Israeli tanks advance further into Rafah as airstrikes pound Gaza

Malaysia and China have called for an immediate, permanent ceasefire as the two countries expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Chinese premier Li Qiang emphasised the need to protect civilians under international law, as well as bringing unhindered humanitarian aid, as well as safeguardian relief and medical supplies.

"Both countries expressed full support for the resumption of the political settlement process based on the two-state solution, and for promoting a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date," a joint statement said.

The families of Gaza-held captives have issued a statement addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to immediately return the hostages to Israel by emphasising that "time is running out."

This comes after earlier reports detail that 50 out of 120 detainees held by Palestinian groups in Gaza "are still alive."

On social media platform X, the Families Forum said that Israel is obligated to bring back all abandoned detainees since October 7, responding to the latest US news reports.

"This sacred duty makes no distinction between the return of detainees alive for rehabilitation and the return of the deceased for burial." 

The group added that "Israel is obligated to repatriate all detainees to their homeland" and that it was "violating this sacred principle constitutes a breach of trust and undermines the established Israeli spirit of mutual guarantee."

"The international community must work towards the return of all 120 detainees and support Netanyahu's deal."

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has denied Hezbollah's allegations that Cyprus allowed Israel to use its airports and bases for military exercises.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Cyprus on Wednesday that such actions would be seen as participation in the conflict, prompting Hezbollah to respond accordingly if Lebanon were attacked from Cypriot territory.

However, Christodoulides dismissed claims that Cyprus had any involvement in the months-long devastating conflict in Gaza.

"I want to make it clear once again that Cyprus has absolutely no role and is not part of any problem," he said in a statement.

"On the contrary, our actions demonstrate that we are part of the solution," he added, referring to Cyprus's role in helping to establish a maritime aid route to Gaza.

"The Republic of Cyprus is not part of the problem, the Republic of Cyprus is part of the solution," Mr Christodoulides said. "And our role, as manifested, for example, through the humanitarian corridor [to Gaza] is being recognised not only by the Arab world, but by the entire international community."

Asked if he had any concerns about Nasrallah's accusations, the Cypriot president said that "the statements are not pleasant, but they do not correspond in any way to what is alleged, that is, to present the image that Cyprus is involved in the war activities. That is not the case at all."

As few as 50 of the nearly 120 Israeli captives in Gaza are believed to be alive, according to US news outlet Wall Street Journal.

This aligns with Hamas claims that 70 captives died from Israeli airstrikes or lack of medicine.

Israel has confirmed 41 deaths so far.

Hamas captured about 250 people on October 7, releasing 109 mainly through exchange deals.

Additionally, Israel's military has rescued seven captives.

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency and Annahar reports that an Israeli drone attack, which fired a series of missiles at a vehicle travelling towards the town of Srifa, killed one person.

This comes as the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned that there would be "no place" anywhere in Israel that would be safe if a wider war ensues.

The health ministry in Gaza said Thursday that at least 37,431 people have been killed in the territory during more than eight months of war in the Gaza Strip.

The toll includes at least 35 deaths in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding 85,653 people had been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attack.

News publication Al Jazeera English has reported that Israeli forces have conducted an attack on a road south of Gaza City, leading to the killing of one person and injuring others.

The bombardment targetted Gaza's Road 8 which follows a series of deadly attacks in central Gaza which includes eastern Deir el Balah and the Nuseirat refugee camp.

Al Araby TV journalist Mohammed Saber Arab recounted instances of torture, abuse, and rape at the Israeli Sde Teiman detention camp.

Speaking to his lawyer, the Palestinian journalist was arrested at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza during a large-scale Israeli assault in March and also described detainees being kept blindfolded, handcuffed, and deprived of basic needs.

He said detainees endured constant torture, physical and sexual abuse, and humiliation, resulting in deaths.

Conversations between detainees are prohibited, with severe beatings as punishment. Some detainees had limbs amputated and bullets removed without anesthesia. Surrounded by police dogs, detainees are given minimal toilet access and sleep on the ground using their shoes as pillows.

