Closing Summary
It is approaching 7pm in Gaza and Tel Aviv and we are closing the Israel-Gaza war live blog. Here is a recap of the key events from today:
At least 274 Palestinians were killed in a Israeli hostage rescue raid yesterday, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry also said about 700 people were wounded in the operation that was centred on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
The operation resulted in the rescue of four Israeli hostages who had been held captive since Hamas’ 7 October attack on Israel. Israel celebrated the release of Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41. Israel has now rescued a total of seven hostages since the outbreak of the war, with over 100 thought to remain in Gaza.
Hamas has asserted that three hostages were killed in the Israeli rescue operation yesterday, including a US citizen. No evidence was provided and the Guardian could not independently verify the claims. Hamas has released a video showing three unidentifiable corpses with censor bars over their faces, and warned that conditions would worsen for the remaining captives after the attack.
The EU’s foreign minister, Josep Borrell condemned the “massacre” of Palestinian civilians, saying the “bloodbath” resulting from Israel’s rescue mission must end immediately. The UN’s aid chief Martin Griffiths called for a ceasefire and for all Israeli hostages to be released as he described in graphic detail scenes of “shredded bodies on the ground” after the operation.
Israel continued to attack central Gaza today. Reuters reported that separate Israeli airstrikes on houses in the city of Deir Al-Balah and in nearby Al-Bureij killed three Palestinians in each location earlier today, while tanks shelled parts of nearby Al-Maghazi and Al-Nuseirat.
Israeli tanks also advanced into two new districts of the southern city of Rafah. It appears to be an apparent effort to complete the encirclement of the entire eastern side of the city.
Yemen’s Houthis said they targeted two commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea with missiles. The militant group also claimed to have hit British destroyer HMS Diamond, but the British MoD denied these claims.
Aid has been delivered into Gaza from a newly repaired American-built pier after it suffered storm damage. In a post on X, US Central Command confirmed aid was delivered in Gaza via the pier yesterday morning.
That’s it from me, Donna Ferguson. Thanks for following along. If you want to continue following news on the war, go to Israel-Gaza war.
Updated
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has told Reuters it received a report of an incident 89 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s port city of Aden, adding that authorities are investigating.
Earlier, Yemen’s Houthi group said it had fired ballistic missiles at a British destroyer, HMS Diamond, in the Red Sea. Reuters reported that the British Ministry of Defence said the assertions were false, at the time (see earlier blog post, 2.14pm)
The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address his war cabinet on Sunday at 6.30pm, which will be followed by a meeting with the political security cabinet at 8.30pm at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Updated
The Hamas assertion that some hostages have died as result of the operation has been rejected as “a blatant lie” by the Israeli military.
In a video posted on its Telegram channel, Hamas displayed what appeared to be three unidentifiable corpses. The video showed censor bars over their faces, Reuters reports.
“Your captives will not be released unless our prisoners are freed,” the video added.
The US National Security adviser Jake Sullivan, a senior aide to President Biden, has appeared in a CNN interview criticising Hamas for the deaths of Palestinian civilians in yesterday’s hostage operation by Israel.
He said Hamas “is operating in a way” that puts Palestinian people “in the crossfire”.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has at 274 Palestinians were killed and 698 were injured, including women and children.
“The Palestinian people are going through sheer hell in this conflict because Hamas is operating in a way that puts them in the crossfire that holds hostages right in the heart of crowded civilian areas, that puts military emplacements right in the heart of crowded civilian areas,” Sullivan reportedly said in the interview.
He then called on the international community to demand that Hamas accept the terms of the ceasefire deal, according to The Times of Israel.
Updated
Hamas says three hostages killed in Israeli operation yesterday
Reuters reports that Hamas’ armed al-Qassam Brigades have said that three hostages were killed in Israel’s hostage rescue operation yesterday that also resulted in four Israeli hostages being rescued. No evidence was provided and the Guardian could not independently verify the claims.
In a video posted on its Telegram channel on Sunday, Hamas said three hostages were killed, including a US citizen, in the Israeli military operation.
Earlier today Hamas spokesman Abu Obaida also said hostages were killed during the operation, without providing any evidence, and warned that conditions would worsen for remaining captives following the attack.
