Gaza civil defence says Israeli strikes kill over 30 as truce talks deadlocked
Delegations from Israel and the Palestinian militant group have now spent a week trying to agree on a temporary truce to halt 21 months of bitter fighting in the Gaza Strip.
But on Saturday, each side accused the other of blocking attempts to secure an agreement at the indirect talks in the Qatari capital, Doha.
There has meanwhile been no let-up in Israeli strikes on Gaza, where most of the population of more than two million have been displaced at least once during the war.
Seven UN agencies on Saturday warned that a fuel shortage had reached "critical levels", threatening aid operations, hospital care and already chronic food insecurity.
The civil defence agency said at least 31 people were killed in Israeli strikes overnight and into the morning.
Eight people were killed in strikes on houses in Gaza City, in the north, agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.
In the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, 10 people were killed in a strike on a house, while 10 others including eight children were killed at a water distribution point, Bassal said.
"We woke up to the sound of two large explosions," Khaled Rayyan told AFP after a house was flattened in Nuseirat. "Our neighbour and his children were under the rubble."
Another resident, Mahmud al-Shami, called on the negotiators to secure an end to the war.
"What happened to us has never happened in the entire history of humanity," he said. "Enough."
In southern Gaza, three people were killed when Israeli jets hit a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in the coastal Al-Mawasi area, according to the civil defence spokesman.
- Forced displacement fears -
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has recently intensified its operations across Gaza.
On Saturday, the military said fighter jets had hit more than 35 "Hamas terror targets" around Beit Hanun in northern Gaza.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties.
The war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that led to 1,219 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Out of 251 people taken hostage that day, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 that the Israeli military says are dead.
Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry says that at least 57,882 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's military reprisals. The UN considers the figures reliable.
Talks to agree a 60-day ceasefire in the fighting and hostage release were in the balance on Saturday after Israel and Hamas accused each other of trying to block a deal.
Hamas wants the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, but a Palestinian source with knowledge of the talks said Israel had presented plans to maintain troops in more than 40 percent of the territory.
The source said Israel wanted to force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into the south of Gaza "in preparation for forcibly displacing them to Egypt or other countries".
A senior Israeli official said Israel had demonstrated "a willingness to flexibility in the negotiations, while Hamas remains intransigent, clinging to positions that prevent the mediators from advancing an agreement".
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is prepared to enter talks for a more lasting end to hostilities once a temporary truce is agreed, but only if Hamas disarms.
Thousands of people gathered in Israel's coastal hub of Tel Aviv on Saturday calling for the release of the hostages.
"The window of opportunity... is open now and it won't be for long," said former captive Eli Sharabi.
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7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Gazan children collecting water killed by Israeli missile
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Nine denies Lattouf contempt over pro-Israel lobbyists
Pro-Israel lobbyists harassed for complaining about an ABC radio host's views on Palestine want another media company to be prosecuted for revealing their names. Antoinette Lattouf was ousted from her casual position on ABC Radio Sydney's Mornings program in December 2023. She was awarded $70,000 for her unlawful termination in June. Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah found the national broadcaster removed her from air following pressure from an orchestrated campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists. Nine of those who complained had their names suppressed in February as the hearing started. The group returned to court on Monday, asking Justice Rangiah to refer Nine-owned newspapers to a registrar for prosecution for alleged contempt of court. Prominent barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC argued at an earlier hearing Nine failed to promptly take down or amend January 2024 articles published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age containing the names of four individuals who complained. It took the publisher six weeks to remove the names despite repeated letters, she said. A separate article by the Nine-owned Pedestrian TV also identifying some of the complainants was taken down in April. There had been no apology nor a promise to not divulge the names in the future. "All of the respondents are completely unrepentant in relation to the infringement of the order," Ms Chrysanthou said in June. The contempt case has also been brought against journalists Michael Bachelard and Calum Jaspan, editors Bevan Shields and Patrick Elligett and Nine's in-house lawyers Larina Alick and Sam White. Nine's barrister Tom Blackburn SC denied there was any contempt at all when the hearing continued on Monday. His clients could not have breached the court's order suppressing any names or identities because the wording did not specify who the order related to, he argued. 