Live blog: Hamas urges international community, UN to safeguard civilians

Saturday, August 17, 2024

1543 GMT –– Palestinian resistance movement Hamas called on the international community and the UN to protect Palestinian civilians and work to stop “Israel's brutal crimes against them.”

“Israeli occupation violations continue with the support of Washington and Western capitals that provide cover for the extremist government to proceed with genocide,” Hamas said in a statement.

It pointed out that “the Israeli occupation continues to target unarmed civilians, especially in the central Gaza Strip, which is a major displacement center for hundreds of thousands from the north and south of the strip.”

The statement said "the occupation army targets unarmed civilians by issuing new displacement orders ... alongside committing horrific massacres against families. Recently, dozens of martyrs have fallen, including an entire family of 16 members, most of whom were children."

The movement called on "the international community, the United Nations, and its institutions to break their silence and fulfill their responsibilities in protecting Palestinian civilians, working to stop Israel's brutal crimes against civilians, and holding them accountable."

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1930 GMT –– 2 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike on vehicle in Jenin

At least two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a vehicle in the city of Jenin, northern occupied West Bank.

“Two martyrs were brought to Jenin Governmental Hospital as a result of the occupation's bombing of a vehicle in the city,” the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its crew transported an 18-year-old from the vehicle that was bombed in Jenin.

The drone struck a vehicle in the Batikha Square in Jenin, witnesses told Anadolu.

1910 GMT –– Israeli negotiating team voices ‘cautious optimism’ on finalizing hostage swap deal with Palestinians

The Israeli negotiating team informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday of their “cautious optimism” regarding the possibility of reaching a prisoner swap deal and ceasefire in Gaza.

The team “expressed to the Prime Minister cautious optimism regarding the possibility of progress on the deal, following the updated American proposal (based on the May 27th framework), including components acceptable to Israel,” Netanyahu’s office said on X.

“It is hoped that the heavy pressure on Hamas by the United States and the mediators will remove its opposition to the American proposal and will lead to a breakthrough in the talks,” added the office.

1830 GMT –– Families of Israeli hostages demand swap deal this week, threaten escalation

Families of Israeli hostages have demanded that their government finalise a deal with Palestinian factions this week, threatening to escalate if this does not happen.

The families, who have protested for months, held a press conference in front of the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing a possible truce deal.

They said Netanyahu was torpedoing the deal by adding new conditions during the negotiations.

The families warned that this is the last chance to save the lives of their children, who have been held in Gaza for more than 10 months.

They also warned that failing to complete the deal "will ignite the entire region," indicating fears of a broad regional war. The deal must be finalized this week, the families stressed.

They threatened to escalate their protests across the country if the deal is not reached.

1624 GMT –– Hamas military wing announces new attacks on Israeli forces in Gaza

Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that they killed and injured Israeli soldiers by targeting two military vehicles in the area of their incursion in the Tel al Hawa neighbourhood, south of Gaza City.

Fighters “managed to detonate two anti-personnel explosives in two (military) vehicles of the enemy forces and engaged the remaining soldiers with machine guns, causing deaths and injuries in the Tel al Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza,” the group said in a statement on Telegram.

"Helicopter landings were observed to evacuate (the wounded and dead)."

1624 GMT –– UK, France, Germany, Italy back Gaza ceasefire mediation, saying ‘too much at stake’

The UK, France, Germany, and Italy expressed support for the ongoing mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to end the war in Gaza.

They welcomed the continuation of technical work in the coming days, including both humanitarian provisions and specific arrangements concerning hostages and detainees.

The foreign ministers emphasized that senior officials are expected to reconvene before the end of next week, to finalise the agreement.

“We urge all parties to continue to engage positively and flexibly in this process. We underline the importance of avoiding any escalatory action in the region which would undermine the prospect of peace. There is too much at stake,” they said.

1317 GMT –– Egypt's president urges ‘seizing opportunity’ for Gaza agreement to avoid escalation

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for taking advantage of ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza to reach an agreement that would "save lives and prevent the region from the consequences of further escalation."

During his meeting with French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne in Cairo, Sisi said "the continuation of the war in Gaza is dragging the region into a dangerous and endless cycle of instability,” according to a press release from the Egyptian presidency.

He stressed the "need for all efforts to converge towards seizing the opportunity presented by the current negotiations and to reach an agreement that would save lives and prevent the region from the consequences of further escalation."

Sisi also highlighted "the international community's responsibility to exert pressure to de-escalate and address the root causes of the conflict by establishing a Palestinian state and implementing the two-state solution."

1310 GMT –– Israel claims to have killed Hezbollah commander in air strike on southern Lebanon

Israel claimed that it killed a Hezbollah commander in an air strike in the district of Tyre, southern Lebanon.

In a statement, the Israeli army said its forces eliminated Hossein Ibrahim Kassab in a drone attack targeting his motorcycle.

Kassab served as a force commander in the Radwan unit special force of the Hezbollah group, the statement claimed.