“The operation will pose a great danger (for) the enemy’s prisoners and will have a negative impact on their conditions,” spokesman Abu Obaida wrote on Telegram, according to AFP.
A doctor said the Israeli hostages rescued from Hamas captivity in Gaza yesterday were suffering from “severe nutritional deficiency”.
“The nutritional status of the captives that have come back, all of them are in severe nutritional deficiency with significantly decreased muscle mass and interruptions to their metabolic status,” Dr Itai Pessach said at Sheba medical centre in Ramat Gen, Israel.
The hostages, Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41 have been undergoing medical checks and psychological treatment at the hospital.
The hostages, who were kidnapped from Nova music festival by Hamas gunmen on 7October last year, were reunited with their families yesterday after a military operation to rescue them from Gaza’s Nuseirat, where they were held in two separate apartment blocks.
Updated
Our video team has put together a report on the aftermath of Israel’s hostage rescue operation yesterday and its continued attacks on central Gaza.
Reuters reports that separate Israeli airstrikes on houses in the city of Deir Al-Balah and in nearby Al-Bureij killed three Palestinians in each location earlier today.
Israel has continued to attack central Gaza and the southern city of Rafah following yesterday’s hostage rescue operation centred on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Israel’s foreign minister has lashed out at criticism of the operation in Gaza yesterday that resulted in the rescue of four Israeli hostages and the deaths of at least 274 Palestinians.
In a post on X, Israel Katz said: “The world admired the courage, determination, and capabilities of Israel’s operation to free the hostages.
“Many sent messages of support, but only Israel’s enemies complained about the casualties of Hamas terrorists and their accomplices, accusing Israel of war crimes.
“We wholeheartedly reject these accusations. We will continue to act with determination and strength, in accordance with our right to self-defense, until all of the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated.”
The world admired the courage, determination, and capabilities of Israel's operation to free the hostages.
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) June 9, 2024
Many sent messages of support, but only Israel's enemies complained about the casualties of Hamas terrorists and their accomplices, accusing Israel of war crimes.
We…
Yemen's Houthi's say they targeted British destroyer in Red Sea
Yemen’s Houthi group said it had fired ballistic missiles at a British destroyer, HMS Diamond, in the Red Sea.
The Houthis said in a statement the strike was “accurate” but did not say whether it had caused any damage. The British MoD has said the Houthis assertions are false, according to Reuters.
The Houthis also said they had attacked two commercial vessels which they identified as the Norderney and Tavvishi. The statement said the Tavvishi – which was in the Arabian Sea – and the Norderney had both been hit, and that a fire broke out on the Norderney.
Updated
A ban on Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel has been extended for another 45 days by Israel’s telecoms regulator, after the cabinet agreed its broadcasts posed a threat to security, Reuters reports.
A Tel Aviv court last week upheld an initial 35-day ban on Al Jazeera in Israel, imposed by the government on national security grounds, which ended on Saturday.
In a separate ruling on a petition by Al Jazeera against the closure, Israel’s Supreme Court described the measure against the Qatari-backed broadcaster channel as “precedent-setting”.
It gave Israel’s government until 8 August to offer arguments for “why it should not be determined that the Law Preventing a Foreign Broadcaster from Harming National Security” is void.
Al Jazeera had told the court it did not incite violence or terrorism and that the ban was disproportionate, court documents showed. The channel, which has criticised Israel’s military operations in Gaza, was not immediately available for comment.
The network’s broadcasts on the cable and satellite companies and access to its websites will remain blocked, Israel’s Communications Ministry said.
“We will not allow the terrorist channel Al Jazeera to broadcast from Israel and endanger our fighters,” said Israel’s communications minister Shlomo Karhi.
Judge Shai Yaniv had said he had been provided with evidence, which he did not specify, of a long-standing and close relationship between the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Al Jazeera, accusing the channel of promoting Hamas’ goals.
Israeli authorities raided a Jerusalem hotel room used by Al Jazeera as its office on May 5 and said they were shutting the operation down for the duration of the Gaza war.
