Israel-Palestine Conflict highlights: 'We salute your revolution', Hamas lauds clashes in West Bank

Israel bombarded Gaza with artillery and air strikes on Friday in response to a new barrage of rocket fire from the Hamas-run enclave. Israel Defence Forces tweeted that they had begun attacks "in" Gaza, but later issued a clarification that there was no ground incursion and their artillery brigades were shelling border areas. At least 100 Gazans have been killed. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces have also been scrambled to contain deadly riots between Jews and Arabs, and projectiles have been fired on Israel from Lebanon. Stay tuned for updates.

7 Palestinians dead in West Bank amid violence

The number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank has risen to seven.

The Israeli army says one was killed after attempting to stab a soldier. Palestinian health officials confirmed that death and said six other Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire in the occupied West Bank. (AP)

Jordanians protest in solidarity with Palestinians

Thousands of Jordanians gathered in the capital Amman and on the border with the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday in solidarity with Palestinians in Jerusalem and Gaza, AFP correspondents said.

Around half of Jordan's 10 million-strong population is of Palestinian origin, including some 2.2 million Palestinian refugees registered with the United Nations.

Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. (AFP)

BREAKING | IDF soldiers targeted in attempted hit-and-run attack in West Bank.

Cong asks govt to work towards ending hostilities between Israel, Hamas

The Congress has urged the government to proactively work towards ending conflict between Israel and Hamas and restore peace with the intervention of the UN Security Council. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma also said that spiralling violencecoinciding with Eid, is distressing and a matter of grave concern for the world.

‘We salute your revolution’: Hamas lauds West Bank clashes

Hamas has condoned clashes in West Bank, saying, "We salute your revolution."

Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank on Friday, including one who attempted to stab a soldier, as clashes injured more than 100 people in the occupied territory.

Violence on Fridays in the West Bank is a traditional facet of the long running Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the fresh unrest comes as Israel is engaged in major hostilities with Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.

Israel's army said it "neutralised" an assailant who attempted to stab at soldier at a military post in Ofra, north of Ramallah.

Thousands of people in Beersheba are out of electricity after a rocket hit the electric grid in the city, The Jerusalem Post reported.

150 Palestinians injured in West Bank clashes with IDF, according to PA health ministry.

Warning shots fired at rioters along Lebanese border, says IDF

"A short while ago, IDF tanks fired warning shots toward a number of rioters who crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory.The suspects sabotaged the fence and set a fire in the area before returning to Lebanese territory," the IDF said in a tweet.

Turkey's Erdogan says UN must act to halt Gaza conflict

President Tayyip Erdogan called on the United Nations and Muslim countries on Friday to halt the worst fighting between Israel and Gaza militants in years, saying Turkey would support any UNinitiative to end the violence.

Repeating accusations that Israel's actions in Jerusalem and Gaza showed it to be a "terrorist state", Erdogan said he had discussed the conflict with the leaders or governments of 19 countries. (Reuters)

Emergency curfew protocols put in place in Lod for another night as riots continue despite attempts to restore control, The Jerusalem Post has said.

IDF has strikenHamas cyber cell andtunnel network in a non-stop assault on Gaza

2 Palestinians killed, over 100 hurt in West Bank unrest

Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank on Friday, including one who attempted to stab a soldier, as clashes injured more than 100 people in the occupied territory.

Violence on Fridays in the West Bank is a traditional facet of the long running Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the fresh unrest comes as Israel is engaged in major hostilities with Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.

Israel's army said it "neutralised" an assailant who attempted to stab at soldier at a military post in Ofra, north of Ramallah. (AFP)

Israeli Justice Minister Benny Gantz called on big social media platforms to remove content from their sites that incites violence or spreads misinformation. Gantz called the conflicta moment of social emergency. The spokesman said the executives expressed their commitment to act quickly and effectively to prevent incitement on their networks. (Times of Israel)

The Italian Health Ministry has announced that Israeli tourists will be able to enter Italy starting from May 16, The Jerusalem Post reported.

BREAKIN | More rocket sirens sounded in southern Israeli communities

Palestinian killed after alleged attack on soldier: Army

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank on Friday after he attempted to stab a soldier, the army and Palestinian health ministry said.

The army said "the assailant arrived in his vehicle to a military post adjacent to the community of Ofra, north of Ramallah, and accelerated" towards a soldier before the attempted stabbing.

It said the alleged assailant had been "neutralised," and that there were no Israelis injured in the attack.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the man's death. (AFP)

Defense Minister Benny Gantz has held a situational assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi and other top security officials “after last night’s attacks and ahead of the continuation of the campaign” in Gaza, Times of Israel has reported.

JUST IN |Suspected drone from Gaza has triggeredsirens in border communities

Palestinian families grabbed their children and belongings and fled neighborhoods on the outskirts of Gaza City on Friday as Israel unleashed heavy artillery fire at what it said was a large network of militant tunnels ahead of a possible ground invasion.