Separately, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency confirmed the strike, and said one person was killed. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

1254 GMT — Palestinian health minister fears hundreds of undetected polio cases in Gaza

Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said that the confirmation of a single polio case in Gaza indicates the possible existence of hundreds of undetected cases.

Addressing a press conference at the Health Ministry in Ramallah, Ramadan stated: “It is scientifically known that for every 200 virus infections, only one will show the full symptoms of polio, while the remaining cases may present mild symptoms such as a cold or a slight fever.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry on Friday reported the first confirmed case of polio, involving a 10-month-old child from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, who had not received any polio vaccination.

On Friday, UN chief Antonio Guterres called for a critical "polio pause" to facilitate a vaccination campaign in Gaza.

1146 GMT — Israel reduced 'humanitarian zone' to 11% of Gaza: UN

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said that Israel has reduced the so-called "humanitarian zone" in Gaza to just 11 percent of the territory, causing widespread panic and fear among displaced people.

In a statement, UNRWA said: “Thousands of families continue to be displaced in Gaza as Israeli authorities issue new evacuation orders.”

“The so-called ‘humanitarian zone’ has shrunk to just 11% of the Gaza Strip, causing chaos and fear among the displaced,” it added.

The UN agency reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

1118 GMT — US rejects Israeli proposal to set up inspection mechanism at Netzarim Junction in Gaza: Report

The US has rejected an Israeli proposal to establish an inspection mechanism at the Netzarim Junction in central Gaza, the Israeli media reported.

The mechanism was intended to screen individuals returning to northern Gaza as part of a potential ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal.

The report, aired by Israel's Channel 12, stated that "significant obstacles" still stand in the way of reaching an agreement.

The report noted that Israel remains adamant about maintaining a presence in the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border and at the Netzarim Junction near Gaza City, which separates the northern and southern parts of the besieged enclave.

The report said: "The Americans sent a clear message to Israel that they would not accept this condition and that this option is off the table."

1118 GMT — Israeli evacuation orders shut 10 wells, worsening water crisis in Gaza

The new Israeli evacuation orders for areas in eastern Gaza have resulted in the shutdown of 10 water wells, Deir al-Balah Municipality in central Gaza has announced.

Ismail Sarsour, head of the municipality’s Emergency Committee, told Anadolu news agency: “The new Israeli evacuation orders for eastern Deir al-Balah have effectively taken 10 out of 19 wells out of service.”

“Access to three other wells west of Salah al-Din Street has become hazardous,” Sarsour stated.

He emphasised that the water situation in Deir al-Balah will become extremely dire in the coming days, especially with the shutdown of the eastern wells, which serve as a critical water supply for areas west of Salah al-Din Street, including the city centre.

1117 GMT — Hezbollah targets illegal settlement in northern Israel

Hezbollah has announced that it had launched Katyusha rockets at the Ayelet HaShahar illegal settlement in northern Israel.

In a statement, Hezbollah said it added Ayelet HaShahar to its "firing schedule" and struck the illegal settlement with Katyusha rockets for the first time.

The group stated that the attack was in response to "the Israeli enemy's assaults on the steadfast southern villages and safe homes, particularly in the town of Wadi al-Kafour, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of Syrian civilians."

1109 GMT — Death toll from Israel's war on Gaza rises to 40,074

At least 40,074 Palestinians have been killed and 92,537 wounded in Israel's military offensive in Gaza since October 7, the enclave's health ministry has said in a statement.

1053 GMT — Egypt urges immediate ceasefire to end 'daily massacres' in Gaza

Egypt has stressed the urgency of an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, in a joint press conference with his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne in Cairo, emphasised: “The opportunity is still available to put an end to the daily massacres taking place in the Gaza if intentions are sincere and if there is political will among the parties.”

1040 GMT — Israeli strike in Lebanon kills 10 Syrian nationals

An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon has killed at least 10 Syrian nationals, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

The strike on Wadi al-Kfour in Nabatieh province is among the deadliest in Lebanon.

Among the dead were a woman and her two children, the ministry said. Five others were wounded, two of whom were in critical condition.

Hezbollah later announced it had fired a volley of rockets at the community of Ayelet HaShahar, near Safad in northern Israel in retaliation for the strike. The statement said that all 10 victims in Lebanon were civilians.

1033 GMT — Gaza fuel shortage threatens al-Awda hospital shut down within 24 hours

Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza has issued a grave warning, announcing that it may cease operations within the next 24 hours due to an acute fuel shortage.

Mohammed Salha, the hospital's acting director, said in a statement that “the health sector in northern Gaza is suffering from a shortage of medical supplies and the depletion of fuel.”

“The hospital will be forced to stop operating within 24 hours if fuel is not delivered by the World Health Organization,” he added.

0814 GMT — Israel continues to bomb Gaza, kills Syrian civilians in Lebanon

The Israeli army has issued fresh evacuation orders for residents in several areas of central Gaza.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced that residents of Blocks 2232-2240 in the Maghazi area and the neighbourhoods of Salah El-Din, El-Farouk and El-Amal in central Gaza are required to evacuate.

