May 27: Official says Israel to wait before deciding on sending team to fresh hostage talks

UN chief, Canadian foreign minister call for end to Gaza ‘horror’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has joined a chorus of condemnation following an Israeli strike on Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, saying Monday that the attack “killed scores of innocent civilians who were only seeking shelter from this deadly conflict.”

“There is no safe place in Gaza. This horror must stop,” Guterres adds in a social media post.

Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza say 45 people died when a fire ripped through a tent encampment for displaced Gazans following an Israeli strike in Rafah. Israel says it targeted and killed two senior Hamas terrorists.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly is also outspoken about the deaths, saying Ottawa is “horrified” and calling for an immediate ceasefire.

“Canada does not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah. This level of human suffering must come to an end,” Joly says in a posting on X.

Like most other comments from world leaders slamming Israel for the deaths, Joly’s call for a ceasefire does not include any demand that Gazan terrorists release over 120 hostages held in Gaza for some eight months.

Shrapnel from Israeli strike may have ignited fuel tank near Rafah tents, report says

Israeli officials have told the US that they believe tents housing displaced Gazans went up in flames after a fuel tank was set alight following an airstrike on top Hamas terrorists nearby, ABC news reports.

The tank was located some 100 meters (330 feet) from the area targeted in the airstrike, but was ignited by shrapnel or something else following the Israeli attack, the network reports, citing an unnamed US official.

According to the report, the US has no way to validate or reject Israel’s version of events and is awaiting the outcome of a probe into the deadly incident.

Iraqi group claims drone attack on Eilat as fresh alarms sound

A consortium of Iran-backed groups in Iraq says they launched three drones at the Eilat region.

The claim, by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, comes as a drone alert sounds in Eilat and surrounding areas for a second time in minutes.

Drone alert in Eilat

A drone alert is sounding in the Red Sea resort city of Eilat, as well as surrounding areas.

US military says it blasted Houthi drone out of sky over Red Sea

US forces destroyed an uncrewed aerial system launched over the Red Sea early Monday morning from an area of Yemen controlled by Iranian-backed Houthis, the US Central Command says.

The drone “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels in the region,” CentCom says.

The Houthis earlier claimed to have attacked three merchant vessels and two warships in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

Israel waiting to hear Hamas stance before deciding on rejoining hostage talks — official

Israel is waiting for more information from the mediators on what Hamas’s latest positions are before it makes any decision on sending a team of negotiators to resumed talks on a hostage deal, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.

On Saturday, a senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel that talks were set to resume this week, after Mossad chief David Barnea discussed “building a foundation” for the resumption of talks with CIA Director William Burns and Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. At the end of the meeting, the official said the three agreed to restart talks on “new proposals led by the mediators Egypt and Qatar, with active involvement of the US.”

During the Paris talks, Barnea presented Burns and al-Thani with Israel’s latest proposal and was briefed by the CIA chief on possible solutions for unspecified matters of contention in past rounds of talks, according to the official.

On Sunday, a Hamas official said it had not seen any new proposals and insisted that it would not budge from its demand that any deal include an end to the war.

In a Knesset speech today, Netanyahu denied claims that he and his coalition allies are avoiding reaching an agreement to halt fighting and bring the captives home, after the military’s point person to the talks was quoted complaining that the government refused to show flexibility.

“I totally reject the idea that I am not giving the negotiating team the mandate it’s requested,” Netanyahu asserted, claiming he has okayed requests for increased flexibility five times since late December.

Explosives drones launched into northern Israel by Hezbollah, one downed

Two explosive-packed drones were launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon earlier this evening, with the IDF reporting that one was downed by air defenses, while the second struck an area in the Western Galilee.

The drones both crossed into Israeli airspace in the Western Galilee. The IDF says it is investigating why it failed to intercept the second device.

There are no reports of injuries.

Hezbollah in a statement claims to have targeted an Israeli military position near Nahariya with explosive-laden drones.

Rocket alarms were activated in several Western Galilee communities during the incident, due to fears of falling shrapnel following the interception.

Anti-Israel rallies in Paris, Madrid draw thousands, in anger over Rafah strike

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have gathered in Paris to protest against Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, pictures and video show.

The rally takes place in the Saint Augustin area of the French capital’s 8th district, not far from the Israeli embassy.

Manifestation massive sur la Saint-Augustin à Paris en soutien à la Palestine suite aux frappes israéliennes sur Rafah.#Palestine #Rafah #Israel pic.twitter.com/cVt0ryCaev

— Luc Auffret (@LucAuffret) May 27, 2024

In a video, thousands can be heard chanting, “The whole world hates Israel.”

Protests are also reported in Madrid and Barcelona.

Protesters hold signs reading, ‘Boycott Israel, It worked with South-Africa,’ and use imagery comparing Israel to Nazis as they gather during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, in front of the Foreign Affairs ministry in Madrid, on May 27, 2024. (Thomas COEX / AFP)

European leaders have led a global outcry over an Israeli airstrike against two senior terrorists that triggered a fire killing 45 people in a tent camp in the Gazan city of Rafah, according to an unverified toll from Hamas-run health authorities.

Slovenia set to speed up Palestinian state recognition

Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob says his government will decide on the recognition of a Palestinian state on Thursday and forward its decision to parliament for final approval.

Slovenia launched the recognition procedure earlier this month, and Golob has been under pressure to speed up the process since Spain, Norway, and Ireland announced they would go ahead with recognition.

Meanwhile, Germany has joined a chorus of criticism of Israel following the deaths of dozens of civilians when an airstrike seemingly set off a fire in a tent camp for displaced people, with its foreign ministry calling for a swift investigation.

“The images of charred bodies, including children, from the airstrike in #Rafah are unbearable,” Berlin says on X.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto warns strikes like the Rafah attack, which targeted and killed two senior Hamas terrorists, will have long-standing repercussions. “Israel with this choice is spreading hatred, rooting hatred that will involve their children and grandchildren. I would have preferred another decision,″ he tells SKY TG24.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares says Spain and other countries asked EU Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell “to provide a list of what measures the European Union could apply” to make Israel heed a World Court ruling appearing to order a halt to military action in Gaza, and explain what the EU has done in the past in similar circumstances “when there has been a flagrant violation of international law.”

Minister tasked with restricting Meron access brought family on banned pilgrimage — report

Then-deputy education minister Meir Porush of the United Torah Judaism party addresses the Knesset on June 17, 2015. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90/File)

Minister Meir Porush is facing criticism after a report aired by the Kan public broadcaster revealed that he arranged for his wife and three adult children to accompany him on a pilgrimage to Mount Meron, even as he promoted heavy restrictions banning all but a few representatives from the northern Israel site over security concerns.

Porush, along with his wife, his daughter, and his two sons, reportedly spent all of Shabbat at the Meron site on the eve of Lag B’omer, when hundreds of thousands traditionally visit the gravesite of second-century sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Due to the area’s proximity to the Lebanese border, the government passed emergency measures this year barring all but 30 people from worshiping at the site.

The minister’s office said that Porush, who had responsibility over the security precautions that closed the site, was there in order to manage the closure, and that his family members only joined him to help.

His two sons, one of whom is the former mayor of Elad in central Israel, are said to have received permits on the premise that they were their father’s drivers.

Ultra-Orthodox men try to reach the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Mount Meron after it was declared a closed military zone, during the Jewish holiday of Lag B’Omer, May 26, 2024. (David Cohen/Flash90)

“Minister Porush stayed in Meron for a few days before the holiday for management purposes, with the help of a team from his office,” the minister’s office responded in a statement.

“His wife and his daughter helped him with his personal needs over the course of his stay,” the statement continued. “The minister’s sons served as his drivers through round-the-clock shifts, as they have done for years.”

Mount Meron has been bombarded repeatedly by the the Hezbollah terror group, including a barrage of 35 rockets fired at the area earlier today. Aside from the shrine, the mountain is home to a sensitive military installation.

Rocket launched at Gaza-area communities hit open area — IDF

One rocket launched from the Gaza Strip at border communities in southern Israel a short while ago struck an unpopulated area, the military says.

No injuries or damage were caused.

Sirens had sounded in Sa’ad and Nahal Oz, two kibbutzim adjacent to Gaza.

IDF exchange with Egyptian troops set off by firefight with Gazans — Egyptian report

A firefight between Israeli and Egyptian soldiers on the Gaza border was triggered by an exchange of gunfire “between Israeli forces and members of the Palestinian resistance, which led to shooting in several directions,” a high-level source tells Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News, citing a preliminary investigation.

The source says Egypt will take necessary measures to prevent the incident from recurring, and has warned against compromising the security and safety of its security forces, al-Qahera reports.

Air raid alarms go off in Shlomi, other northern towns

Rocket sirens are sounding in several towns in the western Galilee near the border with Lebanon.

Alarms are triggered in the town of Shlomi and the small communities of Avidon and Manot further inside Israel.

Over 80 rockets and missiles have been fired from Lebanon at Israel already today, according to Hebrew-language reports.

Rocket sirens sound in southern communities

Rocket alarms are going off in Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Kibbutz Sa’ad near the Gaza border, seemingly marking the first such attacks of the day from Gaza, after a day that has seen dozens of rocket and missile attacks on northern communities.

The apparent launch comes a day after a rocket impacted next to a school in Sa’ad, causing some damage to a car.

Ben Gvir looking to boot top cop Shabtai early, accusing him of checking out of job

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (right) and Police Chief Kobi Shabtai at the funeral of Border Police officer Sgt. Shay Germay at Karmiel military cemetery on January 7, 2024. (David Cohen/Flash90)

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir says he is seeking to oust police chief Kobi Shabtai, accusing him of failing on the job, of checking out, and of being only interested in handing out promotions for his associates.

“For example, during preparations for events on Mount Meron, you did not appear at a situational assessment summing up the issue, you didn’t visit the operations room on the ground, and according to senior police officials, you were totally ‘out of touch,'” Ben Gvir writes in a letter inviting Shabtai to a hearing, according to the minister’s office. “These things are on top of the lack of substantive meetings… on crime in the Arab community and organized crime, despite my instructions on the subject, and the lack of discussions on car thefts, traffic crashes, police recruitment, budgeting, equipment and acquisitions, and general management of the police, while cops report to me on your general absence from work.”

Shabtai’s tenure is due to end on July 17 after Ben Gvir reluctantly extended his term for six months in January.

The top cop and minister have had a famously up-and-down relationship, with Ben Gvir’s attempts to closely manage the force causing friction between the two.

A pre-termination hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, after which Ben Gvir intends to ask the government to approve his early retirement.

In early April, Ben Gvir announced that Deputy Commissioner Avshalom Peled would become Israel’s next police commissioner once Shabtai vacated the post. The pick received scrutiny due to Ben Gvir’s history with Peled, who some have charged will act as a puppet to the minister, and a reported criminal probe involving the officer.

UN nuclear watchdog says Iran enriched more uranium to near-weapons grade

Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report on Monday by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the latest in Tehran’s attempts to steadily exert pressure on the international community.

The report, seen by The Associated Press, says Iran now has 142.1 kilograms (313.2 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% — an increase of 20.6 kilograms (45.4 pounds) since the last report by the UN watchdog in February. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

According to the report, Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium at the current moment stands at 6,201.3 kilograms (1,3671.5 pounds), which represents an increase of 675.8 kilograms (1,489.8 pounds) since the previous report of the IAEA (Director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency).

IAEA’s definition says that around 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible — if the material is enriched to 90%.

Monday’s report also says Tehran has not reconsidered its September 2023 decision to bar IAEA inspectors from further monitoring its nuclear program and added that it expects Iran “to do so in the context of the ongoing consultations between the (IAEA) agency and Iran.”

According to the report, Rafael Grossi, director general of the IAEA,
“deeply regrets” Iran’s decision to bar inspectors — and a reversal of that decision “remains essential to fully allow the agency to conduct its verification activities in Iran effectively.”

The deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have triggered a pause in the IAEA’s talks with Tehran over improving cooperation, the report acknowledges.

Before the May 19 helicopter crash, Iran had agreed to hold technical negotiations on May 20, following a visit by Grossi earlier in the month. But those meetings fell apart due to the crash. Iran then sent a letter on May 21, saying its nuclear team wants to continue discussions in Tehran “on an appropriate date that will be mutually agreed upon,” the report says.

The report also says Iran has still not provided answers to the IAEA’s years-long investigation about the origin and current location of manmade uranium particles found at two locations that Tehran has failed to declare as potential nuclear sites, Varamin and Turquzabad.

The report also says there was no progress so far in reinstalling more monitoring equipment, including cameras, removed in June 2022.

Houthis claim to attack three freighters, two warships

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis say they launched attacks on three ships in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, and two US destroyers in the Red Sea.

The group, which describes its attacks as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Israel’s war in Gaza, names the ships as the Larego Desert and the MSC Mechela in the Indian Ocean, and the Minerva Lisa in the Red Sea. It does not name the destroyers.

There is no immediate confirmation from shipping companies or the US military of any attacks in those areas

The Houthis’ military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, does not specify when the attacks took place, but says in a televised speech the group had used missiles against the ships and drones against the US destroyers.

EU to look into reviving Rafah mission

The European Union has agreed in principle on Monday to revive an EU civilian mission in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says.

The European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Rafah, has not been operational since 2007, when Hamas seized full control of Gaza.

“They gave me green light, the political green light to reactivate EUBAM, our mission in Rafah. This could play a useful role in supporting the entry of people into Gaza, in and out,” Borrell told reporters after a monthly meeting of EU foreign ministers that also saw key Arab ministers join the talks.

“But this has to be done in accordance with the Palestinian Authority, the Egyptians, and obviously Israel, Israel’s authorities. We are not going to do that alone. We are not going to be the outsourcers of the security in the border. We are not a security company,” he says, adding that the bloc would prepare technical plans for now.

Diplomats have said the mission is unlikely to be in place before hostilities in Rafah stop.

Borrell also says the bloc agreed for the first time to hold a meeting of the EU-Israel Council — the body that coordinates trade between the two — to discuss the situation in Gaza, respect of human rights, and the impact of a World Court ruling on the association agreement.

Borrell accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of making up claims of hatred against Jews for his own political ends, after the premier labeled ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan decision to seek arrest warrants against him and his defense minister as evidence of “new antisemitism.”

Borrell describes the comment as intimidation, saying accusations of antisemitism are made every time that anyone “does something that Netanyahu doesn’t like.”

