The Hamas police chief was among at least 11 Palestinians reportedly killed in an Israeli air strike on a tent camp sheltering displaced families in southern Gaza, the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq62dver40yo">BBC</a> reported on Thursday.
According to local medics, three children and two women were also among the dead in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.
The Hamas-run interior ministry condemned what it called the “assassination” of police director general Mahmoud Salah and his assistant, Hussam Shahwan, who it said had been “performing their humanitarian and national duty.” The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports.
The Israeli military has declared the sandy strip of land along the coast in al-Mawasi to be a “humanitarian zone” for Palestinians displaced by its war with Hamas.
However, it has repeatedly attacked the area, accusing Hamas operatives of hiding among displaced civilians.
Recent cold, wet weather has worsened conditions in the makeshift camp.
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The Israeli Air Strike on Gaza camp killed 11 people, including the Hamas police chief. Among the dead were three children and two women. The Israeli military attacked a tent camp for displaced families in southern Gaza. Hamas condemned the killings as an "assassination". The camp was declared a "humanitarian zone" for displaced Palestinians, but Hamas operatives were reportedly hiding among civilians. The bad weather made conditions in the camp worse. Israeli military said they are investigating the reports.

Israeli Air Strike On Gaza Camp Leaves 11 Dead, Including Hamas Police Chief

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior Hamas official Mohammed Deif, accusing them of war crimes related to the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Netanyahu and Gallant face charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
This marks a historic first, as Netanyahu is the first Israeli leader to be summoned by an international court for alleged war crimes against Palestinians in the ongoing conflict.
Despite the warrants, the Israeli government has rejected the ICC’s actions, calling them politically biased and discriminatory.
The ICC also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, a senior Hamas commander believed to have orchestrated the October 7 attacks.
The court accuses him of crimes including murder, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. While Israel claims Deif was killed in an airstrike in July, Hamas has not confirmed his death.
Israel, like the United States, is not a member of the ICC and disputes the court’s jurisdiction over its actions, particularly in Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank.
The warrant announced against Netanyahu on Thursday puts him in the same category as Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the deposed president of Sudan, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
The court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023 over crimes committed during Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including for the forcible deportation of children.
As part of their membership in the court, countries are required to arrest people for whom it has issued warrants, though that obligation has not always been observed.
The ICC is an international tribunal established to prosecute individuals for crimes that fall under its jurisdiction, including genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression.
It is the world’s first permanent international criminal court, created by the Rome Statute in 1998, and became operational in 2002.
The ICC operates as a court of last resort, meaning it intervenes only when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute perpetrators of serious crimes.
It is tasked with holding individuals accountable for egregious crimes that threaten international peace and security.
As of now, 123 countries are members of the ICC, though some major powers like the United States, China, Russia, and India are not members.
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The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas official Mohammed Deif for war crimes related to attacks on Israel. Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of crimes against humanity, while Deif faces charges including murder and torture. Israel disputes the ICC's actions, claiming bias. The ICC is an international court that prosecutes serious crimes globally. Some major countries like the US, China, Russia, and India are not members. The ICC intervenes when national courts cannot handle serious crimes, aiming to hold individuals accountable to maintain world peace.

ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister And Hamas Official

Top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in an Israeli attack in the Iranian capital Tehran, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ck7g0g4mk4zo">BBC</a>.
Reports indicate that Haniyeh was staying at a building for war veterans in Tehran when the attack occurred around 02:00 (00:00 GMT).
Haniyeh, 62, was widely considered Hamas’ overall leader.
Hamas said Haniyeh was in Tehran to take part in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was sworn in on Tuesday.
The group’s political bureau member Musa Abu Marzuk said it was a “cowardly act” and one which “will not go unanswered”.
Another senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the group would “continue on its path”.
Several foreign ministries, including Iran, Turkey, Russia and Qatar have condemned the attack.
Hamas, an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement), is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military organization.
Hamas governs the Gaza Strip, having taken control from the rival Palestinian faction Fatah in 2007.
The group is known for its armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and has been involved in multiple conflicts with Israel.
Hamas aims to establish an Islamic state in place of Israel and rejects Israel’s right to exist.
The organisation is considered a terrorist group by several countries, including the United States, the European Union, and Israel.
It receives support from countries like Iran and has a complex relationship with other regional actors.
Haniyeh’s death comes just hours after Israel claimed it killed the top military commander of Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr.
Israel said it killed Fuad Shukr in an air strike, in retaliation for a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.
Hezbollah has not yet confirmed that a senior commander was killed by an Israeli attack in Beirut on Tuesday but has said Shukr was in a building which was targeted.
A statement released by Hezbollah on Wednesday, 31 July reads in part:
<blockquote>
Since the incident, the civil defence teams have been working to lift the rubble steadily, but slowly, due to the situation of the destroyed classes, and we are still waiting for the result.
</blockquote>
Hezbollah is a Lebanese political party and militant group that first emerged during Lebanon’s civil war as a militia after the Israeli invasion of that country in 1982.
Hezbollah receives substantial support from Iran and has close ties with Syria.
The group is known for its strong anti-Israel stance and has been involved in numerous conflicts with Israel, including the 2006 Lebanon War.
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the United States, Israel, and the European Union.
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Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader of Hamas, was killed in an Israeli attack in Tehran, Iran. He was there for an event with the new Iranian President. Hamas is a Palestinian group that fights against Israel. Several countries consider Hamas a terrorist group. Israel also killed a top military commander of Hezbollah in retaliation. Hezbollah is a Lebanese group that fights against Israel and gets support from Iran. Both groups have a strong anti-Israel stance. The conflicts between these groups and Israel continue to cause violence in the region.

Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh Killed In Iran

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said that a raid by the Israeli military on a refugee camp, which led to the rescue of four hostages, killed 274 people, including children and other civilians.
Israel’s forces, backed by air strikes, fought intense gun battles with Hamas in and around the Nuseirat refugee camp, freeing the captives on Saturday, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw44ve90dppo">BBC</a>.
The four captives were identified as Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41.
They were abducted from the Nova music festival on 7 October and have been returned to Israel.
The Israeli military has estimated that fewer than 100 people died in the operation, whilst the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 274 people were killed.
According to <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/8/many-casualties-as-israel-escalates-attacks-across-gaza">Al Jazeera</a>, the military’s attacks, one of the worst since October, by air, land and sea on Saturday hit Nuseirat and Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, with doctors describing the scenes inside Al-Aqsa Hospital as a “complete bloodbath”.
One man, Abdel Salam Darwish, told the BBC he was in a market buying vegetables when he heard fighter jets from above and the sound of gunfire. He said:
<blockquote>
Afterwards, people’s bodies were in pieces, scattered in the streets, and blood stained the walls.
</blockquote>
The return of the hostages to their families is being celebrated in Israel and world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have welcomed the news of their release.
However, there has been mounting criticism of the deadly cost of the operation inside Gaza.
Writing on X, European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said he condemned it “in the strongest terms”.
In response, an Israeli minister said that instead of condemning Hamas for hiding behind civilians, the EU had condemned Israel for saving its citizens.
Pictures from the Nuseirat refugee camp area show intense bombardment and people mourning the dead.
The Hamas-run health ministry released the names of 86 people out of the 274 Palestinians it says were killed during the two-hour operation.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said special forces operated “under heavy fire” when rescuing the hostages.
He said that one special forces officer was wounded and later died in hospital.
One man, who said more than 40 members of his family have been killed since the conflict began in October, said he was in a house that was hit by a strike. He said:
<blockquote>
As soon as these children and women entered the house, the bombing attack took place, claiming the lives of all those inside it.
This home, which used to house approximately 30 people who then became 50, was bombed… only me, my father, my wife, and a young man survived… we are the only survivors out of 50 people.
</blockquote>
Some Palestinians have criticised Hamas for the bloodshed. Speaking to BBC, Hassan Omar, 37, said he lamented the unnecessary loss of lives in Israeli strikes. He said:
<blockquote>
For each Israeli hostage they could have freed 80 Palestinian prisoners and without any bloodshed – [that] is a million times better than losing 100 dead.
My message to Hamas is stopping the loss is part of the gain, we should get rid of those who control us from Qatar hotels.
</blockquote>
During its 7 October attacks in southern Israel, Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took some 251 people hostage.
About 116 remain in the Palestinian territory, including 41 the army says are dead.
A deal agreed in November saw Hamas release 105 hostages in return for a week-long ceasefire and some 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
On Saturday, the Hamas-run health ministry said the death toll in Gaza is now above 37,000 people.
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Israeli Forces Rescue 4 Hostages, But 274 Palestinians Killed In The Operation

