Latest news with #Netzarim
Wall Street Journal
7 days ago
- General
- Wall Street Journal
Gazans Confront a Stark Choice: Risk Death to Get Food, or Starve
For many in Gaza, it is an agonizing daily choice. Should they risk a trip through combat zones to visit one of the enclave's four functioning aid-distribution sites that are frequently scenes of chaos and violence? Or should they try to make it another 24 hours, or more, without food. Mahmoud al-Tarifi's 22-year-old son, Osama, set out for a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation center near the Netzarim corridor, an Israeli-patrolled zone that bisects Gaza. His family hadn't eaten a filling meal in weeks, Tarifi said, and Osama wanted to get rice, dried beans or other supplies.
Arab News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israeli soldier describes alleged arbitrary killings of civilians in Gaza
LONDON: An Israeli army reservist has claimed that civilians in Gaza were frequently shot without warning or threat during his service, describing what he called shifting and often arbitrary rules of engagement that, at times, led to the killing of unarmed people. In a rare on-camera interview with Sky News, the soldier, who served three tours of duty in Gaza with the Israeli military, said troops were often instructed to shoot anyone entering areas considered to be off limits, regardless of whether they posed a threat or not. 'We have a territory that we are in, and the commands are: everyone that comes inside needs to die,' he told Sky News. 'If they're inside, they're dangerous, you need to kill them. No matter who it is.' 'Some Israeli commanders can decide to do war crimes.' An IDF soldier, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said his conscience won't let him stay silent about arbitrary killing of civilians in — Sky News (@SkyNews) July 7, 2025 Speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, the reservist from the Israeli military's 252nd Division said he was twice stationed at the Netzarim corridor, a narrow military-controlled strip carved through central Gaza early in the war to divide the territory and tighten Israeli control. He described how his unit marked invisible boundaries near civilian areas, sometimes while occupying homes belonging to displaced Palestinians. Local residents, he said, were expected to understand these lines without explanation or risk being shot. 'There's an imaginary line that they tell us all the Gazan people know. But how can they know?' he said. 'It might be like a teenager riding his bicycle.' The soldier said the decision to open fire on civilians frequently depended on the 'mood of the commander,' with criteria for engagement varying from day to day, adding: 'They might be shot, they might be captured, it really depends on the day.' He recalled one incident in which a man was shot for crossing the boundary, followed by another who was detained for approaching the body, only for the rules to change again hours later, with orders to shoot anyone crossing the line. The soldier alleged that commanders were able to set their own rules of engagement, sometimes with deadly consequences. 'Every commander can choose for himself what he does. So it's kind of like the Wild West,' he said. 'Some commanders can really decide to do war crimes and bad things and don't face the consequences of that.' He also described a pervasive culture among troops that viewed all Gazans as legitimate targets in the aftermath of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and led to more than 250 taken hostage. 'They'd say: 'Yeah, but these people didn't do anything to prevent October 7, and they probably had fun when this was happening to us. So they deserve to die',' he said. 'People don't feel mercy for them. I think the core of it, that in their mind, these people aren't innocent,' he added. In Israel, where military service is a social rite of passage and the military is widely seen as a unifying national institution, public criticism of the armed forces is rare. The soldier told Sky News he feared being branded a traitor but felt compelled to speak out. 'I kind of feel like I took part in something bad, and I need to counter it with something good that I do, by speaking out,' he said. 'I am very troubled about what I took and still am taking part of, as a soldier and citizen in this country.' He added: 'I think a lot of people, if they knew exactly what's happening, it wouldn't go down very well for them, and they wouldn't agree with it.' When asked about the allegations, the Israeli military told Sky News that it 'operates in strict accordance with its rules of engagement and international law, taking feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.' According to the statement: 'The IDF operates against military targets and objectives, and does not target civilians or civilian objects.' The military said complaints or reports of alleged violations are 'transferred to the relevant authorities responsible for examining exceptional incidents that occurred during the war.' It also highlighted steps it says it takes to minimise civilian casualties, including issuing evacuation notices and regular updates about combat zones.
