Israel army says eight soldiers killed in Gaza as war continues

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Israeli artillery shelled areas east of the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza, The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports.

Israeli aircraft launched two raids on the Tel Al-Sultan neighbourhood in Rafah in southern Gaza, The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports.

Israeli forces demolished residential buildings in the town of Al-Mughraqa in the Gaza Strip, The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports.

Hamas's armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, says on messaging app Telegram that it killed 11 Israeli soldiers on Saturday.

It comes hours after eight Israeli soldiers were confirmed killed in Rafah.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant will visit Washington soon for talks with his US counterpart, the Pentagon said on Saturday.

In a call on Tuesday with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Gallant accepted an invitation to visit the Pentagon, press secretary Major General Patrick Ryder said in a statement.

The date of the visit has yet to be determined and the aim of the meeting is to "further discuss ongoing security developments in the Middle East", Ryder said on X.

During his call June 11 with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, @SecDef invited him to visit the Pentagon to further discuss ongoing security developments in the Middle East. Minister Gallant has accepted the invitation and will travel to the U.S. soon (date/time TBD).

— Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder (@PentagonPresSec) June 15, 2024

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) says Israel continues to forcibly disappear four of its staff members for over five months.

"PRCS expresses deep concern for the safety of its detained teams, whose fate remains unknown, and calls on the international community to urgently intervene to pressure the Israeli occupation authorities to immediately release our detained teams."

The Israeli occupation continues to forcibly disappeared 4 PRCS team members for more than 5 month.
🚨PRCS expresses deep concern for the safety of its detained teams, whose fate remains unknown, and calls on the international community to urgently intervene to pressure the… pic.twitter.com/TgLfKwuRoY

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) June 15, 2024

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday the crew of a Palau-flagged cargo ship had been evacuated and the ship was on fire and sinking, referring to an incident that happened 98 nautical miles east of Yemen's Aden on Thursday.

Missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi militants struck the Verbena in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, sparking a fire and severely injuring one of its crew, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea region since November in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel's war on Gaza.

On Wednesday, Houthis also attacked a Greek-owned coal carrier near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, causing severe flooding and damage to the engine room and leaving the vessel – the Tutor – unable to manoeuvre.

"The Verbana is sinking in the Gulf of Aden… The Tutor is at risk of sinking in the coming hours," the Houthis' military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Saturday, repeating the group's threat to target companies that deal with Israel.

(Reuters)

The Israeli army announces the death of a soldier who was injured in fighting in southern Gaza, The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports.

Israeli forces burnt a number of homes in central Rafah in southern Gaza, The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports.

Israeli forces demolished several homes in the area around the town of Al-Mughraqa in the Gaza Strip, The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reports.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad's armed wing, Al-Quds Brigades, say an Israeli Merkava tank was attacked with an RPG in Rafah's Saudi neighbourhood.

The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian teenager in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, as an army official confirmed troops opened fire during a raid.

Sultan Abdul Rahman Khatatbeh, 16, was killed by Israeli fire in the northern West Bank town of Beit Furik, the ministry said in a statement published on Facebook.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that two others were injured when Israeli forces stormed the town, east of Nablus, "firing live bullets at local residents".

An Israeli military official told AFP that troops were operating in the Nablus area when "dozens of suspects hurled rocks at Israeli security forces, who responded with riot dispersal means and live fire".

"Hits were identified," the official said, without elaborating.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Saturday that mediators for Qatar and Egypt plan to engage Hamas militants soon to see if there is a way to push ahead with a Gaza ceasefire proposal offered by US President Joe Biden.

Sullivan spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a Ukraine peace summit and was asked about diplomatic efforts to get an agreement for Hamas to release some captives in exchange for a ceasefire lasting at least six weeks.

Sullivan said he had spoken briefly to one of the main interlocutors, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and that they would speak again about Gaza on Sunday while both are in Switzerland for the Ukraine conference.