Israeli jets hit Hezbollah launchers as group claims attack on Kiryat Shmona

Israeli fighter jets struck Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon that were used in a barrage earlier today on the Mount Meron area in northern Israel, the military says.

The IDF releases footage of the strike.

Israeli fighter jets struck Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon, used in a barrage earlier today on the Mount Meron area in northern Israel, the military says. pic.twitter.com/tgrotlpQrA

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 27, 2024

Meanwhile, Hezbollah claims attacks on Kiryat Shmona and other nearby communities launched about 90 minutes ago, saying it fired “dozens of Katyushas” and other types of projectiles.

It says the attack on Kiryat Shmona is in retaliation for what it describes as an Israeli attack on a hospital in Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.

US laments ‘devastating’ Rafah strike, reiterates call for Israel to better protect civilians

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike adjacent to where displaced people were staying in Rafah, Gaza Strip, May 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The White House laments the “devastating” and “heartbreaking” images coming out of Rafah after last night’s IDF strike that reportedly killed dozens of civilians sheltering in tents in the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood.

“Israel has a right to go after Hamas, and we understand this strike killed two senior Hamas terrorists who are responsible for attacks against Israeli civilians, but, as we’ve been clear, Israel must take every precaution possible to protect civilians, says a National Security Council spokesperson.

“We are actively engaging the IDF and partners on the ground to assess what happened,” the spokesperson adds.

Government okays adding Jews killed in terror, antisemitic attacks outside Israel to Memorial Day commemorations

The government has adopted a plan for commemorating Diaspora Jews who were killed in antisemitic attacks and terror attacks around the world, says the World Zionist Organization, which has worked on promoting the idea.

The plan, designed by the Ruderman Family Foundation, is based on a list of recommendations drawn up by a panel of experts in 2023 on how to commemorate Jews who “lost their lives due to their Jewishness in hostile acts on an antisemitic background in the Diaspora,” as stated in the list.

The recommendations include building a state monument to the victims of such attacks and compiling a database with all the victims’ names and information about them and the circumstances of their death.

References to the slaying of Diaspora Jews in antisemitic attacks will be added to Israel’s Memorial Day, which will also function as the memorial day for that group of victims. The office of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli is to head the implementation of the changes.

“This is a courageous government decision that strengthens the bond of shared destiny between Israel and the Jewish world, which has become more evident than ever since October 7,” says Shira Ruderman, executive director of the Ruderman Family Foundation, in a statement.

Blazes ignited by rockets scorch Kiryat Shmona, other northern towns

Authorities say they are dealing with several fires that broke out in and around Kiryat Shmona after the city was targeted in a rocket attack from Lebanon.

The military says a barrage of some 25 rockets was launched from Lebanon at the northern city a short while ago.

According to the IDF, some of the rockets were intercepted.

A police statement says several pieces of shrapnel impacted around Kiryat Shmona, causing material damage, but no injuries. It says there are several fires in the city.

קרית שמונה עולה באש pic.twitter.com/DloQx6uwWm

— כל החדשות בזמן אמת ???? (@Saher95755738) May 27, 2024

The Magen David Adom ambulance service says it is scanning impact sites for possible injuries.

The Fire and Rescue Service says 15 crews are battling blazes in Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Yuval, Beit Hillel, Malkiyeh, Dishon, Tzivon, and Meron.

Upper Galilee fire chief Eli Mor says in a statement that some fires are contained and efforts are concentrating on keeping the blazes from reaching built up areas. He says crews from other parts of the country are among those called in to fight the fire.

“For more than six hours ,we’ve been fighting fires in the wake of [rocket] impacts and under the constant threat of bombardment,” he says.

Rocket said to hit Kiryat Shmona after alarms triggered

Reports indicate that at least one projectile impacted inside Kiryat Shmona after rocket sirens sounded in the northern border city and surrounding areas.

The Magen David Adom rescue service says it is responding to calls in the Kiryat Shmona area in the wake of the attack.

Netanyahu: Claims I am blocking hostage deal are lies; Rafah strike was ‘tragic mishap’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Knesset on May 27, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sounds a defiant note from the Knesset rostrum, vowing to continue fighting in Gaza despite mounting international condemnation of Israel’s offensive in Rafah and rejecting accusations that the government is not negotiating in good faith for the release of hostages held in the Strip.

“Those who say they are not ready to stand up to the pressure raise the flag of defeat; I won’t raise any such flag, I will keep fighting until the flag of victory is raised,” he says. “I don’t intend to end the war before every goal has been achieved. If we give in, the massacre will return. If we give in, we will give a huge win to terror, to Iran.”

Touching on an incident last night in which a strike against two top Hamas commanders appeared to spark a blaze that spread through a tent encampment, killing dozens according to Gazan health authorities, Netanyahu claims that Israel has made attempts to keep civilians safe, evacuating 1 million people from Rafah, where 1.5 million were thought to be gathered before Israel’s offensive.

“Despite our efforts not to hurt them, there was a tragic mishap. We are investigating the incident,” he says. “For us it’s a tragedy, for Hamas it’s a strategy.”

With families of hostages present in the visitors’ gallery holding up pictures of their loved ones and reportedly chanting “now,” in reference to their demand for an immediate deal, Netanyahu denies claims that he and his coalition allies are avoiding reaching an agreement to halt fighting and bring the captives home.

Families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza protest in the Knesset visitors’ gallery on May 27, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

“I totally reject the idea that I am not giving the negotiating team the mandate it’s requested,” he asserts, claiming he has okayed requests for increased flexibility five times since late December.

“I approved all the suggestions, answered every request,” he claims, a day after a report cited leaked comments from the IDF’s point person to the talks claiming the government was not playing ball.

“These lying leaks that repeat the claim that we are the barrier [to a deal] are lies that not only hurt the families [of hostages], but much worse, push the [hostages’] freedom further off and harm the talks,” he says. “Instead of putting pressure on [Hamas in Gaza leader Yahya] Sinwar, it’s put on the Israeli government.”

UN calls on Israel to probe Rafah strike as criticism builds

The United Nations’ Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland says he is “deeply troubled” by a strike that Hamas health authorities say killed at least 45 people in Rafah.

“I call upon the Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into this incident, hold those responsible for any wrongdoing to account, and take immediate steps to better protect civilians,” the UN envoy says in a statement.

The IDF has announced that the incident will be probed by a high-level investigatory mechanism set up to look into such cases.

Wennesland also calls for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional return of hostages kidnapped by Gazan terrorists from Israel on October 7.

Meanwhile, the African Union accuses Israel of flouting an International Court of Justice ruling that appeared to order a halt to military activity endangering Rafah civilians.

“With horrific overnight air strikes killing mostly Palestinian women & children… the State of Israel continues to violate international law with impunity and in contempt of an ICJ ruling two days ago ordering an end to its military action in Rafah,” AU Commission head Moussa Faki Mahamat says on X.

“The ICJ order must be urgently enforced if global order is to prevail,” he adds.

Israel says it was targeting two senior Hamas commanders, who it killed, and has indicated the strike likely sparked a blaze that spread to a nearby tent encampment.

In Ireland, Foreign Minister Micheal Martin says that “on top of the hunger, on top of the starvation, the refusal to allow aid in sufficient volumes, what we witnessed last night is barbaric.”

