Good morning The UN’s Middle East envoy issued a stark warning that “we’re escalating towards a full-scale war” as violence between Israeli jets and Palestinian militants continued this morning, bringing the death toll to 45. Tor Wennesland, who is expected to brief the UN security council on the crisis today, urged leaders on all sides to “take the responsibility of de-escalation”. “Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a.
Last modified on Wed 12 May 2021 08.06 EDT
Good morning. The UNâs Middle East envoy issued a stark warning that âweâre escalating towards a full-scale warâ as violence between Israeli jets and Palestinian militants continued this morning, bringing the death toll to 45.
Tor Wennesland, who is expected to brief the UN security council on the crisis today, urged leaders on all sides to âtake the responsibility of de-escalationâ. âStop the fire immediately. Weâre escalating towards a full-scale war,â he said.
Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Gaza and Palestinian militants fired rockets at Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Beersheba. Since the attacks started on Monday night, marking the worst violence since a 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, 39 people have died in Gaza, including 12 children, and six in Israel.
First Thing: Twenty-four killed in Gaza as tensions rise with Israel Miranda Bryant
Good morning.
Twenty-four people, including nine children, were killed in Gaza, the enclave’s health ministry has said, following all-night Israeli airstrikes that came after weeks of tension that dramatically escalated on Monday. Officials said seven of those killed in Gaza were members of a single family.
The Israeli military accused Palestinian militants of launching more than 200 rockets and said it had killed 15 Hamas “operatives” and a battalion commander. Israeli medics said six Israeli civilians had been hurt by rocket fire.
The escalation came after Israeli police stormed al-Aqsa mosque – the third holiest site in Islam – in Jerusalem, early on Monday with stun grenades and teargas, injuring more than 500 Palestinians.
The Conservatives did well in Ipswich after the borough council count.
- Credit: Sarah Lucy Brown
The Conservatives success in this year s local elections in Ipswich could give the party a foothold on the road to power at the borough according to group leader Ian Fisher.
But the council s Labour leader David Ellesmere feels that the result will not change the way the council is run - his party still has a commanding majority at the authority.
The Conservatives won six seats from Labour in Thursday s election - but because of the substantial majority in the council chamber this did not affect threaten the administration.