Live blog: Dismantling UNRWA would sacrifice 'generation of children'

Monday, March 4, 2024

2043 GMT — Dismantling the UN Palestinian refugee aid agency [UNRWA] would sacrifice a "generation of children," its chief Philippe Lazzarini has warned amid an increasingly bitter row between the UN and Israel.

"Dismantling UNRWA is short-sighted. By doing so, we will sacrifice an entire generation of children, sowing the seeds of hatred, resentment and future conflict," Lazzarini told the UN General Assembly.

Lazzarini warned that the UNRWA is at a "breaking point" as donors freeze funding, Israel exerts pressure to dismantle the agency and humanitarian needs soar.

The UNRWA's ability to carry out its mandate is "seriously threatened," Lazzarini said, urging member states to "provide the political support necessary to sustain" the agency.

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1827 GMT — Not clear how many Israeli hostages are alive in Gaza: Hamas

A Hamas leader said that the Palestinian group didn't know how many of the Israeli hostages in Gaza were still alive.

"Of the prisoners, we don't know exactly who among them are alive or dead, killed because of strikes or hunger," Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, told AFP from Cairo.

"There are prisoners held by numerous groups in multiple places" across the Palestinian territory, he said, nearly five months into Israel's war on Gaza.

Naim, a former health minister in Gaza, said that "a ceasefire is necessary so that we can carry out (checks) on this issue... regarding the names, numbers and their status whether alive or dead."

1844 GMT — Head of UN Palestinian refugee agency seeks General Assembly support

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is set to defend his organization's work at the General Assembly, after a crippling backlash over accusations that some employees were involved in October 7 attack.

Philippe Lazzarini warned in a letter to the General Assembly's president that his agency is at a "breaking point" as donors freeze funding, Israel exerts pressure to dismantle the agency and humanitarian needs soar.

The UNRWA's ability to carry out its mandate is "seriously threatened," Lazzarini said, urging member states to "provide the political support necessary to sustain" the agency.

1839 GMT — Jordan asks Israel to extend water supply deal — Israeli media

Jordan has asked Israel to extend a water supply deal between the two countries by an additional year, according to Israeli media.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Israel has not yet responded to the Jordanian request to extend the deal.

“Israel has replied to Jordan with a request that Jordanian officials moderate their vocal criticism of Israel,” KAN said.

The broadcaster said Tel Aviv also asked Amman to return their ambassadors to their respective posts.

1830 GMT — Strikes on Israel-Lebanon border kill 4 as US envoy seeks ceasefire in Beirut

An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed three paramedics from the militant group Hezbollah, state media said, hours after a missile strike blame d on the militants killed at least one foreign worker in northern Israel.

The deadly violence came as a senior US envoy visited Beirut and warned that a Gaza truce wouldn’t necessarily apply to conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border.

Amos Hochstein urged the parties to reach a lasting ceasefire at the border following meetings Monday with Lebanese leaders.

His comments came hours after the deputy leader of Lebanon’s militant group Hamas, Naim Kassem, said the only way to restore calm along the border is to end Israel's war on Gaza.

1811 GMT — Israeli minister accuses US of 'driving a wedge' among Israelis

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused the US of seeking to "drive a wedge" among Israelis in order to advance its plans, with the help of Gantz.

"In this way, Gantz is working to advance their [US] plans to establish a Palestinian state," he added.

Smotrich, the leader of the extremist Religious Zionism Party, urged Gantz to clearly declare his commitment to a decision by the Israeli government and the Knesset to reject a Palestinian state.

1739 GMT — 'Israel is starving our people': Palestine's UN envoy

Palestine's UN envoy Riyad Mansour stressed on Israel's atrocities against the Palestinian people in Gaza, saying that "Israel is starving our people."

"Israel has unleashed death against 2.3 million Palestinians under multiple forms; indiscriminate bombing summary executions, disease, dehydration, and starvation. Starvation is not an unfortunate consequence of the war. It is one of the methods of war used by Israel. Israel is starving our people."

Mansour urged UN member states to call for a ceasefire, saying "Israeli leaders speak openly of the crimes they are committing and of those they intend to commit... The Israeli prime minister has boasted about not abiding by decisions of international courts or UN resolutions and of having torpedoed peace efforts."

1711 GMT — Israel’s Netanyahu ‘unfit’ to run government, says opposition leader

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unfit to run the government, opposition leader Yair Lapid said Monday.

“We have two choices. A bad, dangerous, decaying and toxic government, or elections that will lead to a good government, that will restore security to the people of Israel,” Lapid said in a statement.

“Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that elections now are the dream of our enemies. It’s the opposite, sir, the opposite. The dream of our enemies is your government of disasters, and the dream of our enemies is that you will continue to serve as its head,” Lapid added.

1619 GMT — Children starving to death in northern Gaza hospitals: WHO

An aid mission to two hospitals in northern Gaza found horrifying scenes of children dying of starvation, amid dire shortages of food, fuel and medicines, the World Health Organization has said.

The findings were "grim", WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X, adding that "the situation at Al Awda was particularly appalling, as one of the buildings is destroyed".

The Kamal Adwan hospital, the only paediatrics hospital in northern Gaza, was overwhelmed with patients, he said. "The lack of food resulted in the deaths of 10 children," Tedros said.

1547 GMT — Germany opposes Israeli resettlement of Gaza, occupied West Bank

Germany reiterated its opposition to a potential Israeli resettlement of Gaza, following a recent conference in West Jerusalem by far-right Jews calling for the resettlement of the besieged enclave and the occupied West Bank.

"You know what our very fundamental stance on Israel's settlement policy is. The Israeli settlements are against international law and illegal," Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesperson Christian Wagner said at a press conference in Berlin.

"We - as the federal government - advocate for restrictive measures, such as sanctions against violent settlers on the Europe level. Discussions are still ongoing within the European Union, and a decision must be reached unanimously," he added.

1531 GMT — First Belgian plane departs to air drop food aid to Gaza

The first Belgian plane has departed to airdrop food and hygiene products to Gaza, the country’s foreign minister said.

"The situation in Gaza is dire, with huge humanitarian needs," Hadja Lahbib wrote on X as the dire humanitarian situation continues to worsen in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

"Belgium remains fully committed on all fronts. The violence must end!" she added.

1514 GMT — EU's Borrell urges UNSC to act for ceasefire in Gaza

The EU's top diplomat hailed US Vice President Kamala Harris' call for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying that now the UN Security Council can pass a resolution for such a step.

"I join US VP Kamala Harris' call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. There should then be no obstacle for a UN Security Council resolution to that effect," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X. The US has previously blocked several ceasefire resolutions.

Harris "rightly said" that too many people have been killed in Gaza since last October 7 – over 30,000 so far – he said, urging Israel to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to Palestinians in Gaza.

1615 GMT — Situation in Gaza 'catastrophic, unconscionable, shameful': UN

The UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis described the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic," "unconscionable," and "shameful."

Speaking at a debate on the Feb. 20 veto by the US of a Security Council resolution on the Gaza crisis, Francis voiced his shock and said he is "horrified at reported killing and injury of hundreds of people during disbursement of food supplies, west of Gaza last week."

Stressing that "countless communities have been decimated; countless families vanished," Francis also cited the words of the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths "any ground operation in Rafah would leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at death’s door."

"I, therefore, urgently call for maximum restraint to prevail in order to save innocent civilian lives," Francis added. Urging the UN member states to "work much harder to immediately end this conflict," the General Assembly president also called for efforts towards two-state solution.

1345 GMT — US envoy says war at Lebanese-Israeli border would not be containable

US Special Envoy Amos Hochstein said that a truce in Gaza would not necessarily bring an automatic end to hostilities across Lebanon's southern border and he warned about the risks of an escalation of the conflict during his visit to Beirut as part of diplomatic efforts to end four months of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel.

"Escalation of violence is in no one's interest, and there is no such thing as a limited war," he told reporters after meeting Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who is close to Hezbollah.

"A temporary ceasefire is not enough. A limited war is not containable," he said. Hochstein also said a Gaza truce would not automatically trigger calm in southern Lebanon and said he was "hopeful" for a diplomatic solution to the conflict across that border.

1337 GMT — Italy to lead new initiative for assisting Palestinian civilians: FM

Italy will lead a new initiative for assisting Palestinian civilians, Antonio Tajani, foreign minister, told the Italian daily La Stampa.

"We can prepare food delivery to Gaza via a table for peace. Its slogan can be 'Food for Gaza'," Tajani added, recalling that the situation in the region is complicated.

"I hope Qatar, Egypt, and the US can convince the parties for a cease-fire at the start of (Muslim holy month of) Ramadan. Our strategic objective is the formula of 'two peoples, two states,' where Israel is recognised in security by the Arab world, and Palestinians have their institutional reality."

Tajani stressed that Israel will have to carry out a rigorous investigation into the February 29 attack on civilians.