Many of the images of the aftermath of Israel’s hostage rescue operation that reportedly killed at least 276 people are incredibly graphic, showing serious injuries and dead bodies. The images below show the scale of destruction at the Nuseirat refugee camp, which was the target of heavy aerial bombardment during the mission.
The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, called the attack a “massacre”, while the UN’s aid chief described in graphic detail scenes of “shredded bodies on the ground”.
The Israeli military spokesperson R Adm Daniel Hagari confirmed on Saturday that dozens of Palestinians had been killed. He knew that “under 100” casualties had been reported, but could not say how many were civilians, he told a briefing. Special forces operated under heavy fire in a “complex urban environment” to carry out the rescue, the Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said.
Updated
Some further detail on the death toll from Israel’s hostage rescue operation in Gaza yesterday.
Sixty-four children and 57 women were among the 274 Palestinians killed during the raid, according to the Hamas government media office.
Reuters reports that Israeli forces continue to pound central Gaza and Israeli tanks advanced further into areas of Rafah in a bid to seal off part of the southern city, according to residents and Hamas media.
Three Palestinians were killed and several hurt in an Israeli airstrike on a house in Al-Bureij in the central Gaza Strip earlier today, while tanks shelled parts of nearby Al-Maghazi and Al-Nuseirat. All are built-up, historic refugee camps.
Tanks also advanced into two new districts of Rafah earlier today in an apparent effort to complete the encirclement of the entire eastern side of the city, clashing with dug-in Hamas-led armed groups, according to residents trapped in their homes.
Israel sent forces into Rafah in May in what it called a mission to wipe out Hamas’ last intact combat units after eight months of war. Israeli tank forces have since seized Gaza’s entire border strip with Egypt running through Rafah to the Mediterranean coast and invaded several districts of the city. Around one million displaced people who were sheltering in Rafah have since had to flee elsewhere.
Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades have claimed that other hostages were killed during Israel’s operation to free four hostages yesterday, without providing details or proof. They also warned that conditions would worsen for remaining captives following the attack.
“The operation will pose a great danger (for) the enemy’s prisoners and will have a negative impact on their conditions,” spokesman Abu Obaida wrote on Telegram, according to AFP.
Palestinian militants kidnapped 250 people during the 7 October attack on Israel, taking the captives to Gaza. The four freed hostages are among seven that Israeli forces have managed to rescue alive since then.
Dozens of hostages were exchanged in a November truce for Palestinian prisoners. After Saturday’s operation, 116 hostages are thought to remain in Gaza, though about 40 of those believed to be dead.
The father of one of the four Israeli hostages freed yesterday died hours before his son was released, a family member told Israeli public radio.
Yossi Jan died on Friday, the day before his son, Almog Meir Jan, was rescued from Gaza, family member Dina Jan told Kan radio.
The cause of death was not confirmed, but Israeli media reported that he had been ill.
“Yossi, my brother, Almog’s father, was glued to the television for the entire eight months, clinging to every bit of information, he loved Almog so much and worried about him and what was happening to him,” Dina said.
“He couldn’t bear it. My brother died from grief. Any deal that fell through broke his heart. This is painful that he didn’t get to see his son return,” she added.
You can read Emma Graham-Harrison’s report on the operation yesterday that resulted in the rescue of four Israeli hostages and the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians at the link below.
The White House has declined to say whether President Joe Biden will meet Benjamin Netanyahu when the Israeli prime minister visits Washington next month to address the US Congress, Reuters reports.
“I don’t have anything to announce today,” Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview with CBS, adding the two men were in regular communication.
“He’s coming to address the Congress. The president talks to him all the time,” Sullivan said.
Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on 24 July. Biden has been a staunch supporter of Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza, but there have been tensions between the two men over how Israel is conducting the war.
Biden, who is running for re-election in November, has faced criticism over his support for Israel from his left-leaning political base as the Palestinian death toll mounts from Israel’s assault.
Sullivan said he hoped a ceasefire and hostage deal would be in place that by the time Netanyahu came to Washington. Hamas must simply say “yes” to the proposal on the table, he said.
Biden, who returns to the US from France later on Sunday, welcomed the rescue by Israeli forces of four hostages held by Hamas and vowed to keep working until all hostages were released and a ceasefire achieved.
