Live Updates: Israel's overnight Gaza strikes, kill dozens of Palestinians

Friday, January 19, 2024

0545 GMT — Israel has continued its bombardment into southern Gaza, targeting a hospital and killing dozens of Palestinians.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported "intense" artillery fire near the Al Amal hospital, while health ministry said 77 people were killed and dozens injured overnight.

Witnesses reported gunfire and air strikes in Khan Younis, the main city in the south of Gaza, where Israel says many members and leaders of Hamas are hiding.

The Israeli military said its Givati Brigade was fighting as far south as its troops had reached so far in the campaign.

0821 GMT — Israel kills another Palestinian in West Bank, raising death toll to eight

Another Palestinian was killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, taking the death toll in a nearly two-day-long military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm to eight, the official Wafa news agency and witnesses have said.

The latest victim was Muhammad Salit, 22, who was killed by Israeli army gunfire. Witnesses said Israeli forces also prevented ambulance crews from reaching him. The forces withdrew from Tulkarm and its refugee camp after the operation that lasted for about 45 hours.

The raid left major infrastructure damage, and also led to detention of dozens of Palestinians.

0816 GMT — Only ceasefire deal can win hostages' release: Israeli cabinet member

A member of Israel’s War Cabinet said that only a ceasefire deal can win the release of dozens of captives held by Hamas in Gaza and that those claiming they can be freed through military pressure are spreading illusions.

Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, whose son was killed several weeks before during the ground invasion in Gaza, told the investigative program “Uvda,” broadcast on Israel’s Channel 12 television station late Thursday, that “the hostages will only return alive if there is a deal, linked to a significant pause in fighting.”

He said dramatic rescue operations are unlikely because the hostages are apparently spread out, many of them in underground tunnels.

Claiming captives can be freed by means other than a deal “is to spread illusions.”

0800 GMT — China urges end of 'harassment' of vessels in Red Sea

China called for an end to "harassment" of civilian vessels in the Red Sea after attacks on ships by Houthis in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Houthi attacks against vessels in and around the Red Sea has led to strikes in Yemen by US and British forces.

Some shipping firms are avoiding the crucial trade artery, causing delays along international trade routes.

And Beijing on Friday emphasised the area was an "important international trade route for goods and energy".

"We call for an end to the harassment of civilian vessels, in order to maintain the smooth flow of global production and supply chains and the international trade order," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

0740 GMT — Israeli army confirms it opened graves in Gaza

The Israeli army confirmed opening some graves in Gaza and extracting bodies to verify if deceased Israeli captives held by Hamas were buried there.

Documented evidence shows the army digging graves, leaving Palestinians' bodies in the excavated soil.

The Israeli military stated to the Anadolu Agency that when critical intelligence is received, sensitive hostage rescue operations are conducted in specific locations based on information about potential hostage burial sites.

0646 GMT — US defence chief discusses Palestine with his Israeli counterpart

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant on Thursday to discuss Israel’s shift to low-intensity of "operations" in Gaza, the distribution of humanitarian assistance in the besieged enclave, instability in the occupied West Bank and a range of regional security matters.

Secretary Austin also acknowledged Israeli concerns about the Lebanon border and reiterated US resolve to prevent the situation from escalating.

05:30 GMT - Houthis assure security for Russian, Chinese vessels in Red Sea

A senior Houthi official has promised safe passage for Russian and Chinese vessels through the Red Sea, where the Iran-backed Yemeni group has been carrying out attacks on commercial ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

In an interview published by Russian outlet Izvestia, senior Houthi official Mohammed al Bukhaiti insisted the waters around Yemen, which some shipping firms are avoiding due to the ongoing aggression, were safe so long as vessels were not linked to certain countries, particularly Israel.

"As for all other countries, including Russia and China, their shipping in the region is not threatened," he said.

04:55 GMT - Yemen's Houthis say struck US ship amid Israel's war on Gaza

Yemen's Houthi group has said it carried out a missile strike on a US ship in the Gulf of Aden.

The group said in a statement posted on its social media that its forces had attacked the Chem Ranger ship "with several appropriate naval missiles, resulting in direct hits". It did not give a time for the attack.

British maritime risk management company Ambrey said the Chem Ranger was a US-owned Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker.

"There were no crew casualties or damage reported," the monitor said.

04:20 GMT - Israeli minister says he prevented Israel from attacking Hezbollah

Israeli Cabinet Minister and former military chief Gadi Eizenkot has told Israel's Channel 12 that he prevented Israel from preemptively attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon in the days after Hamas' blitz.

Eizenkot said Israel was on the verge of striking Hezbollah, though the group, designated as a "terror organisation" by Western states, had not yet fired on Israel. Eizenkot said he convinced officials in the war cabinet to hold off.

"I think our presence there prevented Israel from making a grave strategic mistake," Eizenkot said.

03:40 GMT - US says 'no way' to solve conflict without Palestinian state

There is "no way" to solve Israel's long-term security challenges in the region and the short-term challenges of rebuilding besieged Gaza without the establishment of a Palestinian state, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Speaking at a news briefing, Miller said Israel had an opportunity right now as countries in the region were ready to provide security assurances to Israel.

"But there is no way to solve their long-term challenges to provide lasting security, and there is no way to solve the short-term challenges of rebuilding Gaza and establishing governance in Gaza and providing security for Gaza without the establishment of a Palestinian state."

For our live updates from Wednesday, January 18, click here.