The deadliest incident occurred in Gaza City, where a drone strike hit the Jawazat camp for displaced Palestinians, killing eight people and wounding 15 others, according to the civil defense authority, which operates under the Hamas administration.

Al-Shifa Hospital said it received the bodies of eight victims from the strike. The Israeli military confirmed it had carried out an operation in the area, stating that it had targeted militants but providing no further details.

In southern Gaza, a separate strike killed 25-year-old Muhannad Othman Farwana in Khan Younis, according to civil defense officials and medical personnel at Nasser Hospital, who said several wounded people were also brought to the facility.

The Israeli military identified Farwana as a commander of a Hamas military cell and said he was killed in a precision strike. Hamas did not immediately comment on the allegation.

Relatives said the strike hit a tent erected on the roof of Farwana’s family home shortly before his scheduled wedding ceremony. Family members had been preparing for the celebration when the attack occurred, according to his cousin, Mohammed Farwana.

Later on Saturday, civil defense officials reported another fatal strike in southeastern Gaza City that killed a 37-year-old man.

The latest violence comes despite a ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 following more than two years of war triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Although large-scale hostilities have diminished, both Israel and Hamas continue to accuse each other of almost daily violations of the truce agreement.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas and whose casualty figures are regularly cited by United Nations agencies, at least 951 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began. The Israeli military has reported five fatalities among its personnel during the same period.

Independent verification of casualty figures and battlefield claims remains difficult because of restrictions on media access and movement within Gaza. International news organizations, including AFP, have said they are unable to independently verify many reports from the territory.

The continued exchange of strikes and accusations has raised concerns about the durability of the ceasefire, even as international mediators seek to prevent a return to full-scale conflict in the enclave.

Carney conveyed the message during a conversation with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, while also expressing concern over conditions in Gaza, which his office described as “catastrophic.”

The Canadian leader reiterated Ottawa’s opposition to Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, violence by settlers, and attacks against Palestinian civilians, underscoring growing tensions between Canada and Israel over the conduct of the Gaza conflict and related humanitarian issues.

The latest intervention follows allegations by organizers of an international aid flotilla that activists detained by Israeli authorities after attempting to deliver assistance to Gaza were subjected to mistreatment while in custody. Organizers said several detainees required hospitalization for injuries and alleged that at least 15 activists reported sexual assaults, including rape.

Israel’s prison service has denied the allegations.
While Carney had already criticized Israel’s handling of the flotilla incident last week, Monday’s statement represented a broader condemnation and reflected the increasingly strained nature of bilateral relations.
The Israeli embassy in Ottawa did not immediately comment on Carney’s latest remarks.

Separately, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said she spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and informed him that Canada would provide evidence related to the alleged mistreatment of Canadian citizens detained during the operation.

Anand said she raised concerns over what Ottawa viewed as a denial of consular access to detained Canadians, arguing that such actions violated obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

“I raised that denying Canadian citizens access to consular services while they were detained violates the Vienna Convention and must never happen again,” Anand said in a statement posted on social media.
Saar rejected the criticism and said he had told Anand that participants in the flotilla had been motivated by support for Hamas. He also raised concerns about what he described as a rise in antisemitic incidents in Canada and called on Canadian authorities to take stronger action against antisemitic violence and incitement.

The dispute has added to mounting diplomatic friction between the two countries. Israel’s ambassador to Canada recently told Canadian media that bilateral government-to-government relations had deteriorated to their lowest point on record.
The episode highlights widening differences between Israel and several traditional Western partners over the conduct of the Gaza war, humanitarian access to the territory and the treatment of foreign nationals involved in aid initiatives linked to the conflict.

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said five Indonesian citizens were detained after Israeli forces boarded flotilla vessels approximately 250 nautical miles from Gaza’s coast, while four other Indonesians remained aboard two of the 10 boats still heading toward the territory. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said 16 Malaysians had also been detained during the operation.

The flotilla coalition, comprising more than 50 boats and nearly 500 participants from 45 countries, departed from Turkiye last week on what organizers described as the final leg of a mission to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza and protest Israel’s restrictions on aid access.

“The situation on the ground remains highly dynamic,” Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said in a video statement, adding that Indonesian nationals still at sea remained vulnerable to interception by Israeli forces.

Indonesia urged Israel to release all detained activists and vessels and allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians “in accordance with international humanitarian law,” the ministry said.

Video footage circulating online showed Israeli naval personnel approaching several vessels in speedboats before boarding them in daylight on Monday. Organizers from the Global Sumud Flotilla said at least 41 boats had been intercepted and 337 participants detained.

