The United States has demanded “answers” from Israel after mass graves were found outside two hospitals in the Gaza strip.
More than 300 bodies were discovered at two different burial sites outside the Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals, some of whom were women and elderly people, according to the UN.
The Israeli army said any suggestion of its responsibility was “baseless” and “unfounded” and the graves were “dug by Gazans” a few months ago.
Meanwhile, Israel appeared to by readying to send troops into Rafah, Gaza, where it claims the last remaining batallions of Hamas are hiding.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military said two reservist brigades had been mobilised and video appeared to show rows of square white tents going up in Khan Younis, 3 miles from Rafah, where it plans to relocate Palestinian refugees.
A spokesperson for prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government said Israel was “moving ahead” with a ground operation, but gave no timeline.
It comes as Hamas released a propaganda video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 24, showing him with a damaged arm.
Palestinian authorities seek probe into mass graves at Gaza hospitals
A Palestinian civil defence team on Thursday called on the United Nations to investigate what it said were war crimes at a Gaza hospital, saying nearly 400 bodies were recovered from mass graves after Israeli soldiers departed the complex.
“There are cases of field execution of some patients while undergoing surgeries and wearing surgical gowns at the Nasser Medical Complex,” the civil defence forces said at a press conference, without presenting any evidence.
Palestinian authorities have this week reported finding hundreds of bodies in mass graves at Nasser hospital, the main medical facility in central Gaza, after Israeli troops pulled out of the city of Khan Younis.
Bodies were also reported to have been found at the Al Shifa hospital in northern Gaza, which was targeted in an Israeli special forces operation.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said on Tuesday he was “horrified” by the destruction of the Nasser and Al Shifa medical facilities and by the reports of the mass graves, according to a spokesperson.
The Israeli military said claims by Palestinian authorities that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had buried the bodies were “baseless and unfounded”.
Matt Mathers25 April 2024 13:05
Hamas hostage’s parents tell him to ‘stay strong, survive’ after video shows Israeli-American alive in Gaza
Matt Mathers25 April 2024 12:30
Picture shows explosion amid Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon
A picture shows thick clouds of smoke billowing into the sky following an explosion amid Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.
The image appears to show the aftermath of a strike on the village of Alma al-Shaab amid ongoing tensions on the border, exacerbated by the war in Gaza.
Matt Mathers25 April 2024 12:03
Israeli strikes kill 5 in Rafah – Palestinian hospital officials
Palestinian hospital officials said Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip killed at least five people.
More than half of the territory’s population of 2.3 million have sought refuge in Rafah, where Israel has conducted near-daily raids as it prepares for an offensive in the city.
In central Gaza, four people were killed in Israeli tank shelling.
Matt Mathers25 April 2024 11:31
Loud bang heard and smoke seen in sea southwest of Yemen’s Aden, UKMTO reports
A ship’s captain reported hearing a loud bang and seeing a splash and smoke coming from the sea on Thursday around 15 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden, Britain’s maritime agency said.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) added that the crew and vessel were safe and military authorities were supporting it.
Yemeni Houthi militants have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The Houthis said on Wednesday they had carried out three military operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
Matt Mathers25 April 2024 11:04
UK maritime agency reports incident in sea southwest of Yemen’s Aden
Britain’s maritime agency and the security firm Ambrey have received reports of an incident on Thursday around 15 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Aden, advisory notes said.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) advised ships to proceed with caution and report any incident.
Yemeni Houthi militants have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The Houthis said on Wednesday that they had carried out three military operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
Matt Mathers25 April 2024 10:00
US plans to build Gaza aid pier branded ‘smokescreen’ to allow Israeli invasion of Rafah
Alexander Butler25 April 2024 09:30
Israel says it is poised to move on Rafah
Israel’s military is poised to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah and assault Hamas hold-outs in the southern Gaza Strip city despite international warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe.
A spokesperson for prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government said Israel was “moving ahead” with a ground operation, but gave no timeline.
The defence official said Israel’s Defence Ministry had bought 40,000 tents, each with the capacity for 10 to 12 people, to house Palestinians relocated from Rafah in advance of an assault.
Alexander Butler25 April 2024 09:09
IDF call for ‘urgent action’ after Hamas release video of Israeli hostage missing part of an arm
Alexander Butler25 April 2024 08:27
Columbia’s president, no stranger to complex challenges
Columbia University president Minouche Shafik is no stranger to navigating complex international issues, having worked at some of the world’s most prominent global financial institutions.
At the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, for example, she tackled both the European debt crisis and the Arab Spring.
It remains to be seen, however, if her experience with world conflicts has sufficiently equipped her to navigate the thorny challenges she faces amid ongoing student protests over the Israel-Hamas war.
Namita Singh25 April 2024 08:00
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