'It's just impossible that there could be a wilful and contumacious contempt in this case in circumstances where we didn't know who the protected people were," he said. The case against the two journalists was "utterly hopeless" as neither had the power to remove or amend the articles, Mr Blackburn said. Similar submissions were made regarding the "incoherent" case brought against the two in-house lawyers. Mr Blackburn argued the case should not be referred to a registrar and that the pro-Israel group should be made to pay his clients' legal costs. Ms Chrysanthou urged Justice Rangiah to refer the matter on, saying the judge only needed to be convinced there was an arguable case of contempt. Nine knew exactly who the suppression order referred to and eventually removed the precise names of the complainants from the articles, she said. Justice Rangiah will deliver his decision at a later date. Pro-Israel lobbyists harassed for complaining about an ABC radio host's views on Palestine want another media company to be prosecuted for revealing their names. Antoinette Lattouf was ousted from her casual position on ABC Radio Sydney's Mornings program in December 2023. She was awarded $70,000 for her unlawful termination in June. Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah found the national broadcaster removed her from air following pressure from an orchestrated campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists. Nine of those who complained had their names suppressed in February as the hearing started. The group returned to court on Monday, asking Justice Rangiah to refer Nine-owned newspapers to a registrar for prosecution for alleged contempt of court. Prominent barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC argued at an earlier hearing Nine failed to promptly take down or amend January 2024 articles published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age containing the names of four individuals who complained. It took the publisher six weeks to remove the names despite repeated letters, she said. A separate article by the Nine-owned Pedestrian TV also identifying some of the complainants was taken down in April. There had been no apology nor a promise to not divulge the names in the future. "All of the respondents are completely unrepentant in relation to the infringement of the order," Ms Chrysanthou said in June. The contempt case has also been brought against journalists Michael Bachelard and Calum Jaspan, editors Bevan Shields and Patrick Elligett and Nine's in-house lawyers Larina Alick and Sam White. Nine's barrister Tom Blackburn SC denied there was any contempt at all when the hearing continued on Monday. His clients could not have breached the court's order suppressing any names or identities because the wording did not specify who the order related to, he argued. 'It's just impossible that there could be a wilful and contumacious contempt in this case in circumstances where we didn't know who the protected people were," he said. The case against the two journalists was "utterly hopeless" as neither had the power to remove or amend the articles, Mr Blackburn said. Similar submissions were made regarding the "incoherent" case brought against the two in-house lawyers. Mr Blackburn argued the case should not be referred to a registrar and that the pro-Israel group should be made to pay his clients' legal costs. Ms Chrysanthou urged Justice Rangiah to refer the matter on, saying the judge only needed to be convinced there was an arguable case of contempt. Nine knew exactly who the suppression order referred to and eventually removed the precise names of the complainants from the articles, she said. Justice Rangiah will deliver his decision at a later date. Pro-Israel lobbyists harassed for complaining about an ABC radio host's views on Palestine want another media company to be prosecuted for revealing their names. Antoinette Lattouf was ousted from her casual position on ABC Radio Sydney's Mornings program in December 2023. She was awarded $70,000 for her unlawful termination in June. Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah found the national broadcaster removed her from air following pressure from an orchestrated campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists. Nine of those who complained had their names suppressed in February as the hearing started. The group returned to court on Monday, asking Justice Rangiah to refer Nine-owned newspapers to a registrar for prosecution for alleged contempt of court. Prominent barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC argued at an earlier hearing Nine failed to promptly take down or amend January 2024 articles published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age containing the names of four individuals who complained. It took the publisher six weeks to remove the names despite repeated letters, she said. A separate article by the Nine-owned Pedestrian TV also identifying some of the complainants was taken down in April. There had been no apology nor a promise to not divulge the names in the future. "All of the respondents are completely unrepentant in relation to the infringement of the order," Ms Chrysanthou said in June. The contempt case has also been brought against journalists Michael Bachelard and Calum Jaspan, editors Bevan Shields and Patrick Elligett and Nine's in-house lawyers Larina Alick and Sam White. Nine's barrister Tom Blackburn SC denied there was any contempt at all when the hearing continued on Monday. His clients could not have breached the court's order suppressing any names or identities because the wording did not specify who the order related to, he argued. 