December 4, 2023

By The Related Press

The Israeli army intensified airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday, together with close to its largest hospital, and one other hospital was broken by bombardment shut by.

Hundreds of individuals determined for meals and primary gadgets broke into assist warehouses within the besieged enclave.

Web and cellphone connectivity had been restored for many individuals after Israel knocked out most communications within the territory late Friday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu introduced on Saturday a “second stage” within the 3-week-old warfare and mentioned Israel is set to carry again 229 hostages taken by the militant group throughout its lethal Oct. 7 incursion. 4 of the hostages have been launched.

The Palestinian demise toll handed 8,000, most of them girls and kids, in line with the Well being Ministry in Gaza. Within the occupied West Financial institution, greater than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids, and on Sunday, a Jewish settler fatally shot a Palestinian man harvesting olives close to town of Nablus.

Greater than 1,400 individuals died in Israel throughout a shock incursion by Hamas, together with not less than 310 troopers, in line with the Israeli authorities.

At present:

Right here’s what is occurring within the newest Israel-Hamas warfare:

On a seaside in Gaza, a younger boy hunches over a plastic tub filled with soapy water and laundry. Close by, a girl makes use of sand to wash metallic pots and pans. A person stands waist-deep within the sea cleansing a pair of sweatpants, whereas elsewhere, three girls sit within the salty Mediterranean and let the lapping waves rinse their attire.

The besieged Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million individuals don’t have entry to wash, operating water after Israel minimize off water and electrical energy to the enclave. If water does trickle from the faucet, residents have mentioned it’s so contaminated with sewage and seawater that it’s undrinkable. Underneath these circumstances, some are compelled to make use of the ocean to wash, wash garments and clear their cookware.

On Sunday, 33 vehicles carrying water, meals and medication entered the one border crossing from Egypt. Israel mentioned it has opened two water traces in southern Gaza inside the previous week. The AP couldn’t independently confirm that both line was functioning.

The Israeli army struck targets in Lebanon and Syria on Sunday after projectiles had been fired into Israel.

Clashes have been happening throughout Israel’s tense border with Lebanon for the reason that onset of the Hamas-Israel warfare, largely contained to a number of border cities.

Israel’s army supplied video of a number of strikes inside Lebanon, exhibiting explosions erupting amongst timber and missiles hitting a constructing on a hillside. The army mentioned it shot down a drone and killed a militant who tried to method the border fence.

On Sunday night, Hamas mentioned its forces in Lebanon had fired 16 missiles on the northern Israeli city of Nahariya. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, additionally introduced it had fired missiles at a number of websites throughout the border Sunday afternoon, together with one which it mentioned had hit an Israeli infantry unit close to the city of Birket Risha and induced “confirmed accidents.”

Rockets had been fired from Syria as nicely on Sunday, falling into open Israeli territory, the army mentioned, which fired again on the web site the place the rockets had been launched. It didn’t report any accidents.

Russian information companies and social media say tons of of individuals have stormed into the primary airport within the Dagestan area and onto the touchdown subject to protest the arrival of an airliner from Tel Aviv.

Authorities closed the airport in Makhachkala, capital of the predominantly Muslim area, and police converged on the power. There have been no instant reviews of accidents or arrests.

Russian information reviews mentioned individuals within the crowd had been shouting antisemitic slogans and tried to storm the airliner belonging to Russian service Crimson Wings that had landed from Tel Aviv.

In an announcement launched Sunday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned Israel “expects the Russian regulation enforcement authorities to guard the security of all Israeli residents and Jews wherever they might be and to behave resolutely towards the rioters and towards the wild incitement directed towards Jews and Israelis.”

Netanyahu’s workplace added that the Israeli ambassador to Russia was working with Russia to maintain Israelis and Jews secure.

