Results for: Gaza Strip

Israeli warplanes have launched a fierce assault on the northern Gaza Strip for a second day, shattering weeks of relative calm. Israel has announced plans for an all-out assault on Rafah in the south, prompting warnings from Western countries. The offensive has killed at least 79 Palestinians in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health authorities, and displaced thousands more. Residents are fleeing for their lives as Israeli forces target areas from where Hamas-aligned militants have fired rockets into Israel.

Germany has announced that it will resume cooperation with the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) following an independent review. The review found that Israel had not provided evidence to support its claim that hundreds of UNRWA staff were members of terrorist groups. Israel had alleged that UNRWA employees were involved in attacks that triggered the war in the Gaza Strip in January. Germany, along with several other donor states, suspended funding to UNRWA in the wake of these allegations. However, following the release of the review’s findings, Germany and other countries have resumed funding. The review highlighted some neutrality-related issues at UNRWA, including staff sharing biased political posts on social media and the use of some textbooks with problematic content. Germany has called for the implementation of the review’s recommendations without delay.

Satellite images reveal a surge in tent construction near Khan Younis in southern Gaza, coinciding with Israeli threats of a ground offensive in Rafah. The tent city, previously damaged in Israeli military actions, suggests preparations to evacuate over one million Palestinian refugees. Prime Minister Netanyahu hints at an impending offensive to free hostages, but the IDF faces challenges in breaching Hamas’ extensive tunnel network, highlighting the ongoing complexities of the conflict.

Recent satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press indicate the construction of a new tent complex near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. This development coincides with ongoing Israeli military signals of an impending offensive on the city of Rafah. Khan Younis has faced repeated Israeli military operations in recent weeks. Israel has stated its intention to evacuate civilians from Rafah prior to the anticipated offensive, which has seen hundreds of thousands seeking refuge in the southern city during the ongoing seven-month war.

An independent review led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna has concluded that Israel has not provided sufficient evidence to support its allegations that employees of the UN relief agency UNRWA are members of terrorist organizations. The review was launched following a series of accusations by Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, who claimed that UNRWA was being used as a cover for terrorist activities in the Gaza Strip. However, the review found that there was no evidence to support these claims. The report also stated that UNRWA plays a vital role in providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees and that any attempt to undermine the agency’s work would have serious consequences for the region.

Satellite images analyzed by the Associated Press reveal a new compound of tents being built near Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. The construction comes amid Israeli threats of an offensive targeting the city of Rafah, where half of Gaza’s population has fled. The Israeli military denies involvement in the tent construction, which has been attributed to Egypt by the Haaretz newspaper. Prime Minister Netanyahu has threatened “additional painful blows” against Hamas over the stalled negotiations for releasing hostages held in Gaza, potentially including an attack on Rafah. The US has expressed concerns about civilian safety and urged Israel to avoid mass evacuations from the city.

Major-General Yehuda Fox, a senior Israeli military officer, plans to resign in August following the failure of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to effectively stop Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Fox’s resignation is the second high-profile departure of a military commander in recent days, following the resignation of Major-General Aharon Haliva, head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate.

An external investigation commissioned by the UN has found no evidence to support Israel’s claims that a significant number of workers for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip have ties to terrorist groups.

Israeli families gathered at hostage memorial centers ahead of the Passover festival, marking Jewish freedom from slavery, while the fate of 130 hostages held in Gaza remains unknown. A mass grave of nearly 300 people was discovered in Khan Younis, casting a shadow over the joyous celebration.

An Israeli attack on the Gaza city of Rafah killed a pregnant Palestinian woman and her family. Her baby girl was delivered via emergency C-section and is in stable condition. The attack also killed 13 children from another family. The Israeli military claims to have struck militant targets, but the victims were mostly civilians.