Latest news with #tank shelling
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israeli fire kills 12 people in Gaza tent encampment housing displaced families: Reports
Israeli tank shelling killed at least 12 Palestinians and wounded dozens of others in a tent encampment in western Gaza City north of the enclave, local health authorities said early on Tuesday. Medics said the tanks stationed north of Shati camp fired two shells at tents housing displaced families, killing at least 12 people. There has been no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the incident.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Israel sends tanks into Gaza's Deir al-Balah, leaving hostage families concerned
Israeli tanks pushed into the southern and eastern districts of the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah for the first time on Monday, an area where Israeli sources said the military believes hostages may be held. The area is packed with Palestinians displaced during more than 21 months of war in the Gaza Strip, hundreds of whom fled west or south after Israel issued an evacuation order, saying it sought to destroy infrastructure and capabilities of the militant group Hamas. Tank shelling in the area hit houses and mosques, killing at least three Palestinians and wounding several others, local medics said. "U.N. staff remain in Deir al-Balah, and two U.N. guesthouses have been struck, despite parties having been informed of the locations of U.N. premises, which are inviolable. These locations — as with all civilian sites — must be protected, regardless of evacuation orders," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. The World Health Organization said its staff residence and main warehouse in Deir al-Balah was attacked on Monday. Two WHO staff and two family members were detained by the Israeli military, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that three were later released while one staff member remained in detention. Israel's mission to the U.N. in New York declined to comment. To the south in Khan Younis, an Israeli airstrike killed at least five people, including a husband and wife and their two children in a tent, medics said. In its daily update, Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 130 Palestinians had been killed and more than 1,000 wounded by Israeli gunfire and military strikes across the territory in the past 24 hours, one of the highest such totals in recent weeks. There was no immediate Israeli comment on the Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis incidents. Palestinians ride away from an Israeli attack along Salah al-din road in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Monday. | AFP-JIJI Israeli sources have said the reason the army had stayed out of the Deir al-Balah districts was because they suspected Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to be still alive. Families of the hostages have expressed concern for their relatives and demanded an explanation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and the army chief on how they will protect them. "The people of Israel will not forgive anyone who knowingly endangered the hostages — both the living and the deceased. No one will be able to claim they didn't know what was at stake," the Hostage Families Forum Headquarters said in a statement. Gaza health officials have warned of potential "mass deaths" in coming days from hunger, which has killed at least 19 people since Saturday, the Hamas-run territory's Health Ministry said. Hunger United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was appalled by an accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza "where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing," Dujarric said. "He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition," said Dujarric. "Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and by other humanitarian organizations." Health officials say hospitals have been running out of fuel, food aid and medicine, risking a halt to vital operations. Health Ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran said medical staff have been depending on one meal a day and that hundreds of people flock to hospitals every day, suffering from fatigue and exhaustion. In southern Gaza, the Health Ministry said an Israeli undercover unit had on Monday detained Marwan Al-Hams, head of Gaza's field hospitals, in a raid that killed a local journalist and wounded another outside a field medical facility run by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Smoke billows into the air during Israeli strikes in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on Monday. | REUTERS An ICRC spokesperson said the ICRC had treated patients injured in the incident, but did not comment further on their status. It said it was "very concerned about the safety and security" around the field hospital. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has raided and attacked hospitals across Gaza during the war, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes, an accusation the group denies. Sending undercover forces to carry out arrests is rare. The incursion into Deir al-Balah and the growing number of deaths appeared to be complicating efforts to secure a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with U.S. backing. A Hamas official said on Sunday that the militant group was angered by the mounting death toll and hunger crisis, and said it could affect the talks on a 60-day truce and hostage deal. Aid waiting UNRWA, the U.N. refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, said on X it was receiving desperate messages from Gaza warning of starvation, including from its own staff, as food prices have soared. "Meanwhile, just outside Gaza, stockpiled in warehouses, UNRWA has enough food for the entire population for over three months. Lift the siege and let aid in safely and at scale," it said. The Health Ministry said on Sunday at least 67 people were killed by Israeli fire as they waited for U.N. aid trucks to enter Gaza. It said at least 36 aid seekers were killed a day earlier. Israel's military said its troops had fired warning shots to remove what it said was "an immediate threat." It said initial findings suggested that reported casualty figures were inflated. Israel's military said it "views the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a matter of utmost importance, and works to enable and facilitate its entry in coordination with the international community." Britain and more than 20 other countries called on Monday for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and criticized the Israeli government's aid delivery model after hundreds of Palestinians were killed near sites distributing food. Israel rejected the statement "as it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas." The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed over 59,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population, and caused a humanitarian crisis.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Israeli tanks move deep into Gaza where hostages are believed to be held
