Middle East latest: Israeli military launch ground assault on central Gaza city of Deir al Balah, charity says

Sky News

6 hours ago

13:45:01
Who are the Bedouins and the Druze?
The conflict between the Bedouin armed tribes and the Druze militia in Syria's southern district of Sweida has led to hundreds of deaths.
But who are the two factions?
Bedouins
The Bedouins are traditionally nomadic, Arabic-speaking tribes who live in the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa.
In Syria, Bedouins have primarily lived in the al-Badia desert, which covers much of the country's south and east, including provinces like Sweida.
Bedouin tribes in Syria follow Sunni Islam and have clashed with the Druze sect for a long time.
Druze
The Druze religious sect is an offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. About half of the roughly one million Druze worldwide live in Syria, with most others in Lebanon and Israel, including the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The Druze largely celebrated the downfall of Bashar al Assad in December after an almost 14-year civil war, but were divided over interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former militant linked to al Qaeda who led Islamist rebels to overthrow the Syrian autocrat.
A few months after the transition, government forces clashed with pro-Assad armed groups on Syria's coast, spurring sectarian attacks killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite religious minority to which the former president belongs.
The violence left other minority groups, including the Druze in the south, and the Kurds in the northeast, increasingly mistrustful of the new Sharaa government and worried whether it would protect them.
Multiple Druze militias have existed for years, originally set up to protect their communities against ISIS and drug smugglers - and they have been reluctant to lay down their arms.
13:22:48
Gaza doctor 'abducted by Israeli special forces', health ministry says
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says the director of a hospital in the south of the enclave has been abducted by Israeli forces.
It said Dr Marwan Al Hams, director of Abu Youssef Al Najjar Hospital in southern Gaza and a spokesperson for the health ministry, was taken by an Israeli special forces unit this afternoon.
The ministry called Dr Al Hams "one of the most prominent humanitarian and medical voices" and said his abduction "represents a direct targeting of the voice of the sick, the hungry and the suffering" in Gaza.
"We hold the occupation fully responsible for Dr Al Hams's safety and demand his immediate and unconditional release," a statement said.
Israel has not yet publicly commented on this story.
12:56:09
Israeli action in central Gaza 'makes no sense at all'
Israel's latest action in central Gaza "makes no sense at all", military analyst Michael Clarke has said.
Earlier, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) said an Israeli ground assault had begun in Deir al Balah in central Gaza - an area that has been left relatively untouched.
"By and large in other parts of Gaza they are bombing the rubble but in this part of Gaza they haven't conducted so many operations," Clarke said.
"They are moving into an area now that has been left relatively untouched until now.
"They have said they think some of the Israeli hostages are there but by the time they move in they won't be there.
"At least 40% of the tunnel network that Hamas had is still sufficiently intact for Hamas to move around and the hostages will be moved."
Clarke said the move by Israel is a "process of trying to drive the Gazan population to a strip on the coast".
He added: "What will happen to the rest of Gaza? Who knows.
"Elements in the Israeli government say they will retake the Gaza Strip - they will re-colonise it again.
"But Netanyahu isn't exactly saying that - and it is not clear what he thinks because they don't seem to have a plan they are prepared to share with the rest of the world for what happens next."
12:28:56
Pope warns against 'indiscriminate use of force' on Gaza civilians
Pope Leo has warned against the "indiscriminate use of force" and the "forced mass displacement" of people in the Gaza strip in a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today, the Vatican has said.
During the call, the pope also renewed an appeal for respect of international and humanitarian law.
The Vatican also said that the pontiff had taken a call with Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday during which he urged a "renewed push" for an end to the conflict.
"We insisted on the need to protect the sacred places of all religions," Pope Leo said, "and to respect people and sacred places and try to leave behind all the violence and the hatred".
12:08:37
Smoke rises from buildings in Deir al Balah
Images are emerging of smoke rising from buildings in Deir al Balah in central Gaza amid the Israeli military operation there.
It's the first time a ground offensive has been launched in the area since the war began.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) said medical aid had been suspended to the city because of the Israeli ground assault (see 9.34am post).
