Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza as polio vaccination resumes

Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza as polio vaccination resumes
A child has his finger marked after receiving a vaccination for polio at a make-shift camp for people displaced by conflict in a school run by the UNRWA in Khan Yunis on Sept. 5, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 06 September 2024
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Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza as polio vaccination resumes

Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza as polio vaccination resumes
  • In Nuseirat, one of the territory’s eight historic refugee camps, an Israeli strike killed two women and two children
  • Nearly 90 percent of the Gaza ceasefire deal is agreed, but critical issues remain where there are gaps, including the issue of the so-called Philadelphi corridor

CAIRO: Israeli military strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, as health officials resumed vaccination of tens of thousands more children in the enclave against polio.
In Nuseirat, one of the territory’s eight historic refugee camps, an Israeli strike killed two women and two children, while eight other people were killed in two other strikes in Gaza City, the medics said.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces battled Hamas-led fighters in the Zeitoun suburb of Gaza City, where residents said tanks have been operating for over a week, in eastern Khan Younis, and in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, where residents said Israeli forces blew up several houses.
Eleven months into the war, diplomacy has so far failed to conclude a ceasefire deal to end the conflict and bring the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza as well as many Palestinians jailed in Israel.
The two warring sides continued to blame one another for failing efforts by mediators, including Qatar, Egypt and the United States. The US is preparing to present a new ceasefire proposal to hammer out differences, but prospects of a breakthrough remain dim as gaps between the sides remain large.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that it was incumbent on both Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to say yes on remaining issues to reach a Gaza ceasefire deal.
Nearly 90 percent of the Gaza ceasefire deal is agreed, but critical issues remain where there are gaps, including the issue of the so-called Philadelphi corridor on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt, Blinken said at a press briefing. Israel said it wouldn’t leave the corridor and Hamas says an agreement isn’t possible unless they did.
Meanwhile, residents of Khan Younis and displaced families from Rafah, continued to crowd medical facilities, bringing their children to get the polio vaccines. The campaign was launched after the discovery of a case of a one-year-old baby who was partially paralyzed.

POLIO CAMPAIGN TO MOVE TO NORTHERN GAZA
This was the first known case of the disease in Gaza — one of the world’s most densely populated places — in 25 years. It re-emerged as Gaza’s health system has virtually collapsed and many hospitals have been knocked out of action due to the war.
The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, said at least 160,000 children received the drops in southern Gaza areas on Thursday where medical staffers began the second stage of the campaign, benefiting from an Israeli and Hamas agreement on limited pauses in the fighting.
“Since 1 September @UNRWA & partners have vaccinated nearly 355,000 children against #polio in #Gaza middle & southern areas,” UNRWA said in a post on X.
“In the next few days, we’ll continue rolling out the polio vaccination campaign aiming to reach around 640,000 children under 10 with this critical vaccine,” it added.
The campaign will move on Sunday to the northern Gaza Strip, which has been the focus of the major Israeli military offensive in the past 11 months. According to the World Health Organization, a second round of vaccination would be required four weeks after the first round.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent assault on the Hamas-governed enclave has since killed over 40,800 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while also displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.


Israel army says sirens sound north of Tel Aviv due to ‘aircraft infiltration’

Israel army says sirens sound north of Tel Aviv due to ‘aircraft infiltration’
Updated 8 min 40 sec ago
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Israel army says sirens sound north of Tel Aviv due to ‘aircraft infiltration’

Israel army says sirens sound north of Tel Aviv due to ‘aircraft infiltration’
  • Roughly 20 minutes after the alert, Israel’s military said the incident had ended.
  • The air raid sirens came as Israelis observe the Yom Kippur holiday

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military on Friday said air raid sirens sounded in central Israel, including areas north of the commercial hub of Tel Aviv, after an aircraft infiltrated.
“Sirens have been activated in several areas in central Israel following an intrusion of hostile aircraft. Interception attempts have been made, and details are under investigation. Additional explosions may be heard, originating from interceptions or debris,” the military said in a statement.
Roughly 20 minutes after the alert, Israel’s military said the incident had ended.
The air raid sirens came as Israelis observe the Yom Kippur holiday.
Earlier Friday evening, air raid sirens blared in dozens of areas across northwestern after dozens of projectiles were fired from Lebanon, the military said.
From sundown on Friday until nightfall on Saturday, markets are closed, flights stopped and public transport halted as most Jews fast and pray on the Day of Atonement.
Due to its status as Judaism’s holiest day, Yom Kippur is traditionally observed with a complete media silence during the period.
Media outlets, however, have pledged to cover major developments or updates, as Israel fights Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas Palestinians militants in Gaza.