At least 274 Palestinians killed in Israeli hostage rescue raid, Gaza’s health ministry says
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says at least 274 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli air and ground raid that rescued four hostages held by Hamas, AP reports.
The ministry also said about 700 people were wounded in the operation.
Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip has now killed at least 37,084 Palestinians and wounded 84,494 since 7 October, the ministry said in a statement.
The Israeli military said it had attacked “threats to our forces in the area” and that a special forces officer was killed in the rescue operation.
Updated
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and bloodshed in the aftermath of Israel’s hostage rescue operation in Gaza yesterday.
One man, Abdel Salam Darwish told the BBC he was at a market buying vegetables when he heard fighter jets from above and the sound of gunfire. “Afterwards, people’s bodies were in pieces, scattered in the streets, and blood stained the walls,” he said.
One man, who said more than 40 members of his family have been killed since the conflict began in October, described to the BBC being in a house which was hit by a strike.
“As soon as these children and women entered the house, the bombing attack took place, claiming the lives of all those inside it,” he said.
Jamal Salha, a doctor at Al-Aqsa Hospital, told Al Jazeera the facility is packed with trauma patients, including children, severely hurt in Israel’s attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday.
“In our neurosurgical department, we admitted more than 20 patients with severe head injuries,” Salha said. “One of them was a child with a head injury that required surgery. Another was a child with a head injury due to shrapnel.
“He [the child] was without his family, most probably his family were killed,” said Salha.
At least 236 Palestinians were killed in Israel’s raid to free hostages Saturday, Gaza health officials have told the Washington Post.
At al-Awda Hospital, where victims were transported, there were 142 bodies, hospital director Marwan Abu Nasser told the US newspaper. Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital spokesman Khalil al-Degran said over the weekend that the hospital had at least 94 bodies. Hundreds more are believed to be wounded.
Israeli forces are continuing operations across Gaza following its deadly raid at Nuseirat refugee camp that freed four Israeli hostages, the Israel Defense Force said in a Telegram post.
Fighter jets and ground troops killed militants, struck targets, and located tunnel shafts and weapons in Deir al-Balah and Bureij in the east, Rafah in the south and central Gaza, the IDF said.
Earlier, the IDF said on Telegram that numerous rocket launches were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory and falling in open areas in the area of Misgav Am. No injuries were reported. The IDF also said its fighter jets struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.
AP provides some more detail about the hostage rescue mission:
Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, told reporters that military intelligence determined some time ago that the hostages were being held in two apartments, about 200 metres (219 yards) away from each other, in the heart of the Nuseirat camp. He said the forces had trained repeatedly on a model of the apartment buildings.
Hagari said the forces moved in simultaneously in broad daylight on both apartments, believing this ensured the best element of surprise. But he said the rescuers came under heavy fire as they moved out, including from gunmen firing rocket-propelled grenades from within the neighborhood.
“A lot of fire was around us,” he said, adding that the military responded with heavy force, including from aircraft, to extract the rescuers and freed hostages.
A US hostage cell provided advice and support throughout the process of locating and rescuing the hostages, according to a Biden administration official, who was not authorised to comment and requested anonymity. The hostage cells are multi-agency teams.
Pushing back against social media claims, the U.S Central Command said in a tweet that neither the American-built pier in Gaza that brings in aid for Palestinians by sea nor any of its equipment, personnel or other assets were used in the Israeli operation. It said Israel used an area south of the pier “to safely return hostages.”
CENTCOM Statement Regarding IDF Rescue Operations Today
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 8, 2024
The humanitarian pier facility, including its equipment, personnel, and assets were not used in the operation to rescue hostages today in Gaza. An area south of the facility was used by the Israelis to safely return the… pic.twitter.com/Eg7BNE8Phf
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One of the four Israeli hostages freed yesterday has given an account of her ordeal to her relatives, Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reports.
Noa Argamani, 26, recounted the traumatic experiences she faced during captivity, stating that she faced the prospect of imminent death on four separate occasions. She described an incident when a missile struck the building she was being held in, causing an explosion that led her to be convinced her life was about to end.
“I saw the missile entering the house – I was sure I was about to die. I thought that was it, but I survived,” she said. Argamani said her Hamas captors frequently moved her between safe houses, at times disguising her in traditional Arab dress and allowing her outside briefly to get fresh air.
