Closing summary
It is approaching 6pm in Gaza and Tel Aviv. We will be closing this blog soon, but you can stay up to date on the Guardian’s Israel-Gaza war coverage here and on the Middle East here.
Here are the recent developments:
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on accusations that his country’s top ally, the United States, was withholding weapons shipments, despite denials from the Biden administration. Netanyahu said the drop in arms shipments began four months ago, without specifying which weapons The dispute underscores the strain between Israel and Washington throughout the war in Gaza. Netanyahu’s earlier claims over the weapons last week sparked an uproar among critics in Israel and was met with denial and confusion from White House officials.
Israeli troops tied a wounded Palestinian man, Mujahed Azmi, to a military vehicle during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the army said Sunday, admitting that soldiers had violated operational procedures. Footage of the incident, which occurred on Saturday, has gone viral and shows Azmi, a Jenin resident strapped horizontally to the bonnet of a military Jeep as it passes through a narrow alley.
Eight Palestinians were killed on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on a training college near Gaza City being used to distribute aid, Palestinian witnesses said, as Israeli tanks pushed further into the southern city of Rafah. The strike hit part of an industrial college run by the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency Unrwa now providing aid to displaced families, the witnesses said. Unrwa and the Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group said Sunday it had targeted two military positions in northern Israel with an armed drone in response to the killing of an Islamist commander. Hezbollah’s announcement came hours after it published a video excerpt purporting to show locations in Israel along with their coordinates, amid heightening fears of an all-out conflict between the two.
Cuba has said it will join a case by South Africa which accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The Cuban foreign ministry said in a statement that the move was to “stop the atrocities against the Palestinian people as a result of the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by Israel”.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant headed to Washington on Sunday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza war and escalating hostilities on the border with Lebanon, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have stoked fears of wider conflict. “We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon, and in more areas,” Gallant said in a statement before setting off to Washington, where he said he will meet his counterpart Lloyd Austin and secretary of state Antony Blinken.
The EU’s foreign affairs chief has called for an independent probe into a shelling which damaged the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza. In a post on X, Josep Borrell said the EU condemned the shelling which also “led to dozens of casualties”. The ICRC reported on Saturday that heavy-calibre projectiles “landed within metres” of its office and residences, killing at least 25 people. “An independent investigation is needed and those responsible must be held accountable,” Mr Borrell said.
Israeli tanks advanced to the edge of the Mawasi displaced persons’ camp in the north-west of the southern Gaza City of Rafah on Sunday in fierce fighting with Hamas-led fighters, residents said on Sunday. Images of two Israeli tanks stationed on a hilltop overlooking the coastal area went viral on social media, but the Guardian could not independently verify them.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday that it had received a report of a distress call from a vessel 96 nautical miles southeast of Nishtun, Yemen. The UKMTO reported that the vessel suffered flooding that could not be contained. It added that the crew were forced to abandon ship and were recovered by an assisting ship.
UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese has accused Israel of “turning international law on its head” after footage emerged of a Palestinian man strapped to the hood of a military Jeep during an arrest raid by Israeli troops in the West Bank. Commenting on the scenes, Ms Albanese called it “Human Shielding in action” and said on X it was “flabbergasting how a state born 76 years ago has managed to turn international law literally on its head”.
Updated
UN official accuses Israel of 'turning international law on its head'
UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese has accused Israel of “turning international law on its head” after footage emerged of a Palestinian man strapped to the hood of a military Jeep during an arrest raid by Israeli troops in the West Bank.
The Israeli military in a statement said Israeli forces were fired at and exchanged fire, wounding a suspect and apprehending him.
Soldiers then violated military protocol, they added.
Commenting on the scenes, Ms Albanese called it “Human Shielding in action” and said on X it was “flabbergasting how a state born 76 years ago has managed to turn international law literally on its head”.
“This risks being the end of multilateralism, which for some influential member states no longer serves any relevant purpose,” she added.
An investigation by Israel into the incident is now under way.
#HumanShielding in action.
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) June 22, 2024
It is flabbergasting how a state born 76 years ago has managed to turn international law literally on its head.
This risks being the end of multilateralism, which for some influential member states no longer serves any relevant purpose.… https://t.co/swwjiuJYmG
Israeli strike kills eight Palestinians at Gaza aid centre, say witnesses
Eight Palestinians were killed on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on a training college near Gaza City being used to distribute aid, Palestinian witnesses said, as Israeli tanks pushed further into the southern city of Rafah.
