Latest news with #AhmadQandil
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Israeli missile hits Gaza children collecting water, IDF blames malfunction
Smoke from an explosion rises in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli missile struck the area. (AP pic) JERUSALEM : At least eight Palestinians, most of them children, were killed and more than a dozen were wounded in central Gaza when they went to collect water on Sunday, local officials said, in an Israeli strike which the military said missed its target. The Israeli military said the missile had intended to hit an Islamic fighter 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 Oct 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' about 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 Oct 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters 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.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Israel stock market: TA-35 index declines 1% as focus shifts towards Gaza, nuclear talks between US & Iran
Key Israeli stock index TA-35 index declined nearly 1% in intraday trade on Monday, following a fresh attack by the country's military forces on Gaza and amid the possibility of renewed nuclear talks between the US and Iran. Other stock indices, such as the TA-125 index and the TA-All Share index, also plunged amid a sharp 18% surge in volatility. After its ceasefire with Iran, Israel has shifted its focus back to the war with Palestine. The latest Israeli strike killed at least eight Palestinians, most of them children, and wounded a dozen more in central Gaza when they went to collect water on Sunday, according to a Reuters report. The Israeli military said the missile had been 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". Hours later, 12 people were killed by an Israeli strike on a market in Gaza City, including a prominent hospital consultant, Ahmad Qandil, the Reuters report added. The action coincided with US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff's statement that he was "hopeful" on Gaza ceasefire negotiations underway in Qatar. Negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza are stalling, with both sides divided over the scope of an Israeli withdrawal. The indirect US-brokered talks in Doha, focused on a 60-day ceasefire, have lost momentum as both sides accuse each other of intransigence. In a Telegram video, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel's core demands: release all hostages, destroy Hamas, and ensure Gaza never threatens Israel again. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister has said the US is trying to revive nuclear talks with Tehran. Tehran is weighing its options regarding the timing, location, and structure of potential talks, but is 'in no rush to enter into reckless negotiations,' said Abbas Araghchi, according to Bloomberg. Araghchi served as lead negotiator in talks with the US, which collapsed after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran's nuclear sites on June 13. The strikes killed several top military and nuclear officials, and hit densely populated urban areas as well as Tehran's Evin Prison. The US joined the Israeli assault on June 22, striking three Iranian nuclear facilities. Against this backdrop, the TA-35 index declined 0.82% to a low of 2,960.96 in intraday deals on Monday. The index closed at 2,963.23 in the last trading session Meanwhile, TA-125 index was down 0.80%. It hit a low of 3,024.86 as against its last close of 3027.17. Meanwhile, the TA Allshare index lost 1.10% to hit a low of 2764. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Israeli missile kills eight children collecting water in Gaza as ceasefire talks stall
At least eight Palestinians, the majority of them children, were killed and over a dozen others injured in central Gaza on Sunday while they were gathering water, according to local officials. The casualties were the result of an Israeli airstrike that the military acknowledged had missed its intended target. The Israeli military stated that the strike was aimed at an Islamic Jihad militant in the area, but due to a malfunction, the missile landed "dozens of meters" away from its target, Reuters reported. "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. U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that he was 'hopeful' that Gaza ceasefire negotiations were 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 told Reuters 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 U.S. 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 are believed to still be alive. Families of hostages gathered outside Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem to call for a deal. Earlier on Saturday, a Palestinian source involved in the truce negotiations told Reuters that Hamas rejected Israeli-proposed withdrawal maps, as they would leave approximately 40% of Gaza including the entire city of Rafah under Israeli control. Israel's ongoing military campaign against Hamas has displaced nearly the entire population of over 2 million people in Gaza, with residents reporting that there are no truly safe areas left within the enclave. In the early hours of Sunday, a missile struck a house in Gaza City where a family had relocated after being ordered to evacuate from their home in the southern outskirts. (With inputs from Reuters)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gaza death toll passes 58,000 from Israeli attacks as ceasefire hopes fade
