Every ten minutes, a child is killed in Gaza, as Israeli airstrikes continue

Every ten minutes, a child is killed in Gaza, as Israeli airstrikes continue
The Head of Gaza’s media office Salama Maarouf has said that every ten minutes a child is killed in Gaza amid relentless Israeli airstrikes.
22 min read
04 November, 2023

Israel's war on Gaza enters a 30th day on Saturday with continued intense aerial bombardment and ground attack on the besieged Palestinian enclave. 

The death toll is now nearing 9500, with almost 4000 children killed, which means that every ten minutes, a child is killed in the Gaza strip, as pointed out by the head of Gaza's media office Salama Maarouf.

This grim reflection comes as the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said in a statement on Saturday that one of its ambulances had been struck "by a missile fired by the Israeli forces", about two metres (6.5 feet) from the entrance to Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City.

The strike on Friday killed 15 people and wounded 60 others, it said, mirroring figures released earlier by the health ministry.

According to the PRCS, the convoy of five ambulances left Al-Shifa hospital shortly after 4:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) and headed south towards to Rafah crossing, through which the injured are being evacuated for treatment in Egypt hospitals.

The convoy, consisting of four ambulances from the health ministry and one belonging to the PRCS, had to turn back after hitting a stretch of road "blocked by large quantities of rubble and rocks" due to shelling, the statement said.

As the ambulances headed back towards the hospital, a first "missile" strike hit a health ministry ambulance, damaging the vehicle and injuring the people inside, according to the PRCS.

A second deadly strike hit the PRCS ambulance, carrying a wounded woman, as it approached Al-Shifa's gates, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

It said: "The deliberate targeting of medical teams constitutes a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions, a war crime."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement he was "horrified by the attack on the ambulance convoy outside Al-Shifa hospital". He added that the deadly attacks "must stop". 

However, the chanes of it stopping any time soon are unlikely. US Secretary of State of Anthony Blinken was today in Jordan meeting with Arab foreign ministers where he doubled down on the US position opposing a ceasefire, claiming Hamas will benefit from it. 
 

This concludes The New Arab's live coverage
12:12 AM
The New Arab Staff

TNA’s live coverage of the latest from the war on Gaza concludes for today.

Join us again at 0800 GMT for updates from the besieged Palestinian enclave.

51 killed in Israeli bombing of Gaza's Maghazi camp
11:31 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

51 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and scores wounded in an Israeli bombardment of Gaza's Maghazi camp, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

 

UK aims to brand anyone 'undermining' country as extremist
10:53 PM
The New Arab Staff

The British government seeks to expand the definition of extremism to include anyone who 'undermines'  the country’s institutions and its values, a report issued by The Observer newspaper says.

The news publication unveiled documents from cabinet minister Michael Gove's Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, where they listed organisations that plans to 'overturn or undermine' the UK.

The organisations that are named include Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), Palestine Action and Mend (Muslim Engagement and Development)- who would be “captured” by the new definition.

Rights groups such as Index on Censorship and Liberty have criticised that the move may threaten freedom of speech and permits the government to "crack down on community groups, charities or faith groups they disagree with."

Lebanese PM calls for end of ‘Israeli aggression’
10:43 PM
The New Arab Staff

Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati has said that Israeli “aggression” against southern Lebanon must immediately be stopped.

Mikati added that “the priority of working to reach a ceasefire in Gaza” is needed due to Israel’s “scorched earth policy by using internationally banned weapons to continue causing more human losses and destroying southern regions and towns”. 

“Lebanon … calls on the international community to pressure Israel to stop the daily encroachments and violations on its land and sovereignty on land, sea and air,” he said.

The prime minister's comments follows his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jordan's capital of Amman.

Northern Gaza hit by Israeli air strikes
9:50 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

In the Tel al-Zaatar neighbourhood in the Jabalia refugee camp, located north of the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have destroyed the area's main water well destroyed by Israeli forces.

The water well in the region is responsible for providing water to thousands of houses.

The attack follows two residential houses that have been largely destroyed by Israel in al-Maghazi refugee camp.

Protesters slam Biden at pro-Palestinian march in Washington
9:42 PM
The New Arab Staff

Thousands of protesters in the US capital of Washington DC have called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid Israel's relentless bombing campaign, with some slamming President Joe Biden's support for Washington's closest ally.

