Live: Gaza death toll nears 50,700

Israel’s foreign ministry has unleashed a furious attack on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, accusing him of “moral bankruptcy” after he condemned Israel’s latest bombardment of Gaza which killed more than 400 civilians.

Foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein posted on X: “We are outraged that you [Antonio Guterres] are the Secretary-General of the UN.”

Marmorstein slammed Guterres for failing to mention US efforts to extend the ceasefire’s first phase.

“Indeed, we are outraged by your moral bankruptcy,” Marmorstein added

Israel’s military is once again telling Palestinians in eastern Gaza to flee - or face the consequences.

For the second day in a row, Avichay Adraee, the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, has ordered residents of Beit Hanoun, Khirbet Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira, and Abasan al-Jadida to leave immediately.

His message? Stay put, and you you will be killed. He’s directing them towards so-called shelters in western Gaza City and Khan Younis - though with Israel’s relentless bombardment, no place in Gaza is truly safe.

Israel’s president is expected to sit out a government-backed antisemitism conference next week after a wave of high-profile withdrawals over the inclusion of far-right European politicians, Haaretz reported.

Isaac Herzog was originally slated to deliver the opening speech and host the event alongside the Diaspora Affairs Ministry.

The event would be a gathering of Jewish leaders from around the world, with a discussion panel featuring key figures from global Jewish communities.

But the guest list has unravelled. Even controversial figures like Britain’s chief rabbi, French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, and Germany’s commissioner for fighting antisemitism have all pulled out, distancing themselves from the lineup.

Israeli forces have forced dozens of Palestinian families out of their homes in Nablus’s Al-Ain refugee camp, reported Al Jazeera.

Around 50 homes were evacuated in an operation that has been underway since dawn in the occupied West Bank.

At 2:20am on Tuesday local time in the Gaza Strip, Washington inaugurated a new era in world politics. This was the moment Israel timed its attacks on dozens of targets in the enclave to coincide with suhoor, the predawn meal eaten by Muslims in preparation for a day of fasting.

The timing was designed to inflict maximum civilian casualties, as families across Gaza gathered to eat and pray during the holy month of Ramadan, even if they had little or no food to consume.

The mass simultaneous attacks on 100 separate locations achieved their objective, surpassing in one night all the other acts of wanton butchery by Israeli forces during the 15-month war on Gaza.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed, including more than 170 children, according to Gaza health officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought and got a green light from Washington before launching these attacks. 

Read more: Gaza's Ramadan massacre obliterates the West's claim to moral leadership

At least 24 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes across Gaza, Al Jazeera is reporting. The latest wave of attacks comes as Israel ramps up its bombardment, showing no signs of de-escalation.

If you’re just joining us, here’s a quick rundown of this morning’s key developments:

• Israeli air strikes on Gaza have intensified, with the death toll now at 15 following dawn attacks on Khan Yunis, Rafah, and other areas.

• The UN humanitarian agency OCHA warns that Gaza’s healthcare system is on the verge of collapse due to Israel’s relentless bombardment.

• Hamas says it remains open to negotiations, despite Israel launching its most intense strikes since the 19 January ceasefire, a senior official tells AFP.

• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez isn’t holding back. In a post on X, he slammed Israel’s assault on Gaza as “atrocious,” “sad,” and “unacceptable.”

• The US has carried out at least 10 air strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, including Saada and Hodeidah, according to Houthi media reports.

• Itamar Ben-Gvir is back in Netanyahu’s cabinet. The far-right ultranationalist has been reinstated as Israel’s minister of national security, the prime minister’s office confirms.

Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Jerusalem, blocking the city’s main entrance as they march towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence, reported the Times of the Israel.

The protesters are voicing their anger over the government’s push to remove Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and its decision to resume military operations in Gaza.

The unrest reflects growing discontent within Israel as opposition to Netanyahu’s handling of the war intensifies.

The death toll has risen to 15 following a series of Israeli air strikes targeting Khan Yunis, Rafah, and other areas of the Gaza Strip at dawn, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. 

A short while ago Israeli forces killed a Palestinian in an attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

Israeli settlers assaulted a Palestinian Bedouin family near the town of Bruqin, west of Salfit, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

Details of the attack remain unclear, but settler violence against Palestinian communities has been escalating, often under the protection of Israeli forces.

Israeli settlers, backed by heavily armed occupation forces, stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Wednesday, the Jerusalem Governorate has reported.

The Palestinian news agency Wafa said that dozens of settlers entered the courtyards and carried out provocative tours under military protection.

The latest raid adds to growing tensions, with Palestinian worshippers increasingly restricted from accessing the site.

Israel’s relentless bombardment is pushing Gaza’s healthcare system to the brink, the UN humanitarian agency Ocha warns in its latest situation report.

Vital medical equipment, including 20 ventilators for neonatal intensive care units and nine portable newborn incubators, remains stuck outside Gaza, unable to reach hospitals in desperate need.

Ocha highlighted growing pressure on health resources, quoting Gaza’s Ministry of Health director, Dr Munir Al Bursh, who has urgently called for field hospitals, more beds, and additional operating rooms.

A UN assessment found that no hospitals in Gaza are fully functional.

Thirteen hospitals and four field hospitals remain completely out of service, while Israel’s latest displacement orders affect areas with at least three primary healthcare centres and one field hospital

Hamas is keeping the door open to negotiations, despite Israel launching its most intense strikes on Gaza since the 19 January ceasefire, a senior official from the group has told AFP.

“Hamas has not closed the door on negotiations but we insist there is no need for new agreements,” Taher al-Nunu said in a phone call from Cairo, adding that Israel must be forced to honour the ceasefire.

Israeli forces have stormed the Ein al-Ain refugee camp in Nablus, forcing at least 10 families out of their homes at gunpoint before turning the houses into military barracks, reports Al Jazeera Arabic.

Residents were warned that a military operation in the camp would last for three days, with Israeli troops tightening their grip on the area.

The takeover has sparked anger, with locals fearing more raids, arrests, and violence in the coming days.

Israeli special forces have launched a deadly undercover raid in Nablus’s al-Ein refugee camp, killing one Palestinian and wounding three others, according to the Wafa news agency.

Security sources quoted by the agency said Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle this morning, killing a man inside. Clashes erupted in the camp, leaving three Palestinians wounded.

During the raid, Israeli forces stormed several homes and detained multiple people before withdrawing, Wafa reported.