Israeli attacks kill 44 Palestinians in Gaza as UN warns of water shortage
Cairo/Geneva: Israeli fire killed at least 44 Palestinians in Gaza on Friday, including many who were seeking food aid, local officials said, while the United Nations' children's agency said the scarcity of drinking water was at a crisis point.
At least 25 people awaiting aid trucks were killed by Israeli action south of Netzarim in central Gaza, the Hamas-run local health authority said.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs a month-old US-backed food distribution system, operates an aid site there, and aid trucks from other organisations, including the United Nations also move through the area.
Commenting on the incident, the Israeli military said troops fired warning shots at suspected militants who advanced in a crowd towards them. Israeli aircraft then fired a missile and 'eliminated the suspects', it said in a statement.
The military said it was aware that people other than the suspected militants were hurt and it was conducting a review. GHF said the incident did not occur at or near its distribution location.
Separately, Gaza medics said at least 19 other people were killed in Israeli military strikes across the enclave on Friday, including 12 people in a house in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip.
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Meanwhile, the UN's children's agency, UNICEF, warned in Geneva that a shortage of fuel to operate wells and desalination plants in Gaza meant the enclave 'is facing what would amount to a man-made drought'.
'Children will begin to die of thirst ... Just 40 per cent of drinking water production facilities remain functional,' UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters. 'We are way below emergency standards in terms of drinking water.'
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The Age
11 hours ago
- The Age
Israeli attacks kill 44 Palestinians in Gaza as UN warns of water shortage
Cairo/Geneva: Israeli fire killed at least 44 Palestinians in Gaza on Friday, including many who were seeking food aid, local officials said, while the United Nations' children's agency said the scarcity of drinking water was at a crisis point. At least 25 people awaiting aid trucks were killed by Israeli action south of Netzarim in central Gaza, the Hamas-run local health authority said. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs a month-old US-backed food distribution system, operates an aid site there, and aid trucks from other organisations, including the United Nations also move through the area. Commenting on the incident, the Israeli military said troops fired warning shots at suspected militants who advanced in a crowd towards them. Israeli aircraft then fired a missile and 'eliminated the suspects', it said in a statement. The military said it was aware that people other than the suspected militants were hurt and it was conducting a review. GHF said the incident did not occur at or near its distribution location. Separately, Gaza medics said at least 19 other people were killed in Israeli military strikes across the enclave on Friday, including 12 people in a house in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip. Loading Meanwhile, the UN's children's agency, UNICEF, warned in Geneva that a shortage of fuel to operate wells and desalination plants in Gaza meant the enclave 'is facing what would amount to a man-made drought'. 'Children will begin to die of thirst ... Just 40 per cent of drinking water production facilities remain functional,' UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters. 'We are way below emergency standards in terms of drinking water.'
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Israeli attacks kill 44 Palestinians in Gaza as UN warns of water shortage
Cairo/Geneva: Israeli fire killed at least 44 Palestinians in Gaza on Friday, including many who were seeking food aid, local officials said, while the United Nations' children's agency said the scarcity of drinking water was at a crisis point. At least 25 people awaiting aid trucks were killed by Israeli action south of Netzarim in central Gaza, the Hamas-run local health authority said. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs a month-old US-backed food distribution system, operates an aid site there, and aid trucks from other organisations, including the United Nations also move through the area. Commenting on the incident, the Israeli military said troops fired warning shots at suspected militants who advanced in a crowd towards them. Israeli aircraft then fired a missile and 'eliminated the suspects', it said in a statement. The military said it was aware that people other than the suspected militants were hurt and it was conducting a review. GHF said the incident did not occur at or near its distribution location. Separately, Gaza medics said at least 19 other people were killed in Israeli military strikes across the enclave on Friday, including 12 people in a house in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza Strip. Loading Meanwhile, the UN's children's agency, UNICEF, warned in Geneva that a shortage of fuel to operate wells and desalination plants in Gaza meant the enclave 'is facing what would amount to a man-made drought'. 'Children will begin to die of thirst ... Just 40 per cent of drinking water production facilities remain functional,' UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters. 'We are way below emergency standards in terms of drinking water.'
