Monday, May 27, 2024
1349 GMT — The United Nations' Middle East envoy, Tor Wennesland has called on Israel to conduct a "thorough and transparent" investigation into a strike that killed at least 45 people in southern Gaza's Rafah.
"I call upon the Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into this incident, hold those responsible for any wrongdoing to account, and take immediate steps to better protect civilians", the UN envoy said in a statement.
15:01 GMT — Border guard killed in 'shooting' at Rafah border: Egypt military
Egypt's military has said a border guard was killed in a "shooting" in the Rafah border area with Gaza, where Israeli forces are deployed, adding that it had launched a probe.
"The Egyptian armed forces, through the competent authorities, are investigating a shooting incident in the Rafah border area which led to the martyrdom of a guard," a military statement said after Israel's army reported a "shooting incident" on the Egyptian border.
14:27 GMT — EU 'must be clear' with Israel over its obligation to halt attacks: official
The EU commissioner for crisis management has urged the bloc to "be clear" with Israel regarding its obligation to halt military attacks in Rafah.
"My message at today’s (Foreign Affairs Council) FAC was clear: The humanitarian situation in Gaza is appalling. Humanitarian access to and inside Gaza continues to dramatically deteriorate," Janez Lenarcic said on X.
Lanercic stressed that killings of civilians "continue in most horrific ways" in Rafah, a place they were urged to flee to.
14:18 GMT — UN urged to act for implementation of ICC orders on Rafah
More than a dozen international NGOs have called on the UN to “enforce” the International Court of Justice’s orders for Israel to end military action in Rafah.
The "NGOs urgently call on all permanent and elected members of the UN Security Council to enforce the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) orders regarding Israel's actions in Rafah, Gaza," a joint statement said.
"Immediate action is required to uphold international law and ensure the Government of Israel meets its obligations as mandated by the ICJ," it added.
13:59 GMT — Israeli strike on Rafah shows 'contempt' for ICJ ruling: African Union
The African Union chair Moussa Faki Mahamat has condemned the attack on X saying: "Israel continues to violate international law with impunity and in contempt of an ICJ ruling two days ago ordering an end to its military action in Rafah."
The top world court, the International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah.
13:40 GMT — International community should redouble pressure on Israel: Colombia
The international community should insist to Israel and its allies that the country negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict in Gaza, Colombia's Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said.
Murillo said actions in Gaza, where Israel's military campaign has killed some 36,000 people according to local authorities, constitute a genocide
13:28 GMT — UNICEF calls for 'end to senseless killing of children' in Rafah
The head of the UN’s children's fund (UNICEF) has demanded an "end to the senseless killing of children" following the Israeli air strike on tents housing displaced people in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.
"Images of burned children and families emerging from bombed tents in Rafah shocks us all. The reported killing of children sheltering in makeshift tents is unconscionable," Catharine Russell wrote on X.
Underscoring the severity of the situation, Russell said: "For over 7 months, we've witnessed this tragedy unfold, resulting in thousands of children killed or injured."
12:37 GMT — EU's Borrell 'horrified' by Israeli strikes on Rafah
The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has condemned an Israeli air strike in the Gaza city of Rafah, which officials have said killed 45 people in a tent camp.
"Horrified by news coming out of Rafah on Israeli strikes killing dozens of displaced persons, including small children. I condemn this in the strongest terms," wrote Borrell on his X social media account.
"There is no safe place in Gaza. These attacks must stop immediately. ICJ (International Court of Justice) orders & IHL (international humanitarian law) must be respected by all parties," he added.
12:29 GMT — Attacks on Gaza civilians can 'no longer be justified': Italy
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said attacks against Palestinian civilians in Gaza can "no longer be justified."
"There is an increasingly difficult situation, in which the Palestinian people are being squeezed without regard for the rights of innocent men, women and children and this can no longer be justified,” he told Italian TV SkyTG24.
12:23 GMT — Israeli journalist close to Netanyahu gloats over Palestinian deaths
An Israeli journalist close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gloated over the death of dozens of Palestinians in an Israeli attack in Rafah in southern Gaza.
Yinon Magal posted a video on his X account that captured Palestinian medical teams as they desperately attempted to rescue civilians from fires that had engulfed their tents after the strike.
“The main lighting ceremony this year (is) in Rafah,” he commented on the video, referring to the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer, which involves bonfires. Later, Magal deleted his post but kept it on his Telegram account, which has over 73,000 followers.
12:12 GMT — Israel's envoy to Ireland, recalled in Palestine dispute, warns of tech impact
Israel's ambassador to Dublin has warned that a crisis in bilateral ties over Ireland's plan to recognise a Palestinian state sends the wrong message about Ireland as a tech hub and is worrying Israeli investors in the Irish IT services sector.
Speaking in Jerusalem, where she has held Foreign Ministry consultations after being recalled in protest, Ambassador Dana Erlich voiced hope of returning to Ireland, though she saw its government as siding with the Palestinians against Israel.
The statehood recognition is due to be formalised on Tuesday by Ireland in conjunction with Spain and Norway.
