Live blog: UAE allocates $5M to support UNRWA in Gaza amid Israeli attacks

Saturday, February 3, 2024

1403 GMT — The UAE has announced the allocation of $5 million to support the UN’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza, which has seen widespread devastation as a result of Israeli attacks.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that under the directives of UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed announced the allocation of $5 million to the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA).

On Friday, the UAE foreign minister met with the chief of UNRWA, Sigrid Kaag, and reviewed “the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a result of the war, and ways to address its repercussions,” according to the official WAM news agency.

Major donors to UNRWA earlier suspended funding after Israeli allegations that around 12 of its tens of thousands of Palestinian employees were suspected of involvement in the October 7 attacks in Israel by Hamas.

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1709 GMT — Türkiye's intelligence head met Hamas chief

Türkiye's National Intelligence Agency (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın has met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar's capital Doha.

Kalin and Haniyeh discussed efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, the Israeli hostages held in the enclave and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

1702 GMT — Israelis protest demanding early elections

Hundreds of Israelis have protested against the government in Haifa, Rehovot, calling for early elections and the release of hostages in Gaza.

1625 GMT — Slovenian foreign minister calls for continued humanitarian aid to Gaza

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon has called for the continued provision of humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza.

Speaking to the reporters ahead of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Fajon said Slovenia would not stop funding the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

"Humanitarian aid to Gaza must continue," she said.

1543 GMT — Thousands rally in London to call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

In solidarity with Palestinians, thousands of people have gathered in front of the BBC in Portland Place and later held a march toward the Prime Minister's Office in Whitehall.

Carrying Palestinian flags, the crowd chanted slogans, calling for an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza, while criticising the British government for its support to Israel.

1517 GMT — Israeli army 'struck Hezbollah targets' in Lebanon

The Israeli army has said that it struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

“As part of the attack, two observation posts in the areas of Marwahin and Ayta al Shaab were targeted, along with a military headquarters in the Yaron region where terrorist elements were operating, and the site from where the missiles were launched toward Israeli territory,” the army stated in a press release.

“During the day (Saturday), three missiles were detected crossing Lebanese territory into the areas of Baraam and Zar'it (in northern Israel) and landing in open areas without causing injuries,” it added.

In a statement, Hezbollah said that its fighters targeted the Israeli military base in Khirbet Maar with “appropriate weapons.”

1504 GMT — 20 injured Palestinian children arrive in Italy for medical treatment

On board an Italian military ship, 20 Palestinian children, accompanied by 40 family members, have departed the Egyptian port of Al Arish for the Italian coastal town of La Spezia, the Italian Interior Ministry said.

They will be admitted to hospitals in Genoa, Milan, Florence and other Italian cities, the ministry added.

This is the second group of Palestinians transported to Italy under an international accord to assist children hit by the war.

1312 GMT — Germany warns against Israeli ground attack on Rafah city in Gaza

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned Israel against a military attack in the southernmost city of Gaza.

“To act now in Rafah, in the last and most crowded place, as announced by the Israeli defence minister, would simply not be justified,” Baerbock said in an interview with the RND editorial network.

“The majority of the victims are women and children. Let’s just imagine: they are our children,” she added.

1231 GMT — Fate of 6-year-old Palestinian girl, 2 rescuers still unknown

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has said that the fate of the 6-year-old girl Hind and the team that went out to rescue her in Gaza City is still unknown after more than four days.

In a statement, Red Crescent said: “More than 110 hours have passed, and the fate of the PRCS ambulance team, Yousef Zeino and Ahmed al Madhoun who went to rescue the 6-year-old girl, Hind, remains unknown.”

“Where is Hind? Where are Ahmed and Yousef? We need to know,” it added.

1114 GMT — Lebanon’s Amal movement says 2 more members killed in confrontations with Israel

Lebanon’s Amal movement has said that two of its members were killed during confrontations with the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, bringing its total death toll to three since October 8.

The movement, led by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, released a statement identifying the two members as Mustafa Abbas Daher, 33, and Ali Khalil Muhammad, 41.

1105 GMT — Israeli army detains 12 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has detained 12 more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

According to a joint statement issued by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since October 7 to 6,500.

The latest arrests took place mostly in the Dheisheh camp in Bethlehem, while the rest took place in the governorates of Jenin, Nablus, Tubas, and Tulkarm.

During the Israeli arrest campaigns, soldiers also beat, abused, and interrogated several Palestinians, as well as damaged their homes and other properties, the statement noted.

1045 GMT — Israel pressures Gaza cities, health officials say 18 more die in airstrikes

Israeli air strikes have killed 18 Palestinians in the Gaza cities of Rafah and Deir Al Balah, Gaza health officials said as residents of the enclave feared Israel would expand its ground offensive into those last remaining areas where people have sought shelter.

