logo
Gaza rescuers say Israeli air strike kills 21 at seaside rest area

Gaza rescuers say Israeli air strike kills 21 at seaside rest area

LBCI21 hours ago
Gaza's rescue service reported that an Israeli strike killed 21 people on Monday at a seafront rest area where witnesses said people had gathered for refreshments and internet access.
Gaza civil defense agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP the 21 were killed "as a result of the targeting of the Al-Baqa rest area on the beach of Gaza City" by Israeli aircraft.
AFP
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rockets fired at Iraq airport, wound two
Rockets fired at Iraq airport, wound two

Nahar Net

timean hour ago

  • Nahar Net

Rockets fired at Iraq airport, wound two

Two rockets struck the military section of Kirkuk airport in northern Iraq late on Monday, slightly wounding two security personnel, a senior security official told AFP. Another rocket hit a house in the city of Kirkuk, causing material damage. "Two Katyusha rockets fell in the military section of Kirkuk airport," slightly wounding two security personnel, the senior security official said, adding that one failed to explode. "A third rocket struck a house in the Uruba neighborhood," causing material damage, said the official, who requested anonymity as he is not allowed to speak to the media. The military section of the airport hosts Iraqi army units, federal police, and the Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of former pro-Iranian paramilitary forces now integrated into the regular armed forces. A security source told the official INA news agency that one of the rockets landed near the runaways, while another hit a house in the city. There has been no claim of responsibility for the attacks, which did not disrupt flights. A few hours later, another senior security source told AFP that Iraq's anti-aircraft defense engaged at least one drone near the key refinery of Baiji in Salaheddin province, and "forced it to leave". The oil ministry said in a statement that "there have been no incidents caused by falling foreign objects inside or in the vicinity of the refinery", which is still operational. Iraq has long been a battleground of drone and rocket assaults and proved fertile ground for proxy wars. But it only recently regained a semblance of stability after decades of devastating conflicts and turmoil. Last week, hours before a ceasefire ended the 12-day Iran-Israel war, unidentified drones struck radar systems at two military bases in Baghdad and southern Iraq. The government said it launched a probe into the drone attacks, but it has not yet identified any perpetrators.

Israel steps up attacks in Gaza ahead of Netanyahu's US visit
Israel steps up attacks in Gaza ahead of Netanyahu's US visit

Nahar Net

timean hour ago

  • Nahar Net

Israel steps up attacks in Gaza ahead of Netanyahu's US visit

by Naharnet Newsdesk 01 July 2025, 11:43 Israel's military said Tuesday that it had expanded its operations in Gaza, where residents reported fierce gunfire and shelling days ahead of a planned trip to Washington by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The intensified operations came after days of mounting calls for a ceasefire, with US President Donald Trump -- whom Netanyahu is slated to meet with next week -- among those urging Israel to strike a new deal to halt the war and bring home the hostages still held in Gaza. Israel's campaign to destroy the Palestinian militant group Hamas has continued unabated, however, with Gaza's civil defense agency reporting Israeli forces killed 17 people on Tuesday. In response to reports of deadly strikes in the north and south of the territory, the Israeli army told AFP it was "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities". Separately, it said Tuesday morning that in recent days it had "expanded its operations to additional areas within the Gaza Strip, eliminating dozens of terrorists, and dismantling hundreds of terror infrastructure sites both above and below ground". Raafat Halles, 39, from the Shujaiya district of Gaza City district, said "air strikes and shelling have intensified over the past week", and tanks have been advancing. "I believe that every time negotiations or a potential ceasefire are mentioned, the army escalates crimes and massacres on the ground," he said. "I don't know why." Amer Daloul, a 44-year-old resident of Gaza City, also reported fiercer clashes between Israeli forces and militants in recent days, telling AFP that he and his family were forced to flee the tent they were living in at dawn on Tuesday "due to heavy and random gunfire and shelling". In the southern city of Rafah, resident Mohammed Abdel Aal, 41, said "tanks are present" in most parts of town. - Aid seekers killed - Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that eight people were killed near aid distribution sites in central and southern Gaza Tuesday, in the latest in a long-running spate of deadly attacks on those seeking food. One person was killed and 50 wounded when tanks and drones opened fire as crowds were waiting to collect aid near the Wadi Gaza Bridge in the middle of the territory, Bassal said. The civil defense said another six people were killed nearby while trying to reach the same aid center. Asked for comment, the Israeli military told AFP its forces "fired warning shots to distance suspects who approached the troops", adding it was not aware of any injuries but would review the incident. At least one more person was killed near another aid center in Rafah, the civil defense said. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers. A group of 169 aid organizations called Monday for an end to Gaza's "deadly" new US- and Israeli-backed aid distribution scheme, which they said forced starving civilians to "trek for hours through dangerous terrain and active conflict zones, only to face a violent, chaotic race" for food. They urged a return to the UN-led aid mechanism that existed until March, when Israel imposed a full blockade on humanitarian assistance entering Gaza during an impasse in truce talks with Hamas. The new scheme's administrator, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has distanced itself from reports of aid seekers being killed near its centers. The Israeli army said it had also opened a review into a strike on a seafront Gaza cafe on Monday that it said had targeted militants. The civil defense agency reported that the attack killed 24 people. Maher Al-Baqa, 40, the brother of the owner of the cafe, told AFP that several of his relatives including two nephews were killed in the strike. "It's one of the most well-known cafes on the Gaza coast, frequented by educated youth, journalists, artists, doctors, engineers and hardworking people," he said. "They used to feel free and safe there -- it was like a second home to them." The military maintained it had taken steps "to mitigate the risk of harming civilians using aerial surveillance". - PM's US visit - Netanyahu announced he would visit Trump and senior U.S. security officials next week, after previously saying Israel's campaign against Iran had created "opportunities", including for freeing hostages held in Gaza. Israel's declaration of victory in the recent 12-day war has raised pressure on it to put a similar end to more than 20 months of devastating fighting in Gaza. "Taking advantage of the success is no less important than achieving the success," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Hamas official Taher al-Nounou told AFP the group is "ready to agree to any proposal if it will lead to an end to the war and a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of occupation forces". "So far, there has been no breakthrough."

Turkey says PKK disarmament could start 'within days': AK Party spokesman
Turkey says PKK disarmament could start 'within days': AK Party spokesman

LBCI

timean hour ago

  • LBCI

Turkey says PKK disarmament could start 'within days': AK Party spokesman

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) could start handing over its weapons "within days," a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party said on Tuesday, the clearest sign yet that efforts to secure the outlawed group's disarmament may be nearing a breakthrough. Asked by reporters whether there was a timeline for the PKK militants to lay down their arms, spokesman Omer Celik said: "I don't want to give a definite timeline at this stage. (...) Now we've reached a stage where it could happen in a matter of days." Celik added that the coming days would be "extremely important for a Turkey free of terrorism." Reuters

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store