Israel-Palestine conflict updates: Dozens killed in Gaza bombings
All the updates from May 11 as they happened.
This live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict on Thursday, May 11.
This live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict on Thursday, May 11.
- Israel continued its air attacks on Gaza killing 29 Palestinians, including several leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement. More than 90 people have been injured as the Israeli military offensive enters its third day.
- The killing of Ali Ghali, head of Islamic Jihad’s rocket force, and of Ahmed Abu Daqqa, a senior commander of its armed wing, brought to five the number of senior figures from the faction killed since Israel began striking Gaza on Tuesday.
- Rockets have been fired in retaliation to overnight Israeli attacks.
- Palestinian resistance groups have fired more than 600 rockets towards Israel, with the majority intercepted by Israeli missile defences. The Palestinian groups have demanded Israel end the territory’s 16-year-old air, land and sea blockade.
US urges steps to reduce ‘violence’ in Gaza but falls short of calling for truce
The United States has stopped short of a clear call for a truce in Gaza, but Department of State spokesman Vedant Patel said the casualties are “tragic and heartbreaking”.
Washington is calling on all sides “to take prudent steps to ensure the loss of civilian life is prevented and that steps are taken to ensure that violence is reduced”, he added.
29 Palestinians killed since Tuesday: Gaza health ministry
Twenty-nine Palestinians have been killed and more than 90 injured in Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip since Tuesday, according to the health ministry in the besieged coastal enclave.
The ministry said that the number includes six children, three women and two elderly people.
Human rights groups warn of danger of Gaza border crossings closure
Since Tuesday, Israel has closed its crossings with Gaza – Beit Hanoon and Karem Abu Salem (known to Israelis as Erez and Kerem Shalom, respectively) – blocking travel entirely, even for urgent humanitarian needs, preventing patients from accessing medical treatment not available in the Strip, human rights groups have said.
“292 patients and companions were prevented from accessing medical treatment that is unavailable in Gaza, many of them cancer patients and others in need of life-saving treatment provided by hospitals in the West Bank or Israel.
The closing of Beit Hanoon Crossing puts additional lives at risk by preventing urgent evacuations, which may be needed, of civilians injured during the assault,” said a statement by Israeli rights group Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement.
Human rights organisations Gisha, Adalah, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, and Al Mezan sent an urgent letter to several Israeli officials demanding that Israel stop all harm to civilians and enable humanitarian access, immediately.
“Security challenges, including risks posed during active hostilities, do not exempt Israel from its humanitarian obligations to residents of Gaza,” the organisations emphasize, concluding that “the violation of these principles raises serious concern of flagrant violations of the rules of war that may amount to war crimes.”
Cairo circumspect about truce prospects
Cairo, which hosted senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad official Mohammad al-Hindi for talks today, is circumspect about prospects for a ceasefire.
“Egypt’s efforts to calm things down and resume the political process have not yet borne fruit,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told reporters.
Meeting Jordanian, French and German counterparts in Berlin, Shoukry urged “peace-sponsoring countries to intervene and stop the attacks” and said Israel must “stop the unilateral measures that aim to destroy the future of the Palestinian state”.
Among terms for a truce, Islamic Jihad wants an end to Israeli assassinations of its leaders. Israel has rejected that.
“We have resumed the ‘elimination’ policy – big time,” Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Channel 12 TV. “If and when we enter a ceasefire, it won’t be with preconditions.”
Israel appeared to be hoping that Palestinian Islamic Jihad, depleted of rockets and commanders, would halt hostilities unilaterally. Hagari declined to be drawn on the faction’s remaining arsenal.
Longer-range missiles worrying for Israel: AJ correspondent
Israel has used Iron Dome extensively to intercept rockets fired by Palestinians in Gaza but it’s the long-range rockets that will have Israel worried, says Al Jazeera’s Willem Marx, reporting from Ashkelon.
“It’s important to make a distinction between the rockets we’re seeing in this area [Ashkelon] – their trajectory is much lower – and they’re the ones more likely to be intercepted by the Iron Dome.
It’s those longer-range ones– they tend to travel much more vertically, much more quickly beyond the [Iron Dome] mechanism and those are the ones more likely travelling 70-80km north towards Tel Aviv from here.”
28 Palestinians killed in Gaza: Ministry of Health
The health ministry in Gaza said at total of 28 people have have been killed since Israel launched an assault on the besieged coastal enclave.
Among the dead were four women and six children.
EU calls for immediate truce in Gaza
The European Union has called for an immediate truce to halt Israeli operations in Gaza and rocket fire on Israel, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
“We urge an immediate comprehensive ceasefire which will end Israeli military operations in Gaza and current rocket firing against Israel, which is unacceptable. International humanitarian law must be respected,” Borrell said in a statement.
