Israel blames 'malfunction' after children killed collecting water
The Israeli military said the missile had intended to hit an Islamic Jihad militant in the area but that a malfunction had caused it to fall "dozens of metres from the target".
"The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved civilians," it said in a statement, adding that the incident was under review.
The strike hit a water distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp, killing six children and injuring 17 others, said Ahmed Abu Saifan, an emergency physician at Al-Awda Hospital.
Water shortages in Gaza have worsened sharply in recent weeks, with fuel shortages causing desalination and sanitation facilities to close, making people dependent on collection centres where they can fill up their plastic containers.
Hours later, 12 people were killed by an Israeli strike on a market in Gaza City, including a prominent hospital consultant, Ahmad Qandil, Palestinian media reported. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the attack.
Gaza's health ministry said on Sunday that more than 58,000 people had been killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, with 139 people added to the death toll over the past 24 hours.
The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its tally, but says over half of those killed are women and children. CEASEFIRE?
US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that he was "hopeful" on Gaza ceasefire negotiations underway in Qatar.
He told reporters in Teterboro, New Jersey, that he planned to meet senior Qatari officials on the sidelines of the FIFA Club World Cup final.
However, negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire have been stalling, with the two sides divided over the extent of an eventual Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave, Palestinian and Israeli sources said at the weekend.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to convene ministers late on Sunday to discuss the latest developments in the talks, an Israeli official said.
The indirect talks over a US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire are being held in Doha, but optimism that surfaced last week of a looming deal has largely faded, with both sides accusing each other of intransigence.
Netanyahu in a video he posted on Telegram on Sunday said Israel would not back down from its core demands - releasing all the hostages still in Gaza, destroying Hamas and ensuring Gaza will never again be a threat to Israel.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages there are believed to still be alive.
Families of hostages gathered outside Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem to call for a deal.
"The overwhelming majority of the people of Israel have spoken loudly and clearly. We want to do a deal, even at the cost of ending this war, and we want to do it now," said Jon Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was held hostage by Hamas in a Gaza tunnel and slain by his captors in August 2024.
Netanyahu and his ministers were also set to discuss a plan on Sunday to move hundreds of thousands of Gazans to the southern area of Rafah, in what Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has described as a new "humanitarian city" but which would be likely to draw international criticism for forced displacement.
An Israeli source briefed on discussions in Israel said that the plan was to establish the complex in Rafah during the ceasefire, if it is reached.
On Saturday, a Palestinian source familiar with the truce talks said that Hamas rejected withdrawal maps which Israel proposed, because they would leave around 40% of the territory under Israeli control, including all of Rafah.
Israel's campaign against Hamas has displaced almost the entire population of more than 2 million people, but Gazans say nowhere is safe in the coastal enclave.
Early on Sunday morning, a missile hit a house in Gaza City where a family had moved after receiving an evacuation order from their home in the southern outskirts.
"My aunt, her husband and the children, are gone. What is the fault of the children who died in an ugly bloody massacre at dawn?" said Anas Matar, standing in the rubble of the building.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
UN Urges De-Escalation, Protection Of Civilians As Conflict Roils Syria
15 July 2025 On Sunday, violence erupted between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias in Sweida, two days after a Druze merchant was abducted on the highway to Damascus. The casualty figures are unclear according to local reports, but the death toll is at least 30, and hundreds have been injured. As violent unrest continued Monday, interim government security forces were deployed to restore order, which reportedly led to clashes with local armed militia. On the same day, Israeli forces struck tanks under the control of Syrian forces in defence of the Druze, whom it considers a loyal minority at home and in the occupied Golan area, according to news reports. Shortly after forces of the caretaker government in Damascus arrived in Sweida on Tuesday, Syria's defence chief announced a ceasefire. Tensions have historically been high between minority groups in the city since Islamist rebels toppled former president Bashar al-Assad's regime in December and a new caretaker government was installed which is gaining increasing international recognition. Guterres expresses concern Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, addressed the situation in Syria on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres at Tuesday's briefing in New York. 'The Secretary-General is deeply concerned over the continued violence we have seen in the Druze-majority area in Sweida governorate,' Mr. Dujarric said, adding that he is particularly alarmed by reports of arbitrary violence against civilians. Mr. Guterres condemned 'all violence against civilians, especially acts that risk enflaming sectarian tensions,' and urged de-escalation, protection of civilians and a transparent investigation into those responsible for the killings and injuries. Israel urged to end violations within Syria 'The Secretary-General is also concerned by Israel's airstrikes on Syria's territory and calls on Israel to refrain from violations of Syria's independence, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity,' Mr. Dujarric stressed. Mr. Guterres urged support for 'a credible, orderly and inclusive political transition in Syria in line with the key principles of Security Council Resolution 2254.' Mr. Dujarric also relayed reports from UN humanitarian partners in Sweida, noting that medical services are overstretched and that markets and essential services – including water, electricity and education – have been disrupted. While UN aid operations have been suspended in impacted areas due to blocked roads, the UN is mobilising to respond when conditions allow. Investigators raise alarm Also on Tuesday, the UN Human Rights Council mandated Syria Commission of Inquiryreleased a statement expressing concern over the situation in Sweida and stressing the urgent need for de-escalation and the protection of human rights. The statement cited reports from local residents of killings, abductions, property burnings, looting and a rise in hate speech both online and in person. In addition to highlighting concern over sectarian violence and Israeli airstrikes, the Commission emphasized the interim government's responsibility to uphold human rights and ensure safe passage and humanitarian aid access. The independent human rights investigators said they had begun an investigation into alleged human rights abuses related to the killings in Sweida in recent days.
