Live blog: Hamas receives truce proposal 'positively' — Qatar

Thursday, February 1, 2024

1840 GMT — Hamas has given "initial positive confirmation" to a proposal for the cessation of fighting in Gaza and the release of hostages, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman said.

US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators met with Israeli intelligence officials in Pairs on Sunday where they proposed a six-week pause in the Gaza war and a hostage-prisoner exchange for Hamas to review.

"That proposal has been approved by the Israeli side and now we have an initial positive confirmation from the Hamas' side," Majed al Ansari told an audience at a Washington-based graduate school.

"There is still a very tough road in front of us," said Ansari.

"We are optimistic because both sides now agreed to the premise that would lead to a next pause... We're hopeful that in the next couple of weeks, we'll be able to share good news about that," he added.

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1841 GMT — 'Everyone in Gaza is hungry' : UN chief appeals for heightened aid

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urgently called for increased humanitarian aid into Gaza because of severe hunger, mass displacement and a crumbling humanitarian system.

"I call for rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded & sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza," Guterres wrote on X.

"Everyone in Gaza is hungry. 1.7 million people have been displaced. The humanitarian system in collapsing," he said, highlighting the critical situation.

1814 GMT — International Union of Muslim Scholars calls for ‘peaceful’ demonstrations during Jerusalem Week

The International Union of Muslim Scholars has called for "peaceful" demonstrations in support of Jerusalem and Gaza as part of events during the World Jerusalem Week from February 2 to 9.

A news conference in Qatar at the group’s headquarters, included the head of Union, Ali Muhyiddin al Qaradaghi, General-Secretary Ali Muhammad al Sallabi and several scholars and academics.

Al Qaradaghi emphasised in a statement Israel's intense attacks and blockade for the past 118 days against Gaza and urged the world to raise their voices against the tragic events in the enclave and Palestine, where Palestinians are fighting for their freedoms and a saga of heroism and liberation is unfolding.

1735 GMT — France's objective is to speed up ceasefire in Gaza: Macron

France is seeking to reach a ceasefire in embattled Gaza faster, the country’s President Emmanuel Macron has said.

"France's objective is to speed up the ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages," he told a press conference after a European Council meeting in Brussels.

Although the war in Gaza was on the agenda of the meeting, in the council’s published conclusions, there was just a single vague sentence on the conflict.

“The European Council discussed the latest developments in the Middle East,” it said.

1712 GMT — Spanish premier says he will keep pushing EU to ‘act coherently’ on Gaza

Spain’s prime minister has said that he will continue pushing the EU to “act coherently" on Israel's war in Gaza.

Noting the “extreme and serious situation in Gaza” Pedro Sanchez he said that Spain, along with other European nations, urged the EU to speak “substantially” on the conflict during the special meeting of the European Council.

However, in the council’s published conclusions, there was just a single sentence on the conflict: “The European Council discussed the latest developments in the Middle East.”

Sanchez acknowledged the “obvious” divisions on the crisis, but said he refused to give up promoting Spain’s position and urging the EU to call for Israel to “respect international humanitarian law.”

1704 GMT — US sanctions Israeli settlers over attacks on Palestinians

US President Joe Biden has signed a new executive order authorising sanctions against Israeli settlers who have been attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as well as blacklisting four individuals.

The actions come as settler violence targeting Palestinians across the occupied West Bank has escalated dramatically for months amid Israel's war on the besieged Gaza.

The dramatic increase in settler violence in the occupied West Bank has prompted growing pressure from some of Biden's most vocal Democratic allies to take action to rein it in.

The authorities being rolled out bar the individuals from accessing the US financial system, freezing any property already subject to US jurisdiction, and bans them from US entry, two senior Biden administration officials said.

1645 GMT — Gaza cease-fire demonstrators stage rush-hour protest in US capital

Protesters have gathered outside Union Station in Washington, DC to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.

Demonstrators carrying Palestinian flags chanted against President Joe Biden while unfurling banners saying “Free Palestine,” "We See Your Silence Ceasefire Now!" "End All US Aid to Israel!" "No to Occupation & Apartheid!" "End the Siege of Gaza Now,” and "Judaism Demands Freedom for Gaza and All Palestine."

