Friday, March 15, 2024
19:01 GMT — The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has said the situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza is "beyond catastrophic."
"What we see in Gaza is that it's a nightmare, which is much more than a humanitarian crisis," UNFPA's Representative for Palestine Dominic Allen said during a virtual briefing about his latest visit to Gaza.
"It is a crisis of humanity, and the situation is beyond catastrophic."
Stressing that aside from violence on the ground, disinformation and narrative also pose a significant problem.
"Having left Gaza this week, I can assure you that it's worse than I can describe or that the pictures can show or that you can imagine," he said.
16:41 GMT — UN official criticises Israeli attack on aid distribution centres, civilians
The UN humanitarian aid chief denounced the targeting of aid seekers by Israeli forces in Gaza.
"Distributing aid in Gaza should be done in a safe, dignified and predictable manner. Anything less is unconscionable," Martin Griffiths, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, wrote on X.
Expressing shock at reports of 20 dead and 155 injured among those seeking aid in Gaza, Griffiths said sternly: "These incidents cannot be allowed to continue."
16:26 GMT — US working to 'bridge remaining gaps' on Israel-Hamas deal: Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was working "intensively" with its partners "to bridge the remaining gaps" for a deal to free hostages held by Hamas and secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
"Yes, there has been a counter-proposal put forward by Hamas. I obviously can't get into the details of what that involves, but what I can tell you is we're working intensively with Israel, with Qatar, with Egypt, to bridge the remaining gaps and to try to reach an agreement," Blinken said during a visit to Vienna.
Hamas has proposed a new six-week truce in Gaza and an exchange of several dozen Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an official from the militant group told AFP.
16:07 GMT — First aid boat unloads in Gaza
A first aid ship plying a new maritime corridor from Greek-administered Cyprus began unloading its cargo of desperately needed food in Gaza.
AFP footage showed the Open Arms, which set sail from Greek-administered Cyprus on Tuesday, towing a barge that the Spanish charity operating it says is loaded with 200 tonnes of food for Gazans threatened with famine after more than five months of war.
"World Central Kitchen is unloading the barge connected now to the jetty," said Linda Roth, a spokesperson for the US charity that is working with Open Arms.
16:03 GMT — Biden praises US senate leader speech calling for Israel elections
President Joe Biden praised a speech by the US Senate leader urging new elections in Israel, saying many Americans shared concerns about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the Gaza war.
The call by Democratic Senate majority chief Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking elected Jewish American in history, was the most strident rebuke of Israel yet by a senior US official since Hamas's October 7 attacks.
"He made a good speech, and I think he expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans," Biden said when asked about the speech after a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at the White House.
15:43 GMT — Palestine has voiced concerns over Israel's decision to carry out a military operation in Rafah city, southern Gaza, warning that it could lead to a new massacre and further displacements.
"Any military operation in Rafah means committing a new massacre and continuing the crimes of displacement against our people," news agency WAFA quoted a statement by the Palestinian Presidency.
The statement called for urgent intervention from the US and the international community to prevent such aggression that exacerbates the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
16:41 GMT — UN official criticises Israeli attack on aid distribution centres, on civilians in Gaza
The UN humanitarian aid chief denounced the targeting of aid seekers by Israeli forces in Gaza.
"Distributing aid in Gaza should be done in a safe, dignified and predictable manner. Anything less is unconscionable," Martin Griffiths, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, wrote on X.
Expressing shock at reports of 20 dead and 155 injured among those seeking aid in Gaza, Griffiths said sternly: "These incidents cannot be allowed to continue."
16:26 GMT — US working to 'bridge remaining gaps' on Israel-Hamas deal: Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was working "intensively" with its partners "to bridge the remaining gaps" for a deal to free hostages held by Hamas and secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
"Yes, there has been a counter-proposal put forward by Hamas. I obviously can't get into the details of what that involves, but what I can tell you is we're working intensively with Israel, with Qatar, with Egypt, to bridge the remaining gaps and to try to reach an agreement," Blinken said during a visit to Vienna.
Hamas has proposed a new six-week truce in Gaza and an exchange of several dozen Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an official from the militant group told AFP.
