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

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

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.


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Israel severs diplomatic mission with Spain

The Spanish consulate in Jerusalem will not be allowed to provide service to Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Friday.

“Following Spain's recognition of a Palestinian state and the anti-Semitic call of the Deputy Prime Minister of Spain not to be satisfied with recognizing a Palestinian state 'and to liberate Palestine from the river to the sea' - I have decided to sever the connection between the Spanish diplomatic mission in Israel and the Palestinians and prohibit the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing service to the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria,” Katz said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky


ICJ rules Israel must stop Rafah operation

The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel must immediately halt its military operation in Rafah, citing "immediate risk to the Palestinian people."

The vote was 16-2, with Israel being one of the votes against the ruling. The other to vote against the decision was Uganda.

The U.N. court has no way to enforce its decision and Israel has said it would defy any order to stop fighting.


3 more bodies of hostages recovered

The Hostage Families Forum has released a statement confirming that the bodies of three hostages have been recovered.

"It is with profound sorrow that the Families Forum bows its head following the announcement of the murder of Michel Nisenbaum, Hanan Yablonka, and Oryon Hernandez Radoux, may their memories be a blessing, at the hands of Hamas terrorists,* the statement obtained by ABC News said.

The bodies of the three hostages, who were murdered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, have now been returned to Israel for burial.

"The sorrowful return of Michel, Hanan, and Oryon is another heartbreak for the 125 families of the hostages, who share the pain, sorrow, and endless worry. Their return for burial provides important closure for the family members, and efforts must be made to bring all the murdered hostages back to Israel," the statement read.


3 US service members injured, 1 in critical condition, in accident related to pier off Gaza

Three U.S. service members were injured, with one remaining in critical condition, after a non-combat accident related to the U.S.-built pier off Gaza known as JLOTS, or the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability, according to U.S. Central Command.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM deputy commander, didn't provide specifics Thursday other than saying they were non-combat-related injuries and that two of the service members had returned to duty, while the third is receiving care at a local Israeli hospital.

A defense official told ABC News the third service member is in critical condition and was injured aboard the USNS Benavidez, a U.S. Navy cargo ship. A U.S. official said it involved a forklift accident.

No further details were immediately released.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez


Sirens sound in Tel Aviv as Hamas fighters launch rocket attack on Israel

Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv on Sunday for the first time in months as Hamas' armed wing confirmed it launched a rocket attack on Israel's largest city.

Hamas' armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, released a statement saying it had launched a rocket attack on Tel Aviv from Rafah.

"We bombed Tel Aviv with a large rocket barrage in response to the massacres against civilians," the statement said.

The Hamas fighters also posted an accompanying video showing what appeared to be rocket trails in the sky.

Israel Defense Forces said sirens sounded across central Israel Sunday after "eight projectiles were identified crossing from the area of Rafah into Israeli territory.

"A number of the projectiles were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array," the IDF statement said.

Israel's National Emergency Medical Service (MDA) said it received no reports of serious injuries.

"Following the Red Alert sirens heard in the center of the country: MDA teams did not locate casualties at any of the scenes, except for a patient who was lightly injured on the way to the protected space, and a number of victims with stress symptoms," the MDA said in a statement.

The IDF said later Sunday that it conducted an airstrike on the area where rocket launchers were used to direct rockets toward Tel Aviv, which the IDF said in a statement was "situated near two mosques in the area of Rafah."

Hamas has launched rocket attacks toward the areas around Gaza throughout the war but has not launched longer-range rockets in months. Sirens had not sounded in Tel Aviv in four months from Gaza-related rocket attacks.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule