Israel-Gaza live: More than 52,000 Palestinians ‘displaced by airstrikes’ as Biden shows support for ceasefire
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Your support makes all the difference.More than 52,000 Palestinians have been displaced by Israeli airstrikes, the United Nations aid agency said on Tuesday.
About 47,000 of the people displaced people have sought shelter in 58 UN-run schools in Gaza, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters, according to Reuters.
It comes as the Israeli army unleashed a fresh wave of airstrikes on Gaza overnight.
Israel’s army said it was once again targeting an underground “metro” system it says is being used by Hamas operatives to evade surveillance.
The residences of five Hamas commanders were also struck, with the Israeli military asserting that some of the homes had been used as command and control centres, while an anti-tank squad in Gaza City was also targeted.
On Monday, President Joe Biden expressed support for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas rulers in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The US leader stopped short of demanding an immediate end to the violence, but “expressed his support for a ceasefire” and “encouraged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians,” the White House said.
Mr Biden also renewed his “his firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks,” a readout of the call said.
At least 213 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes so far, including 61 children, with more than 1,400 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, ten people have been killed in Israel, including two children, Israeli authorities have said.
- A brief history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict
- Israel-Palestine map: Gaza’s conflict hotspots and a history of violence at the border
- Gaza ‘days away’ from blackout as fuel running out after week of bombardment
- ‘I lost my entire family, in an instant’: Miracle baby is sole survivor of Israeli airstrike that kills 10
Explosions light up sky as Israeli forces unleash fresh wave of airstrikes on Gaza
Explosions once again lit up the night sky in Gaza City as Israeli forces pounded the Palestinian enclave with a fresh wave of airstrikes overnight.
In the below photo captured by photographer Mahmud Hams, explosions can been seen as Israeli jets rained airstrikes down on the enclave in what the Israeli military said was a bid to further destroy an underground tunnel system it says is used by Hamas operatives.
The Israeli army said it also struck the residences of five Hamas commanders, as well as an anti-tank squad in Gaza City.
At least 212 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes so far, including 61 children, with more than 1,400 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Israel shells Lebanon after failed launches toward territory
The Israeli military says it fired artillery at Lebanon after six shells were sent from the country towards Northern Israel on Monday, falling short of crossing the border.
The military said it fired artillery at the “sources of the launches,” according to Reuters.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it had detected rocket fire from around Rashaya Al Foukhar in southern Lebanon.
“UNIFIL Head was immediately in contact with counterparts in the Lebanese army and IDF commands urging the parties to exercise maximum restraint in order to prevent any escalation of the situation. The IDF has now stopped the fire,” UNIFIL said on Twitter.
“The situation in the area is now calm,” it said.
So far, there have been no reports of casualties or damages.
Additional reporting by Reuters.
US blocks statement from UN Security council expressing ‘grave concern’ over conflict
For a third time on Monday, the United States blocked what would have otherwise been a unanimous statement from the 15-nation UN Security Council expressing “grave concern” over the deadly upsurge of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The US’s decision to reject the statement a third time has killed the effort for the time being.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki and national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the US was more focused on “quiet, intensive diplomacy”.
It came as US President Joe Biden expressed his support for calls for a ceasefire, but stopped short of demanding an end to the violence himself in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel thanks US for blocking security council statement demanding ceasefire
Israel has thanked the US for blocking a United Nations Security Council statement expressing “grave concern” over the upsurge in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this week and calling for an immediate ceasefire.
On Monday, the Biden administration rejected the draft of a statement that would have called for a deescalation of violence for a third time, killing the initiative for the time being.
On Monday afternoon, Israel’s defence minister, Benny Gantz, shared a tweet thanking the US for its actions.
Read his comments here:
Israel thanks US for blocking UN statement calling for immediate ceasefire in Gaza
Joe Biden tells Benjamin Netanyahu he supports end to fighting but stresses Israel’s right to self defence
Norwegian Refugee Council says eight children in psychosocial programme killed by airstrikes
The Norwegian Refugee Council has said that eight children involved in its psychosocial programme have been killed by Israeli airstrikes sine the start of the upsurge in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Eight children we work with in Gaza in our psychosocial programme have been killed by Israeli air strikes since start of hostilities,” the NRC tweeted on Tuesday.
The organisation said more details would follow.
At least 212 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes so far, including 61 children, with more than 1,400 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Ten people in Israel, including two children, have been killed.
Bel Trew’s ‘Ask Me Anything’: Our correspondent answers your Israel-Gaza conflict questions
As one of the most intense bouts of fighting ever recorded between the Israeli military and Hamas unfolds, our Middle East correspondent Bel Trew has held an ‘Ask Me Anything’, taking on questions from you, our readers.
You can read Bel’s answers to some of the biggest questions around the conflict here:
Bel Trew to answer your questions live on the Israel-Gaza conflict
The Independent’s Middle East correspondent Bel Trew will be answering your questions live about the ongoing situation in Israel and Palestine
EU expected to call for ceasefire in emergency video meeting
The European Union is expected to call for a ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Hamas at an emergency video meeting on Tuesday.
The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has convened a video call of the EU’s 27 foreign ministers starting from 1200 GMT.
“We have reached out to partners to see how we can defuse and contribute to stopping this very dangerous and worrying escalation of violence,” Mr Borrell’s spokesperson, Peter Stano, said, according to Reuters.
The EU is Israel’s biggest trade partner, as well as a major aid donor to Palestinians.
However, it has long taken a backseat role to the US in Middle East peace negotiations.
It is unclear how divides on stances on the conflict within the EU will impact the messaging of a call for a ceasefire from the meeting.
EU expected to call for ceasefire in emergency video meeting
The European Union is expected to call for a ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Hamas at an emergency video meeting on Tuesday.
The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has convened a video call of the EU’s 27 foreign ministers starting from 1200 GMT.
“We have reached out to partners to see how we can defuse and contribute to stopping this very dangerous and worrying escalation of violence,” Mr Borrell’s spokesperson, Peter Stano, said, according to Reuters.
The EU is Israel’s biggest trade partner, as well as a major aid donor to Palestinians.
However, it has long taken a backseat role to the US in Middle East peace negotiations.
It is unclear how divides on stances on the conflict within the EU will impact the messaging of a call for a ceasefire from the meeting.
More than 1,000 police deployed to Pro-Palestinian protest in Indonesia
More than 1,000 police were reportedly deployed to a pro-Palestinian protest outside the US Embassy in Indonesia on Tuesday.
Pro-Palestinian protesters marched to the heavily-guarded embassy to call for an end to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
Several hundred demonstrators gathered in the rally, with some waving Palestinian flags and signs that read “Free Palestine”, according to The Associated Press.
In response, hundreds of police were deployed around the compound, which is also blocked off with concrete road separators.
Biden administration approved sale of $735m in precision-guided weapons to Israel
The Biden administration approved the sale of $735m of precision-guided weapons to Israel days before the upsurge in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began.
The Washington Post has reported that Congress was officially notified of the proposed sale on 5 May, citing three people familiar with the notification — a week before the current fighting started.
Oliver O'Connell reports:
Democrats criticise Biden for approving $735m sale of precision-guided missiles to Israel
The Biden administration has approved the sale of $735m of precision-guided weapons to Israel, raising the ire of some Democrats who question support for the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
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