1332 GMT — Palestinians should rise up against Israel in Ramadan — Hamas

Hamas is calling on Palestinians in Israel and the occupied West Bank to rise up against the Israeli occupation during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan, speaking to reporters in Beirut, said Palestinians should "make every moment of Ramadan a confrontation."

The US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying for weeks to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and to convince the resistance group to release some of the scores of hostages it is still holding from the October 7 attack.

1327 GMT — Lebanese journalists plan to sue Israel at ICC

The Syndicate of Lebanese Press Editors plans to join lawsuits demanding the International Criminal Court (ICC) to punish Israel for its “crimes.”

"Israel must be held accountable for its crimes and must not escape punishment," the syndicate said in a statement following a meeting in the capital Beirut.

The union said it will join lawsuits that will be filed against Israel before the ICC, calling for joining efforts "to condemn Israel for its atrocities against Palestinian journalists and media workers in Gaza and southern Lebanon."

1237 GMT — Dozens arrested in fresh Israeli raids in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army detained 55 more Palestinians, and killed a 16-year-old in a refugee camp in military raids carried out across the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners' affairs groups.

At least 22 people were taken into Israeli custody in Hebron city, while other arrests took place in the cities of Bethlehem, Ramallah, occupied East Jerusalem, and Qalqilya, the Commission of Detainees' Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement.

"The arrests were marked by acts of sabotage and destruction of citizens’ homes, in addition to severe beatings against detainees and their families, and confiscation of money," the statement said.

1219 GMT — Israeli medics say missile from Lebanon kills foreigner

A missile strike on northern Israel killed a foreign worker and wounded seven others, medics said, the latest casualties in months of hostilities along the Lebanese border.

An anti-tank missile hit "foreign workers who were working in a plantation", killing one man and wounding at least seven, the Magen David Adom emergency response service said in a statement.

The wounded were all Indian men in their 30s, the statement said, without detailing the nationality of the person killed. The attack occurred near Margaliot, a small agricultural community on the border, the Israeli military said, adding that it had "struck the source of the launch" in Lebanon in response.

1212 GMT — Spain initiates process of sanctioning '1st group' of 12 Israeli settlers

Spain has announced that it has initiated a process of sanctioning the first group of 12 violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

In his appearance before the Joint Commission for the country's Congress of Deputies, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said: "We know that silence and inaction always work against the victims."

He called for support for the decision of the International Court of Justice, asking the parties to comply with the provisional measures, also urging states to continue funding the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). He also requested the EU to review compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law based on the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

1156 GMT — Israel's War Cabinet rejects Netanyahu's conditions for talks with Hamas

The Israeli War Cabinet rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's two conditions, which are a major impediment to talks with Hamas about a prisoner swap and a ceasefire in Gaza, local media reported.

The Cabinet rejected Netanyahu's pre-conditions for moving forward with negotiations with Hamas, which included a list of Israeli hostages alive in Gaza, according to Israeli public broadcaster KAN.

Putting such a condition at the start of negotiations with Hamas is not a good idea, the Cabinet criticized its prime minister, suggesting that this condition could be discussed at the end of the talks, as was done in the previous deal, the broadcaster said.

It also criticised Netanyahu's demand for a specific number of Palestinians to be released in exchange for each Israeli held captive. "There is no reason for this step, which makes negotiations difficult," an unnamed informed Israeli source told the news channel.

1126 GMT — Uganda criticises international community's failure in resolving Gaza crisis

Ugandan Foreign Minister Jeje Odongo expressed deep disappointment over the international community's failure in resolving the Gaza crisis at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, underscoring the importance of "working together" to find a solution to the situation crisis in Gaza.

Expressing concern over the situation in Gaza, the minister said: “It is sad that human beings are not being treated as human beings. We believe that the world should be able to get the people of Gaza a home of their own.

"We believe through doing that we will be able to establish an opportunity for the people of Gaza, the Palestinians and the Israelis to be able to live side by side, each in their home.”

0948 GMT — UN chief warns of expanding Gaza war, stresses global impacts

The United Nations human rights chief has said it was imperative to avoid any exacerbation of the war in Gaza, warning that any conflagration could have broad repercussions across the Middle East and beyond the region.

Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Volker Turk said Israel's war in Gaza, which has been raging since Oct. 7 had already spilled over to neighbouring countries.

"I am deeply concerned that in this powder keg, any spark could lead to a much broader conflagration," said Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"This would have implications for every country in the Middle East, and many beyond it."

"It is imperative to do everything possible to avoid a wider conflagration," he said.

