Israel has bombed and destroyed the tallest residential building in Gaza, the Al-Ghafri high-rise, as it launched a massive wave of strikes on Gaza City on Monday evening, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to continue to flee the city.
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, says Israel is using unconventional weapons to forcibly evict Palestinians from Gaza City, the largest urban centre in the enclave.
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Israeli media source Channel 12 reported that “exceptionally intense air strikes” were concentrated in the city’s north and west, while the Palestinian Civil Defence said at least 50 multistorey buildings had been levelled in recent weeks as Israeli forces intensified attacks to seize the city.
Other neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble. In Zeitoun, more than 1,500 homes and buildings have been destroyed since early August, leaving entire blocks with nothing left standing.
For the third day in a row, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz has posted videos of the attacks. “The terror tower… crashes into the sea off Gaza. Sinking the centres of terror and incitement,” he wrote on X. Katz offered no evidence for his claim that the residential tower was being used by Hamas.
Israel has repeatedly attacked residential areas, schools and hospitals during its 23 months of genocidal war.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that 51 Palestinians, including six-year-old twins, were killed in Gaza City in the past 24 hours.
Three journalists were also killed in separate Israeli strikes: reporter Mohammed al-Kouifi in the Nassr neighbourhood, photographer and broadcast engineer Ayman Haniyeh, and journalist Iman al-Zamili. These killings take the number of journalists and media workers killed in Israel’s war on Gaza to nearly 280. Media watchdogs say this war is the deadliest conflict for journalists.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 64,905 Palestinians and wounded 164,926, with thousands more still buried under rubble.
‘Striking every area’
Israel’s security cabinet approved a plan in August to seize Gaza City, which has led to relentless bombardment, forcing residents south towards al-Mawasi.
Many Palestinians say they do not believe they will ever be allowed to return, and fear the journey itself.
“For more than three days, they have been hitting every school and emptying Shati camp [near north Gaza’s coast], striking every area. You cannot even move,” one resident told Al Jazeera.
“That is why I decided to leave with my family – my daughters and my wife – and head to Khan Younis. I don’t even have a tent. I only took a few things; I couldn’t take anything from my home.”
Being pushed into al-Mawasi, the area Israel has designated a “safe zone”, offers no safety as Israel continues to attack the site. The Health Ministry has also said the area lacks the “basic necessities of life, including water, food [and] health services”, and warned of “dangerous” disease outbreaks.
It added that displaced people are subjected to “direct targeting and killing both inside the camps and when attempting to leave them”, in violation of international law.
Israel continues to block aid
Israeli forces shot dead at least five Palestinians waiting for food assistance near al-Mawasi, according to the Nasser Medical Complex.
Meanwhile, the famine is deepening in the Strip. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a famine in northern Gaza on August 22.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that out of the 17 humanitarian missions coordinated with Israel on Sunday, only four were permitted. A mission to deliver water tanks to the north was also denied entry.
Albanese, the UN special rapporteur, told Al Jazeera on Thursday that Israel must be held accountable.
“This is a genocide that could have never happened without the support and involvement of a number of actors,” she said, pointing to Israel’s allies and private sector partners.
Albanese urged governments to “put an end to Israeli impunity” and demand adherence to international law.
EXCLUSIVE: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stars as William, Duke of Normandy, in upcoming BBC series King & Conqueror.
Most will recognise Nikolaj Coster-Waldau for his role of Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones but for his latest venture, he’s transformed into William, Duke of Normandy – or as many will know him, William the Conqueror.
King and Conqueror also marks the first time Nikolaj has directed. And funnily enough, his directorial debut saw him choreograph a scene which sees the leading actor fight bare-chested.
Speaking of filming the fight, which fans will get the chance to see in episode five, he recalled: “That was tough. I was spending a lot of time planning that because we only had so much time to do it.
“The stunt team was incredible. The trick, or the challenge, when you do something like that, of course, because everyone’s bare-chested, you can’t hide anything. You know you’re going to hurt yourself when you do these things, so we had to be very careful.”
James Norton goes head to head with Game of Thrones star in epic BBC drama
Heaping praise on the stunt team, which included UFC and MMA fighters, Nikolaj shared: “These guys insane. The Icelandic guys, they’re brilliant. I mean, there’s one scene, the guy I’m fighting – he’s in fights in the the big stuff – which is why I wanted to be the guy choking him out.
“There’s this big, big guy – at one point, he lifts up James [Norton] – early in the fight, he takes one of the other stunt guys and he throws him against this wagon.
“And that was planned but what wasn’t planned was that he’s thrown him so hard that he went through the wagon and he like completely crashed the whole thing. The sound you hear, it’s literally a guy being thrown through. But they just took it.”
He went on to share that during filming, everyone got so involved, one member of the team was knocked out.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on intense fight scenes that saw King and Conqueror star ‘knocked out’
“We had rehearsals where there was a guy knocked out. I mean they go so close, right? And it was a mistake both of them. I mean you should always be able to hold your fist but the other guy, he instead like holding the distance, he kind of moved forward right as he was swinging.
“And they were also you know MMA fighters. So his tooth went out, blood out. And then the other guy, of course, because he hit the tooth, broke [his knuckle], he had to have stitches in his hand as well.”
King and Conqueror is the story of a clash that defined the future of a country for a thousand years.
The synopsis reads: “Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy were two men destined to meet at the Battle of Hastings in 1066; two allies with no design on the English throne, who found themselves forced by circumstance and personal obsession into a war for possession of its crown.”
King and Conqueror airs Sunday 24 August on BBC One at 9pm.
Firefighters are struggling to control wildfires blazing across Europe because of a severe heatwave, with temperatures rising as high as 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit). One person was killed near Madrid after being trapped by a fire and a soldier in Montenegro died when his water tanker overturned.