Israel has authorised plans for a military offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, despite growing international pressure and warnings from humanitarian groups and world leaders.
Rafah is currently home to 1.4 million people who are caught in the war between Israel and Hamas. Many of the people sought refuge in the city during Israel’s previous ground invasion.
The prospect of an incursion on Rafah has raised concerns among Israel’s allies, including the U.S. and Europe.
President Joe Biden has reaffirmed his opposition to military action in Rafah without a credible plan to protect civilians.
The Israeli military’s proposed approach involves moving civilians to designated “humanitarian islands” elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with civilians facing immense hardships due to the ongoing conflict.
The primary delivery route for aid is over land. More than 15,000 trucks of aid have entered Gaza since October 7, 2023, through two entry points: Rafah (on Gaza’s border with Egypt) and Kerem Shalom (an Israeli crossing).
Several countries, including the US, Jordan, Egypt, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, have been airdropping aid into Gaza. These airdrops include food, medicine, and other essentials.
The US and Jordan conducted an aid drop on March 3, 2024, providing enough food for over 38 000 meals.
Recently, two initiatives aim to deliver aid to Gaza by sea. The Spanish ship Open Arms arrived off the Gaza coast from Cyprus, towing a barge carrying around 200 tonnes of food provided by the US charity World Central Kitchen (WCK).
An additional 500 tonnes of aid is ready in Cyprus. This shipment includes rice, flour, lentils, beans, canned tuna, beef, and chicken, enough for nearly half a million meals.
The food aid delivered by land, air, and sea has provided essential supplies, but the situation remains precarious as the food is not enough to meet the needs of Gazans.
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Israel Plans To Push Palestinians Out Of Rafah Before Anticipated Offensive

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has expressed concern over the safety of Minister Naledi Pandor.
As reported by <a href="https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/dirco-concerned-about-pandors-safety/">SABC News</a>, this comes after Pandor told the media on the sidelines of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week that she was worried about the safety of her family.
Pandor, who is South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister, has been publicly condemning Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over allegations of genocide in Gaza in the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian enclave.
DIRCO Director-General Zane Dangor said that the department will ensure the safety of the Minister and her family. Said Dangor:
<blockquote>
I think the Minister is doing well and she will be cared for. Her safety is of paramount concern to all of us. So the Minister is doing fine.
</blockquote>
South Africa has since sent a letter to the court in The Hague in the Netherlands requesting it to add provisional measures against Israel.
This was in response to the latest Israeli military attack on Gaza’s overcrowded city of Rafah which resulted in the death of 67 Palestinians in an overnight attack, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Hamas (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya), which translates to the Islamic Resistance Movement, runs the Gaza Strip.
On 07 0ctober 2023, Hamas launched the deadliest attack against Israel since the state’s establishment in 1948, killing more than 1 200 people and taking others hostage.
Since that attack, Israel has been bombarding Gaza to destroy Hamas and to rescue the more than 200 hostages but the conflict has resulted in the death of more than 28 000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
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South Africa Concerned About Minister Pandor's Safety

Zimbabwe has expressed concern over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants which has resulted in the death of more than 1 000 people since Saturday.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday morning, with its fighters entering communities near the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of Israelis and taking dozens of hostages.
In response, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip using fighter jets. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) international spokesperson Lt Col. Jonathan Conricus was quoted as saying they are committed to ensuring Hamas “doesn’t have any military capabilities” by the end of the war.
In a statement, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade called for restraint on both sides to allow humanitarian workers access to those who have been injured and displaced. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
The Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe is closely following the developments in the Middle East and is deeply concerned at the ongoing fighting between Hamas and the Israeli army which has left more than 1000 people dead while several others have been displaced or injured.
Equally disturbing is the indiscriminate targeting of civilians especially women and children and the disproportionate use of force.
The Government of Zimbabwe urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint and allow humanitarian workers access to the injured and displaced.
We convey our deepest condolences to all those who lost their loved ones and wish the injured a speedy recovery.
These tragic developments, once again highlight the urgent need for the revival of the political process aimed at finding a durable and just solution that respects the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people as envisaged under the United Nations Resolutions.
</blockquote>
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Zimbabwe Calls For "Maximum Restraint" In Israel-Hamas Conflict

A video has surfaced on social media that shows an Al Jazeera field reporter screaming and ducking on LIVE show after an Israeli missile hit the Palestine Tower in the heart of Gaza City behind her.
The bombing came after Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Saturday.
Hamas, a Palestinian nationalist organisation, announced the beginning of a new operation – Operation Al Aqsa Storm.
In the viral video, the reporter was going live on air from Gaza when the building behind her was bombed. She immediately screams and then ducks.
Soon after witnessing the bombing, the TV anchor requested the reporter to “take cover”.  Said the TV anchor:
<blockquote>
Please take cover. If you are in a position to do so safely, you can explain to us what was happening. If you are not in a position to do it safely, please get to safety.
</blockquote>
Replying to the TV anchor, the reporter said, “No it’s okay. This is a missile attack on a Palestine tower, right in the middle of Gaza City.”
Watch the video below:
<div class="wp-video" style="width: 640px;">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="360" id="video-264829-1" preload="metadata" width="640"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gaza.mp4?_=1" type="video/mp4"/><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gaza.mp4">https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gaza.mp4</a></video></div>
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel early on Saturday, with militants infiltrating the border and capturing scores of hostages including Israeli soldiers and civilians.
In response to the attack by the military wing of Hamas, Al Qassam Bridages, Israel launched an operation called Operation Iron Swords.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an emergency meeting and declared war against Hamas.
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