Live blog: Hamas seeks complete truce; Qatar 'not mediating' with Houthis

Monday, January 29, 2024

2032 — A senior Hamas official has said the Palestinian resistance group wanted a "complete and comprehensive ceasefire" in besieged Gaza after mediator Qatar said a framework for a temporary truce was being proposed.

"We are talking first of all about a complete and comprehensive ceasefire, and not a temporary truce," Taher al Nunu told the AFP news agency, adding that once the fighting stopped "the rest of the details can be discussed", including captives' release.

Earlier on Monday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that meetings in Paris with CIA chief Bill Burns and top Israeli and Egyptian security officials had resulted in a framework for a phased truce.

He confirmed that the framework would see women and children captives released first, with aid also entering the besieged Gaza.

The parties were "hoping to relay this proposal to Hamas and to get them to a place where they engage positively and constructively in the process", Sheikh Mohammed said.

Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine also reiterated that Israel must halt its war on besieged Gaza and withdraw from the blockaded enclave before any prisoner exchange takes place, Hamas said in a statement.

More updates 👇

2019 GMT — Qatar not mediating with Houthis — Qatari premier

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has said his country is not currently engaged with Yemen's Houthis over their tension with the US.

"Qatar is not mediating with Houthis, but Qatar is pressing Iran to deescalate regional security situation," Sheikh Mohammed said at the Atlantic Council in Washington, according to the Doha-based Al Jazeera channel.

To a question about the future Palestinian state, Sheikh Mohammed said: "Our position is that the fate of the Palestinians should remain in the hands of the Palestinians."

"They [the Palestinians] are the ones who should decide what will be the way forward," he added.

1735 GMT — Aid groups slam funding cut to UNRWA as Israel bombards Gaza

In a collective outcry against the suspension of funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), several aid organisations have voiced their deep concern over the perilous situation unfolding in Gaza.

The statement, signed by more than 20 organisations, warned of starvation, the looming spectre of famine, and the outbreak of diseases exacerbated by Israel's continued bombardment and deliberate obstruction of aid access in Gaza.

“We are shocked by the reckless decision to cut a lifeline for an entire population by some of the very countries that had called for aid in Gaza to be stepped up and for humanitarians to be protected while doing their job,” it said.

“This decision comes as the International Court of Justice ordered immediate and effective action to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza,” it added.

1751 GMT — UN chief wants swift, efficient UN inquiry into UNRWA

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has met with the head of internal UN investigations to ensure that an inquiry into Israeli accusations against staff at a UN Palestinian aid agency "will be done swiftly and as efficiently as possible," according to a UN spokesperson.

Guterres has "been engaging with the UNRWA leadership and donors to UNRWA" and will host a meeting with major UNRWA donors in New York on Tuesday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

1738 GMT — France condemns promoting the installation of Israeli settlements in Gaza

France has condemned the holding of a conference on Sunday in Jerusalem promoting the installation of Israeli settlements in Gaza, the French Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

"We expect from the Israeli authorities a clear denunciation of these position," the spokesperson said.

1737 GMT — Qatari PM says good progress toward new Israel-Hamas hostage deal

The Qatari prime minister has said that good progress was made in weekend talks with the US, Israeli and Egyptian spy chiefs on a way forward toward a new Israel-Hamas hostage release deal.

Speaking to an Atlantic Council webinar, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al Thani said he hoped to present a framework for such a deal to Hamas "and get them to a place where they engage constructively."

1704 GMT — Israel troops to 'go into action' soon at Lebanon border: minister

Israeli troops will "very soon go into action" near the country's northern border with Lebanon, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said, as tensions surge amid the Israeli war on Gaza.

Gallant told troops near the border with besieged Gaza that others were being deployed to Israel's north.

"They will very soon go into action... so the forces in the north are reinforced," Gallant said, adding that reservists would be gradually released "to prepare and come ready" for future operations.

1606 GMT — Israel calls for UN Palestinian refugee agency’s chief to resign

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has demanded Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, to resign amid accusations that some agency’s staff members of involvement in the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

"Lazzarini should draw conclusions and resign. Supporters of terrorism are not welcome here," Katz wrote on his X account.

1506 GMT — Suspending funding for UN agency for Palestinian refugees ‘historic mistake’: Lebanon

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib has termed the suspension of funding for UNRWA as a “historic mistake.”

Bou Habib held talks in the capital Beirut with US Ambassador Lisa Johnson.

“Suspending aid for UNRWA is a historic mistake that will deprive Palestinian refugees of any hope for a better life and future, and will constitute a threat to regional security and the security of host countries and donor countries alike,” he said during the meeting as cited by a Foreign Ministry statement.