The strike hit part of an industrial college run by the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency Unrwa now providing aid to displaced families, the witnesses said. Unrwa and the Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“Some people were coming to receive coupons and others had been displaced from their houses and they were sheltering here. Some were filling up water, others were receiving coupons, and suddenly we heard something falling. We ran away, those who were carrying water let it spill,” said Mohammed Tafesh, one of the witnesses.
A Reuters photographer saw a low-rise building completely demolished and bodies wrapped in blankets laid out beside the road, waiting to be taken away.
More than eight months into Israel’s war in the Hamas-administered Palestinian territory, its advance is focused on the two areas its forces have yet to seize: Rafah on Gaza’s southern tip and the area surrounding Deir al-Balah in the centre.
US withholding arms shipments, repeats Netanyahu, days after Washington denies claims
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet that there had been a “dramatic drop” in U.S. weapons deliveries for Israel’s war effort in Gaza.
With his remarks Sunday, Netanyahu doubled down on accusations that his country’s top ally, the United States, was withholding weapons shipments, despite denials from the Biden administration.
Netanyahu said the drop in arms shipments began four months ago, without specifying which weapons.
The dispute underscores the strain between Israel and Washington throughout the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s earlier claims over the weapons last week sparked an uproar among critics in Israel and was met with denial and confusion from White House officials.
More on the distress call from a vessel 96 nautical miles southeast of Nishtun, Yemen: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has reported that the vessel suffered flooding that could not be contained.
UKMTO added that the crew were forced to abandon ship and were recovered by an assisting ship.
Here is a roundup of the latest images from Gaza today:
Israeli tanks at edge of Rafah's Mawasi refuge zone, say residents
Israeli tanks advanced to the edge of the Mawasi displaced persons’ camp in the north-west of the southern Gaza City of Rafah on Sunday in fierce fighting with Hamas-led fighters, residents said on Sunday.
Images of two Israeli tanks stationed on a hilltop overlooking the coastal area went viral on social media, but the Guardian could not independently verify them.
“The fighting with the resistance has been intense. The occupation forces are overlooking the Mawasi area now, which forced families there to head for Khan Younis,” said one resident to Reuters.
More than eight months into Israel’s war in the Hamas-administered Palestinian territory, its advance is focused on the two areas its forces have yet to seize: Rafah on Gaza’s southern tip and the area surrounding Deir al-Balah in the centre.
Residents said Israeli tanks had pushed deeper into western and northern Rafah in recent days, blowing up dozens of houses.
The Israeli military said it was continuing “intelligence-based, targeted operations” in the Rafah area and had located weapons stores and tunnel shafts, and killed Palestinian gunmen.
On Saturday, Palestinian health officials said at least 40 Palestinians had been killed in separate Israeli strikes in some northern Gaza districts, where the Israeli army said it had attacked Hamas’s military infrastructure. Hamas said the targets were the civilian population.
In a regular update, the Gaza health ministry said today that at least 37,598 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 86,032 others have been injured in Israel’s military offensive since 7 October.
Hezbollah targets Israeli barracks after Islamist commander’s death
Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group said Sunday it had targeted two military positions in northern Israel with an armed drone in response to the killing of an Islamist commander.
Hezbollah’s announcement came hours after it published a video excerpt purporting to show locations in Israel along with their coordinates, amid heightening fears of an all-out conflict between the two.
Israel and the powerful Iran-backed group have exchanged near-daily cross-border fire since the Gaza war erupted on 7 October.
On Saturday, the Jamaa Islamiya group announced the death of one of its commanders, Ayman Ghotmeh, saying he was killed “in a treacherous Zionist raid” in Khiara in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa area.
Israel later confirmed it had carried out the strike, saying Ghotmeh was responsible for supplying the Fajr Forces, Jamaa Islamiya’s armed wing, and Hamas with weapons in the area.
Hezbollah on Sunday said its fighters launched a strike “with an attack drone” on a military leadership position in the Beit Hillel barracks “in response to the assassination carried out by the Israeli enemy in the town of Khiara”.
The Israeli military meanwhile said in a statement that a drone had “crossed from Lebanon and fell in the area of Beit Hillel”, adding that “no injuries were reported”.
