Friday, February 23, 2024
16:40 GMT — Gaza truce talks were underway in Paris, in what appears to be the most serious push for weeks to halt the fighting in the battered Palestinian enclave and see Israeli and foreign hostages released, a source and Egyptian media reported.
A source briefed on the ceasefire talks, who could not be identified by name or nationality, said talks had begun with Israel's head of Mossad intelligence service meeting separately with each party - Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
"There are budding signs of optimism about being able to move forward toward the start of a serious negotiation," the source said.
Egypt's Al Qahera TV News also reported that the talks had begun.
17:12 GMT — US says 'disappointed' by Israeli plan to build 3,000 settlement units in occupied West Bank
The US has said that it is "disappointed" by the Israeli announcement that it plans to build new 3,300 settlement units in the occupied West Bank.
"We've seen the reports and I have to say we're disappointed in the announcement," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a press conference with Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
"It's been long-standing US policy, under Republican or Democratic administrations, that new settlements are counterproductive to reaching an enduring peace. They're also inconsistent with international law," he added.
15:51 GMT — Palestine slams Netanyahu's principles for post-war in Gaza
Palestine has slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan for the post-Gaza war as an official acknowledgement of reoccupying the enclave.
In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry strongly rejected "what the Israeli media referred to as Netanyahu's principles for the post-war Gaza".
The statement deemed the principles "an official acknowledgement of reoccupying the Gaza Strip and imposing Israeli control over it".
15:22 GMT — US downs three Houthi drones over Red Sea: military
American forces shot down three one-way attack drones near commercial ships in the Red Sea, after striking four drones on the ground in Yemen the day before, the US military has said.
Early on Friday, US forces "shot down three Houthi one-way attack (drones) near several commercial ships operating in the Red Sea. There was no damage to any ships," the Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media.
On Thursday, American forces struck four Houthi drones as well as two anti-ship cruise missiles, CENTCOM said, adding that the weapons "were prepared to launch from Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen towards the Red Sea."
14:54 GMT — Türkiye vows to use 'all available means' to halt Israel's assaults in Gaza, Jerusalem
Türkiye will use all means at its disposal to halt "oppression in Gaza and harassment in Jerusalem" by Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
"We will use all available means, without any exception, to stop the oppression in Gaza and the harassment in Jerusalem," Erdogan said at a rally in Türkiye's western province of Balikesir.
He added that Türkiye is working to secure collective action by Muslim countries around the world against the oppression in Gaza.
14:38 GMT — UN deplores 'entrenched impunity' in Israeli war on Gaza
The United Nations human rights chief has said that perpetrators of gross human rights violations in the conflict between Israel and Hamas must be held accountable.
"The entrenched impunity that OHCHR (the UN rights agency) has reported on for many years cannot persist," High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a report on the situation in Gaza and in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
He said that this impunity had contributed to violations that could amount to international crimes.
13:52 GMT — Former Israeli premier accuses Netanyahu of 'purging' West Bank of Palestinians
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has said that Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza is just a step in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government plan to purge the occupied West Bank of Palestinians.
Describing Netanyahu's government as a "gang", Olmert wrote in the Israeli daily Haaretz that "the supreme aim of the duo National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is not the occupation of Gaza."
"Gaza is just the introductory chapter, the platform this gang wants to build as the foundation upon which the real fight they are eyeing will be conducted: the battle for the West Bank and the Temple Mount," he said, referring to the flashpoint Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, using its name in Judaism.
13:12 GMT — Unlawful Israeli occupation of Palestine must have consequences: Pakistan
Pakistan has said Israel’s occupation of Palestine is unlawful and that it must stop.
Addressing the International Court of Justice, Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam said Pakistan has been led to "the conclusion that Israel's occupation is unlawful and unlawfulness must have consequences."
"Its policies and practices of occupation deny the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and amount to systematic racial discrimination and serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights," he said, urging the UN top court to take this seriously.
12:46 GMT — Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories must end: Qatar
Qatar has made an impassioned plea for an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories during a public hearing at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
"There is a growing perception that international law applies to some but not to others. That some people are seen as deserving of security, freedom and self-determination, but others are not. Some children are deemed worthy of the law’s protection, but others are killed, and there are thousands," said Qatar's representative before the World Court.
"Israel's genocidal war on the people of Gaza has shown that the situation in Palestine is the most pressing threat to international peace and security," he said.
12:44 GMT — Israeli spy chief in Paris for Gaza ceasefire talks
An Israeli delegation led by the head of the country's overseas intelligence agency arrived in Paris on Friday to "unblock" talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, an Israeli official has said.
Mossad director David Barnea will be joined in the French capital by his counterpart at the domestic Shin Bet security agency, Ronen Bar, Israeli media reported.
12:34 GMT — Hamas awaits new truce proposal from Israel after Cairo talks
Hamas wrapped up ceasefire talks in Cairo and is now waiting to see what mediators bring back from weekend talks with Israel, an official from the resistance group has said, in what appears to be the most serious push for weeks to halt the fighting.
Mediators have ramped up efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, in the hope of heading off an Israeli assault on the Gaza city of Rafah where more than a million displaced people are sheltering at the southern edge of the enclave.
Israel says it will attack the city if no truce agreement is reached soon. Washington has called on its close ally not to do so, warning of vast civilian casualties if an assault on the city goes ahead.
12:44 GMT — Israeli spy chief in Paris for Gaza ceasefire talks
An Israeli delegation led by the head of the country's overseas intelligence agency arrived in Paris on Friday to "unblock" talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, an Israeli official has said.
Mossad director David Barnea will be joined in the French capital by his counterpart at the domestic Shin Bet security agency, Ronen Bar, Israeli media reported.
12:02 GMT — Gaza victims sue German government for ‘aiding genocide against Palestinians’
Victims of months of Israel's attacks on Gaza are filing a criminal complaint against top German government officials for supporting Israel’s war crimes and "genocide" against Palestinians.
"We're filing a criminal complaint against German government officials for the crime of aiding and abetting genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza by providing Israel with weapons and issuing related export permissions," lawyers for the Gaza victims told a press conference in Berlin.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, and Economy Minister Robert Habeck all stand accused of "complicity in the genocide in Gaza" by supporting Israel’s military offensive and authorising the export of $350 million worth of weapons to Israel.
10:32 GMT — Israel to establish over 3,300 settlement units in occupied West Bank
The Israeli authorities intend to approve within the next two weeks the establishment of more than 3,300 settlement units in the occupied West Bank, according to official Israeli media.
"The relevant committee is expected to meet within two weeks to approve the establishment of 2,350 housing units in the Maaleh Adumim settlement, about 300 in the Kedar settlement, and 700 units in the Efrat settlement," the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation has said.
10:29 GMT — Nations must halt arms transfer to Israel 'that would be used in Gaza,' say UN experts
UN experts have called for an immediate halt to arms exports to Israel that would be used in Gaza.
"Any transfer of weapons or ammunition to Israel that would be used in Gaza is likely to violate international humanitarian law and must cease immediately," said a statement by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
It urged all states to "ensure respect" for international humanitarian law by parties to the conflict, adding that they "must accordingly refrain from transferring any weapon or ammunition — or parts for them — if it is expected, given the facts or past patterns of behaviour, that they would be used to violate international law."
09:51 GMT — Three more Hezbollah members killed in clashes with Israeli army near Lebanon border
The Lebanese Hezbollah group said three more of its members were killed in border clashes with the Israeli forces.
In a statement, the group identified one fighter as Muhammad Hassan Tarraf and two medics as Hussein Muhammad Khalil and Muhammad Yaqoub Ismail.
The three members were killed in an Israeli aggression targeting the Civil Defence Center in Bleyda, southern Lebanon, the statement said.
The death toll of Hezbollah members killed by Israeli forces since October 8 has risen to 211, according to previous statements by the group.
09:29 GMT — Death toll in Gaza exceeds 29,500: Palestinian health ministry
At least 104 more Palestinians have been killed and 160 others injured in the last 24 hours alone as Israel continues its onslaught on the besieged Gaza, the territory's Health Ministry said.
