Israel-Hamas war Highlights: Egypt says 'minor injuries' in accidental Israeli firing

Israeli military have expressed concerns that the escalating attacks by the militant group Hezbollah pose a risk of “dragging Lebanon into a war”, AFP reported.

Israel's military spokesperson Jonathan Conricus, warned that Hezbollah's actions may lead to a conflict that Lebanon would not benefit from but could suffer significant losses. The recent cross-border exchanges of fire, which included Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, have raised fears of a broader conflict.

During this period of heightened violence, Israel said that one of its soldiers was struck by an anti-tank missile, and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group claimed that six of its fighters were killed in the cross-border clashes. The Israeli military further confirmed that there were exchanges of fire with Hezbollah in multiple areas along the Lebanese border. Both sides of the border have seen residents fleeing their homes due to the hostilities. Since October 7, Israel's military has reported the loss of seven soldiers, while Hezbollah claims the deaths of 19 of its fighters, including the six on the recent Saturday.

(With AFP inputs)

• US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced late on Saturday that he is dispatching additional air defense systems to the Middle East and placing more troops on standby for possible deployment.

• The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said that a military aircraft carried out an early Sunday strike on the Al-Ansar mosque in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) the IDF said that the strike targeted an "underground terror route" beneath the mosque. At least one Palestinian lost their life in the shelling, as confirmed by the Palestinian Red Crescent.

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday. During their meeting, Meloni reaffirmed Israel's right to self-defense under international law and its pursuit of peace. She also emphasised the importance of ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza and fostering prospects for regional peace.

• US President Joe Biden had a phone conversation with two recently freed Americans who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, were released on Friday, marking the first hostage release among the approximately 200 individuals abducted by the militant group from Israel during its rampage on October 7.

Flyers distributed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza City's Sabrah neighborhood urged residents to relocate to the southern areas or risk potential association with “terrorist organisations”, CNN reported.

Here is what the warning read as:

"Urgent warning!

To the residents of Gaza Strip

Your presence north of Wadi Gaza puts your life in danger

Everyone who choses not to evacuate from the north of the strip to the south of Wadi Gaza might be considered as a partner for the terrorist organization.

Israel Defense Forces" This message has been translated from Arabic into English in the CNN report.

However, the report also stated that the IDF confirmed there was "no intention to consider those who have not evacuated from the affected area of fighting as members of the terrorist group" and that they "treat civilians as such, and do not target them."

Canada's National Department of Defence has stated on Saturday that Israel was “not responsible” for the strike on Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza. "Analysis conducted independently by the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command indicates with a high degree of confidence that Israel did not strike the Al-Ahli hospital on 17 October 2023," it said in a statement.

According to the Defense department, the strike is believed to have been the result of a stray rocket launched from Gaza, and this conclusion is drawn from their analysis of both open source and classified reporting.

(With Reuters inputs)

The Pentagon announced on Saturday that in light of the recent attacks on US troops in the Middle East after the Israel-Hamas conflict began, the United States planned to deploy a “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system” and additional battalions of Patriot air defence missile systems to the region, Reuters reported.

"Following detailed discussions with President (Joe) Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.

Austin also mentioned that he was instructing additional troops to be on standby for potential deployment.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators, showing their support for Palestine amid ongoing conflict with Israel, marched through a rainy London on Saturday demanding an end to Israel's bombardment of Gaza. Similar protests were taking place in cities worldwide as the conflict reached its third week.

On the same day when a limited amount of aid was allowed into Gaza, where over a million people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict, protesters assembled near Marble Arch close to London's Hyde Park and then proceeded to march to the government district, Whitehall.

The police estimated that the crowd, which made its way through the city for approximately three hours, numbered “up to 100,000”.

Participants in the demonstration, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Stop bombing Gaza," called for an end to Israel's blockade and the airstrikes that were launched following an incursion into southern Israel by the Hamas militant group, which controls Gaza.

(With Associated Press inputs)

Israeli airstrikes targeted a facility located beneath a mosque in the occupied West Bank early on Sunday which the Israeli military claimed that this compound was being used by militants to plan and organise attacks.

According to Israel, the compound beneath the al-Ansar Mosque in the Jenin refugee camp was linked to “operatives from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad” who had been involved in recent attacks. The military cited recent intelligence suggesting that these neutralised militants were in the process of planning an imminent terror attack.

