DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s foreign minister said Wednesday that he was barring the United Nations secretary-general from entering Israel, accusing him of being biased against the country. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was declaring Antonio Guterres “persona non grata” and said he would be prevented from entering Israel. The move deepens an already wide rift between Israel and the United Nations.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes killed at least 51 people in southern Gaza overnight, including women and children, as the military launched ground operations in the hard-hit city of Khan Younis, Palestinian medical officials said Wednesday.
Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza nearly a year after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack ignited the war there, and even as attention has shifted to Lebanon and Iran. Israel has launched ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Tehran fired ballistic missiles on Israel late Tuesday.
Separately, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli troops in the Lebanese border town of Odaisseh, forcing them to retreat. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military or independent confirmation of the fighting, which would mark the first ground combat since Israeli troops crossed the border this week. Israeli media reported infantry and tank units operating in southern Lebanon after the m.