Live blog: Multiple deaths as Israeli strike hits Gaza ministry building

Thursday May 23, 2024

1816 GMT — At least 12 Palestinians, including children and women, were killed, and others injured as Israeli warplanes struck a government facility housing displaced residents in Deir al Balah in central Gaza.

A medical source reported that the dead, along with a large number of injuries, were taken to the Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital after the air strike targeted a Ministry of Social Development building.

The facility serves as a shelter for a considerable number of displaced residents, according to witnesses, who reported that medical teams and civil defence units were engaged in a search for casualties at the target area.

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1837 GMT — Venezuela condemns Israeli aggression in Palestine

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has strongly condemned Israeli actions in Palestine, describing them as “genocide.”

Addressing a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Gil reiterated his country's stance on Palestine and emphasised the robust and friendly relationship between Venezuela and Türkiye.

Speaking after the 4th meeting of the Türkiye-Venezuela Joint Cooperation Commission, Gil stated: "Venezuela unequivocally recognises Palestine as an independent, free country. We oppose the genocide being committed against the Palestinian people and demand accountability for these crimes."

1816 GMT — Growing recognition of Palestinian state 'isolating Israel and allies': Turkish FM

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said the growing recognition of the Palestinian state is isolating Israel and its allies.

"The increasing number of countries recognising Palestine, especially in Europe, is isolating Israel and its supporters more and more," Hakan Fidan said at a joint press conference with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil.

"It is time for the international community to set aside its silence and take steps to stop the genocide perpetrated by Israel's racist and fundamentalist regime, both diplomatically and through the implementation of decisions taken," he said.

1810 GMT — CIA director to meet Mossad head in bid to revive Gaza talks: Axios

Central Intelligence Agency Director Williams Burns will shortly travel to Europe for a meeting with Mossad director David Barnea to try to revive talks on the hostages in Gaza, Axios has said, citing US and Israeli officials.

1757 GMT — US does not recognise ICC jurisdiction: Biden

The United States does not recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas, US President Joe Biden has said.

1732 GMT — UN warns of widespread hunger in Gaza without 'massive' aid flow

The UN has warned of the dire situation in Gaza, saying that without a substantial amount of aid, hunger and desperation will rapidly spread.

"OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) warns that if aid does not begin to enter Gaza in massive quantities, desperation and hunger will spread," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Noting that the "closure of the Rafah crossing and limited functionality of Karem Shalom in the south have choked off the flow of life-saving supplies," he noted that the World Food Program (WFP) announced it could not distribute food in the south of Gaza.

1621 GMT — Israel 'unprepared' to sign off on Gaza ceasefire deal: Egyptian source

An Egyptian source has revealed that Israel is not prepared to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza, according to the Cairo News channel.

"The Israeli position is still not ready for a ceasefire and hostage swap deal," said the high-level source, who requested anonymity, but did not provide specific reasons for Tel Aviv’s reluctance.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli government directed negotiators to resume talks on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage swap deal, according to media reports.

1620 GMT — UN resumes transporting aid from US-built pier in Gaza

The United Nations has resumed transporting humanitarian aid arriving at a US-built pier off the coast of Gaza after deliveries were halted for two days because some truckloads of aid were intercepted.

The UN is coordinating aid distribution at the floating dock, but has remained adamant that aid deliveries by land are the "most viable, effective and efficient" way to combat the humanitarian crisis in the enclave of 2.3 million people.

The UN has said at least 500 trucks a day are needed to enter Gaza.

1553 GMT — Position of Arab world on Gaza 'almost unanimous': Bahraini king

The May 16 Arab League summit marked a rare but "almost unanimous" agreement among Arab countries regarding the situation in Gaza, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has said.

Speaking at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, the Bahraini monarch said Arab countries achieved "complete understanding and agreement" on the need to hold an international peace conference on Gaza.

"Russia will be the first country I will turn to for support on this initiative because Russia plays an important role, can promote it, and has great authority worldwide. I hope this conference will take place in Bahrain," he said.

1552 GMT — Senior security official killed in Israeli drone attack: Gaza Interior Ministry

A senior Palestinian security official was killed in an Israeli drone attack in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Interior Ministry in the enclave.

