Gaza live: Israeli attack hits Unrwa centre

A fire has erupted on a merchant vessel 98 nautical miles east of Yemen's Aden after being hit by two projectiles, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Thursday.

In a seperate incident, British maritime security firm Ambrey said a vessel issued a distress call reporting the impact of a missile about 129 nautical miles east of Yemen's Aden.

Ambrey said it assessed the vessel to be aligned with "the Houthi target profile."

Yemen's Houthis have launched attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea since November, in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli bombardment. 

Israel has said that Hezbollah, Iran and the Lebanese government bore "full responsibility" for an escalation in violence across the Israel-Lebanon border. 

"Lebanon and Hezbollah, under the guidance of Iran, bear full responsibility for the deterioration of the security situation in the north," Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said.

"Whether through diplomatic efforts - or otherwise - Israel will restore security on our northern border."

Lebanon's Hezbollah has said it launched a drone and rocket attack on six Israeli military sites, in response to an Israeli strike which killed a senior Hezbollah field commander.

Jordanian journalist Hiba Abu Taha has been sentenced to a year in prison for publishing a report that exposed Jordan’s alleged role in exporting goods to Israel through a land corridor.

The report, entitled “Partners in genocide... Jordanian capital involved in genocide in the Gaza Strip" was published in Annasher, an Lebanese media outlet.

It describes the involvement of some Jordanian companies in shipping goods to Israel through a land corridor.

In February, Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh denied the existence of a land route from his country to Israel, describing reports alleging so as “fabrications”.

Read more: Jordan jails journalist over report on 'land corridor' with Israel

Israeli soldiers were filmed firing a trebuchet, a lever to throw projectiles used during ancient and mediaeval warfare, along the Lebanese border. 

Footage circulated on social media showed troops launching incendiaries across the border using a trebuchet, in an attempt to burn Lebanese vegetation and thickets. 

The Israeli army confirmed on Thursday that the footage was genuine, but said the weapon would not be used widely. 

"This is a local initiative and not a tool that has come into widespread use," the military said in a statement. 

"The area on the Lebanese border is characterised by boulders, thickets, and dense thorn vegetation, which poses a challenge to the IDF forces deployed in defence."

Read more: Israel uses medieval trebuchet weapon to ignite Lebanese bushes

Israel's Fire and Rescue Service reports that 15 fires have been sparked in northern Israel following rocket barrages from Lebanon.

The Israeli army has fired its Iron Dome defence systems over several areas in Upper Galilee, close to the northern city of Safed.

Media reports suspect a major barrage of rockets was fired from Lebanon.

Several Iron Dome interceptions reported over the area. https://t.co/8rfF07MjaA pic.twitter.com/p2wrWNj8Dv

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2024

Gaza's health ministry said that 30 people were killed in Israeli attacks on the enclave in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 37,232 Palestinians killed since 7 October.

Additionally, 85,037 people have been wounded since the start of the war.

Israeli forces have turned the Jenin refugee camp into a close military zone, according to Al Jazeera's correspondent.

In their latest raid on the area, Israeli soldiers have reportedly stormed the villages of al-Jalama, Faqqua, Jalbun and Arabbuna, north-east of Jenin, clashing with Palestinian fighters.

Photos shared by news outlets show the destruction caused by the ongoing raids in Jenin, its refugee camp and the vicinity.

Massive damage to infrastructure in the city of Jenin and its refugee camp due to the ongoing Israeli military offensive. pic.twitter.com/GTS5IvRDd6

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 13, 2024

Students at universities across Israel are expected to go on a partial strike on Thursday in solidarity with Israeli captives held by Hamas in Gaza.

The event, organised by the National Union of Israeli Students, will have students walk out of their classes for either 250 minutes, to mark 250 days since the start of the war in Gaza, or 120 minutes in solidarity with the 120 hostages remaining there.

Student organisations in some universities, including the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have called for a full day of strike, according to Israeli outlet Yedioth Ahronoth.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has reopened a medical post in Jabalia, northern Gaza, after it suffered "significant destruction" from Israeli soldiers.

Resuming operations and receiving the injured and sick at the PRCS medical post in Jabalia, northern #Gaza, our volunteers successfully restored and rehabilitated the site despite the significant destruction caused by the Israeli occupation soldiers.
📷 Filmed by volunteer:… pic.twitter.com/8BDctDyen2

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) June 13, 2024

It was clear from the outset: the annihilation of Gaza unleashed by Israel, nominally in response to Hamas’s atrocities on 7 October, was genocidal in its intent, conduct and outcomes. 

To me, the key elements of genocide were apparent just weeks into Israel’s destructive campaign. Most international law experts I know were, at the time, still reluctant to qualify Israel’s actions as being in any way outside of its right to self-defence. 

Today, most of them have no such doubts. South Africa and a number of other countries have made a devastating case before the International Court of Justice that Israel’s crimes indeed constitute genocide, while top Israeli officials are facing possible prosecution at the International Criminal Court. 

My own assessments of the situation were informed not only by more than 25 years of experience working in various contexts where genocidal violence was suffered, but most importantly, by the fate of my own people.

READ MORE: Israel's onslaught recalls horrors of Bosnian genocide, opinion by Refik Hodzic

The Israeli military said that its soldiers killed 10 Palestinian fighters in central Gaza and several more in Rafah.

The army also said their jets hit a total of 45 targets in Gaza in the last day.

A video circulating on social media shows Israel soldiers using a trebuchet to fire incendiaries over the border wall with southern Lebanon.

فيديو متداول يظهر جيش العدو الإسرائيلي يستخدم أداةً تشبه المنجنيق بهدف إشعال حرائق في جنوب لبنان pic.twitter.com/2IelR4GgUu

— جريدة الأخبار - Al-Akhbar (@AlakhbarNews) June 13, 2024

Israel has launched land, sea and air strikes on al-Mawasi, a designated safe zone in Gaza, according to Palestine’s Wafa news agency.

The Israeli army denied carrying out any strikes in the area where thousands of Palestinians are taking shelter.

Wafa also reported Israeli strikes on the western side of Rafah city, as well as attacks that killed five people in Nuseirat, central Gaza.

Meanwhile, a senior Hamas leader told Reuters that the group’s proposed amendments to the deal are “not significant” and include the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

READ MORE: Israeli reportedly hits Gaza safe zone as ceasefire discussions persist