Gaza under attack as UN top court says Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory 'illegal'

Israel threatened reprisals Friday after a drone claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels penetrated its vaunted air defences and killed a civilian in a Tel Aviv apartment building near a US embassy annexe.

The pre-dawn strike came hours before Israel suffered another blow, a ruling by the UN's top court that its occupation of the Palestinian territories was "illegal" and needed to end as soon as possible.

The advisory opinion of The Hague-based International Court of Justice is not binding, but it comes amid mounting international condemnation of Israel's indiscriminate war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 39,000 people.

The Houthis are one of a number of Iran-backed armed groups around the Middle East that have claimed drone and missile attacks on Israel in retaliation for the Gaza war.

The group, which controls swathes of Yemen, including much of its Red Sea coast, has previously claimed attacks on Israeli cities including Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat, but Friday's strike appears to be the first to breach Israel's sophisticated air defences.

The Houthis fired at Tel Aviv a "new drone called 'Yafa', which is capable of bypassing the enemy's interception systems", their spokesman Yahya Saree said.

An Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a "very big drone that can travel long distances" was used in the 3:12 am (0012 GMT) attack.

He said the drone was detected but due to "human error" the alarm was not raised in time, and it slammed into an apartment building.

Military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel believed the drone used was Iranian-made and upgraded so it could reach Tel Aviv from Yemen - at least 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles) away.

Medical services said one civilian was killed and four people suffered "relatively minor" injuries.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed revenge.

"The security system will settle the score with all who try to harm the state of Israel, or sends terrorism against it, in a decisive and surprising manner," he said in comments posted on social media platform X.

At least six people were killed in two separate Israeli attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Four people were killed when Israel bombed a house in the centre of the camp, while two others were killed in a strike on Al-Rashid Street in the west of the camp, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

According to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the British security firm Ambrey, a vessel was struck by unknown projectiles 83 nautical miles (153 km) southeast of Aden, Yemen. The identity of the vessel remains undisclosed, but its crew is reported to be safe.

The Houthi group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthis, stated that their fighters used ballistic missiles and drones to directly hit the Singapore-flagged vessel, Lobivia, near Aden.

He explained that the attack was in response to the ship’s owner who "violated the decision to ban entry into the ports of occupied Palestine."

In a statement on Telegram, Saree emphasized that the ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza would only intensify their support operations for the Palestinian people.

The UK-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) calls the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel's occupation of Palestine "seismic".

"Today the ICJ has issued a seismic judgement declaring Israel to be exercising an unlawful occupation of Palestinian land in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem," the PSC says in a statement.

"It demands Israel withdraw immediately, dismantle settlements and pay reparations to the Palestinian people.

"This ruling confirms what Palestinians, the international solidarity movement, and human rights experts have long maintained – that Israel is practicing the crime of apartheid.

"Whilst Palestinians, PSC and all who have been paying attention to the situation in Palestine have long known and said this, the ICJ's judgement is unprecedented and has huge implications for the UK government and international community.

"Israel must be understood and responded to as a rogue state operating outside the boundaries of international law."

The PSC calls on the international community to immediately act to force Israel to end its illegal occupation and apartheid rule over Palestinians.

"This must finally mark a turning point in the UK’s relationship with Israel," the pro-Palestinian group says.

It urges the UK government to "end all arms trade with Israel and cease all other trade which supports Israel's illegal actions".

The office of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas welcomed a "historic" decision by the International Court of Justice on Friday ruling Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories illegal.

"The presidency welcomes the decision of the International Court of Justice, considers it a historic decision and demands that Israel be compelled to implement it," it said in a statement on its official news agency shortly after the ruling was made public.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and release of remaining captives by Hamas is near the "goal line."

"I believe we're inside the 10 yard line and driving toward the goal line" on an "agreement that would produce a ceasefire, get the hostages home, and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability," Blinken said at a forum in Colorado.

Amnesty International has released a statement in response to the landmark advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns at Amnesty International, commented:

"The International Court of Justice has issued its opinion and the conclusion is loud and clear: Israel’s occupation and annexation of the Palestinian territories are unlawful, and its discriminatory laws and policies against Palestinians violate the prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid."

She continued, "This is a historic vindication of the rights of Palestinians who have endured decades of cruelty and systematic human rights violations stemming from Israel’s unlawful occupation."

The death of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl whose final appeals for help moved public opinion worldwide, may constitute a war crime, UN experts said on Friday.

"The killing of five-year old Hind Rajab, her family and two paramedics may amount to a war crime," the experts said in a press statement.

Israeli claims its troops were not in the area at the time were "unacceptable", they added.

The Israeli embassy in Geneva said in a statement that its own army was investigating.

The UN experts said "the absence of proper investigation and accountability" five months after the facts "is deeply troubling and may in itself amount to a violation of the right to life".