It said that thousands of displaced people are living in this area, including MAP staff, and the latest orders by Israel "directly endanger vital humanitarian and primary healthcare sites".
11:43:31
Erdogan praises Syrian leader's 'very positive' step
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has praised his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al Sharaa for showing a strong stance and not compromising in Syria's conflict with Israel.
In comments to Turkish media, Erdogan said Syria's government had established some control in Sweida and the country's south with around 2,500 soldiers, with all but one Druze faction agreeing to respect the ceasefire during talks in Amman.
He also told reporters on his flight returning from northern Cyprus that al Sharaa took a "very positive" step by reaching an understanding with the Druze.
And when it came to the US, Erdogan said Washington now understood it needed to "own" the issue more, warning that Israel using the fighting as an excuse to invade Syrian lands.
11:18:54
Hundreds of Bedouins being evacuated from Sweida
Hundreds of Bedouin civilians are being evacuated from Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida today as part of a US-backed truce meant to end fighting that has killed hundreds of people.
Shoaib Asfour, a member of the Syrian security forces overseeing the evacuation, told Reuters that the initial batch included some 300 Bedouins and a second group of about 550 civilians will be evacuated within the next 24 hours if the situation remains calm.
The next phase would see the evacuation of Bedouin fighters detained by Druze militias and the transfer of bodies of Bedouins killed in the fighting, Asfour said.
Syria's state news agency said a total of 1,500 Bedouins would be evacuated from Sweida city.
With hundreds reported killed, the violence in the southern province of Sweida has posed a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
A ceasefire took hold on Sunday as interior ministry security forces deployed on Sweida's outskirts.
And interior minister Anas Khattab said the truce would allow for the release of hostages and detainees held by the warring sides.
You can watch our special correspondent Alex Crawford reporting on the fragile ceasefire here...
10:53:22
Netanyahu court appearance delayed after food poisoning
Over in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has had his upcoming hearings in his corruption trial postponed after getting food poisoning.
The Israeli leader has been ordered by doctors to conduct state affairs from home for the next three days after being diagnosed with intestinal inflammation and dehydration.
The next court appearance will not come before September now.
Netanyahu's office said: "In accordance with his doctors' instructions, the prime minister will rest at home for the next three days and will manage state affairs from there."
Why is Netanyahu on trial?
Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies.
The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases.
He denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Case 4000
Prosecutors allege Netanyahu granted regulatory favours worth around $500m to Bezeq Telecom Israel.
In return, prosecutors say, he sought positive coverage of himself and his wife Sara on a news website controlled by the company's former chairman, Shaul Elovitch.
Case 1000
Netanyahu has been charged with fraud and breach of trust over allegations that he and his wife wrongfully received almost $210,000 in gifts from Arnon Milchan, a Hollywood producer and an Israeli citizen, and Australian billionaire businessman James Packer.
Prosecutors said gifts included champagne and cigars and that Netanyahu helped Milchan with his business interests. Packer and Milchan face no charges.
Case 2000
Netanyahu allegedly negotiated a deal with Arnon Mozes, owner of Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, for better coverage in return for legislation to slow the growth of a rival newspaper.
10:28:10
In pictures: Explosions in Gaza
Flames and plumes of smoke have been spotted rising from a residential building in Gaza City today.
The scenes come after Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) said medical aid had been suspended to the city of Deir al Balah in central Gaza because of an Israeli ground assault there (see post at 9.34am).
Reuters reports that Israeli tanks have pushed into southern and eastern areas of the Gazan city of Deir al Balah for the first time today.
It is an area where Israeli sources said the military believes some of the remaining hostages may be being held.
10:05:55
Syrian Red Crescent in southern Syria
As we reported earlier, Syrian's Red Crescent convoys have been sent to provide vital aid to the southern Syrian city of Sweida.
And now an image has emerged of a Syrian Red Crescent vehicle driving into the village of al-Mazraa, in southern Syria.
The Syrian Red Crescent said yesterday it had sent 32 trucks loaded with food, medicine, water, fuel and other aid, after the fighting left the province with power cuts and shortages.
Syria's state news agency SANA reported that the convoy entered Sweida on Sunday, but accused Druze leader Hikmatal Hijri and his supporters of turning back a government delegation that accompanied another convoy.