Hamas – News Agency nabakhabar

Hamas receives latest Israeli proposal amid efforts to revive Gaza talks

News Agency nabakhabar — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 15:28:06 +0000

Palestinian group Hamas says it has received Israel’s official response to its latest proposal about a possible ceasefire in Gaza and will study the document before submitting a reply.

“Hamas has received today the official response of the Zionist occupation to the proposal presented to the Egyptian and the Qatari mediators on April 13,” deputy Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya said in a statement published by the group on Saturday.

After more than six months of Israel’s brutal war on the Gaza Strip, negotiations to bring about a ceasefire remain deadlocked, with Hamas sticking to its demands that any agreement with Israel must bring an end to Israel’s war on the Palestinian enclave.

An Egyptian delegation visited Israel for discussion with Israeli officials on Friday, looking for a way to restart talks to end the conflict and return remaining captives held in Gaza following the October 7 attacks on southern Israel, an official briefed on the meetings told the French news agency AFP.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said Israel had no new proposals to make, although it was willing to consider a limited truce in which 33 captives would be released by Hamas, instead of the 40 previously under discussion. On Thursday, the United States and 17 other countries appealed to Hamas to release all of its captives as a pathway to end the war.

In a statement issued on Friday, Hamas said it was “open to any ideas or proposals that take into account the needs and rights of our people”.

However, the group stuck to its key demand that Israel end its war on Gaza and criticised the joint statement issued by the US and others for not calling for a permanent ceasefire, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the war-torn Palestinian enclave.

Renewed momentum for talks

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Friday he saw renewed momentum in talks to end the war and return captives.

Citing two Israeli officials, Axios reported that Israel told Egyptian mediators that it was ready to give negotiations on the release of captives “one last chance”, before moving forward with a ground invasion of Rafah, the last refuge for about a million Palestinians who fled attacks by Israeli forces further north in Gaza earlier in the war.

The war in Gaza was also on the agenda for an international summit set to kick off in Saudi Arabia over the weekend.

The World Economic Forum special meeting, scheduled to begin in Riyadh on Sunday, will include a Gaza-focused session on Monday set to feature newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations aid coordinator for the Gaza Strip.

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Live blog: Hamas criticises US proposal that ignores Gaza ceasefire demand

News Agency nabakhabar — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 19:02:32 +0000

Israel’s war on Gaza, now in its 203rd day, has killed at least 34,356 Palestinians — 70% of them babies, children and women — and wounded over 77,368.

Friday, April 26, 2024

1332 GMT — Hamas has criticised a proposal from the United States and 17 other countries that called on it to release all of its hostages as a pathway to end the crisis in Gaza, saying it failed to address Palestinian demands, a statement said.

Hamas is open to ceasefire ideas and sticks to the main demands outlined by the group, the statement added.

More updates 👇

1409 GMT — ICC decisions will not affect Israel’s actions: Netanyahu

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that any rulings issued by the International Criminal Court would not affect Israel’s actions but would “set a dangerous precedent”.

“Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in the Hague to undermine its basic right to defend itself,” Netanyahu said in a statement shared on Telegram.

“While decisions made by the court in the Hague will not affect Israel’s actions, they will set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures.”

1407 GMT — Saudi to host top Arab, EU diplomats for Gaza talks: officials

Top Arab and European diplomats are expected to begin arriving in the Saudi capital this weekend for an economic summit and meetings on the war in Gaza, diplomatic officials said.

The two-day World Economic Forum special meeting, scheduled to begin in Riyadh on Sunday, includes in its official programme appearances by the Saudi, Jordanian, Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministers.

A Gaza-focused session on Monday is set to feature newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations aid coordinator for Gaza.

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne is among European officials travelling to Riyadh during the summit for talks on the war.

1346 GMT — Israeli assault on Rafah will bring ‘disaster’ to MidEast: aid group

An Israeli assault on southern Gaza’s Rafah area would spell disaster for civilians, not only in Gaza but across the Middle East, the head of an aid group has warned, saying the region faced a “countdown to an even bigger conflict”.

Jan Egeland, the Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told Reuters that 1.3 million civilians seeking refuge in Rafah – including his aid group’s staff – were living in “indescribable fear” of an Israeli offensive.

Israel has stepped up airstrikes on Rafah this week after saying it would evacuate civilians ahead of an all-out assault, despite allies’ warnings this could cause mass casualties.

1332 GMT — Scores arrested as Berlin police clear Gaza war protesters’ camp

Police have violently cleared a camp of Gaza war protesters at the German parliament, arresting several people.

There were “repeated crimes and violations” committed by residents of the protest camp, including acts of violence by residents against police officers, police wrote on X.

According to police, they had repeatedly asked the residents of the camp to leave the site and when they refused, they proceeded to start arresting mainly young protesters who were seen flashing the victory sign with their fingers as they were whisked away to the police vehicle.

1243 GMT — Israel, Palestine dispute turned into conflict between oppressors and oppressed: Türkiye

The long-running dispute between Israel and Palestine is no ordinary conflict but rather a struggle between oppressors and the oppressed, the Turkish foreign minister has said.

“The conflict between Israel and Palestine has ceased to be a war and has turned into a struggle of the oppressors and the oppressed,” Hakan Fidan told a joint news conference with Winston Peters, his counterpart from New Zealand.

The conflict also evolved into a “struggle between the founders of the international system and the oppressed within this system,” he added.

He said Israel has not only been killing Palestinians but also international law.

1257 GMT — Netanyahu etches his name as ‘butcher of Gaza’ — Erdogan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, like villains before him, has etched his name in history with shame as the butcher of Gaza, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Speaking in Istanbul, he said anyone looking for “modern pharaohs need not look far, just look at those who have mercilessly killed 35,000 Palestinians in the last 203 days”.

Türkiye would continue its struggle for a free Palestine, he said, adding no one should expect Ankara to remain silent in the face of Israel’s genocidal acts in Gaza.

1241 GMT — Gaza protests a hallmark of democracy: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said protests at US universities over US-ally Israel’s war in Gaza are a hallmark of American democracy, but criticised what he called the “silence” about Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

“In our own country, it’s a hallmark of our democracy that our citizens make known their views, their concerns, their anger, at any given time, and I think that reflects the strength of the country, the strength of democracy,” Blinken said.

1139 GMT — EU commits $73M more for Gaza aid

The European Union has said it was giving an extra $73 million to provide desperately needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

“In light of the continued deterioration of the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the steady rise of needs on the ground, the (European) Commission is stepping up its funding to support Palestinians affected by the ongoing war,” an EU statement said.

“This support brings total EU humanitarian assistance to 193 million euros for Palestinians in need inside Gaza and across the region in 2024.”

1131 GMT — Israel kills 51 more, raising Gaza death toll to 34,356

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has said that at least 34,356 people have been killed in the territory during more than six months of Israeli war on the besieged enclave.

The tally includes at least 51 deaths in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 77,368 people have been wounded in Gaza since Israel launched a brutal war on Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7.

1103 GMT — Team from Gaza mediator Egypt heads to Israel: source

A delegation from mediator Egypt is travelling to Israel, a source close to the Israeli government told AFP, in what local media said is a bid to reignite stalled hostage-release negotiations.

The effort comes alongside preparations for a Israeli military offensive in southern Gaza’s Rafah, and with spillover from the war in Gaza leading to stepped-up exchanges of fire over Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.

Israel’s army said missile fire near that border killed an Israeli civilian.

0825 GMT — Seven Palestinians held by Israeli troops in occupied West Bank raid

Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that seven Palestinians, including a woman, have been detained by Israeli forces during overnight raids that continued till Friday morning inside the occupied West Bank.

In Ramallah province, an Israeli army unit stormed Al-Jalazon refugee camp, where they detained three Palestinians, including a 33-year-old woman, Jehad Nakhla.

In Jenin province, Israeli forces stormed the town of Qabatiya and arrested two Palestinians after raiding and searching their homes.

An Israeli army force stormed Balata refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank city of Nablus, where they detained at least one Palestinian youth.

0410 GMT — North Gaza still headed toward famine as Israel block aid

Northern Gaza is still heading toward famine because Israel hasn’t allowed the daily delivery of food and other critical items for hundreds of thousands of people in desperate need, the UN food agency’s deputy chief has said.

