Latest news with #IsraeliArmy
Asharq Al-Awsat
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israeli Military Orders War Crime Probe into Gaza Shootings, Paper Says
Israel's Military Advocate General has ordered an investigation into possible war crimes over allegations that Israeli forces deliberately fired at Palestinian civilians near Gaza aid distribution sites, Haaretz newspaper reported on Friday. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed over the past month in the vicinity of areas where food was being handed out, local hospitals and officials have said. Haaretz, a left-leaning Israeli newspaper, quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers as saying they were told to fire at the crowds to keep them back, using unnecessary lethal force against people who appeared to pose no threat. The military told Reuters that the Israeli army had not instructed soldiers to deliberately shoot at civilians. It added that it was looking to improve "the operational response" in the aid areas and had recently installed new fencing and signs, and opened additional routes to reach the handout zones. Haaretz quoted unnamed sources as saying that the army unit established to review incidents that may involve breaches of international law had been tasked with examining soldiers' actions near aid locations over the past month. The military told Reuters that some incidents were being reviewed by relevant authorities. It added: "Any allegation of a deviation from the law or army directives will be thoroughly examined, and further action will be taken as necessary." There is an acute shortage of food and other basic supplies after the nearly two-year-old military campaign by Israel against Hamas in Gaza that has reduced much of the enclave to rubble and displaced most of its two million inhabitants. Thousands of people gather around distribution centers desperately awaiting the next deliveries, but there have been near daily reports of shootings and killings on the approach routes. Medics said six people were killed by gunfire on Friday as they sought to get food in the southern Gaza Strip. MORE THAN 500 HAVE DIED, GAZA AUTHORITIES SAY In all, more than 500 people have died near aid centers operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) or in areas where U.N. food trucks were set to pass since late May, the Gaza health authorities have said. The unnamed Israeli soldiers told Haaretz that military commanders had ordered troops to shoot at the crowds of Palestinians to disperse them and clear the area. During a closed-door meeting with senior Military Advocate General officials this week, legal representatives rejected army claims that the incidents were isolated cases, Haaretz reported. There has been widespread confusion about access to the aid, with the army imposing for a time a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on approach routes to GHF sites. But locals often have to set out well before dawn to have any chance of retrieving food. In a statement late on Friday, a GHF spokesperson said there had been no incidents or fatalities to date at or in the immediate vicinity of its distribution sites. The statement said the army is tasked with providing safe passage for aid-seekers to all humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, including GHF. "GHF is not aware of any of these incidents but these allegations are too grave to ignore and we therefore call on Israel to investigate them and transparently publish the results in a timely manner," the spokesperson said. The Gaza war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage into the enclave. In response, Israel launched a military campaign that has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, according to local health authorities in Gaza. The Gaza health ministry said on Friday that at least 72 people were killed and more than 170 wounded by Israeli fire across Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours.
Al Arabiya
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israeli military orders war crime probe into Gaza shootings, paper says
Israel's Military Advocate General has ordered an investigation into possible war crimes over allegations that Israeli forces deliberately fired at Palestinian civilians near Gaza aid distribution sites, Haaretz newspaper reported on Friday. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed over the past month in the vicinity of areas where food was being handed out, local hospitals and officials have said. Haaretz, a left-leaning Israeli newspaper, quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers as saying they were told to fire at the crowds to keep them back, using unnecessary lethal force against people who appeared to pose no threat. The military told Reuters that the Israelis army had not instructed soldiers to deliberately shoot at civilians. It added that it was looking to improve 'the operational response' in the aid areas and had recently installed new fencing and signs, and opened additional routes to reach the handout zones. Haaretz quoted unnamed sources as saying that the army unit established to review incidents that may involve breaches of international law had been tasked with examining soldiers' actions near aid locations over the past month. The military told Reuters that some incidents were being reviewed by relevant authorities. It added: 'Any allegation of a deviation from the law or [Israeli army] directives will be thoroughly examined, and further action will be taken as necessary.' There is an acute shortage of food and other basic supplies after the nearly two-year-old military campaign by Israel against Hamas militants in Gaza that has reduced much of the enclave to rubble and displaced most of its two million inhabitants. Thousands of people gather around distribution centers desperately awaiting the next deliveries, but there have been near daily reports of shootings and killings on the approach routes. Medics said six people were killed by gunfire on Friday as they sought to get food in the southern Gaza Strip. More than 500 have died, Gaza authorities say In all, more than 500 people have died near aid centers operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) or in areas where UN food trucks were set to pass since late May, the Gaza health authorities have said. The unnamed Israeli soldiers told Haaretz that military commanders had ordered troops to shoot at the crowds of Palestinians to disperse them and clear the area. During a closed-door meeting with senior Military Advocate General officials this week, legal representatives rejected the Israeli army's claims that the incidents were isolated cases, Haaretz reported. There has been widespread confusion about access to the aid, with the army imposing for a time a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on approach routes to GHF sites. But locals often have to set out well before dawn to have any chance of retrieving food. In a statement late on Friday, a GHF spokesperson said there had been no incidents or fatalities to date at or in the immediate vicinity of its distribution sites. The statement said the Israeli army is tasked with providing safe passage for aid-seekers to all humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, including GHF. 'GHF is not aware of any of these incidents but these allegations are too grave to ignore and we therefore call on Israel to investigate them and transparently publish the results in a timely manner,' the spokesperson said. The Gaza war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage into the enclave. In response, Israel launched a military campaign that has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, according to local health authorities in Gaza. The Gaza health ministry said on Friday that at least 72 people were killed and more than 170 wounded by Israeli fire across Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours.
