For today, links to reports from Reuters, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM
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Dozens killed and wounded as Israeli forces thrust deeper in Gaza’s Jabalia and Rafah, by Nidal al-Mughrabi | Reuters CAIRO — Israeli troops and tanks today pushed into parts of a congested northern Gaza Strip district that they had previously skirted in the more than seven-month-old war, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, medics and residents said. Israel’s forces also . . . READ MORE . . .
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U.S. says the first shipment of aid has reached Gaza through its floating pier. Reported by Scott Simon and Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR The U.S. military says the first shipment of aid has moved ashore into Gaza over a new, massive floating pier. It wants to scale up to 150 trucks entering Gaza per day. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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FROM MAY 17 Israeli army finds bodies of 3 hostages in Gaza killed at Oct. 7 music festival. From AP. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said Friday its troops in Gaza found the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack. All three were killed by Hamas while fleeing the Nova music festival, where militants killed hundreds of people, a military spokesman said. READ MORE . . .
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FROM MAY 17 Hamas’s armed wing says ready for ‘war of attrition’ with Israel army. From Middle East Monitor. Hamas’s armed wing said on Friday it is ready for a long war of attrition with the Israeli army, Anadolu Agency reports. “Despite our full commitment to stop the aggression on our people,” said a spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades, “we . . . READ MORE . . .
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FROM MAY 17 Israel tells World Court South Africa case makes a mockery of genocide. From Reuters. THE HAGUE — Israel defended the military necessity of its Gaza offensive on Friday at the International Court of Justice and asked judges to throw out a request by South Africa to order it to halt operations in Rafah and withdraw from the Palestinian territory. READ MORE . . .
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FROM MAY 17 A new U.S. pier starts operations off Gaza. Advocates say the aid isn’t nearly enough. Reported by Tom Bowman and Jackie Northam | NPR The U.S. military is delivering aid at a pier in Gaza, but aid groups fear it’s just a drop in the ocean of need.. Click HERE to listen and read.