Carl Skau, the deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said that a little progress has been made since Israel made commitments on April 5 to speed up aid deliveries, but not enough.

Seven to 12 trucks have gone to the area every other day, or every third day in the last three weeks, he said, with at least 30 trucks needed each day.

“We haven’t seen that paradigm shift that is needed to avert a famine,” Skau said.

0451 GMT — Yemen’s Houthis claim attacks on ship, Israeli city

Yemen’s Houthi group has said that they carried out attacks targeting an Israeli vessel and multiple sites in the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

The group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said in a televised speech that their forces successfully targeted the Israeli ship MSC Darwin using missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Gulf of Aden.

Saree said they also conducted missile strikes on targets located in Eilat.

He also highlighted that their forces are persistently obstructing the navigation of Israeli and affiliated vessels in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

0400 GMT — Israel masses military vehicles along Gaza border

The Israeli military has massed dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles along its border with southern Gaza in what appears to be preparations for an invasion of the border city of Rafah.

Journalists saw the movement of the vehicles near Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, which is next to Rafah.

Despite widespread international opposition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to invade the city, located along the Egyptian border, as part of his plan to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s Oct. 7 operation into southern Israel.

0337 GMT — Israeli finance minister urges Mossad to target Hamas leaders

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called on the Mossad intelligence agency to target Hamas leaders and completely destroy Gaza.

”The time has come for the Mossad to resume dealing with what it was trained to do: Taking out Hamas leaders across the world and not (taking part in) negotiations that have been conducted irresponsibly and harm Israel’s security,” the far-right minister wrote on X.

Rejecting negotiations with Hamas on a prisoner exchange deal, Smotrich said “from now, we should only speak to Hamas with shelling and bombs.”

He also called for Israeli forces to enter the southern Gaza city of Rafah ”as quickly and hard as possible before continuing throughout the entire Strip until (Hamas’s) total destruction.”

0320 GMT — Gaza faces epidemic risk as heat waves worsen conditions in displacement camps

The Gaza Civil Defence Agency has warned of the spread of epidemics and diseases in displacement camps in the southern part of the enclave as heat waves intensified.

“The suffering of displaced people in the displacement camps in the southern governorates of Gaza seems to be increasing with the intensification of heat waves,” the agency said in a statement.

It added that this situation “forewarns of the widening spread of epidemics and diseases among them, especially among children and pregnant women.”

The statement called on the World Health Organization (WHO) ”to urgently take actions to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees and find alternative places to tents amid severe heat waves in the coming days.”

0256 GMT — Israel to present new deal to Hamas for prisoner exchange: Report

Israel has revealed a new proposed deal for a prisoner exchange with Hamas and a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli media has reported.

The Israeli security cabinet convened to advance a new initiative for the release of hostages held in Gaza, according to Israel’s Channel 13.

Israeli negotiators presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the cabinet with a fresh plan that will be presented to Hamas by mediators, it said.

2330 GMT — Bodies found in Gaza mass graves suggest ‘organ theft’ by Israel

Paramedics and rescue workers have raised suspicions about organ theft by Israeli military after recovering bodies of civilians from mass graves, WAFA news agency reported.

Medics and rescuers have found at least 392 bodies in Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. About165 of them remain unidentified after their bodies were found to have been disfigured.

Medics reported that some bodies were found with their abdomens cut and stitched in a manner that is different from the usual wound closure techniques performed in besieged Gaza, raising suspicions of organ theft, while a mutilated body of a little girl found wearing surgical grown, suggesting she was buried while still alive.

According to the report, many bodies were found wrapped in black and blue shrouds made of plastic and nylon — used to raise the temperature — which are different from the colour of shrouds used in Gaza, also suggesting that Israel wanted to speed up the decomposition and conceal the evidence.

2306 GMT — US drops aid into Gaza amid weapon supply to Israel

US Central Command [CENTCOM] has conducted another round of airdrops into northern besieged Gaza even as Washington has approved nearly $27 billion in weapons package for Tel Aviv, which is accused of committing genocide in Gaza.

Planes dropped over 25,000 meals ready to eat [MREs], CENTCOM said on X, adding the US has dropped more than 1,082 tons of humanitarian assistance to date.

“The DoD humanitarian airdrops contribute to the ongoing US and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering,” it added, referring to the Department of Defence.

2304 GMT — Columbia University faces federal complaint after arresting protesters

A pro-Palestine US group has filed a federal civil rights complaint against Columbia University following last week’s mass arrest of anti-war protesters after the school called police to clear demonstrator encampments, the group said.

Palestine Legal, an organisation that seeks to protect the rights of people in the US to speak out on behalf of Palestinians, urged the US Education Department to probe the school’s actions, which it alleges were discriminatory against those who are pro-Palestine.

Columbia University declined to comment.

2301 GMT — USC cancels graduation ceremony as anti-war protests grow

The University of South California [USC] has announced the cancellation of the May 10 graduation ceremony a day after more than 90 protesters were arrested on campus.

The university said it would still host dozens of commencement events, including all the traditional individual school commencement ceremonies. Tensions were already high after USC cancelled a planned commencement speech by the school’s pro-Palestinian valedictorian, citing safety concerns.

“We understand that this is disappointing; however, we are adding many new activities and celebrations to make this commencement academically meaningful, memorable, and uniquely USC,” the university said in a statement.

US authorities have arrested more than 530 students and staff in more than a dozen universities amid ongoing anti-war protests.

2300 GMT — Activists begin encampment at University of Pennsylvania

Pro-Palestine activists have launched a protest at the University of Pennsylvania against Israel’s ongoing carnage in besieged Gaza.

According to media reports, they marched through Philadelphia’s Center City neighbourhood before setting up an encampment at Penn City Hall.

There have been no reports of arrests so far.

2243 GMT — UK Parliament holds panel on Anadolu’s Gaza documentary

A panel on Anadolu Agency‘s documentary The Evidence, which showcases Israel’s war crimes in besieged Gaza, has been held in Britain’s Parliament.

The documentary consists of photographs and images taken by AA reporters from the first moment the attacks began and interviews with experts in the field.

Speaking at the event, Osman Koray Ertas, Türkiye’s Ambassador to the UK, said the Israeli response to the October 7 attack has triggered “the worst human-made disasters” of modern times in besieged Gaza.

“Those responsible must be held accountable to uphold justice for the Palestinians and to restore faith in international law and the rules-based order,” he noted.

2212 GMT — US professors detained in pro-Palestine protests

At least two professors at Emory University in Georgia have been detained at pro-Palestinian protests that have spread across US college campuses to demand a ceasefire in besieged Gaza.

Several dozen protesters, including economics professor Caroline Fohlin and Noelle McAfee, the chair of the philosophy department, were arrested after an encampment was formed on the campus in Atlanta.

In video footage posted on X, McAfee, handcuffed behind her back, is seen telling someone: “Can you call the Philosophy Department office and tell them I’ve been arrested?…I’m Noelle McAfee, I’m Chair of the Philosophy Department.”

2100 GMT — France threatens new sanctions against Zionist settlers

France is considering extending sanctions on Israeli illegal settlers behind violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, President Emmanuel Macron’s office said he spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

The two leaders “firmly condemned recent Israeli announcements about settlements” in the occupied West Bank, “which are contrary to international law,” Macron’s office said in a statement.

2045 GMT — US says Netanyahu’s comments on campus protests not a call for crackdown

The US State Department has refused to say that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments on pro-Palestine protests at US universities were a call for a crackdown and an interference in American affairs.

“I will leave it to the prime minister’s office to offer any clarification on his comments, but I don’t believe he called for a crackdown,” State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said when asked if Netanyahu’s remarks were a call for a crackdown on protestors using their right to demonstrate.

When pressed on whether Netanyahu’s remarks were an interference by a foreign leader in American affairs, Patel responded: “I wouldn’t equate that to interfering.”

The post Live blog: Hamas criticises US proposal that ignores Gaza ceasefire demand appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

Live blog: Israel commits atrocities at Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital — Hamas

News Agency nabakhabar — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:24:32 +0000

Israel’s war on besieged Gaza — now in its 178th day — has killed at least 32,845 Palestinians and wounded 75,392 others as WHO chief urges Israel to urgently establish a humanitarian corridor.

