Thousands take to Tel Aviv streets, while Israeli military urges evacuation of more areas of Rafah amid strikes across Gaza
Welcome to our latest live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza and the wider crisis in the Middle East. Here’s a snapshot of the latest key developments.
Thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday demanding that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government do more to secure the release of hostages being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military’s new evacuation instructions suggest a coming offensive will take its forces into the centre of Rafah and on to a likely advance through the whole city. Israeli tanks were positioned on Saturday on Salahuddin Road, which divides central Rafah from the already evacuated eastern neighbourhoods, witnesses said.
Israel’s attacks on Saturday came as the UN warned an outright invasion of Rafah risked an “epic” disaster. Agence France-Presse journalists, medics and witnesses reported strikes across the strip. At least 21 people were killed during attacks in central Gaza and taken to al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah city, a hospital statement said.
Hamas on Saturday accused Israel of “expanding the incursion into Rafah to include new areas in the centre and the west of the city”. The Israeli army said troops were fighting “armed terrorists” at the Rafah crossing and had found “numerous underground tunnel shafts”.
Israel said 300,000 people had fled Rafah since receiving army warnings on Monday of an imminent military operation. Many have been displaced many times as they have fled successive Israeli offensives across Gaza. The people of Rafah were “exhausted, degraded, humiliated” after days of “relentless” bombardment, an official with the UN relief agency for Palestinians refugees (Unrwa) said.
The Biden administration is offering Israel “valuable assistance” in an attempt to stave off a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah, according to a report in the Washington Post. Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US pressure to hold off an attack on Rafah, saying Hamas has based most of its top leaders and remaining forces there.
The closure of the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, and the difficulties in reaching the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel because of the fighting, mean limited aid is reaching southern and central Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) seized the Rafah border crossing with Egypt last week in what it said was a “precise, targeted operation”; since then, prices for some basic necessities have soared. Though the Kerem Shalom crossing is open, it is too dangerous for aid agencies to collect supplies crossing from Israel.
Egypt has refused to coordinate with Israel on the entry of aid into Gaza from the Rafah crossing, citing Israel’s “unacceptable escalation”, Egyptian media has reported. Red Crescent sources in Egypt reportedly said shipments had completely halted.
Hamas’s armed wing said the British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell died of injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike more than a month ago. Popplewell, 51, was a captive taken from kibbutz Nirim and a video previously showed him displaying visible signs of physical abuse.
At least 34,971 Palestinians have been killed and 78,641 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said on Saturday.
US President Joe Biden said on Saturday a ceasefire would be achieved “tomorrow” if Hamas released the hostages. According to Israeli authorities, 128 individuals are reported to remain in captivity within the Palestinian territory, with 36 confirmed as dead. Israeli officials told the Ynet news site that hostage and ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas had not completely broken down. Indirect talks would resume “if there are answers from Hamas that we can work with”, the officials told the site. Hamas said on Friday that efforts to find a deal on a truce were back at square one after Israel rejected a plan from international mediators
Continue reading…Thousands take to Tel Aviv streets, while Israeli military urges evacuation of more areas of Rafah amid strikes across GazaWelcome to our latest live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza and the wider crisis in the Middle East. Here’s a snapshot of the latest key developments.Thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday demanding that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government do more to secure the release of hostages being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The Israeli military’s new evacuation instructions suggest a coming offensive will take its forces into the centre of Rafah and on to a likely advance through the whole city. Israeli tanks were positioned on Saturday on Salahuddin Road, which divides central Rafah from the already evacuated eastern neighbourhoods, witnesses said.Israel’s attacks on Saturday came as the UN warned an outright invasion of Rafah risked an “epic” disaster. Agence France-Presse journalists, medics and witnesses reported strikes across the strip. At least 21 people were killed during attacks in central Gaza and taken to al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah city, a hospital statement said.Hamas on Saturday accused Israel of “expanding the incursion into Rafah to include new areas in the centre and the west of the city”. The Israeli army said troops were fighting “armed terrorists” at the Rafah crossing and had found “numerous underground tunnel shafts”.Israel said 300,000 people had fled Rafah since receiving army warnings on Monday of an imminent military operation. Many have been displaced many times as they have fled successive Israeli offensives across Gaza. The people of Rafah were “exhausted, degraded, humiliated” after days of “relentless” bombardment, an official with the UN relief agency for Palestinians refugees (Unrwa) said.The Biden administration is offering Israel “valuable assistance” in an attempt to stave off a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah, according to a report in the Washington Post. Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US pressure to hold off an attack on Rafah, saying Hamas has based most of its top leaders and remaining forces there.The closure of the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, and the difficulties in reaching the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel because of the fighting, mean limited aid is reaching southern and central Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) seized the Rafah border crossing with Egypt last week in what it said was a “precise, targeted operation”; since then, prices for some basic necessities have soared. Though the Kerem Shalom crossing is open, it is too dangerous for aid agencies to collect supplies crossing from Israel.Egypt has refused to coordinate with Israel on the entry of aid into Gaza from the Rafah crossing, citing Israel’s “unacceptable escalation”, Egyptian media has reported. Red Crescent sources in Egypt reportedly said shipments had completely halted.Hamas’s armed wing said the British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell died of injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike more than a month ago. Popplewell, 51, was a captive taken from kibbutz Nirim and a video previously showed him displaying visible signs of physical abuse.At least 34,971 Palestinians have been killed and 78,641 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said on Saturday.US President Joe Biden said on Saturday a ceasefire would be achieved “tomorrow” if Hamas released the hostages. According to Israeli authorities, 128 individuals are reported to remain in captivity within the Palestinian territory, with 36 confirmed as dead. Israeli officials told the Ynet news site that hostage and ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas had not completely broken down. Indirect talks would resume “if there are answers from Hamas that we can work with”, the officials told the site. Hamas said on Friday that efforts to find a deal on a truce were back at square one after Israel rejected a plan from international mediators Continue reading…