Western leaders urge Israel to stop harming peacekeepers

Western leaders urge Israel to stop harming peacekeepers
Updated 57 min 59 sec ago
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Western leaders urge Israel to stop harming peacekeepers

Western leaders urge Israel to stop harming peacekeepers
  • France’s President Emmanuel Macron said it was “absolutely unacceptable“
  • Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez demanded an “end to all violence” against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

PARIS: Western leaders urged Israel Friday to stop harming UN peacekeepers in Lebanon after explosions wounded two of them near the country’s border.
The Israeli military (IDF) said its forces on Friday fired at a threat near a UN peacekeeping mission position.
A spokeswoman for the UNIFIL mission said two Sri Lankan peacekeepers were hurt in the second such incident in two days.
US President Joe Biden told reporters he was “absolutely, positively” asking Israel to stop firing at UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron said it was “absolutely unacceptable” that peacekeepers were “deliberately targeted.” The foreign ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador, saying the incident constituted “serious violations of international law and must cease immediately.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the firing, which she said violated a UN resolution, as “unacceptable.” Italy has more than 1,000 troops in Lebanon.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez demanded an “end to all violence” against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. He called Friday’s incident “absolutely unacceptable.”
Ireland’s foreign minister Micheal Martin called it a “shocking” and “unacceptable” development and “a very serious intensification of IDF hostility toward UN forces.” Ireland has about 350 soldiers in UNIFIL.


Jordan’s King Abdullah meets European leaders at MED9 Summit in Cyprus

Jordan’s King Abdullah meets European leaders at MED9 Summit in Cyprus
Updated 11 October 2024
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Jordan’s King Abdullah meets European leaders at MED9 Summit in Cyprus

Jordan’s King Abdullah meets European leaders at MED9 Summit in Cyprus
  • Meetings also touched on strengthening relations and expanding cooperation between Jordan and the EU

LONDON: Jordan’s King Abdullah II held a series of high-level meetings on Friday with leaders from across Europe during the Southern EU Countries (MED9) Summit in Paphos in Cyprus.

The king met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela.

The discussions focused on the escalating violence in Gaza and Lebanon, with King Abdullah urging increased efforts to achieve comprehensive calm and an end to the conflict, according to Jordan News Agency.

He emphasized the urgent need to facilitate the swift and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

King Abdullah also raised concerns about rising extremist settler violence in the West Bank and violations of religious sites in Jerusalem, warning that the region would remain trapped in violence unless a viable political solution, based on the two-state framework, was pursued.

In addition to addressing the regional situation, the meetings touched on strengthening relations and expanding cooperation between Jordan and the EU.

Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ayman Safadi, and other key officials were also present at the discussions.


2 Lebanese soldiers killed and 3 others hurt in airstrike, Lebanese army says

2 Lebanese soldiers killed and 3 others hurt in airstrike, Lebanese army says
Updated 11 October 2024
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2 Lebanese soldiers killed and 3 others hurt in airstrike, Lebanese army says

2 Lebanese soldiers killed and 3 others hurt in airstrike, Lebanese army says
  • Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have clashed along the border while the Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines

BEIRUT: Two Lebanese soldiers were killed and three others wounded in an Israeli airstrike that hit a building near a Lebanese Army checkpoint in Kafra, Bint Jbeil province, the Lebanese Army said Friday.
Since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon, Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have clashed along the border while the Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines.
As Israeli troops made their first forays across the border and Hezbollah responded with rocket fire, Lebanese soldiers withdrew from observation posts along the frontier and repositioned about 5 km back.
On Oct. 3, a Lebanese soldier was killed and another injured in an Israeli strike in Taybeh during rescue operations. On Sept. 30, another Lebanese soldier was killed by an Israeli drone targeting a Lebanese Army checkpoint in Wazzani.