One of the protesters at the transport hub, Sean Blackmon, told Anadolu Agency that every year, billions of US taxpayers’ dollars go to fund Israel's "facilitated genocide" of Palestinians.

"This protest is one among many. It is part of a movement that is designed to continue to put pressure on the US to end support for Israeli apartheid," he added.

1634 GMT — Nearly 9,000 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jails: Israeli NGO

An Israeli rights group has revealed that the number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails nears 9,000, including a portion of those arrested in Gaza.

HaMoked said the figures obtained by Israeli prison authorities indicate that "8,926 security inmates are held in prisons inside Israel."

It said as of February, the Israeli army holds in its prisons, 2,084 Palestinian who were sentenced and 2,752 as remanded prisoners.

The group added that there are 3,484 held under Israeli administrative detention without charge or trial.

1553 GMT — China backs UN agency in Palestine, urges US, others to reconsider suspension of funds

Extending support to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, China has called on the US, UK and others to reconsider their decision of suspending funding to UNRWA.

The agency has “made important effort in easing the humanitarian situation in Gaza, playing an indispensable and irreplaceable role,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press briefing in Beijing.

“We call on the international community, especially major donors, to prioritize the lives of the people in Gaza, reconsider the decision to suspend funding, and continue to support the work of UNRWA,” he said, stressing that “collective punishment” against the people in Gaza should be avoided.

1501 GMT — Israel says it is nearing agreement with Egypt on Rafah, Philadelphia Corridor

Tel Aviv and Cairo are nearing deals about the city of Rafah and the Philadelphia Corridor along the border between Gaza and Egypt, Israeli Army Radio reported Thursday.

''Israel has committed to Egypt not to operate in the Rafah City south of the (Gaza) Strip until allowing the 1 million people there to evacuate the area,'' it said. ''This aims to reduce the waves of Palestinian refugees flowing from Gaza into Egyptian territory, which is of paramount concern to Cairo.”

There has been no comment from Egypt on the report.

1446 GMT — Norway 'reasonably optimistic' funding to UNRWA can get back on track

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has told Reuters he was "reasonably optimistic" some countries that had paused funding to the UNRWA would resume payments.

UNRWA on Thursday said its entire operations in the Middle East, not only in Gaza, will most likely be forced to shut down by the end of February if its funding remains suspended.

"I am reason ably optimistic that we will get funding back on track," Barth Eide said in an interview.

He said "many countries" were realising that the current situation could not last very long. He declined to name specific countries.

1430 GMT — UN Palestinian aid agency warns cuts may force shutdown

The UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees has said that international funding cuts may force the shutdown of its operations across the region "by the end of February".

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said that "if the funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to shut down our operations by end of February not only in Gaza but also across the region".

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said after talks with Lazzarini that he "emphasised the immediate need for the international community to support UNRWA, which plays an indispensable role for Palestinian refugees, serving as a lifeline for over two million Palestinians facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza".

1415 GMT — Israeli soldiers receive orders from commanders to burn homes in Gaza: Israeli media

Israeli soldiers in Gaza have received orders from their commanders to burn Palestinian homes and everything in Gaza, the Haaretz newspaper reported.

It said the homes being set on fire are chosen based on intelligence information, according to commanders who spoke to the newspaper.

Haaretz quoted three commanders who are leading the fight in Gaza who confirmed that burning homes in Gaza has become a "common practice."

The practice was applied to specific cases but later turned into common practice with the continuation of the war, said Haaretz.

1356 GMT — Israel releases 114 Palestinians, many with 'bone fractures'

Israeli authorities have released 114 Palestinians, including four women, who were detained by the Israeli army during their recent offensive on Gaza.

A Palestinian official with the Gaza crossing authorities said that the Palestinians were released through the Karem Abu Salem commercial crossing, also known as the Kerem Shalom crossing, in southern Gaza.

Ten of the released people, including a woman, were transferred to a hospital in Rafah city due to health conditions.

They suffered severe bone fractures, particularly in their hands and legs, as an apparent result of being beaten in custody by Israeli forces, a medical source said.

Some had blood clots on their necks and heads, while others suffered difficulty in breathing, wounds and scratches, and swelling in their hands, said the source.