Hamas has welcomed the ceasefire proposal, but insists any agreement must secure an end to the war, a demand Israel still rejects. Israel described Hamas's response to the new US peace proposal as total rejection.

Sullivan said that US officials have taken a close look at Hamas's response.

"We think some of the edits are not unexpected and can be managed. Some of them are inconsistent both with what President Biden laid out and what the UN Security Council endorsed. And we are having to deal with that reality," he said.

He said US officials believe there remains an avenue to an agreement and that the next step will be for Qatari and Egyptian mediators to talk to Hamas and "go through what can be worked with and what really can't be worked with".

"We anticipate a back-and-forth between the mediators and Hamas. We'll see where we stand at that point. We will keep consulting with the Israelis and then hopefully at some point next week we'll be able to report to you where we think things stand and what we see as being the next step to try to bring this to closure," he said.

(Reuters)

Islamic Resistance in Iraq militants said they had attacked a target in Haifa, a city in Israel, using a cruise missile this morning.

The Israeli army says it detected a suspicious aerial target that was heading towards the country from the east.

The military says the target was intercepted before entering Israel and activated sirens in Al-Naura in the north.

Hamas's armed wing says an Israeli armoured force was trapped in an ambush southwest of Gaza City.

A statement from Al-Qassam Brigades says the group's fighters detonated a minefield prepared in advance against the Israelis, resulting in deaths and injuries.

Al-Qassam Brigades say they observed Israeli aircraft landing to carry out an evacuation.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society says 498 medical personnel have been killed since Israel's war on Gaza began in October.

498 medical personnel killed since the beginning of the aggression on the #Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/hzVtwfUM56

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) June 15, 2024

The Israeli military said eight soldiers were killed in Gaza Saturday when the armoured vehicle they were in exploded, in one of the deadliest blows for the army since the war began in October.

Captain Wassem Mahmud, 23, and seven other soldiers "fell during operational activity in southern Gaza", the military said in a statement.

"Their families have been notified."

When asked if the soldiers died when the Namer armoured vehicle they were travelling in exploded, a military press desk officer told AFP: "Yes."

The officer said the explosion struck near Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah.

Saturday's losses were among the heaviest for the military since it began its ground offensive in Gaza on 27 October.

They take to 306 the military's losses since that date.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says “less than 1/3 of our health centres are operational” in Gaza amid intense Israeli bombardments.

“Hospitals in ruin, restrictions on humanitarian access and scarce medical supplies and fuel across Gaza are pushing the health situation beyond crisis level,” the agency wrote on X.

“UNRWA health staff continues to support families but less than 1/3 of our health centres are operational. #CeasefireNow.

Hospitals in ruin, restrictions on humanitarian access and scarce medical supplies and fuel across #Gaza are pushing the health situation beyond crisis level.@UNRWA health staff continues to support families but less than 1/3 of our health centres are operational.#CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/62vzL1dxEF

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) June 15, 2024

An Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank town of Beit Furik saw Israeli forces kill 16-year-old Abdul Rahman Sultan, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

According to Palestinian news agency WAFA, two other civilians were wounded during the raid.

US Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Patrick Ryder announced that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has invited his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, to Washington following a call earlier this week.

Austin extended the invitation to discuss “ongoing security developments in the Middle East."

"Minister Gallant has accepted the invitation and will travel to the US soon (date/time TBD)," Ryder added.

During his call June 11 with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, @SecDef invited him to visit the Pentagon to further discuss ongoing security developments in the Middle East. Minister Gallant has accepted the invitation and will travel to the U.S. soon (date/time TBD).

— Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder (@PentagonPresSec) June 15, 2024

Israel army says 8 soldiers killed in 'operational activity' in south Gaza.

Hamas's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, says they were killed in a "complex ambush" in southern Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

In a statement, the Qassam Brigades said its fighters "carried out a complex ambush against enemy vehicles penetrating the area of the Saudi neighbourhood in Tal as-Sultan, west of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip."