The death toll in Israel's war on Gaza passed the grim milestone of 58,000 on Sunday as relentless attacks killed nearly 100 Palestinians since dawn. An Israeli air raid hit a bustling market in Gaza City, killing 12 people. Among the victims was prominent medical consultant Ahmad Qandil, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported. The Israeli military has not commented on the strike. Gaza's Government Media Office also accused Israel and security contractors working at aid distribution points of intentionally attacking civilians. In a statement, it called United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites 'death traps' and described the situation as 'genocide engineering under US sponsorship'. At least 805 people have been killed and 5,250 wounded while attempting to collect aid since the GHF started operating in May. One of Israel's deadliest attacks on desperate Palestinians occurred in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where a missile strike killed at least 10 people, most of them children, as they queued to collect drinking water. Seventeen others were wounded, according to Dr Ahmed Abu Saifan at al-Awda Hospital. Israel's military said it had targeted a Palestinian fighter, but the missile veered off course because of a technical failure. The Israeli claim could not be independently verified. Gaza has suffered from chronic water shortages, worsened in recent weeks as desalination and sanitation plants shut down due to the ongoing Israeli blockade of fuel. Many residents now rely on dangerous journeys to limited water collection points. Since Israel launched its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, the number of people killed has risen to at least 58,026, with more than 138,500 wounded. More than half of those killed have been women and children. Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said hundreds have died while attempting to access humanitarian aid from GHF-controlled points. 'People travel up to 15km [9 miles] from the north to Rafah – many on foot, some overnight – just to get one food parcel,' he said. 'But even then, they're met with live fire from Israeli forces.' Eight United Nations agencies – including UNICEF, WHO, WFP and UNRWA – warned on Sunday that without immediate fuel access, critical services in Gaza could collapse. Hospitals, sanitation centres and food distribution operations face imminent shutdown. 'Without fuel, these lifelines will vanish for 2.1 million people,' the agencies said in a joint statement. 'Fuel must be allowed into Gaza in sufficient quantities and consistently to sustain life-saving operations.' Attempts to end the fighting received a cautious boost on Sunday when US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said he remained 'hopeful' about the ceasefire talks. He was expected to meet Qatari officials on the margins of the FIFA Club World Cup Final. But optimism appears to be fading. A US-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire remains bogged down in disagreements, with both sides blaming each other for Israeli official confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned to convene cabinet ministers late on Sunday to discuss the talks, which are focused on ending hostilities, a troop withdrawal and the release of captives held in Gaza. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Palestinian Islamic Jihad's deputy leader Muhammad al-Hindi said Israel has resisted committing to key conditions before moving on to the topic of prisoners. 'We're discussing a framework agreement. It includes three points: ending aggression, withdrawal from Gaza and safe aid distribution,' he said. 'Israel wants to skip straight to the prisoners' file without guarantees on the main issues.' Al-Hindi accused Israel of seeking to control southern Rafah and force civilians into overcrowded, bombed-out areas under the guise of aid distribution. 'We cannot legitimise these aid traps that are killing our people. The resistance will not sign any agreement that amounts to surrender.' Meanwhile, in Israel, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said that Netanyahu's close adviser, Jonatan Urich, is facing possible indictment over allegations he leaked classified military information to the German newspaper Bild. Urich and another aide are accused of passing on secret intelligence to influence public opinion after six Israeli captives died in Gaza last August. The deaths sparked mass protests in Israel and deepened public anger at the government's handling of ceasefire efforts. Netanyahu has dismissed the investigation as politically motivated, calling it a 'witch-hunt'. Urich has denied any wrongdoing. The Bild article, published shortly after the captives' bodies were discovered, aligned closely with Netanyahu's narrative of blaming Hamas for the collapse of earlier ceasefire talks. A previous two-month truce, which began in January, saw the release of 38 captives before Israel broke the ceasefire and resumed its devastating military assault.
RTHK
2 days ago
- Politics
- RTHK
Children killed as Israeli missile malfunctions
Children killed as Israeli missile malfunctions A Palestinian woman and a child react as they stand near a boy receiving treatment for his injuries. Photo: AFP At least eight Palestinians, most of them children, were killed and more than a dozen were wounded in central Gaza when they went to collect water on Sunday, local officials said, in an Israeli strike which the military said missed its target. 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. (Reuters)