1325 GMT — Israeli official tells US 'no alternative' to UN refugee agency in Gaza: Israeli Media

Ghassan Alyan, the coordinator of Israeli government operations in the Palestinian territories, has told senior US officials that "at this stage, there is no alternative to the activities of UNRWA in the Gaza Strip,'' reported Israeli daily Israel Hayom.

Alian's statements contrast with the official Israeli position, which calls for ending the operations of the UN agency in the Palestinian enclave.

1322 GMT — Over 30,000 displaced people lack water, food, medicine

Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has said more than 30,000 displaced people in schools near a hospital in Khan Younis lack water, food, infant milk, and medicine.

1318 GMT — Israeli onslaught on Gaza ‘war of revenge’: ex-security chief

The former head of Israel’s Shin Bet security service has termed the ongoing military offensive on Gaza as a “war of revenge.”

"We embarked on a war of revenge and this is absolutely justified in light of what we have been through," Carmi Gillon told Israeli Channel 12.

Gillon, who resigned in 1995 after the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, claimed that Hamas, which rules Gaza, "has been dealt a blow.”

“(Hamas) will remain the governing body in Gaza as long as there is a vacuum and there is no one else to fill it,” he said.

1249 GMT — US House moves to expand ban on entry of Palestinian officials to US

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to expand the ban on entry into the US for officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), in addition to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement members.

“The bill also expands an existing admissions bar against officers, representatives, and spokespersons of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Under this bill, all PLO members are barred from admission into the US,” Congress said on its website.

1238 GMT — 44 more Palestinians detained in occupied West Bank raids

The Israeli army has detained 44 more Palestinians during raids across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.

In the town of Husan near Bethlehem, 30 Palestinians, including 18 children, were rounded up, according to the statement. The rest of the arrests took place in the cities of Nablus, Jenin, Jericho and Jerusalem, it added.

The new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since October 7 to 6,460, the Commission of Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said.

1236 GMT — Hamas engages other resistance groups for unified position against Israel

Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement Ziad al Nakhala has said that the movement would not engage in any agreements without reaching a comprehensive ceasefire.

"The final response from the movement (Islamic Jihad) has not been presented to Cairo yet," a Palestinian source said, adding that "discussions with Egyptian officials are still ongoing."

It is understood that negotiators Egypt, Qatar and the US are edging closer to an agreement to halt the war and enable the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

1049 GMT — Gaza death toll surpasses 27,000 – Palestinian health ministry

At least 27,019 people have been killed in nearly four months of Israel's war on Gaza, the health ministry in the besieged enclave said.

A ministry statement said some 66,139 people have been wounded in Gaza since the war broke out on October 7.

0744 GMT — Israel arrests dozens of Palestinians in West Bank

The Israeli army injured two Palestinians and arrested at least 37 others during a series of new incursions in the occupied West Bank, according to medical sources and the official agency.

Medical sources told Anadolu Agency that two Palestinians were shot with live bullets during clashes with the Israeli army in the city of Tubas (north). One of them was shot in the lower back, and the other in the foot.

According to local sources, Israeli forces stormed Tubas and arrested two Palestinians, leading to clashes with dozens of Palestinians.

The Israeli army used live and rubber-coated bullets, as well as tear gas canisters, to disperse the Palestinians who were throwing stones at their forces, according to the sources.

0519 GMT — Hamas head due in Cairo for truce talks

The leader of the Palestinian group Hamas was expected in Cairo for talks on a proposed truce in Gaza, as Israel kept up its offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Hamas was reviewing a proposal for a six-week truce with Israel, a source told AFP, after mediators gathered in Paris, with international efforts towards a new pause in Tel Aviv's devastating war gathering pace.

0447 GMT — Italy or France to lead EU's naval mission in the Red Sea: Rome

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that discussions have taken place on launching a European Union naval mission to protect ships in the Red Sea which will be led by either Italy or France.

"The command of this mission will either be in Italy or France. We are working together with (Italian Defence Minister Guido) Crosetto, but it is important to protect commercial ship traffic," Tajani said in a TV programme on the Italian state broadcasting service RAI.