They also referred to "compelling evidence" on where the family's car was in relation to an Israeli tank "and how it was shot at from very close range using a type of weapon that can only be attributed to the Israeli forces".

"Audio recordings of calls between Hind and emergency services suggest that she was the only survivor in the car before she was also killed," the experts added.

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised the World Court's ruling on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories on Friday.

Netanyahu claimed that the Jewish people cannot be considered occupiers in their historic homeland.

This was in response to a decision by the World Court saying Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are a breach of international law.

"No false decision in The Hague will distort this historical truth, just as the legality of Israeli settlement in all the territories of our homeland cannot be contested," Netanyahu said.

Palestinian minister of state for foreign affairs Varsen Aghabekian Shahin hailed "a great day for Palestine" Friday after the UN's top court ruled Israel's decades-long occupation illegal.

"This is a great day for Palestine, historically and legally," she told news agency AFP, speaking on behalf of the Palestinian foreign ministry.

"This is the highest judicial body in the world and it has presented a very detailed analysis of what is going on through Israel's prolonged occupation and colonisation of the Palestinian territory in violation of international law."

The ICJ ruled that international organizations and all states are obligated not to recognise any changes or composition of the territory occupied by Israel.

They must also not recognise Israel's presence as legal or provide any aid or assistance in maintaining its illegal presence.

In brief, the ICJ rulings on Israel's occupation:

• Unanimous vote: ICJ has jurisdiction.
• 11-4: Israeli presence is unlawful.
• 11-4: Israel must end unlawful occupation quickly.
• 14-1: Israel must cease settlement policy.
• 14-1: Israel obligated to pay reparations.

The ICJ declared that Israel is obligated to end its presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as swiftly as possible. The court emphasised that Israel must halt all new illegal settlement activities immediately.

Additionally, the ICJ stated that Israel is required to make reparations for the damages resulting from its occupation of Palestinian territories.

The court further asserted that all states have a duty not to recognize Israel's occupation and to clearly distinguish between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories in their policies and actions.

The Israeli military is set to issue call-up notices to 1,000 members of the ultra-Orthodox community on Sunday as a divisive battle over drafting the religious Haredim into the army moves into a new phase.

The move follows a Supreme Court ruling last month that ordered the defence ministry to end the longstanding exemption from military service for Jewish seminary students under arrangements made soon after the birth of Israel when their numbers were tiny.

Following the first set of call-ups, further notices for an initial total of 3,000 ultra-Orthodox conscripts are expected to be sent out in coming weeks.

The government is still trying to pass a conscription law that would potentially create some limited compromise and resolve the issue before it threatens the stability of the coalition.

The ICJ states that Israeli policies, practices, and legislation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), including East Jerusalem, discriminate against the Palestinian people.

The comprehensive restrictions imposed on Palestinians violate prohibitions on racial segregation, discrimination, and apartheid.

Additionally, the ICJ rules that Israel's occupation of the OPT and its policies to entrench this occupation are unlawful and constitute an internationally wrongful act. The court asserts that Israel is obliged to end its occupation and associated policies.

The ICJ says it does not consider that Israel's extension of its laws to the West Bank and East Jerusalem is justified.

The UN world court views this expansion as a breach of the Geneva Convention.

The ICJ also finds that Israel's practices of restricting movement, transferring populations, destroying homes, and confiscating land are contrary to the Geneva Convention.

Additionally, the court considers the violence by settlers against Palestinians, Israel's failure to punish these acts, and the use of force by the Israeli military as inconsistent with Israel's obligations under international law.

Furthermore, the ICJ rejects Israel's arguments for the annexation of East Jerusalem.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled it is applicable to submit its advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip- as they have rejected calls by Israel that refuses to give one.

The ICJ noted that the issue of Israel's occupation is not merely bilateral but also concerns the United Nations. The court rejected arguments suggesting that its ruling would hinder negotiations or display bias.

The ICJ emphasized that Israel is bound by various international conventions, treaties, and laws, even beyond its territories.

It observed that the Oslo Accords do not negate or diminish Israel's obligations under international law.

The court highlighted that the law of occupation deems occupation temporary and does not transfer sovereignty to the occupying power; a prolonged occupation does not alter the legal status of the occupied territory.

The court determined that Israel's settlement policy violates the Geneva Convention.

Additionally, it concluded that Israel's land policy breaches the Hague Regulations.

Furthermore, the court found Israel's use, restriction of access, and exploitation of natural resources in the occupied territories to be inconsistent with its international legal obligations.

The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday warned that "anarchy" was spreading in the Gaza Strip, with rampant looting, unlawful killings and shootings as the population faces an acute humanitarian crisis.

