World Court orders Israel to halt Gaza famine; Hamas says ceasefire needed
The World Court ordered Israel to ensure basic food supplies to Gaza’s Palestinian population and halt spreading famine.
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Trump says Hamas’ Oct 7 attack was horrible, but Israel should wrap up war
Donald Trump said he would have reacted the same way as Israel did after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, but believes Israel should wrap up its war against the Islamist group in Gaza.
Israeli strikes on Rafah raise fear assault could begin
Israel bombed at least three homes in Rafah overnight, killing 11 people from a family. Residents fear a ground assault could be coming despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire. In the West Bank, three Palestinians were killed and four wounded by Israeli fire during a raid in Jenin. Israeli forces have imposed a blockade on hospitals in Gaza, claiming they have been used by Hamas fighters. Residents report hearing explosions and seeing smoke coming from buildings inside the medical facility.
Protecting Palestinians a moral imperative, Pentagon chief tells Israeli counterpart
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized the need to protect Palestinian civilians in the war between Israel and Hamas, stating that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza was worsening.
The…angry Netanyahu and the war crimes
The USA abstained from the first ceasefire resolution in Gaza, angering Netanyahu who wanted Washington to exercise its veto. As a retaliatory measure, Netanyahu cancelled his delegation’s trip to Washington. The ceasefire did not hold as Israel continued its attacks on Gaza. The Security Council’s decision remained on paper, similar to the situation in Cyprus in 1974. The US government claimed there was no reason to believe Israel committed acts of genocide in Gaza. The situation in Gaza is dire, with people facing hunger and desperation. The head of European diplomacy denounced Israel’s use of hunger as a “war weapon” in Gaza. Netanyahu’s actions are seen as trying to save his political career, but the international community’s response allows the occupying power to continue its actions, which is considered a crime.
Netanyahu coalition under strain after standoff with US over Gaza vote
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing strains within his coalition due to disagreements over proposals to draft ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military. The cabinet meeting to discuss changes to the conscription law was called off, and Netanyahu’s relations with U.S. President Joe Biden worsened after a disagreement over a U.N. Security Council resolution on Gaza. Despite support from his religious-nationalist coalition partners, there is pressure internationally on the government. The divide over the conscription law highlights the longstanding divide between secular and religious Israelis.
Israel besieges two more Gaza hospitals, 5 doctors killed
Israeli forces besieged two Gaza hospitals, leading to the evacuation of patients and displaced people sheltering there. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported heavy gunfire and shelling around Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals in Khan Younis, resulting in the death of one of its staff and a displaced Palestinian. Israeli forces demanded the complete evacuation of Al-Amal Hospital and fired smoke bombs to facilitate this. The Red Crescent evacuated patients and displaced people to Al Mawasi. Israeli forces also formed a cordon around Nasser Hospital. The Israeli military claimed to have captured 480 militants in a raid on Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where dozens of patients and medical staffers were detained, and five Palestinian doctors were reported killed. The health ministry in Gaza reported over 32,226 Palestinians killed and 74,518 injured since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, triggered by a Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel. Concerted mediation efforts for a ceasefire and aid to Gaza civilians have not yet been successful.
Only effective way to ramp up Gaza aid is by road, Guterres says
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the only effective and efficient method to deliver heavy goods to meet Gaza’s humanitarian needs is by road, which requires a significant increase in commercial deliveries. Guterres highlighted the global impact of the war in Gaza and criticized the international community for failing to uphold Palestinian human dignity. During his visit to Egypt and Jordan, part of an annual Ramadan solidarity tour, he expressed outrage at the backlog of aid for Gaza at Egypt’s border. Despite over five months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, with aid accumulating in Egypt’s Sinai, efforts to deliver aid through air drops and ships have been proposed, but U.N. officials insist on scaling up deliveries by land. Guterres emphasized the need for Israel to facilitate relief by removing obstacles and increasing crossing points. He also mentioned the U.N.’s efforts to maintain funding for UNRWA, the main humanitarian aid agency in Gaza, despite funding pauses from countries like the United States and Britain due to accusations against UNRWA staff. UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini expressed regret over the continued U.S. funding ban until at least March 2025.
Russia, China veto US-led UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire
– The United Nations Security Council rejected a resolution for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an Israel-Hamas hostage deal due to vetoes from Russia and China.
– The resolution, proposed by the United States, aimed for a six-week ceasefire to protect civilians and allow humanitarian assistance.
– Eleven of the 15 council members supported the resolution, but it was blocked by the vetoes.
– An alternative resolution, drafted by elected members of the Security Council, calls for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan, the release of all hostages, and expanded humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
– The U.S. had previously been averse to using the word “ceasefire” in resolutions during the war in Gaza but had toughened its stance.
– Russia and China vetoed the U.S.-led resolution, which the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. criticized as being for “cynical” and “petty” reasons.
– Palestinian Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and took 253 captive in an attack on Israel, according to Israel.
– Nearly 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive in Gaza, as reported by health authorities in the Hamas-ruled enclave.
– Russia criticized the U.S.-led resolution as “exceedingly politicized” and a potential green light for an Israeli military operation in Rafah.
– China supported an alternative resolution and criticized the U.S. proposal for not opposing an Israeli military operation in Rafah.
– French President Emmanuel Macron announced efforts to work with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates to persuade Russia and China to back another alternative resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Blinken pushes for more aid for Gaza in talks with Israel’s Netanyahu
– U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss aid flow into Gaza amid tense relations due to the six-month-old war.
– Israel claimed to have killed or captured hundreds of Hamas fighters in a five-day operation at the Al Shifa hospital complex in Gaza, which Hamas and medical staff deny.
– Blinken has been engaging in diplomacy in the Middle East, including meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia and officials in Cairo, aiming for a ceasefire.
– U.S. President Joe Biden criticized Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “over the top” due to its toll on civilian lives.
– The war started with a Hamas raid into southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking 253 hostages. Over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardments.
– Blinken emphasized the need for increased and sustained aid deliveries to Gaza, where the entire population faces severe food insecurity.
– Israeli Colonel Moshe Tetro denied food shortages in Gaza, claiming sufficient food enters daily.
– Discussions include Israel’s intention to launch a ground offensive on Rafah, with Washington objecting to the plan.
– An airstrike on a house in Al-Naser, east of Rafah, killed eight people, including a family with five children.
– Senior Israeli and U.S. officials are set to meet in Washington to discuss alternatives to a full-on assault on Hamas.
– Talks in Qatar focus on a proposal for a six-week halt to fighting, exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
– Israel aims to eradicate Hamas, while Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and Israeli troop withdrawal.
– Israeli troops claim to have killed or detained hundreds in the Al Shifa hospital, including senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad members, though Hamas denies fighters were in the compound.