Gaza live: Dozens killed and wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza and Yemen

On 9 July, Francois Burgat, a prominent French expert on political Islam and pro-Palestine activist, spent eight hours in police custody at the Aix-en-Provence station in the south of France.

Burgat, whose expertise is widely sought after, was detained concerning a complaint filed for “apology for terrorism”, a charge which involves defending or positively portraying terrorist acts.

The complaint was filed by the European Jewish Organisation (Organisation Juive Europeen), a French NGO made up of around 60 volunteer lawyers that fight against antisemitism and anti-Zionism.

Burgat is accused of reposting a statement by the Palestinian group Hamas on X last January, which refuted allegations of sexual violence against Israelis during the 7 October attack, as reported by The New York Times.

Following backlash over his retweet, Burgat, a former research director at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), posted that he had “infinitely more respect and consideration for the leaders of Hamas than for those of the state of Israel”.

A few days after his police questioning, Burgat, now retired, told Middle East Eye that his perspective on terrorism aligns “the same as the one made in his day by General de Gaulle”.

In November 1967, Charles de Gaulle, then president of France, declared: “Israel is setting up in the territories it has captured an occupation that will inevitably involve oppression, repression and expulsions and a resistance to this occupation is forming, which Israel in turn classes as terrorism.”

Nearly 400 investigations for complaints related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were launched between October and December 2023, according to investigative website Mediapart. The majority of the cases are still being processed.

Read more: France's 'apology for terrorism' law used to 'criminalise' Palestine solidarity

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel sustained minor damage while crossing the Red Sea.

In a post on X, the UKMTO, which provides real-time information to sailors in the Middle East, said it received a report of an incident 119km northwest of Mocha, Yemen. 

Since October, Yemen’s Houthis have attacked commercial ships in protest against Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. 

Most Houthi attacks have centred around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. 

Good morning, and welcome back to the live blog.

Here are your latest updates from overnight after Friday night's historic ICJ ruling on Palestine.

• Israel pounded the whole Gaza Strip after the International court issued its scathing ruling that criticised Israel’s conduct as an occupying power in the West Bank.
• Wafa news agency reports that a Palestinian man died from his injuries after he was shot in the head by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Beit Umar. 
• World Health Organisation chief Tedros Ghebreyesus has said a ceasefire in Gaza is “essential to allow an effective response” to the spread of the poliovirus in the Palestinian territory.
• Local media said Israeli security arrested two men after raiding their homes in the town of Jaba, south of the West Bank city of Jenin. 

Our live coverage from Gaza will shortly be closing until tomorrow morning.

Here are some of the day's key developments:

• The ICJ issued an advisory opinion on Friday finding Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories to be "unlawful", and should be brought to an end "as rapidly as possible"

• Delivering the court's findings, ICJ President Nawaf Salam said that Israel must make reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by its occupation, adding that the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and all states have an obligation to not recognise Israel's occupation as legal

• “The sustained abuse of Israel of its position as an occupying power through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the occupied Palestinian territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful," said Salam

• In response to the ICJ's historic advisory opinion on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Jewish people cannot be considered occupiers in what he described as their historic homeland

• Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, expressed his gratitude in response to the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling, describing it as an additional tool to aid in the resistance against Israel's illegal occupation

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel was within sight, according to Reuters. He mentioned that negotiators were "driving toward the goal line"

• The far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have lashed out the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), labelling it "antisemitic" and calling for immediate annexation of the occupied West Bank

• Independent experts have warned that the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab, her family, and two paramedics in Gaza City in February could constitute a war crime. They are urging the Israeli government to grant access to human rights monitoring bodies

• The Wafa news agency has reported that at least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes in two separate attacks within the central Gaza refugee camp

• A reported drone attack on central Tel Aviv, Israel left one person dead and injured several others, according to the Israeli army

• The UK's new Labour government said on Friday that the country will resume its funding of Unrwa

• Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have called on the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) to withdraw its recognition of Israel in retaliation for the Israeli parliament's approval of a bill that rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued an advisory opinion on Friday finding Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories to be "unlawful", and should be brought to an end "as rapidly as possible."

Delivering the court's findings, ICJ President Nawaf Salam said that Israel must make reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by its occupation, adding that the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and all states have an obligation to not recognise Israel's occupation as legal.

“The sustained abuse of Israel of its position as an occupying power through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the occupied Palestinian territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful," he said.

The decision follows a request in December 2022 by the United Nations General Assembly for the court to give its view on Israel's policies and practices towards the Palestinians and on the legal status of the 57-year-long occupation of Palestinian lands.

Read more: Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands is 'unlawful' and amounts to 'de-facto annexation', says ICJ

The Jerusalem-based nonprofit organization B'Tselem has stated that the ICJ's advisory opinion leaves the international community with "no more excuses" and insists that it "must force Israel to end the occupation."

