What has been happening between Israel and the US?
We reported earlier on comments made by Benjamin Netanyahu who said there has been a “dramatic drop” in US weapons deliveries for Israel’s war.
The spat highlights how high tensions have surged between Israel and Washington over the war, particularly surrounding the Israeli military’s conduct in Gaza.
So what has been happening with US weapons?
Joe Biden has delayed delivering certain heavy bombs since May over concerns about Israel’s military conduct.
This week Mr Netanyahu released a video after weeks of unsuccessful pleas with American officials to speed up deliveries saying he had told US secretary of state Antony Blinken it was “inconceivable” Washington was withholding weapons.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the US was “perplexed” by Mr Netanyahu’s claims, while press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “We generally do not know what he’s talking about.”
Mr Biden has felt pressure from Democrats to take a tougher line against Israel, and he has sharpened his warnings to Mr Netanyahu over military tactics in Gaza.
But after threatening to impose a more sweeping ban on arms transfers over an assault on Rafah, the administration has avoided any suggestion that Israel’s expanding push into the southern Gaza city has crossed a red line.
During an election year, Mr Biden is also facing critics on the right who say he has moderated his support for an essential ally in the Middle East.
Eight Palestinians ‘killed in Israeli airstrike on aid centre near Gaza City’
Eight Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a training college near Gaza City being used to distribute aid, Palestinian witnesses have said.
The strike hit part of an industrial college run by the UN Palestinian refugee agency now providing aid to displaced families.
“Some people were coming to receive coupons and others had been displaced from their houses and they were sheltering here,” Mohammed Tafesh, one of the witnesses, told Reuters.
“Some were filling up water, others were receiving coupons, and suddenly we heard something falling. We ran away, those who were carrying water let it spill.”
Earlier, residents said Israeli tanks had advanced to the edge of the Mawasi tent camp in the northwest of Rafah (see post at 12.38pm).
UN official accuses Israel of ‘turning international law on its head’
UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese has accused Israel of “turning international law on its head” after footage emerged of a Palestinian man strapped to the hood of a military jeep during an arrest raid by Israeli troops in the West Bank.
The Israeli military said its forces were fired at and exchanged fire, wounding a suspect and apprehending him.
Soldiers then violated military protocol, it added.
Ms Albanese said on X it was “flabbergasting how a state born 76 years ago has managed to turn international law literally on its head”.
“This risks being the end of multilateralism, which for some influential member states no longer serves any relevant purpose,” she added.
An investigation by Israel into the incident is under way.
Israeli defence chief heading to US
The Israeli defence minister is going to Washington today to discuss the next phase of the war and escalating hostilities on the border with Lebanon.
Yoav Gallant, who will meet his counterpart Lloyd Austin and US secretary of state Antony Blinken, said: “We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon, and in more areas.”
He said the “transition to Phase C in Gaza is of great importance”.
“I will discuss this transition with US officials, how it may enable additional things and I know that we will achieve close cooperation with the US on this issue as well,” Mr Gallant said.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has been trading fire with Israel since the Israel-Hamas war erupted.
The group has said it will not stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
US envoy Amos Hochstein visited Israel and Lebanon last week in an attempt to cool tensions during an uptick in cross-border fire.
Abandoned ship left drifting in Red Sea
We are receiving more information on the distress call from a vessel near Yemen that the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported earlier (see post at 12.06pm).
It says the vessel, which was southeast of Yemen, reportedly “suffered flooding that cannot be contained”.
This forced the crew to abandon the ship, and they were picked up by another vessel.
In pictures: Palestinians search for casualties after strike in Gaza City
Palestinians have been searching for casualties outside the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City after an Israeli strike.
Yesterday, at least 42 people were killed in Israeli attacks on districts of Gaza City in the north of the Palestinian enclave, according to the director of the Hamas-run government media office.
The Israeli military released a brief statement saying “IDF fighter jets struck two Hamas military infrastructure sites in the area of Gaza City.”
Israeli tanks ‘at edge of Rafah refuge zone’, residents say
Israeli tanks have advanced to the edge of the Mawasi displaced persons’ camp in the northwest of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, residents have told Reuters.
“The fighting with the resistance has been intense. The occupation forces are overlooking the Mawasi area now, which forced families there to head for Khan Younis,” one resident said.
What is happening on the ground?
Israel has said its advance is focused on the two areas its forces have yet to seize: Rafah on Gaza’s southern tip and the area surrounding Deir al-Balah in the centre.
Residents have said Israeli tanks had pushed deeper into western and northern Rafah in recent days.
The Israeli military has said it is continuing “intelligence-based, targeted operations” in the Rafah area and had located weapons stores and tunnel shafts, and killed Palestinian gunmen.
The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement have said their fighters have attacked Israeli forces in Rafah with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs and pre-planted explosive devices.
More than 37,500 Palestinians killed, health ministry says
At least 37,598 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave has said.
A further 86,032 have been injured.
The figures reported by the ministry do not differentiate between fighters and civilians.
Distress call from vessel near Yemen
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations says it has received a report of a distress call from a vessel off Yemen.
It has said the authorities are investigating the incident off the southeastern coastal town of Nishtun.
“Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” it added.
Video emerges of Palestinian strapped to jeep by Israeli soldiers
An investigation is under way after Israeli army forces strapped a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of a military jeep during an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin yesterday.
The Israeli military confirmed the incident after a video circulated on social media showing the man tied to the moving vehicle.
The Reuters news agency named him as Mujahed Azmi.
The Israeli military said its forces were fired at and exchanged fire, wounding a suspect and apprehending him.
Soldiers then violated military protocol, the statement said.
“The suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle,” it said.
The military said the “conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values” of the Israeli military and that the incident will be investigated and dealt with.
The man was transferred to medics for treatment, the military said.
Violence in the West Bank was already on the rise before the 7 October attacks but it has escalated since then, with frequent army raids on militant groups and deadly Palestinian street attacks.