Monday, April 1, 2024

1214 GMT –– Israel has committed atrocities during its raid on al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Palestinian resistance group Hamas said.

The Israeli army withdrew from the facility early on Monday after a 14-day raid, leaving behind dozens of people dead and a massive trail of destruction, according to witnesses.

In a statement, Hamas said bodies of handcuffed people were buried alive, while others were trampled by tank tracks, without providing any further details.

Hamas held the US administration “fully responsible for the atrocities and deliberate destruction in the Gaza Strip.”

More updates 👇

1423 GMT –– Turkish foreign minister discusses Gaza, regional issues with Qatari, Russian counterparts

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has discussed the Gaza situation and regional developments with his Qatari and Russian counterparts.

According to Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, Fidan and Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani addressed the latest situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave and regional developments over the phone.

In a separate phone call, Fidan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed regional issues and navigation security in the Black Sea, diplomatic sources said.

1401 GMT –– Settling Gaza to hand Israel ‘total victory,’ says Israeli minister

An Israeli minister has called for rebuilding settlements in Gaza, saying the move will represent a “total victory” in Israel’s ongoing war in the Palestinian enclave.

“A total victory means a return to settle there [in Gaza], that is punishment for what they did on October 7. If we don’t do that, our soldiers would have fallen for nothing,” Minister of the Negev and Galilee Yitzhak Wasserlauf told the local Radio North.

“We must force them into submission to reach total victory,” he said. “That includes invading Rafah and the dismantling of all Palestinian factions.”

1308 GMT –– Israel’s Netanyahu urges Knesset to pass bill to close Al Jazeera

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to shut down Al Jazeera television as soon as the Knesset (parliament) passes a law enabling the closure of the Qatari channel.

The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) is set to vote on the second and third readings of a bill to close down Al Jazeera television on Monday evening.

The first reading of the bill was passed on February 12.

Netanyahu met with coalition whip Ofir Katz and urged him to pass the bill on Monday, his Likud Party said in a statement.

1104 GMT –– Gaza death toll reaches 32,845: health ministry

At least 32,845 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its war on Gaza in October last year, the enclave’s health ministry said.

The toll includes at least 63 deaths over the past 24 hours alone, a ministry statement said, adding that 75,392 others have been wounded.

1051 GMT –– Israeli army arrests 22 more Palestinians in fresh West Bank raids

Israeli forces rounded up 22 more Palestinians in fresh raids across the occupied West Bank late Sunday and early Monday, according to prisoners’ rights groups.

Four women were among the detainees, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a joint statement.

Most of the arrests took place in the cities of Ramallah, Jerusalem, Tulkarem, Jenin, Hebron and Bethlehem, the statement added.

With the latest figures, the total number of arrests since October 7 of last year rose to 7,920, according to the statement.

1008 GMT –– Under fire, US congressman tries to take back remarks that Gaza should be treated ‘like Hiroshima’

Facing a backlash, a US congressman has tried to walk back comments saying the besieged Gaza, home to over two million people, should be treated “like Nagasaki and Hiroshima.”

At a town meeting last week in southern Michigan, Tim Walberg, a Republican congressman, was asked by a resident of his district about the US building a pier off Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to the people there, who the UN says face a dire risk of famine.

“We should not be spending a dime on humanitarian aid,” he said on video posted online last Thursday, adding: “Get it over quick. The same should be in Ukraine.”

“It should be like Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” said Walberg, a former pastor, mentioning the only two cities hit by nuclear weapons, where up to about 226,000 people, mostly civilians, died in 1945 after being bombed by the US.

On X on Sunday, facing criticism, Walberg tried to walk back his remarks, adding that his remarks had been unfairly edited.

0928 GMT –– Gaza Health Ministry urges reactivation of closed Nasser Hospital

The Gaza-based Health Ministry urged to reopen Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, after it was taken out of service by the Israeli army.

In a statement, the ministry called on all international and humanitarian institutions to make efforts to reactivate the hospital and provide protection for healthcare institutions.

The closure of the facility is a blow to healthcare services, which have already been reduced to their lowest levels, depriving patients of access to medical services, the statement added.

The Israeli army took out of commission the hospital last February in a military raid inside it, resulting in destruction, casualties, injuries and detainees.

0852 GMT –– Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital devastated in two-week Israeli assault

Israeli forces have withdrawn from al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City after a two-week operation, the Israeli military said, leaving behind a wasteland of destroyed buildings and Palestinian bodies scattered in the dirt of the complex.

Hundreds of residents rushed to the area around Gaza’s largest hospital to check on damage to the surrounding residential districts after fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group that administers Gaza.

The Israeli military said it had killed and detained hundreds of gunmen in clashes in the area of the hospital, and seized weaponry and intelligence documents. Hamas and medical staff deny that Palestinian fighters have any armed presence in hospitals.

0700 GMT –– Israeli military says al-Shifa hospital operation ‘completed’

Israeli forces have ended their two-week raid in and around Gaza’s largest hospital, the al-Shifa complex in Gaza City, and pulled back from the area, the army said.

“Troops have completed precise operational activity in the area of the Shifa Hospital and exited the area of the hospital,” the military said.

0512 GMT –– Israeli army withdraws from al-Shifa: Gaza health ministry

The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said the Israeli military had withdrawn tanks and vehicles from the complex housing the besieged territory’s main hospital, al-Shifa, days after the launch of a major operation on the site.

The ministry said dozens of bodies had been found at the complex, where an AFP journalist and eyewitnesses saw tanks and vehicles pulling out.

The Israeli military did not immediately confirm any pullout.

Eyewitnesses said dozens of air strikes and shells had hit the area around the complex.

The government media office in Gaza said the Israeli air strikes had provided cover for the withdrawing vehicles.

0443 GMT –– Israeli army says 600 soldiers killed since October 7

The Israeli military announced the death of a soldier in fighting in Gaza, bringing the total number of troops killed since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel to 600.

The military announced the death of a soldier, Nadav Cohen, and updated its overall toll to 600 killed since the attacks that triggered the war.

0058 GMT –– Pope overcomes health concerns to preside over Easter Mass and appeal for peace in Gaza and Ukraine

Pope Francis rallied from a winter-long bout of respiratory problems to lead some 60,000 people in Easter celebrations Sunday, making a strong appeal for a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.

Francis presided over Easter Sunday Mass in a flower-decked St Peter’s Square and then delivered a heartfelt prayer for peace in his annual roundup of global crises.

Gaza’s people, including the small Christian community there, have been a source of constant concern for Francis and Easter in the Holy Land overall was a somber affair this year given the war.

0030 GMT — Iraq’s Islamic Resistance claims responsibility for drone attack on Israel

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for a one-way suicide drone attack on the southern Israeli port city of Eilat.

“The mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq bombed a vital target in our occupied lands Monday morning with appropriate weapons,” the group said in a statement.

The statement said the attack was conducted in solidarity with the people of Gaza and as a reaction to “the massacres committed by the usurping entity” against Palestinian civilians.

“The Islamic Resistance confirms its continuation in destroying enemy strongholds,” the statement added.

0013 GMT — US, Israel to discuss Rafah invasion in virtual meeting: report

The US and Israel are set to convene for a virtual meeting on Monday, aiming to discuss alternative proposals from the Biden administration regarding a potential Israeli military invasion of Rafah, as confirmed by four Israeli and US officials speaking to Axios.

Originally scheduled for last week, the meeting has become a source of contention between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Biden.

Tensions escalated after the US refrained from vetoing a UN Security Council resolution last week, which called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.

In response, Netanyahu announced the cancellation of the meeting in protest against the perceived lack of support from the US.

2230 GMT — WHO urges Israel to enable access to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza

World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Israel to urgently enable access to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza and establish a humanitarian corridor.

“We urge Israel to urgently facilitate access and a humanitarian corridor so WHO and partners can carry out the lifesaving transfer of patients,” Tedros said on X.

He said 21 patients have died since al-Shifa Hospital came under siege on March 18, with hostilities continuing in its vicinity according to updates from a health worker at the facility.

