Compilation of news reports – IAK staff
Israeli missiles killed at least 42 Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, including several bombings of tents that resulted in Palestinians being burned alive in agony, including children.
NOTE: The Gaza Health Ministry’s daily casualty figures are based on the number of dead and wounded Palestinians brought to hospitals, and does not include victims that are under the rubble or elsewhere, where ambulance and civil defense crews can not reach them.
Two Lebanese people were killed by Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, in the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement, the Health Ministry said.
Israel expects ‘significant crisis’ in Gaza as it plans to continue total blockade
According to a report on Israeli news site Walla, the Israeli military is not concerned about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been without any humanitarian aid for the last 51 days after Israel declared its total blockade.
Sources in Israel’s Southern Command, who spoke to Walla, estimated that “in two weeks, a significant crisis will begin in the Gaza Strip regarding food, medical equipment and medicines”.
According to these sources, Palestinians in Gaza “will adapt to the situation over the coming months, as long as they have flour, water and reasonable shelter”.
In a statement released on Monday, the UN body OCHA said that since Israel began its blockade, “not a single truck carrying food, fuel, medicine or any other essentials has been allowed in – no matter how critical they are for people’s survival” (continue reading here).
Unexploded ordnance from Israeli war costs 7-year-old Gazan child his sight
An exploded ordnance left over by the Israeli army in the northern Gaza town of Jabaliya has changed the life of Palestinian child Mohamed Hegazy forever.
The 7-year-old was playing with other children outside his destroyed home when he grabbed a leftover device out of curiosity, which immediately exploded, costing him his right eye.
He is also threatened to lose his left eye if he is not evacuated for medical treatment outside the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
“He was like any child who went out to play outside our destroyed house when we heard an explosion all of a sudden and found him covered in blood,” his father, Khaled Hegazy, recalled.
“We quickly rushed him to a hospital, but due to a shortage of medicine and equipment, we had to transfer him to another hospital, where he underwent surgery to remove his right eye. His condition remains critical.”
The Palestinian father said that his son needs what he described as a “medical miracle” to save his left eye.
“If he is not transferred for treatment outside Gaza soon, my son will also lose sight in his other eye,” he said (continue reading here).
RELATED: Israel blocks polio vaccines, endangers over 600,000 children in Gaza: Health Ministry
Israeli broadcaster: Army fabricated Gaza tunnel discovery to stall ceasefire deal
An investigation by Israel’s public broadcaster KAN has revealed that the Israeli military fabricated the discovery of a tunnel in the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, claiming the structure was, in fact, a shallow canal.
Last August, the army published photos of an alleged tunnel in the demilitarized area along the border.
“There was never a tunnel, but a canal covered in dirt,” KAN said.
The purpose of this lie “was to exaggerate the importance of the Philadelphi Corridor and delay a hostage deal,” it added.
According to KAN, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant backed the findings, saying, “It was not a tunnel, but rather an attempt to prevent a ceasefire agreement.”
Gallant clarified that the structure was only about one meter deep and was misleadingly presented to the public as a deep tunnel. “It was promoted to the public as a deep tunnel to prevent reaching a deal with Hamas,” he added.
RELATED: Israel mulls re-arresting released Palestinian prisoners, media reports claim
Netanyahu ordered intel chief to ‘defy high court’ if constitutional crisis erupts
Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar claimed in an affidavit to Israel’s High Court on 21 April that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked him to spy on anti-government protesters and side with him against the court in any constitutional crisis.
The affidavit was submitted as part of a petition against Bar’s expected dismissal by Netanyahu’s cabinet.
According to Bar, Netanyahu told him “on more than one occasion” that he expected the Shin Bet chief to act against Israeli citizens involved in protests against the government.
Bar also said in the affidavit that he was asked to “provide details about the identities of Israeli citizens, protest activists, who had followed security personnel,” with particular emphasis on monitoring “protest funders.”
The affidavit stated that Netanyahu also asked Bar to assist in delaying the prime minister’s corruption trial (continue reading here).
On Tuesday, Netanyahu appeared in court for the 24th time in his corruption trial.
