Israel-Palestine live: Unicef says over 13,000 children killed in Gaza

A new campaign has been launched in the UK for people and businesses to stop paying tax, as it accuses the country of complicity in the alleged genocide in Gaza.

Activists for the "No Tax for Genocide" campaign argue that under both international and domestic law, British citizens risk complicity in genocide with their tax money and have a legal right not to pay while the government provides support for Israel.

Ashish Prashar, co-founder and spokesperson for the campaign, which launched on Thursday, told Middle East Eye that there were a number of legal obligations, including the 1945 UN Charter, Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and Terrorism Act 2000, which provided a legal basis for "tax resistance".

"Right now you're committing a crime as an individual when you pay your tax," he said.

"You're aiding and abetting a genocide."

READ MORE: Campaign launched in UK to stop paying tax over genocide complicity

Good morning Middle East Eye readers,

Here are the latest updates:

• At least three Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on Jabalia and Rafah
• Israeli forces carry out several raids across the occupied West Bank and arrest a Fatah official
• Politico reports that the US may support a limited operation in Rafah that would target "high-value" Hamas targets
• Delta Air said it will resume flights to Israel from the US
• US said it destroyed a missile and four drones in Houthi-controled areas in Yemen
• The US is set to impose sanctions on two Israeli West Bank outposts and three settlers

Hello MEE readers.

On Wednesday, Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that Israel was planning to forcibly displace a large portion of Rafah's civilian population, and transfer them to "humanitarian islands".

The news comes as Israel has continued to say it will go ahead with its planned invasion of Rafah, the southernmost city in the besieged enclave.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to attack locations throughout Gaza, including a strike on an aid distribution centre that killed at least four Palestinians, including a Unrwa staff member.

In Lebanon, Israel struck targets in southern Lebanon, and killed one member of Hamas. The strike comes after Israel struck eastern Lebanon for two straight days.

Here's what else you need to know from today's developments:

• Israeli forces fired on Palestinians waiting for aid distribution in Gaza City, with at least nine being injured.

• The European Union has called on Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza besides the Cyprus maritime corridor, to allow more humanitarian aid to enter the enclave.

• A report by the Financial Times is saying  that the US and Iran held confidential discussions this year to discuss the ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

• An Italian appeals court is refusing to send 36-year-old Palestinian man Anan Kamal Afif Yaeesh to Israel. Yaeesh was arrested on suspicion of planning an attack in an unspecified country.

• A UN investigation concluded that an Israeli tank killed Reuters reporter Issam Abdallah in Lebanon last October, after it fired at a group of "clearly identifiable journalists" in violation of international law.

• A coalition of rights groups has issued a legal notice to the government of Canada that it has failed to prevent genocide in Gaza, including by selling weapons to Israel and "failing to fulfil its preventative duties under the Genocide Convention".

• A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down the entire international terminal at San Francisco International Airport in California to protest against Israel's war on Gaza.

Daniel Hagari, spokesman for the Israeli army, said that there are plans to forcibly displace the more than one million Palestinians currently residing in Rafah, and push them into "humanitarian islands" in central Gaza.

The announcement comes as Israel continues to plan its offensive on Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza.

“We need to make sure that 1.4 million people or at least a significant amount of the 1.4 million will move. Where? To humanitarian islands that we will create with the international community,” Hagari told reporters at a briefing.

Hagari also said that Israel plans to "flood the area" with aid, including housing, food, and water — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken used the same term "flooding with aid" during a press conference on Wednesday.

The news comes as the US begins work to build a temporary floating dock in Gaza to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Rights groups have accused Israel of blocking the entry of aid via land routes for months.

Israel has forcibly displaced large swathes of Gaza's population multiple times during its war on Gaza, Israel has also bombed areas it had designated as "safe zones".

The International Rescue Committee and Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP) provided updated details regarding an Israeli air strike in January that targeted a residential building housing a team of medical workers.

The air strike, which took place in al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, also targeted what the Israeli military had deemed a "safe zone", an area where Israel has said Palestinians should go to in order to escape the war in Gaza. 

The Israeli strike injured several members of MAP's team and their relatives.

The new details from the two aid groups include that the air strike likely involved a GBU32 (MK83) missile package, and that a 1000 lb US-made smart bomb was fired from an F-16 jet.

F-16s are US-made jets that include parts made by the UK.

The two groups are now calling on both the US and UK to agree to a full and independent investigation into the incident, and secure assurances from Israel that "attacks against aid workers and health workers will not occur in the future".

