Sunday, September 8, 2024
1150 GMT — Death toll in Gaza from Israeli attacks rises to 40,972
At least 40,972 Palestinians have been killed and 94,761 others injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since October 7, the health ministry in the besieged enclave has said.
0857 GMT — Israel provoking escalation in occupied West Bank — report
Senior Israeli military officers have accused the country’s political leadership of inciting escalation in the occupied West Bank.
The officers said far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are “directly responsible” for the rise in violence in the occupied territory, warning that the situation could spiral into a full-blown uprising, with many young Palestinians already facing unemployment and lack of opportunities.
“We are trying to prevent the population from fully joining the violence,” a military officer told Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, adding that the ongoing Israeli restrictions have exacerbated tensions in the area.
0955 GMT — Israel arrests 35 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank raids
Israeli forces rounded up at least 35 more Palestinians in military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.
The detainees were taken into custody in raids carried out in most cities of the occupied territory over the past 48 hours, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement.
“The detainees were subjected to abuse, severe beatings, and threats against their families, in addition to widespread acts of sabotage and destruction of citizens’ homes,” the statement said.
0929 GMT — Israel closes King Hussein Bridge following shooting incident
The King Hussein Bridge, also known as the Karama/Allenby Bridge, was closed by Israeli authorities today this morning following a shooting incident that occurred earlier this morning.
Nathmi Muhanna, Director General of the Palestinian Border and Crossings Authority, informed WAFA that traffic at the bridge, which connects the occupied West Bank with Jordan, has been completely halted.
0745 GMT — Israel emergency service says three shot dead at occupied West Bank-Jordan border crossing
Israel's emergency service has said three people were killed in what police described as a "shooting attack" near the Allenby Crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan.
"We found three men lying unconscious, with no pulse and not breathing, with gunshot wounds. Together with the IDF (Israeli military) medical team, we performed resuscitation efforts, but unfortunately, we had to declare their deaths on the scene," a Magen David Adom emergency service statement said.
Israeli police said separately that an attacker had been "neutralised".
0744 GMT — Israel kills Gaza rescue official, bringing death toll to 83
The Gaza Civil Defence has announced the death of its deputy director for northern Gaza in an Israeli air strike, raising the number of personnel killed since Oct. 7, 2023, to 83.
In a statement, spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal mourned “the martyrdom of Mohammad Abdelhay Morsi, the deputy director of civil defence in northern Gaza, who was killed in an Israeli strike targeting his family's home early this morning in the al-Alami area of Jabalia."
Bassal said that besides the 83 personnel killed, over 200 others were wounded.
0446 GMT — Israeli army announces strikes on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military has announced that it had carried out a series of air strikes on Hezbollah targets, saying it had intercepted a number of projectiles launched overnight from Lebanon.
The military said in a statement that the Israeli Air Force had "struck Hezbollah military structures in the areas of Aitaroun, Maroun El Ras, and Yaroun in southern Lebanon".
04:00 GMT — Houthis say they shot down US MQ-9 drone in Yemen amid Gaza war
The Yemeni Houthi group have announced that it shot down an American drone carrying out "hostile activities” in central Yemen.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said Yemeni air defences "succeeded" in shooting down the American MQ-9 drone above Marib province.
Sarea confirmed that Houthi forces continue to fulfil their duties "in support of the Palestinian people's suffering and in defence of Yemen."
In solidarity with Gaza, which has been facing devastating Israeli attacks since October 7, the Houthis have been targeting Israeli or related cargo ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean with missiles and drones.
Since the beginning of 2024, a US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes claiming to target Houthi positions in Yemen in response to the group's maritime attacks, which have occasionally been met with retaliation from the Houthis.
For our live updates from Saturday, September 7, 2024, click here.