"The Israeli occupation committed 10 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 104 martyrs and 160 injured during the past 24 hours," the ministry said in a statement.
"Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them," the statement said.
Flouting the International Court of Justice's provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on Gaza where at least 29,514 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 69,616 injured since October 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.
09:23 GMT — Hamas leader leaves Egypt after ceasefire talks
Hamas said its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, left Egypt after holding talks with Egyptian officials about a possible ceasefire in Gaza and an exchange of hostages held by the group for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
The talks in Cairo came ahead of a high-level meeting expected over the weekend in Paris, where international mediators will present a new truce proposal.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been struggling for weeks to find a formula that could halt Israel's devastating offensive in Gaza.
09:10 GMT - Almost all economic activity in Gaza ground to halt
Gaza's economy shrank by more than 80 percent in the fourth quarter of last year due to Israeli attacks, the World Bank said.
In a report, the bank said the Israeli war on the Palestinian enclave since October has resulted in massive loss of life and the effects of the conflict on the Palestinian economy have been consequential.
GDP plummeted from approximately $670 million in the third quarter to roughly $90 million in the fourth quarter, it said.
08:25 GMT - Israeli air strike targets car in Jenin refugee camp, killing one
An Israeli air strike targeted a car in the Jenin refugee camp north of the occupied West Bank, killing one Palestinian and wounding 15 others.
"One Palestinian was martyred and 15 injured, including two critically, as a result of the (Israeli) occupation's targeting of a car in the Jenin camp," the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement.
The ministry did not disclose the identity of the Palestinian killed, while Palestinians shared photos and videos on social media of a burning car in the middle of the camp.
07:47 GMT - Israeli army targets Hezbollah facility in southern Lebanon
The Israeli army said it targeted a military facility in southern Lebanon belonging to the Hezbollah group.
Hezbollah later said it targeted two Israeli barracks with dozens of rockets in response to the targeting of a residential building earlier in the day in the town of Kfar Roummane.
The army said it attacked "a military building affiliated with the Hezbollah organisation after observing armed individuals inside."
07:11 GMT - Israeli air strikes kill 40 Palestinians in Gaza
At least 40 Palestinians killed and around 100 others wounded in Israeli air strikes in Gaza, the Gaza Media Office announced.
"The Israeli occupation army has committed a horrific massacre in central Gaza, where fighter jets bombed four civilian homes, resulting in the deaths of 40 martyrs and more than 100 injuries," the media office said on Telegram.
It noted that more than 90 percent of the victims were women and children.
06:42 GMT - G20 hot mic gaffe exposes extent of US isolation following Gaza ceasefire veto
The US found itself increasingly isolated when a hot mic during an international summit in Brazil exposed searing criticism from close international allies prompted by Washington's refusal to endorse a ceasefire in the besieged Gaza.
The pointed criticisms were made during a closed press meeting of G20 foreign ministers that reporters were able to listen into via audio headsets after organisers failed to turn them off, according to the Washington Post newspaper.
Close US ally Australia warned of the "further devastation" that would result from Israel's vowed invasion of southern Gaza's city of Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million people are seeking shelter, the vast majority of whom fled other parts of Gaza amid bombings and Israeli orders for civilians to evacuate.
06:10 GMT - Blinken defends US veto of ceasefire
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has responded to criticism that the US is alone in its approach to Israel's war on besieged Gaza, saying, "We all share the same goals."
"Everyone wants to see an end to this conflict as soon as possible," Blinken said during a news conference in Brazil in response to a question on the US' isolation due to its support for Israel and the use of its veto against UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire.
"I think all of us are united in wanting to see after Gaza the path forward to a genuinely durable, sustainable peace," he said.
06:00 Israeli air strikes kill 40 Palestinians in Gaza
At least 40 Palestinians have been killed and around 100 others wounded in Israeli air strikes in Gaza, the Gaza Media Office announced.