'It's just impossible that there could be a wilful and contumacious contempt in this case in circumstances where we didn't know who the protected people were," he said. The case against the two journalists was "utterly hopeless" as neither had the power to remove or amend the articles, Mr Blackburn said. Similar submissions were made regarding the "incoherent" case brought against the two in-house lawyers. Mr Blackburn argued the case should not be referred to a registrar and that the pro-Israel group should be made to pay his clients' legal costs. Ms Chrysanthou urged Justice Rangiah to refer the matter on, saying the judge only needed to be convinced there was an arguable case of contempt. Nine knew exactly who the suppression order referred to and eventually removed the precise names of the complainants from the articles, she said. Justice Rangiah will deliver his decision at a later date. Pro-Israel lobbyists harassed for complaining about an ABC radio host's views on Palestine want another media company to be prosecuted for revealing their names. Antoinette Lattouf was ousted from her casual position on ABC Radio Sydney's Mornings program in December 2023. She was awarded $70,000 for her unlawful termination in June. Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah found the national broadcaster removed her from air following pressure from an orchestrated campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists. Nine of those who complained had their names suppressed in February as the hearing started. The group returned to court on Monday, asking Justice Rangiah to refer Nine-owned newspapers to a registrar for prosecution for alleged contempt of court. Prominent barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC argued at an earlier hearing Nine failed to promptly take down or amend January 2024 articles published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age containing the names of four individuals who complained. It took the publisher six weeks to remove the names despite repeated letters, she said. A separate article by the Nine-owned Pedestrian TV also identifying some of the complainants was taken down in April. There had been no apology nor a promise to not divulge the names in the future. "All of the respondents are completely unrepentant in relation to the infringement of the order," Ms Chrysanthou said in June. The contempt case has also been brought against journalists Michael Bachelard and Calum Jaspan, editors Bevan Shields and Patrick Elligett and Nine's in-house lawyers Larina Alick and Sam White. Nine's barrister Tom Blackburn SC denied there was any contempt at all when the hearing continued on Monday. His clients could not have breached the court's order suppressing any names or identities because the wording did not specify who the order related to, he argued. 'It's just impossible that there could be a wilful and contumacious contempt in this case in circumstances where we didn't know who the protected people were," he said. The case against the two journalists was "utterly hopeless" as neither had the power to remove or amend the articles, Mr Blackburn said. Similar submissions were made regarding the "incoherent" case brought against the two in-house lawyers. Mr Blackburn argued the case should not be referred to a registrar and that the pro-Israel group should be made to pay his clients' legal costs. Ms Chrysanthou urged Justice Rangiah to refer the matter on, saying the judge only needed to be convinced there was an arguable case of contempt. Nine knew exactly who the suppression order referred to and eventually removed the precise names of the complainants from the articles, she said. Justice Rangiah will deliver his decision at a later date.
West Australian
4 hours ago
- West Australian
Nine denies Lattouf contempt over pro-Israel lobbyists
Pro-Israel lobbyists harassed for complaining about an ABC radio host's views on Palestine want another media company to be prosecuted for revealing their names. Antoinette Lattouf was ousted from her casual position on ABC Radio Sydney's Mornings program in December 2023. She was awarded $70,000 for her unlawful termination in June. Federal Court Justice Darryl Rangiah found the national broadcaster removed her from air following pressure from an orchestrated campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists. Nine of those who complained had their names suppressed in February as the hearing started. The group returned to court on Monday, asking Justice Rangiah to refer Nine-owned newspapers to a registrar for prosecution for alleged contempt of court. Prominent barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC argued at an earlier hearing Nine failed to promptly take down or amend January 2024 articles published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age containing the names of four individuals who complained. It took the publisher six weeks to remove the names despite repeated letters, she said. A separate article by the Nine-owned Pedestrian TV also identifying some of the complainants was taken down in April. There had been no apology nor a promise to not divulge the names in the future. "All of the respondents are completely unrepentant in relation to the infringement of the order," Ms Chrysanthou said in June. The contempt case has also been brought against journalists Michael Bachelard and Calum Jaspan, editors Bevan Shields and Patrick Elligett and Nine's in-house lawyers Larina Alick and Sam White. Nine's barrister Tom Blackburn SC denied there was any contempt at all when the hearing continued on Monday. His clients could not have breached the court's order suppressing any names or identities because the wording did not specify who the order related to, he argued. 'It's just impossible that there could be a wilful and contumacious contempt in this case in circumstances where we didn't know who the protected people were," he said. The case against the two journalists was "utterly hopeless" as neither had the power to remove or amend the articles, Mr Blackburn said. Similar submissions were made regarding the "incoherent" case brought against the two in-house lawyers. Mr Blackburn argued the case should not be referred to a registrar and that the pro-Israel group should be made to pay his clients' legal costs. Ms Chrysanthou urged Justice Rangiah to refer the matter on, saying the judge only needed to be convinced there was an arguable case of contempt. Nine knew exactly who the suppression order referred to and eventually removed the precise names of the complainants from the articles, she said. Justice Rangiah will deliver his decision at a later date.