The statement added, "Al-Qassam Brigades targeted a Zionist D9 bulldozer with an Al-Yassin 105 shell in Tal as-Sultan, leading to the killing and injury of soldiers."

It further mentioned that after an Israeli rescue force arrived, a troop carrier was targeted with an Al-Yassin 105 missile, resulting in its destruction and the "death" of those on board.

In another statement, the armed wing reported that it "targeted, alongside the Al-Quds Brigades, the Sufa military site in southern Israel with a missile salvo."

Additionally, the Israeli command headquarters in the Netzarim axis west of Gaza City was targeted with "short-range missiles," according to the statement.

The Israeli army reported that "five projectiles" were fired from the humanitarian area in central Gaza on Friday.

In a statement on Telegram, the army mentioned that two of the projectiles landed in open areas, while the other three fell within the Gaza Strip.

“This is a further example of the cynical exploitation of humanitarian infrastructure and the civilian population as human shields by terror organizations in the Gaza Strip for their terrorist attacks,” the army stated.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday that the crew of a merchant vessel had been evacuated and the ship was on fire and sinking, referring to an incident that took place 98 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's Aden on 13 June.

Rescue teams in the Gaza Strip have retrieved the bodies of nine Palestinians from various locations in Rafah, according to the Wafa news agency, which cited medical sources at the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis.

Wafa reported that the bodies were recovered from the rubble of houses destroyed in Israeli attacks.

 Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that US President Joe Biden is undergoing "a test of sincerity" in his handling of the Gaza war.

In an interview with reporters on his way back from the G7 Summit in Italy, Erdogan said Biden is expected to demonstrate that the Gaza ceasefire plan is not a calculated electoral tactic but a sincere effort to end the war.

He also said that Germany has softened its stance on sales of Eurofighter jets to Turkey. In November, Turkey said the country was in talks with Britain and Spain to buy Eurofighter Typhoons, though Germany objected the idea.

"Eurofighters are important to us," he added.

Erdogan also said that inflation will be put on a more favourable position in the final quarter with the steps to be taken on interest rates.

"Policies aimed at rebalancing the economy are bearing fruit," Erdogan said. 

The armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad said on Saturday the only way to return Israeli hostages is through Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, ending its attacks and reaching a deal for exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

The health ministry in  Gaza said Saturday that at least 37,296 people have been killed in the territory during more than eight months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants.

The toll includes at least 30 deaths in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding a total of 85,197 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began.

Elder, a UNICEF spokesman, reported witnessing Israeli forces shoot and kill two Palestinian fishermen in Gaza, subsequently denying them medical care.

“I was watching fishermen – they were probably lawyers and engineers in a past life – with a single fishing net each, just trying to catch a few fish for their families. Suddenly, a tank came from the very large Israeli checkpoint,” Elder told Al Jazeera.

Elder recounted that he, along with doctors and paramedics from other UN agencies, saw the two fishermen flee on foot before being shot on the beach. They immediately contacted the Israeli army for permission to provide medical assistance to the fishermen.

“That help was denied,” Elder stated. “Half an hour later, the other fishermen took body bags and went down to the beach.”

Elder added that one fisherman was shot in the back, while the other was shot in the neck.

“I know that because I saw that, only because we bore witness to that. These are not unique events on the Gaza Strip,” he said.

You can read more about Israel's war on Gazan fishermen here:

 

An Israeli drone attack targeted a motorcycle near the southern Lebanese towns of Bint Jbeil and Aitaroun.

The Israeli military confirmed the attack, stating on Telegram that the aircraft struck a “Hezbollah terrorist” in the area.

Additionally, the Israeli army noted, “Moreover, [Israeli army] artillery fired to remove a threat in the area of Aitaroun.”

Footage shared online, and verified by news outlets, shows Israeli bulldozers demolishing evacuated homes west of Rafah. 