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Israel threatens Iran's top leader after hospital hit
Israel's defence minister has overtly threatened Iran's supreme leader after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged a major hospital and hit a high-rise and several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service. Black smoke rose from the Soroka Medical Centre in the southern city of Beersheba as emergency teams evacuated patients. There were no serious injuries in the strike on the hospital. In the aftermath of the strikes on Thursday, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist". US officials said this week that US president Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later said there were no plans to kill him "at least not for now". Meanwhile, Israel carried out strikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor and its only functioning nuclear power plant on the Gulf coast on the seventh day of a conflict that began with a surprise wave of Israeli air strikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1300 wounded. In retaliation, Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. The hospital said the main impact was on an old surgery building that had been evacuated in recent days. After the strike, the medical facility was closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases, it said. Soroka has more than 1000 beds and provides services to around one million residents in the south of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the strike on the hospital and vowed a response, saying: "We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran." Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, although most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defences. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. Iranian state TV said there was "no radiation danger whatsoever" from the attack on the Arak site. Israel had warned earlier on Thursday morning that it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area. Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran's nuclear program, and Iran's only operating nuclear power plant in Bushehr. A military official later said "it was a mistake" to say there was a strike on the Bushehr plant. An attack on Bushehr, which is near Iran's Arab Gulf neighbours and employs technicians from Russia, would potentially be a major escalation in Israel's air war. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. The strikes came a day after Iran's supreme leader rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them". Israel had lifted some restrictions on daily life on Wednesday, suggesting the missile threat from Iran on its territory was easing. Already, Israel's campaign has targeted Iran's enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran and a nuclear site in Isfahan. Its strikes have also killed top generals and nuclear scientists. Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said he would travel to Geneva for meetings with his European counterparts on Friday, indicating a new diplomatic initiative might be taking shape. Trump has said he wants something "much bigger" than a ceasefire and has not ruled out the US joining Israel's campaign. Iran has warned of dire consequences if the US deepens its involvement, without elaborating. with Reuters Israel's defence minister has overtly threatened Iran's supreme leader after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged a major hospital and hit a high-rise and several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service. Black smoke rose from the Soroka Medical Centre in the southern city of Beersheba as emergency teams evacuated patients. There were no serious injuries in the strike on the hospital. In the aftermath of the strikes on Thursday, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist". US officials said this week that US president Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later said there were no plans to kill him "at least not for now". Meanwhile, Israel carried out strikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor and its only functioning nuclear power plant on the Gulf coast on the seventh day of a conflict that began with a surprise wave of Israeli air strikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1300 wounded. In retaliation, Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. The hospital said the main impact was on an old surgery building that had been evacuated in recent days. After the strike, the medical facility was closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases, it said. Soroka has more than 1000 beds and provides services to around one million residents in the south of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the strike on the hospital and vowed a response, saying: "We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran." Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, although most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defences. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. Iranian state TV said there was "no radiation danger whatsoever" from the attack on the Arak site. Israel had warned earlier on Thursday morning that it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area. Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran's nuclear program, and Iran's only operating nuclear power plant in Bushehr. A military official later said "it was a mistake" to say there was a strike on the Bushehr plant. An attack on Bushehr, which is near Iran's Arab Gulf neighbours and employs technicians from Russia, would potentially be a major escalation in Israel's air war. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. The strikes came a day after Iran's supreme leader rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them". Israel had lifted some restrictions on daily life on Wednesday, suggesting the missile threat from Iran on its territory was easing. Already, Israel's campaign has targeted Iran's enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran and a nuclear site in Isfahan. Its strikes have also killed top generals and nuclear scientists. Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said he would travel to Geneva for meetings with his European counterparts on Friday, indicating a new diplomatic initiative might be taking shape. Trump has said he wants something "much bigger" than a ceasefire and has not ruled out the US joining Israel's campaign. Iran has warned of dire consequences if the US deepens its involvement, without elaborating. with Reuters Israel's defence minister has overtly threatened Iran's supreme leader after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged a major hospital and hit a high-rise and several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service. Black smoke rose from the Soroka Medical Centre in the southern city of Beersheba as emergency teams evacuated patients. There were no serious injuries in the strike on the hospital. In the aftermath of the strikes on Thursday, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist". US officials said this week that US president Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later said there were no plans to kill him "at least not for now". Meanwhile, Israel carried out strikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor and its only functioning nuclear power plant on the Gulf coast on the seventh day of a conflict that began with a surprise wave of Israeli air strikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1300 wounded. In retaliation, Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. The hospital said the main impact was on an old surgery building that had been evacuated in recent days. After the strike, the medical facility was closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases, it said. Soroka has more than 1000 beds and provides services to around one million residents in the south of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the strike on the hospital and vowed a response, saying: "We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran." Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, although most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defences. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. Iranian state TV said there was "no radiation danger whatsoever" from the attack on the Arak site. Israel had warned earlier on Thursday morning that it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area. Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran's nuclear program, and Iran's only operating nuclear power plant in Bushehr. A military official later said "it was a mistake" to say there was a strike on the Bushehr plant. An attack on Bushehr, which is near Iran's Arab Gulf neighbours and employs technicians from Russia, would potentially be a major escalation in Israel's air war. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. The strikes came a day after Iran's supreme leader rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them". Israel had lifted some restrictions on daily life on Wednesday, suggesting the missile threat from Iran on its territory was easing. Already, Israel's campaign has targeted Iran's enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran and a nuclear site in Isfahan. Its strikes have also killed top generals and nuclear scientists. Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said he would travel to Geneva for meetings with his European counterparts on Friday, indicating a new diplomatic initiative might be taking shape. Trump has said he wants something "much bigger" than a ceasefire and has not ruled out the US joining Israel's campaign. Iran has warned of dire consequences if the US deepens its involvement, without elaborating. with Reuters Israel's defence minister has overtly threatened Iran's supreme leader after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged a major hospital and hit a high-rise and several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service. Black smoke rose from the Soroka Medical Centre in the southern city of Beersheba as emergency teams evacuated patients. There were no serious injuries in the strike on the hospital. In the aftermath of the strikes on Thursday, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist". US officials said this week that US president Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later said there were no plans to kill him "at least not for now". Meanwhile, Israel carried out strikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor and its only functioning nuclear power plant on the Gulf coast on the seventh day of a conflict that began with a surprise wave of Israeli air strikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1300 wounded. In retaliation, Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. The hospital said the main impact was on an old surgery building that had been evacuated in recent days. After the strike, the medical facility was closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases, it said. Soroka has more than 1000 beds and provides services to around one million residents in the south of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the strike on the hospital and vowed a response, saying: "We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran." Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, although most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defences. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. Iranian state TV said there was "no radiation danger whatsoever" from the attack on the Arak site. Israel had warned earlier on Thursday morning that it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area. Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran's nuclear program, and Iran's only operating nuclear power plant in Bushehr. A military official later said "it was a mistake" to say there was a strike on the Bushehr plant. An attack on Bushehr, which is near Iran's Arab Gulf neighbours and employs technicians from Russia, would potentially be a major escalation in Israel's air war. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. The strikes came a day after Iran's supreme leader rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them". Israel had lifted some restrictions on daily life on Wednesday, suggesting the missile threat from Iran on its territory was easing. Already, Israel's campaign has targeted Iran's enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran and a nuclear site in Isfahan. Its strikes have also killed top generals and nuclear scientists. Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said he would travel to Geneva for meetings with his European counterparts on Friday, indicating a new diplomatic initiative might be taking shape. Trump has said he wants something "much bigger" than a ceasefire and has not ruled out the US joining Israel's campaign. Iran has warned of dire consequences if the US deepens its involvement, without elaborating. with Reuters