Israeli tanks pushed into the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah for the first time on Monday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) believe some of the remaining hostages may be being held in the city, which is crowded with thousands of displaced Palestinians. Gaza medics said at least three Palestinians were killed and several were wounded after tank shelling hit eight houses and three mosques in the area. The Israeli assault comes a day after the IDF ordered residents to leave, saying it planned to fight Hamas militants. The raid and bombardment forced dozens of families to flee and head west towards the coastal part of Deir al-Balah and nearby Khan Younis. Earlier on Monday, an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis killed at least five people, including a man, his wife, and their two children, medics said. There was no immediate Israeli comment on the Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis incidents.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Israel sends tanks into central Gaza's Deir Al-Balah for the first time
Israeli tanks have pushed into southern and eastern areas of the Gazan city of Deir Al-Balah for the first time, an area where Israeli sources said the military believes some of the remaining hostages may be held. Gaza medics said at least three Palestinians were killed and several were wounded in tank shelling that hit eight houses and three mosques in the area, and which came a day after the military ordered residents to leave, saying it planned to fight Hamas militants. The raid and bombardment pushed dozens of families who had remained to flee and head west towards the coastal area of Deir Al-Balah and nearby Khan Younis. Thousands of displaced people are living in Deir Al-Balah, including Medical Aid for Palestinian (MAP) staff. MAP's Interim CEO Steve Cutts said the latest forced displacement order is "yet another attack on humanitarian operations" and a "deliberate attempt to sever the last remaining threads of Gaza's health and aid system". He said that MAP had to suspend critical services provided to the Palestinian population, including a primary health clinic serving hundreds of civilians every day. "With Israel's systematic targeting of health and aid workers, no-one is safe," he said. "Not only are we prevented from carrying out our lifesaving work to support Palestinians, we are also unable to protect our own teams." In Khan Younis earlier on Monday, an Israeli air strike killed at least five people, including a man, his wife, and their two children in a tent, medics said. There was no immediate Israeli comment on the Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis incidents. Israel's military said it had not entered the districts of Deir Al-Balah subject to the evacuation order during the current conflict and that it was continuing "to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area". Israeli sources have said the reason the army has so far stayed out is that they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to be still alive. Families of the hostages expressed their concern for their relatives and demanded an explanation from the army of how it would protect them. The military escalation comes as Gaza health officials warned of potential "mass deaths" in the coming days due to mounting hunger, which has killed at least 19 people since Saturday, according to the territory's health ministry. Health officials said hospitals were running out of fuel, food aid, and medicine, risking a halt to vital operations. Health ministry spokesperson Khalil Al-Deqran said medical staff have been depending on one meal a day, and that hundreds of people flock to hospitals every day, suffering from fatigue and exhaustion because of hunger. At least 67 people were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday as they waited for UN aid trucks to enter Gaza. Israel's military said its troops had fired warning shots towards a crowd of thousands of people in northern Gaza to remove what it said was "an immediate threat". It said initial findings suggested reported casualty figures were inflated, and it "certainly does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks". The new raid and escalating number of fatalities appeared to be complicating ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel that are being mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with US backing. A Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday that the militant group was angered over the mounting deaths and the hunger crisis in the enclave, and that this could badly affect ceasefire talks underway in Qatar. Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks in Doha aimed at reaching a 60-day truce and hostage deal, although there has been no sign of breakthrough. UNRWA, the UN refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, said it was receiving desperate messages from Gaza warning of starvation, including from its own staff as food prices have increased 40-fold. "Meanwhile, just outside Gaza, stockpiled in warehouses UNRWA has enough food for the entire population for over three months. Lift the siege and let aid in safely and at scale," it said in a post on social media site X. Israel's military said on Sunday that it "views the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as a matter of utmost importance, and works to enable and facilitate its entry in coordination with the international community". The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population and plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis. Reuters/ABC
Russia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Netanyahu apologizes to Pope for bombing church
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an apology in a phone call with Pope Leo following an Israeli tank shelling that struck the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, killing three people – including the church's priest – and injuring ten others. The incident occurred on Thursday when an Israeli tank fired a round at the church compound, which was serving as a refuge for hundreds of displaced Palestinians, including children and people with disabilities. The IDF described the shelling as unintentional and said it is reviewing the incident. On Friday, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III were granted unprecedented access to Gaza to tour the damaged church. Netanyahu also personally called Pope Leo to express regret over the 'stray ammunition' incident and to convey 'Israel's heartfelt condolences to the families of those hurt.' PM Netanyahu sent Israel's heartfelt condolences for the families of those hurt in the PM also gave His Holiness an update on Israel's efforts to secure a hostage release deals and a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, efforts that have so far not been reciprocated by Hamas. During the call, Pope Leo reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire and urged protection for places of worship, the faithful, and civilians across Gaza and Israel. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023 following a deadly Hamas incursion, in which over 1,200 Israelis were killed and hundreds taken hostage. Since then, the IDF has reportedly killed nearly 57,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children, leading to accusations of genocide against the Israeli leadership. In October 2023, just days after the conflict began, the Israeli army similarly bombed the Church of Saint Porphyrius, killing at least 18 people. A week later, the enclave's third Christian church, the Gaza Baptist Church, was damaged in a deadly strike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital, which Israel blamed on a 'misfired' Palestinian rocket. The Vatican described the situation in Gaza as 'dramatic,' while in Washington, President Donald Trump was reportedly 'upset' by the incident and pressed Netanyahu for clarity. Despite the apology, airstrikes resumed on Friday, with at least 14 more Palestinians reported killed across Gaza.
