Friday, April 26, 2024
13:32 GMT — Hamas has criticised a proposal from the United States and 17 other countries that called on it to release all of its hostages as a pathway to end the crisis in Gaza, saying it failed to address Palestinian demands, a statement said.
Hamas is open to ceasefire ideas and sticks to the main demands outlined by the group, the statement added.
14:09 GMT — ICC decisions will not affect Israel's actions: Netanyahu
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that any rulings issued by the International Criminal Court would not affect Israel's actions but would "set a dangerous precedent".
"Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in the Hague to undermine its basic right to defend itself," Netanyahu said in a statement shared on Telegram.
"While decisions made by the court in the Hague will not affect Israel's actions, they will set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures."
14:07 GMT — Saudi to host top Arab, EU diplomats for Gaza talks: officials
Top Arab and European diplomats are expected to begin arriving in the Saudi capital this weekend for an economic summit and meetings on the war in Gaza, diplomatic officials said.
The two-day World Economic Forum special meeting, scheduled to begin in Riyadh on Sunday, includes in its official programme appearances by the Saudi, Jordanian, Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministers.
A Gaza-focused session on Monday is set to feature newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations aid coordinator for Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne is among European officials travelling to Riyadh during the summit for talks on the war.
13:46 GMT — Israeli assault on Rafah will bring 'disaster' to MidEast: aid group
An Israeli assault on southern Gaza's Rafah area would spell disaster for civilians, not only in Gaza but across the Middle East, the head of an aid group has warned, saying the region faced a "countdown to an even bigger conflict".
Jan Egeland, the Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told Reuters that 1.3 million civilians seeking refuge in Rafah - including his aid group's staff - were living in "indescribable fear" of an Israeli offensive.
Israel has stepped up airstrikes on Rafah this week after saying it would evacuate civilians ahead of an all-out assault, despite allies' warnings this could cause mass casualties.
13:32 GMT — Scores arrested as Berlin police clear Gaza war protesters’ camp
Police have violently cleared a camp of Gaza war protesters at the German parliament, arresting several people.
There were "repeated crimes and violations" committed by residents of the protest camp, including acts of violence by residents against police officers, police wrote on X.
According to police, they had repeatedly asked the residents of the camp to leave the site and when they refused, they proceeded to start arresting mainly young protesters who were seen flashing the victory sign with their fingers as they were whisked away to the police vehicle.
12:57 GMT — Netanyahu etches his name as 'butcher of Gaza' — Erdogan
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, like villains before him, has etched his name in history with shame as the butcher of Gaza, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
Speaking in Istanbul, he said anyone looking for "modern pharaohs need not look far, just look at those who have mercilessly killed 35,000 Palestinians in the last 203 days".
Türkiye would continue its struggle for a free Palestine, he said, adding no one should expect Ankara to remain silent in the face of Israel's genocidal acts in Gaza.
12:41 GMT — Gaza protests a hallmark of democracy: Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said protests at US universities over US-ally Israel's war in Gaza are a hallmark of American democracy, but criticised what he called the "silence" about Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
"In our own country, it's a hallmark of our democracy that our citizens make known their views, their concerns, their anger, at any given time, and I think that reflects the strength of the country, the strength of democracy," Blinken said.
11:39 GMT — EU commits $73M more for Gaza aid
The European Union has said it was giving an extra $73 million to provide desperately needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
"In light of the continued deterioration of the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the steady rise of needs on the ground, the (European) Commission is stepping up its funding to support Palestinians affected by the ongoing war," an EU statement said.
"This support brings total EU humanitarian assistance to 193 million euros for Palestinians in need inside Gaza and across the region in 2024."
11:31 GMT — Israel kills 51 more, raising Gaza death toll to 34,356
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has said that at least 34,356 people have been killed in the territory during more than six months of Israeli war on the besieged enclave.
The tally includes at least 51 deaths in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 77,368 people have been wounded in Gaza since Israel launched a brutal war on Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7.
11:03 GMT — Team from Gaza mediator Egypt heads to Israel: source
A delegation from mediator Egypt is travelling to Israel, a source close to the Israeli government told AFP, in what local media said is a bid to reignite stalled hostage-release negotiations.