At least 12 countries — Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Finland, Australia, the UK, Netherlands, the US, France, Austria and Japan — have suspended funds for UNRWA, which was established in 1949 to cater to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.

1505 GMT — Rocket sirens blare in Tel Aviv for first time in weeks

Rocket sirens have gone off in Tel Aviv and other major cities across central Israel for the first time in weeks, sending residents running for shelter.

Israeli media reported explosions could be heard, possibly indicating air defence systems that shot down incoming rockets fired from Gaza.

Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing said it fired at the Israeli commercial hub in response to massacres against civilians in Gaza.

1448 GMT — White House says negotiators reach framework for new Gaza hostage deal

Negotiators seeking to broker a deal for the release of additional hostages held by Palestinian resistance group Hamas have developed a "framework" that could lead to an eventual deal, the White House has said.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby described the ongoing talks as "constructive," but maintained that while progress has been made there is not a "deal that's on the table and imminently ready to be announced."

1420 GMT — Israeli army kills five Palestinians in occupied West Bank: ministry

Israeli forces have killed five people in separate incidents across the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said as Israeli troops carried out a series of raids.

The Health Ministry in Ramallah, seat of the Palestinian Authority, said the latest of five killings happened in central Silwad.

A member of the town council said 19-year-old Abdul Rahman Hamed was killed during an Israeli military operation, while the Health Ministry reported others were wounded.

Further south in Dura, 18-year-old Muhannad Ismail al Fasfus was shot dead by the Israeli military, according to the ministry.

In addition, Thaer Naim Hamo, a 21-year-old resident of Al Yamun, was killed during an Israeli raid in Jenin and 16-year-old, Rani Yasser Khalaf al Shaer was shot dead by Israeli forces in the southern town of Teqoa.

1408 GMT — Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Israel trade heavy cross-border fire amid escalation

Hezbollah has said its militants targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Jal al Alam in southern Lebanon, resulting in “direct hits.”

Hezbollah said it also targeted the Israeli Metula site and a gathering of soldiers near the Metat base with missiles. It also shelled the Brannit barracks and the Haddab Yarin and Birkit Risha sites, inflicting direct hits.

Israeli forces, meanwhile, carried out strikes in the border town of Kfarkel with white phosphorus shells, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.

Israeli artillery shelling was also reported in the towns of Marwahin, Aita al Shaab, Dahiyeh, Alma al Shaab and Rmeish.

1339 GMT — UN rapporteur welcomes Spain's decision to not suspend UNRWA funding

The UN rapporteur on Palestine has welcomed Spain's decision not to suspend its funding to UNRWA over Israeli accusations that some of the staffers of the humanitarian organisation were involved in the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

"The Spanish government's decision not to suspend funding to UNRWA demonstrates wisdom and reflects the country's far-reaching perspective, as well as its moral high ground among European countries on international law and conflict resolution," Francesca Albanese said on X.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares earlier said Spain will maintain its support for the UNRWA, calling the UN agency “‘indispensable,” and that the funding helps “alleviate the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

1358 GMT — Death toll in Gaza from Israeli attacks surpasses 26,600

At least 26,637 people have been killed in Gaza from Israeli strikes, according to the Health Ministry in the Palestinian territory.

The latest toll includes 215 deaths over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, while 65,387 people have been wounded since October 7.

1228 GMT — Germany condemns Israeli 'plans' to displace Palestinians, build Jewish settlements in Gaza

Germany has condemned a meeting of Israeli ministers and far-right groups to promote Palestinian emigration and rebuild Jewish settlements in Gaza.

German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said the participation of several Israeli government ministers at the conference, and speeches made there were unacceptable.

“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the participation of parts of the Israeli government at this resettlement conference, and clearly reject the statements made there,” Fischer said, referring to the gathering held in Jerusalem on Sunday.

1216 GMT — Türkiye urges world to prevent starvation, diseases in Gaza

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned of a major disaster in Gaza as humanitarian aid is being denied, urging international action to prevent starvation and disease outbreaks among the 2 million people held hostage by Israel.

In a joint press conference with his Albanian counterpart Igli Hasani in Tirana, Fidan said: "Humanitarian aid and medical supplies not permitted to enter Gaza are currently indicative of major disaster inside."

“Having witnessed the loss of thousands of lives, we are now confronted with the dire situation of Palestinians held hostage, grappling with the imminent threat of hunger and disease,” he stressed.

1132 GMT — EU demands 'urgent' audit of UN Palestinian refugee agency

The EU has demanded an "urgent" audit of UNRWA and said it is reviewing funding, following Israeli allegations that some staff participated in Hamas's October 7 attack.