Israel has massed troops along the border and called up 9,000 reservists as fighting intensifies with the Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. Palestinian militants have fired some 1,800 rockets, and the Israeli military has launched more than 600 airstrikes, toppling at least three high-rise apartment buildings, and has shelled some areas with tanks stationed near the frontier. (AP)

Germany will not tolerate 'anti-Semitic' protests

Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Friday that Germany would not tolerate anti-Semitic demonstrations following protests outside synagogues at which demonstrators shouted anti-Jewish slogans and burned Israeli flags over the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

"Anyone who attacks a synagogue or defiles Jewish symbols shows that for them it is not about criticising a state or the policies of a government, but about aggression and hate towards a religion and the people who belong to it," Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said. (AFP)

Beset by virus, Gaza's hospitals now struggle with wounded

Just weeks ago, the Gaza Strip's feeble health system was struggling with a runaway surge of coronavirus cases. Authorities cleared out hospital operating rooms, suspended nonessential care and redeployed doctors to patients having difficulty breathing.

Then, the bombs began to fall.

This week's violence between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers has killed 119 Palestinians, including 31 children, and wounded 830 people in the impoverished territory. Israeli airstrikes have pounded apartments, blown up cars and toppled buildings.

Doctors across the crowded coastal enclave are now reallocating intensive care unit beds and scrambling to keep up with a very different health crisis: treating blast and shrapnel wounds, bandaging cuts and performing amputations. (PTI)

Thousands of Muslims, activists from an Islamic political party in Bangladesh protested in Dhaka, condemning attacks by Israel against Palestinians. After the end of Eid ul-Fitr prayers at Dhaka's main Baitul Mokarram Mosque, the Islamic Andolan Bangladesh, or Islamic Movement Bangladesh, began protestsand were joined by thousands.

Austria stands with Israel

"Today, as a sign of solidarity with Israel, the Israeli flag was hoisted at the Federal Chancellery, Austria. The terrorist attacks on Israel must be condemned in the strongest possible terms! We stand by Israel's side," Sebastian Kurz, Chancellor of Austria, tweeted.

French President Emmanuel Macron calls for an immediate ceasefire

In a tweet in Arabic and Hebrew, French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire and said,"the cycle of violence in the Middle East must stop. I strongly call for a ceasefire and for dialogue. I call for calm and peace."

Hamas releaseda video of the “Shehab” suicide drone, which the terror group has launchedtoward Israel since yesterday. The IDF claims to have intercepted five of the unmanned aircraft, which carry a roughly five-kilogram explosive payload, Times of Israel reported.

Biden asks Israel PM to calm conflict

USPresident Joe Biden has spoken to IsraelPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about calming the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The conflict has claimed the lives of 103 Palestinians and seven Israelis, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health and Israel, respectively.

Israeli heavy artillery shelling in the northern Gaza Strip ahead of a possible ground invasion. Palestinian armed groups have fired about 1,800 rockets this week. Community violence continues in Israel for a fourth consecutive night. (AFP)

ICC prosecutor warns against crimes in escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence

Individuals involved in a new eruption of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed may be targeted by an International Criminal Court investigation now underway into alleged war crimes in earlier bouts of the conflict, its top prosecutor said in an interview.

The ICC's Fatou Bensouda told Reuters she would press ahead with her inquiry even without the cooperation of Israel, which accuses her office of anti-Semitic bias and - like its closest ally the United States - rejected membership in the treaty-based court, objecting to its jurisdiction. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, reports suggest that police arrested four residents of East Jerusalem suspected in taking part in the violence on Jerusalem Day.

Israel down another drone fropm Gaza trying to enter Israeli airspace

Palestinian health authorities update death toll. 119 killed now and over 600 are injured.

Israel fires fresh salvo of rockets into Gaza, Hamas's onslaught continues

An Israeli 155mm self-propelled howitzer, loaded on a trailer, arrives at a position along the Israel-Gaza border

Israel deployed additional troops to Gaza's border as the military conflict with Palestinian Islamists raged on, while inside Israel security forces scrambled to contain deadly riots between Jews and Arabs. Credit: AFP Photo

Mefsalim in the south of Israel under red alert, air raid sirens ring.

Red alert air raid sirens blare south of Ashkelon, close to the industrial area.

Rihanna draws attention to crisis and violence, evoking flak and praise from fans

Rihanna drew flak and appreciation online after she called for an end to the end of violence in Israel and Palestine.

“Innocent Israeli and Palestinian children are hiding in bomb shelters…There needs to be some kind of resolve! We are sadly watching innocent people fall victim to notions perpetrated by government and extremists, and this cycle needs to be broken!” she wrote on Instagram to her over 95 million followers on Wednesday.

Some fans were displeased by her "both-sides" stance, whilst others praised her for using her large platform and following to raise awareness

160 Israeli aircraft simultenously attacked Hamas-dug tunnels

160 aircraft flying at the same time attacked a network of tunnel used by the Hamas under Gaza. This attack was around midnight and is the largest attack since the escalation of violence, reports The Times of Israel quoting the military.

Death toll up to 115, 25 of the dead are children, Palestinian authorities inform

Screams of fear could be heard several kilometres away as Israeli threatens ground invasion of Gaza

Early Friday, the Israeli military said air and ground troops struck Gaza in what appeared to be the heaviest attacks yet. Masses of red flames illuminated the skies as the deafening blasts from the outskirts of Gaza City jolted people awake. The strikes were so strong that screams of fear could be heard from people inside the city, several kilometers away.

