Watch Live: 100 Palestinian children killed in West Bank and Gaza since Saturday’

9-October-2023-Aljazeera

100 Palestinian children killed in West Bank and Gaza since Saturday And Rights group decries Israeli ‘call to commit war crime

Since the Israeli military launched its offensive on the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, nearly 100 Palestinian children have been killed, according to the child rights group Defense for Children International — Palestine.

At least 91 Palestinian children in Gaza have died in airstrikes, and Israeli forces have shot and killed five Palestinian boys in the occupied West Bank, the group said.

Entire families have been obliterated, DCI-Palestine added, pointing the example of the Shaban household. The family of six — including 11-year-old Omar, seven-year-old Batoul, 10-year-old Ghada and baby Ahmad — were reportedly all killed

Abhorrent’: Rights group decries Israeli ‘call to commit war crime’

The rights group Human Rights Watch has slammed as “abhorrent” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s call for the imposition of a total siege on Gaza – including cutting off food, fuel and electricity.

“Depriving the population in occupied territory of food and electricity is collective punishment, which is a war crime, as is using starvation as a weapon of war,” Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at HRW, said in a statement.

“The International Criminal Court should take note of this call to commit a war crime.”

Human rights group Human Rights Watch has described as "appalling" Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's call for a total blockade of Gaza – including cutting off food, fuel and electricity. pic.twitter.com/qrNOzetOZw

— Elmi Farah Boodhari (@BoodhariFarah) October 9, 2023

Six journalists among civilians killed, injured or missing: CPJ

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said that six journalists were among the civilians who were killed, injured or missing in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

On Saturday, three Palestinian journalists were shot dead while reporting.

They include Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi, a photographer for Ain Media agency who died at the Erez Crossing along the northern Gaza border, and Mohammad Jarghoun, a reporter with Smart Media who was to the east of Rafah city in the south.

Freelance journalist Mohammad El-Salhi was also shot dead on the border to the east of al-Bureij, a Palestinian refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Ibrahim Qanan, a correspondent for Al Ghad channel, was injured by shrapnel in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.

Two Palestinian photographers, Nidal Al-Wahidi from the Al Najah channel and Haitham Abdelwahid from the Ain Media agency, have also been reported missing since Saturday

European Council president: We must not cut aid for civilian Palestinians

The president of the European Council has said that he does not support cutting aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

“We must not cut off much needed development and humanitarian aid for civilian Palestinians. This could be exploited by Hamas and exacerbate tensions and hatred,” Charles Michel said.

His comments add to an earlier statement (19:28 GMT) by the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, in which he rejected earlier reports that aid would be suspended.

Ireland rejects suspending EU aid to Palestinians

Ireland has called on the European Commission to clarify the legal basis for suspending aid to the Palestinians and voiced opposition to halting the assistance.

“Our understanding is that there is no legal basis for a unilateral decision of this kind by an individual Commissioner and we do not support a suspension of aid,” a spokesperson for the Irish Foreign Ministry said.

EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi had announced the decision to suspend aid in a social media post earlier on Monday. “We need action and we need it now,” Varhelyi wrote.

Germany and Austria also announced they would freeze development assistance to Palestinians.

US warns against anyone seeking ‘to take advantage’ of violence

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan says Washington is working with its partners “to warn anyone who might seek to take advantage in this situation”.

He also said he spoke with Israeli officials to reiterate President Joe Biden’s “unwavering support f犀利士 or Israel” and discuss next steps.

“We are also doing all we can to determine the whereabouts of missing US citizens,” Sullivan said in a social media post.

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council had previously estimated that nine US citizens had been killed and said others are still unaccounted for.

Palestinian man killed by Israeli fire in West Bank

A 31-year-old Palestinian man has succumbed to head wounds sustained from Israeli live fire in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority’s ministry of health has said.

Muntaser Abdelhamid Zaakik died after being shot in Beit Ummar, near Hebron, the ministry said.