Argamani told family that she heard a knock at 10am on Saturday, and heard, “It’s the IDF and we’ve come to rescue you.”
Updated
EU's top diplomat condemns 'bloodbath' and 'massacre of civilians' during hostage rescue
As Israelis celebrated the rescue of the four hostages, the EU condemned what it called “appalling” reports of a massacre Palestinian civilians.
Gaza’s Hamas-run media office says the death toll from Israel’s hostage rescue mission is now 210.
The EU’s foreign minister, Josep Borrell said: “Reports from Gaza of another massacre of civilians are appalling. We condemn this in the strongest terms. The bloodbath must end immediately.” In an earlier post on X, Borrell said: “We share the relief of their families and call for the release of all the remaining hostages.”
Reports from Gaza of another massacre of civilians are appalling. We condemn this in the strongest terms.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) June 8, 2024
The bloodbath must end immediately.@POTUS 3-stage plan is the way forward for an enduring ceasefire and to end the killing.
Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv are free and safe today.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) June 8, 2024
We share the relief of their families and call for the release of all the remaining hostages.@POTUS 3-stage plan is the way forward to rescue all the hostages and end the suffering.
Updated
Two ships catch fire after missile strikes off Yemen’s Aden
Two vessels caught on fire after being hit by projectiles off Yemen’s Aden according to two UK maritime agencies, Reuters reports.
British security firm Ambrey said on Sunday an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship was struck by a missile 83 nautical miles south-east of Yemen’s Aden and caught fire before it was contained.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report from a master of a vessel about another incident 70 nautical miles south-west of Aden.
“The master reports that the vessel was hit by an unknown projectile on the aft section, which resulted in a fire. Damage control is under way,” UKMTO said in advisory note.
It added that no casualties were reported and the vessel was proceeding to its next port of call.
The Houthi militia, which controls the most populous parts of Yemen and is aligned with Iran, has attacked ships off its coast for months, saying it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza.
Hamas media office says Palestinian death toll rises to 210
The Hamas-run government media office said at least 210 Palestinians, including children, have been killed and more than 400 people have been wounded following Israel’s heavy air and ground assault in central Gaza, AFP reports.
There was no immediate confirmation of the figures from Gaza’s health ministry.
“The number of victims from the Israeli occupation’s massacre in the Nuseirat camp has risen to 210 martyrs and more than 400 wounded,” the Hamas media office said.
Near Nuseirat on Saturday, an AFP photographer saw scores of Palestinians running for cover in fear of further Israeli strikes.
It was reported earlier that the bodies of nearly 100 Palestinians were brought to the al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital along with more than 100 injured, spokesperson Khalil Degran told the Associated Press.
Degran later told AP that overall, 210 dead had been taken to al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital and to al-Awda hospital, saying he had spoken to the director there. Al-Awda’s numbers could not immediately be confirmed.
AP reporters saw dozens of bodies brought to al-Aqsa hospital from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas. A baby was among the dead.
Updated
Israelis celebrate release of four hostages
Israelis were jubilant as Israel’s military on Saturday carried out its largest hostage rescue operation since its latest war with Hamas began last October, taking four to safety out of central Gaza in a heavy air and ground assault, AP reports.
Footage posted on social media showed beachgoers erupting into cheers in Tel Aviv when a lifeguard announced the news.
The army said it freed Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41, in a daytime operation in the heart of Nuseirat, raiding two locations at once while under fire. All were well, the military said. They were taken by helicopter for medical checks and reunions with loved ones after 246 days held.
Argamani had been one of the most widely recognised hostages after being taken, like the three others, from the Nova music festival targeted by Hamas during its 7 October raid on Israel.
Her mother, Liora, has brain cancer and had released a video pleading to see her daughter. Israel’s Channel 13 said Argamani was moved to the hospital where her mother is treated. In a message released by the government, Argamani told prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu she was “very excited”, saying she hadn’t heard Hebrew in so long.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement vowed to continue the fighting until all hostages are freed.
The operation was “daring in nature, planned brilliantly, and executed in an extraordinary fashion”, Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant said.