11:29 GMT — Gaza health ministry says death toll from Israeli strike on Rafah camp rises to 45
The Health Ministry in Gaza said that the death toll from an Israeli air strike on a camp housing displaced Palestinians in Rafah had risen to 45.
"The Rafah massacre yesterday left 45 martyrs, including 23 women, children and elderly. There are 249 others who were wounded," the ministry said in a statement, updating the previous toll.
11:07 GMT — Israeli drone strike kills 1, injures 10 in southern Lebanon
At least one person was killed and ten others injured in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, a medical source and local media have said.
The attack targeted the gate of Salah Ghandour Hospital in the Saf al-Hawa area in the border town of Bint Jbeil, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.
The strike caused significant damage to several departments at the hospital, the broadcaster said.
11:03 GMT — Palestinian death toll in Israel's war on Gaza surges to over 36,000
The health ministry in Gaza said that the death toll in the more than seven months of Israel's war on the besieged Palestinian enclave surpassed 36,000.
At least 36,050 people have been killed in the conflict, including 66 over the past 24 hours, the ministry said, adding that 81,026 people have been wounded in Gaza since October 7 last year.
10:59 GMT — Macron 'outraged' by Israeli strikes on Rafah
The French president Monday expressed his "outrage" over Israeli strikes on Rafah.
"Outraged by the Israeli strikes that have killed many displaced persons in Rafah," Emmanuel Macron wrote on X.
"These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians. I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire," the president added.
10:45 GMT — Rafah attack exposed Israel's true colours: Erdogan
The Turkish president blasted Israel over its weekend attack against Rafah, which was previously designated as a "safe area."
"Sunday's attack on Rafah, which came after the International Court of Justice's order, has exposed the treacherous and bloody nature of the terror state," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told to lawyers in Istanbul in a televised address, referring to Israel and the ICJ's order to stop the bloodshed.
The president also lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: "The embattled Netanyahu and his murderous network trying to extend grip on power by massacring people as they fail to defeat Palestinian resistance."
10:36 GMT — Israeli genocide in Palestine ongoing for 76 years, says Mandela's grandson
Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, the grandson of South African anti-apartheid politician and statesman Nelson Mandela, said Israeli "genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity" in Palestine have been ongoing for 76 years.
"The war hasn't begun since the seventh of October, we must be clear on what the facts are. The genocide, ethnic cleansing war crimes, and crimes against humanity have been going on for the past 76 years since 1948," said the South African National Assembly member in an interview with Anadolu news agency in Geneva.
Mandela added that over 531 villages have been disseminated by the "Zionist zapping entity."
10:30 GMT — Muslim bloc denounces Israel's overnight attack on Rafah camp for displaced people
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued a strong condemnation of Israel following a devastating attack on a densely populated camp for displaced persons in Rafah in southern Gaza.
In a statement, the OIC categorised this act as "a war crime, a crime against humanity, and state-sponsored terrorism."
10:10 GMT — Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli military building in northern Israel
Hezbollah said that it targeted a building used by Israeli soldiers in northern Israel.
The group said in a statement that it targeted a building used by Israeli soldiers in the Margaliot settlement with "appropriate weaponry," claiming to have achieved "confirmed results."
Israeli Channel 12 reported on the incident early Monday, saying that an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hit a building in the town of Margaliot.
As of yet, there has been no comment from the Israeli army on Hezbollah's statement on the attack.
09:37 GMT — Israeli military prosecutor says 'very grave' Rafah incident being investigated
Israel's top military prosecutor described as "very grave" an air strike on Rafah which killed dozens of Palestinian civilians, and said an after-action investigation by the armed forces continued.
"The details of the incident are still under an investigation, which we are committed to conducting to the fullest extent," Major-General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi told a conference hosted by the Israel Bar Association.
"The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) regrets any harm to non-combatants during the war."
09:30 GMT — Rafah images further proof Gaza is 'hell on earth': UN agency
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said that images reported Sunday night from Rafah serve as yet another grim testament to the ongoing violence in Gaza.
At least 45 people were killed and dozens injured as Israel targeted houses in the city and a camp for the displaced people.
"Information coming out of Rafah about further attacks on families seeking shelter is horrifying," the UNRWA said on X. "There are reports of mass causalities, including children and women among those killed," it added.
The agency stressed: "Gaza is hell on earth. Images from last (Sunday) night are yet another testament to that."
08:43 GMT — Rafah strikes could 'hinder' Gaza truce talks: Qatar
Israel's latest brutal strikes near Gaza's southern city of Rafah could hinder talks towards a truce and prisoner release deal, mediator nation Qatar said.
The foreign ministry voiced "concern that the bombing will complicate ongoing mediation efforts and hinder reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire."
Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, has been engaged in months of talks aimed at securing a truce deal between Israel and Hamas in devastated Gaza. But behind-the-scenes negotiations reached a stalemate earlier this month as Israel sent ground forces into Rafah.
Qatar condemned the Israeli bombing as a "dangerous violation of international law."
08:20 GMT — Egypt condemns Israel's 'deliberate bombardment' of Rafah displaced
Egypt condemned what it called the "deliberate bombardment by Israeli forces of displaced peoples' tents" in Rafah, in strikes which Gaza's civil defence agency said killed at least 40 people.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on Israel to "implement the measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning an immediate cessation of military operations" in Rafah.