2200 GMT — Israeli forces admit most Gaza killings are civilians

Israeli officers and soldiers have admitted that most of the fatalities classified by the army as “terrorists” during its war on Gaza are actually civilians, a report has said.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz collected testimonies from officers and soldiers who have fought in Gaza during the war, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023.

“The Israeli army says 9,000 terrorists have been killed since the Gaza war began,” the report said.

Israeli officials and soldiers, however, told Haaretz that “these are often civilians whose only crime was to cross an invisible line drawn by the Israeli army.”

“We were explicitly told that even if a suspect runs into a building with people in it, we should fire at the building and kill the terrorist, even if other people are hurt,” one soldier told the newspaper.

2130 GMT — Clashes erupt among Israelis over conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews

Clashes erupted in Jerusalem among Israelis demanding the mandatory conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews into military service and those opposing it, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported.

The official media outlet reported that police dispersed protesters after clashes erupted between hundreds of Israelis demanding Haredim conscription and those opposing it during a demonstration outside the Mea Shearim neighbourhood in Jerusalem.

It added that the demonstration outside a religious Jewish neighbourhood was organised by the “Brothers in Arms,” a movement that advocates for religious and non-religious Israelis to be treated equally in mandatory military conscription.

2100 GMT — Israelis gather in front of Knesset, demand hostage swap deal

Thousands of Israelis began gathering in front of the parliament or Knesset building in Jerusalem to demand a hostage swap deal with Hamas and early elections, an Israeli media outlet said.

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that thousands of Israelis from all over the country began to gather in front of the Knesset building in Jerusalem to demand a hostage swap deal and early elections.

1908 GMT — New Palestinian government sworn in

A new Palestinian government that includes both residents of Gaza and four women was sworn in but was already facing scepticism from its own people.

The Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas is under pressure from Washington to prepare to step into the breach in the aftermath of the Gaza war and undertake reforms.

Newly appointed Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa said his government’s “top national priority” was ending the war as he named his new team.

He said his cabinet “will work on formulating visions to reunify the institutions, including assuming responsibility for Gaza.”

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Warmonger Netanyahu tells US Republicans Gaza war will continue

News Agency nabakhabar — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 04:43:04 +0000

US Republican senators say Israeli prime minister gave them an update on the war and the hostages, saying he will continue until they defeat Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told US Republican senators that Israel will continue its efforts to defeat Palestinian resistance group Hamas in besieged Gaza, senators told reporters after he addressed a party lunch.

“He’s going to do what he said he’s going to do. He’s going to finish it,” Senator Jim Risch said on Wednesday.

The hawkish Israeli leader spoke to Republicans via videolink nearly a week after the Senate’s Democratic majority leader, Chuck Schumer, gave a speech in the Senate harshly criticising Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace and urging new elections in Israel.

Wednesday’s meeting underscored the politicisation of Washington’s Israel policy.

Netanyahu has long been aligned with Republicans, who accused Schumer of seeking to “overthrow” the Israeli leader.

“We asked… him for an update, and we got it on the war, on the release of the hostages and in the efforts to defeat Hamas. We told him Israel has every right to defend themselves, and he said that’s exactly what they continue to do,” Senator John Barrasso said.

Democratic leaders have been grappling with divisions in their party over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza five months into the genocide.

A spokesperson for Schumer said that Netanyahu had offered to speak to the Democrats as well, but Schumer declined, saying that the conversations should not be partisan.

Aid necessity

Progressives Democrats have called on President Biden to put more pressure on Israel to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where aid groups warn of famine, and US officials say more than 30,000 civilians have been killed.

Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Netanyahu had addressed civilian casualties and the need to get more aid into Gaza.

He said Netanyahu was “very supportive” of plans to build a temporary pier and bring in aid by sea.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Netanyahu had made a presentation and then taken questions from senators.

“I made it clear to him, that it’s not the business of the United States to be giving a democratic ally advice about when to have an election or what kind of military campaign they may be conducting,” McConnell told reporters.

Israel has killed at least 31,923 people and wounded 74,096 others in the blockaded enclave so far.

The Israeli war has pushed 85 percent of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while at least 60 percent of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

The post Warmonger Netanyahu tells US Republicans Gaza war will continue appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

Live blog: No compromise on Israel’s Gaza withdrawal for ceasefire — Hamas

News Agency nabakhabar — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 23:08:10 +0000

Friday, March 8, 2024

1809 GMT — Hamas has said there would be no compromise on the Palestinian group’s demand that Israel withdraw from Gaza to secure the release of hostages seized in the October 7 attack.

“Our top priority to reach a prisoner exchange deal is the complete commitment for the halt of aggression and an enemy withdrawal, and there is no compromise on this,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, said in a televised statement.

The statement came as hopes dimmed for a new truce in the five-month-old Israeli war on Gaza triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7.

Mediators had been scrambling to lock in a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is set to begin as early as Sunday depending on the lunar calendar.

More updates 👇

1854 GMT — EU says Gaza to get aid by sea

An international effort gathered pace to get desperately needed humanitarian relief into Gaza by sea.

The dire conditions more than five months into Israel’s war have led some countries to airdrop food and other assistance over besieged Gaza, but a parachute malfunction turned the latest operation lethal.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen expressed hope a maritime corridor could open this Sunday, though crucial details of the planned operation remained unclear.

1829 GMT — Blinken says ‘ball in court’ of Hamas on ceasefire

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it remained up to Hamas to accept a ceasefire with Israel, as hopes dimmed for a new truce in the five-month-old war.

“The issue is Hamas,” Blinken said, a day after President Joe Biden called in his State of the Union address for an “immediate” six-week truce that would allow humanitarian aid into war-ravaged Gaza and free hostages.

“The ball is in their court. We’re working intensely on it,” Blinken said as he met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. “But there’s no doubt in my mind that getting to this ceasefire with the release of hostages would be a profound benefit to everyone involved.”

1747 GMT — Yemenis rally in support of Gaza in Sanaa

Thousands of Yemeni people participated in a mass rally in the Houthi-held Sanaa in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza facing a devastating Israeli onslaught since October 7.

The Houthis’ military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said the Yemeni people continue their support to “the steadfast Palestinian people in Gaza” who gathered in a mass rally in the Al Sabeen Square in Sanaa.

The rally was called upon by the Houthis under the title “In support of Gaza, our hits to intensify,” in reference to the group’s escalating of its attacks in the Red Sea against Israel-linked ships and the US-UK military ships.

1741 GMT — US proposal to build aid port off Gaza ‘cynical’: UN expert

A US plan for a temporary port off Gaza to bring in aid is a cynical play for a US audience and will not avert mass starvation, a UN rights expert said.

Michael Fakhri, the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food, dismissed the measure. “No-one has asked for a maritime pier — not the Palestinian people, not the humanitarian aid community,” he told a briefing in Geneva.

Neither a pier, nor the increasing airdrops over Gaza would “prevent starvation and famine by any definition,” Fakhri said.

1605 GMT — Gaza air drop kills five: hospital medic

A medic at Gaza’s largest hospital said a humanitarian airdrop in the north of the Palestinian territory killed five people and wounded 10.

The casualties were taken to Gaza City’s Al Shifa hospital, the emergency room’s head nurse, Mohammed al Sheikh, told AFP. Sheikh said the deadly airdrop occurred north of the coastal Al Shati refugee camp.

A witness from the camp said he and his brother followed the parachuted aid in the hope of getting “a bag of flour.”

“Then, all of a sudden, the parachute didn’t open and fell down like a rocket on the roof of one of the houses,” said Mohammed al Ghoul.

1652 GMT — Türkiye in talks to ensure unity among Palestinians: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye is in talks with all parties to ensure unity among different Palestinian factions.

“We are meeting with all parties to ensure unity among our Palestinian brothers,” President Erdogan said at a Turkish Youth Foundation event in Istanbul.

“We are making every effort with our heart, tongue, and hands to put an end to the massacre in Gaza and the oppression in Palestine, without giving in to any threats,” he added.

1645 GMT — Biden in a hot mic moment shows his growing frustration with Netanyahu

President Joe Biden’s growing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to mount, with the Democrat captured on a hot mic saying that he and the Israeli leader will need to have a “come to Jesus meeting.”

