Hamas was using bombed Gaza school to ‘plan terrorist attacks’, IDF claims
Israel’s military has confirmed it conducted an airstrike on a school used as a shelter in a central Gaza camp that Palestinian officials say killed at 17 people (see 12.08 post).
The Israel Defence Forces said its air force conducted a strike targeting “Hamas terrorists” who it says were operating inside a command and control centre in the area.
It said the centre previously served as the Shuhada al-Nuseirat school, but was now being used by Hamas “to plan and execute terrorist attacks against IDF troops and the state of Israel”.
“This is a further example of the Hamas terrorist organisation’s systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure in violation of international law,” it added.
Lebanon’s economy could shrink nearly 10% if Israeli offensive continues, says UN agency
Lebanon’s economy could shrink by as much as 9.2% if Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah continues until the end of the year, the UN Development Program (UNDP) says.
The conflict has killed more than 2,500 Lebanese and severely deepened the country’s financial crisis.
The UNDP warned that the economic impact of the conflict is expected to be greater than in the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 when GDP dropped between 8% and 10%.
“The impacts of the conflict on the economy and longer-term development in Lebanon are potentially very serious,” the UNDP said in a statement.
“Lebanon now needs committed support from the international community, and the assistance must include both immediate humanitarian aid and more comprehensive support to social, economic and institutional stability.”
In Gaza, where Israel is also engaged in fighting, a UN study suggests it could take 350 years for the economy to return to its pre-war level.
Number of people killed in Israeli strike on Gaza camp rises
The number of people killed in an airstrike on a central Gazan school-turned-shelter has risen to 17, according to Palestinian officials.
Another 42 people were wounded in the strike, up from an initial 32, they added.
Among the dead were seven children, with some as young as 11 months, as well as three women, according to the Awda Hospital, which received the casualties.
The Israel Defence Forces are yet to comment on the strike.
In pictures: Aftermath of airstrike in central Gaza
We’ve reported on an airstrike that medics say has killed 16 people, including children, in central Gaza (see 11.22 post).
The strike hit a school that is operating as a shelter for displaced people in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to Palestinian officials.
Images from the scene are now emerging, showing people carrying bodies away from the rubble and smoke rising from a building.
Podcast: The age of assassinations?
Sky News and NBC News have joined forces for a new podcast: The World With Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim.
In this week’s episode, Richard and Yalda examine the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and investigate the potential of reprisals against Western leaders.
They also assess recent reports that Kim Jong Un’s troops could be used in the war against Ukraine and ask how much we have to fear from the “axis of evil” – North Korea, Russia, China and Iran.
Click here to watch the full episode on YouTube, or press play below or at the top of this page to listen.
To get in touch or to share questions for Engel and Hakim, email theworld@sky.uk.
Episodes of The World With Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim will be available every Wednesday on all podcast platforms.
Children among 16 killed in Israeli strike on school, Gaza hospital says
Sixteen people have been killed and 32 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a camp in Gaza, according to Palestinian officials.
The strike hit a school that is operating as a shelter for displaced people in the Nuseirat refugee camp, they said.
Children are among the dead, according to Al Awda hospital.
The Israel Defence Forces are yet to comment on the strike.
Israel has carried out several strikes on schools-turned-shelters in recent months, saying it targets Hamas militants hiding out among civilians.
Macron condemns Israel for continued actions in Lebanon
Back to Paris now, where Emmanuel Macron is hosting an international conference on Lebanon.
The French president has announced a €100m (£83m) aid package to support the country, which is currently facing a deepening humanitarian crisis as Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah shows no signs of stopping.
Mr Macron says a ceasefire is needed in the country, saying that “more damage, more casualties, more strikes will neither end terrorism nor ensure the security of all”.
Lebanon’s health ministry says at least 2,574 people in the country have been killed in a year of fighting, with the majority of deaths coming in the last month when Israel stepped up its military actions in the country.
“I regret that Israel continues its military operations in Lebanon, in the south, in Beirut and elsewhere, and that the number of civilian casualties continues to rise,” he added.
Today’s conference is bringing together ministers and officials from over 70 countries and international organisations, though neither Israel nor Iran were invited.
More than 50 killed in Gaza in past 24 hours, health ministry says
Some 55 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run health ministry has said.
According to its latest figures, 42,847 people have now been killed by Israel since 7 October 2023.
A further 100,544 have been injured.
The ministry’s figures do not differentiate between Hamas fighters and civilians.
For context: While Israeli officials have cast doubt on the numbers killed in Gaza, several independent groups say the ministry’s figures have proved to be largely reliable and broadly in line with those later produced by the UN and Israel itself.
Examination of data from previous Gaza conflicts, comparing the ministry’s counts with post-war United Nations analysis, shows the initial data is largely accurate with, at most, a 10-12% discrepancy.
The Israeli military told Sky News earlier this month that 20,000 Hamas militants had been killed, but this remains unverified.
Russian-Israeli hostages will be prioritised for release, says Hamas official
The deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau says two Russian-Israeli hostages will be released first in a potential future deal with Israel.
Abu Marzouk met with Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow yesterday, with their meeting focusing on the issue of hostages held in Gaza.
In an interview with Russian media outlet RIA Novosti, Mr Marzuk said the release of Alexandre Troufanov and Maxin Herkin would be a “priority”, but only as part of a ceasefire deal and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
He stated that Mr Troufanov, 30, is currently in the custody of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
He added that Mr Herkin’s family relocated to Russia after his capture and secured citizenship for him, enabling Moscow to intervene in efforts to free him.
“He is not a Russian citizen but a former Israeli army soldier,” said Mr Marzuk, adding that, despite this, the release of both he and Mr Herkin would be prioritised out of respect for Russia.
Blinken arrives in Qatar as part of regional tour
US secretary of state Antony Blinken has arrived in Doha for talks surrounding the war in Gaza.
The diplomat is meeting with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani.
Qatar has been acting as a third-party mediator between Israel and Hamas since the conflict broke out last year.
This is Mr Blinken’s11th trip to the Middle East since the war began. He will follow his visit to the region with a trip to London to meet with Arab leaders.