Below is our video report on the release of the hostages.
Aid reaches Gaza from newly repaired US-built pier
US Central Command (Centcom) has confirmed aid has been delivered into Gaza from a newly repaired American-built pier after it suffered storm damage, the Associated Press reports.
In a post on X, Centcom confirmed aid was delivered in Gaza via the pier yesterday morning.
“Today at approximately 10:30 a.m. [Gaza time] U.S. Central Command [USCENTCOM] began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons [~1.1 million pounds] of much needed humanitarian assistance was delivered to the people of Gaza.”
Humanitarian Aid Flow Resumes in Gaza
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 8, 2024
Today at approximately 10:30 a.m. (Gaza time) U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons (~1.1 million pounds) of much needed humanitarian… pic.twitter.com/NBOzeoAEzL
The pier constructed by the American military was only operational for about a week before it was blown apart in high winds and heavy seas on 25 May. The damaged section was reconnected to the beach in Gaza on Friday after undergoing repairs at an Israeli port.
UN agencies and humanitarian aid groups have warned sea or air deliveries cannot replace far more efficient truck convoys into Gaza, where the United Nations has repeatedly warned of looming famine.
Israeli restrictions on land crossings, and fighting, have greatly limited the flow of food and other vital supplies into the territory.
Hamas says more than 200 killed in Israel hostage rescue
Welcome back to our continuing live coverage of the Israel-Gaza war and wider Middle East conflict. I’m Hayden and I’ll be bringing you the latest updates this morning.
The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s hostage rescue raid in al-Nuseirat has risen to 210, Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office says. There was no immediate confirmation of the figure from Gaza’s health ministry.
The raid led to the rescue of four Israeli hostages held by Hamas since 7 October.
It was reported earlier that the bodies of nearly 100 Palestinians were brought to the al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital along with more than 100 injured, spokesperson Khalil Degran told the Associated Press.
Degran later told AP that overall, 210 dead had been taken to al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital and to al-Awda hospital, saying he had spoken to the director there. Al-Awda’s numbers couldn’t immediately be confirmed. AP journalists reported seeing dozens of bodies brought to AlAqsa hospital from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas.
Meanwhile, the US military says humanitarian aid has been delivered into Gaza from a newly repaired American-built pier, following problems that had plagued the effort to bring supplies to Palestinians by sea.
US central command posted on X that crews delivered about 492 tonnes (1.1 million pounds) of “much needed humanitarian assistance” via the pier on Saturday morning.
UN agencies and humanitarian aid groups have warned sea or air deliveries cannot replace far more efficient truck convoys into Gaza, where the United Nations has repeatedly warned of looming famine.
An Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship was struck by a missile 83 nautical miles south-east of Yemen’s Aden and caught fire before it was contained, according to British security firm Ambrey.
More details shortly, in other key developments:
Israeli forces rescued four hostages alive from the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, the military said. The four hostages, three men and one woman, had been kidnapped from the Nova music festival on 7 October and were taken to hospital for medical checks, Reuters reports. The army said it rescued Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, in a complex special daytime operation in Nuseirat, AP reported.
An Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Aitaroun in southern Lebanon killed two people, Lebanese state news agency NNA reported on Saturday. Israel’s IDF said in a statement that its soldiers had identified a Hezbollah militant in the area of Aitaroun and shortly afterward an Israeli aircraft had struck the individual.
US president Joe Biden welcomed the return of four Israeli hostages rescued alive in Gaza. Speaking at a news conference with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, Biden said he joined his host in welcoming the return of the hostages and vowed: “We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached.”
The Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said that special forces operated under heavy fire and in a complex urban environment when rescuing four hostages from Hamas in Gaza on Saturday.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel does not give into terrorism and that it is operating “creatively and bravely” to bring home the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. “We are committed to do so in the future as well. We will not let up until we complete the mission and return home all the hostages – both those alive and dead,” Netanyahu said.
At least 36,801 Palestinians have been killed and more than 83,680 have been injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the health ministry in Gaza said in a statement on Saturday.
Israel says more than 130 hostages remain, with about a quarter of those believed dead, and divisions are deepening in the country over the best way to bring them home.
Updated