0935 GMT — Erdogan, Abbas to discuss delivering aid to Gaza, Turkish source says

President Tayyip Erdogan is set to discuss Türkiye's efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during talks this week in Ankara, a Turkish diplomatic source has said.

Speaking at a diplomatic forum in Türkiye at the weekend, Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the Palestinian Authority's Foreign Minister Riyad al Maliki said Abbas would pay a visit to Ankara on Tuesday and meet Erdogan.

Erdogan and Abbas will discuss recent developments in Gaza as well as the situation in the occupied West Bank, the diplomatic source said.

0836 GMT — Gaza death toll rises to 30,534 as Israel continues to bomb

At least 30,534 Palestinians have been killed during the Israeli war on Gaza, the health ministry in the besieged territory has said.

A ministry statement said at least 124 people have been killed and 210 others were injured over the past 24 hours, while another 71,980 people have been wounded since Israel's war began on October 7 after the Hamas attack.

The ministry also noted that Israel has conducted 13 massacres in Gaza within the past 24 hours.

0740 GMT — Israeli minister calls for restrictions on Al-Aqsa Mosque entry during Ramadan

Extremist right-wing Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has urged the police to allow only a few thousand Muslims to enter the Al Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to Israeli media.

During their meeting, Ben Gvir told Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai to restrict the number of Muslim worshippers in Al Aqsa to ensure police readiness to swiftly respond to any disturbances, the Israeli daily Maariv reported.

The daily also noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to discuss the issue of restrictions at the Al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan with Ben Gvir, Shabtai, and officials from the Shin Bet security service and the Israeli army on Monday.

0739 GMT — 'Significant progress' towards Gaza truce in Cairo talks: Egyptian media

Mediators and Hamas envoys have made "significant progress" towards a truce in Gaza, Egyptian state-linked TV has reported as the talks in Cairo entered a second day.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been pushing for a ceasefire in the almost five-month-old war between Israel and Hamas, with the latest proposal calling for a six-week halt to fighting and hostage release.

0706 GMT — Israeli warplanes hit southern Lebanon town

The Israeli warplanes launched two air strikes on the outskirts and the centre of the town of Ayta ash Shaab in southern Lebanon late Sunday.

The first air strike targeted the northern outskirts of the town near Khallet Warda, while the second strike hit the town centre, Lebanese official news agency NNA reported.

Ambulances were dispatched to Ayta ash Shaab as a precautionary measure, the agency added.

There were no reports of casualties.

0236 GMT — US Vice President Harris calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

United States Vice President Kamala Harris called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and described the situation in Gaza as "devastating.”

During remarks in Alabama to mark the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the day state law officers attacked Civil Rights demonstrators on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Harris said the ceasefire would get hostages out and much-needed aid into Gaza.

“And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” she added."

This would allow us to build something more enduring to ensure Israel is secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination,” she said.

0040 GMT — More than 127 Palestinians killed by Israeli army in Gaza ‘flour massacre’

The Israeli army recently killed more than 127 Palestinians and wounded over 760 in just two days by targeting civilians who were desperately trying to obtain humanitarian aid, despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Last Thursday, however, Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for trucks carrying aid at Al Nabulsi roundabout area south of Gaza.

The ICJ adjudicates disputes between states and its orders are legally binding, but it has no means of enforcing its judgments.

The Israeli army claimed that members of the crowd approached its soldiers, putting them at risk, so they responded by opening fire.

0005 GMT — Pro-Palestinian activists storm Israeli Consulate in Chicago

A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators stormed the Israeli Consulate building in the US state of Illinois to protest Israel’s war on Gaza.

Kuffiya, a pro-Palestinian group, posted on X that some of its activists entered the consulate in Chicago to protest the killing of over 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

A video showed protesters chanting "Freedom for Palestine" and unfurling a banner saying "Stop the US-backed Israeli genocide."

Protesters marched in downtown Chicago carrying Palestinian flags and calling for a ceasefire, blocking some streets to traffic.

2352 GMT — Israel bombs ‘makeshift cemetery’ in northern Gaza

Israeli warplanes targeted a “makeshift cemetery” built by residents of the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, causing the bodies of Palestinians recently killed by Israeli forces to emerge.

“The Israeli army bombed a mass grave containing the bodies of hundreds of martyrs who were recently buried,” Ahmed al Kahlot, the director of civil defence in northern Gaza, told Anadolu.

“The bombing resulted in the destruction of the cemetery and the emergence of bodies from beneath the soil,” he added.

Al Kahlot noted that civil defence teams are working diligently to re-bury the bodies.

For our live updates from Sunday, March 3, click here.