Middle East latest: Thousands call for Netanyahu to quit; reports of ‘terror attack’ on Israeli shopping centre; Syria ‘hit by IDF airstrike’

Key points

Tens of thousands take part in anti-government protests in IsraelIsraeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to undergo hernia operationThree stabbed in ‘terror attack’ at Israeli shopping centreAirstrike injures two near Damascus – Syrian defence ministryWatch:Former prime minister of Israel tells Sky News Netanyahu should quit

23:40:02 Teenager among three men injured after Israeli shopping centre ‘terror attack’

More now on the stabbing attack that has been reported to have taken place at a shopping centre in central Israel. 

A 25-year-old man, a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, have been identified as those taken to hospital after the attack at the Friendly Mall in Gan Yavne, Israel’s emergency service (MDA) has said.

They have not been officially identified. 

“This was a tough scene,” paramedic Shiri Barlev reportedly said in a statement. 

She said the 20 and 25-year-old were both found with multiple stab wounds to their upper bodies. 

Meanwhile, police commissioner Kobi Shabtai, said the person who carried out the attack was shot dead by officers. 

Police said they carried out the attack using two knives. 

23:09:49 Home of Libyan PM ‘targeted with rocket-propelled grenades’

Elsewhere in the Middle East, the home of the prime minister of Libya has been targeted with rocket-propelled grenades, a minister has said. 

The minister said no one was injured during the attack on Abdulhamid al Dbeibah’s residence. 

The 65-year-old businessman-turned-politician has been prime minister since 2021.

It is not known who is alleged to be behind the attack.

23:02:19 Hamas accuses rival of sending security officers into northern Gaza

Hamas has accused Fatah – the group that makes up the governing body of the Palestinian Authority – of sending security officers into northern Gaza under the cover of securing aid trucks.

A senior Hamas interior ministry official told the group’s al Aqsa TV that the force’s mission was supervised by Majed Faraj, the Palestinian Authority’s chief of intelligence.

Without providing evidence, it claimed “suspicious security forces had entered with Egyptian Crescent trucks”. 

It said the operation was coordinated with Israeli forces.

They said six members of the authority, who escorted aid trucks through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, were arrested and police forces were in pursuit to round up all other members.

A Palestinian Authority official denied the accusations.

They said the authority wasn’t interested in an exchange of media comments that would divert attention from “the suffering of our people in Gaza Strip, and the killing, starvation, and displacement they are living through”. 

22:33:25 Israel launches air attack on outskirts of Damascus – Syrian defence ministry

Two civilians have been injured in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus, the Syrian defence ministry has said.

It said Israel targeted several locations on the outskirts of the Syrian capital with missiles launched from the occupied Golan Heights.

“The aggression resulted in the injury of two civilians and some material losses,” it added.

It comes after Israel carried out its deadliest strikes in months on northern Syria’s Aleppo province.

Three security sources told the Reuters news agency that 33 Syrians and six fighters from the Iran-backed group Hezbollah had been killed in those strikes. 

It was the single highest death toll in Israeli strikes on Syria since the 7 October attacks on Israel.

22:21:26 Watch: Netanyahu ‘should resign’, former Israeli PM says

Ehud Barak, a former prime minister of Israel, told Sky News this weekend that he agreed with the protesters marching against Benjamin Netanyahu and felt that he should quit.

He argued Israel should have worked more closely with the US from “day one” after Hamas’s attack on 7 October last year.

Watch what Mr Barak said below…

22:09:30 Three injured after ‘stabbing terror attack’ at Israeli shopping centre

As we have been reporting, earlier this evening, Israel’s national emergency pre-hospital medical and blood services organisation (MDA), reported that there had been a stabbing attack at a shopping centre in central Israel. 

It said it received reports of the “stabbing terror attack” at the Friendly Mall in Gan Yavne at 10.57pm local time and paramedics were treating three casualties.

It said some of those who had been injured were in a serious condition. 

In an update, Zaki Heller, an MDA spokesperson, said the three victims were evacuated and taken to Assuta hospital in Ashdod, a city 32km south of Tel Aviv.

The MDA did not give any further details about who carried out the attack.

22:08:13 Benjamin Netanyahu to be fully sedated during hernia operation

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced earlier today that he will be fully sedated to undergo surgery for a hernia later.

The operation will take place after a meeting of his war cabinet this evening, his office announced.

The hernia was discovered during a routine check-up last night.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who is also deputy prime minister and a close confidant of Mr Netanyahu, will fill his role temporarily during the procedure.

Mr Netanyahu, 74, previously underwent a hernia operation in 2013 and had a pacemaker fitted last year.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Mr Netanyahu said he would be “back very soon” after his surgery and repeated his defiant message that Israel would destroy Hamas.

Read more in the story below…

21:57:19 In pictures: Tens of thousands take part in anti-government protests in Israel

Tens of thousands of Israelis have gathered outside the parliament building in Jerusalem in the largest anti-government demonstration since the country went to war.

Protesters are urging the government to reach a ceasefire deal to free the dozens of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. 

They also want the government to hold an early election.

Crowds today stretched for miles around the parliament building known as the Knesset.

Protesters were pictured gathering round fires and setting off flares while others clashed with police. 

Organisers have vowed to continue demonstrating for several days.

It comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to undergo surgery for a hernia after it was discovered during a routine check-up last night.

Here are the latest pictures from the scene:

21:45:02 Good evening – here’s the latest

Welcome back to our coverage of the Israel-Hamas war and news from elsewhere in the Middle East.

Here are the latest developments: 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he will be fully sedated to undergo surgery for a hernia;It comes as thousands protest against his leadership of Israel on the streets of Jerusalem;

Syrian state media reported earlier that Israel launched an air attack on a number of sites near the capital, Damascus;

The Israeli emergency services have said three people were injured after a stabbing attack on a shopping centre in a town in central Israel.

17:20:12 We’re pausing our live coverage

That’s all for today, but we’ll be back soon with regular updates and analysis.

Scroll down to read what happened during the day.

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