Ceasefire will be reached once Israeli atrocities end: Hamas
Hamas says that a ceasefire will be reached once Israel stops carrying out “atrocities” in the Gaza Strip.
“Why are we calling for a ceasefire? Why not demand an end to the Israeli atrocities?” Khaled Qadomi, a member of Hamas, told Al Jazeera.
“The one who started this aggression has to carry the consequences of their crimes. It’s not a question of what Palestinians are to do. It’s a question of what the international community has to do. The ceasefire will be concluded when the Israeli atrocities finish.”
One person killed near Tel Aviv by rocket launched from Gaza: Israeli official
One person has been killed when a rocket fired from Gaza struck a city near Tel Aviv, an Israeli emergency official tells Army Radio.
A spokesperson for Israel’s medical services said a rocket struck a four-storey apartment building in Rehovot, leading to a death and at least five injuries.
Israeli military in middle of Gaza campaign: Netanyahu
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms the Israeli military has assassinated two PIJ commanders, saying that Israel is in the middle of its military campaign.
During a visit to the army’s 66th Battalion, also known as the David’s Sling Battalion, he said, “This morning, we targeted the commander of the Islamic Jihad rocket unit in Gaza. A short time ago we targeted his deputy.
As I have said, whoever harms us – will pay the price, as will his replacement. We are in the midst of a campaign, on both offence and defence.”
Ceasefire prospects complicated by Israeli assassinations: AJ correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Jamjoom says that Egypt is working behind the scenes to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, but the situation has become more complicated as Israel continues to assassinate members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
“It’s a complicated scenario as far as what’s going on behind the scenes when it comes to the prospects of a ceasefire,” he said.
“At the moment, it looks like things are more complicated than they were a few hours ago. There are some sticking points to discuss. Islamic Jihad is demanding that if there is to be a ceasefire, Israel must commit to not assassinate any more of their leaders.
This is something Israel says it’s not going to do. We’ve seen five of their leaders over the course of the past two days assassinated by Israel. That’s one complicating factor. It’s going to be crucial to see what happens in the hours ahead.”
Ahmed Abu Daqqa was fifth PIJ commander to be killed by Israel: AJ correspondent
The killing of Ahmed Abu Daqqa, a senior commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, has brought the number of senior figures from the faction killed to five since Israel began attacking Gaza on Tuesday.
The death toll includes at least four women and six children.
The Israeli military claimed that Abu Daqqa helped oversee rocket launches towards Israel over recent days, as well as in previous rounds of fighting with Islamic Jihad.
“He was assassinated in his home. Four others were critically injured and taken to hospital,” said Al Jazeera’s Youmna El Sayed, reporting from Gaza.
Israel keeps Gaza crossings closed, denying patients medical attention
Israel has kept border crossings for the movement of people and goods closed since Tuesday, denying patients the opportunity to leave Gaza for life-saving treatment, the Palestinian healthy ministry says.
The closures have denied more than 140 patients, most of whom have cancer, from leaving the besieged Gaza Strip for treatment in hospitals in Jerusalem, the West Bank and in Israel proper, the ministry said.
This has also prevented five people with life-threatening conditions from reaching hospitals outside the coastal enclave, it said.
Gaza suffers from severe shortages of medicines, medical equipment and doctors.
US reiterates its ‘ironclad support for Israel’
In Washington, the White House has said that National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan had spoken with his Israeli counterpart Tzachi Hanegbi and reaffirmed the US’ “ironclad support for Israel’s security”.
In Israel, the US Ambassador Tom Nides similarly reinforced Israel’s “right to defend itself” but made no mention of the Palestinian women and children killed by air raids on Gaza.
Concerned about the continuing rocket launches today. We stand by Israel’s right to defend itself. Working towards a quick deescalation.
— Ambassador Tom Nides (@USAmbIsrael) May 11, 2023
Israeli air raid in southern Gaza Strip kills Islamic Jihad commander
An Israeli air raid in the southern Gaza Strip has killed Ahmed Abu Daqqa, a senior commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the faction said.
Four people were also wounded in the attack near Khan Younis, the Gaza health ministry said.
As tensions flare in Gaza, Egyptian mediation efforts continue
As tensions flared in the Gaza Strip, Egyptian mediation efforts have continued, with Cairo hosting senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad official Mohammad al-Hindi, part of truce talks to end the fighting, Reuters reports.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met their French and German counterparts in Berlin on Thursday to discuss peace efforts.