The comments by Biden came as he spoke with Senator Michael Bennet, D-Colo, on the floor of the House chamber following Thursday night’s State of the Union address.

In the exchange, Bennet congratulates Biden on his speech and urges the president to keep pressing Netanyahu on growing humanitarian concerns in Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were also part of the brief conversation.

Biden then responds using Netanyahu’s nickname, saying, “I told him, Bibi, and don’t repeat this, but you and I are going to have a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting.”

1556 GMT — Two Israelis injured in blast near Israeli settlement in West Bank

Two Israelis were injured in a blast near the Israeli settlement of Homesh in the northern occupied West Bank, Israeli media reported.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that Palestinian gunmen opened fire at an Israeli military post in the area before detonating a bomb.

The Israeli army launched a manhunt to nab the suspects behind the attack. No further information was provided about the incident, or the identity of the injured Israelis.

1255 GMT — Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine illegal: Austria

Austria reminded Israel once again that Jewish settlements in occupied Palestine are illegal.

“We condemn the approval of additional settlement units in the occupied West Bank and call on Israel to withdraw this unnecessary provocation,” the Austrian Foreign Ministry said on X.

Reiterating that the settlements are illegal, the ministry also emphasised that the settlements are obstacles to any negotiations and the viability of the two-state solution.

The ministry said the United Nations and most of the international community consider settlements in the occupied territories since 1967 to be illegal, warning that they undermine the chances of addressing the conflict according to the two-state solution.

1241 GMT — The courage of Gaza’s women will change the world: UN official

As International Women’s Day honours the resilience of women against adversity, a striking testament emerges from Gaza, where Palestinian women have demonstrated “unparalleled strength” in the face of relentless Israeli attacks.

Despite enduring months of siege that have deprived them of basic necessities like water, food, and medicine, these women persevere and hope, fighting for the survival of themselves and their families.

Olga Cherevko, a spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spoke to Anadolu about the devastation she witnessed in Gaza, where she returned during the current Israeli offensive after working there from 2014 to 2017.

1234 GMT — Doctors Without Borders expresses concern on wellbeing of its staff in Israeli detention

Medical charity Doctor Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, expressed concern about the wellbeing of one of its staffers who remains in Israeli detention for three weeks.

“We are deeply concerned about our staff member who was detained at a checkpoint by Israeli forces while trying to leave Nasser hospital in Gaza on 15 February,” the humanitarian organisation said in a statement.

“Israeli authorities confirmed he is in their custody. We call on them to treat him with dignity & ensure his wellbeing.”

1217 GMT — Britain to join US, other partners in opening maritime corridor to deliver aid to Gaza

Britain will join the US and other international partners to open a maritime corridor to “deliver aid directly to Gaza,” the foreign secretary announced.

“Alongside the US, the UK and partners have announced we will open a maritime corridor to deliver aid directly to Gaza,” said David Cameron, stressing that the two million people in the besieged Palestinian enclave are in “desperate humanitarian need.”

On Tuesday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the US is working to open up a maritime corridor to deliver humanitarian aid to the enclave, and President Joe Biden later said they would set up a floating pier off the coast of the enclave.

1042 GMT — Ship carrying aid heads to Gaza as test of new corridor: EU

A ship will head to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid, the European Commission president said, as international donors launch a sea corridor to supply the territory, which faces widespread hunger and shortages of other essential supplies after nearly five months of war.

A ship belonging to Spain’s Open Arms will make a pilot voyage to test the sea corridor, Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Greek-administered Southern Cyprus, where she’s inspecting preparations for the sea corridor.

It’s been waiting at Greek-administered Southern Cyprus’s port of Larnaca for permission to deliver food aid from World Central Kitchen, a US charity founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres.

1032 GMT — Expanding Israeli settlements a ‘war crime’: UN

Expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories constitutes “a war crime” and risks eliminating “any practical possibility” of a viable Palestinian state, the United Nations rights chief has warned.

Volker Turk said there had been a drastic acceleration in Israel’s illegal settlement building in the occupied West Bank, at the same time as it wages a relentless war in the Palestinian besieged territory of Gaza.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said creating and expanding settlements amounted to the transfer by Israel of its own civilian population into occupied territories.

1027 GMT — Israel denies targeting journalists after report on Lebanon fire

The Israeli military has denied it targets reporters after an expert report gave further details of a tank crew opening fire and killing a journalist and wounding others in Lebanon last year.

The military said it “does not deliberately shoot at civilians, including journalists” after a probe by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) found troops “likely” opened fire on the journalists with a machine gun after deadly shelling.

The strike in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border on October 13 instantly killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah.

0950 GMT — Israeli army chief orders ‘plans for a ground operation’ in Lebanon: Report

Israel’s Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has instructed the Israeli military to “prepare several possible plans for a ground operation in Lebanon,” Israeli media reported.

“Because of the possibility of a general war breaking out in the north, the Israeli army is preparing the option of a ground operation in Lebanon,” the Israeli Channel 13 reported.

“Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has assigned Brig. Gen. Chico Tamir to formulate a plan to start a ground manoeuvre against Hezbollah,” it added.

The channel pointed out that “Tamir had great experience in the northern sector when he was in his last position as deputy commander of the Northern Corps of the Israeli army.”

0943 GMT —UN rapporteur calls for investigation, end to ‘many layers of violence’ against Palestinian women

For Palestinian women, there are “many layers of violence that is being perpetuated against them” by Israel, according to Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

In an interview with Anadolu for International Women’s Day, marked annually on March 8, Alsalem stressed that there should be “no impunity” for any crimes of gender-based violence.

“Any crimes of gender-based violence that may h ave been committed in the context of Palestine or Israel, like in the rest of the world, should be, first of all, investigated independently and impartially,” she said.

“There should be no impunity for these crimes.”

0858 GMT — Israel kills 78 more Palestinians in Gaza, death toll at 30,878

At least 78 Palestinians have been killed and 104 others injured in the last 24 hours as Israel continued its onslaught on besieged Gaza, the territory’s Health Ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that Israeli forces committed eight massacres against families in Gaza in the past 24 hours.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” the statement said, adding: “72 percent of victims of the Israeli aggression on Gaza are children and women.”

Flouting the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on Gaza where at least 30,878 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 72,402 injured since October 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

0857 GMT — US, Israeli defence chiefs discuss Gaza

In a phone call, US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant have discussed Gaza more than five months into a controversial Israeli offensive on the Palestinian enclave.

“Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today about Israeli operations against Hamas in Gaza,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

“Secretary Austin discussed the Department of Defense’s humanitarian airdrops to Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” it added.

The statement said Austin underlined the vital importance of boosting humanitarian assistance through every available means of entry and guaranteeing the secure dispensation of aid upon its arrival in Gaza.

0436 GMT — Half of planned Gaza aid missions failed due to Israel: UN

UN humanitarian officials have said that in February half of the 224 missions they planned for delivering aid to areas in Gaza where coordination with Israeli authorities is required got it and succeeded — and half did not.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the UN paused operations in north Gaza following Israeli naval fire that hit a UN-coordinated food convoy heading there on February 5.

As a result, he said, only 24 UN aid missions to the besieged north were planned in February — and just six were facilitated by Israeli authorities.

By contrast, Dujarric said, of the 200 UN missions planned for areas south of Wadi Gaza where access required coordination, 105 were facilitated by Israeli authorities.

0330 GMT — Biden acknowledges 30,000+ Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza

US President Joe Biden has said Israel’s war in besieged Gaza “has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined,” acknowledging over 30,000 Palestinians were killed in last 153 days, including thousands of women and children.

Biden also announced that the US military will set up a temporary port off Gaza as Israel tightens its chokehold on the enclave, even though its main ally Washington has been airdropping aid in Gaza but also has reportedly approved 100 military sales to Tel Aviv since October 7.

The US President said the temporary pier on the Gaza coast will “enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance” going to Gaza, adding there will no US military boots on the ground.

Telling Israel not to use aid as a “bargaining chip”, Biden said, “The only real solution to the situation is a two-state solution over time.”

0118 GMT — ‘Stop arming Israel’: US protesters rally amid Biden SOTU

Pro-Palestinian activists have carried out demonstrations across key parts of the US capital as President Joe Biden prepares to deliver the annual State of the Union address.

