Israeli attacks across Gaza kill 58 Palestinians in a day
- Israeli forces continue to pound Gaza, killing dozens in the 24-hour reporting period, including people in the so-called “safe zone” of al-Mawasi in the south of the territory.
- The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees decried Israel’s “escalation” in Gaza over the past 24 hours, noting attacks on schools and hospitals have become “commonplace”
Qassam Brigades says it downed Israeli quadcopter
The armed wing of Hamas says it attacked an Israeli Merkava tank and armoured personnel carrier with Yassin-105 rockets in “the new camp area” of the Nuseirat refugee camp.
It also said it downed a quadcopter in the same area, without giving details.
Israel has conducted continuous air raids on the camp in recent days, alongside a ground offensive.
Israel warns people against returning to south Lebanon homes
The Israeli military has again warned Lebanese residents that they could be killed if they return to their homes in the southern parts of the country.
Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesman of the army, released a map naming 62 villages whose residents are prohibited from returning until further notice.
“Anyone who moves south of this line exposes himself to danger,” he said.
If you’re just joining us
Here’s a recap of recent developments:
- The director of the besieged Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza says Israeli bombing continues from all directions.
- Hamas slams the Israeli military’s ongoing assault on the hospital, describing it as an “unprecedented crime against humanity”.
- Three more Palestinians have been killed and others injured in Israeli air attacks on Rafah and Khan Younis.
- Prisoners’ groups say Israeli forces have arrested at least 10 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since yesterday evening.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before a Tel Aviv court to continue testifying in his long-running corruption trial.
- As Israel continues issuing forced evacuation threats, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visits army positions in the south, almost a month after a ceasefire deal that ended the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Three killed in Israeli attacks south of Gaza
At least three more Palestinians have been killed and others wounded as a result of Israeli air attacks on southern Gaza.
Two people were killed in Rafah, while one person was killed and dozens wounded in a separate attack on the Bani Suheila roundabout east of Khan Younis. The video below, released by the Palestinian Civil Defence, shows a rescue operation after the attack in Rafah.
Israeli public divided over Netanyahu corruption trial
We’ve spoken to Alon Liel, former director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, about Netanyahu’s corruption trial currently under way at a Tel Aviv court.
Liel said, like almost every other issue, the Israeli public remains divided when it comes to the prime minister’s long-running trial.
“The opposition to Netanyahu wants a short trial, a decisive court verdict and of course, conviction. Netanyahu’s political base sees the whole thing as fake news against the prime minister,” he told Al Jazeera.
Liel said the public is closely following the trial, which has partially replaced headlines from the war on Gaza, but it “becomes a routine” after the prime minister repeatedly presents himself as a victim and blames the media and others.
According to Liel, the political division in Israel is mostly about Netanyahu, not ideological reasons.
“In Jewish politics, there is no real ideological opposition to what Netanyahu is doing but there is a lot of opposition to his behaviour, and to what the opposition sees as corruption, his arrogance, his dealings with the region and the world.
“Half of the population admires him, is almost in love with him and sees him as the only possible leader in this difficult time. And the other half sees him as the source of all the problems in our democracy, the difficulties of the legal system and attacks on media.”