BEIRUT — An evaluation of video proof and witness testimonies from the scene of strikes that killed one journalist and injured six others in south Lebanon this month discovered that the journalists had been “explicitly focused,” the watchdog group Reporters With out Borders mentioned in an announcement Sunday.

Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was killed close to the village of Alma al-Shaab whereas overlaying an trade of fireside alongside the border between Israeli troops and members of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group.

“Two strikes in the identical place in such a brief house of time … from the identical path, clearly point out exact concentrating on,” the assertion mentioned.

The evaluation discovered that journalists had been standing and filming on a hillside for greater than an hour till the strikes hit about 37 to 38 seconds aside, each coming from the east — the path of the Israeli border. The primary killed Abdallah; the second hit a car belonging to an Al Jazeera crew, injuring journalists standing subsequent to it, the assertion mentioned. It famous that the journalists had been carrying helmets and vests marked “press,” and the automotive was marked “press” on the roof.

It added that witnesses reported seeing an Israeli helicopter fly over the scene shortly earlier than the strikes. The report didn’t particularly say Israel was accountable for the fireplace, saying the investigation was ongoing.

The Israeli army didn’t instantly reply Sunday to a request for touch upon the evaluation.

Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht beforehand mentioned Israel was “wanting into” the episode. He didn’t affirm whether or not the journalists had been hit by Israeli shelling.

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — A convoy of Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross assist vehicles arrived on the overcrowded Nasser hospital within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis Sunday, bringing very important medical provides to emergency departments and operation rooms.

“That is the primary assist convoy that reached Nasser medical complicated although the Crimson Cross affiliation,” mentioned Dr. Nahed Abu Taemma, the hospital’s director. Docs on the hospital say that aside from the numerous wounded, the constructing can also be serving as shelter for hundreds of civilians.

“An important factor in these shortages is anesthesia, units to repair bones, ICU units,” all of that are briefly provide, he mentioned.

The ICRC has mentioned that 10 workers members, together with a surgical procedure crew, crossed into Gaza by way of the Rafah border crossing on Friday.

CAIRO— An assist employee in norther Gaza mentioned they witnessed “probably the most vicious assaults” by Israel throughout about two days of communication blackout.

Gaza residents spent two anxious nights amid relentless bombardment and rumors that Israel had begun its large-scale floor invasion.

Mahmoud Shalabi, senior program supervisor with Medical Assist for Palestinians, who lives in Beit Lahia mentioned his younger daughter was terrified by a large explosion near their house.

“She began screaming and frantically, hysterically crying,” he mentioned. “I hugged her.”

Shalabi rushed outdoors to seek out out his neighbor’s home was bombed. Not less than 10 individuals had been killed, together with girls and kids, and lots of others had been wounded, he mentioned.

“The concern I noticed within the eyes of the individuals in my neighborhood is filled with the colour grey,” he mentioned. “I hate the colour grey.”

BEIRUT — The Worldwide Felony Courtroom’s chief prosecutor mentioned Sunday that individuals caught within the ongoing Hamas-Israel warfare since Oct. 7 deserve justice.

Karim Khan at a press convention on the Rafah border crossing in Egypt expressed concern concerning the devastation and strikes which have taken place close to church buildings, faculties, and hospitals. Khan mentioned wasn’t in a position to enter the Gaza Strip and communicate to Palestinians.

He referred to as on Israel to respect worldwide regulation however stopped in need of accusing Israel of committing warfare crimes.

“They’ve attorneys, advisors, and they are going to be below no misapprehension after their obligations,” he mentioned, including that these obligations apply to Palestinian militant group Hamas as nicely. He referred to as Hamas’ shock assault a critical violation of worldwide humanitarian regulation.

The ICC has been investigating the actions of each Israeli and Palestinian authorities since 2014.

BEIRUT — The Palestinian Crimson Crescent Society mentioned Israeli strikes Sunday broken sections within the jam-packed Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza Metropolis, after receiving two cellphone calls from the Israeli army to evacuate.