Anwar said Malaysia was coordinating with other governments to secure the activists’ release. In a statement posted on social media, he said the interception violated international law and obstructed humanitarian relief efforts for Gaza’s civilian population.

Israeli authorities have not publicly detailed the status of those detained. Activists from several Asian countries, including South Korea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, were also reported to be among those taken into custody.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono joined counterparts from Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Jordan, Libya, the Maldives, Pakistan and Spain in issuing a joint statement condemning attacks on civilian vessels and what they described as arbitrary detentions of humanitarian activists.

The ministers said such actions constituted violations of international law and called for the immediate release of all detainees while urging respect for the activists’ rights and safety.

The latest interception follows similar incidents in recent months involving aid flotillas attempting to reach Gaza. Last month, Israeli forces intercepted more than 20 boats near the Greek island of Crete and detained roughly 175 activists, according to organizers.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have continued to deteriorate amid ongoing Israeli military operations following the outbreak of the war in October 2023.

The United Nations has said approximately 1.8 million people in Gaza have been displaced and remain heavily dependent on humanitarian assistance amid mounting shortages of food, medicine and shelter.

In a joint statement, Israel’s Defense Ministry and the Jerusalem Municipality said the planned complex would include a military museum, a recruitment office and an office for Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Katz described the move as a matter of “sovereignty, Zionism, and security,” according to the statement.Israeli authorities demolished structures inside the UNRWA compound in January after ordering the agency to vacate the premises and halt operations at the site.

UNRWA condemned the demolition at the time as a violation of international law.The agency had stopped using the compound since the beginning of last year after Israeli directives targeting its operations in Jerusalem.A UNRWA spokesperson declined immediate comment on the cabinet decision.

UNRWA operates in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, Gaza and several neighboring countries, providing education, health care and social services to Palestinian refugees.

Most countries and the United Nations regard East Jerusalem as occupied territory captured by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Middle East war, while Israel considers the entire city its indivisible capital.

Katz said the establishment of Israeli defense institutions at the former compound carried symbolic significance, accusing some UNRWA employees of involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.Israel has alleged that a number of UNRWA staff members were linked to Hamas and participated in the assault that Israeli authorities say killed about 1,200 people and triggered the war in Gaza.

UNRWA has dismissed several employees following the allegations but has said Israel did not provide evidence supporting all accusations against agency personnel.

Former UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini previously accused Israel of conducting what he described as a large-scale disinformation campaign against the organization.

Gaza health authorities say more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began following the Oct. 7 attack.

James Elder, speaking on behalf of the UN children’s agency UNICEF in Geneva, said children were “paying an intolerable price” amid escalating violence and military activity across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.“Between January 2025 and today, at least one Palestinian child has been killed on average every single week,” Elder told reporters.

The remarks come amid intensified Israeli military operations in several West Bank cities and refugee camps, alongside growing displacement and humanitarian concerns in the territory.The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned about the impact of prolonged conflict and security operations on civilians, particularly children, in Palestinian areas.

Israel says its operations in the West Bank target armed militants and are aimed at preventing attacks against Israeli civilians and security forces.

The latest UN comments add to mounting international scrutiny over the humanitarian consequences of the conflict as violence continues across both the West Bank and Gaza.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Kallas said member states were close to reaching political agreement on the measures after months of internal deadlock.

“I expect political agreement on the sanctions on violent settlers, hopefully we will get there,” Kallas told reporters.

EU officials said the sanctions package would target seven Israeli settlers or settler-linked organizations accused of involvement in attacks and intimidation against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The bloc is also expected to impose sanctions on representatives linked to Hamas.

Diplomatic momentum for the sanctions increased after the departure of former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, whose government had repeatedly blocked consensus on punitive measures against Israeli settlers.

Officials said the political shift in Hungary following the rise of nationalist rival Peter Magyar had effectively removed Budapest’s veto threat, allowing negotiations to advance.

Violence in the West Bank has escalated sharply since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, with near-daily clashes involving Israeli troops, settlers and Palestinians.

Palestinian officials and the United Nations have reported a further increase in settler attacks since the start of the regional conflict involving Iran and Israel earlier this year.

Human rights organizations and several European governments have accused extremist settlers of carrying out assaults, property destruction and intimidation campaigns against Palestinian communities, particularly in rural areas vulnerable to displacement.

Despite movement on settler sanctions, EU member states remain divided over broader punitive measures against Israel, including proposals to reassess trade relations or suspend cooperation agreements.
Several European capitals continue to argue that stronger action is needed to curb settlement expansion and prevent further destabilization in the occupied territories, while others remain cautious about increasing pressure on Israel amid ongoing regional conflict.