16:07 GMT — First aid boat unloads in Gaza
A first aid ship plying a new maritime corridor from Greek-administered Cyprus began unloading its cargo of desperately needed food in Gaza.
AFP footage showed the Open Arms, which set sail from Greek-administered Cyprus on Tuesday, towing a barge that the Spanish charity operating it says is loaded with 200 tonnes of food for Gazans threatened with famine after more than five months of war.
"World Central Kitchen is unloading the barge connected now to the jetty," said Linda Roth, a spokesperson for the US charity that is working with Open Arms.
16:03 GMT — Biden praises US senate leader speech calling for Israel elections
President Joe Biden praised a speech by the US Senate leader urging new elections in Israel, saying many Americans shared concerns about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the Gaza war.
The call by Democratic Senate majority chief Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking elected Jewish American in history, was the most strident rebuke of Israel yet by a senior US official since Hamas's October 7 attacks.
"He made a good speech, and I think he expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans," Biden said when asked about the speech after a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at the White House.
14:38 GMT — Berlin police arrest pro-Palestinian woman for writing 'from the river to the sea' on social media
German police arrested a pro-Palestinian woman for her social media posts and confiscated her smart phones and computers, in what critics say is clampdown on free speech.
The 41-year-old was arrested on Wednesday morning after the police searched her apartment for allegedly "using the symbols of unconstitutional organisations," Berlin police said in a statement.
"She is accused of having published criminal content relating to Hamas and the current Middle East conflict, such as the slogan 'From the river to the sea', on social networks in four cases since October 2023," according to the statement.
Several German states, including Bavaria and Berlin, banned the chant "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" late last year, arguing that it was antisemitic, although many activists have insisted that it was a call for equal rights and justice for Palestinians.
14:37 GMT — Israel will send a delegation to the Qatari capital for another round of talks on its ongoing war in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.
"An Israeli delegation will leave for Doha after the security cabinet discusses Israel's position," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
Netanyahu's office had earlier described the latest proposals for a hostage deal by the Palestinian group Hamas as "unrealistic."
14:38 GMT — Berlin police arrest pro-Palestinian woman for writing 'from the river to the sea' on social media
German police arrested a pro-Palestinian woman for her social media posts and confiscated her smart phones and computers, in what critics say is clampdown on free speech.
The 41-year-old was arrested on Wednesday morning after the police searched her apartment for allegedly "using the symbols of unconstitutional organisations," Berlin police said in a statement.
"She is accused of having published criminal content relating to Hamas and the current Middle East conflict, such as the slogan 'From the river to the sea', on social networks in four cases since October 2023," according to the statement.
Several German states, including Bavaria and Berlin, banned the chant "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" late last year, arguing that it was antisemitic, although many activists have insisted that it was a call for equal rights and justice for Palestinians.
14:34 GMT — Biden denounces resurgence of anti-Muslim hate crimes amid Gaza war
US President Joe Biden condemned what he called an ugly resurgence of anti-Muslim incidents since the October 7, 2023 start of Israel's war on Gaza.
He issued a statement on the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, established in 2022 by the United Nations on March 15, the anniversary of the 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque shootings in which 51 people were killed during Friday prayers.
14:20 GMT — Hamas lashes out at Abbas's 'unilateral' designation of new PM
Hamas criticised the "unilateral" designation by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of an ally and leading business figure as prime minister with a mandate to help reform the Palestinian Authority (PA) and rebuild Gaza.
Mohammad Mustafa's appointment comes after mounting pressure to overhaul the governing body of the occupied Palestinian territories and improve governance in the occupied West Bank where it is based.
Hamas said the decision was taken without consulting it despite recently taking part in a meeting in Moscow also attended by Abbas's Fatah movement to end long-time divisions weakening Palestinian political aspirations.
13:15 GMT — Hamas hostage proposals 'unrealistic', delegation to go to Qatar: Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office described the latest proposals for a hostage deal by the Palestinian group Hamas as unrealistic but said a delegation would leave for Qatar to discuss Israel's position on a potential agreement.
