al jazeeraIntense street battles continue in Gaza’s southern Rafah and northern Jabalia as Israeli troops advance into both areas, packed with terrified civilians.
Israel’s military says its Nahal Brigade joined a division of troops surrounding Rafah as it plans to attack “terror targets” deep in the city, adding that it will prevent “harm to the civilian population as much as possible”.
UN says displaced “families living among the rubble” after more than 800,000 Palestinians flee Rafah as Israeli forces attack.
Israeli officials react with outrage after Spain, Ireland and Norway announce their recognition of the State of Palestine, promising to continue the attack on Gaza and build new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
At least 35,709 people have been killed and 79,990 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack is 1,139 with dozens still held captive.
Israeli troops, who are laying siege to al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza, have forced dozens of doctors, nurses and paramedics to leave the facility. Al Jazeera spoke with Doctor Marwan Fwaihi as he evacuated the area on foot.
Here’s his account:
“We were at the hospital as usual. We never left at all. We never even thought of quitting on our patients and the wounded people.
“Four days ago, we were taken by surprise when the Israeli military besieged the hospital. They would not allow anyone inside. We stayed to care for the lives of our patients.
“We had 14 patients who we continued to give medical care to. Then today at 3 o’clock, the Israeli army forced nearly all of us from the hospital. The patients remained inside, with four medical staff and two paramedics to care for them.
“All of us have been ordered to leave the hospital and keep walking towards west Gaza. We are walking until we reach a safe area and find shelter.
“We want to reach a safe place and to shelter the medical staff who remained in al-Awda Hospital since October 7 until now. They never left, and now their homes are destroyed and they have nowhere to go.”
The US defence secretary told his Israeli counterpart that Washington strongly opposes a request submitted by International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan for arrest warrants to be issued against him and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
“Secretary Austin reiterated strong US objections to the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s outrageous application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders,” the Department of Defense readout said.
As part of Monday’s request, Khan also called for arrest warrants to be issued against three Hamas leaders – Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh – for alleged war crimes.
Earlier we reported that Austin had also “encouraged the Israeli government to conclude talks with Egypt to reopen Rafah Crossing and resume the flow of aid from Egypt” on his call with Gallant.
WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus has “urgently” called for the protection of patients, staff and civilians as Israeli forces have “invaded” the al-Awda Hospital, which has been under siege from Israel’s troops and tanks since Sunday.
In a post on social media, Tedros said 140 medical staff, patients and their civilian companions were inside the hospital when it was raided by Israeli soldiers earlier today.
Troops ordered everyone to leave except 12 members of staff, including the hospital director, 14 patients and eight companions.
Tedros appealed for those ordered to remain behind by Israeli forces to be protected and allowed to leave safely.
“WHO urgently calls for the protection of patients, companions and health workers inside the hospital and safe passage for their evacuation,” he said.
Earlier, the WHO chief said the Kamal Adwan Hospital, also in northern Gaza’s Jabalia area, was “no longer functioning” after all patients and staff were evacuated following multiple Israeli missile strikes on the facility on Wednesday.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is warning that Israel’s offensives in north and south Gaza, along with the closure of border crossing points, is “set to precipitate a humanitarian catastrophe and yet more hunger”.
The WFP said it is not able to access its main warehouse in Rafah due to ongoing hostilities, while the closure of the border crossings in the south means “barely any food or aid” is getting in.
“Humanitarian operations in Gaza are near collapse,” the agency said.
“There are currently no food distributions taking place in the south of Gaza except for some limited stocks that are given to community kitchens for hot meals. Fewer than 100 trucks have entered southern Gaza since 6 May.”
This marks the lowest amount of humanitarian goods to have entered Gaza since December, “making the risk of famine very real”, the agency added.
Mr.BadGuy
Publisher
Mr.BadGuy
Publisher
These soldiers are from a country whose president is a Jew Zelensky. Orthodox churches are also being destroyed in this country. Synagogues are not touched. Surprisingly, it turns out that Jews get along well with the Bandera Nazis.