of Hajj preparations, a Mobile Stroke Unit affiliated with King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) is stationed at the Grand Mosque. The team is made up of a neurologist, cardiologist, respiratory therapist, emergency nurse, radiologist, and paramedic and equipped with advance diagnostic devices. Each year, tens of thousands of Hajj pilgrims benefit from various healthcare services provided by health centers and hospitals in the holy sites. Saudi Arabia deploys around 50,000 healthcare and other professionals to work 24 hours daily during Islam's most important gathering. Last week, a medical team at the Eye Health Center of King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah saved the sight of an Egyptian pilgrim who experienced sudden vision loss.