The rally, at which demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and wore the traditional keffiyeh scarf, was the largest protest in Washington since the beginning of the Gaza-Israel conflict on October 7.

"Free, free Palestine," and "End the siege on Gaza now," the protesters shouted.

Other slogans targeted the US president: "Biden, Biden you can't hide, you signed off on genocide" and "We say no, Genocide Joe."

Biden says progress on humanitarian pause in Gaza war
9:31 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

US President Joe Biden has said that progress had been made on securing a so-called "humanitarian pause" in the ongoing Gaza-Israel conflict, as his secretary of state has been working on the same issue in the Middle East.

When asked if any progress had been made on the issue, Biden replied "yes" as he left a church in Delaware and offered a thumbs up before getting into his vehicle. He did not give any further details.

 US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has also told reporters in Amman that a humanitarian pause in the fighting would help protect civilians and get more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Iran protests for Palestinians
9:18 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

In Iran's capital of Tehran, demonstrators have gathered in front of the former US embassy chanting "Down with USA" and "Down with Israel".

They set ablaze an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu as well as the US and Israel flags in front of flag-waving crowds.

The demonstrations come on the Islamic Republic's 'day of the fight against global arrogance', as November 4 marks the day of the 1979 takeover of the US embassy.

Clashes kick off near east of Khan Younis
8:57 PM
The New Arab Staff

Violent clashes have erupted at east of the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, between Palestinian fighters and Israeli forces, a source told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The source from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) armed wing has said that clashes are taking place in a nearby distance from Israeli forces.

They also claimed that the Al-Quds Brigade has targeted Israeli military vehicles that were heading east of Khan Yunis.

Israeli strike at Gaza shelter killed 15: hospital head
8:51 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

An Israeli air strike on a UN-run school sheltering displaced people in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza killed 15 people and injured dozens more, Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, the head of al-Shifa Hospital, has said.

"There are 15 martyrs and the number is expected to increase," said Abu Selmeyah, who is also an official in the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave.

(Reuters)

Worms found in wounds of patients due to lack of products
8:30 PM
The New Arab Staff

A Gaza-based health professional has said that Palestinian patients have worms in wounds due to a lack of bacterial products, Al Jazeera reports.

Ahmed Mokhallalati, a British plastic surgeon who currently works in Gaza's al-Shifa hospital, has told the broadcaster that he has seen more cases of patients with worms in their wounds due to the lack of antiseptic or bacterial products available. 

In just under a month of Israel's heavy attacks across Gaza, bombings have driven more than half the besieged territory’s 2.3 million people from their homes, while food, water and fuel run low.

At least seven Palestinians killed by Israel on Jabalia camp
8:08 PM
The New Arab Staff

At least seven Palestinians have been killed and many other civilians are wounded, following an Israeli air strike targetting a house in northern Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Wafa news agency reports. 

Israel has bombarded Jabalia camp multiple times recently - where it is home to over 100,000 people. 

The Palestinian health ministry has said that 9,572 civilians have been killed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza since October 7, and over 26,000 Palestinians are injured. 

Dual nationals and foreigners evacuation suspended: source
8:03 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Hamas has suspended the evacuation of foreign passport holders and dual nationals from Gaza to Egypt- after Israel refused to allow some wounded Palestinians to be evacuated to Egyptian hospitals, a border official said.

"No foreign passport holder will be able to leave the Gaza Strip until wounded people who need to be evacuated from hospitals in north Gaza are transported through the Rafah crossing" to Egypt, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Hostages missing due to Israeli airstrikes: Hamas
7:59 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The armed wing of Palestinian group Hamas has claimed that more than 60 hostages are missing because of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, also said on Hamas' telegram account that 23 bodies of Israeli hostages were trapped under the rubble.

"It seems that we will never be able to reach them due to the continued brutal aggression of the occupation against Gaza," he said.

US: Bernie Sanders calls for 'pause' in Gaza conflict
7:34 PM
The New Arab Staff

US senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has released a video on X, to call for 'pauses' to Israel's ongoing attacks across the besieged Gaza Strip.