Dozens of rockets fired at Mount Meron from Lebanon, sparking blaze

A barrage of some 35 rockets was launched from Lebanon at the Mount Meron area in northern Israel a short while ago, the military says.

The IDF says the rockets struck open areas, and there are no reports of injuries. However, the rocket impacts spark at least one fire near the northern community of Safsufa.

מירון pic.twitter.com/s0Fjd4thtz

— יאיר (@yairbitton45) May 27, 2024

A barrage of some 35 rockets was launched from Lebanon at the Mount Meron area in northern Israel a short while ago, the military says.

The IDF says the rockets struck open areas, and there are no reports of injuries.

The rocket impacts sparked a fire in the area, near the… pic.twitter.com/PnZFs2BmpX

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 27, 2024

The IDF says it is shelling south Lebanon’s Khiam, Houla, and Shebaa with artillery following the barrage.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah claims responsibility for an anti-tank guided missile attack earlier today in Metula, which damaged one home.

Captured Gazan tips off troops to location of Jabaliya arms cache

A cache of weapons found by troops in northern Gaza's Jabaliya, in a handout image published May 27, 2024 (Israel Defense Forces)

A captured Gazan fighter led troops of the 460th Armored Brigade to a cache of weapons in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya, the military says.

The IDF says that as the troops advanced in Jabaliya, a terror operative surrendered and was immediately questioned by a field interrogator of the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Unit 504, which specializes in HUMINT, or human intelligence.

The operative revealed the location of an arms store, which was raided by the troops a short while later, according to the IDF.

Inside, troops found communications equipment, explosive material, grenades, and guns, the military says.

Egypt confirms soldier killed in ‘shooting incident’ on Gaza border

Egypt says one of its soldiers was killed during a shooting incident near the border with the Gazan city of Rafah, appearing to confirm reports of a deadly firefight with Israeli troops.

“The Egyptian Armed Forces are conducting an investigation through the competent authorities regarding a shooting incident in the border area in Rafah, which led to the martyrdom of one of the personnel,” the Egyptian military posts on X, in its first comment on the incident.

The Egyptian statement does not mention Israel.

Nikki Haley visits Gaza border communities, blames China, Russia and Iran for October 7

Former South Carolina governor and former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, in the Gaza border community of Nir Oz, May 27, 2024. (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)

Touring communities affected by the October 7 massacre, former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley blames Russia and China for the devastation wrought by Hamas.

Accompanied by Likud MK Danny Danon, Haley warns that “if you think this will only be in Israel, if we are arrogant enough this could absolutely happen in America too.”

Haley asserts that October 7 was “orchestrated by Iran. It was helped with Russian intelligence. And it was fueled by money from China. Don’t deny that.” She does not offer evidence.

“China’s been funding Iran the entire time. Russia’s intelligence helped them know where everything was. Iran helped get them trained. So this isn’t Hamas. These are all murderers and accomplices,” she says in the empty lot where the Sderot police station stood before being destroyed in the attack. “If we really mean it’s never going to happen again, we have to be honest and truthful with ourselves who did this.”

The trip by the former South Carolina governor comes as speculation has ramped up that she may be angling for a spot on the Republican ticket as vice president to Donald Trump, whom she lost to in the presidential primary. Candidates often visit Israel to burnish their foreign policy credentials.

Haley says that while she will not criticize a sitting US president while abroad, “the sure way to not help Israel is to withhold weapons,” referring to US President Joe Biden’s recent decision to restrict arms transfers.

Bank of Israel leaves lending rate at 4.5%, but warns inflation could ramp up

People shop at the the Vintage Market in Tel Aviv on May 24, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

The Bank of Israel is leaving interest rates unchanged at 4.5 percent, noting that consumer prices are still on the rise and warning of increasing inflationary pressures as seven months of war with Hamas continue to bite into the economy.

This is the third consecutive time officials have decided to leave the rate at 4.5%.

The Bank of Israel’s monetary policy committee cites “several risks of a potential acceleration in inflation: geopolitical developments and their effects on economic activity, a depreciation of the shekel, continued supply constraints on activity in the construction and air travel industries, fiscal developments, and global oil prices.”

The last rate cut came in January, as the bank reduced the base lending rate for the first time in almost four years by 25 basis points, from 4.75%, to support households and businesses battered financially by the war, and thanks to an easing inflation environment at the time.

Ahead of the interest rate decision, economists were in consensus for interest rates to remain steady and forecast that borrowing costs for mortgage and loan holders would stay high in the coming few months amid heightened inflationary pressure, persistent regional tensions, and higher fiscal spending as defense costs rise.

Consumer prices in Israel over the past two months quickened at a faster pace than forecast, led by an increase in housing prices and higher travel and transportation costs, according to data by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Year-over-year inflation accelerated to 2.8% in April, up from 2.7% in March, and 2.5% in February. The government’s annual target range of inflation is 1% to 3%.

IDF says it did not expect Rafah strike to harm civilians, took steps to avoid hitting them

Palestinians look at the destruction after Israeli strike on what the IDF said was a Hamas compound, adjacent to a camp for internally displaced people in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP/Jehad Alshrafi)

Israel’s military says it took steps to reduce harm to civilians before carrying out a strike targeting two senior Hamas officials that reportedly killed dozens of Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza’s Rafah last night, and did not think it would affect innocent Gazans.

The airstrike in the Tel Sultan area of western Rafah targeted and killed the commander of Hamas’s so-called West Bank headquarters — charged with advancing attacks against Israel in and from the West Bank — as well as another top member of the unit, according to the army. But Gazans say the strike set off a major conflagration in an area packed with displaced Gazans sheltering in tents and makeshift housing, killing 45.

The strike was carried out based on “intelligence information on the presence of the terrorists in the area,” the Israel Defense Forces says in a statement. Before launching the action, the army carried out “many steps to reduce the chance of harming uninvolved [civilians], including aerial surveillance, the use of precision munitions, and additional intelligence information.”

It says that “based on [these steps] it was estimated that no harm was expected to uninvolved civilians.”

The military’s top-tier General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism will probe the Israeli airstrike, the IDF announces.

The mechanism is an independent military body responsible for investigating unusual incidents amid the war. The probe was ordered by Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Yomer, the IDF says.

A military source says two missiles with a “reduced in size” warhead, which were adapted for such targets, were used in the strike.

The IDF notes that the strike did not take place in the designated “humanitarian zone” in the al-Mawasi region on the coast, where the military has called Palestinians to evacuate to.

Israel said to accuse Egyptians of starting deadly border exchange

The Ynet news site quotes unnamed Israeli military sources blaming Egypt for a deadly exchange of fire on the Gaza-Egypt border.

According to the report, Egyptian forces opened fire on Israeli troops at the Rafah Border Crossing, who responded with fire of their own.

According to reports, an Egyptian soldier was killed in the incident. Ynet reports that other Egyptian troops were also injured.

There is no official comment from Cairo on the incident.

IDF confirms incident at Rafah Crossing, says it’s in touch with Egypt

The IDF says officials are in contact with Egypt following “a shooting incident” on the Gaza-Egypt border, after media reports described an armed clash between the sides that left an Egyptian soldier dead.

“A few hours ago there was a shooting incident on the Egyptian border, the [incident] is under investigation, dialogue is taking place with the Egyptian side,” the military says.