“Egypt’s efforts to calm things down and resume the political process have not yet borne fruit,” Shoukry told reporters in Berlin.
Shoukry called on “peace-sponsoring countries to intervene and stop the attacks” and said Israel must “stop the unilateral measures that aim to destroy the future of the Palestinian state”.
Israel’s prime target: What is Palestinian Islamic Jihad?
The PIJ was founded in 1981 by Palestinian students in Egypt with the aim of establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and other areas illegally occupied by Israel.
While the armed group is sharply critical of the Palestinian Authority and its policies, it does not participate in politics and limits its role to military confrontations with Israel.
Read more here.
‘Very few’ rockets fired into Israeli town Ashkelon: AJ correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Willem Marx, reporting from Ashkelon, says it has been “much more peaceful” in the southern Israeli town bordering Gaza compared with the previous two days.
“We have heard a couple of sirens going off in some of the communities close to Gaza inside Israeli territory, and over the course of the night,” he said.
“There were very, very few rockets … this morning. However, this area is still on high alert.”
Rocket fire resumes from Gaza following funeral: AJ correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Youmna ElSayed, speaking from Gaza, says a barrage of rocket fire has resumed from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel following the burial of PIJ commander Ali Ghali.
“Artillery shells were also fired,” she added.
Gaza: What you need to know
- Gaza Strip is home to more than two million people, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the world. It has been under an Israeli air, land and sea blockade since 2007.
- Movement beyond the coastal enclave’s 365 square kilometres (149 square miles) is widely restricted.
- Al Jazeera’s Youmna ElSayed says there is “no empty area” in Gaza. “You can imagine the amount of destruction every rocket would cause.”
- One and a half million residents live in eight official refugee camps, established after 1948.
- They were meant to provide temporary shelter, but over time, have become crammed with multi-storey apartment buildings.
NRC calls for end to violence, indiscriminate attacks against civilians
The Norwegian Refugee Council has called for an immediate end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
“Renewed conflict in Gaza shows that the international community has failed in preventing Israel from using unnecessary lethal force against civilians and ensuring basic needs for the population it occupies,” NRC’s country director for Palestine, Caroline Ort, said.
“Indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Gaza and Israel must stop. Israel must abide by international law and distinguish between civilians who directly participate in hostilities and those who do not or no longer do. PIJ must not directly or indiscriminately launch attacks against Israeli civilians.”
Israel deflecting responsibility for killing civilians: PIJ
The Israeli military says it attacked 158 targets in Gaza while at least 523 rockets were launched towards Israel this week and 380 crossed into Israel, but air defences intercepted 96 percent of those.
It also said more than 100 rockets had misfired, killing four Palestinians, including a 10-year-old girl, an assertion Palestinian Islamic Jihad denied as “completely incorrect”.
“Once again Israel tries to escape its responsibility for the killing of civilians through fabrications and lies,” Islamic Jihad spokesman Dawoud Shehab said.
Western media criticised for ignoring Palestinian child deaths
Western media coverage of the killing of Palestinians, including children, in the Israeli attack on Gaza, which ostensibly targeted members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, has been roundly condemned on social media.
The attack was in the headlines worldwide, but the tone of the stories varied widely, causing an uproar on social media on how several media outlets chose to word their coverage.
Social media users pointed to headlines that omitted the children killed and focused on dead PIJ members.
Read more here.
Israeli attacks damage more homes: AJ correspondent
Israeli air strikes are continuing to target different parts of the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip with more residential homes hit, Al Jazeera’s Youmna ElSayed reported from Gaza.
“Local sources are saying that a home was targeted in Beit Lahia which in the northern part of Gaza Strip,” she said, adding that southern area of Khan Younis has also been hit by Israeli attacks.
“Ministry of housing is saying dozens of homes and residential buildings have been evacuated because they were heavily damaged and are now unliveable,” ElSayed said.
Assassinations of PIJ leaders ‘sticking point’ in reaching truce: AJ correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Jamjoom, reporting from West Jerusalem, says according to media reports, the assassination of PIJ leaders was a “sticking point” when it came to reaching a potential ceasefire.
“It seems based on what we’re hearing from Israeli government officials and in Israeli media, is that PIJ would like to get assurances – that if there is a ceasefire, that their leadership won’t continue to be targeted by the Israelis,” he said.
“And it seems as though Israel is not going to make that concession. This is all very interesting – because in the past couple of weeks, we’ve heard a lot more talk about the potential for Israel to begin doing more targeted assassinations against leadership figures in the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip.
“This is something that really changes the equation right now,” Jamjoon added.