Friday, December 22, 2023
19:50 GMT – UN resolution on Gaza aid 'insufficient': Hamas
Palestinian group Hamas on Friday branded as "insufficient" a UN Security Council vote demanding aid deliveries at scale into the besieged Gaza Strip.
The group, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, said in a statement that it considers the resolution "an insufficient measure that does not respond to the catastrophic situation created by the Zionist (Israeli) war machine".
At least 20,000 people in Gaza have been killed by Israeli strikes since October 7.
17:50 GMT – UN chief says humanitarian ceasefire needed in Gaza
Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has said that that a humanitarian ceasefire is needed in Gaza.
"We are favourable to any pause that can lead to improvements in humanitarian aid," Guterres said on Friday.
After several failed bids, the UN Security Council finally passed a resolution on Gaza on Friday, calling for "urgent steps to allow safe, unhindered and expanded humanitarian access throughout Gaza."
04:50 GMT — The United Nations Security Council has once again pushed back a vote on a much-delayed resolution on Israel's war on besieged Gaza, diplomatic sources said.
The postponement to Friday came even as the United States, which has opposed a number of proposals during the resolution's, said it was ready to support it in its current form.
The UNSC had scheduled the long-delayed vote on a new resolution to halt the fighting in some way, which would allow for an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries.
04:20 GMT — 'Ready' to vote on Gaza resolution: US envoy
The UN Security Council is ready to vote on a Gaza humanitarian aid draft resolution, the US envoy to the UN has said.
"I just want to share with you that we have worked hard and diligently over the course of the past week with the Emiratis, with others, with Egypt, to come up with a resolution that we can support. And we do have that resolution now. We're ready to vote on it," Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters after a closed-door Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.
She said it is a resolution that will bring humanitarian assistance to those in need.
"It will support the priority that Egypt has in ensuring that we put a mechanism on the ground that will support humanitarian assistance, and we're ready to move forward," she added.
04:00 GMT — Hamas releases video of 3 Israeli captives 'killed by Israel'
Hamas' Al Qassam Brigades has released a video of three Israeli captives, saying they were killed by the Israeli army in besieged Gaza.
The video, posted on Telegram by Al Qassam, showed footage of the three captives, identified as Eliya Tolidano, Nek Birz, and Ron Sherman.
"Despite our efforts to preserve their lives, Netanyahu insists on killing them," Al Qassam said in the video.
03:20 GMT — Israel kills fence crossing chief, three others in new attack
An Israeli strike in the southern besieged Gaza has killed the head of the Karem Abu Salem fence crossing and three others, Hamas government said.
Crossing director Bassem Ghaben was killed as Israeli planes targeted the infrastructure, the crossings authority and the Health Ministry in Gaza said.
Israel on Friday approved the temporary delivery of aid into Gaza via the crossing, opening a new route for supplies on top of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza after weeks of pressure.
02:55 GMT — More than 20 countries join Red Sea coalition
More than 20 countries have joined the US-led coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the Pentagon has said.
Houthis have repeatedly targeted vessels in the vital shipping lane with strikes in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is relentlessly attacking civilians.
"We've had over 20 nations now sign on to participate" in the coalition, Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder told journalists.
02:44 GMT — Canada to welcome citizens' extended families from Gaza
Canada will take in extended families of Canadians in besieged Gaza for up to three years, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced.
The move, which is due to take effect on January 9, will allow Canadians to reunite with spouses or common-law partners, children and grandchildren regardless of age, siblings and their immediate families, as well as parents and grandparents.
Miller said the aim of the policy change is "to get people safe" as the humanitarian crisis caused by Israeli relentless attacks has made Gaza "unlivable."
02:23 GMT — Israeli army raids Ramallah, central West Bank: Witnesses
An Israeli military has invaded several neighbourhoods in the city of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank.
An Anadolu Agency correspondent quoted eyewitnesses as saying that "a force of about 30 military vehicles invaded several neighbourhoods in the city of Ramallah."
Witnesses said that the Israeli forces were "raiding homes and stores" without providing further details as of 1700 GMT.
02:11 GMT — US says 'actively working' for UN resolution on Gaza
The United States is still working in hopes of a UN Security Council resolution on besieged Gaza, the White House said, after repeated delays over language opposed by Israel on aid monitoring.
"We're still actively working with our UN partners about the resolution and on the language itself," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
The deputy US envoy at the UN, Robert Wood, earlier said that the United States was not yet at a point where it could support a draft text proposed by the United Arab Emirates.
For our live updates from Thursday, December 21, click here.
