Israel-Gaza live: More than 52,000 Palestinians ‘displaced by airstrikes’ as Biden shows support for ceasefire
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More than 52,000 Palestinians have been displaced by Israeli airstrikes, the United Nations aid agency said on Tuesday.
About 47,000 of the people displaced people have sought shelter in 58 UN-run schools in Gaza, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters, according to Reuters.
It comes as the Israeli army unleashed a fresh wave of airstrikes on Gaza overnight.
Israel’s army said it was once again targeting an underground “metro” system it says is being used by Hamas operatives to evade surveillance.
The residences of five Hamas commanders were also struck, with the Israeli military asserting that some of the homes had been used as command and control centres, while an anti-tank squad in Gaza City was also targeted.
On Monday, President Joe Biden expressed support for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas rulers in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The US leader stopped short of demanding an immediate end to the violence, but “expressed his support for a ceasefire” and “encouraged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians,” the White House said.
Mr Biden also renewed his “his firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks,” a readout of the call said.
At least 213 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes so far, including 61 children, with more than 1,400 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, ten people have been killed in Israel, including two children, Israeli authorities have said.
- A brief history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict
- Israel-Palestine map: Gaza’s conflict hotspots and a history of violence at the border
- Gaza ‘days away’ from blackout as fuel running out after week of bombardment
- ‘I lost my entire family, in an instant’: Miracle baby is sole survivor of Israeli airstrike that kills 10
Antony Blinken says he has seen no evidence Hamas linked to destroyed buildings housing media
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he has not seen any evidence from Israel of Hamas having operated in a building housing media offices that was destroyed in airstrikes.
Speaking during a visit to Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday, Mr Blinken said he was not aware of any evidence suggesting any Hamas ties to the building, according to The Associated Press.
The building had housed AP, Al-Jazeera and other media outlets.
Join tonight: Bel Trew hosts ‘Ask Me Anything’ on Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Independent’s Middle East correspondent Bel Trew will be hosting an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) online event this evening, where she will be answering questions about the Israel-Gaza conflict live.
The AMA starts at 6pm UK-time, but you can start submitting your questions now.
Join the conversation here:
Bel Trew to answer your questions live on the Israel-Gaza conflict
The Independent’s Middle East correspondent Bel Trew will be answering your questions live about the ongoing situation in Israel and Palestine
EU vows to ramp up efforts to end Israeli-Palestinian fighting
The European Union has said it will ramp up its efforts to end the violence between the Israeli military and Palestinian militants.
The bloc is expected to seek progress during a special meeting of its foreign ministers on Tuesday.
Read more:
EU vows to boost efforts to end Israeli-Palestinian fighting
The European Union says that it will redouble its efforts to end the upsurge in violence between the Israeli military and Palestinian militants and will seek progress during a special meeting of its foreign ministers on Tuesday
Angela Merkel speaks with Netanyahu about surge of violence
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday about the current escalation of violence in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The chancellor expressed solidarity with Israel and the country’s right to self-defense, but expressed hope that the deadly fighting can come to an end, according to AP.
Ms Merkel’s office said she also stressed that her government would “continue to act decisively against protests in Germany at which hatred and antisemitism is spread”.
Macron and el-Sissi stress ‘absolute need’ for end to fighting
French President Emmanuel Macron and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi have joined in stressing the “absolute need” to end hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians, the French presidency has said.
Both leaders expressed “strong concerns” during a working meeting in Paris on Monday, the presidency said.
The world leaders are condemned the death toll of the fighting, which has seen at least 200 Palestinians killed, including 58 children and 10 people in Israel, including two children.
What sparked the surge in violence between Israel and Hamas?
The deadly surge in fighting between the Israeli army and Hamas has seen at least 200 Palestinians killed and 10 killed in Israel.
As the deadly fighting between the Israeli army and Hamas enters its second week, Joe Sommerlad explains the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and what prompted the recent surge of violence:
Why do Israel and Hamas fight?
Palestinian militant organisation formed in 1987 and dedicated to ‘liberation’ labelled a terror group by some
Israeli/Palestinian conflict must be debated ‘without Jew hate or Islamophobia taking over'
Dame Margaret Hodge has said "we have to be able to debate and disagree without Jew hate or Islamophobia taking over".
The Labour MP for Barking, who is Jewish, told the Commons: "This House is sending out a very strong message today denouncing this vile racism, but our message can't just be for today. Tragically, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict will not go away and we have to be able to debate and disagree without Jew hate or Islamophobia taking over.
"So my question to the Secretary of State is this - what action is he taking beyond today and beyond the brilliant work that the Holocaust Education Trust are doing with young people to inform and educate communities throughout Britain including the elected representatives, so that a discussion on an international conflict does not morph into a national expression of hate?
Responding, the communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, said: "She's right to say that this is sadly just one of a number of incidents, and incidents of this nature have flared up in the past when conflict in the Middle East has done as well."
He went on: "We need to ensure that we are rooting out anti-semitism, doing that through education working with all parts of society."
Good morning and thank you for following The Independent’s ongoing coverage of the latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israeli army unleashes fresh wave of airstrikes ‘targeting tunnel system'
The Israeli army unleashed a fresh wave of airstrikes on Gaza overnight in what it described as a renewed effort to destroy an underground “metro” system it says is being used by Hamas operatives.
In the latest round of strikes, the army said it unleashed at least 110 guided armaments, with fighter jets pounding Rimal in western Gaza City.
The Israeli army said the residences of five Hamas commanders were also struck in the assault.
It said some of the homes had been used as command and control centres.
The army further said that hit a Hamas anti-tank squad in Gaza City.
It accused Hamas of deliberately placing military targets in densely populated civilian areas in the Gaza Strip.
However, it said that while the army takes precautions to avoid harming civilians, it would continue operating with force “when necessary”.
At least 212 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes so far, including 61 children, with more than 1,400 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, at least ten people have been killed in Israel, including two children, Israeli officials have said.
Biden expresses support for ceasefire
President Joe Biden expressed support for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas leaders in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, but stopped short of demanding an end to the violence himself.
In a readout of the call, the White House said the president “expressed his support for a ceasefire” and urged Israel to “make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians”.
However, those statements only came after the White House said the president “reiterated his firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks”.
The White House said the two world leaders “agreed that they and their teams would remain in close touch”.
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