Live Updates: UK warns of Gaza famine, Royal Navy ship en route for aid

Sunday, April 7, 2024

05:00 GMT — UK warns of Gaza famine, Royal Navy ship en route for aid

The British foreign secretary has warned of the dire situation and "real" famine risk in Gaza as the UK announced the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to join a humanitarian mission in the region.

"The ship, alongside new UK aid and British expertise, will support the establishment of an international humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus [island] to Gaza, supported by many of our partner governments and the UN, and is expected to be operational in early May," according to a statement by the Foreign Office and the Defence Ministry.

Along with the ship, the Foreign Office has committed up to £9.7 million ($12.2 million) for aid deliveries, including logistical expertise and equipment support to the corridor.

04:30 GMT — Israel strikes on eastern Lebanon, security sources say

Israel launched air strikes on the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon early on Sunday, two Lebanese security sources told Reuters, a few hours after armed group Hezbollah said it had downed an Israeli drone over Lebanon.

The sources said that the Israeli attack targeted a training camp belonging to Hezbollah in Janta village, near the border with Syria.

One of the strikes was aimed at the town of Safri, near the eastern city of Baalbek, the sources said, adding that no casualties were reported.

03:47 GMT — Five injured in car-ramming incident at protest in Tel Aviv

Five protesters were injured after being hit by a car driven by a “supporter” of Benjamin Netanyahu's government during demonstrations in central Tel Aviv, according to media reports.

The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that the Ichilov Hospital announced the arrival of five patients among the protesters from a car-ramming incident near Kaplan Square in downtown Tel Aviv.

It indicated that one of the protesters was moderately injured, while the others sustained minor injuries.

03:00 GMT — Paris vigil mourns Aussie aid worker slain in Israeli strike

A candle-lit vigil for one of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers killed earlier this week in an Israeli strike in Gaza was held in Paris.

Dozens of Parisians paid respects to Zomi Franckom, 43, from Australia who had been in Gaza for 175 days — providing support to the WCK to distribute 42 million meals under relentless Israeli bombings.

Jasmin Kozowy-Mouflard, founder of Instant Aid, a charity that partners with WCK, said what the Israeli military did was wrong and it “should be held accountable” for the deaths of the aid workers.

For our live updates from Saturday, April 6, click here.