هذا ما يفعله الجيش الان في تل السلطان غرب رفح pic.twitter.com/jssUgr6lM5

— ترجمة الصحف Breaking News 🚨 (@galebsami) June 15, 2024

Earlier today, at least 19 Palestinians, including at least one baby, were killed and 50 others were wounded in Israeli airstrikes targeting homes in eastern Gaza City, according to Wafa news agency.

Israeli jets struck three homes in the Tuffah and Shujayea neighborhoods in Gaza City, resulting in casualties among children and women.

Witnesses quoted by Anadolu Agency said an Israeli jet hit a home in Tuffah while dozens of people were inside.

Palestinian Civil Defence rescue teams removed the body of a baby and transported dozens of injured victims to a hospital. Witnesses added that volunteers continue to search for the injured under the rubble

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has released a video featuring testimonies from their colleagues about life in Gaza over the past few months.

One MSF logistician described his struggle to find food amidst the shelling and destruction. He said he has been searching for food for the last four months to keep his children and himself alive, but they “still haven’t found anything.” He recounted, “We reached the point where we searched for ... pigeon food, anything that we could eat. After about four or five months, some food became available – canned food and a small amount of lentils and rice. But the prices are extremely high.”

He also mentioned his difficulty in finding treatment for his hypertension and diabetes, noting that people in need of medication have had to resort to using alternative herbal solutions.
 

Eating pigeon food.
No diabetes medicines.
Still treating people for burns and trauma.

Some of our staff, trapped in #Gaza City since the start of the war, describe what life has been like over the last few months and how they have been treating patients in a pop-up clinic. pic.twitter.com/MeTtlxg4fN

— MSF International (@MSF) June 15, 2024

The U.S. military is preparing to temporarily remove its humanitarian pier off the coast of Gaza because of anticipated sea conditions, a U.S. official said on Friday, the latest challenge to the effort that has been hampered by bad weather since it was put into place in May.

The floating U.S. military pier off Gaza had just resumed bringing humanitarian aid into the enclave after being suspended over the weekend.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the pier would likely be moved to the Israeli port of Ashdod until sea conditions improve.

Aid began arriving via the U.S.-built pier on 17 May, and the U.N. said it transported 137 trucks of aid to warehouses, some 900 metric tons, before the U.S. announced on 28 May that it had suspended operations so repairs could be made.

The United Nations said on Friday it had still not resumed transportation of aid from the pier to U.N. World Food Programme warehouses.

"Our security colleagues are still working to ensure that secure conditions for humanitarian work can be re-established," said deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq.

Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, announced on their Telegram channel that two Israeli captives held by the group were killed in an Israeli air raid in Rafah several days ago.

Addressing Israeli citizens, the group stated, “Your army deceives you and continues to deceive you. Your government only wants to recover the hostages in coffins.”

Hamas did not disclose the identities of the captives, provide any images, or offer additional information about them.

Israeli forces have withdrawn from the town of Beita, located south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, after they stormed it..

The troops entered the town at dawn, raiding multiple houses and causing damage to the interiors. Tear gas was used against Palestinian youth.

Clashes also occurred in the town of Kafr Dan, where Israeli military vehicles patrolled the streets before raiding homes.

Additional raids took place in Jenin, Qalqilya, and Hebron. In the Jalazone refugee camp north of Ramallah, two Palestinians were injured, one critically with a head injury. One individual was arrested by Israeli forces.

At least 1 million Palestinians are trapped in Gaza's south without adequate access to food and water, according to the UN's World Food Programme (WFP).

"1 million displaced ppl in south #Gaza are trapped, without clean water or sanitation. It's a public health and protection disaster," Carl Skau, the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the WFP, wrote on social media platform X. 

1 million displaced ppl in south #Gaza are trapped, without clean water or sanitation. It's a public health and protection disaster.

In the north, @WFP's deliveries via Erez have improved access to basic food. This must be sustained, and people need more diverse nutritious food. pic.twitter.com/wCJe4oyH1f

— Carl Skau (@CarlSkau) June 14, 2024