The US senator for Vermont argued for "Israel's right to defend itself"- however he added that Israel's heavy bombardments on key facilities such as refugee camps and hospitals is in "violation of international law" and "not acceptable".

Sanders added that it is "no great secret that the United States provides $3.8 billion every year to Israel" and that Israel "cannot offend American values".

Sanders urged for a 'pause' in the bombing to spare civilians and bring aid to Gaza, echoing Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's support for 'humanitarian pauses', instead of an immediate ceasefire.

News agency calls for investigation over strike on Gaza
7:30 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
News agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) has called on Israel for "an in-depth and transparent investigation" into the exact involvement of its army after a strike severely damaged its office in Gaza City, which has been shelled for weeks.
 

AFP "has taken note of the recent statements from the Israeli army spokesman concerning 'an army strike nearby (the AFP office) that might have caused debris'," it said in a statement.

However, "this statement on its own does not explain the extent of the damage caused to the AFP bureau", located on the top floors of an 11-storey building, it said of Thursday's incident.

"A strike on the offices of an international news agency sends a deeply troubling message to all the journalists working in such difficult conditions in Gaza," said AFP chairman and CEO Fabrice Fries.

"It is essential that all efforts are made to protect media in Gaza," he added.

More major cities join demands for Gaza ceasefire
6:38 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

 Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have staged protests in London, Manchester, Washington, Berlin, Paris, Ankara and Istanbul to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and castigate Israel after its military intensified its assault against the occupied territory.

In major cities such as London, television footage showed large crowds holding sit-down protests blocking parts of the city centre, before marching to Trafalgar Square.

In central Paris, thousands marched to call for a ceasefire with placards reading "Stop the cycle of violence" and "To do nothing, to say nothing is to be complicit."

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Istanbul and Ankara, a day before a visit to Turkey by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for talks on Gaza.

Israelis campaign for ceasefire and Netanyahu resignation
6:23 PM
The New Arab Staff

Israeli activists have gathered in the streets of Tel Aviv and occupied Jerusalem to protest against the Israeli government as a result of the ongoing Gaza-Israel conflict.

Protesters are seen to call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an immediate ceasefire and the return of the hostages held by Hamas, following the October 7 attack.

In Jerusalem, campaigners have also been filmed protesting outside Netanyahu's official residence, urging him to resign.

"Bibi is a murderer," cried out certain protesters, as they waved Israeli flags. 

Every ten minutes, a child is killed in Gaza
5:46 PM
The New Arab Staff

Head of Gaza’s media office Salama Maarouf is speaking to reporters and providing figures about the number of deaths, injuries, and more, according to Al Jazeera

Maarouf says at least 9,500 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, including 3,900 children.

“These numbers mean … every 10 minutes, one child is killed,” he said.

He reported some 24,158 injuries and said Israeli air strikes were “not restricted to a particular group” and also targeted paramedics and journalists. At least 46 journalists have been killed, according to the Gaza media office.

Maarouf said the health sector in particular “suffered several blows” with Israeli strikes putting 16 hospitals out of service as well as 32 other medical care facilities.

Three Palestinians killed by Israeli airstrike on Rafah farm
5:21 PM
The New Arab Staff

Three Palestinian civilians were killed, with a fourth suffering critical injuries,  in an Israeli airstrike targeting a poultry farm in Rafah on Saturday evening, according to WAFA.

Israeli warplanes targeted a group of civilians working in a poultry farm located east of Rafah. The strike resulted in the tragic death of three Palestinians and left one person severely injured, the occupied West Bank news outlet reported. 

US Rep. Tlaib accuses Biden of supporting genocide in Gaza
5:09 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

US Representative Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress, has accused President Joe Biden of supporting a "genocide" against Palestinians and warned of repercussions in next year's election.

In a video posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday, the Democratic Congresswoman from Michigan repeated her calls for Biden to back a ceasefire in the almost month-long Gaza war.

"Joe Biden supported the genocide of the Palestinian people," Tlaib said in the video clip, which showed images of the dead and wounded from bombings in Gaza, pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the United States, Biden declaring support for Israel, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanking the US president. 

You can read the full report here.

Thousands march in Berlin in solidarity with Gaza
5:00 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Thousands took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid ongoing bombardments by Israel.