Egyptian soldier said killed in armed exchange with Israeli troops at Rafah Crossing

There was an exchange of fire earlier today between Israeli troops and Egyptian forces near the Rafah Border Crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, it is permitted for publication.

According to media reports, an Egyptian soldier was killed in the incident.

There are no casualties among Israeli forces.

Further details are not immediately cleared for publication. The IDF has not issued a statement on the incident yet.

Iran says backing for Palestinian ‘resistance’ unaffected by Raisi’s death

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani says the death of president Ebrahim Raisi will not change the country’s level of support for Palestinian groups fighting Israel and will not affect efforts to reach a deal with the US to lift sanctions.

Support for “the oppressed people of Palestine and resistance groups [pursuing] the unalienable rights of the Palestinians to the liberation of their land and standing against the usurping Zionist regime” will carry on as usual, Kanaani says at a press briefing. “Supporting the Palestinian nation is a moral duty and an international responsibility.”

“There has been no change in the approach or the structure of our indirect talks [with the US] within the framework of negotiations to remove unfair sanctions. We will continue diplomatic effort within the same framework and with the same approach,” he adds.

While Raisi was Iran’s highest elected official, the country’s policy is largely set by its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Meanwhile, Iran’s acting President Mohammad Mokhber praises Raisi for keeping Iran’s economy stable even as the country launched military strikes against Israel, Pakistan and Iraq, in his first public speech since last week’s helicopter crash that killed his predecessor and seven others.

“Three countries were hit. We hit Israel, people find that figures and indexes are the same in the morning when they wake up, price of hard currency is the same, inflation is the same, liquidity is the same and the market is full of people’s needs,” Mokhber claims. “This strength, this settlement and this power is not a usual thing, they all were because of guidance by the supreme leader and the sincere efforts of Ayatollah Raisi.”

The Iranian rial has tumbled from a rate of 32,000 rials to $1 at the time of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Today, it stands around 580,000 to $1 in the wake of the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the accord and a series of attacks on shipping in the Mideast, first attributed to Iran and later involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels as Israel’s war against Hamas on the Gaza Strip began over seven months ago.

EU’s Borrell, France’s Macron express ‘outrage,’ ‘horror’ over fiery strike in Rafah

French President Emmanuel Macron says he is “outraged” by Israeli strikes that caused widespread death and destruction in a camp housing displaced Palestinians in Rafah, demanding an “immediate ceasefire.”

“These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians,” Macron says on X in English.

Outraged by the Israeli strikes that have killed many displaced persons in Rafah.

These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians.

I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 27, 2024

“I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire.”

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also condemns the strikes, which killed 45 people according to an unverified toll provided by Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza.

“Horrified by news coming out of Rafah on Israeli strikes killing dozens of displaced persons, including small children. I condemn this in the strongest terms,” Borrell writes on X.

Horrified by news coming out of #Rafah on Israeli strikes killing dozens of displaced persons, including small children. I condemn this in the strongest terms.

There is no safe place in Gaza. These attacks must stop immediately. ICJ orders & IHL must be respected by all parties.

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) May 27, 2024

He also reiterates his demand that Israel halt military action in line with an International Court of Justice order which, however is subject to interpretation.

“There is no safe place in Gaza. These attacks must stop immediately. ICJ orders & [international humanitarian law] must be respected by all parties,” he writes.

Israel says the strike targeted two senior Hamas terrorists. But the attack also apparently hit an area in Rafah’s Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah where thousands of people were taking shelter, setting blazes that engulfed several tents and shelters.

The military’s prosecutor general has launched a probe into the attack.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees describes the situation on the ground as “horrifying.”

“Gaza is hell on earth. Images from last night are yet another testament to that,” UNRWA writes on X.

Information coming out of #Rafah about further attacks on families seeking shelter is horrifying.

There are reports of mass causalities including children and women among those killed.

Gaza is hell on earth. Images from last night are yet another testament to that.

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) May 27, 2024

Israel’s ambassador to Dublin concerned Ireland’s recognition of Palestinian state could harm tech ties

Israel’s ambassador to Dublin warns that a crisis in bilateral ties over Ireland’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state sends the wrong message about Ireland as a tech hub and is worrying Israeli investors in the Irish IT services sector.

Speaking in Jerusalem, where she has held Foreign Ministry consultations after being recalled in protest, Ambassador Dana Erlich voices hope of returning to Ireland, although she says she sees its government as siding with the Palestinians against Israel. She says, however, that many Irish people sympathize with Israel “behind the scenes.”

“I think there is a lot of potential in our bilateral relations, if it’s cybersecurity or health care, climate change. I hope to be given that opportunity to continue that,” Erlich says.

But she says a public mood of hostility, which some Jews have deemed antisemitic, is making Israelis question their place in Ireland – a threat to tech services that account for the lion’s share of some $5 billion in annual trade between the countries.

“We are getting more and more phone calls and conversations of concerned people – if it’s Israelis who invest in Ireland and are concerned about their investment, if it’s Israelis who have relocated to Ireland into different tech companies and either are requesting to be relocated somewhere else or asking to return to Israel,” Erlich says.

“I think it sends the wrong message about the location and the centrality of Ireland as a tech hub when there are more and more people who are concerned about moving to Ireland. I don’t think that this is the message that Ireland wants to send to the world… And this is not what we want to see.”

IDF says it demolished large Hamas tunnel in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood

Amid a pinpoint raid that has been taking place in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, the IDF says it demolished a large Hamas tunnel.

The 800-meter-long, 18-meter-deep tunnel was located close to the Netzarim Corridor, where troops are stationed in Gaza, the IDF says.

Amid a pinpoint raid that has been taking place in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City, the IDF says it demolished a large Hamas tunnel.

The 800 meter-long and 18 meter-deep tunnel was located close to the Netzarim Corridor, where troops are stationed in Gaza, the IDF says. pic.twitter.com/fs835gquvE

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 27, 2024

Gantz accuses Netanyahu, ministers of prioritizing politics over security

File: War cabinet minister Benny Gantz holds a press conference in Ramat Gan, May 18, 2024. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

War cabinet minister Benny Gantz says the rejection of an appeal filed by National Unity party MK Chili Tropper against advancing a bill that would lower the age of exemption from military service for yeshiva students is evidence that “among Israel’s government ministers, politics comes before Israel’s security.”

“Instead of joining the war effort – they are uniting for coalition considerations,” he accuses.

“This law will not pass the Knesset, will not pass the High Court and most importantly — will not pass the public,” Gantz adds, saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “responsible for the breach in security” that Gantz says will occur if the bill passes into law.

Cabinet rejects appeal against advancing bill that lowers IDF exemption age for yeshiva students

The cabinet rejects an appeal by MK Chili Tropper against advancing a bill that would lower the age of exemption from military service for yeshiva students — paving the way for the Knesset to revive the 2022 legislation.

The bill “will be brought to a vote within 14 days” in the Knesset on whether it can be revived from the previous legislative session, the Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement.

Earlier this month, after failing to come to an agreement with his Haredi coalition partners, Netanyahu announced that he would revive the bill, which would lower the age of exemption from mandatory service for Haredi Torah students from the current 26 to 21 while “very slowly” increasing the rate of ultra-Orthodox enlistment.

The lower army exemption age would mean Haredi yeshiva students wishing not to serve could leave full-time study at a younger age and join the workforce.