The effort comes alongside preparations for a Israeli military offensive in southern Gaza's Rafah, and with spillover from the war in Gaza leading to stepped-up exchanges of fire over Israel's northern border with Lebanon.
Israel's army said missile fire near that border killed an Israeli civilian.
08:25 GMT — Seven Palestinians held by Israeli troops in occupied West Bank raid
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that seven Palestinians, including a woman, have been detained by Israeli forces during overnight raids that continued till Friday morning inside the occupied West Bank.
In Ramallah province, an Israeli army unit stormed Al-Jalazon refugee camp, where they detained three Palestinians, including a 33-year-old woman, Jehad Nakhla.
In Jenin province, Israeli forces stormed the town of Qabatiya and arrested two Palestinians after raiding and searching their homes.
An Israeli army force stormed Balata refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank city of Nablus, where they detained at least one Palestinian youth.
06:30 GMT — North Gaza still headed toward famine as Israel block aid — UN
Northern Gaza is still heading toward famine because Israel hasn’t allowed the daily delivery of food and other critical items for hundreds of thousands of people in desperate need, the UN food agency’s deputy chief has said.
Carl Skau, the deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said that a little progress has been made since Israel made commitments on April 5 to speed up aid deliveries, but not enough.
Seven to 12 trucks have gone to the area every other day, or every third day in the last three weeks, he said, with at least 30 trucks needed each day.
05:41 GMT — Yemen's Houthis claim attacks on ship, Israeli city
Yemen’s Houthi group has said that they carried out attacks targeting an Israeli vessel and multiple sites in the southern Israeli city of Eilat.
The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said in a televised speech that their forces successfully targeted the Israeli ship MSC Darwin using missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Gulf of Aden.
Saree said they also conducted missile strikes on targets located in Eilat.
05:35 GMT — Israel masses military vehicles along Gaza border
Journalists saw the movement of the vehicles near Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, which is next to Rafah.
Despite widespread international opposition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to invade the city, located along the Egyptian border, as part of his plan to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s Oct. 7 operation into southern Israel.
05:17 GMT — Israeli finance minister urges Mossad to target Hamas leaders
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called on the Mossad intelligence agency to target Hamas leaders and completely destroy Gaza.
''The time has come for the Mossad to resume dealing with what it was trained to do: Taking out Hamas leaders across the world and not (taking part in) negotiations that have been conducted irresponsibly and harm Israel’s security,'' the far-right minister wrote on X.
Rejecting negotiations with Hamas on a prisoner exchange deal, Smotrich said "from now, we should only speak to Hamas with shelling and bombs.''
05:10 GMT — Gaza faces epidemic risk as heat waves worsen conditions in displacement camps
The Gaza Civil Defence Agency has warned of the spread of epidemics and diseases in displacement camps in the southern part of the enclave as heat waves intensified.
"The suffering of displaced people in the displacement camps in the southern governorates of Gaza seems to be increasing with the intensification of heat waves,'' the agency said in a statement.
It added that this situation "forewarns of the widening spread of epidemics and diseases among them, especially among children and pregnant women."
04:46 GMT — Israel to present new deal to Hamas for prisoner exchange: Report
Israel has revealed a new proposed deal for a prisoner exchange with Hamas and a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli media has reported.
The Israeli security cabinet convened to advance a new initiative for the release of hostages held in Gaza, according to Israel's Channel 13.
Israeli negotiators presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the cabinet with a fresh plan that will be presented to Hamas by mediators, it said.
04:20 GMT — Bodies found in Gaza mass graves suggest 'organ theft' by Israel
Paramedics and rescue workers have raised suspicions about organ theft by Israeli military after recovering bodies of civilians from mass graves, WAFA news agency reported.
Medics and rescuers have found at least 392 bodies in Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. About165 of them remain unidentified after their bodies were found to have been disfigured.
Medics reported that some bodies were found with their abdomens cut and stitched in a manner that is different from the usual wound closure techniques performed in besieged Gaza, raising suspicions of organ theft, while a mutilated body of a little girl found wearing surgical grown, suggesting she was buried while still alive.