Cross-border tensions have surged in recent days, with Israel’s military announcing on Tuesday that a plan for an offensive in Lebanon had been “approved and validated”.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah responded with threats that no part of Israel would be spared in the event of an all-out war.
Distress call from vessel northeast of Yemen's Nishtun, says UKMTO
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday that it had received a report of a distress call from a vessel 96 nautical miles southeast of Nishtun, Yemen, adding that authorities were investigating it.
A drone damaged a merchant ship 65 nautical miles (120km) west of Hodeidah, Yemen, on Saturday. The ship made its way to its next port of call and “all crew members are reported safe”, the UKMTO said in a statement.
This comes after the Yemen-based Houthis claimed to have hit a commercial vessel directly with a ballistic missile after it used an Israeli port.
More on this as soon as it develops.
Updated
Israel’s Iron Dome risks being overwhelmed by Hezbollah, says US
Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile batteries risk being overwhelmed in the opening strikes of any significantly escalated conflict with Hezbollah.
The assessment delivered by US officials late last week, echoing recent analysis by experts in Israel and the United States, comes amid fears that a war with Hezbollah could be a far more dangerous undertaking than the devastating 2006 second Lebanon war, when Israeli bombing caused huge destruction in Lebanon.
The US and France are leading diplomatic efforts to avert a wider conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, amid fears that escalating rhetoric and exchanges of fire across the border could lead to full-scale war.
Read the rest of the story here:
US arms delay row to be 'resolved in near future', says Netanyahu
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday a row with the United States over weapons delays relating to the Gaza war would be resolved soon, amid simmering tensions between the allies.
“About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel. We got all sorts of explanations, but … the basic situation didn’t change,” he told a cabinet meeting.
“In light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future,” he added.
He said top Israeli officials lobbied their US counterparts at “the highest levels … at all levels” for speedier weapons deliveries.
“After months of no change in this situation, I decided to give it a public expression,” he said. Netanyahu irked Washington with a video statement earlier this week accusing it of “withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel”.
US officials have said they were not aware of what Netanyahu was referring to.
Netanyahu’s latest comments came as Defence Minister Yoav Gallant flew to Washington for talks about the Gaza war.
Washington is Israel’s main military backer, but the White House has voiced frustration over the rising civilian death toll in Gaza, where Israel has been fighting Hamas militants for more than eight months.
Israel’s defence minister heads to the US
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant headed to Washington on Sunday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza war and escalating hostilities on the border with Lebanon, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have stoked fears of wider conflict.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has been trading fire with Israel since the Gaza war erupted more than eight months ago. The group has said it will not stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon, and in more areas,” Gallant said in a statement before setting off to Washington, where he said he will meet his counterpart Lloyd Austin and secretary of state Antony Blinken.
69 per cent of Gaza’s school shelters damaged during war, says Unrwa
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), citing the Global Education Cluster, says 69 per cent of all schools sheltering displaced families in Gaza have either been “directly hit or damaged” during the war.
Shelters run by Unrwa have also been hit repeatedly, according to the agency, killing more than 500 people sheltering in them.
“This blatant disregard of humanitarian law must stop. We need a ceasefire now,” Unrwa said in a post on X.
Nowhere is safe in #Gaza.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) June 23, 2024
According to @GlobalEdCluster, 69% of school buildings where displaced families were seeking shelter have been directly hit or damaged.
This blatant disregard of humanitarian law must stop. We need a #CeasefireNow. pic.twitter.com/izwPNeKOVC
‘They miscalculated’: Gaza’s floating aid pier failing to deliver in rough seas: A floating pier built by the US military for seaborne humanitarian deliveries to Gaza has proved itself to be fragile in the face of rougher seas than expected, and the future of the whole $230m project is now in question.
The pier has been usable for just 12 days since it began operations on 17 May. On most of those days the assistance arriving by sea has had to be left on the beach as there have been no trucks to distribute it to warehouses in Gaza, because of lack of security.
The scheme has fallen far short of initial expectations. When he announced it in his state of the union speech on 7 March, Joe Biden said the temporary pier “would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day”.
Read the rest of the story here:
Top EU diplomat condemns shelling of Red Cross office in Gaza
The EU’s foreign affairs chief has called for an independent probe into a shelling which damaged the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza.
