Gaza live: Concerns about all-out regional war rise following Golan Heights deadly attack
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Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, on Sunday, a security source told Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The settlers attacked the activists, who were planting trees near the Palestinian town of Qusra, with stones, batons and iron rods.
Haaretz reported that Israeli forces who were at the scene fired shots to disperse the attackers, but did not arrest them.
Some of the activists were wounded, including two Americans, and taken to a hospital in Nablus.
A group of Israelis have held a protest outside the Tate Modern art gallery in London over billionaire art patron Len Blavatnik's alleged involvement in the cancellation of an Israeli news programme critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Born in Ukraine when it was a part of the Soviet Union, Blavatnik is the UK's second-richest man, according to the Sunday Times, with a net worth close to £30bn ($38.8bn).
An ally of Netanyahu, Blavatnik became the majority shareholder in Israel's Channel 13 in 2019.
Protester anger centres around the cancellation of the programme Warzone, produced by Netanyahu critic Raviv Drucker, in a recent overhaul at the channel.
Those at the Tate Modern on Sunday accused Blavatnik of censoring Drucker and held up banners, which read: "Blavatnik, don't mess with freedom of the press!"
Read more: Protests at UK Tate Modern after billionaire Blavatnik 'cancelled news show for Netanyahu'
The Israeli army struck a tent sheltering journalists in Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, in central Gaza, killing one journalist and wounding several others.
Haydar Ibrahim al-Msaddar's death makes him the 163rd journalist to be killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war on 7 October, according to the Palestinian enclave’s government media office.
Msaddar was a media researcher and a specialist in media affairs, according to local authorities.
According to his friend and fellow journalist Islam Bader, Msaddar had specialised in the study of propaganda and public opinion.
“All the contents in the tent are journalistic equipment,” Youssef al-Hindi, a rescue worker who attended the scene after hearing the explosion, told Middle East Eye.
Read more: Palestinian journalist killed in Israeli strike on tent sheltering media workers
A Canadian citizen attempted to attack an armed civilian security unit with a knife in southern Israel near the Gaza border and was shot dead, Israeli authorities said.
The incident took place at the entrance of Netiv HaAsara. No casualties have been reported.
The Israeli military said the suspect "exited his vehicle and threatened with a knife members of the community’s rapid response team operating in the area".
Continued Israeli bombing near Khan Younis has killed at least 39 people and wounded 120 others, the Palestinian health ministry said, as the military pressed on with a new offensive in the eastern parts of the southern governorate
Israeli athletes will receive 24-hour protection during the Paris Olympics, France's interior minister said on Monday, after a far-left lawmaker said Israel's delegation was not welcome and called for protests against their participation.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said in a TV interview Israeli athletes would be protected around the clock during the Games, which begin on Friday.
At a pro-Gaza rally on Saturday, far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party lawmaker Thomas Portes was filmed saying Israel's Olympic athletes were not welcome in France, and that there should be protests against their taking part in the Games.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne told a meeting of European Union counterparts in Brussels: "I want to say that on behalf of France, to the Israeli delegation, we welcome you to France for these Olympic Games."
The United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef, said that "one Palestinian child was killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, every two days since October 2023".
The agency noted that this marks a nearly two-and-a-half-fold increase from the nine months prior to the Gaza war.
On average, one Palestinian child was killed in the #WestBank, including East Jerusalem, every two days since October 2023, a nearly two-and-a-half-fold increase from the previous nine months
— UNICEF MENA - يونيسف الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا (@UNICEFmena) July 22, 2024
Press release: https://t.co/cObLsV58pt pic.twitter.com/SHAk3Q1bjI
The death toll from Israel's latest offensive on Khan Younis has risen to 27, medical sources have told Al Jazeera Arabic.
The Israeli army is reportedly still bombing homes and tents housing displaced people in the area.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinians (Unrwa), said that Israeli forces shot at a UN convoy heading towards Gaza City on Sunday.
The movement of the convoy was coordinated and approved by the Israeli authorities.
"One vehicle received at least five bullets while waiting just ahead of the Israeli Forces’ checkpoint south of Wadi Gaza," Lazzarini said on X.
"The car was severely damaged, it left the convoy. The teams re-assembled & finally reached Gaza City."
He concluded saying that "those responsible must be held accountable."
#Gaza
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) July 22, 2024
Heavy shooting from the Israeli Forces at a UN convoy heading to Gaza city.
While there are no casualties, our teams had to duck and take cover.
This took place yesterday. The teams were traveling in clearly marked UN armoured cars & wearing UN vests.
One vehicle…
Khan Younis's Nasser Hospital said that it has recorded 14 people killed since the start of Israel's operations on the humanitarian zone, including four women and six children.
At least 36 people have been wounded.
Moments before leaving to the US, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasised on the importance of bipartisan American support for Israel.
"I will seek to anchor the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel," he said. "And I will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless of who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains its most indispensable and strongest ally in the Middle East."
Netanyahu also praised US President Joe Biden, who announced on Monday that he is dropping out of the upcoming US presidential elections.
"I plan to see President Biden, who I have known for over forty years," he said. "This will be an opportunity to thank him for the things he did for Israel in the war and during his long and distinguished career in public service, as senator, vice president, and president."
The Israeli premier added that the two countries need to be present as a united front.
"This will also be an opportunity to discuss with him how to advance in the critical months ahead the goals that are important for both our countries - achieving the release of all our hostages, defeating Hamas, confronting the terror axis of Iran, and ensuring that all of Israel’s citizens can return safely to their homes in the north and the south.
"In this time of war and uncertainty, it is important that Israel’s enemies know that America and Israel stand together - today, tomorrow, and always."
The Israeli military accused Hamas of firing at Israeli troops from the humanitarian zone in Gaza, and said it was adjusting the area to target the Palestinian group there.
"The IDF is about to forcefully operate against the terror organisations and therefore calls on the remaining population left in the eastern neighbourhoods of Khan Younis to temporarily evacuate to the adjusted humanitarian area in al-Mawasi," the military said in a statement.
Israel started bombing the area minutes after it sent out the evacuation orders, which come days after the Israeli army killed over 90 displaced Palestinians in an attack on al-Mawasi.
At least 11 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Khan Younis's eastern neighbourhoods, Al Jazeera reports.
The area is under heavy bombardments as the Israeli army announced a new operation in the former humanitarian area.
عاجل | مراسل #الجزيرة: 11 شهيدا وعشرات المصابين إثر غارات جوية وقصف مدفعي إسرائيلي على بلدات شرقي خان يونس
— الجزيرة - عاجل (@AJABreaking) July 22, 2024
The Israeli army launched air attacks on eastern Khan Younis minutes after it sent residents orders to evacuate the area, according to the Israeli army radio.
Good morning Middle East Eye readers,
Here are the latest updates:
- The Israeli army ordered the evacuation of eastern neighbourhoods in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in preparation for a new offensive on the previously-designated humanitarian zone
- Israeli public health professors said a ceasefire is the only way to stop the spread of poliovirus in Gaza, as the Israeli army said it was vaccinating its soldiers against the disease
- Quoting US officials, the Times of Israel report that Kamala Harris is not expected to take a harsher stance on Israel should she be elected president
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced protests at Ben Gurion airport as he heads to the US for a long-planned visit
