Israel-Gaza

[Coss]

The situation will have changed again by the time you read this, but:

As US President Donald Trump claims a ceasefire has been achieved between Iran and Israel on Monday, Tehran has denied the claim. Iran has stated it did not receive any ceasefire proposal from the US which calls for a truce.

In the last few minutes (3:40 am GMT) air raid sirens and people heading to air raid shelters in Tel Aviv, Haifa & Jerusalem.

Oh! and Trump has claimed responsibility for my successful big beautiful bowel movement this morning.

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The history of Iran's nuclear program.

Bowling anyone?

 

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Dozens of Palestinians reportedly killed while seeking aid as more perish in Israeli air strikes

Palestinians go to collect aid from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Khan Younis. (Reuters: Hatem Khaled)

In short: 

At least 31 Palestinians have been fatally shot while on their way to an aid distribution site, while 28 others were killed in an Israeli air strike, according to officials and witnesses. 

The Red Cross said its field hospital saw its largest influx of dead in more than a year of operation after the shootings at the site near Rafah. 

What's next? 

There were no signs of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks following two days of meetings between Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

At least 31 Palestinians have been fatally shot on their way to an aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip, while Israeli air strikes have killed at least 28 Palestinians, including four children, on the same day, according to Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses.

There were no signs of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks following two days of meetings between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Photo shows GHF image Rafah

The United Nations says most of those killed had been close to aid sites managed by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Mr Trump had said he was nearing an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would potentially wind down the war.

Those shot dead were on their way to a distribution site run by the Israeli-backed American organisation Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near Rafah in southern Gaza, hospital officials and witnesses said.

The Red Cross said its field hospital saw its largest influx of dead in more than a year of operation after the shootings, and that the overwhelming majority of the more than 100 people hurt had gunshot wounds.

Air strikes in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah killed 13, including the four children, officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said.

Fifteen others were killed in Khan Younis in the south, according to Nasser Hospital.

Israel's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Intense air strikes continued on Saturday evening in the area of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.

Palestinian woman Somaya Al-Shaer, pictured with her daughter, mourns her son, who medics say was killed by Israeli fire while seeking aid near a distribution point.  (Reuters: Ramadan Abed)

Israelis rallied yet again for a ceasefire deal.

"Arrogance is what brought the disaster upon us," former hostage Eli Sharabi said of Israeli leaders.

Palestinian-American beaten to death in the West Bank

Friends and relatives paid their respects a day after 20-year-old Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musalat and local friend Mohammed al-Shalabi were killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Mr Musalat was severely beaten to death by Israeli settlers on his family's land on Friday evening.

His cousin, Diana Halum, told reporters the settlers blocked paramedics from reaching him.

Mr Musalat's family, from Tampa in Florida, said in a statement that medics tried to reach him for three hours before his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, but that he died before reaching hospital.

"This is an unimaginable nightmare and injustice that no family should ever have to face,"

the family statement said.

"We demand the US State Department lead an immediate investigation and hold the Israeli settlers who killed Saif accountable for their crimes."

The US Department of State said it was aware of the reports of his death but had no comment out of respect for the family.

A witness, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid Israeli retaliation, said the settlers descended on Palestinian lands and "started shooting at us, beating by sticks and throwing rocks".

Israel's military said Palestinians hurled rocks at Israelis in the area earlier on Friday, lightly wounding two people and setting off a larger confrontation.

Teen's first attempt to pick up food ends in death

The 21-month war has left much of Gaza's population of more than 2 million reliant on outside aid, with food security experts warning of famine.

Israel blocked and then restricted aid entry after ending the latest ceasefire in March.

"All responsive individuals reported they were attempting to access food distribution sites," the Red Cross said after the shootings near Rafah, noting the "alarming frequency and scale" of such mass casualty incidents.

Israel's military said it fired warning shots toward people it said were behaving suspiciously to prevent them from approaching.

It said it was not aware of any casualties.

The GHF said no incident occurred near its sites.

Palestinians collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution centre of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah. (Reuters: Stringer)

Sumaya al-Sha'er's 17-year-old son, Nasir, was killed, hospital officials said.

"He said to me, 'Mom, you don't have flour and today I'll go and bring you flour, even if I die, I'll go and get it,'" she said.

"But he never came back home."

Until then, she said, she had prevented the teenager from going to GHF sites because she thought it was too dangerous.

Photo shows Francesca Albanese holds one finger up while addressing the National Press Club

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on one of the UN's top advocates for Palestinian rights, Francesca Albanese, accusing her of "spewing unabashed antisemitism".

Mohammed Jamal al-Sahloo, another witness, said Israel's military had ordered them to proceed to the site when the shooting started.

Witnesses, health officials and UN officials say hundreds have been killed by Israeli fire while heading toward GHF distribution points through military zones off limits to independent media.

The GHF denied there had been violence in or around its sites. But two of its contractors told The Associated Press that their colleagues had fired live ammunition and stun grenades as Palestinians scrambled for food, allegations the foundation denied.

The first fuel — 150,000 litres — entered Gaza this week after 130 days, a joint statement by UN aid bodies said, calling it a small amount for "the backbone of survival in Gaza".

Fuel runs hospitals, water systems, transport and more, the statement said.

AP/Reuters