"We estimate the number of demonstrators at around 3,500, but more are arriving," a police spokeswoman told AFP.

The atmosphere was calm at the start of the rally, and many protesters came with their families and children.

"Save Gaza", "Stop genocide" and "Ceasefire" were emblazoned on marchers' placards, according to AFP journalists.

You can read the full report here

Hamas leader Haniyeh met Khamenei in Iran
4:51 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The leader of the Palestinian group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, met Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a visit to Tehran in recent days, a Hamas official said on Saturday in remarks broadcast by al-Mayadeen television.

Osama Hamdan, a senior official in the nominally Iran-backed Hamas, gave no further details about the visit to Tehran, speaking in Beirut. Haniyeh has resided between Qatar and Turkey since 2019. 

(Reuters)

Egypt FM says "too early" to talk about the future of Gaza
4:08 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

More from the meeting between assembled Arab foreign ministers and Anthony Blinken in Amman. 

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has perhaps contradicted US Secretary of State Blinken's earlier claim that all Arab states agreed at that the meeting that the status quo of a "Hamas-controlled" Gaza could not continue, saying that it's "too early" to discuss the future of Gaza. 

Shoukry also called for an immediate ceasefire without conditions and also said that Israel cannot justify its actions against Palestinians as "self-defence". 

The regime of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is known to be hostile to Hamas, but it is also acutely aware that Egyptian public opinion is hugely supportive of  what most Egyptians consider to be Palestinian resistance to unlawful Israeli occupation and aggression. 

Jordanian FM says Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza
3:55 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Following 'meetings with Arab leaders and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Ayman Safadi said Israel is committing “war crimes” in Gaza and that it should not be above international law.

He told reporters that though he condemned the Hamas attacks, the war in Gaza could not be allowed to continue.

“The whole region is sinking in a sea of hatred that will define generations to come,” Safadi said.

“We don’t accept that this is self-defense,” Safadi said, calling for an immediate ceasefire. “It cannot be justified under any pretext and it will not bring Israel security, it will not bring the region peace.”

The US continues to reject calls for an immediate ceasefire, despite Israel repeatedly hitting civilian targets.

Blinken rejects ceasefire call in Amman
3:41 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

More from Blinken in Amman.

He reiterates that the US believes that a ceasefire in Israel's military offensive in Gaza would leave  Hamas in place and allow it to regroup and carry out similar attacks to the one on Oct. 7. 

Blinken: Arab states agree status quo of Hamas rule must end
3:37 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday both Washington and Arab states believe the status quo of a Hamas-controlled Gaza cannot continue and that he has discussed with his Arab counterparts how to chart a better path forward towards a two-state solution, according to Reuters.

Speaking at a news conference in Amman, alongside his Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts, the top U.S. diplomat also said Washington was worried about violence by extremist settlers in the West Bank.

 

Red Crescent responds to Israel claim about ambulance strike
3:22 PM
The New Arab Staff

The Palestine Red Crescent Society has taken to X to respond to Israel's allegations about the deadly attacks it launched on an ambulance, clarifying in no uncertain terms the vehicle was part of a convoy carrying wounded people from Gaza’s besieged north to the south.

Israel shelled the ambulance saying it was being “used by a Hamas terrorist cell” then hit the entrance to al-Shifa hospital, where the ambulances had returned to. 15 people were killed. 

 

 

UAE says US should push for quick end to Israeli war on Gaza
3:14 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates on Saturday said the United States needs to push for a quick end to Israel's war on Gaza and that a new process must be found for the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian issue or the United States would be seen as ineffective.

Anwar Gargash also said that Israel's policy of containment that has been the "hallmark" of the Palestinian issue for the past two decades had failed and called for a new approach that addresses refugees, borders and East Jerusalem.

"US involvement will be seen by when we end this war, the quicker the better, and whether we can have another you know, sort of process at problem solving, at issue solving," he said at a policy conference in the capital Abu Dhabi.

"If this crisis continues, and especially the humanitarian side, and if this crisis, brings us back full circle, to the old containment policy of pre-Seventh of October, I think the American role here is not going to be, forget right and wrong, is not going to be seen as effective," he added.