Scoop
21 hours ago
- Scoop
Government Told NZ Should Not Follow Australia's Lead To Criminalise Support For Palestine
14 July 2025 Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is urging the New Zealand government NOT to follow Australia's example with measures which would effectively criminalise the Palestine solidarity movement. The Australian government has announced plans to implement recommendations from its anti-semitism envoy which PSNA says creates a 'hierarchy of racism' with anti-semitism at the top, while Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism hardly feature. However we know at least some of the appalling anti-semitic attacks in Sydney have been bogus. PSNA Co-chair John Minto says PSNA has no tolerance for anti-semitism in Aotearoa New Zealand, or anywhere else. 'But equally there should be no place for any other kind of racism, such as Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. Our government must speak out against all forms of discrimination and support all communities when racism rears its ugly head. Let's not forget the murderous attacks on the Christchurch mosques.' Minto says the Australian measures will inevitably be used to criminalise the Palestinian solidarity movement across Australia. 'We see it happening in the US, to attack and demonise support for Palestinian human rights by the Trump administration. We see it orchestrated in the UK to shut down any speech which Prime Minister Starmer and the Israeli government don't like.' PSNA agrees with the Jewish Council of Australia who have warned the Australian government adopting these measures could result in 'undermining Australia's democratic freedoms, inflaming community divisions, and entrenching selective approaches to racism that serve political agendas' Minto says the free speech restrictions in the US, UK and Australia have nothing to do with what people usually understand as anti-semitism. 'The drive comes from the Israeli government. They see making anti-semitism charges as the most effective means of preventing anyone publicly pointing to the genocide its armed forces are perpetrating in Gaza.' 'The definition of anti-semitism, usually inserted into codes of ethics or legislation, is from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. The IHRA definition includes eleven examples. Seven of the examples are about criticising Israel.' 'It's quite clear the Israeli campaign is to distract the community from Israel's horrendous war crimes, such as the round-the-clock mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza, and deflect calls for sanctions against Israel.' 'Already we can see in both the UK and US, that people have been arrested for saying things about Israel which would not have been declared illegal if they'd said it about other countries, including their own.' Minto says there are already worrying signs that the New Zealand government and New Zealand media and police are falling into the trap. 'Just over the past few weeks, there has been an unusually wide-ranging mainstream media focus on anti-semitism; At least one opinion piece in the Stuff newspapers from NZ Jewish Council spokesperson Ben Kepes on anti-semitism here A major interview in Stuff on anti-semitism with NZJC spokesperson Ben Kepes A New Zealand Herald opinion piece from NZJC spokesperson Juliet Moses A New Zealand Herald podcast featuring Holocaust Foundation spokesperson Deborah Hart. The Holocaust Foundation is partly funded by the Israeli Embassy. An enthusiastic 1News item on the latest appeal to the government to adopt similar measures here to those taken in Australia (TVNZ One News 13 July 2025) Stories highlighting anti-semitic graffiti in Wellington – numerous reports along these lines Stuff newspapers highlighting the case of an assault on a visiting Israeli after an altercation in Christchurch with the accused held overnight, denied bail and the police claiming it was a 'hate crime' However, our politicians and media have been silent about; An attack which knocked a young Palestinian woman to the ground when she was using a microphone to speak during an Auckland march An attack where a Palestine supporter was kicked and knocked to the pavement outside the Israeli embassy in Wellington. The accused was wearing an Israeli flag. He was not held in custody and the Post newspaper has reported neither the arrest nor the resulting charge (this case is due in court 15 July) An attack on a Palestine solidarity marshal in Christchurch who was punched in the face, in front of police, but no action taken. An attack in Christchurch when a Destiny Church member kicked a solidarity marshal in the chest (no action taken by police) Anti-Palestinian racist attacks on the home of a Palestine solidarity activist in New Plymouth. One of our supporters has had their front fence spraypainted twice with pro-Israel graffiti and their car tyres slashed twice (4 tyres in total) and had vile defamatory material circulated in their neighbourhood. (The police say they cannot help) The frequent condemnation of anti-semitism by the previous Chief Human Rights Commissioner, but his refusal to condemn the deep-seated anti-Palestinian racism of the New Zealand Jewish Council and Israel Institute of New Zealand. The refusal of the Human Rights Commission to publicly correct false statements it published in the Post newspaper which claimed anti-semitism was increasing, when in fact the evidence it was using was that the rate of incidents had declined. Minto says in each of the cases above there would have been far more attention from politicians, the police and the media had the victims been Israeli supporters. 'Meanwhile, both our government and the New Zealand Jewish Council have refused to condemn Israel's blatant war crimes. There is silence on the mass killing, mass starvation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. The Jewish Council and our government stand together and refuse to hold Israel's racist apartheid regime to account in just about any way.' 'This refusal to condemn what genocide scholars, including several Israeli genocide academics, have labelled as a 'text-book case of genocide', brings shame on both the New Zealand Jewish Council and the New Zealand government.' 'Adding to the clear perception of appalling bias on the part of our government, both the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, have met with New Zealand Jewish Council spokespeople over the war in Gaza.' 'But both have refused to meet with representatives of Palestinian New Zealanders, or the huge number of Jewish supporters of the Palestine solidarity movement.' 'New Zealand must stand up and be counted against genocide wherever it appears and no matter who the victims are.'