Hundreds of demonstrators demanding an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Gaza unfurled a large Palestinian flag and staged a sit-in on a major roadway the president would normally use to reach the Capitol building, just minutes before he is set to address a joint session of Congress.

“Biden’s legacy is genocide,” read one banner that was unfurled on Pennsylvania Ave. Another contained a list of the names of the thousands of children who have been killed in Gaza since October.

“The People Demand: Stop Arming Israel,” another banner said.

2356 GMT — Hamas calls killings of 27 Palestinians in Israeli jails as ‘war crimes’

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has said that the spate of killing of Palestinians from besieged Gaza held by the Israeli army at military facilities are “war crimes” that require an international probe.

In a statement, Hamas said that what Israeli media revealed on the deaths of 27 Palestinians while they were being held at Israeli military facilities is “further evidence of the scale of the crimes, violations and atrocities that Palestinian detainees are exposed to in occupation prisons.”

The statement also said that such incidents require an international investigation by international legal groups.

The Palestinian group urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to shoulder its legal and humanitarian responsibilities in checking the Palestinian detainees’ arrest conditions “amid a deliberate Israeli blackout” of such information.

2000 GMT — Israel kills, wounds ‘dozens of civilians’ in Gaza strikes

Israel has killed and wounded dozens of Palestinian civilians in a series of aerial attacks targeting different areas in besieged Gaza, WAFA news agency said, citing local and medical sources.

At least nine Palestinian civilians were killed in Deir al Balah, at least one near the Al-Nabulsi and Al-Kuwait roundabouts, and another one in Jabalia.

“Israeli occupation forces opened machine gunfire on civilians awaiting for aid trucks near the Al-Nabulsi and Al-Kuwait roundabouts in the west and south of Gaza City,” WAFA said, resulting in casualties.

“The victims were subsequently transported to the Al-Shifa Medical Complex.”

Dozens of others were wounded in those areas, according to the official Palestinian news agency.

2221 GMT — Top English cleric ‘deeply horrified’ by Israeli carnage

England’s top cleric, the archbishop of Canterbury, has said that he is “deeply horrified” by Israel’s bombardments and siege of Gaza and condemned the killing of Palestinian civilians.

“I condemn the killing of Palestinian civilians, the destruction of homes and neighbourhoods, and pushing people to the brink of starvation – there is no moral justification for this,” Justin Welby said on X.

His remarks came after his conversation with Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian.

“In listening to him, I continue to be deeply horrified by Israel’s bombardment and siege of Gaza. I renew my commitment to stand in solidarity with our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters and with the people of Gaza,” Welby added.

2029 GMT — Pro-Palestine protestors shut down office of New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat

A group of pro-Palestine protestors have temporarily shut down the office of US Representative Adriano Espaillat in protest of his support for Israel and taking donations from the pro-Israel lobby group, American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

In a video that went viral on social media, protestors were heard chanting: “Espaillat, you are a liar”, “Espaillat, you cannot hide” and “You set Gaza on fire.”

Protestors accused the New York congressperson of supporting “Palestinian suffering” and taking $30,000 in donations from AIPAC.

Multiple arrests were made, according to reports

The post Live blog: No compromise on Israel’s Gaza withdrawal for ceasefire — Hamas appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

Live blog: Gaza truce talks set to resume in Cairo as heavy fighting rages

News Agency nabakhabar — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 16:24:07 +0000

Israel’s war on Gaza — now in its 149th day — has killed at least 30,320 Palestinians, mostly children and women, and wounded 71,533 others.

Sunday, March 3, 2024

0830 GMT — Egypt was set to host the latest talks aiming for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as Gaza officials reported more deadly bombardment in the nearly five-month-old war.

A senior Hamas official told AFP that a delegation from the Palestinian group would discuss with mediators a proposal for a six-week truce after a US official said Israel had “more or less accepted” its terms.

Envoys from the United States, Qatar and Hamas have arrived in Cairo, state-linked media reported, as all sides have been scrambling to lock in a truce before Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month that begins on March 10 or 11.

The Hamas official said that if Israel were to meet its demands — which include a military withdrawal from Gaza and stepped-up humanitarian aid — this would “pave the way for an agreement within the next 24-48 hours”.

The health ministry in Gaza said at least 90 Palestinians had been killed in the past 24 hours, including 14 family members whose house in the southern Rafah refugee camp had been hit.

More updates 👇

1025 GMT — 15 children die from dehydration, malnutrition

At least 15 children died from dehydration and malnutrition at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said.

“15 children died as a result of malnutrition and dehydration in Kamal Adwan Hospital,” ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said in a statement.

“We fear for the lives of six children suffering from malnutrition and dehydration in intensive care at Kamal Adwan Hospital, as a result of the cessation of the electric generator and oxygen machines,” Qudra added.

On Feb. 19, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that the sharp rise in malnutrition among children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers in the Gaza Strip poses a “serious threat” to their health, particularly given the Israeli forces’ ongoing attacks on the enclave.

0740 GMT — 6 children among 14 killed in Israeli bombing of Rafah

At least 14 Palestinians, including six children, were killed on Sunday in an Israeli bombing that targeted a house in Rafah in southern Gaza.

“In a devastating airstrike carried out by Israeli warplanes last night, a three-story house in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip was targeted, resulting in the killing of dozens of civilians, including six children. Many are still trapped under the rubble,” the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

The agency added that 14 Palestinians were killed in the airstrike which targeted “the Abu Anza family house in the Al-Salam neighborhood east of Rafah, with dozens more wounded and many still missing.”

“The attack also caused extensive damage to the surrounding area,” it added.

0750 GMT — Israeli military steps up strikes on Hamas in Gaza’s Khan Younis

The Israeli military said it intensified operations in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, destroying dozens of Hamas targets in a blitz of air and artillery strikes.

The air force and artillery hit about 50 targets within six minutes, it said, in a bid to “intensify operational achievements in the area.”

“During the strikes, the troops destroyed terrorist infrastructure and eliminated Hamas terrorists who were operating from civilian facilities in urban areas,” it said.

Residents in the area said they were surprised by the swift advancement of Israeli tanks, which sparked fresh battles with Palestinian gunmen. In one housing project some families took to social media, saying they were unable to leave their homes with the tanks in the streets.

0756 GMT — Hamas says Gaza truce possible ‘within 24 to 48 hours’ if Israel accepts terms

A senior Hamas official told AFP that a ceasefire in Gaza may be secured “within 24 to 48 hours” if Israel accepts the Palestinian group’s demands in ongoing talks.

“If Israel agrees to Hamas demands, which include the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza and increasing humanitarian aid, that would pave the way for a (truce) agreement within the next 24 to 48 hours,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue, as negotiations were set to resume in Cairo.

0109 GMT — Gaza truce talks expected in Cairo as Israeli assault rages on

Mediators are expected to reconvene in Cairo and search for a formula acceptable to Israel and Palestinian resistance groups for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, sources with knowledge of the talks said after foreign governments resorted to airdrops to aid desperate civilians in the Palestinian enclave.

Israeli and Hamas delegations were expected to arrive in Cairo, two Egyptian security sources said, although another source briefed on the talks said Israel would not send a delegation until it got a full list of hostages who are still alive.

A senior US official said that the framework for a six-week pause in fighting was in place, with Israel’s agreement, and now depended on Hamas agreeing to release hostages it has held in Gaza since its attacks on southern Israel on October 7.

“The path to a ceasefire right now literally at this hour is straightforward. And there’s a deal on the table. There’s a framework deal. The Israelis have more or less accepted it,” the official told reporters. “The onus right now is on Hamas.”

Biden has said he hopes a ceasefire will be in place by the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10.

0058 GMT — US military aircraft airdrop thousands of meals into Gaza in an emergency humanitarian aid operation

US military C-130 cargo planes dropped food in pallets over Gaza in the opening stage of an emergency humanitarian assistance authorised by President Joe Biden after more than 100 Palestinians who had surged to pull goods off an aid convoy were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.

Three planes from Air Forces Central dropped 66 bundles containing about 38,000 meals into Gaza at 8:30 am EST (3:30 pm local). The bundles were dropped in southwest Gaza, on the beach along the territory’s Mediterranean coast.