Hamas has condemned the re-arrest of Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Aziz Dweik by Israeli forces in Hebron.

The group called the arrest "vindictive" and held Israel responsible for his safety.

Dweik, 77, was detained without trial for nearly nine months before his release last week.

In an Al Jazeera interview, he accused Israeli forces of abusing Palestinian prisoners, including food deprivation and medical neglect.

The US military's on-again, off-again floating pier in Gaza is expected to resume operations on Thursday to unload sorely needed humanitarian aid for Palestinians, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the pier had been re-attached to the shore on Wednesday after being temporarily removed last Friday due to poor sea conditions.

Aid began arriving via the US-built pier on May 17, and the UN said it transported 137 trucks of aid to warehouses, some 900 metric tons.

But then rough seas damaged the pier, forcing repairs, and poor weather and security considerations have limited the number of days it has been operational.

US President Joe Biden announced in March the plan to put the pier in place for aid deliveries as famine loomed in Gaza, an enclave of 2.3 million people, during the war between Israel and the Palestinian militants.

The US military estimates the pier will cost more than $200 million for the first 90 days and involve about 1,000 service members.

It is unclear how much longer it will be operational.

Speaking at the Pentagon on Tuesday, spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder declined to say when the military might halt its pier operations altogether. He said the pier has so far allowed for a total of over 3,500 metric tons of aid to reach Gaza's shores.

"With the caveat that this has always been intended to be a temporary pier, I'm not aware at this point of any established date of: 'This is when we're going to stop,'" he told reporters.

"And again, taking a step back here, the big picture: Whether it be by land, sea or air, (the United States is) employing all avenues to get assistance into Gaza."

 Lebanon’s Hezbollah has new weapons and intelligence capabilities that could help it target more critical positions deeper inside Israel in case of an all-out war, the group's leader warned on Wednesday.

Hassan Nasrallah’s comments came as the monthslong cross-border conflict simmering between Hezbollah and Israel appears to be reaching a boiling point and a day after a top US envoy met Lebanese officials in his latest attempt to ease tensions.

"We now have new weapons. But I won’t say what they are," he said in a televised address commemorating a top Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon last week. "When the decision is made, they will be seen on the front lines."

Nasrallah said a wider war with Lebanon would have regional implications and that Hezbollah would attack any other country in the region backing Israel, citing Cyprus, which has hosted Israeli forces for training exercises.

🇱🇧 Sayed Hassan Nasrallah’s promise to the Israelis pic.twitter.com/zONY2BSdds

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) June 19, 2024

Israel's top army spokesman said Wednesday that Hamas cannot be eliminated, prompting a knee-jerk reaction from the government which quickly reiterated it remains committed to the Palestinian group's destruction.

More than eight months of war since the unprecedented October 7 attack have failed to oust the group from Gaza but have brought widespread devastation.

"To say that we are going to make Hamas disappear is to throw sand in people's eyes. If we don't provide an alternative, in the end, we will have Hamas," Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told Israel's Channel 13 broadcaster.

"Hamas is an ideology, we cannot eliminate an ideology."

His comments were quickly rebuffed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose cabinet has stated its Gaza offensive will not end until Hamas is defeated.

"The political and security cabinet headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu defined as one of the goals of the war the destruction of Hamas' military and governmental capabilities," his office said in a statement.

In a separate statement on its Telegram channel, the military clarified that Hagari had addressed Hamas "as an ideology... and his statements were clear and explicit".

"Any other claim is taking the statement out of context."

The US military said on Wednesday it had destroyed one ground control station and one command and control node in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

In a statement, the US military's Central Command added its forces also destroyed two Houthi drone boats in the Red Sea.

The Iran-aligned Houthis first launched drone and missile strikes in the key waterway in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.

June 19 U.S. Central Command Update

In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed two Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels (USV) in the Red Sea.

Separately, USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed one ground control station… pic.twitter.com/2TYP1e0Wgt

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 19, 2024