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Sectarian clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias have killed at least 30 people
Israel has threatened to intervene in Syria in defence of the Druze and has said it will not allow the Syrian military to deploy south of the capital, Damascus. The strikes were launched after the Syrian Government sent troops to Sweida today NZT to restore order as sectarian clashes entered a second day. The Israeli military said it struck the Syrian tanks because their presence in southern Syria 'may pose a threat to the State of Israel'. The tanks were advancing towards Sweida, the statement said and were targeted to stop their arrival in the area. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that the strikes were a 'message and a clear warning to the Syrian regime - we will not allow harm to be done to the Druze community in Syria'. The clashes in the Druze-majority city of Sweida initially broke out yesterday in the Maqous neighbourhood of the city, Syria's Interior Ministry said. It marked the first time that months of simmering tensions in the wider province had reached the city itself. More than 30 people were killed and nearly 100 were injured, according to a preliminary count from the ministry. The clashes expanded as local armed groups began fighting the government forces. Khalid Nemer, a Druze activist in Sweida, said at least 150 Druze have been killed in the clashes. The Washington Post could not independently verify the toll. 'The situation is very bad. Since the morning, there have been attempts to storm several axes by government forces as well as shelling operations and armed clashes,' said Rayan Maarouf, a researcher from Sweida who runs the local news site Sweida 24. Some Druze have described the government intervention as an attack on the Druze people, rather than an effort to restore order. 'They entered the administrative borders last night under the pretext of protection, but they proceeded to bombard our people in the border villages and supported the takfiri gangs with their heavy weapons and drones,' influential Druze spiritual leader Hikmat Hijiri said in a statement, using a term for radical Islamist groups. While Hijiri has vehemently opposed the new Islamist authorities, Druze spiritual leaders in Syria called for calm today and urged Damascus to intervene. 'Blood is everywhere from both sides,' said a 34-year-old Druze resident of Sweida, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for safety reasons. People were sequestered in their homes 'in a state of panic' because of the fighting, she said, adding that she fled the city and headed to Iraq today. The violence began when a Druze businessman was ambushed, robbed and humiliated with sectarian slurs by an armed group, according to Malik Abu al-Khair, the leader of the Druze al-Liwa party in Syria. Local reports said the incident at the weekend sparked a series of tit-for-tat kidnappings between the Druze and members of a Bedouin tribe before the clashes broke out. Syrian Government troops went to Sweida to 'begin a direct intervention,' the Interior Ministry said. Efforts to integrate the armed factions of Syrian minorities - including the Druze and the Kurds - into the new Syrian military have continually hit stumbling blocks since the overthrow of the regime of Bashar al-Assad last year. Anas Khattab, Syria's Interior Minister, said in a statement that the 'absence of state institutions, especially military and security institutions, is a major cause of the ongoing tensions in Sweida and its countryside'. 'The only solution is to reactivate these institutions to ensure civil peace,' he said. The ongoing violence follows deadly incidents in April and May in which dozens were killed on the outskirts of Damascus and Sweida in clashes between Druze gunmen and Islamist militants backing the new Syrian Government. The fighting prompted Israeli intervention with several strikes in support of the Druze, including one near the presidential palace in Damascus. Some Syrian Druze distanced themselves from the Israeli action, while others, such as Hijiri, welcomed it, telling the Washington Post in May that Israel was 'not the enemy'. The violence subsided after a deal was reached to put Druze fighters in charge of security in Sweida.