An 87-year-old Israeli woman died from a head injury sustained as she headed to a bomb shelter during a rocket attack. She was the 8th fatality in this round of fighting. A heavy barrage of rockets reportedly landed in Ashdod and surrounding regions.

Red alert air raid sirens sounded in and around Ashkelon and Ashdod cities.

Israeli forces detain a group of Arab-Israelis in the mixed Jewish-Arab city of Lod during clashes between Israeli far-right extremists and Arab-Israelis. Credit: AFP Photo

109 Palestinians, 28 of which are children die due to the escalation of violence

Gaza's Health Ministry said the death toll has climbed to 109 Palestinians, including 28 children and 15 women, with 621 people wounded. The Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups have confirmed 20 deaths in their ranks, though Israel says that number is much higher. Seven people have been killed in Israel, including a 6-year-old boy.

IDF has clarified that no Israeli troops entered the Gaza Strip late last night, but were at the border on the Israeli side. Earlier, a tweet by the IDF led to a misunderstanding of ground operations by Israel in Gazan territory. Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman has said that the military is investigating what led to the misunderstanding.

Reportedly, rockets are being fired at Sderot area in southern Israel.

Israeli residents who lived 4 km from Gaza border were earlier directed to remain in shelters. Now, the directive has been lifted.

IDF shoots down Hamas drone

“The airforce tracked the drone until it was downed,” The Times of Israel reported quoting the army.

Yesterday, a suicide drone from Hamas was shot down by an F-16 as it was trying to enter Israeli airspace.

Palestinian families take shelter in a UN school in Gaza City fleeing from Beit Lahia

Israel pounded Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border Thursday as Palestinians fired barrages of rockets back, with the death toll in the enclave on the fourth day of conflict climbing to over 100. Credit: AFP Photo

US issues fresh travel advisory for Israel, West Bank, Gaza

The Pentagon has airliffted over 100 people out of the country.

Reconsider travel to Israel due to armed conflict and civil unrest. Exercise increased caution in Israel due to Covid, the US State Department said.

Palestinian forces have launched 1,750 rockets towards Israel

Palestinian forces have launched 1,750 rockets towards Israel, IDF claims, adding that 7 Israeli citizens have been killed and injured over 523 and hit a school, hospital, bus and homes.

IDF struck over 650 terror targets in Gaza in response. They list rocket launch sites, 10 attack tunnels and say they have killed over 100 Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives.

More red alert sirens go off in southern Israel after two hours of quiet in the region.

Israeli army spokesman John Conricus said the country was "prepared...for various scenarios", describing a ground offensive as "one scenario".

France President Emmanuel Macron calls for peace

The spiral of violence in the Middle East must stop. I strongly call for a ceasefire and for dialogue. I call for calm and peace.

Red alert sirens blare in towns bordering Gaza

Sirens have been sounded Holit, Nir Itzhak, Sufa, Pri Gan.

Israel-Palestine conflict escalates, images of violence surface from Gaza

We are dealing with a campaign on two fronts, says Netanyahu

The first front – Gaza. I said that we would exact a very heavy price from Hamas and the other terrorist organizations, says Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

What is going on in the Israel-Palestine violence?

Israel not overreacting, Biden says on attacks at Gaza

Biden told reporters on Thursday that "there has not been a significant overreaction" by the Israelis to the attacks.

"The question is how they get to a point where there is a significant reduction in the attacks, particularly the rocket attacks that are indiscriminately fired into population centers," he said. "It's a work in progress right now."

Six civilians and a soldier have been killed by Hamas rockets inside Israel since the escalation of clashes on Monday.

A Palestinian man pushes his bicycle past a crater on the ground near the al-Sharouk tower in Gaza

The tower housed the bureau of the Al-Aqsa television channel in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, after it was destroyed by an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City, on May 13. Israel faced an escalating conflict on two fronts, scrambling to quell riots between Arabs and Jews on its own streets after days of exchanging deadly fire with Palestinian militants in Gaza. Credit: AFP Photo

Israel-Palestine conflict escalates, Gaza death toll tops 100

Israel pounded Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border Thursday as Palestinians fired barrages of rockets back, with the death toll in the enclave on the fourth day of conflict climbing to over 100.

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UN buildings hit in rocket attacks

On May 11 and 12 at least 4 UNRWA buildings were hit within the context of military operations on Gaza, causing extensive damage, says United Nations Relief Works Agency.

Rockets light up the night sky as they are fired towards Israel from Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip

Israel pounded Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border as Palestinians fired barrages of rockets back, with the death toll in the enclave on the fourth day of conflict climbing to over 100. Credit: AFP Photo

UN Security Council to meet Sunday on Mideast after US delay

The UN Security Council will hold a virtual public meeting Sunday to address the soaring violence between Israel and the Palestinians, diplomats said Thursday.

The United States, which had blocked an originally scheduled Friday session and proposed a meeting early next week, agreed to move the session -- requested by Tunisia, Norway and China -- to Sunday, the same sources said.