The army claims that these areas are “dangerous combat zones.”

At least 20 Palestinians, including ten children, were killed and several others injured on Saturday in an Israeli air strike targeting areas in central and southern Gaza.

0716 GMT — Israel kills at least 20 in fresh air strikes on central Gaza

At least 20 Palestinians, including ten children, were killed and several others injured on Saturday in an Israeli air strike targeting areas in central and southern Gaza.

Medical sources at the al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah told Anadolu that they received 15 fatalities and several injuries from an Israeli bombardment targeting the Al-Zawaida area in central Gaza.

They added that rescue workers recovered two bodies and several wounded people following an airstrike on a house in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood north of Gaza City.

Separately, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli shelling targeting Al-Zana area east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the sources said.

They added that a six-year-old Palestinian child was killed when he was shot in the head by an Israeli drone at a displacement tent west of Khan Younis.

0532 GMT — Israel bombs southern Lebanon, kills at least 9

Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon had killed nine people.

The toll from the strike in the Nabatieh area included "a woman and her two children" and left five other people wounded, two critically, Lebanon's health ministry said in a statement.

0516 GMT — Israel kills at least ten Palestinians in central Gaza's Zawayda

Ten Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on the town of Zawayda in central Gaza, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA has reported.

0030 GMT — Biden 'optimistic' about Gaza ceasefire deal

US President Joe Biden hass said he is "optimistic" about a ceasefire deal in the Gaza.

"As of an hour ago, it’s still in play. I’m optimistic. Not — it’s far from over. Just a couple more issues. I think we’ve got a shot," Biden told reporters when asked about the talks.

"That remains to be seen," Biden said after he was asked a question about when would a ceasefire would start.

Biden said earlier that no one in the Middle East "should take actions to undermine this process."

2300 GMT — Israel bombs Al Zawaida town in central Gaza

Israel has killed at least four Palestinians and wounded many in an air strike targeting barracks sheltering displaced people near the entrance to Al Zawaida town in the Gaza.

It comes after US President Joe Biden urged no party in the Middle East should undermine efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal that he claimed was now in sight, but he warned that it was "far from over."

2115 GMT — US says Gaza truce efforts must succeed amid new Israeli demands

US President Biden has urged all sides not to undermine efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, as he said that a deal was nearing.

Biden said in a statement that Secretary of State Antony Blinken was travelling to the Middle East in part "to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process."

"I am sending Secretary (of State Antony) Blinken to Israel to reaffirm my iron-clad support for Israel's security, continue our intensive efforts to conclude this agreement and to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight," Biden said in a statement.

Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators in Doha have been seeking to finalise details of a framework initially outlined by Biden in May, and which he claimed Israel had proposed.

A senior Hamas official said that the outcome of the latest ceasefire talks in Qatar's capital "does not include commitment to what was previously agreed upon on July 2," based on Biden's proposal.

Hamas said it opposes "new conditions" from Israel in the latest plan, and Jordan put the blame squarely on hawkish Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for blocking a deal, with Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi urging pressure "by everyone who wishes to see this through to completion".

Israeli media citing sources reported progress in negotiations toward reaching a truce deal but said Netanyahu continues to offer a hard-line stance.

0016 GMT — Israel bombs Gaza, Lebanon as US seeks commitment to Doha talks

Israel has killed at least six people and wounded three others in a strike on a residential building in Nabatieh city, in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

Tensions have soared in the region in recent weeks after Israel assassinated a top Hezbollah commander in the suburbs of Beirut.

Hezbollah has also vowed to retaliate against Israel, as has Iran, for Tel Aviv's assassination in Tehran of the political chief of the Palestinian Hamas group, Ismail Haniyeh.

2030 GMT — First case of polio confirmed in a 10-month-old child in Gaza

Palestinian health officials have reported the first case of polio in an unvaccinated 10-month old-child in the Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, the first case in 25 years in the coastal enclave that has been engulfed in Israel's genocidal war since October.

After discovering the child's symptoms, tests were conducted in Jordan’s capital of Amman and the case was confirmed to be polio, said the ministry.

The potentially fatal, paralyzing disease mostly strikes children under age 5 and typically spreads through contaminated water.

The UN health and children's agencies have called for seven-day pauses in the war, starting at the end of August, to vaccinate 640,000 Palestinian children against polio.

They said the polio virus had been discovered in wastewater in two major cities last month in Gaza, which has been polio free for the last 25 years, according to the United Nations.

2050 GMT — Israeli drones kill 5 Palestinians in Gaza City

Israeli army has carried out a drone attack in Gaza City, killing five Palestinians and wounding several others, according to multiple sources.

In a statement, Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Civil Defense Service in Gaza, said that three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a gathering of people in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood, southern Gaza City.

He added a number of Palestinians were wounded in another drone strike on a home for the Hussein family in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of the city.

A medical source told Anadolu that two more Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a home for the Madi family in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, northern Gaza City.

For our live updates from Friday, August 16, 2024, click here.