Live updates for Thursday 11 May have ended.
7.11 PM: Israeli police say one killed, four injured in Rehovot
6.55 PM: Five injured in Rehovot
Israeli emergency services say five are injured, one critically, by the rocket that hit a residential building in Rehovot.
6.13 PM: Rocket lands in Rehovot, 20km south of Tel Aviv
Sirens sound in Lyd and Ramla.
5.37 PM: Two dead in airstrikes east of Gaza City
Palestinian media report two people have been killed and several critically injured in Israeli airstrikes in the Shujaiyah neighborhood east of Gaza City.
5.00 PM: PIJ leader killed, four injured in Khan Younis
An Israeli airstrike targeting a house in Khan Younis kills a PIJ leader, Ahmad Abu Daqqa, and injures four other people, according to the European Hospital in Gaza.
The PIJ has issued a statement in mourning.
3.19 PM: Rocket fire resumes as PIJ warns response “is coming”
Rocket fire from Gaza towards Israel has resumed with “very few rockets”, according to Al Jazeera, following the funeral of PIJ leader Ali Al-Ghali and his brother Mahmoud who were killed in an airstrike at 3 AM.
The PIJ told Al Jazeera that its response to Al-Ghali’s assassination “is coming”.
Sirens are now sounding in Israeli towns surrounding Gaza.
2.20 PM: Facebook reinstates PHRI post removed for “hate speech”
A post by Physicians for Human Rights Israel criticizing Israel’s qualification of civilian casualties in Gaza as “collateral damage” has been reinstated by Facebook after it was removed on Tuesday for “hate speech”.
Facebook removed our post under claims of “hate speech”, so we’re posting it here instead:
Yesterday, the Israeli military launched an assault on Gaza, killing three Islamic Jihad commanders. At least 17 Palestinians were killed and 37 were wounded in the attack, primarily women…
— Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) (@PHRIsrael) May 10, 2023
2.04 PM: Gallant orders military to prepare for “further operations”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has instructed the Israeli military to prepare for “a series of additional operations” against Gaza.
“I instructed all the security forces to take all necessary measures to prepare a series of additional operations, and to maintain a high level of readiness and vigilance,” said Gallant following a joint meeting with the military and Shin Bet.
Gallant also said to expect a possible “increased range of fire” from the rockets fired from Gaza.
1.21 PM: Israel denies it agreed to ceasefire and transfer of Khader Adnan’s remains
Israel is denying reports by Saudi media outlet Al-Arabiya that it had agreed return the remains of Palestinian hunger-striker Khader Adnan who died in Israeli custody, triggering last week’s spate of rockets fired from Gaza, and whose body it has been withholding, as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the PIJ.
Al-Arabiya also reported that Israel would put a halt to assassinations in the occupied West Bank.
According to a senior Israeli defense official, “Israel has not committed to stopping the targeted killings.”
12.42 PM: Army deletes animated video depicting fatal airstrikes
The Israeli military has deleted a Tweet sharing an animated video its Spokesperson’s Unit produced of Tuesday’s airstrikes which killed ten civilians including four children and four women.
On Tuesday, shortly after killing 13 Palestinians – including 4 children – in their homes, the Israeli military published an *animation* of the attacks, featuring missiles bearing down on the twinkling lights of Gaza below.@idfonline deleted the tweet but you can watch it here: pic.twitter.com/LTKJh0rg0k
— Ben White (@benabyad) May 11, 2023
12.12 PM: Sirens sound on Gaza envelope
Air raid sirens are sounding in the southern Israeli town of Kibbutz Kerem Shalom near Gaza. The Israeli military says 10 rockets have been fired from the Strip since this morning. Israel has launched three airstrikes during the same time.
Eshkol Regional Council says two projectiles landed in a town, causing “slight damage” and no injuries.
11.59 AM: Smotrich: “We’ll stop firing if you do”
Far-right extremist and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich tells Ynet: “If they stop firing at us, there’s no reason to continue. If they continue, we will crush them and hit them.”
The joint Palestinian factions in Gaza launched a volley of rockets at around 1.30 PM yesterday afternoon following a new round of Israeli airstrikes, and nearly 36 hours after Israel’s initial attack.
11.19 AM: DCIP names two children killed in yesterday’s airstrikes
An Israeli missile strike around 3:45 p.m. today in Gaza City killed 10-year-old Layan Bilal Mohammad Abdullah Mdoukh and 16-year-old Yazan Jawdat Fathi Elayyan.
Israeli forces have killed 6 Palestinian children during Operation Shield and Arrow. #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/h5oEMYH6Xd
— Defense for Children (@DCIPalestine) May 10, 2023
10.56 AM: Islamic Jihad “will agree to ceasefire” if Israel stops assassinations
PIJ political leader Mohammad Al-Hindi, who is scheduled to arrive in Cairo this morning, says what is hindering an agreement for ceasefire is Israel’s refusal to commit to putting an end to assassinations, both in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The PIJ has brought to the table three conditions for a ceasefire, including an end to assassinations; releasing the remains of Palestinian hunger-striker Khader Adnan who died in Israeli custody, triggering last week’s spate of rockets fired from Gaza; and canceling Israeli settlers’ so-called “flag march” in the old city of occupied East Jerusalem on 29 May.
Israeli sources report Israel may be willing to release Adnan’s body and to put a halt to assassinations, if the PIJ commits to not carry out attacks in the occupied West Bank.
10.11 AM: Israel “blocks UN condemnation of airstrikes”
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, boasts to Israel’s Army Radio that he managed to “block” a proposal of the UN Security Council “to publish a statement of condemnation against Israel. The discussion ended last night with nothing.”
10.00 AM: Gazans begin to take stock of material damage
The Al-Masry family sifts through the rubble of their home after it was hit by an airstrike in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
Photos: Hani Alshaer
9.48 AM: Lapid says “no immediate aims” left to accomplish in Gaza
Israeli opposition leader and former PM Yair Lapid says “it is the time” to “pack up” and end the airstrikes in Gaza. “There are [already] good results. I don’t think there’s a benefit we’re waiting for. We should stop now.”
8.33 AM: Sirens sound in Israeli cities surrounding Gaza
Four rockets fired from Gaza land in open areas in Israel while two others are intercepted by the Iron Dome. The Israeli military says 507 rockets have been fired so far.
8.00 AM: Gaza death toll stands at 25 after three killed in early morning strike
The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced three Palestinians were killed and seven injured in an airstrike in Khan Younis around 2.30 AM. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) mourned the death of leader Ali Hassan Ghali who was killed in the strike.
The death toll on the morning of Thursday 11 May stands at 25, including at least six children and four women. 76 have been injured, including at least 21 children.
A total of 292 patients (including 15 in life-threatening condition) have by now been denied access to medical treatment in Jerusalem, the West Bank, or Israel, as Israel continues to close the Beit Hanoun crossing.