The audit should be led by European Commission-appointed experts and be conducted alongside a UN investigation into the claims, commission spokesman Eric Mamer told journalists.

1123 GMT — 10 Palestinians killed as Israeli forces shell UN agency school in Gaza

At least 10 Palestinians have been killed and 15 others injured as Israeli forces shelled a UNRWA school sheltering hundreds of displaced people in Al Rimal neighbourhood, west of Gaza City.

Palestinian medical sources at Al Shifa Medical Complex reported that the Israeli army last night targeted Al Rimal neighbourhood with air strikes and artillery in the most intense attacks in over a month following the withdrawal of military vehicles from the neighbourhood in mid-December.

1113 GMT — Five Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in occupied West Bank: Palestinian health ministry

Five Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in four different incidents in the occupied West Bank in the past 24 hours, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

1110 GMT — UNRWA 'unable to aid Gaza' after February without funding

UNRWA has said that it would not be able to continue operations in Gaza and across the region beyond the end of February if funding were not resumed.

A string of countries including the United States, Germany and Britain have paused their funding to the aid agency in the wake of allegations that 12 UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel.

"If the funding is not resumed, UNRWA will not be able to continue its services and operations across the region, including in Gaza, beyond the end of February," a spokesperson for the agency said.

0718 GMT — Several countries cut support to UNRWA for alleged links to Hamas

Several key donor countries have said they will halt funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following Israel's allegations that staff members took part in Hamas's October 7 attack.

The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, vowed to hold "accountable, including through criminal prosecution", any employee found to have been involved in "acts of terror".

UN chief Antonio Guterres has promised an urgent independent review of UNRWA but also pleaded for donor states to "guarantee the continuity" of the agency for the sake of "the desperate populations" it serves.

The United States said it had suspended funding for the UN agency, a move followed by several other countries. Australia, Britain, France, Germany and Italy are among the countries that suspended funding for UNRWA.

0711 GMT — Israeli army assaults, detains Palestinian paramedic in Jenin

The Israeli army assaulted and detained a Palestinian paramedic in the city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, witnesses told Anadolu.

According to witness accounts, the action against Jamal Qandeel, who works for the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, a medical charity, was taken during a military raid. Activists also shared a video of the assault on social media.

0702 GMT — Israel kills another Palestinian near West Bank city of Jenin

Another Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, taking the toll to 374 since October 7, the Health Ministry said.

A 21-year-old man was killed by Israeli fire in the town of Yamoun near Jenin city, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces raided the town and stormed several houses, sparking clashes.

Israeli forces raided early Monday several cities, towns, and camps in the occupied West Bank, including Jenin and its refugee camp, according to an Anadolu news agency correspondent.

0628 GMT — Yemen's Houthis launched a rocket at US warship in the Gulf of Aden: statement

Yemen's Houthis launched a rocket at US warship Lewis B Puller as it sailed through the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, the group's military spokesman said in a statement.

0000 GMT — US reportedly weighs arms deliveries to pressure Netanyahu

The US is weighing whether to slow down arms deliveries to Israel to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to scale down its assault on Gaza.

The NBC News outlet cited sources, including three current US officials and a former one who said, "The Pentagon has been reviewing what weaponry Israel has requested that could be used as leverage."

"The sources said Israeli officials continue to ask the administration for more weapons, including large aerial bombs, ammunition and air defences," said NBC News.

"The US is considering slowing or pausing the deliveries in the hope that doing so will prod the Israelis to take action, such as opening humanitarian corridors to provide more aid to Palestinian civilians," it added.

2310 GMT — Japan suspends funding to UN Palestinian refugee agency

Japan said it is joining other countries in suspending funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following Israeli charges that some UNRWA staff took part in Hamas's October 7 attack.

The agency has fired several staff over Israel's accusations and promised a thorough investigation into the claims, which were not specified, while Israel has vowed to stop the agency's work in Gaza after the war.

Several of the agency's top donors including the United States and Germany have since halted funding to UNRWA, which has been at the heart of humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

2100 GMT — Israeli ministers join thousands at rally for Gaza settlement

Thousands of Israelis, including far-right ministers and allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, gathered in Jerusalem to call for the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in Gaza.

Netanyahu in official statements has rejected resettlement in the Palestinian land, where Israeli army continues its brutal war on the city and its people, but the rally shows that the position has gained momentum within his hard-right government.

"If we don't want another October 7, we need to... control the territory," said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, alluding to the Hamas attack.

For our live updates from Sunday, January 28, click here.