Palestinians urge states to take same position as Turkey
3:08 PM
The New Arab Staff

The Palestinian foreign ministry has welcomed Turkey’s recalling of its ambassador to Israel, calling it an “extension of Istanbul’s support for the rights and safety of our people.”

“We call upon states to take similar brave positions and reevaluate its diplomatic relations with [Israel], which is committing massacres and genocide,” the ministry said in a statement.

Hezbollah fires 'powerful' new missile at Israeli positions
2:59 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Hezbollah said it carried out simultaneous attacks on Israeli positions at the Lebanese border on Saturday, as residents of south Lebanon reported some of the fiercest Israeli strikes yet during weeks of cross-border clashes.

The Israeli army said its warplanes had struck Hezbollah targets in response to an earlier attack from Lebanese territory, and was accompanying the air strikes with artillery and tank shelling.

A Lebanese source familiar with Hezbollah's attacks said the group had fired a powerful missile not yet used in the fighting, saying it had hit an Israeli position across the border from the villages of Ayta al-Shaab and Rmeich.

Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces across the Lebanese-Israeli frontier since Israel began its bombardment of Gaza on October 7.

It marks the worst fighting at the frontier since a 2006 war, but has mostly been contained to the border area.

Hamas says 5 Israeli soldiers killed in north Gaza
2:39 PM
The New Arab Staff

Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades said it killed five Israeli soldiers and wounded several others in a building northwest of Gaza City on Saturday. 

"Al-Qassam forces attacked a Zionist force holed up in a building northwest of Gaza City," the group said in a statement according to Al Jazeera

It said its confronted Israeli forces with "machine guns and bombs, and killed five soldiers and wounded others”.

This week the Israeli army expanded its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless air raids for 30 days. 

Qatar: continued attack on Gaza complicates hostage efforts
2:30 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Qatar's foreign ministry said on Saturday that the continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip complicated its efforts to mediate the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani made the comment in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Saturday, the ministry said in a statement.

(Reuters)

Health minister accuses int'l community of double standards
1:15 PM
The New Arab Staff

Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila in the occupied West Bank Mai Alkaila says the international community’s silence regarding Israeli atrocities on Gaza serves as a green light for Israel to continue, Palestinian WAFA news agency has reported.

“The Israeli occupation army has extended its massacres to hospitals and their surroundings without any intervention from the international community,” al-Kaila said in a statement. “Countries that should be upholding international law have failed in their duty to do so.”

“Immediate action is required to halt these flagrant violations of international law,” she said, calling for “an end to the policy of double standards and selectivity in terms of support and condemnation”.

“All the laws designed to protect medical and ambulance teams have been violated by the Israeli occupation, meaning that these teams are deliberately targeted and attacked with the intent to kill both doctors and patients.”

King Abdullah urges Arab leaders must speak with 'one voice'
12:57 PM
The New Arab Staff

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has on Saturday spoke to a number of Arab foreign ministers and urged them to speak with one voice about Gaza, according to Jordanian state media.

He added that it was the duty of Arab countries to put pressure on the international community to stop the war on the besieged enclave.

The monarch also reportedly condemned the killings of civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Jordan FM tells Blinken that Gaza war 'must end immediately'
12:51 PM
The New Arab Staff

Jordan's Foreign Minister Aymen Safadi has met Anthony Blinken today ahead of the US secretary of state's meeting with several Arab foreign ministers. Here's a summary of what was said:

"The Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Minister of Expatriate Affairs, Ayman Safadi met with the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken before the commencement of the joint meeting with Arab foreign ministers. Safadi emphasized the immediate need to stop the raging war on Gaza and end the humanitarian disaster it causes, stressing the urgency of bringing immediate and urgent humanitarian aid to the sector and ensuring the protection of civilians."

Erdogan says Netanyahu 'no longer taken as a counterpart'
12:37 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

Erdogan has said that post-war Gaza must be part of a sovereign Palestinian state, while also saying that he does not consider Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to be his "counterpart":

""Netanyahu cannot in any way be taken as a counterpart for us anymore. We have erased him, thrown him out," Erdogan said. "But otherwise, there can be no such thing as completely severing ties, especially not in international diplomacy," he was cited as saying by Haberturk."