The sanctions discussion comes as international concern grows over deteriorating security conditions in the West Bank and the risk of a wider regional escalation involving Iran-backed armed groups and Israeli forces.

The Israeli foreign ministry said Spanish activist Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila were expelled after being arrested on April 29 when Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters and escorted the vessel to Israel.

According to the foreign ministry, Abu Keshek was suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization, while Avila was suspected of illegal activity. Both activists rejected the allegations, saying they had participated in a humanitarian mission aimed at delivering aid to civilians in Gaza and describing their detention outside Israeli territorial waters as unlawful.

The activists were part of a second Global Sumud Flotilla mission launched from Spain on April 12 in an attempt to breach Israel’s long-standing blockade on Gaza by sea.

Images released from court proceedings earlier this month showed both men appearing before Israeli judicial authorities following their detention.

Israel has maintained tight restrictions on Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, citing security concerns and the need to prevent weapons smuggling. Hamas, which governs much of the enclave, is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and several Western governments.

International scrutiny over access to humanitarian aid has intensified during the Gaza war triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The conflict has displaced large portions of Gaza’s population and sharply increased dependence on external assistance.

Humanitarian agencies and international organizations have repeatedly warned that aid deliveries into Gaza remain insufficient to meet civilian needs amid widespread destruction and deteriorating living conditions.

The flotilla interception has also drawn criticism from some United Nations experts and rights advocates, who have questioned the legality of detaining activists operating in international waters.

In an open letter released on Wednesday, over 440 signatories called on the EU and its member states to respond to Israel’s intention to advance the E1 project, a proposed development spanning around 12 square kilometers that includes plans for approximately 3,400 housing units.

The project, located between east Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, would deepen territorial fragmentation by further separating Palestinian areas, according to the letter.

“The EU and its member states, together with partners, must take immediate action to deter Israel from further advancing its illegal annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank,” the signatories said, advocating targeted sanctions including visa bans and business restrictions against individuals involved in settlement activity.

Among those endorsing the appeal were former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt.The letter cited Israeli plans to issue an initial construction tender on June 1, potentially enabling housing for up to 15,000 settlers, and urged swift diplomatic and economic measures to halt the initiative.

International concern over the E1 project has been longstanding, with the United Nations warning it could pose an “existential threat” to the viability of a contiguous Palestinian state.According to international law, Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal, though Israel disputes this characterization.

More than 500,000 Israelis currently live in such settlements, alongside roughly three million Palestinians in the territory.

Data from the United Nations indicate that settlement expansion reached its highest level in recent years in 2025, while reports from Palestinian authorities and the UN point to a rise in violence involving settlers since the start of the Iran conflict in late February.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.

Peace Now said Israel’s security cabinet approved the move “secretly” in early April, adding that the new settlements come in addition to 68 others authorized since the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu took office in 2022.

The Israeli defense ministry, which oversees settlement activity in the West Bank, declined to comment on the reports.According to Israeli media, including i24News, 10 of the newly approved sites are existing outposts previously considered illegal under Israeli law but now set to be retroactively legalized.

The remaining 24 settlements have yet to be constructed.News outlet Ynet reported that military chief Eyal Zamir warned during a security cabinet meeting on April 1 that increased operational demands, including the protection of additional settlements, could strain military capacity.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and settlements there are widely considered illegal under international law. More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the territory, excluding East Jerusalem, alongside approximately three million Palestinians.

Settlement expansion has been a consistent policy across successive Israeli governments, but rights groups say approvals, land seizures and settler-related violence have accelerated since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

The missile hit a hair salon in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency WAFA reported. Thirteen people were wounded, including one in serious condition.

The Israeli military said its initial assessment indicated the strike was caused by a cluster munition, a type of warhead that disperses multiple smaller bomblets over a wide area, increasing the risk to civilians.

Iran has launched daily missile attacks toward Israel since the conflict escalated at the end of February, though there have been no prior reports of it deliberately targeting Palestinian areas in the West Bank.

Unlike most Israeli cities, where bomb shelters are widely available, Palestinians in the West Bank have limited access to protective infrastructure. Many rely on sirens from nearby Israeli settlements or cities for warning of incoming attacks.

The disparity in civil defence measures has heightened risks for civilians as missile exchanges intensify across the region.Rising toll amid regional warAt least 15 people have been killed in Israel since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering the current conflict.

The latest incident underscores the widening geographic and human impact of hostilities.The strike comes as streets across the West Bank have been crowded in recent days, with families preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.