Thursday, February 1, 2024
13:56 GMT - Israeli authorities have released 114 Palestinians, including four women, who were detained by the Israeli army during their recent offensive on Gaza.
A Palestinian official with the Gaza crossing authorities said that the Palestinians were released through the Karem Abu Salem commercial crossing, also known as the Kerem Shalom crossing, in southern Gaza.
Ten of the released people, including a woman, were transferred to a hospital in Rafah city due to health conditions.
They suffered severe bone fractures, particularly in their hands and legs, as an apparent result of being beaten in custody by Israeli forces, a medical source said.
Some had blood clots on their necks and heads, while others suffered difficulty in breathing, wounds and scratches, and swelling in their hands, said the source.
14:30 GMT - UN Palestinian aid agency warns cuts may force shutdown
The UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees has said that international funding cuts may force the shutdown of its operations across the region "by the end of February".
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said that "if the funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to shut down our operations by end of February not only in Gaza but also across the region".
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said after talks with Lazzarini that he "emphasised the immediate need for the international community to support UNRWA, which plays an indispensable role for Palestinian refugees, serving as a lifeline for over two million Palestinians facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza".
14:15 GMT - Israeli soldiers receive orders from commanders to burn homes in Gaza: Israeli media
Israeli soldiers in Gaza have received orders from their commanders to burn Palestinian homes and everything in Gaza, the Haaretz newspaper reported.
It said the homes being set on fire are chosen based on intelligence information, according to commanders who spoke to the newspaper.
Haaretz quoted three commanders who are leading the fight in Gaza who confirmed that burning homes in Gaza has become a "common practice."
The practice was applied to specific cases but later turned into common practice with the continuation of the war, said Haaretz.
13:19 GMT - Gaza death toll surpasses 27,000 – Palestinian health ministry
At least 27,019 people have been killed in nearly four months of Israel's war on Gaza, the health ministry in the besieged enclave said.
A ministry statement said some 66,139 people have been wounded in Gaza since the war broke out on October 7.
12:44 GMT - Israel arrests dozens of Palestinians in West Bank
The Israeli army injured two Palestinians and arrested at least 37 others during a series of new incursions in the occupied West Bank, according to medical sources and the official agency.
Medical sources told Anadolu Agency that two Palestinians were shot with live bullets during clashes with the Israeli army in the city of Tubas (north). One of them was shot in the lower back, and the other in the foot.
According to local sources, Israeli forces stormed Tubas and arrested two Palestinians, leading to clashes with dozens of Palestinians.
The Israeli army used live and rubber-coated bullets, as well as tear gas canisters, to disperse the Palestinians who were throwing stones at their forces, according to the sources.
11:50 GMT - Hamas head due in Cairo for truce talks
The leader of the Palestinian group Hamas was expected in Cairo for talks on a proposed truce in Gaza, as Israel kept up its offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Hamas was reviewing a proposal for a six-week truce with Israel, a source told AFP, after mediators gathered in Paris, with international efforts towards a new pause in Tel Aviv's devastating war gathering pace.
11:20 GMT - Italy or France to lead EU's naval mission in the Red Sea: Rome
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that discussions have taken place on launching a European Union naval mission to protect ships in the Red Sea which will be led by either Italy or France.
"The command of this mission will either be in Italy or France. We are working together with (Italian Defence Minister Guido) Crosetto, but it is important to protect commercial ship traffic," Tajani said in a TV programme on the Italian state broadcasting service RAI.
"In addition to the Atalanta mission, there will be another one with new engagement rules. Therefore, it will have the capability to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or missiles attacking Italian ships or commercial ships of other countries. This is a military defence mission aimed at securing maritime trade traffic."
10:50 GMT - Mossad proposes 9-point truce plan to Israel's war cabinet
Mossad chief David Barnea has presented a nine-point plan to Israel's War Cabinet for the potential release of 136 hostages in Gaza, as reported by Tel Aviv-based Channel 12 late Wednesday, according to Times of Israel.
The proposed deal outlines a phased release process aimed at ensuring the safety of all hostages.
In the initial phase, 35 hostages would be released in exchange for a 35-day truce, equating to one day of truce per hostage. This phase prioritises the release of vulnerable individuals, including women, the sick, injured, and elderly hostages, according to the report.
10:09 GMT - Abbas vows to prevent Israel from isolating Gaza
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Israel will not be allowed to separate Gaza from the rest of the Palestinian territory.
He made the statement during a meeting at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah attended by members of the Central Committee of the Fatah movement, several members of its Revolutionary Council, the secretary of the Advisory Council and secretaries of the movement's regions in the northern provinces, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.
Abbas also reaffirmed "the unwavering Palestinian political stance regarding the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Gaza and the swift delivery of humanitarian aid to the beleaguered region."
09:44 GMT - Israel arrests dozens of Palestinians in West Bank
The Israeli army injured two Palestinians and arrested at least 37 others during a series of new incursions in the occupied West Bank, according to medical sources and the official agency.