A video the Crimson Crescent posted on X, previously Twitter, of the hospital following the strikes reveals rooms lined in particles and mud and the home windows blown out. Folks lined their noses and mouths, panicking as they tried to go away the hospital with their youngsters.

The PRCS-run hospital administration mentioned that evacuating the hospital was not possible, as its tons of of sufferers included youngsters in incubators and wounded individuals within the intensive-care unit. In an announcement, it mentioned most of the 14,000 individuals looking for shelter there are Palestinians displaced by the continuing Hamas-Israel warfare.

Israeli strikes focused areas across the hospital all through Sunday. The director-general of the World Well being Group mentioned that it might be “not possible” to evacuate hospitals with out endangering individuals’s lives.

JERUSALEM — Israel’s army mentioned Sunday that floor forces killed a lot of Hamas militants as they had been exiting a tunnel close to the Erez crossing, which was the only pedestrian passageway out of the coastal enclave into Israel earlier than it was destroyed within the preventing. It was unclear what number of militants had been killed.

Movies of the bottom operation launched by the army confirmed tanks traversing small, sandy hills and bulldozers clearing mountains of particles. Hamas has a sprawling community of tunnels beneath Gaza the place it’s believed to be stockpiling weapons, meals, and different provides.

BEIRUT — The variety of youngsters killed within the blockaded Gaza Strip for the reason that begin of the Hamas-Israel earlier this month has exceeded the variety of youngsters killed in armed battle yearly globally since 2019, worldwide charity Save the Youngsters mentioned Sunday.

In an announcement, the charity cited numbers from the Gaza Well being Ministry of not less than 3,195 youngsters killed within the warfare that was sparked following a shock Hamas assault on Oct. 7. It additionally talked about the deaths of 33 youngsters within the occupied West Financial institution and 29 youngsters killed in Israel.

“The numbers are harrowing and with violence not solely persevering with however increasing in Gaza proper now, many extra youngsters stay at grave threat,” Save the Youngsters Nation Director within the occupied Palestinian territory Jason Lee mentioned in an announcement. “A cease-fire is the one approach to make sure their security.”

JERUSALEM — Israel’s army, which has mentioned repeatedly that it’s not at warfare with civilians in Gaza however somewhat with Hamas, dropped leaflets on the Gaza Strip on Sunday asking civilians to “give up.” Written in Arabic, the leaflets advised civilians to put down all their weapons, put their palms up, wave white flags and comply with directions from the Israeli army.

“Hamas leaders are exploiting you,” the flyers learn. “They and their households are in secure locations, whilst you die in useless.”

BEIRUT — The U.N. mission in Lebanon says one peacekeeper was evenly wounded after his base within the nation’s south was hit by a mortar shell.

The militant group Hezbollah, Hamas’ allies in Lebanon, has clashed with Israeli troops alongside the Lebanon-Israeli border for the reason that Gaza warfare erupted on Oct. 7. The skirmishes have remained comparatively contained and largely alongside a handful of border cities.

Two mortar shells hit a UNIFIL base close to the southeastern border village of Houla, the U.N. mission mentioned. The wounded peacekeeper suffered minor accidents and is in steady situation. Earlier Saturday, a shell hit UNIFIL’s headquarters within the southern coastal city of Naqoura, however there was no point out of accidents.

UNIFIL officers didn’t specify the place the shelling got here from, and mentioned that they had been investigating each episodes.

UNIFIL was created to supervise the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion. The mission was expanded after the 2006 warfare, permitting peacekeepers to deploy alongside the Lebanon-Israel border to assist Lebanese troops lengthen their authority into their nation’s south for the primary time in many years.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis repeatedly referred to as for a cease-fire in Gaza on Sunday.

“Let’s proceed to wish for Ukraine and for the intense scenario in Palestine and Israel and for different areas with wars,” Francis mentioned.