“Major General Diya al Din al Shurafa, Assistant Commander of the National Security Forces in Gaza, was assassinated by an Israeli occupation drone,” the ministry confirmed in a statement.

“He was assassinated during a field inspection in the Saraya area in central Gaza City on Thursday morning,” it said.

1541 GMT — Gaza's children face dire situation due to aid blockade: UNICEF

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned about the dire situation facing children in Gaza due to blocked aid routes and intensified military offensive by Israel.

"Children in Gaza continue to pay a catastrophic price from blocked aid routes and intensified military operations and fighting in Rafah and beyond, which have paralyzed the only pediatric hospital in north Gaza able to provide nutrition services," Executive Director Catherine Russell wrote on X.

Saying the children in Gaza, "who have survived over 7 months of war in Gaza are at ever growing risk of dying from malnutrition and dehydration," Russell stressed that severe acute malnutrition can result in irreversible cognitive and physical damage in small children.

"No child should die from starvation," she said.

1537 GMT — Over 120 rights organisations urge US president to respect ICC independence

A total of 121 human rights and civil society groups have called on US President Joe Biden to respect and support the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to reject sanctions threatened against the court’s officials.

The groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, highlighted the ICC's role in ensuring justice for grave international crimes in a letter to Biden.

They urged the Biden administration to denounce recent threats by some US lawmakers to sanction ICC officials if arrest warrants were pursued against top Israeli officials accused of war crimes in Gaza.

1421 GMT — Communicable diseases on rise in Gaza: UNRWA

The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has said there is an increase in communicable diseases in Gaza, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).

"@WHO reports communicable diseases, including diarrhoea and suspected hepatitis A, are on the rise in #Gaza," UNRWA wrote on X.

"We need a #CeasefireNow," it said, stressing it continues to provide health care, "but overcrowded shelters and limited sanitation due to forced displacement pose severe health risks."

1405 GMT — Gaza hospital under Israeli siege for fifth day: medic

A senior official at al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza said it was under Israeli military siege for a fifth straight day, after soldiers stormed it the previous day.

"We are still under siege for the fifth day in a row," the hospital's acting director, Dr Mohammad Saleh, said.

"Soldiers are present in the hospital's courtyard and in nearby houses," he said, adding that there was "continuous gunfire and shelling" towards it.

1356 GMT — Gaza death toll reaches 35,800 as Israel steps up offensive

The Palestinian death toll has mounted to 35,800 amid relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza since last Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave has said.

At least 80,200 people have also been injured in the Israeli offensive, the ministry added in a statement.

"The Israeli army killed 91 people and injured 210 others in nine ‘massacres’ against families in the last 24 hours," the ministry said. "Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them," it added.

1322 GMT — Egypt still committed to Gaza truce talks: sources

Egypt remains committed to helping negotiate a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza despite doubts about its mediation role, and it is in touch with Israel about setting dates for new talks, two Egyptian security sources have said.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been attempting over months of stop-start talks to strike a phased agreement between Israel and Hamas that would lead to a truce in Gaza and the gradual release of Israeli hostages held in the territory.

On Wednesday, Egypt indicated it might withdraw from its role as a mediator amid tensions related to the stalling of previous talks and Israel's military assault in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

1301 GMT — Thirty soldiers injured in last two days in Gaza: Israeli army

The Israeli army has said that 30 soldiers had been injured in fighting in the last two days.

A military statement said the toll included 22 soldiers injured in Gaza. No information was provided, however, about where the rest of the soldiers had been wounded.

1238 GMT — UN expert urges Israel to investigate reports of mistreated Palestinian detainees

A United Nations expert has called on Israel to investigate multiple allegations of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Palestinian detainees in the wake of the Oct. 7 operation by the resistance group Hamas.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, said in a statement that she had received allegations of people being beaten, kept in cells blindfolded and handcuffed for long periods.

There was no immediate reaction from the Israeli government or military.

1147 GMT — Israel won't be deterred from war on Gaza: official

Israel will not be deterred from pursuing its war on Gaza, an Israeli government spokesperson has said ahead of an International Court of Justice decision on South Africa's request for an order to halt military actions in the besieged enclave.

