Israel kills 43 Palestinians in Gaza shelter

Israeli military has killed 43 displaced Palestinians who were sheltering in the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society [PRCS] in Khan Younis, in besieged Gaza. Direct Israeli fire and siege isolated PRCS headquarters and its adjacent al Amal Hospital for the past 12 days and prevented movement to and from them, it said. The Red Crescent said among those killed were three of its staff members inside the headquarters. PRCS held Israel fully responsible for the lives of staff, more than 100 patients and wounded people and over 7,000 displaced people trapped inside the headquarters and the hospital. “The society reiterates its appeal to the international community and UN agencies to immediately act to provide protection to our staff in Khan Younis, and to compel Israel to respect the sign of the Red Crescent,” it said. Demonstrators stage rally in Stockholm to remember slain children A group of protesters have demonstrated in the Swedish capital to commemorate Palestinian children killed in Gaza by Israel. Gathering at Sergelstorg, the crowd protested Israeli attacks by chanting pro-Palestine slogans, including “Free Palestine” and “End the occupation.” Protesters called for a boycott of Israeli products and companies supporting Israel as they carried Palestinian flags. Algerian lawyers file lawsuit against Israel at ICC An Algerian lawyers group has filed a lawsuit with the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague against Israeli officials “involved in committing genocide crimes against the Palestinian people.” The Algerian National Union of Bar Associations said the Tunisian, Jordanian, Mauritanian and Palestinian bar associations also signed the lawsuit. It said the lawsuit is based on documentation gathered from authentic sources and includes photos and videos that document Israeli crimes in besieged Gaza. It included official documents issued by UN bodies, international groups and recent orders by the International Court of Justice, which affirmed plausible evidence of genocide crimes in Gaza. Houthis claim to have fired ballistic missiles at Israel’s Eilat Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi group has said it fired ballistic missiles at targets in the Israeli city of Eilat and threatened to keep up military operations until Israel ends its brutal war on besieged Gaza. The Israeli military earlier said its “Arrow” aerial defence system had intercepted a surface-to-surface missile in the Red Sea area. “The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to carry out further military operations against the Zionist enemy on land and at sea until the cessation of aggression and lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip,” the Houthis’ military spokesperson said. Al Qassam Brigades claims it killed 15 Israeli soldiers Hamas’ armed wing has announced the killing of 15 Israeli soldiers, the destruction of two armoured vehicles, and the targeting of four tanks in besieged Gaza. In separate statements, the Al Qassam Brigades claimed its members “managed to eliminate 15 Zionist soldiers at point-blank in al Jawazat area in the western Gaza City.” “We destroyed an Israeli armoured vehicle with a Yassin missile in the al Jawazat area in the city of Gaza, and another in the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip,” stated the armed wing. The statement continued: “We targeted four Israeli tanks of the Merkava type in Khan Younis city and northern Gaza with Yassin 105 shells and improvised explosive devices.” The group added: “We shelled occupying forces infiltrating the university area in western Gaza with mortar shells.” There has been no immediate response from the Israeli military regarding the Al Qassam Brigades’ statements.  Blinken to press captives deal on new Mideast trip US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will press a proposal to release Gaza-held captives in return for a pause in the Israeli aggression during his latest crisis trip to the region next week, the State Department said. On his fifth crisis trip to the Middle East, Blinken will visit Qatar and Egypt — the mediators of the proposal — as well as Israel and the occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia starting Sunday, the State Department said. Blinken “will continue diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement that secures the release of all remaining hostages and includes a humanitarian pause that will allow for sustained, increased delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. Qatar earlier voiced hopes of “good news” after presenting the proposal to Hamas, which governs besieged Gaza and maintains an office in Doha. US says Algeria’s push for UN ceasefire resolution could hurt Gaza talks US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield has said that Algeria’s draft Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in besieged Gaza could jeopardise “sensitive negotiations” aimed at brokering a pause in Israel’s war. “This draft resolution could put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy — derailing the exhaustive, ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages and secure an extended pause that Palestinian civilians and aid workers so desperately need,” Thomas-Greenfield told reporters. The United States, Israel, Egypt and Qatar last week drafted a proposal for an extended pause in fighting and are awaiting a response from Hamas. “If accepted and implemented, this proposal would move all parties one step closer to creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “The council has the obligation to ensure that any action we take in the coming days increases pressure on Hamas to accept this proposal,” she said.