Israel’s war on Gaza live: Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a ‘bloodbath’
- An Israeli incursion into Rafah would put the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians at risk and turn into a “bloodbath” with the health system in shambles, the WHO warns.
- At least 26 people are killed and 51 wounded in the past 24 hours, Gaza’ health ministry says.
ICC demands end to ‘retaliation threats’ over Gaza
The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff.
The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement all attempts to impede, intimidate or improperly influence its officials must cease immediately.
While the prosecutor’s statement did not mention Israel, it was issued after Israeli and US officials have warned of consequences against the ICC if it issues arrest warrants over Israel’s war on Gaza.
Far-right Israeli minister says Turkey involved in captive talks: Report
Turkey is involved in ongoing talks aiming to release captives still held in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says.
The far-right minister, who has been opposed to any agreement that would stop an Israeli assault on Rafah, wrote a letter to Netanyahu accusing him of hiding Turkey’s participation, The Times of Israel reported.
Smotrich said he has “reliable information” revealing “representatives of the president of Turkey, Israel’s anti-Semitic enemy Erdogan” have been at the negotiations. Netanyahu’s office has not responded to the letter.
Israel accused of not meeting aid obligations in Gaza
Gisha and four other Israeli non-profit organisations have petitioned the Supreme Court demanding the government specify what measures it’s taking to step up aid deliveries to Gaza, where the United Nations warns famine looms.
“It is inconceivable that the respondents, who admit to not having even the faintest idea about the extent of the aid required for residents of the Gaza Strip, are claiming that they have fulfilled their obligations – and even beyond,” a joint statement said.
Food shortages inside Gaza indicated “the respondents are not meeting their obligations, not to the required extent nor at the necessary speed”.
Following an initial hearing last month, the court asked the government to answer follow-up questions before a new hearing scheduled for Sunday. In an update provided to the court this week, the government maintained relief efforts to Gaza went “above and beyond” its obligations.
Israeli military launches air attacks on southern Lebanon
The Israeli military says its fighter jets hit “terrorist targets” belonging to Hezbollah in areas across southern Lebanon.
It showed aerial footage of aircraft dropping bombs on what it called military buildings in Kfar Kila and Maroun al-Ras. It also targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in Bint Jbeil and Aitaroun in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel.
Hezbollah, an ally of the Palestinian group Hamas, and Israeli forces have been exchanging near-daily fire across the border since the war in Gaza started on October 7. The group has said it will stop its attacks on Israel after a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
Israel promises Rafah attack in a week unless Hamas agrees to terms: Report
Israel has reportedly given Hamas one week to agree to a truce and prisoner-captive exchange deal, threatening it will begin its ground invasion of Rafah otherwise.
Egyptian officials conveyed this message from Israeli leaders to the armed Palestinian group on Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited unnamed Egyptian sources briefed on the matter.
Publicly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to promise an invasion of Rafah regardless of a deal with Hamas. The Palestinian group has said it’s “looking positively” at the latest proposals mediated through Egypt.
An earlier news report said CIA Director William Burns is now in Cairo, and a Hamas delegation is expected soon as well.
Halted Israel trade aimed at ‘forcing’ a Gaza ceasefire: Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the move to halt trade with Israel, which has angered Israeli officials, is aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We have taken some measures to force Israel to agree to a ceasefire and increase the amount of humanitarian aid to enter” Gaza, Erdogan told businessmen in Istanbul. Trade between the two countries is worth about $7bn annually.
“We will oversee the consequences of this step we have taken in coordination and consultation with our business world.”
He later told reporters: “Up to now, Israel has killed 40,000 to 45,000 Palestinians without mercy. As Muslims, we could not stand by and watch.”
Erdogan said Turkey knows “we did the right thing”, but the move has left Israeli officials fuming with Foreign Minister Israel Katz calling the president a “dictator”.
Halted Israel trade aimed at ‘forcing’ a Gaza ceasefire: Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the move to halt trade with Israel, which has angered Israeli officials, is aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We have taken some measures to force Israel to agree to a ceasefire and increase the amount of humanitarian aid to enter” Gaza, Erdogan told businessmen in Istanbul. Trade between the two countries is worth about $7bn annually.
“We will oversee the consequences of this step we have taken in coordination and consultation with our business world.”
He later told reporters: “Up to now, Israel has killed 40,000 to 45,000 Palestinians without mercy. As Muslims, we could not stand by and watch.”
Erdogan said Turkey knows “we did the right thing”, but the move has left Israeli officials fuming with Foreign Minister Israel Katz calling the president a “dictator”.
‘Children’s bodies were shredded’
This pattern of killing entire families is nothing new after nearly seven months of war. Entire families have been obliterated in Israeli air strikes.
Seven people – a mother and her children – were killed earlier today. We’ve seen video from the hospital where their bodies were taken. The children’s bodies arrived in plastic bags. They were shredded in the air strike on the home. The only survivor of the attack is the father.
Just in the past 30 minutes, there was a strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. We’re trying to get more updates on that attack.
WATCH: Qassam Brigades launches missiles at Israel from southern Lebanon
The military wing of Hamas says its fighters have managed to launch missiles at Israel from southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah is engaged in fighting along the border with Israel.
Footage obtained by our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic shows volleys of missiles developed by the Qassam Brigades being launched from Lebanon, purportedly at Israeli military targets.
The Qassam Brigades also said its fighters inside the Gaza Strip launched “heavy-calibre mortar shells” at the so-called Netzarim Corridor of the Israeli military, which runs east to west through the besieged enclave, separating its north and south.
‘No freedom without press freedom’: UNRWA
Marking World Press Freedom Day, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees says there is no freedom without press freedom and highlighted the heavy toll paid by journalists in Gaza.
“Our colleague and photojournalist Abdallah was severely injured in bombardments in north Gaza. He lost his legs,” UNRWA said. “In this war of ‘superlatives’, we are recording the highest number of journalists killed in any conflict.”
Houthis say ‘millions’ march again in Yemen in support of Gaza, military ops
Houthi-run media have released images from another weekly march in Yemen, saying “millions” of people again took to the streets to express solidarity with Palestinians.
The al-Masirah broadcaster also reported demonstrators announced their support for more naval operations by Houthi forces, which said they will extend their attacks to all ships linked with Israeli ports if Israel launches a ground invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza.
More from WHO on impact of a Rafah invasion on medical facilities
The sobering statement by the World Health Organization (WHO) released earlier also delves into which hospitals would be overrun if Israel invades Rafah in southern Gaza.
The al-Najjar, al-Helal and Kuwait hospitals are now partially operational in Rafah and would “quickly become nonfunctional”, it says.
The European Gaza Hospital in east Khan Younis – also in southern Gaza – which is also partially functional, could become unreachable because of the invasion.
“Given this, the south will be left with six field hospitals and al-Aqsa Hospital, in the middle area, serving as the only referral hospital.”
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where hundreds of bodies were dug out of mass graves, some bearing marks of torture, is being restored by the WHO, with the UN organisation and its partners also trying to establish more primary health centres.