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
A freedom from slavery parade, heatwave and a fashion show: photos of the day
Relatives of Palestinians who lost their lives following the Israeli attacks on civilians waiting for aid in Netzarim area and on a cafe on coast of Gaza, mourn after bodies are taken from al-Shifa Hospital for funerals Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images The site of an Israeli strike on a house that took place in the central Gaza Strip Photograph: Ramadan Abed/Reuters The body of 29-year-old Palestinian Ayyub Sabir Abu al-Hasin is brought to Kuwait hospital for funeral procedures after he died of malnutrition Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images People parade during the National Commemoration of Slavery, known as Keti Koti, which means 'the chains are broken' Photograph: Ramon van Flymen/EPA A tourist shields from the sun in Milan Photograph: Luca Bruno/AP A man protects himself from the heat with an umbrella during a demonstration in Frankfurt Photograph:Tourists protect themselves from the sun near the Acropolis hill Photograph: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty Images A tourist cools off in the Trocadero Fountain next to the Eiffel Tower Photograph: Tom Nicholson/Reuters Firefighting efforts continue in Manisa where a wildfire has broken out Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Firefighters tackle the Juniper Fire in California Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters A drone view shows a section of the Trans-Andean highway that was destroyed by a landslide following floods Photograph: Leonardo Fernández Viloria/Reuters Protesters clash with anti riot police after allegations that a satirical magazine had published a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed. The incident occurred after Istanbul's chief prosecutor ordered the arrest of the editors at LeMan magazine on grounds it had published a cartoon which 'publicly insulted religious values' Photograph: Ozan Köse/AFP/Getty Images Prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Thailand's constitutional court suspended her from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, at the Government House Photograph: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters Shia Muslims commemorate Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, and his 72 companions who were martyred in the Battle of Karbala, during a mourning ceremony as part of Muharram observances. Participants joined in reciting elegies and lit torches in honour of the Karbala martyrs Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Chancellor Friedrich Merz (left) and Luxembourg's prime minister, Luc Frieden, step off the podium before reviewing a military honour guard during an official welcome ceremony Photograph: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images Police personnel perform during a ceremony to mark the 79th anniversary of Indonesia's National Police at the National Monument Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters A pro-China supporter stands behind the Chinese national flag at a celebration of the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Chinese rule Photograph: Tyrone Siu/Reuters A view of Marc Jacobs platform boots backstage during the Marc Jacobs 2026 Runway Show at New York Public Library Photograph:for Marc Jacobs
Al Bawaba
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Al-Quds brigades strike Israeli forces in Gaza, seize military drones and equipment
ALBAWABA – The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, released new video footage Sunday showing its fighters launching coordinated attacks on Israeli forces and vehicles positioned in the Netzarim corridor in Gaza. The group also announced it had captured two Israeli drones during the operation. Also Read Hamas responds to US ceasefire plan with bold demands The video documents targeted strikes on Israeli troop deployment and supply routes in the eastern part of the Netzarim axis, a key corridor dividing northern Gaza from its central and southern areas. The Brigades used short-range 107mm rockets in their assault, claiming direct hits on Israeli forces. In a symbolic gesture, footage shows the seized drones displayed in front of an image of Brigadier General Mohammad Saeed Izadi, the Iranian Quds Force official for Palestinian affairs, who was assassinated by Israel during the recent escalation. The fighters also confiscated Israeli military gear, including explosive devices and live ammunition, according to the footage. The release comes as part of a series of recent video publications by Al-Quds Brigades, documenting intensified resistance operations in both northern and southern Gaza. The group claims to have inflicted heavy losses on Israeli forces through ambushes, homemade explosive devices, and direct engagements since Israel resumed its military campaign on March 18. Israeli media confirmed continued losses. According to Army Radio, 30 Israeli soldiers and officers have been killed since March, 21 of them by roadside bombs. Haaretz reported that 20 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the past 29 days alone. Since the launch of Israel's ground offensive in late October 2023, Palestinian factions have focused on guerrilla tactics, including ambushes, tunnel warfare, and rocket barrages. These efforts have not only slowed Israeli advances but have also resulted in the destruction and disabling of numerous military vehicles. Rocket fire from Gaza into Israeli cities and settlements continues, as resistance groups emphasize their ability to maintain operational pressure across multiple fronts amid the ongoing war.
CNA
28-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Gaza civil defence says Israeli forces kill 37, including children
GAZA: Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed 37 people in the devastated territory on Saturday (Jun 28), including at least nine children who died in strikes. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP 35 people were killed in seven Israeli drone and air strikes in various locations, and two others by Israeli fire while waiting for food aid in the Netzarim zone in central Gaza. He said the dead included three children who were killed in an air strike on a home in Jabalia, in northern Gaza. Bassal said at least six more children died in a neighbourhood in the northeast of Gaza City, including some in an air strike near a school where displaced people were sheltering. The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment by Saturday evening. Restrictions on media in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers. AFP images showed mourners weeping over the bodies of seven people, including at least two children, wrapped in white shrouds and blankets at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Video footage filmed from southern Israel showed smoke rising over northern Gaza after blasts. Other AFP footage filmed in Gaza City showed a cloud of smoke rising from buildings after a strike. In Jabalia, an AFP photographer saw civil defence rescuers aiding a man with blood on his back. GAZA CEASEFIRE DRIVE Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in October 2023 in response to a deadly attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. After claiming victory in a 12-day war against Iran that ended with a ceasefire on June 24, the Israeli military said it would refocus on its offensive in Gaza, where Palestinian militants still hold Israeli hostages. Qatar said on Saturday that it and fellow mediators the United States and Egypt were engaging with Israel and Hamas to build on momentum from the ceasefire with Iran and work towards a Gaza truce. "If we don't utilise this window of opportunity and this momentum, it's an opportunity lost amongst many in the near past. We don't want to see that again," said Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari. Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