Al Jazeera
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Soldiers admit Israeli army is targeting unarmed Palestinian aid seekers
Soldiers admit Israeli army is targeting unarmed Palestinian aid seekers NewsFeed Israeli newspaper Haaretz has published shocking quotes from Israeli soldiers who say unarmed, starving Palestinians are being shot at for no reason at aid distribution sites. Video Duration 01 minutes 13 seconds 01:13 Video Duration 00 minutes 25 seconds 00:25 Video Duration 00 minutes 39 seconds 00:39 Video Duration 01 minutes 49 seconds 01:49 Video Duration 00 minutes 39 seconds 00:39 Video Duration 02 minutes 43 seconds 02:43 Video Duration 02 minutes 39 seconds 02:39
LBCI
10 hours ago
- Health
- LBCI
Lebanon's Health Ministry: 14 wounded in Israeli strike on apartment in Nabatieh
The number of people wounded in the Israeli army's strike on an apartment in Nabatieh has risen to 14, according to a statement from the Health Ministry. The ministry said that in a preliminary overall toll of Friday's airstrikes—which began with a series of attacks on valleys and hills in southern Lebanon and continued with the targeting of the apartment in Nabatieh—one woman was kille,d and 21 others were wounded.
UPI
13 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
1 killed, 13 people injured as Israel steps up airstrikes on lebanon
At least one person was killed and 13 injured as Israel stepped up attacks on Lebanon. Photo by EPA/STR BEIRUT, June 27 (UPI) -- Israel escalated on Friday its attacks on suspected Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, launching a series of air and drone strikes that hit mountainous areas and an apartment building. One woman was killed and 13 wounded in the attacks, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The official Lebanese news agency reported that Israeli jets carried out "wide and intense" air strikes on several hilltop locations in the Nabatieh district, using bunker buster bombs and causing massive explosions. Shortly after, an Israeli drone attacked an apartment building in the nearby city of Nabatieh, hitting and badly damaging the top floor where a woman was killed. Thirteen people were also injured in the attack. While ambulances rushed to the targeted sites, Israeli warplanes carried out a second round of bombing. Residents in Nabatieh reported a series of ongoing explosions as thick black smoke billowed into the sky. Initial security reports counted a total of 20 Israeli strikes launched on the area today. The Israeli Army confirmed that its Air Force jets struck a site in southern Lebanon used for "managing Hezbollah's fire and defense systems," according to Israeli English-language websites. Ynet quoted an Israeli Army spokesman as saying that the targeted site was" part of an underground project that was rendered unusable" by previous Israeli strikes. The spokesman said the site was attacked again Friday after the Israeli Army spotted attempts by Hezbollah to rehabilitate it "in blatant violation of the understanding between Israel and Lebanon." There was no immediate comment by Hezbollah on the Israeli claims. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned Israel's continued violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and the Nov. 27 cease-fire agreement that ended 14 months of Israel-Hezbollah destructive war. Aoun accused Israel of "disregarding international resolutions" and all regional and international calls to "stop the violence and escalation in the region." He called on the international community to take "effective action" and end Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon. Israel, which refused to fully withdraw and retained five strategic positions inside south Lebanon, has kept on striking the southern region and other Lebanese areas since the cease-fire accord was achieved, killing dozens of Hezbollah field commanders and hitting suspected positions. Lebanon has been trying to consolidate its authority and regain its long-lost sovereignty following Israel's recent war that greatly weakened the once-powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah. In line with the cease-fire agreement that was brokered by the United States and France, the Lebanese Army has taken control of most of Hezbollah's positions and military facilities, pushing the militant group away from the border with Israel and preventing it from having a military presence south of the Litani River. Aoun has also initiated a one-to-one dialogue with Hezbollah to discuss ways of securing its total disarmament per the cease-fire terms. The Hezbollah-Israel war has killed or wounded more than 20,000 people since October 2023, when it started in support of Gaza. The Israelis' relentless strikes and bombardment caused widespread destruction estimated by the World Bank at $11 billion. Meanwhile, Lebanon's Foreign Ministry sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, requesting to renew the mandate of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, which is to expire on Aug. 31, for a year. The ministry confirmed in a statement released on Friday "Lebanon's commitment to the continued presence of UNIFIL and its cooperation with it," demanding Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territories it occupies and stop its ongoing violations. Lebanon's request came amid Israeli reports that U.S. officials are considering pulling Washington's support from UNIFIL in a bid to cut costs associated with its operations, and that Israel was backing ending its operations in south Lebanon.