"No power on Earth will stop Israel from protecting its citizens and going after Hamas in Gaza," the spokesperson, Avi Hyman, told reporters when asked whether Israel would comply with a possible ICJ ruling against it on Friday.

1036 GMT — Israel expecting ICJ injunctions to halt its brutal war on Gaza

Israel expects that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will order a halt to Israel’s deadly offensive in Gaza, according to local media.

Israeli legal experts assess that there is a high probability the ICJ will issue injunctions on Friday, an Israeli diplomatic source told Israel Hayom newspaper.

He said the court could either order a cessation of Israeli military assaults in Rafah or seek a halt to the Gaza war through court injunctions.

0900 GMT — Israel orders negotiating team to resume Gaza ceasefire talks

The Israeli government has instructed its negotiating team to resume negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage swap deal, according to local media.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the War Cabinet ordered the negotiating team “to continue negotiations for the return of the hostages.”

Army Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, one of the negotiators, presented an updated plan during a War Cabinet meeting after Netanyahu rejected a previous proposal on Saturday, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

0830 GMT — Israeli forces kill dozens as they push deeper across Gaza

Israeli forces killed 35 Palestinians in aerial and ground bombardments across Gaza and battled in close combat with Hamas-led fighters in areas of the southern city of Rafah, health officials and local media said.

Israeli tanks advanced in Rafah's southeast, edged towards the city's western district of Yibna and continued to operate in three eastern suburbs, residents said.

"The occupation (Israeli forces) is trying to move further to the west, they are on the edge of Yibna, which is densely populated. They didn't invade it yet," one resident said, asking not to be named.

"We hear explosions and we see black smoke coming up from the areas where the army has invaded. It was another very difficult night," he told Reuters via a chat app.

0829 GMT — World Court to rule on Friday on measures over Israel's Rafah offensive

The International Court of Justice will rule on Friday May 24 on South Africa's request to order a halt to Israel's Rafah offensive in Gaza, it said.

In hearings last week South Africa had asked the ICJ, also known as the World Court, to order a halt to Israel's offensive in Gaza, and in Rafah in particular, to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.

The demand for such an emergency measure is part of a larger case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide.

Israel has denounced South Africa's claim that it is violating the 1948 Genocide Convention, saying it makes a mockery of the crime of genocide. The court has previously rejected Israel's demand to throw out the case and has ordered it to prevent acts of genocide against the Palestinians.

0755 GMT — 1 killed, 3 injured in Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon

One person was killed and three others were injured in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, according to local media.

The attack targeted a highway between the towns of KafrDajjal and Nabatieh, the state-run National News Agency reported.

There was no Israeli comment on the strike.

0733 GMT — Death toll from Israeli raid in Jenin rises to 12

The death toll of Palestinians from the Israeli incursion in Jenin, the northern occupied West Bank, rose to 12 in addition to 25 others injured.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said Mustafa Jabareen, 31, succumbed to the wounds he sustained from Israeli fire, bringing the tally to 12, including four children killed since the start of the Israeli "operation".

0644 GMT — Israeli army raids al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia, forces medical staff to leave

The al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia in northern Gaza said the Israeli army raided the hospital and forced its medical staff to leave following a four-day siege.

In a statement, the hospital said the medical staff were forced to leave toward the western Gaza City area after one of the medical staff was arrested by the Israeli army.

It added that 14 of the medical staff remained in the hospital, with 11 injured people and their escorts who were unable to leave the hospital without ambulances.

0630 GMT — 9 killed in Israeli air strike on school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza City

At least nine Palestinians were reported killed in an Israeli air strike on a shelter school in eastern Gaza City.

The nine Palestinians, including children and women, were killed in the Israeli air strike on the school that was sheltering displaced Palestinians in the al-Daraj neighborhood, and their bodies were brought to the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, a medical source told Anadolu.

Meanwhile, in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza, an Israeli air strike on a home for the Shehab family left eight Palestinians killed, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

0321 GMT — WHO chief urgently calls for protection of patients amid reports Gaza hospital under siege

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for the protection of patients and health workers at al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza amid reports that it has been under siege by Israeli forces since May 19.

