Israel says it has taken first steps of military operation in Gaza City
Photo:
OMAR AL-QATTAA / AFP
Israel's military has taken the first steps of a
planned operation to take over Gaza City
, Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said.
Following a clash with Hamas south of Khan Younis in the strip on Wednesday (local time), he said: "We will deepen the attack on Hamas in Gaza City, a stronghold of governmental and military terror for the terrorist organisation."
Defrin said troops had already begun circling the outskirts of Gaza City and Hamas was now a "battered and bruised" guerrilla force.
"We have begun the preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack on Gaza City, and already now IDF forces are holding the outskirts of Gaza City," he said.
Israel's military called up tens of thousands of reservists on Wednesday in preparation for the expected assault on Gaza City, as the Israeli government considered a new proposal for a ceasefire after nearly two years of war.
The call-up signals Israel is pressing ahead with its plan to seize Gaza's biggest urban centre despite international criticism of an operation likely to force the displacement of many more Palestinians.
But a military official briefing reporters said reserve soldiers would not report for duty until September, an interval that gives mediators some time to bridge gaps between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel over truce terms.
Israeli troops clashed on Wednesday (local time) with more than 15 Hamas militants who emerged from tunnel shafts and attacked with gunfire and anti-tank missiles near Khan Younis, south of Gaza City, severely wounding one soldier and lightly wounding two others, an Israeli military official said.
In a statement, Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed carrying out a raid on Israeli troops southeast of Khan Younis and engaging Israeli troops at point-blank range. It said one fighter blew himself up among the soldiers, causing casualties, during an attack that lasted several hours.
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RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Israeli-made drones not ruled out by NZ Defence Force
Roboteam unmanned ground drone. Photo: Roboteam The NZ military has not ruled out buying drones from Israel during the Gaza conflict. Many countries are shopping for drones, and Israel has some of the most advanced and lethal in the world. In 2019, the NZ Defence Force bought bomb-clearing robots from Israeli firm Roboteam, well before drones went off as a warfighting essential. A few days ago, Roboteam talked about the Gaza war letting loose an "orchestra" of drones. "We connect the drones with the unmanned ground vehicles [UGVs], and then you get a new orchestra of UGVs talking with each other and shooting," [ it told Breaking Defense media]. This was a "huge change" from when weaponising drones was banned before the war, it said. The military here said government procurement rules did not allow bans on firms based on country of origin. 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Asked what documents it had about drone rules of engagement in warfare, it provided nothing. It also lacked any centralised purchasing system for drones - individual units bought their own "as needs require", it said. It followed the government's "approach to drone regulation and development", but the force last briefed Defence Minister Judith Collins about drones 19 months ago. On Thursday, Collins unveiled plans to buy $2.7 billion of US maritime helicopters and large planes from Europe, as signalled in the Defence Capability Plan in April. Asked later if it would get some drones next up, she said: "Oh, absolutely." Asked if she would rule out buying them from Israel, given the Gaza war, Collins said: "You know, what I can really say, I hope we are buying from New Zealand." During the media conference, Collins stressed she wanted a more lethal defence force. 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NZDF said due diligence could include, but was not limited to: Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
If murder it was, killing of reporter must be independently investigated
Israel must allow independent investigations of the killing of journalists, Peter Greste writes. The New York-based media freedom organisation, the Committee to Protect Journalists, is scrupulous with its words. So, when the organisation described the killing of six Palestinian journalists in an Israeli air strike as "murder", the word was a carefully considered CPJ defines "murder" as the "deliberate killing of journalists for their work". Israeli authorities said they were targeting one man — a 28-year-old Al Jazeera reporter named Anas al-Sharif — who they said was the leader of a Hamas "cell". They also accused him of "advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and (Israeli) troops". Israel made no claims about the other five; three of them were al-Sharif's Al Jazeera colleagues and the other two were freelance journalists. In a post on X, an Israeli military spokesman said: "Prior to the strike, we obtained current intelligence indicating that Sharif was an active Hamas military wing operative at the time of his elimination." The evidence the Israeli authorities claimed to have was circumstantial at best: "personnel rosters, lists of terrorist training courses, phone directories and salary documents". Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee also posted undated photos on X that appeared to show al-Sharif in an embrace with Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas mastermind of the October 2023 attack on Israel. Israel says it has further classified evidence that includes more damning detail. Without seeing it all, it is impossible to verify the claims but the photograph itself is hardly proof. Front-line journalists (myself included) will have selfies with those they have interviewed, including some very unpleasant characters. Many will have phone numbers of extremists — they will appear in call logs and records of meetings. None of it is evidence of anything other than a well-connected reporter doing their job. Of course, Israel may well be right. Despite the vigorous denials from Al Jazeera, it is still possible al-Sharif was working for Hamas. And if he was, the Israeli authorities should have no problem allowing independent investigators complete access to verify the claims and settle the matter. But the strike also fits a disturbing pattern. With 190 media workers now killed since the October 7 attacks, this is the deadliest conflict for journalists since the CPJ began keeping records. While some of the victims were inevitably caught in the violence along with so many other civilians, many of them died in rocket strikes aimed squarely at their homes, their clearly marked vehicles, or while they were wearing body armour labelled "PRESS". In all, the CPJ has identified 24 journalists who appeared to have been targeted — murdered, in the group's words — specifically because of their work. The number may well be far higher but those figures alone raise disturbing questions about Israel's tolerance for critical media reporting. They also demand answers from independent investigators. We receive horrific reports from Gaza daily, but Israel repeatedly dismisses them as Hamas propaganda. "A terrorist is a terrorist, even if Al Jazeera gives him a press badge", the Israeli foreign ministry posted on social media. If Israel believes the journalism from Palestinian reporters is nothing more than Hamas propaganda, the solution is straightforward: let foreign correspondents in. It is worth recalling the reason we cherish media freedom is not because we want to privilege a particular class of individual. It is because we recognise the vital importance accurate, independent reporting plays in informing public debate. Without it, we are blind and deaf. International news organisations have repeatedly called for access to Gaza. Now, a group of more than 1000 international journalists have signed a petition demanding to be let in (I am one of the signatories). Israel has so far refused. The government says it cannot guarantee their security in such an active battlefield. But that cannot be justification alone. All those who have signed the petition know well the risks of reporting from hostile environments. Many have crossed active war front lines themselves. Most have friends who have died in other conflicts. Some have been wounded, arrested or kidnapped themselves. None are naive to the dangers and all are committed to the principles behind media freedom. Calling for foreign journalists to be let into Gaza is not to deny the extraordinary sacrifice of Anas al-Sharif or any of the other Palestinians who have been killed while doing their jobs. Rather, it is to assert the importance of the fundamental right of all — the right to information. That applies as much in Gaza as it does in Ukraine, or Russia, or Sudan, or any other crisis where the public needs accurate, reliable information to support good policy. — ■ Peter Greste is a professor of journalism and communications at Macquarie University.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
NZ joins calls for 'immediate and independent' foreign media access to Gaza
Mourners and colleagues surround the bodies of Al-Jazeera Arabic journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami al-Refee, killed in an Israeli strike during their coverage of Gaza's Al-Shati refugee camp in July 2024. Photo: ABOOD ABUSALAMA New Zealand has joined more than two dozen other countries to call for "immediate and independent" foreign media access to Gaza. Earlier this month, an Israeli strike in the city killed six Al Jazeera staffers - two correspondents, three cameramen and another journalist. The Israeli military admitted in a statement to targeting well-known reporter Anas al-Sharif, who it labelled a "terrorist" affiliated with Hamas. A joint statement by the Media Freedom Coalition - signed by 27 countries, including New Zealand - urged Israel to offer protection for journalists in Gaza "in light of the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe". "Journalists and media workers play an essential role in putting the spotlight on the devastating reality of war . Access to conflict zones is vital to carrying out this role effectively. We oppose all attempts to restrict press freedom and block entry to journalists during conflicts," the statement said. "We also strongly condemn all violence directed against journalists and media workers, especially the extremely high number of fatalities, arrests and detentions. We call on the Israeli authorities and all other parties to make every effort to ensure that media workers in Gaza, Israel, the West Bank and East Jerusalem - local and foreign alike - can conduct their work freely and safely. "Deliberate targeting of journalists is unacceptable. International humanitarian law offers protection to civilian journalists during armed conflict. We call for all attacks against media workers to be investigated and for those responsible to be prosecuted in compliance with national and international law." It reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire, and the unconditional release of remaining hostages, unhindered flow of humanitarian aid. The statement also called for "a path towards a two-state solution, long-term peace and security". Other countries to sign the statement included: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
