Saturday, May 25, 2024
14:00 GMT — Over 20,000 patients are waiting for the opening of the Rafah crossing to leave Gaza for treatment, the Health Ministry in besieged Palestinian enclave said.
In a statement, ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said “since Israel reoccupied the Rafah crossing, no patients have been able to leave the Gaza Strip,” noting that “even those who are abroad cannot return to their homeland".
“More than 20,000 patients suffering of cancer, heart and blood diseases are waiting for the opening of the crossing in inhumane conditions due to the occupation, siege and war of extermination imposed on civilians in Gaza.”
The official termed it "a war crime and a blatant violation of the health rights of patients stipulated in international humanitarian law".
13:31 GMT — Former premier says Israel can neither achieve victory in Gaza, nor destroy Hamas
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has called for an end to the "stalling war" in Gaza, stressing that there is no chance "to achieve complete victory or the complete destruction of Hamas".
In an interview with Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Olmert said that “the military operation in Rafah must be stopped".
He stressed that the "stalling" war in Gaza should be stopped in to make way for the return of hostages.
13:11 GMT — Israel detains 15 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank
The Israeli army has detained at least 15 Palestinians from areas across the occupied West Bank.
According to a joint statement by the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society, the new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since October 7, 2023 to 8,855.
The arrests mainly took place in the cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, and Hebron.
During the Israeli arrest campaigns, the Israeli forces beat and abused Palestinians and damaged their homes and properties, the statement added.
12:41 GMT — Palestinian death toll surpasses 35,900
At least 35,903 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza since last October, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said.
A ministry statement added that 80,420 other people have also been injured in the onslaught.
“Israeli attacks killed 46 people and injured 130 others in the last 24 hours,” the statement said.
12:21 GMT — Israel-Hamas talks on hostage deal expected to restart next week
Mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian captives in Israel are due to restart next week, an official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The decision to restart the talks, said the source, who declined to be identified by name or nationality given the sensitivity of the issue, came after the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency met with the head of the CIA and the prime minister of Qatar, which has been a mediator.
"At the end of the meeting, it was decided that in the coming week negotiations will open based on new proposals led by the mediators, Egypt and Qatar and with active US involvement," the source said.
11:19 GMT — Spain demands Israel comply with ICJ and halt attacks on Rafah
The Spanish government has demanded that Israel comply with an order by the top UN court to immediately stop its bombardment and ground assault on city of Rafah.
It stressed that the ruling on Friday by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was legally binding.
"The precautionary measures set out by the ICJ, including that Israel should cease its military offensive in Rafah, are compulsory. Israel must comply with them," Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares wrote on X.
"The same goes for a ceasefire, the release of the hostages and access for humanitarian aid (to Gaza)," he said. "The suffering of the people of Gaza and the violence must end."
11:11 GMT — UK says World Court order to Israel over Rafah will strengthen Hamas
The British government has criticised the International Court of Justice for ordering Israel to immediately halt its assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, saying the ruling would strengthen Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
The ICJ, which is the highest UN body for hearing disputes between states, made the emergency ruling on Friday in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide.
"The reason there isn’t a pause in the fighting is because Hamas turned down a very generous hostage deal from Israel. The intervention of these courts — including the ICJ today — will strengthen the view of Hamas that they can hold on to hostages and stay in Gaza," a UK foreign ministry spokesperson said late on Friday.
"And if that happens there won’t be either peace, or a two-state solution."
11:02 GMT — US-built floating pier in Gaza collapsed
Waves swept away a section of the American floating pier installed to carry aid to Gaza, Israeli media reported.
“Part of the American pier was washed ashore in Ashdod (a city in Israel),” said Channel 12.
"The Israeli Navy is currently helping to connect the separated part,” it added.
There were no injuries reported.
The US army in mid-May announced it finished constructing a temporary floating pier off the coast of Gaza meant to provide much needed aid to the blockaded enclave.
09:15 GMT — Palestinians factions demand action on UN rulings against Israel
Palestinian factions have urged the prompt and genuine implementation of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) decisions, stressing the need to avoid delays or obstructions that could absolve Israel of its responsibilities.
The National and Islamic Forces Committee, which represents the majority of Palestinian groups, issued a statement in support of the top UN court decision.
"The fascist aggression against the city of Rafah and all parts of Gaza and the Palestinian Territory must be stopped, and the Nazi occupation army must withdraw completely,” the committee said.
It urged all parties to "seriously and genuinely work to implement the decisions of the International Court of Justice, without procrastination or delays that could absolve the occupation of its responsibilities under various pretexts."
It asked all parties to ensure “the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Rafah crossing” and to reopen it as a “solely Palestinian-Egyptian crossing in accordance with the agreed-upon mechanisms.”
The committee cautioned "against any attempts to circumvent the decision of the International Court of Justice or legitimise the siege and occupation."
08:30 GMT — Italy to resume funding UN agency aiding Palestinians
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that Rome would resume funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), at a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa.
"Italy has decided to resume financing specific projects intended for assistance to Palestinian refugees but only after rigorous controls that guarantee that not even a penny risks ending up supporting terrorism," he said.
Mustafa was also scheduled to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on what was his first trip to Europe since being appointed by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in March.