The move by Netanyahu was criticized by both Minister Benny Gantz, who initially promoted the bill while serving as defense minister, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who said that he would block any draft law “brought unilaterally by some of the coalition factions.”

While promoting the bill two years ago, Gantz insisted that it needed to be accompanied by efforts to extend the national service requirement to both Haredi and Arab Israelis.

Erdogan vows to hold ‘barbaric’ Netanyahu accountable over deadly Rafah strikes

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that his country will do “everything possible” to hold “barbaric” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to account over deadly strikes in Rafah.

“We will do everything possible to hold these barbarians and murderers accountable who have nothing to do with humanity,” Erdogan says, after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza’s southernmost city reportedly killed at least 40 people, most of them civilians, in a center for displaced people.

Israel said the strike targeted two senior Hamas terrorists. But the attack also apparently hit an area in Rafah’s Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah where thousands of people were taking shelter, setting blazes that engulfed several tents and shelters.

Eisenkot: Pausing Rafah offensive for sake of a hostage deal is the right thing to do

Minister Gadi Eisenkot, a war cabinet observer, attends a conference at Reichman University in Herzliya, February 6, 2024 (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90).

MK Gadi Eisenkot, who is an observer in the war cabinet, has reportedly told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee that Israel should suspend its offensive in Rafah for as long as is necessary to secure the release of the hostages through a deal with Hamas.

According to Hebrew media reports, Eisenkot told the committee that the correct thing to do in the Gaza Strip is to “reach the end of the fighting in Rafah and at the same time, move forward with hostage deal, in which we will cease fighting for as long as it takes.”

“Just as we stopped for a truce last time, we can suspend the fighting and return to it for as long as it takes to achieve the goals of the war,” Eisenkot is said to have told the committee, referring to the weeklong truce in late November that brought about the release of 105 hostages.

Drone sirens sound in northern Israel communities

Suspected drone alerts are sounding in northern Israel communities close to the Lebanon border.

The sirens can be heard in multiple locations including in Beit Hillel, Kfar Yuval and Metula.

???? Large Red Alert [12:48:07] – 16 Alerts:

• Confrontation Line — Dafna, Ghajar, Kibutz Dan, Snir, Kfar Yuval, Misgav Am, Manara, HaGoshrim, Kiryat Shmona, Metulla, Ma'ayan Baruch, Shear Yeshuv, Kfar Giladi, Beit Hillel, Tel Hai, Margaliot#Israel #RocketAlert #RedAlert pic.twitter.com/nSV72FQ43B

— ILRedAlert (@ILRedAlert) May 27, 2024

The IDF Home Front Command says after a few minutes that “the incident is over,” without providing further details.

IDF probing allegations of torture of Gazan detainees at Sde Teiman base – military prosecutor

Members of the Israel Prison Service stand guard next to Hamas terrorists caught during the October 7th massacre and the ensuing war in Gaza, at a prison in southern Israel, February 14, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Israel is investigating allegations of abuse and torture of Palestinian security detainees at the Sde Teiman military base in the Negev desert, the IDF’s top prosecutor says.

Citing accounts by former inmates and a doctor from the Sde Teiman base, the Physicians for Human Rights group said last month that detainees have suffered severe violence causing fractures, internal bleeding and even death.

Earlier this month, Israeli human rights groups petitioned the High Court of Justice to close the detention center.

“To date, 70 military police investigations have been opened into incidents that have raised suspicion of criminal offenses,” Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi, the military advocate-general, tells a conference hosted by the Israel Bar Association in Eilat.

“These investigations also address allegations raised about the incarceration conditions at Sde Teiman detention center and the deaths of detainees in IDF custody. We are treating these allegations very seriously and are taking action to probe them.”

IDF carried out drill simulating Lebanon ground offensive earlier this month

IDF officiers are seen during a drill simulating a ground offensive in Lebanon, in an image published May 27, 2024 (Israel Defense Forces)

The IDF’s 146th Division and 205th Reserve Armored Brigade carried out a drill in recent weeks simulating a ground offensive in Lebanon, the military says.

“The exercise simulated combat scenarios in the northern arena, the rapid deployment of forces on the ground, the functioning of the division and brigade headquarters and the readiness of the forces for an attack,” the IDF says.

The drill comes amid daily rocket, missile and drone attacks from Lebanon by Hezbollah-led forces against border communities and Israeli forces. Israel has threatened to go to war against Hezbollah to restore security to the north of Israel, where tens of thousands of civilians are currently displaced.

Terror operative spotted at rocket launch site in southern Lebanon killed in airstrike, military says

A terror operative who was identified by the IDF at a rocket launching site in southern Lebanon’s Aynata was killed in an airstrike, the military says.

The site has recently been used to fire rockets at the Malkia area in northern Israel.

Fighter jets also hit a building used by Hezbollah in Aitaroun, the IDF adds.

A terror operative who was identified by the IDF at a rocket launching site in southern Lebanon's Aynata was killed in an airstrike, the military says.

The site has recently been used to fire rockets at the Malkia area in northern Israel.

Fighter jets also hit a building used… pic.twitter.com/d6Wu1S0paa

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 27, 2024

IDF says fighter jets, drones struck over 75 terror targets in Gaza during past day

IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip in an undated photo cleared for publication on May 27, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

Over the past day, Israeli fighter jets and drones struck more than 75 targets in the Gaza Strip, the military says.

The IDF says the targets included weapon depots, rocket launchers — including one in Jabaliya used to attack Ashkelon and one in central Gaza primed for long-range attacks — buildings used by terror groups, observation posts, and other infrastructure, as well as cells of terror operatives.

In Jabaliya, the IDF says, it has expanded operations to the eastern part of the city in northern Gaza, during which troops killed numerous gunmen and located weapons. Tunnel shafts and a bomb-making lab were also located and destroyed, the army says.

In central Gaza, troops killed several more operatives in clashes and with tank shelling, the IDF says.

Israel’s top military lawyer says ‘very grave’ Rafah incident under investigation

Chief Military Advocate Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi speaks at the Israel Bar Association annual conference of attorneys in Eilat in southern Israel, on May 27, 2024. (Flash90)

Israel’s top military lawyer describes an overnight IDF airstrike on Rafah that Hamas health authorities in Gaza say has killed dozens of civilians as “very grave,” and says an after-action investigation by the armed forces is still ongoing.

“The details of the incident are still under an investigation, which we are committed to conducting to the fullest extent,” Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi tells a conference hosted by the Israel Bar Association.

“The IDF regrets any harm to noncombatants during the war.”

AG slams ICC’s Karim Khan, says allegations ignore Israeli legal system’s ‘proven independence’

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara speaks during a conference at the University of Haifa, December 15, 2022. (Shir Torem/ Flash90/ File)

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara lambastes International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan directly, saying his investigation into Israel’s actions lacked jurisdiction, his request for arrest warrants against the prime minister and defense minister was “baseless” and that the Israeli legal system and law enforcement agencies examine any suspicion of illegal action.

“The decision of the prosecutor ignores, among other things, the fact that the Israeli legal system has proved its independence in the past, its impartiality, and its commitment to the values of truth and justice,” Baharav-Miara says at a conference of the Israel Bar Association in Eilat.

“We do not shy away from enforcing the law against any person, even with the heads of the military and the state, if there are well-founded suspicions of violations of the law. We examine and will examine thoroughly suspicions of illegal actions. We don’t need outside help to clarify suspected criminal activity.”