The Israeli army said that it recently targeted "military buildings" being used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The military claimed the attacks on the areas of Mis al-Jabal and Ita al-Sha’ab, and added that it also targeted the Wadi Hamool area with artillery fire.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel attacked a car in the south Lebanese city of Tyre, killing two including Hadi Mustafa, a member of Hamas. For two consecutive days this week, Israel also targeted the eastern city of Baalbek, deep inside Lebanon.

Multiple reports are stating that Israeli forces fired on Palestinians waiting for aid distribution in Gaza City, with at least nine being injured.

The European Union has called on Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza besides the Cyprus maritime corridor, to allow more humanitarian aid to enter the enclave.

"While supporting the Cyprus maritime corridor, we call on Israel to open additional crossings so more aid can reach Gaza, including the North, and to ease overall customs restrictions", EU commissioner for crisis management Janez Lenarcic said on the social media platform, X.

Earlier on Wednesday, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met with Antony Blinken, and during remarks before their meeting, Borrell echoed the same sentiment.

"You cannot replace hundreds of trucks by sending parachutes. The most important thing is to open the borders by land," Borrell said in reference to the US and other countries delivering aid via air drops.

The United States and Iran held confidential discussions this year to discuss the ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, according to a report by the Financial Times citing US and Iranian officials.

The report stated that the US delegation was led by White House Middle East advisor Brett McGurk and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani. The Financial Times reported that the talks took place in Oman in January.

According to the Financial Times, the talks were a bid by Washington to convince Tehran to assert its influence over the Houthis to end their attacks on ships travelling in the Red Sea.

"Iran has repeatedly said it only has a form of spiritual influence [over the Houthis]. They can't dictate to the Houthis, but they can negotiate and talk," an Iranian official told the newspaper.

An Italian appeals court is refusing to send a Palestinian arrested by authorities to Israel, saying he risked "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" if he was extradited.

The man, 36-year-old Anan Kamal Afif Yaeesh, was one of three Palestinians arrested in central Italy on suspicion they were planning attacks in an unspecified country.

Israel applied for his extradition, but his lawyer opposed the request, presenting reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch on prison conditions for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

In a written ruling, a panel of three judges in the central city of L'Aquila sided with the defence, saying Yaeesh would face "acts constituting a violation of human rights" if the extradition request was granted.

Reporting by Reuters

The research group Forensic Architecture has released a new report in which it details how Israel's military has "weaponised humanitarian measures" such as "evacuation orders" and "safe zones" in Gaza in order to facilitate the mass displacement of Palestinians.

The 80-page report has found that Israel's use of these measures has "amplified the forced transfer and mass displacement of Palestinians", which constitutes a violation of international law.

The report further found that the measures were often riddled with contradictions and confusion, which resulted in Israel bombing designated safe areas in Gaza.
Forensic Architecture describes the measures as tools used by Israel in a military campaign that has killed more than 31,000 people.

"Rather than ‘humanitarian acts’ used as preventative measures for the safeguarding of civilian life, this report supports claims that Israel has exercised a form of ‘humanitarian violence’, in concert with and in support of its broader genocidal actions," the report said.

A UN investigation has concluded that an Israeli tank killed Reuters reporter Issam Abdallah in Lebanon last October, after it fired at a group of "clearly identifiable journalists" in violation of international law, according to a report by Reuters.

The investigation by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) said that the tank fired two 120 mm rounds at the reporters, and said its personnel did not record any exchange of fire between Israel and Lebanon for more than 40 minutes before the Israeli tank fired at the journalists.

"The firing at civilians, in this instance clearly identifiable journalists, constitutes a violation of UNSCR 1701 (2006) and international law," the Unifil report said.

A coalition of rights groups has issued a legal notice to the government of Canada that it has failed to prevent genocide in Gaza, including by selling weapons to Israel and "failing to fulfil its preventative duties under the Genocide Convention".

The notice states that if Ottawa does not change course in 21 days, the groups will begin legal proceedings against the government.

It was filed by the coalition of groups on behalf of three Palestinian Canadians, who all have family in Gaza.

"Continued inaction against the demands of today’s letter will demonstrate a wilful decision to not prevent the commission of genocide in Gaza," the coalition of groups said in a statement posted on the website of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians-Canada.

A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down the entire international terminal at San Francisco International Airport in California to protest against Israel's war on Gaza.

The crowd of a few dozen protesters demanded a permanent ceasefire in the besieged enclave and an end to Israel's occupation.