Medical sources told Anadolu Agency that two Palestinians were shot with live bullets during clashes with the Israeli army in the city of Tubas (north). One of them was shot in the lower back, and the other in the foot.
According to local sources, Israeli forces stormed Tubas and arrested two Palestinians, leading to clashes with dozens of Palestinians.
09:00 GMT - Hamas head due in Cairo for truce talks
The leader of the Palestinian group Hamas was expected in Cairo for talks on a proposed truce in Gaza, as Israel kept up its offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Hamas was reviewing a proposal for a six-week truce with Israel, a source told AFP, after mediators gathered in Paris, with international efforts towards a new pause in Tel Aviv's devastating war gathering pace.
08:17 GMT - Italy or France to lead EU's naval mission in the Red Sea: Rome
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that discussions have taken place on launching a European Union naval mission to protect ships in the Red Sea which will be led by either Italy or France.
"The command of this mission will either be in Italy or France. We are working together with (Italian Defence Minister Guido) Crosetto, but it is important to protect commercial ship traffic," Tajani said in a TV programme on the Italian state broadcasting service RAI.
"In addition to the Atalanta mission, there will be another one with new engagement rules. Therefore, it will have the capability to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or missiles attacking Italian ships or commercial ships of other countries. This is a military defence mission aimed at securing maritime trade traffic."
07:20 GMT - Mossad proposes 9-point truce plan to Israel's war cabinet
Mossad chief David Barnea has presented a nine-point plan to Israel's War Cabinet for the potential release of 136 hostages in Gaza, as reported by Tel Aviv-based Channel 12 late Wednesday, according to Times of Israel.
The proposed deal outlines a phased release process aimed at ensuring the safety of all hostages.
In the initial phase, 35 hostages would be released in exchange for a 35-day truce, equating to one day of truce per hostage. This phase prioritises the release of vulnerable individuals, including women, the sick, injured, and elderly hostages, according to the report.
04:50 GMT - US downs Iranian drones, Houthi missile as Gaza war rages
An American warship has shot down three Iranian drones and a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi group, the US military claimed.
"Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by the USS Carney," the Central Command said in a statement, referring to a US Navy destroyer.
Less than an hour later, "the USS Carney engaged and shot down three Iranian UAVs in its vicinity," CENTCOM said, without specifying whether the drones were armed or just for surveillance.
04:17 GMT - Biden to visit Michigan as Arab American anger over Gaza grows
US President Joe Biden will travel on Thursday to the crucial swing state of Michigan, which is also the crucible of growing Arab American anger at his pro-Israel policies.
The trip comes days after the Democratic incumbent's campaign manager travelled to the city of Dearborn — home to the largest Muslim population in the United States — only to be snubbed by the Detroit suburb's mayor.
It was an ominous sign for Biden, for whom swing states such as Michigan could prove crucial in November when he faces a likely rematch with his predecessor, Donald Trump.
03:27 GMT - Access to clean water in Gaza is 'matter of life and death': UN agency
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East [UNRWA] has said that in besieged Gaza, "access to clean water is a matter of life and death."
"In Gaza, every day is a struggle to find bread and water. Every day is a struggle to survive," it said on X.
The agency pointed out that "without safe water, many more people will die from deprivation and disease."
03:00 GMT - Abbas says won't let Israel split Gaza from Palestine
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded an end to Israel's brutal war on besieged Gaza, affirming unity between Palestinians in the blockaded enclave and the occupied West Bank, state-run WAFA news agency reported.
Abbas said Palestine "will not abandon [its] people in Gaza. We will share the livelihood, the salaries, and the stipends in Gaza and the West Bank. We will not allow the occupation's plans to separate Gaza from the rest of the Palestinian territory nor annex any part of it."
Abbas added, "We told the world that after halting the war of genocide and displacement waged by the Israeli occupation forces, there must be a clear political path based on the foundations of international legitimacy, the Arab Peace Initiative, and international law. This path includes all the occupied Palestinian territories in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem."
02:40 GMT - Chicago becomes latest US city to approve Gaza truce resolution
Chicago's City Council narrowly approved a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Israel's war on besieged Gaza, with Mayor Brandon Johnson casting the tie-breaking vote.
The resolution, approved 24-23, includes a call for humanitarian aid and the release of all captives.
Chicago is the latest US city to approve such a non-binding resolution, following Atlanta, Detroit and San Francisco in recent months.
02:20 GMT - UNSC members meet to review ICJ ruling on Gaza genocide case
UN Security Council member states have gathered to review a recent provisional ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israel.
The Hague-based ICJ ordered Israel last week to "take all measures within its power" to prevent further bloodshed in Gaza in line with its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The court also demanded the immediate release of all hostages.
South Africa brought the genocide case against Israel to the ICJ in late December and asked it to grant emergency measures to end the bloodshed in Gaza, where at least 26,900 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, mostly children and women.
For our live updates from Wednesday, January 31, click here.