The attorney general also points out that the military is currently conducting criminal investigations regarding possible violations of the law during the war in Gaza.

“The states that established the [ICC] court saw it as a tool for dealing with situations where there is ‘no law and no judge.’ That is not our situation,” she continues.

“The steps taken by the ICC prosecutor of the contravene the basic legal idea on which the court was founded, the principle of complementarity.”

Baharav Miara also says that “any intelligent person who looks directly at reality knows that the challenges of fighting Hamas are unprecedented,” and asserts that the terror organization not only violates international law but also “abuses in a manipulative manner Israel’s commitment to those rules.”

She insists that the IDF is operating in accordance with the laws of war, which she describes as a position “not of weakness but rather strength, the moral strength of the Jewish and democratic state.”

The attorney general also denounces the procedures in the International Court of Justice, saying the allegation by South Africa that Israel was committing genocide was “outrageous” and a “cynical and illegitimate use of the court’s procedures.”

She also describes South Africa’s suit as “baseless” and as “totally distorting the concept of ‘genocide.'”

Qatar warns overnight IDF strike on Rafah could hinder renewed hostage deal talks

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike adjacent to where displaced people were staying in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Monday, May 27, 2024. The Israeli army said the strike had targeted a Hamas compound. (Eyad Baba / AFP)

Qatar says that the Israeli strikes on Rafah overnight could hinder renewed mediation efforts for a truce and hostage release deal.

Hamas health authorities in Gaza claimed that some 35 people were killed and dozens injured in the strike and in an ensuing blaze that spread among tents in a designated humanitarian zone housing displaced civilians.

Israel said that the strike targeted a Hamas compound and eliminated two commanders in the terror group’s ranks.

Mediated talks are expected to resume this week.

Lebanese reports say one dead in alleged Israeli drone strike on motorbike in southern Lebanon

Lebanese media reports say one person was killed in an alleged Israeli drone strike on a motorbike in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon.

Reports add that an unconfirmed number of people were wounded in the strike.

Images posted to social media show plumes of smoke rising from the apparent site of the strike.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF.

بالصور- مسيّرة إسرائيلية تستهدف دراجة نارية أمام مستشفى صلاح غندور في بنت جبيل pic.twitter.com/Qqz9oMVSmG

— NewsForLebanon (@NewsForLebanon) May 27, 2024

Spain calls for EU member states to ensure Israel respects World Court rulings on Gaza war

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno addresses a media conference prior to talks on the Middle East in Brussels, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares says that he will ask the other 26 European Union member states to issue official backing to the International Court of Justice and take steps to ensure Israel respects its decisions.

“I am going to ask the other 26 partners to declare the backing of the International Court of Justice and its decision, and also, if Israel continues to pursue against that opinion of the Court, we would try to take the right measures to enforce that decision,” he tells reporters in Brussels during a joint news conference with his Irish and Norwegian counterparts.

Following the press conference, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says that the World Court ruling is “binding” and that it must be respected.

“No Israeli hostage will be freed if more people now have to shelter in tents,” Baerbock says, referring to Gaza’s displaced population, as well as Israel’s ongoing efforts to free the hostages held by Hamas.

“International humanitarian law applies for all, also for Israel’s conduct of the war,” she adds.

Israel bars Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from serving West Bank Palestinians from June 1

The Foreign Ministry has informed the Spanish Embassy in Israel that starting from June 1, the Spanish Consulate in Jerusalem will no longer be permitted to provide services to Palestinians from the West Bank, Foreign Minister Israel Katz says.

In a letter issued by the Foreign Ministry to the Spanish embassy, it notes the “Spanish Government’s decision to recognise the ‘State of Palestine’ and the inciteful and hateful antisemitic statements made by senior Spanish officials” as the reason for the policy change.

“As of 1 June 2024, the Consulate General of Spain in Jerusalem may provide consular services strictly to residents of the consular district of Jerusalem,” the letter states. “The Consulate General, or anyone on its behalf, may not provide services to residents of the Palestinian Authority, nor may it perform any consular or other functions outside the district of Jerusalem, without prior written consent from the Ministry.”

The letter notes that the policy does not apply to consular services for Spanish citizens in the West Bank.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Katz vows that “those who reward Hamas and attempt to establish a Palestinian terror state will have no contact with the Palestinians.”

“The days of the Inquisition are over,” he adds. “Today, the Jewish people have a sovereign and independent state, and no one will force us to convert our religion or threaten our existence – those who harm us, we will harm in return.”

This morning, I instructed the @IsraelMFA to send a diplomatic note to the Spanish Embassy in Israel, prohibiting the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from conducting consular activities or providing consular services to residents of the Palestinian Authority.

We will not remain… pic.twitter.com/Ewx9Wwux7L

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) May 27, 2024

EU’s Borrell accuses Israel of ignoring World Court ruling on Rafah offensive

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, May 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accuses Israel of ignoring the International Court of Justice and pushing ahead with military action in southern Gaza which, he says, it was ordered to cease.

Ahead of an EU foreign ministers’ meeting, Borrell says that the World Court ruling must be implemented, and added that he will work toward reaching a political decision on the launch of a dedicated EU border assistance mission for the Rafah Border Crossing known as EUBAM.

In an ambiguous ruling on Friday, the ICJ ordered Israel to halt all Rafah operations that risk the destruction of the city’s civilian population. The wording of the ruling meant that it could be interpreted as instructing Israel to abide by the Genocide Convention during its activities in Rafah but not requiring a complete halt to military operations there.

Media watchdog files complaint with ICC accusing Israel of war crimes against Gaza journalists

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says it has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court over Palestinian journalists killed or injured in Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas.

RSF says it is asking the ICC’s prosecutor to investigate alleged war crimes committed by the Israeli army against at least nine Palestinian reporters since December 15.

The ICC said in January it was probing potential crimes against journalists since the outbreak of war between Israel and the Hamas terror group, which began with the October 7 terror onslaught in southern Israel.

The RSF says that of the 100 journalists reportedly killed in the war between Israel and Hamas, it has “reasonable grounds for thinking that some of these journalists were deliberately killed and that the others were the victims of deliberate IDF (Israel Defence Force) attacks against civilians.”

This specific complaint — the third the RSF has made — concerns eight Palestinian journalists said to have been killed between December 20 and May 20, and one other who sustained injuries.

“All concerned journalists were killed (or injured) in the course of their work,” RSF says in a statement.

Several Israeli journalists were also murdered by invading Hamas terrorists on October 7.

Ynet photographer Roee Idan was murdered in his hometown of Kfar Aza, Israel Hayom photographer Yaniv Zohar was murdered in Nahal Oz along with his wife and two daughters, and Kan news editor Ayelet Arnin and Maariv reporter Shai Regev were murdered at the Nova music festival near Re’im.

IDF says it targeted two additional Hezbollah cells in southern Lebanon on Sunday

Two more Hezbollah cells were targeted in airstrikes in southern Lebanon yesterday, the military announces, as fighter jets and drones attacked a series of targets belonging to the terror group overnight.

One of the Hezbollah cells was hit by fighter jets after being spotted operating at a building known to be used by the terror group in Yaroun, and the second was hit by a drone after being spotted in the Houla area, the IDF says.

