Live: At least 75 killed in Israeli strikes on second day of Eid al-Adha

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said on Wednesday it was “unacceptable” for the Israeli army to fire “warning shots but still shots” towards a delegation of European officials visiting the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. 

The group was visiting Jenin, which has been under Israeli assault. Their visit was pre-approved. Israel said they “entered an area where they were not authorised to be” and Israeli troops fired “warning shots".

“Any threats on diplomats’ lives are unacceptable,” Kallas said. 

The delegation included diplomats from Portugal, China, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Turkey, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Japan, Romania, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Canada, India, Chile, France and the UK.

At least four Palestinians were killed by an Israeli strike on a house in al-Amal neighbourhood west of Khan Younis on Wednesday, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. 

Israel has been ramping up its attacks on the Gaza Strip. At least 82 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the last 24 hours. 

An Israeli attack on a vehicle near the European hospital in Khan Younis has killed at least one person, Al Jazeera Arabic is reporting.

The latest casualty brings today's death toll of Palestinians killed in Gaza to at least 62.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has condemned his country's actions in Gaza, accusing the government of killing innocent Palestinians amid growing criticism of its handling of the war.

In a BBC interview on Tuesday, Olmert, who served as the prime minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, said what Israel was doing in Gaza is "very close to a war crime".

He told the network that the “obvious appearance” of the war on Gaza is that "thousands of innocent Palestinians are being killed, as well as many Israeli soldiers," adding that "from every point of view, this is obnoxious and outrageous.

"The war has no objective and has no chance of achieving anything that could save the lives of the hostages... We are fighting Hamas murderers, we are not fighting innocent civilians, and this must be clear," Olmert said. 

Olmert's comments drew ire from several Israeli politicians, including Education Minister Yoav Kisch, who said the former prime minister should be ashamed of himself.

Read more: Israel actions in Gaza 'close to war crimes', former Israeli prime minister says

The vice president of the EU, Kaja Kallas, has called on Israel to investigate an incident in which the Israeli military fired "warning shots" near a delegation of foreign diplomats in the occupied West Bank's Jenin.

"We definitely call on Israel to investigate this incident and also hold [to] account those who are responsible for this, and any threats on diplomats' lives are unacceptable," she said, adding that Israel is a signatory to the Vienna convention and is therefore obligated to "guarantee the security of all foreign diplomats".

Israel's ambassador to Italy will be summoned to the foreign ministry after the Israeli military fired "warning shots" near a delegation of foreign diplomats in the occupied West Bank, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday.

The Israeli military issued a statement admitting its forces fired "warning shots" near a delegation of foreign diplomats in Jenin after they “deviated” from their approved route and moved to an “unauthorised” area.

- Reporting by Reuters

Britain pledged on Wednesday $5.37m in humanitarian aid to Gaza, the government said, as Minister for Development Jenny Chapman visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Since 2 March, Israel has enforced a total blockade on Gaza, preventing any food, medical supplies, or goods from entering the besieged enclave.

No aid has reached the besieged enclave since then, despite Israeli claims to the contrary. According to sources who spoke to Middle East Eye, trucks remain stalled on the Palestinian side of the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.

Aid organisations have also confirmed that no humanitarian relief has been distributed.

No aid has reached Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip as of Wednesday, despite Israeli claims that dozens of trucks have entered.

Since 2 March, Israel has enforced a total blockade on Gaza, preventing any food, medical supplies, or goods from entering the besieged enclave.

On Sunday, Israel stated it would allow a “basic amount of food” into Gaza for what it described as “diplomatic reasons” aimed at easing international pressure that could force an end to the ongoing war.

The Israeli military claimed that over 90 aid lorries have entered the strip this week.

However, sources inside Gaza told Middle East Eye trucks remain stalled on the Palestinian side of the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.

Read more: No aid has reached Palestinians in Gaza yet, despite Israeli claim of delivery 

The Israeli military has issued a statement admitting its forces fired "warning shots" near a delegation of foreign diplomats after they “deviated” from their approved route and moved to an “unauthorised” area.

The statement said that no injuries or damage were reported, adding that the army "regrets any inconvenience caused".

It further noted that the incident is being investigated by a commander and that the findings would be communicated to the relevant diplomats.

My niece is barely alive. A week ago, her sister, Juri, was killed in an Israeli air strike. 