04:00 GMT — US drops aid into Gaza amid weapon supply to Israel
US Central Command [CENTCOM] has conducted another round of airdrops into northern besieged Gaza even as Washington has approved nearly $27 billion in weapons package for Tel Aviv, which is accused of committing genocide in Gaza.
Planes dropped over 25,000 meals ready to eat [MREs], CENTCOM said on X, adding the US has dropped more than 1,082 tons of humanitarian assistance to date.
"The DoD humanitarian airdrops contribute to the ongoing US and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering," it added, referring to the Department of Defence.
03:50 GMT — Columbia University faces federal complaint after arresting protesters
A pro-Palestine US group has filed a federal civil rights complaint against Columbia University following last week's mass arrest of anti-war protesters after the school called police to clear demonstrator encampments, the group said.
Palestine Legal, an organisation that seeks to protect the rights of people in the US to speak out on behalf of Palestinians, urged the US Education Department to probe the school's actions, which it alleges were discriminatory against those who are pro-Palestine.
Columbia University declined to comment.
03:25 GMT — USC cancels graduation ceremony as anti-war protests grow
The University of South California [USC] has announced the cancellation of the May 10 graduation ceremony a day after more than 90 protesters were arrested on campus.
The university said it would still host dozens of commencement events, including all the traditional individual school commencement ceremonies. Tensions were already high after USC cancelled a planned commencement speech by the school's pro-Palestinian valedictorian, citing safety concerns.
"We understand that this is disappointing; however, we are adding many new activities and celebrations to make this commencement academically meaningful, memorable, and uniquely USC," the university said in a statement.
03:15 GMT — Activists begin encampment at University of Pennsylvania
Pro-Palestine activists have launched a protest at the University of Pennsylvania against Israel's ongoing carnage in besieged Gaza.
According to media reports, they marched through Philadelphia's Center City neighbourhood before setting up an encampment at Penn City Hall.
There have been no reports of arrests so far.
02:43 GMT — UK Parliament holds panel on Anadolu's Gaza documentary
A panel on Anadolu Agency's documentary The Evidence, which showcases Israel's war crimes in besieged Gaza, has been held in Britain's Parliament.
The documentary consists of photographs and images taken by AA reporters from the first moment the attacks began and interviews with experts in the field.
Speaking at the event, Osman Koray Ertas, Türkiye's Ambassador to the UK, said the Israeli response to the October 7 attack has triggered "the worst human-made disasters" of modern times in besieged Gaza.
02:22 GMT — US professors detained in pro-Palestine protests
At least two professors at Emory University in Georgia have been detained at pro-Palestinian protests that have spread across US college campuses to demand a ceasefire in besieged Gaza.
Several dozen protesters, including economics professor Caroline Fohlin and Noelle McAfee, the chair of the philosophy department, were arrested after an encampment was formed on the campus in Atlanta.
In video footage posted on X, McAfee, handcuffed behind her back, is seen telling someone: "Can you call the Philosophy Department office and tell them I've been arrested?...I'm Noelle McAfee, I'm Chair of the Philosophy Department."
02:10 GMT — France threatens new sanctions against Zionist settlers
France is considering extending sanctions on Israeli illegal settlers behind violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, President Emmanuel Macron's office said he spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah II.
The two leaders "firmly condemned recent Israeli announcements about settlements" in the occupied West Bank, "which are contrary to international law," Macron's office said in a statement.
02:00 GMT — US says Netanyahu's comments on campus protests not a call for crackdown
The US State Department has refused to say that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments on pro-Palestine protests at US universities were a call for a crackdown and an interference in American affairs.
"I will leave it to the prime minister's office to offer any clarification on his comments, but I don't believe he called for a crackdown," State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said when asked if Netanyahu's remarks were a call for a crackdown on protestors using their right to demonstrate.
When pressed on whether Netanyahu's remarks were an interference by a foreign leader in American affairs, Patel responded: "I wouldn’t equate that to interfering."
For our live updates from Thursday, April 25, click here.
