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World / Middle East

LIVE UPDATES: Communication blackout in Gaza amid Israeli strikes, hampering rescue operations

Published: 15 Dec 2023 - 11:27 am | Last Updated: 15 Dec 2023 - 11:54 pm
Palestinians react as the injured are brought to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip following Israeli bombardment on December 15, 2023. Photo by AFP

Palestinians react as the injured are brought to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip following Israeli bombardment on December 15, 2023. Photo by AFP

Doha, Qatar: The communication blackout in Gaza persists on Friday due to Israeli attacks, according to Palestinian telecommunications firms as Gaza’s government media office stated that this hampers rescue efforts. 

The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis also confirmed that at least 12 people have been killed in strikes. Women and children were among the victims in the heavy bombardment near a UNRWA school where displaced people are sheltering, according to reports by Al Jazeera. 

To date, at least 18,787 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7. 

Watch this page for more live updates:

[11:30pm Doha Time] The Al Jazeera Media Network has released a statement condemning Israeli forces’ killing of Al Jazeera Arabic cameraman Samer Abudaqa in an attack in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Read more.

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[10:13pm Doha Time] Al Jazeera journalist Samer Abu Daqa killed during Israeli shelling of Khan Younis

Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abu Daqa, injured earlier in an Israeli missile strike in Khan Younis alongside coworker Wael Al Dahdouh, succumbed to his injuries after medical teams were prevented by Israeli forces from immediately reaching him.

Al Jazeera reported that Gaza journalist Ismail Abu Omar said that Abu Daqa's condition was "critical" and was incapable of moving on his own.

"Israeli shelling took more than five-and-a-half hours as Abudaqa was bleeding," he said.

According to Al Jazeera, the medics eventually reached the wounded cameraman a little too late, as he had then succumbed to his wounds. His body was retrieved and brought back to the medical centre.

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[7:00 pm Doha Time] In Oslo, Qatari PM discussed Gaza de-escalation and ceasefire with Norwegian PM, FM

Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met today in Oslo with his Norwegian counterpart and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The meeting dealt with discussing the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as ways to reduce escalation and ceasefire. Read more.

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[6:00 pm Doha Time] ‘Journalists’ lives must be safeguarded’

The International Federation of Journalists said it is "deeply shocked to hear about the injuries sustained by our colleagues Wael Dahdouh and Samer Abudaqa".

“We condemn the attack and reiterate our demand that journalists’ lives must be safeguarded,” it said in a post on X.

The media office of Gaza’s government said the “targeting of Wael Dahdouh and Samer Abudaqa in Khan Younis comes within the framework of intimidation and intimidation of journalists”.

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[4:14 pm Doha Time] Al Jazeera journalists wounded in Khan Younis

Al Jazeera correspondents Wael al-Dahdouh and Samer Abu Daqqa were wounded as a result of a missile launched from an Israeli drone near Haifa school in the centre of Khan Younis.

Al-Dahdouh has been hit by shrapnel in his hand and waist, while Abu Daqqa is still trapped at the site of the incident.

Witnesses say there is heavy shelling in the area.

[3:00pm Doha Time] Death toll in Khan Younis rises to 33

The death toll from an Israeli attack near an UNRWA school in Khan Younis has gone up to 33, Nasser Medical Complex officials tell Al Jazeera.

Hospitals in Deir el-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah have reported more casualties after strikes early in the morning.

[1:30 pm Doha Time] Children seen sharing food amid lack of aid coming into Gaza

Footage shared on Instagram shows the suffering of displaced Palestinian families and the difficulty of obtaining food.

A young child is seen standing in a queue to get food with other children, with bewilderment and astonishment on his face from the situation he has been living in for weeks due to the war.

The food finished before his turn came and he was upset. Then, another child puts a small part of his food for him in his bowl. The boy returns happily to his tent and tell his mother what food he brought.

The UN World Food Programme has said half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million is starving as Israel’s military assault on the southern part of the enclave expands and people are cut off from supplies.

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general, said that crowds of hungry people were stopping its aid trucks in Gaza and helping themselves to the food, making it almost impossible to continue delivering aid.

[11:10 am Doha Time] 'Stand with Palestine' fundraising 

A fundraising event is set to happen tonight in Qatar at Education City Stadium. The event includes a football match featuring several stars.

The initiative is launched by students of Qatar Academy Doha – affiliated with the Qatar Foundation –to engage the local community in events and activities in solidarity with people in Palestine, who have been subjected to brutal Israeli aggression in Gaza.

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[9 am Doha Time] Khan Younis hospital receiving injured people after UNRWA school strike

Dozens of injured people are arriving at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis after the Israeli military bombed a UNRWA school in the southern city.

Several strikes have also targeted the centre and north of Khan Younis city and are continuing.

Palestinian children receive medical attetion at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza Strip following Israeli bombardment on December 15, 2023. Photo by AFP

At least 10 people have been killed since dawn, including four children, according to Al Jazeera correspondents.