Juri was just six years old. She was asleep when the missile hit. Her tiny body, wrapped in white cloth, is now one more number in a growing mass grave. 

Her sister survived the blast, but barely. Their father and grandfather were also injured in the strike. But now, the little girl is fading. Her haemoglobin level has dropped to seven, and she needs a blood transfusion. She needs proper food and safety - but in Gaza, those things no longer exist.

There is no food or clean water. There are no working hospitals or blood banks. There is no safety.

And yet, this week, Israel announced to the world that it had “allowed” humanitarian aid into Gaza - as if this was a gesture of mercy that excused the slaughter. 

Read more: Gaza is an open graveyard, yet the West still debates whether Israel has gone 'too far'

In the past 24 hours alone, Israeli air and ground assaults have killed at least 82 Palestinians and wounded another 262, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The updated figures bring the confirmed death toll in the Strip to 53,655, with more than 121,950 people wounded since the war began.

Israel resumed its military campaign on 18 March after a brief ceasefire which Israeli broke. Since then, the ministry reports, 3,509 Palestinians have been killed and 9,909 wounded - figures that continue to rise as bombardment and ground offensives intensify.

Israeli demonstrators on Wednesday escalated efforts to choke off the already restricted aid supply into Gaza, as the territory remains under total siege by Israel.

Protesters shut down the Karem Abu Salem crossing, the only functional entry point for humanitarian aid to demand a complete stop to relief shipments into the devastated enclave.

According to Israel National News, the protest was organised by far-right movements Tzav 9 and Miluimnikim – Generation of Victory,” who claim aid deliveries undermine Israel’s war effort and benefit Hamas.

The demonstration came after 93 trucks were allowed through the crossing a day earlier, a number still far below what humanitarian agencies say is needed to avert famine.

“This is an unimaginable injustice,” declared Reut Ben Chaim of Tzav 9. “We cannot remain silent while this harm to our hostages continues. The people of Israel will come and stop this atrocity and the strengthening of a terror group.”

Israeli reserve soldier Ashriel Machlev of the Miluimnikim group added: “This isn’t humanitarian - it’s national suicide and it’s humanitarian ammunition... We will be here every week - hundreds of reservists ready to physically block this madness.”

Israel faces growing international condemnation for its stranglehold on aid to Gaza, where health officials warn of looming famine and the UN has described conditions as “catastrophic”. 

A new Channel 13 survey has revealed that over half of Israeli respondents - 53 percent - oppose allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, even as conditions in the besieged enclave continue to deteriorate and the UN warns of deepening famine in the strip.

• Mass arrests overnight: Israeli forces arrested at least 20 Palestinians, including three women and freed prisoners, across the occupied West Bank in overnight raids, the Palestinian outlet Wafa reported. 

• Systemic abuse reported: The Palestinian Prisoners’ Affairs Commission and Prisoners’ Club confirm escalating arrests, with detainees facing threats, home vandalism, and property seizures.

• Towns under military siege: The West Bank towns of Bruqin and Kafr ad-Dik remain blockaded for an eighth day by Israeli forces and reports of homes converted into military bases.

• Jenin & Tulkarm targeted: Nearly 1,000 arrested in months-long operations and includes re-arrests of previously released detainees.

• Total arrests since war began: Since Israel’s on Gaza started on 7 October more than 17,000 Palestinians in the West Bank have been arrested by Israel.

Gaza’s ongoing conflict has coincided with a surge in far-right violence in Germany, where authorities arrested five teenage boys on Wednesday for allegedly forming a far-right terrorist group. Charges include attempted murder and serious arson.

The youths are suspected of carrying out arson attacks on a community centre and a refugee shelter, aiming to ignite chaos and undermine Germany’s democratic system. Federal prosecutors said the group called itself the “last wave of defence” to protect the “German nation” and planned violent acts mainly targeting migrants and political opponents.

Two of those detained are accused of setting fire to a cultural centre in Brandenburg last October. Others previously arrested allegedly attacked a migrant shelter in Saxony earlier this year.

Over 220 police officers took part in the arrests and searches across five states amid rising politically motivated crimes in Germany. The interior ministry reported a 40 percent spike in such offences last year, largely driven by far-right extremism.

Experts link this escalation to increasing political polarisation, tightly contested elections, and Israel's war on Gaza.