The airdrop was coordinated with the Royal Jordanian Air Force, which said it had two food airdrops in northern Gaza and has conducted several rounds in recent months.

2200 GMT — Three Israeli soldiers killed in a building in the Gaza city of Khan Younis

Three Israeli soldiers have been killed and 14 injured when explosive devices were detonated inside a building in the Gaza city of Khan Younis, the army said.

“Three soldiers were killed and 14 others were injured, including 5 in serious condition from the 450th Battalion of the army, due to the explosion of explosive devices in a building in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza,” the army said in a statement.

Army spokesman Daniel Haggai said “the army will investigate the explosions,” and that “the fighting in Khan Younis is difficult.”

The number of fatalities in the ranks of the Israeli army since October 7 has risen to 585, and 245 since the start of the ground invasion on October 27.

The post Live blog: Gaza truce talks set to resume in Cairo as heavy fighting rages appeared first on News Agency nabakhabar.

Live blog: Hamas awaits new truce proposal from Israel after Cairo talks

News Agency nabakhabar — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 18:18:54 +0000

Israel’s war on Gaza — now in its 140th day — has killed at least 29,514 Palestinians, mostly children and women, and wounded 69,616 others.

Friday, February 23, 2024

1234 GMT — Hamas wrapped up ceasefire talks in Cairo and is now waiting to see what mediators bring back from weekend talks with Israel, an official from the resistance group has said, in what appears to be the most serious push for weeks to halt the fighting.

Mediators have ramped up efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, in the hope of heading off an Israeli assault on the Gaza city of Rafah where more than a million displaced people are sheltering at the southern edge of the enclave.

Israel says it will attack the city if no truce agreement is reached soon. Washington has called on its close ally not to do so, warning of vast civilian casualties if an assault on the city goes ahead.

More updates 👇

1244 GMT — Israeli spy chief in Paris for Gaza ceasefire talks

An Israeli delegation led by the head of the country’s overseas intelligence agency arrived in Paris on Friday to “unblock” talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, an Israeli official has said.

Mossad director David Barnea will be joined in the French capital by his counterpart at the domestic Shin Bet security agency, Ronen Bar, Israeli media reported.

1202 GMT — Gaza victims sue German government for ‘aiding genocide against Palestinians’

Victims of months of Israel’s attacks on Gaza are filing a criminal complaint against top German government officials for supporting Israel’s war crimes and “genocide” against Palestinians.

“We’re filing a criminal complaint against German government officials for the crime of aiding and abetting genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza by providing Israel with weapons and issuing related export permissions,” lawyers for the Gaza victims told a press conference in Berlin.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, and Economy Minister Robert Habeck all stand accused of “complicity in the genocide in Gaza” by supporting Israel’s military offensive and authorising the export of $350 million worth of weapons to Israel.

1032 GMT — Israel to establish over 3,300 settlement units in occupied West Bank

The Israeli authorities intend to approve within the next two weeks the establishment of more than 3,300 settlement units in the occupied West Bank, according to official Israeli media.

“The relevant committee is expected to meet within two weeks to approve the establishment of 2,350 housing units in the Maaleh Adumim settlement, about 300 in the Kedar settlement, and 700 units in the Efrat settlement,” the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation has said.

1029 GMT — Nations must halt arms transfer to Israel ‘that would be used in Gaza,’ say UN experts

UN experts have called for an immediate halt to arms exports to Israel that would be used in Gaza.

“Any transfer of weapons or ammunition to Israel that would be used in Gaza is likely to violate international humanitarian law and must cease immediately,” said a statement by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

It urged all states to “ensure respect” for international humanitarian law by parties to the conflict, adding that they “must accordingly refrain from transferring any weapon or ammunition — or parts for them — if it is expected, given the facts or past patterns of behaviour, that they would be used to violate international law.”

0951 GMT — Three more Hezbollah members killed in clashes with Israeli army near Lebanon border

The Lebanese Hezbollah group said three more of its members were killed in border clashes with the Israeli forces.

In a statement, the group identified one fighter as Muhammad Hassan Tarraf and two medics as Hussein Muhammad Khalil and Muhammad Yaqoub Ismail.

The three members were killed in an Israeli aggression targeting the Civil Defence Center in Bleyda, southern Lebanon, the statement said.

The death toll of Hezbollah members killed by Israeli forces since October 8 has risen to 211, according to previous statements by the group.

0929 GMT — Death toll in Gaza exceeds 29,500: Palestinian health ministry

At least 104 more Palestinians have been killed and 160 others injured in the last 24 hours alone as Israel continues its onslaught on the besieged Gaza, the territory’s Health Ministry said.

“The Israeli occupation committed 10 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 104 martyrs and 160 injured during the past 24 hours,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” the statement said.

Flouting the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on Gaza where at least 29,514 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 69,616 injured since October 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

0923 GMT — Hamas leader leaves Egypt after ceasefire talks

Hamas said its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, left Egypt after holding talks with Egyptian officials about a possible ceasefire in Gaza and an exchange of hostages held by the group for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

The talks in Cairo came ahead of a high-level meeting expected over the weekend in Paris, where international mediators will present a new truce proposal.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been struggling for weeks to find a formula that could halt Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza.

0653 GMT — Almost all economic activity in Gaza ground to halt: World Bank

Gaza’s economy shrank by more than 80 percent in the fourth quarter of last year due to Israeli attacks, the World Bank said.

In a report, the bank said the Israeli war on the Palestinian enclave since October has resulted in massive loss of life and the effects of the conflict on the Palestinian economy have been consequential.

GDP plummeted from approximately $670 million in the third quarter to roughly $90 million in the fourth quarter, it said.

Stating that the Palestinian economy experienced one of the largest shocks recorded in recent economic history since the start of the war, the report said: “Almost all economic activity in Gaza has ground to a halt.”

0359 GMT — Israeli air strike targets car in Jenin refugee camp, killing one

An Israeli air strike targeted a car in the Jenin refugee camp north of the occupied West Bank, killing one Palestinian and wounding 15 others.

“One Palestinian was martyred and 15 injured, including two critically, as a result of the (Israeli) occupation’s targeting of a car in the Jenin camp,” the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The ministry did not disclose the identity of the Palestinian killed, while Palestinians shared photos and videos on social media of a burning car in the middle of the camp.

0337 GMT — Israeli army targets Hezbollah facility in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army said it targeted a military facility in southern Lebanon belonging to the Hezbollah group.

Hezbollah later said it targeted two Israeli barracks with dozens of rockets in response to the targeting of a residential building earlier in the day in the town of Kfar Roummane.

The army said it attacked “a military building affiliated with the Hezbollah organisation after observing armed individuals inside.”

0311 GMT — Israeli air strikes kill 40 Palestinians in Gaza

At least 40 Palestinians killed and around 100 others wounded in Israeli air strikes in Gaza, the Gaza Media Office announced.

“The Israeli occupation army has committed a horrific massacre in central Gaza, where fighter jets bombed four civilian homes, resulting in the deaths of 40 martyrs and more than 100 injuries,” the media office said on Telegram.

It noted that more than 90 percent of the victims were women and children.

0202 GMT — G20 hot mic gaffe exposes extent of US isolation following Gaza ceasefire veto

The US found itself increasingly isolated when a hot mic during an international summit in Brazil exposed searing criticism from close international allies prompted by Washington’s refusal to endorse a ceasefire in the besieged Gaza.

The pointed criticisms were made during a closed press meeting of G20 foreign ministers that reporters were able to listen into via audio headsets after organisers failed to turn them off, according to the Washington Post newspaper.

Close US ally Australia warned of the “further devastation” that would result from Israel’s vowed invasion of southern Gaza’s city of Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million people are seeking shelter, the vast majority of whom fled other parts of Gaza amid bombings and Israeli orders for civilians to evacuate.

South Africa, which has filed a case with the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide, said the inaction has “allowed impunity to hold sway.” “We have failed the people of Palestine,” South African envoy Naledi Pandor said.

0155 GMT — Blinken defends US veto

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to criticism that the US is alone in its approach to Israel’s war on besieged Gaza, saying, “We all share the same goals.”

“Everyone wants to see an end to this conflict as soon as possible,” Blinken said during a news conference in Brazil in response to a question on the US isolation due to its support for Israel and the use of its veto against UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire.