Emmerdale star Eden is up for two awards at the British Soap Awards this month for her portrayal of domestic abuse victim Belle Dingle, while the hard-hitting storyline is also up for a prize
Eden will celebrate 20 years of playing Belle Dingle on Emmerdale later this year (Image: Mark Bruce/ITV)
She’s been a staple in the Dales since the late 1990’s but now, Belle Dingle is set to leave the nest in upcoming scenes.
After a dramatic year at the heart of Emmerdale’s domestic abuse storyline, actress Eden Taylor-Draper is bound to become the belle of the British Soap Awards.
On top of that her soap family, the Dingles, are nominated in the Best Family category and Emmerdale is facing off against Hollyoaks, Coronation Street and EastEnders for Best Soap.
“I’m thrilled,” grins Eden, 27. “It’s a little bit scary but it’s been amazing. It’s so hard to put into words, but it’s been the most challenging and exciting year I’ve ever had at Emmerdale.”
With fight scenes, confessional scenes, unique perspectives and even alternative outcomes being filmed, the work has been challenging and fulfilling in equal measures for Eden.
Eden has been involved in a tense domestic abuse storyline in Emmerdale(Image: ITV)
“The episode with Belle’s imagination of the different outcomes was challenging because it was like playing many storylines at once and there were some very intense, violent scenes, which were intense to play,” says Eden. “It was a challenge but I also loved it and it’s one of my favourite episodes I’ve ever done.”
The hard-hitting scenes saw Belle bravely confide in her cousin Charity Dingle, played by Emma Atkins, who has been a rock during filming for Eden, alongside James Chase who starred as Belle’s evil but believable abuser Tom King. “Emma’s one of my best friends,” says Eden. “It was just so special that we got to have that moment together.”
During the character’s many years on the soap, Belle has faced serious mental health battles with both schizophrenia and psychosis, she was jailed as a teenager for the manslaughter of her best friend Gemma Andrews (Tendai Rinomhota) and she has been kidnapped by her serial killer boyfriend Lachlan White, played by Tom Atkinson.
Belle appeared in court in a 2014 episode
Despite being trusted with some of Emmerdale’s biggest plot points, Eden reveals she has never had any formal acting training. “No, I’ve never done anything.
I’ve just been at Emmerdale and that’s been it since the beginning,” says Eden. “One of the things about growing up on the show is that everyone that I work with has been a part of who I am today in both how I act and how I am as a person.”
Growing up on set meant Eden felt like she had four parents – her real mum and dad and also Jane Cox, who played her soap mum Lisa Dingle and the late actor Steve Halliwell, who played her dad Zak Dingle. She also cites Charity actress Emma and Cain Dingle actor Jeff Hordley as acting influences.
“I have so much credit to give to Jane and Steve who played Belle’s mum and dad because they were just brilliant and helped me in that environment,” says Eden.
“I’m surrounded by such talented people and it’s such an honour to be able to work with them. I’m always trying to learn, I’m always trying to better myself and be, you know, very natural and also be so in it.
The people around me help because everyone is so dedicated and so good at their craft. It definitely helps learning on the job from such a young age and getting to work with these people daily. It inspires you to keep pushing and keep growing every day.”
The domestic abuse storyline might be over now that Tom is serving three years behind bars, but the reaction from fans will never leave Eden.
“I’d never experienced anything like it with people reaching out and feeling they can share their stories,” says Eden. “The amount of messages I’ve had off people who have followed the story and said, ‘Watching this unfold, I’ve got myself out of that situation,’ or, ‘I’ve spoken to the police,’ or, ‘I’m now in a women’s refuge.’
It just blows my mind. That is the power of soap. To even help one person, it would be incredible, so the fact that multiple people have said we’ve helped them… I couldn’t ask for more.”
“He is great,” says Eden. “We were friends before we got together so he’s always known what I’ve done and he’s amazing. He’ll stay up with me, running lines, until God knows what hour. He’s very supportive.”
Eden is supported by her boyfriend Ed
With so many nominations, Eden is sure to get a lot of screen time when the British Soap Awards is broadcast on ITV1 on Thursday 5 June. Naturally, Eden is looking forward to casting off Belle’s practical padded jackets and jeans for a glamorous ball gown.
“On a night out my favourite bit sometimes is just doing my hair and make-up and listening to music,” says Eden. “I do enjoy that bit. I’m not sorted, I don’t have a dress. It’s all going to be very last-minute, but it will be nice to get dressed up.”
Many Emmerdale faces are up for awards including Eden’s co-star Beth Cordingly who is also nominated in the Best Leading Performer category for her role as Ruby Fox-Milligan alongside EastEnders legends Lacey Turner and Kellie Bright.
No matter who takes the coveted gongs home, Eden knows she and Beth will paint the town red. “I feel like whenever I’ve been at awards with Beth, she is up for a good time!” laughs Eden.
“There’s a good gang of us and I think everyone’s in high spirits. I think that will just be a lovely party… Hopefully I won’t be hungover, but I would love maybe a little dance.”
When she’s not working on a big storyline, Eden loves to travel with Ed. Later this year they’re going to Bali in Indonesia for the first time and they dream of travelling to Japan one day.
“I do love travelling,” says Eden. “I love a little break, I love a big break and I’ve got family in Australia so that’s really cool to get to go to the other side of the world and see them.
Last year I didn’t really travel that much because I was so busy, so this year I’m trying to cram as much travelling in as possible. Japan is on our bucket list and we’re actually heading to Bali at the end of the year and that’s my first time going there, so that should be really nice.”
However, home is where the heart is and having grown up on Emmerdale Belle never wants to leave. “I love it,” she says. “I’m so happy. I guess it’s not fully up to me, it’s up to the producers, but I am very happy there and I’d love to stay around.”