You can read the full report here.
 

2,200 people missing beneath Gaza rubble
12:27 PM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The Health Ministry’s spokesperson also says as part of his briefing to the press that an estimated 2,200 people, including 1,250 children, are buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza. 

105 medical facilities ‘deliberately targeted’ by Israel
11:58 AM
The New Arab Staff

The  Health ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra included the following information at a press briefing on Saturday:

  • 150 paramedics have been killed since October 7
  • 27 ambulance vehicles have been totally destroyed, including two carrying the convoy of victims headed for Rafah on Friday
  • 105 medical facilities have been deliberately targeted, 16 of which are now out of service
  • 32 primary care medical facilities are out of service, either due to lack of fuel or their total destruction.
Gaza death toll rises to 9,488, 3900 children killed
11:03 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The health ministry in the Gaza Strip said Saturday that at least 9,488 people were killed in the Palestinian territory since Israel began its relentless bombardment of the besieged Palestinian enclave last month. 

The ministry said at least 3,900 children were among those killed, while 231 people have died from Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours alone. 

Israel announces 3-hour Gaza highway opening
10:48 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The Israeli military said it would enable Palestinians to travel on a main Gaza Strip highway on Saturday as part of its efforts to force civilians to evacuate southward out of North Gaza. 

In a social media post in Arabic, the military said the Salah a-Din road could be used between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. (1100 GMT and 1400). "If you care about yourself and your loved ones, heed our instruction to head south," it added.

In recent weeks, witnesses have reported repeated Israeli attacks against civilian convoys heading south after similar statements by the Israeli army.

(The New Arab Staff and Reuters)

At least 15 killed in Israeli attack on UNRWA school
10:37 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The director of al-Shifa Hospital has reported at least 15 people were killed in the attack on al-Fakhoora school, with dozens injured.

“There are 15 martyrs and the number is expected to increase,” Muhammad Abu Silmeyeh was quoted as saying by Reuters.

US special envoy says no record of Hamas seizing aid
10:26 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

The US Special Envoy for humanitarian issues David Satterfield says that between 800,000 to a million people have moved to the south of the Gaza Strip, while 350,000-400,000 remain in the north of the enclave.

Talking to reporters in Amman, he also said that there were no recorded instances of Hamas interdicting or seizing aid.

“Fuel in depots in Gaza has been accessed by UNRWA for aid trucks, desalinisation and hospitals in the south of Gaza,” he noted. 

Israel has used the idea of Hamas seizing aid as one of the major justifications against allowing fuel into the besieged strip and against humanitarian ceasefires. 

UNRWA school in North Gaza targeted by Israel
9:48 AM
The New Arab Staff

There are widespread reports of a strike on al-Fakhoora school in Jabalia refugee camp, where thousands of displaced people are sheltering.

The school is run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and is the largest in North Gaza. While casualty figures are as yet unknown, it is believed that dozens could have been killed, according to Al Jazeera.

 

Israel fires missile at Gaza house of Hamas chief Haniyeh
9:44 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies

An Israeli drone fired a missile at the Gaza house of Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh who is currently outside the enclave, Al-Aqsa Radio reported on Saturday.

It was unclear whether any of his family members were at the house when it was struck.

Haniyeh, Hamas' political chief, has been outside the Gaza Strip since 2019, residing between Turkey and Qatar.

(Reuters)

Israel targets entrance to children's hospital
9:41 AM
The New Arab Staff

The Israeli army has targeted the entrance of al-Nasser Children’s Hospital in western Gaza City, according to several reports.

Various local media outlets reported civilian casualties.

The Israeli army has recently targeted hospital areas in different areas of Gaza, including near al-Shifa Hospital, al-Quds Hospital and the Indonesian Hospital on Friday.

UN chief 'horrified' by Israel's attack on ambulance convoy
9:35 AM
The New Arab Staff

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Saturday reacted to Friday's attack by Israel on an ambulance convoy in Gaza.

“I am horrified by the reported attack in Gaza on an ambulance convoy outside Al-Shifa Hospital,” Guterres said. “The images of bodies strewn on the street outside the hospital are harrowing.”

Guterres reiterated that the conflict “must stop”.