"Earlier today, al-Awda Hospital in northern #Gaza was reportedly invaded," Tedros said on X, noting that a total of 140 hospital staff, patients and their companions were inside at the time.

He noted that 12 hospital staff, including the hospital director, 14 patients and eight companions were ordered to stay behind, while the rest were ordered to evacuate and did so.

0300 GMT — Israel kills 25 Palestinians, including 10+ minors, in Gaza

Israeli military has killed at least 17 Palestinians, including more than 10 children, and wounded dozens after targeting two homes in Gaza City and Rafah. In the Al-Nuseirat camp, the Israeli military killed eight Palestinians.

Local sources reported that 16 Palestinians, including 10 children, were killed and several citizens were wounded due to an Israeli air strike on a house in the Al-Daraj neighbourhood in central Gaza City.

Additionally, sources reported one Palestinian killed after Israeli forces targeted a house in Rafah, south of Gaza, belonging to the Al-Sha'er family.

Early on Thursday morning, Israeli forces targeted a house in Al-Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, killing eight Palestinians. Witnesses said the bombardment resulted in the destruction of a house belonging to al-Shami family and caused significant damage to the homes of residents in the adjacent area, which shelters displaced people.

They said medical teams and civil defence personnel are still searching for the dead and wounded at the site.

0125 GMT — Israelis rally near Netanyahu's office, seeking hostage deal

Hundreds of Israelis have protested in front of hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office during the convening of the war council, demanding the release of hostages in Gaza.

Protests also erupted in several Israeli cities after a video was published showing Hamas fighters capturing female Israeli soldiers at a military base in the Nahal Oz settlement adjacent to Gaza fence on October 7 last year.

Hamas said in a statement that "the video clip being circulated in the Israeli media is a manipulated and edited segment, and the authenticity of its content cannot be verified."

It added that "the circulation of this clip at this time comes in the context of the occupation's failed attempts to tarnish the image of our brave resistance by spreading fabricated narratives that have been proven false through various forums and media investigations."

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that war council members Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkot and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant met with families of the hostages before it convened, but Netanyahu did not respond to their request for a meeting.

2100 GMT –– Colombia to open embassy in Ramallah as Israel torments Gaza

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro has ordered the opening of an embassy in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo told journalists.

At the beginning of this month, Petro, who has criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and requested to join South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, said he would cut diplomatic relations with Israel over its war in Gaza.

"President Petro has given the order that we open the Colombian embassy in Ramallah, the representation of Colombia in Ramallah, that is the next step we are going to take," Murillo said on Wednesday.

Ramallah serves as the administrative capital of the Palestinian state.

2000 GMT –– Egypt again rejects Israel's plans to push Gaza residents to Sinai

Egypt has renewed its rejection of Israel's plans to displace Gaza residents to Sinai and held Tel Aviv responsible for preventing the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.

"Egypt firmly rejects Israel's plans to relocate Gaza residents to Sinai," Egypt's Al-Qahera news channel reported, quoting a high-level source.

"Egypt will not allow Israel' s ambitions to be realised in Palestinian territories at its expense," the source stressed, adding: "Israel must review Egypt's accumulated aid shipments at the Karem Abu Salem crossing, which exceed 500 trucks, before accusing Egypt of preventing aid from entering the enclave."

He clarified that "statements by some Israeli officials that the problem lies in Egypt not allowing Gaza residents to enter its territories confirm Israel's intentions and plans to relocate Palestinians to Sinai, which Egypt firmly rejects."

1915 GMT –– UCLA police chief reassigned after attack on pro-Palestine protesters

The police chief for the University of California at Los Angeles has been removed from his post three weeks after campus officials came under fire for their handling of a violent, overnight mob attack on pro-Palestine activists encamped at UCLA.

John Thomas, who was formally appointed UCLA police chief in January, has been "reassigned temporarily, pending an examination of our security processes," Vice Chancellor Mary Osako said in a statement.

Campus police Captain Gawin Gibson was named UCLA's acting chief of police effective on Tuesday, Osako said.

Thomas and other university officials, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department, drew criticism for their response to violence that flared at UCLA between pro-Palestinian activists and a group who attacked them late on the night of April 30.

For our live updates from Tuesday, May 22, click here.