“I think all of us are united in wanting to see after Gaza the path forward to a genuinely durable, sustainable peace,” he said.

0132 GMT — Israeli occupation violates Palestinians’ right to self-determination: Malaysia

Malaysia told a hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Palestine has the right to self-determination and that this right has been violated due to the Israeli occupation.

Speaking on behalf of Malaysia, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan highlighted that the occupation is illegal due to its violation of international law and emphasised the need for an immediate end to the occupation.

Hasan said it is essential for the ICJ to express its views on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as this opinion would assist in delivering a fair judgment on the occupation, annexation and discriminatory policies in Palestine.

2351 GMT — Protesters march inside Biden’s California hotel, accuse him of genocide

A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched inside US President Joe Biden’s California hotel, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Gaza.

“Biden, Biden, you can’t hide; we charge you with genocide,” the group, estimated by the White House pool to include up to 30 people, chanted.

They also chanted “ceasefire now” as they marched through the upscale Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. “How many kids did you kill today?” they asked.

A banner held by some of the protesters as they walked through the Fairmont’s lobby and past its rooms said: “Stop funding genocide: End all US aid to Israel.”

2200 GMT — Any Israeli invasion of Rafah must cease immediately: China

China’s Permanent Representative to the UN has said any invasion by Israel into besieged Gaza’s Rafah area must cease immediately, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that a ceasefire in the blockaded enclave is a common wish voiced by the international community and the consensus of the Security Council’s overwhelming majority.

2147 GMT — Israel can’t be stopped merely by condemnation: Turkish parliament speaker

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus stressed the ineffectiveness of merely condemning Israel’s war on besieged Gaza, calling for swift international intervention to halt its aggression.

“What’s even more distressing is that while the Israeli government, (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his cohorts commit these crimes, the whole world is watching,” he said.

He called for global action to prevent further atrocities, emphasising the need to isolate Israel diplomatically on every platform.

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Turkish president rejects labeling of Hamas as a ‘terror group’

News Agency nabakhabar — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 18:21:42 +0000

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated his stance on Palestinian group Hamas and said he can “never accept” Hamas as a terror group, Anadolu Agency reports.

“I stand by my position. No matter what anybody says, I can never accept Hamas as a terror group,” Erdogan said while speaking to journalists on board the presidential plane returning from Dubai, where he attended the COP28 climate summit.

Emphasizing Turkiye’s approach centered around seeking opportunities for permanent peace in the region, he said Ankara acts with the motto – “How can we find the opportunity for permanent peace again?”

“We have come to a point with our interlocutors that Gaza (issue) cannot be debated if there is no two-state solution,” he noted.

“If we prioritize a two-state solution, the Gaza (issue) and threats will disappear. The exclusion of Hamas is not a realistic scenario”, Erdogan added.

The Israeli army resumed bombing the Gaza Strip early Friday after declaring an end to a week-long humanitarian pause with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

At least 178 Palestinians have been killed and 589 injured on Friday in Israeli airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The humanitarian pause began on Nov. 24 as part of an agreement between Israel and Hamas to temporarily halt fighting to allow hostage swaps and aid delivery.

More than 15,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

Around 1,200 Israelis have also been killed, according to official estimates.

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Israel receives list of hostages to be released Sunday — local media

News Agency nabakhabar — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 17:02:21 +0000

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has received a list of Israeli hostages slated to be released Sunday in a third batch of a prisoner swap deal with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, according to media reports.

The Haaretz newspaper noted that the information was relayed to families of the prisoners set to be released.

Israeli security authorities are currently checking the list of hostages, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

A Qatari-mediated four-day humanitarian pause took effect Friday that temporarily halted an Israeli onslaught against Gaza.

Israel and Hamas have swapped 41 Israelis and foreigners for 78 Palestinians from Israeli jails in two batches of a prisoner swap carried out in the first two days of a four-day humanitarian pause.

Under the agreement, the hostages and prisoners will be released in batches during the course of four days.

Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza following a cross-border operation by Hamas on Oct. 7.

It has since killed at least 14,854 Palestinians, including 6,150 children and over 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.

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More Palestinian and Israeli detainees expected to be released in swap deal as Gaza’s truce enters day 3

News Agency nabakhabar — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 14:15:32 +0000

In a sign of the fragility of the exchanges, the latest swap Saturday was delayed for hours after Hamas accused Israel of breaching its side of the deal that led to a four-day ceasefire in seven weeks of war marked by the deadliest Israeli violence in decades, vast destruction and displacement across the Gaza Strip.

The war has already claimed the lives of more than 14,500 Palestinians, two thirds of them women and children.

Hamas said Israel was interfering in the selection of prisoners for release and not releasing enough long-serving prisoners. Israel is also not allowing aid to reach civilians in the north. Aid deliveries fell short of what was expected.

Hamas later said it relented when Egyptian and Qatari mediators relayed a promise by Israel to uphold the accord, and finally released 13 Israelis and four Thai captives at night, officials said.

Israel, in turn, freed 33 children and six Palestinian women which were detained in Israel jails.

Israeli occupation prison authorities said the latest group of released Palestinian detainees included 38-year-old Israa Jaabis, sentenced to 11 years in jail for allegedly detonating a gas cylinder at a checkpoint in 2015.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it had since received a list of captives due to be released on Sunday.

The list was being checked by security officials, it said, and families of the captives had been informed.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said the four detainees from his country released Saturday were healthy.

“Everyone is glad to be released. Overall mental health is still good,” he said in a social media post.

Ceasefire extension?

Egypt has said that it received positive feedback from both sides about the idea of extending the truce for a day or two and releasing more detainees.

“It’s only a start, but so far it’s gone well,” US President Joe Biden told reporters Friday, adding “the chances are real” for extending the truce.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called for “a permanent ceasefire and a complete end to this aggression”.

But Israeli armed forces chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi said Saturday that the war would continue.

“We will return immediately at the end of the ceasefire to attack Gaza,” Halevi said.

West Bank celebrations

Despite the row, Sundays’ release would be the third since the four-day truce entered into force Friday.

Hamas has released 26 Israeli captives in exchange for 78 Palestinian detainees in the two releases already completed.

The resistance group has also freed a total of 14 Thais and one Filipino.

Iran’s foreign ministry said it had joined with key mediator Qatar to help negotiate the release of the Thai nationals.

Some of the Palestinian prisoners were released in east Jerusalem, while the bulk returned home to a hero’s welcome in the occupied West Bank.

Among those released was Nurhan Awad, who was 17 in 2016 when she was sentenced to 13 1/2 years in jail.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, fireworks exploded and crowds filled the streets to welcome the first release of the Palestinians on Friday.

“I was just waiting for the day I would be released from prison so I could hug my mother like this,” said Rawan Abu Matar, who served eight years for attempting to stab an Israeli soldier.

In the town of Al-Bireh, newly released teenage boys were paraded through the main square where they waved Palestinian flags as well as green banners of Hamas and yellow banners of the Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas is expected to free a total of 50 captives during the truce in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees, under an agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

Aid trucks enter Gaza

The pause in the Israel war on Gaza has also allowed a little more aid to reach Palestinians struggling to survive with shortages of water and other essentials. Israel had placed Gaza under total siege for 48 consecutive days.

The United Nations said the truce has made it possible to scale up the delivery of food, water, and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war. It was also able to deliver 129,000 liters (about 35,000 gallons) of fuel, just over 10% of daily pre-war volume, as well as cooking gas, a first since the war began.

Aid also reached northern Gaza, via a “humanitarian passageway,” for the first time in a month. The Palestinian Red Crescent said 61 trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies headed there on Saturday.

The U.N. said it and the Palestinian Red Crescent were also able to evacuate 40 patients and family members from a hospital in Gaza City to another one in the south.

Another 187 trucks of vital supplies had been sent separately to aid organizations operating in the Gaza Strip, it said.

The UN estimates that 1.7 million of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have been forcibly displaced by Israel.

Thousands have been returning since the truce to what is left of their homes.

“We are civilians,” said Mahmud Masood, standing in front of flattened buildings in Jabalia, northern Gaza. “Why have they destroyed our houses?”

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