Turkish citizens fleeing Lebanon mourn the homes and family left behind

Turkish citizens fleeing Lebanon mourn the homes and family left behind
Updated 11 October 2024
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Turkish citizens fleeing Lebanon mourn the homes and family left behind

Turkish citizens fleeing Lebanon mourn the homes and family left behind
  • The almost 1,000 evacuees napped or sat on camp beds surrounded by the few belongings they could bring
  • Aid workers on board the vessels distributed sandwiches and refreshments during the 12-hour crossing to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Mersin

ON BOARD THE TCG SANCAKTAR: Eyup Sabri Kirgiz gathered up his loved ones — both family and pets — and with a heavy heart left his beloved city of Beirut behind, after two weeks of deadly airstrikes that had traumatized his family.
The 50-year old Turkish engineer who moved to the Lebanese capital 21 years ago, was living in the Ein Rummaneh neighborhood, close to Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area known as Dahiyeh that has been the target of heavy Israeli airstrikes amid an escalation of the war in the Middle East, this time between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
“For the last two weeks or so, we had been feeling all those bombs as if they were exploding in the house,” said Kirgiz, who along with his Lebanese wife, two children and his mother-in-law was among hundreds of people who were evacuated from Lebanon on Thursday aboard two Turkish navy ships.
“There was no sleep or anything. We would just sit until the morning. You can only sleep when the drones go away. It is impossible to sleep with that drone sound anyway,” Kirgiz told The Associated Press on board the TCG Sancaktar. The AP was the only nongovernment media that was invited aboard the vessels to cover the evacuation operation.
It’s been a year of war. Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel from Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel that led to the Israeli offensive in Gaza, and Israel and Hezbollah have been trading attacks since then. But since the fighting escalated in mid-September, more than 1,400 people have been killed in Lebanon and over a million displaced.
The almost 1,000 evacuees — mostly Turkish citizens and their foreign-born spouses — on board the TCG Sancaktar, and its sister landing vessel, the TCG Bayraktar, napped or sat on camp beds surrounded by the few belongings they could bring. Aid workers on board the vessels distributed sandwiches and refreshments during the 12-hour crossing to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Mersin.
Previous Turkish government figures put the number of people to be evacuated at close to 2,000. A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, said some people who had expressed interest in leaving did not show up.
Kirgiz spent much of the journey tending to his dogs, Bella and Ammun — as well as their pet turtle, Coco, which he kept in a shoe-box — to ensure that they did not disturb slumbering fellow passengers.
The air was stuffy, making the journey uncomfortable at times.
A 75-year-old passenger on board the ship was evacuated by helicopter to northern Cyprus after he suffered a heart attack during the voyage. He later died in the hospital, the security official said.
Kirgiz, who describes himself as “the lover of Beirut” said he hopes to return there soon.
“I’ll see what the situation is like in a week or 10 days. I’ll wait for things to calm down a bit. After that, if I think it’s no longer dangerous, I’ll go back. Because I love this place so much. And after, (the plan) is to bring back the family and children,” Kirgiz said.
Turkish-born Dilber Taleb and her Lebanese-born husband Ahmad, who live in Australia, were on holiday in Lebanon when the conflict escalated. They were spending time with Ahmad’s parents so that they could get to know their infant grandson, Khaldun.
Although their neighborhood was not targeted by the Israeli strikes, the couple grabbed the opportunity to leave Lebanon.
“You’re anxious every day. When you are under stress, you worry whether something will happen, whether they will block the road or bomb something. That’s why he wanted to leave Lebanon as soon as possible,” said Dilber Taleb.
Her husband sounded tormented at having to leave his parents behind.
“My parents, they are only Lebanese (nationals), they’re not Turkish citizens or Australian citizens like us,” he said. “But I wish in the future I can take them with us, maybe to Turkiye or to Australia. Because we can’t stay living under this stress.”
Among other passengers on board the vessel was Goncagul Udigwe, her Nigerian husband Callistos and their 7-month-old daughter, Hilda. They had moved to Lebanon, where he ran his own business, just five months ago.
The family decided to leave Lebanon because they feared it would turn into “another Gaza,” she said as the family waited to board the ship in Beirut. Speaking again to AP journalists as she disembarked in Mersin, she felt a rush of relief.
“Right now I am extremely happy that we are reunited (with Turkiye) safe and sound. I am in my own land, I feel safe, I feel at peace.”
Udigwe continued: “But of course, I feel very sorry for those who have to stay there (in Lebanon) because they are not in a good situation at all. They sleep on the sidewalks, in cars. So it’s very difficult. I’ve never seen anything like this before. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my own country.”
The ships arrived back in Turkiye late Thursday and early Friday. The exhausted passengers were bused to another area of the port to pass through immigration checks.
The two ships were part of a convoy of six-vessels that departed Mersin on Wednesday, carrying some 300 tons of humanitarian aid to Lebanon, including food, tents and blankets. AP journalists on board the Sancaktar could hear the sound of drones flying above the ships, while the aid was being unloaded and the evacuees were boarding.