In a post on X, Josep Borrell said the EU condemned the shelling which also “led to dozens of casualties”.
The ICRC reported on Saturday that heavy-calibre projectiles “landed within metres” of its office and residences, killing at least 25 people.
“An independent investigation is needed and those responsible must be held accountable,” Mr Borrell said.
“ICRC must be able to carry out all its Geneva Conventions duties in safety,” he added.
The EU condemns the shelling which damaged the @ICRC office in #Gaza and led to dozens of casualties.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) June 22, 2024
An independent investigation is needed and those responsible must be held accountable.
Protection of civilians is an obligation under Geneva Conventions.
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Cuba joins South Africa's 'genocide' case against Israel
Cuba has said it will join a case by South Africa which accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The Cuban foreign ministry said in a statement that the move was to “stop the atrocities against the Palestinian people as a result of the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by Israel”.
South Africa filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December last year, arguing Israel is breaching the UN convention on genocide.
Israel described the lawsuit as a “despicable and contemptuous exploitation” of the court.
In May, the ICJ ordered Israel to stop its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah in response to an emergency request by South Africa.
Israeli warplanes attacked Hezbollah observation post in Lebanon, IDF says
The Israeli military says it targeted Hezbollah fighters and buildings on Saturday night.
It said Israeli warplanes struck a Hezbollah observation post in the Kfar Kila area of southern Lebanon. Israeli forces also attacked Hezbollah fighters in the Taiba area.
The latest attacks come as UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned the “world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza”.
In other developments:
Thousands rallied in Tel Aviv to mark the 20th birthday of hostage Naama Levy. Protesters called for new elections and to call for an immediate ceasefire in the war with Palestinian militant group Hamas and for the government to bring the hostages home. Among the families were the parents of Naama Levy, an Israeli soldier who marked her 20th birthday in captivity, who has been held hostage in Gaza since 7 October.
A drone damaged a merchant ship 65 nautical miles (120km) west of Hodeidah, Yemen, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UK MTO) reported. The ship is making its way to its next port of call and “all crew members are reported safe”, it added. The latest attack comes after the Yemen-based Houthis claimed to have hit a commercial vessel directly with a ballistic missile after it used an Israeli port.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on two densely populated locations in Gaza City. According to initial reports in the Israeli media, the bombings were aimed at assassinating a very senior Hamas commander. Amid initial reports of tens of casualties, including some still buried under the rubble, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement it had struck Hamas “military infrastructure sites”.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that 25 people were killed in a shelling attack that damaged its Gaza office, which is surrounded by hundreds of displaced Palestinians living in makeshift tents. The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory also said there were 50 injured in the shelling, which it blamed on Israel. Al-Mawasi had been designated as a humanitarian “safe zone” by Israel and thousands of people had fled there following Israel’s assault on the southern city of Rafah. The Israeli military said the episode was under review but that “there is no indication that a strike was carried out by the IDF” inside the safe zone.
Washington assured Tel Aviv that it will have its full support if a full-scale war breaks out with Hezbollah. The assurance came after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accused the US of withholding weapons and ammunitions from his country earlier this week, amid a tense back-and-forth between Israeli and US officials. Tensions have been growing between Israel and Hezbollah after months of intensifying cross-border attacks in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
Israeli forces tie wounded Palestinian to jeep in West Bank raid
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the Israel-Gaza war and its repercussions across the Middle East.
Israeli troops tied a wounded Palestinian man, Mujahed Azmi, to a military vehicle during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the army said Sunday, admitting that soldiers had violated operational procedures.
Footage of the incident, which occurred on Saturday, has gone viral and shows Azmi, a Jenin resident strapped horizontally to the bonnet of a military Jeep as it passes through a narrow alley.
The military said the Palestinian was wounded during a “counter-terrorism operation” launched to apprehend wanted suspects.
During an exchange of fire between troops and militants, one of the suspects was wounded and apprehended, the military said in a statement.
The family of Azmi told the Reuters news agency he was wounded during an Israeli raid. When the family asked for an ambulance, the military took Azmi, strapped him on to the hood of their four-wheel drive and drove off.
The military statement added: “In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle.”
“The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF [military],” it added. “The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly.” The statement also said that the wounded man was transferred to the Palestinian Red Crescent for treatment.
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