Palestinians in Gaza have held funerals for the five Al Jazeera journalists killed by the Israeli army, while protests have been held in London, Berlin, Tunis and Ramallah to condemn the targeted attack on them. The European Union, China and Germany – a close ally of Israel – have condemned the event, while the UN has called it a “grave violation of international humanitarian law”.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued into the early hours of the morning, killing 12 more Palestinians. Among the victims was a Palestinian child, Mohammed Zakaria Khader, who died of malnutrition. The death toll from starvation has reached 222 people, including 101 children. Since the start of the war, Israel has killed at least 61,499 Palestinians and injured over 153,000. On the other hand, in the attacks on 7 October 2023 in Israel, about 1,139 people were killed and over 200 were taken hostage.
Clashes between Israeli defense minister and army chief of staff
According to The Times of Israel, Defense Minister Israel Katz has accused Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir of approving senior officer appointments "without prior coordination and agreement" with him, stating that he will not review or approve them.
The Israeli army responded by publishing the list of appointments and stressed that, according to regulations, Zamir is the “sole authority for appointing commanders with the rank of colonel and above.” The list also includes Barak Hiram, who will head the army’s Operations Division. Hiram has been a controversial figure since ordering the October 7, 2023, attack with tanks and artillery on a house in Kibbutz Be’eri, where 13 Israeli hostages were being held. An investigation declared his actions “professional” in a “difficult and complex” situation.