Ajith Sunghay, head of OHCHR for Gaza and the West Bank, described unlawful killings and looting in the absence of law enforcement linked to "Israel's dismantling of local capacity to maintain public order and safety in Gaza".

"Our office has documented alleged unlawful killings of local police and humanitarian workers, and the strangulation of supplies indispensable to the survival of the civilian population. Anarchy is spreading," said Sunghay, who returned from a visit to Gaza on Thursday.

Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for OHCHR, said the conditions in Gaza had "led to the predictable and entirely foreseeable unravelling of the fabric of society in Gaza, setting people against one another in a fight for survival and tearing communities apart."

"There is looting, mob justice, extortion of money, family disputes, random shootings, fighting for space and resources, and we see youths armed with sticks manning barricades," he said. 

Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Friday in a statement that it launched strikes on the settlements of Abirim, Neve Ziv and Manot for the first time.

The Iran-backed group said its attack was in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Thursday that killed a field commander in the militant group's elite Radwan forces in south Lebanon.

(Reporting by Reuters)

A representative from the US Embassy in Israel has confirmed that their office in Tel Aviv, situated roughly 150 meters (less than 500 feet) from the site of a drone strike claimed by the Houthis, was unaffected by the attack.

In a separate statement on X, US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew expressed his shock at the "Houthi drone attack" but emphasised that all embassy staff are safe and unharmed.

Shocked by the brazen Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv this morning. We offer our condolences to the family members of the individual who passed away. We are thankful our U.S. Embassy Branch Office personnel are all safe.

— Ambassador Jack Lew (@USAmbIsrael) July 19, 2024

Footage shared by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) captures its medics urgently transporting an individual injured in an Israeli airstrike on their vehicle to Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah.

The attack, which occurred in the al-Birka area south of Deir el-Balah, also resulted in the deaths of two others. PRCS said their medics were able to recover and transport the bodies of the deceased.

🚨The Palestine Red Crescent crews transported two martyrs and an injured person from the Al-Birka area near the UNRWA barracks south of Deir Al-Balah city after the Israeli occupation forces targeted a car. The victims were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
📷Filmed by PRCS… pic.twitter.com/pYFcJuuQBs

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) July 19, 2024

Israeli warplanes have bombed a home in the Nuseirat refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of nine people and injuring others, as reported by local Palestinian media.

This attack comes a day after another airstrike in the same camp killed at least eight people.

"Those hands fed me everyday"

Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Al-Louh breaks down while saying goodbye to his sister and her 5-month-old baby, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Nuseirat camp a short while ago. pic.twitter.com/RZqHmK46Zf

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) July 19, 2024

The European Commission said on Friday it would provide the Palestinian Authority with 400 million euros ($435.5 million) in emergency financial support in the coming two months.

The money will be disbursed in the form of grants and loans in three payments between July and September, subject to progress in the implementation of the reform agenda of the Palestinian Authority, the Commission said. ($1 = 0.9184 euros).

Following a deadly drone strike on Tel Aviv claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has vowed retaliation.

In a statement quoted by Israeli Army Radio, Gallant declared, "We will settle the score with anyone who harms the State of Israel or directs terror against it."

This promise of retribution comes in the wake of a meeting Gallant held with top military and intelligence officials, including Israel’s military chief of staff Herzi Halevi, to assess the situation.

The drone attack, which occurred this morning, resulted in at least one fatality and injured ten others.

Varsen Aghabekian, the Palestinian Authority’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, expressed hope that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver a ruling today that serves justice for Palestinians regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory.

Aghabekian told news outlet Al Jazeera English that if the court deems Israel’s occupation illegal, it will bring "hope" to the Palestinian people, even if immediate relief is not forthcoming.

She emphasized that such a ruling would provide Palestinian authorities with greater "leverage" in their efforts to gain recognition of Palestinian statehood and advocate for sanctions against Israel.

"It’s about time for countries who state that they respect world order and international law to comply with it," said Aghabekian.

Britain's new Labour government said on Friday it would resume funding to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA and called on Israel to allow more aid to enter Gaza.

Britain was one of several countries to halt their funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) following accusations by Israel that some agency staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

British foreign minister David Lammy told parliament he was reassured that the agency, which provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians, had taken steps to "ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality" and the government would now provide 21 million pounds ($27.1 million) in new funding.

To read more on the latest report, please click here.

The Israeli army said Friday there are mounting indications that a strike in Gaza killed Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif.

"There are increasing signs that imply a successful elimination of (Mohammed) Deif," Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told a press conference.

Israel has already said the July 13 strike killed Rafa Salama, commander of Hamas's Khan Yunis Brigade.

A Hamas official, without providing proof, has said Deif, commander of the Islamist group's military wing, was "well and directly overseeing" operations despite the strike.

But Hagari said the two Hamas leaders "were sitting next to each other at the time of the strike". He accused Hamas of "hiding what happened" to Deif.

"We will find out, confirm and reveal it," Hagari said

An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that investigators believe a drone that killed one person in an attack on Tel Aviv was launched from Yemen.

Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told a news conference an initial investigation showed an Iranian-made Samad-3 drone was used for the attack that "we believe was launched from Yemen", and had been upgraded to increase its range.

A vessel was hit by unknown projectiles 83 nautical miles southeast of Yemen's Aden early on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations and British security firm Ambrey said.

All crew were reported safe, UKMTO said in an advisory note, and Ambrey, in a separate advisory, said the vessel was a Singapore-flagged container ship.

"The ship was transiting northeast along the Gulf of Aden when a merchant vessel in the vicinity observed 'light and blast' where the ship was located," Ambrey added.

The British security firm said the ship appeared to perform evasive manoeuvres immediately and switch off her automatic identification system approximately an hour later.

Ambrey assessed the vessel to be aligned with the Houthi target profile.

UKMTO WARNING INCIDENT 102 ATTACK UPDATE 001https://t.co/fX3hWupi7g#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/DY6PhB29TP

— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) July 19, 2024

As reported by news outlet Al Jazeera Arabic, Israeli artillery and gunfire have been heard in the southern neighborhoods of Gaza City. The extent of the damage or any potential casualties from these strikes remains unclear at this time.

These attacks come in the wake of an incident on  Thursday when an attack targeted a UN-run school in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.

Further updates on the situation are expected.

The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement has lauded the recent actions of Yemen's Houthi rebels, referring to their attack on Tel Aviv as a "new heroic operation."

They expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of Gaza from Yemen and other allies in the axis of resistance.

In a statement reported by the Palestinian Information Center (Palinfo), the group declared that Yemen and other resistance allies are engaged in the most honorable military efforts to defend the oppressed and combat Zionist injustices.

The statement further criticised the international community, accusing it of colluding with the "criminal Zionist entity" against the Palestinian people.

The group condemned the international community for justifying Israeli crimes and providing it with the cover needed to continue what they described as genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement urged all resistance forces across the region to intensify various forms of pressure, particularly military actions, against the Zionist enemy and to exert pressure on their American supporters. The group emphasized the necessity of these actions to halt the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will visit Russia on Aug 12-14 and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug 13, Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported on Friday, citing a diplomatic source.

(Reporting by Reuters)

An Israeli military official said a "very big" drone was used in an attack on Tel Aviv on Friday that killed one person, and "human error" led to the missile not being intercepted, AFP reports.

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack that caused an explosion at a building near the US embassy in Tel Aviv.

The military official told a briefing that an attack by the Iran-backed Houthis was "one of the possibilities" being investigated.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said "a very big drone that can travel long distances" was used in the attack which was at 3.12 am (0012 GMT).

He said the drone "crashed into an apartment building" and "it wasn't a tiny drone".

The official said the drone was detected but the alarm was not immediately raised because of "human error".

"There was no alert that sounded in Tel Aviv because it wasn't activated.

"There was a human error that caused the interception and defence systems not to be operated," the official said.

"Obviously, one of the possibilities we're looking into is Yemen because of the Huthi announcements. But we're not ruling out anything."

The official said another drone was detected on Israel's eastern border.

"Last night, there was another incident where we thwarted a UAV on our eastern border, another UAV." He gave no details on where it came from.

The top United Nations court is delivering a nonbinding advisory opinion Friday on the legality of Israel’s 57-year occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state, a ruling that could have more effect on international opinion than it will on Israeli policies.

Friday’s hearing comes against the backdrop of Israel’s devastating 10-month military assault on Gaza, followed by the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel. In a separate case, the International Court of Justice is considering a South African claim that Israel’s campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide , a claim that Israel denies.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state.

Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory, whose future should be decided in negotiations. It has annexed east Jerusalem in a move that is not internationally recognized, while it withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but maintained a blockade of the territory after Hamas took power in 2007. The international community generally considers all three areas to be occupied territory.

At hearings in February , then-Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki accused Israel of apartheid and urged the United Nations’ top court to declare that Israel’s occupation of lands sought by the Palestinians is illegal and must end immediately and unconditionally for any hope for a two-state future to survive.

Israel, which normally considers the United Nations and international tribunals as unfair and biased, did not send a legal team to the hearings, but submitted written comments, saying that the questions put to the court are prejudiced and "fail to recognize Israel’s right and duty to protect its citizens," address Israeli security concerns or acknowledge Israel-Palestinian agreements to negotiate issues, including "the permanent status of the territory, security arrangements, settlements, and borders."

The Palestinians presented arguments in February along with 49 other nations and three international organizations.