“Particularly, in Gaza, depart house to ensure humanitarian assist. And let the hostages be freed instantly. Let nobody abandon the likelihood to cease the arms. Stop hearth,” he added, talking from the window of the Apostolic Palace above St. Peter’s Sq..

The pope cited the Rev. Ibrahim Faltas, the vicar of the Holy Land, as becoming a member of him within the pressing plea for a cease-fire.

“Cease yourselves brothers and sisters, warfare is at all times defeat. All the time! All the time!” he concluded.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Well being Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza says over 8,000 Palestinians have been killed since warfare broke out on Oct. 7.

It mentioned Sunday that the toll has risen to eight,005 Palestinians, together with greater than 3,300 minors and over 2,000 girls.

The Well being Ministry is a part of the Hamas-run authorities however consists of docs and veteran civil servants who usually are not affiliated with the group. Its tolls from earlier wars have held as much as U.N. scrutiny, impartial investigations and even Israel’s tallies. The ministry launched detailed data final week exhibiting the names, ages and ID numbers of a lot of the deaths it has recorded, saying some our bodies haven’t but been recognized.

Greater than 1,400 individuals have been killed on the Israeli aspect, the overwhelming majority civilians killed by Hamas in its bloody Oct. 7 incursion into Israel.

KATHMANDU, Nepal — U.N. Secretary-Basic António Guterres has reiterated his attraction for an instantaneous humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza and referred to as for an unconditional launch of all hostages and the supply of sustained aid to the individuals within the territory.

Guterres, who’s on an official go to to Nepal, condemned the “appalling assaults perpetrated by Hamas” and mentioned “there isn’t a justification, ever, for the killing, injuring and abduction of civilians.” He additionally mentioned he regretted Israel’s transfer to accentuate its army operations in Gaza.

He additionally reminded Israel and Hamas about their obligations below worldwide humanitarian regulation.

“The world is witnessing a humanitarian disaster happening earlier than our eyes,” he added.

JERUSALEM — A spokesperson for the Palestinian Crimson Crescent says Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza Metropolis obtained two calls from Israeli authorities Sunday morning demanding it evacuate.

An announcement launched by the group mentioned that the calls constituted a “clear and direct menace that the hospital should be evacuated directly, in any other case PRCS holds full duty for the lives of everybody contained in the hospital.”

Spokesperson Nebal Farsakh mentioned that since Sunday morning, Israeli airstrikes have been growing within the space, reaching buildings as shut as 50 meters (yards).

She mentioned that 12,000 individuals are at present sheltering within the hospital. The intensive care unit is predominantly occupied by youngsters injured within the newest airstrikes. “Most of them are linked to oxygen machines,” she mentioned. “Evacuating them could be killing them.”

The Israeli army didn’t remark instantly Sunday. The army has advised some 1 million individuals to evacuate to the southern a part of the Gaza Strip forward of an anticipated floor invasion.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The U.N. company for Palestinian refugees says hundreds of individuals broke into its Gaza assist warehouses to take meals and different “primary survival gadgets.”

Thomas White, the company’s director in Gaza, mentioned Sunday that the break-in was “a worrying signal that civil order is beginning to break down” after three weeks of warfare between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers.

The company, referred to as UNRWA, gives primary companies to tons of of hundreds of individuals in Gaza. Its faculties throughout the territory have been reworked into packed shelters housing Palestinians displaced by the battle.

DAMASCUS, Syria — An Iranian-backed Iraqi militia says it launched drone strikes on a base housing U.S. forces in jap Syria.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has claimed duty for a sequence of strikes on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria over the previous two weeks, claimed duty on Sunday for the newest assault. The group has mentioned the assaults are in retaliation for U.S. assist for Israel.

In keeping with the Pentagon, as of Friday there had been not less than 20 assaults on U.S. bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17, and 21 U.S. personnel had been injured in two of these assaults when drones focused al-Assad airbase in Iraq and al-Tanf garrison in Syria.