"In addition to the Atalanta mission, there will be another one with new engagement rules. Therefore, it will have the capability to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or missiles attacking Italian ships or commercial ships of other countries. This is a military defence mission aimed at securing maritime trade traffic."

0428 GMT — Mossad proposes 9-point truce plan to Israel's war cabinet

Mossad chief David Barnea has presented a nine-point plan to Israel's War Cabinet for the potential release of 136 hostages in Gaza, as reported by Tel Aviv-based Channel 12 late Wednesday, according to Times of Israel.

The proposed deal outlines a phased release process aimed at ensuring the safety of all hostages.

In the initial phase, 35 hostages would be released in exchange for a 35-day truce, equating to one day of truce per hostage. This phase prioritises the release of vulnerable individuals, including women, the sick, injured, and elderly hostages, according to the report.

0409 GMT — Abbas vows to prevent Israel from isolating Gaza

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Israel will not be allowed to separate Gaza from the rest of the Palestinian territory.

He made the statement during a meeting at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah attended by members of the Central Committee of the Fatah movement, several members of its Revolutionary Council, the secretary of the Advisory Council and secretaries of the movement's regions in the northern provinces, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Abbas also reaffirmed "the unwavering Palestinian political stance regarding the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Gaza and the swift delivery of humanitarian aid to the beleaguered region."

0235 GMT — US says downed Iranian drones, Houthi missile as Gaza war rages

An American warship has shot down three Iranian drones and a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi group, the US military claimed.

"Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by the USS Carney," the Central Command said in a statement, referring to a US Navy destroyer.

Less than an hour later, "the USS Carney engaged and shot down three Iranian UAVs in its vicinity," CENTCOM said, without specifying whether the drones were armed or just for surveillance.

The US also said they struck up to 10 unmanned drones in Yemen that were preparing to launch.

0227 GMT — Access to clean water in Gaza is 'matter of life and death': UN agency

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East [UNRWA] has said that in besieged Gaza, "access to clean water is a matter of life and death."

"In Gaza, every day is a struggle to find bread and water. Every day is a struggle to survive," it said on X.

The agency pointed out that "without safe water, many more people will die from deprivation and disease."

0137 GMT — Biden to visit Michigan as Arab American anger over Gaza grows

US President Joe Biden will travel on Thursday to the crucial swing state of Michigan, which is also the crucible of growing Arab American anger at his pro-Israel policies.

The trip comes days after the Democratic incumbent's campaign manager travelled to the city of Dearborn — home to the largest Muslim population in the United States — only to be snubbed by the Detroit suburb's mayor.

It was an ominous sign for Biden, for whom swing states such as Michigan could prove crucial in November when he faces a likely rematch with his predecessor, Donald Trump.

2222 GMT — UNSC members meet to review ICJ ruling on Gaza genocide case

UN Security Council member states have gathered to review a recent provisional ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel.

The Hague-based ICJ ordered Israel last week to "take all measures within its power" to prevent further bloodshed in Gaza in line with its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The court also demanded the immediate release of all hostages.

Some UNSC permanent members such as Russia and China repeated demands of truce during the meeting while US claimed "Israel has right to defend itself."

2200 GMT — Chicago becomes latest US city to approve Gaza truce resolution

Chicago's City Council narrowly approved a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Israel's war on besieged Gaza, with Mayor Brandon Johnson casting the tie-breaking vote.

The resolution, approved 24-23, includes a call for humanitarian aid and the release of all captives.

Chicago is the latest US city to approve such a non-binding resolution, following Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco in recent months.

2000 GMT — Abbas says won't let Israel split Gaza from Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded an end to Israel's brutal war on besieged Gaza, affirming unity between Palestinians in the blockaded enclave and the occupied West Bank, state-run WAFA news agency reported.

Abbas said Palestine "will not abandon [its] people in Gaza. We will share the livelihood, the salaries, and the stipends in Gaza and the West Bank. We will not allow the occupation's plans to separate Gaza from the rest of the Palestinian territory nor annex any part of it."

Abbas added, "We told the world that after halting the war of genocide and displacement waged by the Israeli occupation forces, there must be a clear political path based on the foundations of international legitimacy, the Arab Peace Initiative, and international law. This path includes all the occupied Palestinian territories in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem."

For our live updates from Wednesday, January 31, click here.