In a statement, B'Tselem criticized the international community for avoiding its responsibility to protect Palestinians by citing reasons such as the alleged temporary nature of the occupation and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.

"The release of the ICJ's advisory opinion eliminates these justifications. Now, the international community must utilize all available tools—criminal, diplomatic, and economic—to compel Israeli decision-makers to end the occupation," the organization declared.

A leading lobbyist who described his appointment to the UK's House of Lords as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to advocate for Israel is claiming thousands of pounds in public funds for his parliamentary work.

Stuart Polak, who led the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) for 25 years, has claimed almost £250,000 ($323,015) since he was made a peer by then-Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015, according to an analysis of his expenses by Middle East Eye and Declassified UK.

Polak’s expenses as a member of the House of Lords are entirely legitimate. Members do not receive a salary but can claim a non-taxable daily attendance allowance of £361 (£342 before April 2024). They may also opt to claim a reduced allowance or none at all.

But Polak’s place in parliament, and his entitlement to draw on public money while continuing to advocate for Israel, has been called into question at a time when Israeli leaders face accusations of genocide and war crimes over their conduct in the war against Hamas in Gaza, in which more than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed.

Read more: Israel lobbyist in House of Lords claims thousands of pounds in public funds

Independent experts have warned that the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab, her family, and two paramedics in Gaza City in February could constitute a war crime. They are urging the Israeli government to grant access to human rights monitoring bodies.

In a statement, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) criticized Israel's claim that its troops were not present in the area at the time as "unacceptable."

Forensic analysis of the crime scene provided "compelling evidence" that the family's car was in the line of sight of an Israeli tank and was fired upon from very close range with a weapon type unique to Israeli forces.

The OHCHR also noted that the lack of a thorough investigation and accountability, even five months after the incident, is "deeply troubling" and may itself be a violation of the right to life. 

In the occupied West Bank village of Sha’b al-Batam in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, Israeli settlers assaulted two Palestinians - a 38-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman - with wooden batons. Both individuals sustained head injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment.

The attack occurred at the entrance of a house after the settlers entered the village.

Two Israeli soldiers were present at the scene, and the Palestinians sought their assistance. The soldiers fired a warning shot into the air, causing the settlers to flee. As often happens, the Israeli soldiers did not arrest the settlers, who frequently attack Palestinians with impunity in the West Bank.

Legal experts are describing the opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued on Friday as a striking and historic initiative that requires taking several legal steps, including allowing for the return of Palestinians who were displaced by Israel when it began its occupation of the Palestinian territories in 1967.

The advisory opinion delivered by the World Court said that Israel must make reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by its occupation, and that the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and all countries have an obligation to not recognise Israel's occupation as legal.

It also said that Israel is systematically discriminating against Palestinians in the occupied territory, and Israel has effectively annexed large portions of that territory through its occupation.

Experts in international law who spoke to Middle East Eye noted that this is only an advisory opinion and is not legally binding. However, the significance of the court's conclusion on the matter could have a significant impact on Israel's reputation, which has already been affected by its war on Gaza which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians so far.

Read more: ICJ opinion necessitates arranging Palestinian right to return to 1967 lands, legal experts say

UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq informed reporters that the International Court of Justice advisory ruling will initiate a series of procedures.

The ruling has been sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who will then provide his advisory opinion to the General Assembly.

"The next step is for the General Assembly to determine how to proceed with this matter," Haq stated.

The Palestinian-led movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) has called for “maximum pressure on all states to impose immediate targeted sanctions on Israel”, following the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

The ICJ issued an advisory opinion on Friday which found that Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories was "unlawful" and that its "near-complete separation" of people in the occupied West Bank breached international laws concerning "racial segregation" and "apartheid."

The BDS movement seeks to use economic and cultural boycotts against Israel to achieve political change. 

The Wafa news agency has reported that at least six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes in two separate attacks within the central Gaza refugee camp.

Four individuals were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in Nuseirat.

Additionally, two others were killed when a group of people was targeted on al-Rashid Street, located to the west of the camp.

Hamas has called for “immediate” international action "to end the occupation", following the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) earlier on Friday.

The ICJ issued an advisory opinion on Friday which found that Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories was "unlawful" and that its "near-complete separation" of people in the occupied West Bank breached international laws concerning "racial segregation" and "apartheid".

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) "has legally confirmed that Israel pursues a policy of occupation and persecution against the Palestinian people," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. 

"The international community is obliged to take a firm and resolute stance to put an end to Israel's illegal practices," it added. 

Turkey has also provided written and oral contributions to the advisory opinion given by the ICJ on Friday. 

"We will continue our efforts to ensure that the crimes committed against the Palestinians, including the current genocidal acts against the people of Gaza, do not go unpunished," concluded the statement.