"The Israeli occupation army has committed a horrific massacre in central Gaza, where fighter jets bombed four civilian homes, resulting in the deaths of 40 martyrs and more than 100 injuries," the media office said on Telegram.
It noted that more than 90% of the victims were women and children.
05:50 GMT — G20 hot mic gaffe exposes extent of US isolation following Gaza ceasefire veto
The US found itself increasingly isolated when a hot mic during an international summit in Brazil exposed searing criticism from close international allies prompted by Washington's refusal to endorse a ceasefire in the besieged Gaza.
The pointed criticisms were made during a closed press meeting of G20 foreign ministers that reporters were able to listen into via audio headsets after organisers failed to turn them off, according to the Washington Post newspaper.
Close US ally Australia warned of the "further devastation" that would result from Israel’s vowed invasion of southern Gaza's city of Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million people are seeking shelter, the vast majority of whom fled other parts of Gaza amid bombings and Israeli orders for civilians to evacuate.
05:45 GMT — Israeli occupation violates Palestinians' right to self-determination: Malaysia
Malaysia has told a hearing at the International Court of Justice [ICJ] that Palestine has the right to self-determination and that this right has been violated due to the Israeli occupation.
Speaking on behalf of Malaysia, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan highlighted that the occupation is illegal due to its violation of international law and emphasised the need for an immediate end to the occupation.
Hasan said it is essential for the ICJ to express its views on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as this opinion would assist in delivering a fair judgment on the occupation, annexation and discriminatory policies in Palestine.
05:41 GMT — Protesters march inside Biden's California hotel, accuse him of genocide
A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched inside US President Joe Biden's California hotel, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the besieged Gaza.
"Biden, Biden, you can't hide; we charge you with genocide," the group, estimated by the White House pool to include up to 30 people, chanted.
They also chanted "ceasefire now" as they marched through the upscale Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. "How many kids did you kill today?" they asked.
05:30 GMT — Israel kills 23 civilians in central Gaza strikes — Palestine
Israel has struck central Gaza and killed at least 23 civilians, mostly children and women, the blockaded enclave's Health Ministry said, adding the bodies were taken to a hospital.
These casualties raise the approximate death toll to 71 from Israeli bombing during the past 24 hours.
Israeli fighter jets targeted several houses in Deir al Balah, including the home of the Attar family, as well as the Yaghi family home in the town of Zawaida in central Gaza, official WAFA news agency reported.
05:15 GMT — Any Israeli invasion of Rafah must cease immediately: China
China's Permanent Representative to the UN has said any invasion by Israel into besieged Gaza's Rafah area must cease immediately, Xinhua news agency reported.
He added that a ceasefire in the blockaded enclave is a common wish voiced by the international community and the consensus of the Security Council's overwhelming majority.
04:47 GMT — Israel can't be stopped merely by condemnation: Turkish parliament speaker
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus has stressed the ineffectiveness of merely condemning Israel's war on besieged Gaza, calling for swift international intervention to halt its aggression.
"What's even more distressing is that while the Israeli government, [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his cohorts commit these crimes, the whole world is watching," he said.
He called for global action to prevent further atrocities, emphasising the need to isolate Israel diplomatically on every platform.
04:40 GMT — Israeli army continues to besiege Nasser Hospital
The Israeli army has withdrawn from inside the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern besieged Gaza but continues to besiege the building, as well as the nearby Al Amal Hospital, the Palestinian enclave's Health Ministry said.
"Israeli occupation forces are preventing movement to and from the Nasser Medical Complex" in Khan Younis city, the ministry said in a statement on Telegram.
It noted that medical staff had buried 13 patients killed in Nasser Hospital due to the generators and oxygen supply being shut down as a result of the Israeli attacks siege. The ministry did not mention the date of their deaths.
04:30 GMT — Israel confirms building road across centre of Gaza
The Israeli military has confirmed it had built a road crossing in besieged Gaza from east to west.
It said the road, which expanded an already existing corridor, is being used "to move logistics and soldiers."
It gave no additional details, but Israeli leaders have said that Israel intends to maintain long-term occupation over Gaza after the war.
For our live updates from Thursday, February 22, click here.
