By WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY and JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press
Updated
Health officials in Gaza say Israeli strikes have killed at least 24 Palestinians, including two babies. Israel says it killed three militant leaders and that some of the strikes were in response to an attack that wounded a soldier. The strikes come as an already fragile ceasefire deal is under increasing strain. Hospital officials report that among the dead are at least five children, seven women and an on-duty paramedic. The violence since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10 has killed more than 550 Palestinians. Eight Arab and Muslim countries have condemned Israel's actions. The ceasefire deal aimed to end a 2-year-old war between Israel and Hamas.
Stanford University says 13 people have been arrested when law enforcement removed pro-Palestinian demonstrators who occupied a building that houses the university president and provost offices. The school said there was damage inside and outside the building, and an officer was lightly injured. The takeover occurred around sunrise Wednesday. Within about three hours officers had broken into the building and began making arrests. The Stanford Daily, a student newspaper, says one of its reporters is among those taken into custody. More than 3,130 people have been arrested on the campuses of 65 colleges and universities across the U.S. Students demand their universities stop doing business with Israel or companies that support its war efforts in Gaza.
The top United Nations court has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah — but stopped short of ordering a full cease-fire. While Israel is unlikely to comply with Friday's order, it will ratchet up the pressure on the increasingly isolated country. Criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza has been growing, particularly once it turned its focus to Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also under heavy pressure at home to end the war. The court rules Friday that Israel must "immediately halt its military offensive" in Rafah and anything else that might result in conditions that could cause the "physical destruction in whole or in part" of Palestinians there.
South Africa has urged the United Nations' top court to order a cease-fire in Gaza during hearings over emergency measures to halt Israel's military operation in the enclave's southern city of Rafah. It was the third time the International Court of Justice held hearings on the conflict in Gaza since South Africa filed proceedings in December accusing Israel of genocide. South Africa told the panel of 15 international judges they must order Israel to "totally and unconditionally withdraw" from the Gaza Strip. The court has already found that there is a "real and imminent risk" to the Palestinian people in Gaza by Israel's military operations. Israel has strongly denied committing genocide in Gaza, saying it does all it can to spare civilians.
