3 Aug 2014

Gaza-Israel live: strike on UN school

3 August

Warning: this page contains distressing images.

– An Israeli strike kills at least ten people at a UN school in Rafah. Around 30 others have been wounded
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon says ‘this madness must stop’ after the attack, and calls for an end to all fighting
– Lt Hadar Goldin, the Israeli soldier believed captured by Hamas, was killed in action, Israel confirms. The IDF said on Twitter: “A special IDF committee has concluded that Lt. Hadar Goldin was killed in combat in Gaza on Friday. May his memory be a blessing.”
– A delegation from Hamas and Islamic Jihad have arrived in Cairo for indirect ceasefire talks with Israel, to be conducted through Egyptian and US officials – Israel’s delegation have not travelled to Cairo
– The Israeli army has completed its core mission of destroying the tunnels network extending into Israel and tells some Gaza residents they can return home after repositioning its troops; but renewed shelling killed at least 30 in Gaza on Sunday

Follow @paulmasonnews, @thompwalker and @worldwidewebb1 in Gaza and the #c4news team in Israel, @inigogilmore and @michfrenc4, throughout the day for their live updates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 August

– Hamas says it has no clear indication on the whereabouts of an Israeli soldier that Israel believes Hamas abducted in the Gaza Strip. Hamas said the soldier, Hadar Goldin, may have been killed in an ambush – Rocket attacks by Hamas and Israeli shelling have both resumed after a US and UN-brokered ceasefire collapsed – Israeli TV stations say some ground forces withdrawing from Gaza – At least 1,592 Gazans, including many civilians, have been killed since the start of the conflict on 8 July. Sixty-three Israeli soldiers have been killed, and three civilians – The Channel 4 News team head to al Shifa hospital, where many are living in the grounds as they say it is the only safe place. Wards are overflowing and it’s two to a bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 August

The father of Israeli officer Hadar Goldin, who has disappeared, says the Israeli defence forces will “turn every stone” to bring his son home safe. “We are certain that the IDF will not stop until they have turned every stone and brought Hadar home safe and sound,” Mr Hadar says. He continues: “Soon it will be the sabbath, so have a peaceful sabbath. I am asking you to disperse from here and to not disturb the neighbourhood and the family.” An Israeli army infantry unit arrives on Friday at the border with Gaza after Israel declared a ceasefire over, saying Hamas militants breached the truce soon after it came in effect and apparently captured an Israeli officer while killing two other soldiers.

US Secretary of State John Kerry calls on Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release the missing Israeli soldier, identified as Second-Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, 23. Mr Kerry urges the international community to step up efforts to end the attacks against Israel. Renewed Israeli shelling kills more than 50 Palestinians and wounds some 220 on Friday, hospital officials say. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls his security cabinet into special session and publicly warns Hamas and other militant groups they will “bear the consequences of their action”.

Early reports suggest the missing Israeli officer is British-Israeli. The Foreign Office says it is investigating whether this is the case. The following is a compilation of consecutive Twitter posts by Paul Mason – “At Khozaa, south Gaza, hundreds of people tried to get back to their homes. They found dead bodies from the first day of the war. But as they were in the fields/houses they came under Israeli shell fire and small-arms fire. Many found homes smashed. “We saw one casualty carried back from Khozaa with bullet wound to leg. But at hospital in Khan Younis I saw many civilian casualties. At the hospital in Khan Younis, Dr Mahmoud Abu Khatir told me they were overwhelmed – blast wounds and bullet wounds to young men, children, babies. “The pattern of injuries to civilians is that they are caught in shellfire into farm land and targeted by rifle or sniper fire. People had gone out thinking the ceasefire would be long. Rocket, fire and reported capture of Israeli soldier said to cause breakdown. “Just for clarity, while people claim there are “snipers”, in fact most of the bullet wounds were consistent with ordinary small arms fire.”Below are tweets from @paulmasonews @thompwalker and @Worldwidewebb1 in Gaza. Warning: this page includes some images that may be distressing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:: Israeli shelling near the southern Gaza town of Rafah killed at least 25 people on Friday, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said, as a ceasefire that went into effect only hours earlier appeared to be crumbling. :: Israel accused Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups of violating the US – and UN-mediated truce, but did not elaborate, amid Israeli media reports that gunmen had fired at Israeli soldiers in the Rafah area. :: Rocket-warning sirens sounded in southern Israel on Friday after the Gaza Interior Ministry said 25 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli shelling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 July

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) release a video claiming to show 12 examples of Hamas firing rockets from civilian areas.

30 July

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 29 July

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28 July

:: There are reports of casualties at Shifa hospital in Gaza, but there are conflicting claims as to who is responsible. Paul Mason is at the scene.

“This is Paul Mason, I’m at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. I’ve just seen the bodies of four children after an apparent Israeli attack at a place called Beach Camp just down the road. There are numerous other causalities, adults and children. At least four children dead and others very badly injured.

“According to an eyewitness I’ve spoken to, the rubble from that attack exploded onto the street and killed children playing there.”

:: Earlier reports indicate two blasts in Gaza – one at a refugee camp, whose casualties were taken to Shifa hospital. The second appears to be at Shifa hospital itself.

:: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the obstacle to ending fighting between Israel, Islamist Hamas militants and Palestinians in Gaza Strip is “political will.” “It’s a matter of their political will. They have to show their humanity as leaders, both Israeli and Palestinian,” he tells reporters.

:: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that parties to the conflict in Gaza have “expressed serious interest” in his request for a further 24 hour humanitarian ceasefire, but “have not yet agreed on the timing of its implementation”.

:: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticises the UN Security Council’s call for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza, saying it addresses Hamas’ needs while neglecting Israeli security.

:: I’ve been to radicalised Muslim countries and heard the rhetoric. But what I’m hearing in Gaza, from people who consider they have little left to live for, is more than that. Read my latest report on my blog.