海角大神

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday pushed back after the聽International Court of Justice ruling聽to limit death and destruction in the military鈥檚聽Gaza offensive, declaring that 鈥渨e decide and act according to what is required for our security.鈥� Among the first deaths reported since the ruling, witnesses said three Palestinians were killed in an airstrike that Israel said targeted a Hamas commander.

Israel鈥檚 military is under increasing scrutiny now that the top United Nations court has asked Israel聽for a compliance report in a month. The court鈥檚 binding ruling on Friday stopped short of ordering a cease-fire, but its orders were in part a rebuke of Israel鈥檚 conduct in its nearly 4-month war against Gaza鈥檚 Hamas rulers.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, the main organization aiding Gaza鈥檚 population amid the humanitarian disaster, said nine countries suspended their funding following Israel鈥檚聽allegations that a number of Gaza staff members聽participated in the Oct. 7聽Hamas attack聽that sparked the war. Those include the United States, Britain, Italy, and Finland.

Agency chief Philippe Lazzarini said it would be 鈥渋mmensely irresponsible鈥� to sanction it and the community it serves at such a desperate time for Gazans, especially after it quickly fired the 鈥渟mall group鈥� of staffers. The 13,000-strong agency, which relies almost entirely on countries鈥� contributions, said it now runs shelters for over 1 million people and its lifeline 鈥渃an collapse anytime now.鈥�

The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials,聽destroyed vast swaths of Gaza聽and displaced nearly 85% of the territory鈥檚 2.3 million people. The Hamas attack in southern Israel killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and about 250 hostages were taken.

At least 174 Palestinians were killed over the past day, the聽Health Ministry in Gaza聽said. It does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its tolls, but has said about two-thirds are women and children.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for civilian casualties, saying the militants embed themselves in the local population. Israel says its air and ground offensive in Gaza has killed more than 9,000 militants.

Israel鈥檚 military said it had conducted several 鈥渢argeted raids on terror targets鈥� in the southern city of Khan Younis in addition to the airstrike in nearby Rafah targeting a Hamas commander.

Bilal al-Siksik said his wife, a son, and a daughter were killed in the Rafah strike, which came as they slept. He said the U.N. court ruling meant little since it did not stop the war.

鈥淣o one can speak in front of them [Israel]. America with all its greatness and strength can do nothing,鈥� he said, standing beside the rubble and twisted metal of his home.

More than 1 million people have crammed into Rafah and the surrounding areas after Israel ordered civilians to seek refuge there. Designated evacuation areas have repeatedly come under airstrikes, with Israel saying it would go after militants as needed.

In Muwasi, a narrow coastal strip once designated as a safe zone but struck in recent days, displaced Palestinians tiptoed on sandaled feet through garbage-lined puddles in damp and chilly weather. Walls of sheets and tarps billowed in the wind. A mother wept after rain leaked in and soaked the blankets.

鈥淭his is our life. We have nothing and we left [our homes] with nothing,鈥� said Bassam Bolbol, whose family ended up in Muwasi after leaving Khan Younis and finding no shelter in Rafah.

Frustration with the uncertainty grows. As thousands of Gazans fled Khan Younis toward Muwasi, Israel shared video showing a crowd appearing to call for bringing down Hamas.

The聽case brought by South Africa聽to the U.N. court alleged Israel is committing genocide against Gaza鈥檚 people, which Israel vehemently denies. A final ruling is expected to take years.

The court ordered Israel to urgently get aid to Gaza, where the U.N. has said aid entering the territory remains well below the daily average of 500 trucks before the war. The U.N. also says access to central and northern Gaza has been decreasing because of 鈥渆xcessive delays鈥� at checkpoints and heightened military activity.

The World Health Organization and the medical charity MSF issued urgent warnings about the largest health facility in Khan Younis, Nasser Hospital, saying remaining staff could barely function with supplies running out and intense fighting nearby.

WHO footage showed people in the crowded facility being treated on blood-smeared floors as frantic loved ones shouted and jostled. Cats scavenged on a mound of medical waste.

鈥淭hese are the only painkillers left we have. If you want to count them, they are only for maybe five or four patients,鈥� Dr. Muhammad Harara said.

Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said in a statement that Nasser Hospital lacked anesthesia and other medicines for intensive care units and had 鈥渄angerous鈥� shortages of blood.

The United States, Israel鈥檚 closest ally, has increasingly called for restraint and for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza聽while supporting the offensive.

More mediation lies ahead in search of a deal to secure聽the release of hostages聽who remain captive in Gaza. Over 100 were released in a swap for Palestinian prisoners during a week-long cease-fire in November. An unspecified number of the remaining 136 are believed to be dead.

The U.S. CIA director will meet in Europe with the head of the intelligence agencies of Israel and Egypt and with the prime minister of Qatar, according to three people familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks.

Mr. Netanyahu in his address said he would not take back 鈥渁 single word鈥� of his earlier criticism of Qatar, again accusing it of hosting Hamas leaders and funding Hamas.

鈥淚f they position themselves as a mediator, so please, let them prove it and bring back the hostages, and in the meantime deliver the medicines to them,鈥� he said.

While the prime minister鈥檚 comments appeared to be aimed at his right-leaning base of supporters, other Israelis again gathered in Tel Aviv and outside Mr. Netanyahu鈥檚 residence in Jerusalem to call for new elections, frustrated with the government鈥檚 failure to bring all hostages home. Israel also was marking聽International Holocaust Remembrance Day, alongside other countries聽around the world.

Hamas has said it will only release the hostages in exchange for an end to the war and the release of large numbers of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

This story was reported by The Associated Press. Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Aamer Madhani, Matthew Lee and Zeke Miller in Washington, Julia Frankel in Jerusalem and Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, contributed.