Rafah is on Gaza's southern border with Egypt and more than half the enclave's 2.3 million population have fled there as the Israel Defence Forces press their nearly four-month-old war against the militant Hamas group.

Health officials in Gaza said an Israeli airstrike on a house in Rafah killed 14 people including women and children, Gaza health officials said.

In addition, in the nearby city of Deir Al Balah, the second major concentration of displaced people, medics said four people were killed in an airstrike on a house.

1036 GMT — Turkish foreign minister discusses situation in Gaza with Saudi counterpart

Türkiye's foreign minister have discussed the latest situation in Gaza with his Saudi counterpart, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

Türkiye's Hakan Fidan and Saudi Arabia's Faisal bin Fahran held a phone call, the sources said

During their conversation, they also discussed regional developments, they added.

1031 GMT — US strikes in Western Iraq kill 16, including civilians: Iraq

US strikes in the west of Iraq against armed pro-Iran groups killed at least 16 people, including civilians, and wounded 23, Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi has said.

The strikes hit "locations in the Akashat and Al-Qaim regions, including areas where our security forces are stationed", Awadi said on Saturday in a statement.

Washington blamed the unclaimed attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of pro-Iran fighters opposed to US support for Israel in Gaza. Tehran has denied any links to the attack.

1003 GMT — Iran condemns US air strikes on Iraq and Syria as 'strategic mistake'

Tehran has condemned US air strikes on Iraq and Syria as a "strategic mistake" by its arch-foe, without saying whether or not any they caused any Iranian casualties.

"Last night's attack on Syria and Iraq is an adventurous action and another strategic mistake by the US government, which will have no result other than intensifying tension and instability in the region," Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement.

0957 GMT — Palestinian death toll reaches 27,238 amid Israeli bombardment

Gaza's Health Ministry has reported that a total of 27,238 Palestinians have been killed and 66,452 injured in Israeli bombardment since October 7.

The latest statement from the ministry revealed that within the last 24 hours alone, Israeli forces have killed at least 107 Palestinians and left 165 others injured.

0908 GMT — Syria regime condemns US strikes, says 'occupation cannot continue'

Damascus has said that US occupation of Syrian territory "cannot continue" after Washington carried out deadly strikes in retaliation for a drone attack that killed three US soldiers in Jordan.

The overnight strikes killed "a number of civilians and soldiers, wounded others and caused significant damage to public and private property", the Syrian military said on Saturday in a statement.

"The occupation of parts of Syrian territory by US forces cannot continue," it added, affirming the army's "determination to liberate all Syrian territory from terrorism and occupation".

0852 GMT — Gaza reconstruction may take decades, billions of dollars: UN

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has said that Israel besieged Palestine's Gaza witnessed an "unprecedented level of destruction" that will take decades and tens of billions of dollars to reverse.

"Even with the end of the military operation and the recent average growth rate of 0.4%, it would take Gaza until 2092 just to restore 2022 GDP levels," the UN said in a statement shared on social media platform X.

Experts in mapping damage during wartime previously found the war in Gaza to be among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history.

0837 GMT — EU urges restraint amid US strikes

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on all parties to avoid further escalation in the Middle East after US strikes on Iran-linked groups in Syria and Iraq.

"Everybody should try to avoid that the situation becomes explosive," Borrell said on Saturday at a meeting on EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

Borrell did not address the US strikes directly, but repeated a warning that the Middle East "is a boiler that can explode".


He pointed to the war in Gaza, violence along the Lebanese border, bombings in Iraq and Syria and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea."That's why we call everybody to try to avoid an escalation," Borrell said.

0807 GMT — UAE donates $5M in support of UNRWA for rebuilding Gaza

The United Arab Emirates has allocated $5 million in support of efforts of the chief United Nations Coordinator for the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), Sigrid Kaag, towards the reconstruction of Gaza, state news agency WAM has reported.

0623 GMT — EU, ASEAN denounce attacks, urge 'durable ceasefire' for Gaza

The EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday expressed "grave concerns" over developments in the Middle East, and condemned the attacks against civilians.

In a joint statement following the 24th EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the two regional blocs said they agreed to condemn all attacks against civilians, and "we noted the call of some of us for a durable ceasefire" in Gaza.

"We called for rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need, including through increased capacity at border crossings and through a dedicated maritime route," said the statement.

It called on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, refrain from targeting them, and abide by international law, including international humanitarian law.

The EU and ASEAN also called for the "immediate and unconditional" release of all hostages, especially women, children, the sick and the elderly, while "some of us" raised the importance of release from arbitrary detention.

