Israel's war on besieged Gaza, now in its 208th day, has killed at least 34,535 Palestinians — 70% of them babies, children and women — and wounded over 77,704 while some 8,400 are feared entombed in the debris of bombed structures.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
2300 GMT — Israel has killed five people, including children, after striking different parts in besieged Gaza, WAFA news agency reported.
The agency said Israeli strikes killed two children, a little boy and his sister, and wounded others in the Shaboura camp in Rafah.
Medical sources also said three Palestinians, including a child, were killed after Israel bombarded an apartment in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza.
0822 GMT — Talks underway to resolve conflicting points between Israel, Hamas: Egyptian source
Talks are underway with all relevant parties to resolve conflicting points between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, an informed Egyptian source has said.
Egypt's state-affiliated news channel Al-Qahera quoted an unnamed senior source as saying that negotiations continue to reach a deal "amid a positive atmosphere."
The source did not, however, specify the points of differences between the warring parties.
0641 GMT — Hezbollah claims attacking Israeli soldiers near Lebanese border
The Lebanese Hezbollah group has claimed it targeted the Israeli soldiers near the border area.
In a statement, the group said its fighters attacked a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the army's Branit barracks, with missiles and artillery shelling.
The Israeli army is yet to comment on Hezbollah's announcement.
0551 GMT — Blinken says US determined to get Israel-Hamas deal 'now'
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has renewed calls for Hamas to accept a ceasefire and hostages' release deal as he started talks with Israel's leadership.
"Even in these very difficult times we are determined to get a ceasefire that brings the hostages home and to get it now," Blinken said as he met Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
0247 GMT — US says destroyed Houthi uncrewed surface vessel
The US has said it destroyed a target in an area of Yemen controlled by the Houthi group, the United States Central Command [CENTCOM] said.
"At approximately 1:52 pm [Sanaa time] on April 30, US Central Command [USCENTCOM] forces successfully engaged and destroyed an uncrewed surface vessel [USV] in Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen, " CENTCOM said on X, formerly Twitter.
CENTCOM said it determined that the USV presented an "imminent threat" to US and coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region.
"These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US, coalition, and merchant vessels," it added.
0050 GMT — Israeli army admits 2 soldiers killed by 'friendly fire'
The Israeli army has acknowledged that two soldiers killed over the weekend in central Gaza died as a result of a tank shell hitting a building they were stationed in due to a case of mistaken identity.
The Israeli army's "preliminary investigation into the deaths of two reservists in Gaza on Sunday found that they were killed by an IDF [army] tank shell that was fired at the building in which they were staying, due to a mistaken identification," Israel's Haaretz daily reported.
''The IDF said that the investigation showed that during an encounter with terrorists that led to the exchange of gunfire, a tank crew mistakenly identified the two soldiers as enemies and fired at them, despite the fact that they were outside the defined boundaries given to the tank crew," it added.