The military released images depicting an entrance to an underground facility below the mosque and shared a diagram illustrating the storage of weapons by militants at this location.

Jenin refugee camp has historically been a stronghold for Palestinian militants and had previously been the target of a significant Israeli military operation earlier in the year. Social media footage showed a substantial hole in one of the mosque's exterior walls, surrounded by debris. It also depicted numerous Palestinians assessing the damage while ambulance sirens wailed in the background.

(With Reuters inputs)

• Israel has announced its intention to intensify air strikes over Gaza in preparation for what is expected to be the “next stage” of its military operation, potentially involving a ground invasion.

• Leaders and senior officials from the Middle East, Europe, and Africa gathered in Cairo to explore ways to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from expanding into a broader regional conflict, although discussions mostly reflected existing stances.

• Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said he agreed with US President Joe Biden that the Rafah crossing should be open “sustainably.”

• Biden confirmed that he is in communication with Israeli leaders when asked if he is encouraging Israel to postpone a military incursion into Gaza. He said, "I'm talking to the Israelis," during a press interaction in Delaware, where he was spending the weekend.

• Biden's national security team provided him with updates on the latest developments in Israel and Gaza earlier on Saturday, according to the White House.

(With Bloomberg inputs)

• The United Nations is optimistic about dispatching a second convoy of trucks into Gaza on Sunday, after a small amount of 20 trucks aid began reaching the Palestinian region first time since war began on October 7. More aid can be deployed after employing a streamlined inspection process to facilitate increased relief deliveries into the coming week, according to the UN's humanitarian aid chief.

• UN aid chief Martin Griffiths, in an interview on the sidelines of a conference about Gaza in Cairo, said, “I've been hearing this afternoon - but we're in negotiation on it right now - that we may get another convoy tomorrow, maybe even slightly bigger, 20 to 30 trucks.”

“It's incredibly important that there is no gap in the aid going across the border,” he said.

• The UN said 100 trucks daily are needed to meet essential needs in Gaza, where Israel has imposed a "total siege" as it bombards the enclave in retaliation for a deadly incursion by Hamas militants.

• Rafah serves as the primary entry and exit point for the Gaza Strip, and it falls outside of Israel's control. Israel has said that it will not permit aid to enter from its territory until Hamas releases the hostages it took during its October 7 attack. However, Israel has indicated that aid can enter through Egypt, with the condition that the supplies do not end up in the possession of Hamas.

(With Reuters inputs)

• The United States on Saturday put forward a proposed draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council that affirms Israel's right to self-defence and calls on Iran to cease the export of arms to “militias and terrorist groups that threaten peace and security in the region.”

• According to news agency Reuters, the draft stresses upon the importance of protecting civilians, especially those seeking safety, and stresses that states must adhere to international law when responding to terrorist attacks. Additionally, it urges the continuous, sufficient, and unimpeded delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip.

• It remains uncertain when or if the United States intends to bring this draft resolution to a vote.

• To pass, a resolution must receive a minimum of nine votes in favor, without vetoes from the permanent members of the Security Council, which include Russia, China, the United States, France, and Britain.

• This move by the US follows its veto of a Brazilian-drafted resolution on Wednesday, which had sought humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Palestinian conflict to facilitate aid access to Gaza.

• A limited amount of critical aid entered Gaza from Egypt for the first time since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted two weeks ago, addressing a crucial demand from US, European, and Arab leaders. Around 20 trucks started crossing the Rafah border point on Saturday, according to Bloomberg that cited Egyptian TV channel Extra News report. Palestinian authorities said that this aid included medicines and small quantities of food like canned tuna and pasta.

• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took to X and said, “This is an important first step that will alleviate the suffering of innocent people.” She extended her appreciation to all those involved in making this happen.

• The World Food Program noted that the convoy carried 60 tonnes of food, with an additional 930 metric tonnes of emergency food items positioned at or near Rafah, ready for transport into Gaza as soon as access is granted once more.

(With Bloomberg inputs)

Israel on Sunday claimed that it had eliminated "terror operatives" associated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in an airstrike on the Al-Ansar mosque in West Bank's Jenin. On the other hand, Palestinian medics said Israeli airstrikes targeted the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of two Palestinians and injuries to several others.

The Israeli military asserted that this mosque was being used as a command center for planning attacks and as a base for their execution. The military further stated that the individuals targeted had already carried out several terror attacks in recent months and were in the process of planning another imminent attack.

(With inputs from agencies)