Meanwhile, overnight the IDF says the Air Force struck a weapons depot and a building used by Hezbollah in Mays al-Jabal, infrastructure in Khiam, and additional buildings in Houla.

אמש, כוח צה"ל מיחידה 869 זיהה חוליית מחבלים פועלת במבנה צבאי של חיזבאללה במרחב יארון שבדרום לבנון.
בסגירת מעגל מהירה, מטוסי קרב של חה״א תקפו את המבנה הצבאי בו שהו המחבלים.
כמו כן, כלי טיס של חה״א תקף חוליית מחבלים של הארגון, שזוהתה על ידי כוח של סיירת גולני פועלת במרחב חולא>> pic.twitter.com/AQ8iiTQIX5

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 27, 2024

Brothers and Sisters in Arms activists stage protest outside Miri Regev’s home

Dozens of Brothers and Sisters in Arms activists are protesting outside Transportation Minister Miri Regev’s home in Rosh Haayin in the wake of an investigation by Channel 13 which alleged that her office is rife with politicization and that she systematically gives preferential treatment to local officials who are also Likud power players.

The demonstrators are also protesting against a piece of controversial haredi conscription legislation that the government is expected to debate later today, backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party.

“Contrary to the stance of the defense minister, minister Gantz and the majority of Israelis, and in the midst of a war, the disconnected government chooses politics over Israel’s security” Brothers and Sisters in Arms says in a statement. “Every Israeli mother will know that Regev’s games are at the expense of her son and her family who serve in the IDF.

“On October 7, the shady business deals on the backs of those carrying the burden, and the discrimination between blood and blood came to an end ” the group adds. “We are all Israelis, we are all equal before the law and we all have the right and duty to serve in the IDF.”

לפני הצבעת הממשלה על החלת הרציפות בחוק ההשתמטות – אחים ואחיות לנשק מחוץ לביתה של השרה רגב: "מירי, תסדרי לי קומבינה בגיוס".

בניגוד לעמדת שר הביטחון, גנץ ושניים מכל משלושה ישראלים ובעיצומה של מלחמה, הממשלה המנותקת בוחרת גם הפעם בפוליטיקה לפני ביטחון ישראל כשהיא צפויה להמשיך היום… pic.twitter.com/ksYmdIaAPF

— אחים לנשק ????️ (@ahimlaneshek1) May 27, 2024

Man seriously injured in minibus blast on highway in central Israel

A minibus exploded into flames on the Wolfson Interchange between Tel Aviv and Holon a short while ago, Hebrew media reports.

A 60-year-old man suffering from second and third-degree burns was evacuated from the scene by medics.

According to reports, police say they are treating the incident as “criminal,” indicating they don’t suspect a terror motive.

White House aware of strike on Rafah, is gathering more info, says spokesperson

US President Joe Biden’s administration is following the situation regarding the Israeli strike on a displaced people camp near Gaza’s Rafah, which according to the Israeli army targeted a Hamas compound and killed several commanders, and according to Hamas authorities killed 35, including civilians.

“We’re aware of the reports about the incident in Rafah and are gathering more information,” a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council tells The Times of Israel.

Hamas urges Palestinians to ‘rise up and march’ against Israeli ‘massacre’ in Rafah

Hamas says that Palestinians must “rise up and march” against the Israeli army’s “massacre” in Gaza’s far-southern city of Rafah, which according to the IDF targeted a Hamas compound and killed two senior commanders.

“In light of the horrific Zionist massacre this evening committed by the criminal occupation army against the tents of the displaced… we call on the masses of our people in the West Bank, Jerusalem, the occupied territories and abroad to rise up and march angrily against the ongoing Zionist massacre against our people in the sector,” the Palestinian terror group says in a statement.

IDF: Rafah strike killed 2 Hamas commanders responsible for West Bank terror attacks

A fire that broke out in a camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza's Rafah, following an Israeli strike on what the IDF said was a compound used by Hamas in the area, May 26, 2024. (Screenshot: X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

The commander of Hamas’s so-called West Bank headquarters and another top official in the terror group were killed in tonight’s Israeli airstrike in Rafah, according to the IDF.

The West Bank headquarters is a Hamas unit charged with advancing attacks against Israel from or in the West Bank.

Yassin Rabia, the head of the West Bank headquarters, and Khaled Najjar, another senior member of the unit, were killed in the strike in the Tel Sultan area of northwestern Rafah, the IDF says. The strike, according to Hamas health officials, killed some 35 people.

The IDF says the strike was carried out based on “precise intelligence.”

Rabia, according to the IDF, “managed all of the military arrays of the West Bank headquarters… was involved in the transfer of funds for terror purposes and directed attacks by Hamas operatives” in the West Bank.

The IDF also says that Rabia committed several deadly attacks himself, in 2001 and 2002, killing Israeli soldiers.

Najjar was involved in directing shooting attacks and other terror activities in the West Bank, and was also involved in funneling funds to Hamas operatives, the military says.

Najjar also carried out several attacks between 2001 and 2003, according to the IDF, killing civilians and killing and wounding soldiers.

The military says it is aware that the strike and a fire sparked by it caused civilian casualties. It says it continues to investigate.

Tlaib: Pro-Palestinian voters will make Biden pay for defending ‘genocidal maniac Netanyahu’

US Rep. Rashida Tlaib and university employees at a press conference titled "Unions Defend Free Speech on Campus" on Capitol Hill on May 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Far-left US Rep. Rashida Tlaib warns that pro-Palestinian Americans will make President Joe Biden’s administration and congressional lawmakers pay for their support for Israel in the upcoming election season.

“It is disgraceful that the Biden administration and my colleagues in Congress continue to smear [anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian students on college campuses] for protesting to save lives — no matter their faith or ethnicity. It is cowardly. But we’re not going to forget in November, are we?” says Tlaib in a speech at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit.

The conference has included speakers affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — a US-designated terror group. Panelists have been heard expressing support for terrorism and other acts of violent “resistance” against Israel, including Hamas’s October 7 onslaught during which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and 252 were taken hostage, mostly civilians.

It is unclear whether attendees infuriated by Biden’s support for Israel will go as far as to vote for Republican former president Donald Trump, but many have led campaigns urging voters to vote “uncommitted” as a form of protest in Biden’s run-away Democratic primary. Some may choose to stay home entirely in what is sure to be a very close election in November.

While Tlaib is a Democrat, her remarks leave some ambiguity regarding whether she’d be okay with Trump returning to office as a result of her frustration with Biden.

“President Biden, I hope you hear us loud and clear. Attacking the authority of the International Criminal Court and interfering in the legal process is nothing more than an attempt to prevent the genocidal maniac [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials from being held accountable for their crimes against humanity,” Tlaib says to cheers from the large crowd at today’s conference.

“You are an enabler, President Biden,” she shouts, lamenting his support for security assistance to Israel.

She blasts Biden and US lawmakers for being more outraged by the anti-Israel encampments on college campuses than they are by the scenes coming out of Gaza.

“We’re going to march, and we’re going to move Congress, and we’re going to move the White House. Because they have no other option. We’re not going anywhere,” she warns, closing her speech with chants of “Free, free Palestine.”

Here is Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib's full speech at the People's Conference for Palestine in Detroit, Michigan. pic.twitter.com/1BxNm8lMpJ

— Stu (@thestustustudio) May 26, 2024