The ministry condemned the strike as "a new flagrant violation of the provisions of international humanitarian law."
Jordan also expressed its condemnation, accusing Israel of committing "ongoing war crimes."
07:56 GMT — Spain, Ireland, Norway condemn Rafah attack, push for two-state solution
Israel's attack on Rafah that killed at least 40 Palestinians further heightened tensions with Spain, Ireland, and Norway reiterating their announcement to recognise the state of Palestine.
The bombing on Sunday has been widely condemned by the foreign ministers of three European countries, underscoring the urgency for a permanent ceasefire and a two-state solution.
Addressing a joint press conference in the Belgian capital Brussels, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide emphasised the "binding" nature of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling, which ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah.
He stressed that continuing warfare in Rafah constitutes "a breach of international law," highlighting the need for adherence to the ICJ's "compulsory" measures.
07:42 GMT — Civil defence says death toll from Israeli strikes on Rafah camp rises to 40
Palestinian civil defence agency in Gaza said that the death toll from Israeli air strikes on a camp housing displaced Palestinians near Rafah had risen to 40.
"The massacre committed by the Israeli occupation army in the refugee tents northwest of Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip has left 40 martyrs and 65 wounded," Mohammad al-Mughayyir, a senior official at the civil defence agency, told AFP news agency.
07:13 GMT — Labeling ICC prosecutor as 'anti-Semitic' unacceptable: EU foreign policy chief
Labeling the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court prosecutor as "anti-Semitic" is unacceptable, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said.
"We have to respect the work of this institution and let the court without intimidation decide what they think about this initiative…," Josep Borrell told reporters at the doorstep of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.
He also called for respecting the work of the ICC, saying the institution "has been strongly intimidated and accused of anti-Semitism."
"I think that the accusation of anti-Semitism against the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is completely not acceptable," Borrell stressed.
06:30 GMT — Israeli army blows up Palestinian vehicles in West Bank
The Israeli army blew up several Palestinian vehicles during a raid in the town of Kafr Dan near Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank.
An Israeli military force stormed the town early Monday, searching several homes, witnesses told Anadolu news agency.
Armed clashes erupted between armed Palestinians and the Israeli army, with explosions heard at various locations in the town, the witnesses added.
The army destroyed several vehicles belonging to Palestinians before withdrawing from Kafr Dan, they said.
05:10 GMT –– Media watchdog files ICC case over journalists' killings in Gaza
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it had filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court over Palestinian journalists killed or injured in Gaza.
RSF said it was asking the ICC's prosecutor to investigate alleged war crimes committed by the Israeli army against at least nine Palestinian reporters since December 15.
RSF said it had "reasonable grounds for thinking that some of these journalists were deliberately killed and that the others were the victims of deliberate IDF (Israel Defence Force) attacks against civilians."
This specific complaint –– the third the RSF has made –– concerns eight Palestinian journalists killed between December 20 and May 20, and one other who sustained injuries.
05:04 GMT –– Palestinian officials say dozens killed in Israeli strikes on Rafah
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority said Israeli strikes on a centre for displaced people killed dozens near the southern city of Rafah on Sunday, while the Israeli army said it had targeted Hamas fighters.
The health ministry in the territory said in a statement that the strikes "claimed the lives of 35 martyrs and left dozens injured, most of them children and women."
The government media office in Gaza earlier said the attack hit a centre run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees near Rafah, branding it a "horrific massacre."
04:23 GMT — Amnesty calls for war crimes probe of Israeli strikes in Gaza
Amnesty International has urged the International Criminal Court to investigate as war crimes three recent Israeli strikes that killed 44 Palestinian civilians, including 32 children.
Last week the prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan, applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Hamas leaders on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Amnesty said three Israeli strikes — one on the al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza on April 16, and two on Rafah in southern Gaza on April 19 and 20 — are "further evidence of a broader pattern of war crimes" committed by the Israeli military in Gaza.
03:34 GMT — Türkiye calls for increased recognition of Palestine
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized Sunday the need to increase efforts to convince more countries to recognize the state of Palestine.
Fidan said that postponing the recognition of Palestine does not solve the problem but rather gives Israel more time.
According to diplomatic sources, he delivered the message at the International Partners Meeting and a meeting on the implementation of the two-state solution, including the issue of recognizing Palestine held in Brussels within the framework of his discussions on the Palestinian issue.
02:30 GMT — Hundreds march in Senegal in support of Palestine
A demonstration in support of Palestine was held Sunday in Senegal’s capital, Dakar. Hundreds of people gathered on Malick Sy Avenue and marched to the Monument du Millenaire as part of the protest organised by the African Mediation, Governance and Conflict Resolution Organization and the Palestinian Embassy in Dakar.
Speaking to Anadolu, Jadallah said "there are significant and fundamental changes happening worldwide regarding the Palestinian issue."
"I believe that African countries will also strengthen their stance on the Palestinian issue over time," he said
For our live updates from Sunday, May 26, 2024, click here.