Tajani, whose country holds the G7 presidency this year, offered his government's "full support" to the Palestinian Authority.
"We are also committed as a G7 presidency to working towards a period of peace. We strongly ask for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza," he said.
09:00 GMT — Australia urges Israel to 'abide by' ICJ's ruling on Gaza
A senior Australian minister has urged Israel to "abide by" the International Court of Justice (ICJ) order to halt its military assault on southern Gaza.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australia’s position on Rafah is “crystal clear,” describing the situation as a “humanitarian disaster,” with the potential to worsen, local broadcaster SBS News reported.
“We have been very consistent that Rafah should not be attacked,” Brown said in Sydney.
“We are very consistent that the binding rulings to the ICJ should be abided by all parties, including Israel. Either you comply with international law or you don’t.
“Australia believes international law should be complied with, Australia believes the binding rulings should be complied with and we believe Rafah should not be invaded by Israel.”
07:55 GMT — G7 finance leaders to call on Israel to maintain Palestinian bank links
G7 finance leaders will call on Israel to maintain correspondent banking links between Israeli and Palestinian banks to allow vital transactions, trade and services to continue, according to a draft joint statement seen by Reuters.
The statement, to be released at the end of a Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors' meeting in northern Italy, also calls for Israel "to release withheld clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority, in view of its urgent fiscal needs".
The statement echoes a warning from US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who said the failure to renew a soon-to-expire banking waiver would cut off a critical lifeline for the Palestinian territories amid a devastating war in Gaza.
"We call on Israel to take the necessary measures to ensure that correspondent banking services between Israeli and Palestinian banks remain in place, so that vital financial transactions and critical trade and services continue," the draft statement said.
06:00 GMT — Israel bombs Rafah after top UN court orders it to halt assault
Israel has bombed Gaza, including Rafah, a day after the top UN court ordered it to halt military operations in the southern city as efforts get underway in Paris to seek a ceasefire.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) also demanded the immediate release of all hostages still held in Gaza, hours after the Israeli military announced troops had recovered the bodies of three more of the captives from northern Gaza.
The Hague-based court, whose orders are legally binding but lack direct enforcement mechanisms, also ordered Israel to keep open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which it closed earlier this month at the start of its assault on the city.
05:13 GMT — Pakistan, Maldives, Malaysia welcome new ICJ ruling against Israel
Pakistan, Maldives and Malaysia welcomed a new ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel regarding Gaza.
“UN Security Council and the international community should make efforts to implement the ICJ order to stop Israeli operations in Gaza,” Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement.
Implementing the order to stop the Israeli military operations “will pave the way for peace in the world,” he said.
04:25 GMT — Blinken reiterated US position on Rafah in call with Israel's Gantz, State Dept says
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated President Joe Biden position on "a major Rafah operation" when he spoke with Israeli Minister Benny Gantz, the US State Department said.
Blinken also discussed importance of Israel and Egypt concluding talks to reopen Rafah the crossing as soon as possible, the department said in a statement.
03:33 GMT — NYC college suspends officer who told pro-Palestine protester 'I support killing all you guys'
A campus safety officer at a public college in New York City has been suspended after footage circulated online showing him cursing at pro-Palestinian protesters during a graduation ceremony and saying he supported killing them all, the school confirmed.
An unidentified protester filmed the officer at Thursday's graduation for the College of Staten Island, part of the public City University of New York system that was rocked by a recent police crackdown on campus protests.
In a highly edited video shared by Instagram accounts affiliated with student protest organizers, a demonstrator can be heard yelling at the officer, "You support genocide!"
03:10 GMT — Arab diplomats, Macron discuss ways to stop Israel's war on Gaza
France's president, Qatar's prime minister and the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have held talks on Israel's Gaza war and ways to set up a Palestinian state alongside Israel, the French presidency said.
French President Emmanuel Macron organised the meeting amid growing international concerns over Israel's genocidal war. It came a few hours after the UN's top court ordered Israel to halt its invasion in the Gaza city of Rafah.
Efforts to revive a "two-state" solution to the wider Middle East conflict and humanitarian efforts for Gaza dominated the talks.
02:48 GMT — UCLA police make first arrest in mob attack on pro-Palestine encampment
Three weeks after a mob attacked pro-Palestine activists encamped at the University of California, Los Angeles, police have made their first arrest in the violence, a man they say was seen in video footage beating victims with a wooden pole.
The suspect, identified as Edan On, 18, was taken into custody on Thursday in the city of Beverly Hills and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, the UCLA Police Department said in a statement.
The man, who police said had no affiliation with UCLA, was reported by local media to be a Beverly Hills High School student.
02:30 GMT — White House, on ICJ ruling, says it has been 'clear and consistent' on Rafah
The White House has said it has been "clear and consistent" on its position on Rafah after the United Nation's top court ordered Israel to halt its invasion in the area.
The US says a full invasion in Rafah would be a humanitarian disaster, but it has continued to supply Tel Aviv with lethal weapons that Israel uses on the besieged Palestinians.
Legal experts say Israel must fully comply with ICJ's Rafah order, and its allies such as US and UK must suspend all arms sales to Tel Aviv as ignoring world court's ruling risks "genocide" complicity.
For our live updates from Friday, May 24, 2024, click here
