Israel-Gaza updates: Death toll in Rafah airstrike rises to 50: Action Aid UK

The area is densely populated with tents, the sources said.

Last Updated: May 26, 2024, 4:33 PM EDT

As the Israel-Hamas war crosses the seven-month mark, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
May 22, 2024, 6:09 AM EDT

3 European countries to recognize Palestinian state

Ireland, Norway and Spain said Wednesday they would recognize a Palestinian state.

"Ireland today recognises Palestine as a nation among nations with all the rights and responsibilities that entails," Simon Harris, the country's Taoiseach, or prime minister, said in a statement.

Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris speaks to the media during a press conference outside the Government Buildings, in Dublin, Ireland, Wednesday May 22, 2024.
Damien Storan/AP

The recognition by the Norwegian Government is an effort to "keep alive" the possibility of a "political solution" that might end the war in Gaza, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in a statement.

"Two states, living side by side, in peace and security," Støre said.

Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store prepares to announce during a press conference that Norway recognises Palestine as an independent state from 28 May, in Oslo, on May 22, 2024.
Erik Flaaris Johansen/NTB/AFP via Getty Images

The announcement drew sharp criticism from Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, who said he'd been instructed to immediately recall Israel's ambassador's to Ireland and Norway "for consultations."

"Today's decision sends a message to the Palestinians and the world: Terrorism pays," Katz said. "After the Hamas terror organization carried out the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, after committing heinous sexual crimes witnessed by the world, these countries chose to reward Hamas and Iran by recognizing a Palestinian state."

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech to announce that Spain will recognise Palestine as a state on May 28, at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid on May 22, 2024.
Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images

Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said his country will recognize a Palestinian state on May 28.

"Time has come to move from words into action," he said on social media. "Peace, justice and coherence are the basis of our historic decision."

-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey, Joe Simonetti and Guy Davies

May 21, 2024, 6:19 PM EDT

Kamal Adwan Hospital suffers damage after hit 4 times: WHO

Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza was reportedly hit four times Tuesday, according to the World Health Organization.

The attacks damaged the intensive care unit, reception, administration and the roof, the organization said. Efforts are underway to evacuate 20 health staff and 13 patients who remain inside, according to WHO.

"We appeal once again for [the] protection of all patients and health workers. We urge for a ceasefire and safe, sustained humanitarian access," WHO said in a statement.

Over the past few weeks, intense hostilities have reportedly occurred in the vicinity of the hospital and resulted in an increased influx of injured patients to the already overstretched facility.

Kamal Adwan is the largest partially functional hospital in northern Gaza, and the only one providing hemodialysis services.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky

May 21, 2024, 5:44 PM EDT

Pentagon gives update on Gaza food aid

A spokesman for the Pentagon provided an update on aid that's been delivered to Gaza noting that 569 metric tons of food have been delivered to the assembly area at the end of the JLOTS Trident Pier.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said new routes are being worked out following reports that some aid trucks had been intercepted and food aid was taken off the vehicles so it was not making it to World Food Program warehouses.

"There have been discussions between the U.S., Israel [and the] United Nations as well as joint efforts to identify alternative routes for the safe movement of staff and cargo,” he told reporters. “And so movements from the temporary facility from the assembly area they have resumed today.”

A truck carries humanitarian aid across Trident Pier, a temporary pier to deliver aid, off the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, near the Gaza coast, May 19, 2024.
U.S. Army Central via Reuters

Ryder later clarified that aid had not been moving out of the assembly area for two days.

Ryder emphasized that JLOTS is just one way of getting aid into Gaza and that more aid will flow to land as it comes in from Cyprus.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

May 21, 2024, 12:11 PM EDT

Israel returns seized Associated Press equipment after taking down Gaza live shot


After widespread condemnation, Israel has reversed course and returned equipment seized from The Associated Press. The equipment was seized and they took down their AP's live shot of northern Gaza from Israel Tuesday, citing a controversial new media law.

Israel had accused the AP of violating the new law by allowing Al Jazeera to access their live feed, according to the AP. Al Jazeera is one of the AP’s thousands of international clients.

"The Communications Ministry acted today to confiscate equipment that, despite repeated warnings, transmitted to Al-Gazira about the positions of our forces in the northern Gaza Strip while putting them at risk in accordance with security opinions and the government's decision," Israeli Minister of Communication Shlomo Karai said in a statement. "Since the Ministry of Defense wishes to examine the matter of the broadcasts from these locations in Sderot regarding the risk to our forces, I have now ordered to cancel the operation and return the equipment to the AP agency, until a different decision is made by the Ministry of Defense."

Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, May 21, 2024.
Israel Defense Forces/AFP via Getty Image

"The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms the actions of the Israeli government to shut down our longstanding live feed showing a view into Gaza and seize AP equipment," said Lauren Easton, vice president of corporate communications at the AP earlier Tuesday. "The shutdown was not based on the content of the feed but rather an abusive use by the Israeli government of the country’s new foreign broadcaster law. We urge the Israeli authorities to return our equipment and enable us to reinstate our live feed immediately so we can continue to provide this important visual journalism to thousands of media outlets around the world."

The AP refused a verbal order issued earlier to take down the transmission, and said it complies with Israeli military censorship rules.

In 2021, Israel destroyed the AP office inside Gaza, saying Hamas operated from the building, which the AP has denied. The office offered a live position from inside Gaza throughout many of the conflicts there.

-ABC News' Guy Davies

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