0033 GMT — Demonstrators stage rally in Stockholm to remember slain children

A group of protesters have demonstrated in the Swedish capital to commemorate Palestinian children killed in Gaza by Israel.

Gathering at Sergelstorg, the crowd protested Israeli attacks by chanting pro-Palestine slogans, including "Free Palestine" and "End the occupation."

Protesters called for a boycott of Israeli products and companies supporting Israel as they carried Palestinian flags.

0019 GMT — Algerian lawyers file lawsuit against Israel at ICC

An Algerian lawyers group has filed a lawsuit with the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague against Israeli officials "involved in committing genocide crimes against the Palestinian people."

The Algerian National Union of Bar Associations said the Tunisian, Jordanian, Mauritanian and Palestinian bar associations also signed the lawsuit.

It said the lawsuit is based on documentation gathered from authentic sources and includes photos and videos that document Israeli crimes in besieged Gaza.

It included official documents issued by UN bodies, international groups and recent orders by the International Court of Justice, which affirmed plausible evidence of genocide crimes in Gaza.

2326 GMT — Israel kills 43 Palestinians in Gaza shelter: Red Crescent

Israeli military has killed 43 displaced Palestinians who were sheltering in the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society [PRCS] in Khan Younis, in besieged Gaza.

Direct Israeli fire and siege isolated PRCS headquarters and its adjacent al Amal Hospital for the past 12 days and prevented movement to and from them, it said.

The Red Crescent said among those killed were three of its staff members inside the headquarters.

PRCS held Israel fully responsible for the lives of staff, more than 100 patients and wounded people and over 7,000 displaced people trapped inside the headquarters and the hospital.

"The society reiterates its appeal to the international community and UN agencies to immediately act to provide protection to our staff in Khan Younis, and to compel Israel to respect the sign of the Red Crescent," it said.

2100 GMT — Al Qassam Brigades claims it killed 15 Israeli soldiers

Hamas' armed wing has announced the killing of 15 Israeli soldiers, the destruction of two armoured vehicles, and the targeting of four tanks in besieged Gaza.

In separate statements, the Al Qassam Brigades claimed its members "managed to eliminate 15 Zionist soldiers at point-blank in al Jawazat area in the western Gaza City."

"We destroyed an Israeli armoured vehicle with a Yassin missile in the al Jawazat area in the city of Gaza, and another in the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip," stated the armed wing.

The statement continued: "We targeted four Israeli tanks of the Merkava type in Khan Younis city and northern Gaza with Yassin 105 shells and improvised explosive devices."

The group added: "We shelled occupying forces infiltrating the university area in western Gaza with mortar shells."

There has been no immediate response from the Israeli military regarding the Al Qassam Brigades' statements.

2002 GMT — Houthis claim to have fired ballistic missiles at Israel's Eilat

Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi group has said it fired ballistic missiles at targets in the Israeli city of Eilat and threatened to keep up military operations until Israel ends its brutal war on besieged Gaza.

The Israeli military earlier said its "Arrow" aerial defence system had intercepted a surface-to-surface missile in the Red Sea area.

"The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to carry out further military operations against the Zionist enemy on land and at sea until the cessation of aggression and lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip," the Houthis' military spokesperson said.

2000 GMT — Blinken to press captives deal on new Mideast trip

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will press a proposal to release Gaza-held captives in return for a pause in the Israeli aggression during his latest crisis trip to the region next week, the State Department said.

On his fifth crisis trip to the Middle East, Blinken will visit Qatar and Egypt — the mediators of the proposal — as well as Israel and the occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia starting Sunday, the State Department said.

Blinken "will continue diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement that secures the release of all remaining hostages and includes a humanitarian pause that will allow for sustained, increased delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Qatar earlier voiced hopes of "good news" after presenting the proposal to Hamas, which governs besieged Gaza and maintains an office in Doha.

1900 GMT — US says Algeria's push for UN ceasefire resolution could hurt Gaza talks

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield has said that Algeria's draft Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in besieged Gaza could jeopardise "sensitive negotiations" aimed at brokering a pause in Israel's war.

"This draft resolution could put sensitive negotiations in jeopardy — derailing the exhaustive, ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages and secure an extended pause that Palestinian civilians and aid workers so desperately need," Thomas-Greenfield told reporters.

The United States, Israel, Egypt and Qatar last week drafted a proposal for an extended pause in fighting and are awaiting a response from Hamas.

"If accepted and implemented, this proposal would move all parties one step closer to creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities," Thomas-Greenfield said.

"The council has the obligation to ensure that any action we take in the coming days increases pressure on Hamas to accept this proposal," she said.

For our live updates from Friday, February 2, click here.