It said Netanyahu had approved plans for a military operation in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than a million people are sheltering, and said the army was preparing operational issues and the evacuation of the civilian population.
12:35 GMT — Yemen's Houthis attack Pacific 01 ship in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis said the group launched an attack on "Pacific 01" ship in the Red Sea with missiles.
Houthis used drones to attack a US destroyer, according to a statement published by group's military spokesperson. It did not give any evidence of such an attack.
11:57 GMT — UN warns of 'catastrophe' if Israel attacks Rafah
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has warned of a "catastrophe" in the event of an Israeli military offensive in Rafah in the south of Gaza.
In an interview with Austrian television ORF on Thursday evening, Turk once again called for a "ceasefire for humanitarian reasons."
"I don't even know what other words to use. But that would be unthinkable," Turk replied when asked about a possible Israeli attack on Rafah.
11:52 GMT — Death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza climbs to 31,490
At least 149 more Palestinians have been killed and 300 others injured over the last 24 hours, as Israel continues its onslaught on the besieged Gaza, the territory's Health Ministry said.
"The Israeli occupation (forces) committed 13 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 149 martyrs and 300 injured during the past 24 hours," a ministry statement said.
"Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them," it added.
Flouting the International Court of Justice's provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on Gaza where at least 31,490 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 73,439 injured since October 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.
11:10 GMT — Israel restricts medical teams from reaching Al Aqsa on 1st Friday of Ramadan
Israeli forces prevented all medical teams, including ambulances, from reaching Al Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
"The (Israeli) occupation forces prevented all medical teams from entering the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque," the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement.
The Israeli forces also prevented "all ambulance crews in all medical institutions in Jerusalem from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque," the society added, noting that "ambulance crews were attacked while they were heading to the mosque."
08:14 GMT — Spanish aid vessel arrives off Gaza coast: report
Open Arms vessel, the first relief aid ship arrives on the shore of Gaza City, three days after it sailed Greek-administered Cyprus, according to eyewitnesses.
Earlier, AFP video footage and photographs showed the Open Arms towing a barge which it says is carrying 200 tonnes of food for Gaza residents threatened with famine after more than five months of Israel's war.
A handful of civilians gathered on the rubble-strewn coast on Friday to watch the vessel, AFP footage showed, though it was unclear when it would actually reach shore.
08:00 GMT — Egypt is seeking to reach ceasefire in Gaza: Sisi
Egypt is seeking to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, increase entry of aid, and allow for the displaced in the south of the enclave to move to the north, President Abdel Fattah el Sisi has said.
Sisi, speaking in a recorded message, also warned against the danger of an Israeli incursion into the border city of Rafah.
06:48 GMT — Houthis report fresh US, UK airstrike on Al Hodeidah
The Houthis have announced that the US and UK conducted six more air strikes on the coastal province of Al Hodeidah in western Yemen.
"A US-UK aggression targeted the area of Ras Issa in the Salif directorate and the Al Faze region of At Tuhayta District in Hodeidah province with five raids," said Houthi-affiliated channel al Masirah.
The Al Hodeidah Airport was also attacked, it added.
It did not specify the results of the attack and there has been no response from the US or UK.
06:36 GMT — Missile hits ship off Yemen as Houthis threaten wider campaign
A missile strike damaged a merchant ship in the Red Sea off Yemen, marine security monitors have said, as the country's Iran-backed Houthis threatened to expand their months-long campaign in the Red Sea which has disrupted global trade.
The crew was not injured and the vessel continued its journey, said the British Navy's United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations, and security firm Ambrey, after the incident west of the Houthi-held port of Hodeida in the early hours of Friday.
"A merchant vessel has reported that they have been struck by a missile and the vessel has sustained some damage," said UKMTO.
06:00 GMT — Hamas proposes Gaza ceasefire plan, prioritising prisoner swap
Hamas has presented a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators which includes a first stage of releasing Israeli women, children, elderly and ill captives in exchange for the release of 700-1,000 Palestinian prisoners, according to a proposal seen by Reuters news agency.
The releases would include 100 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisons and the release of Israeli "female recruits."
Hamas said it would agree on a date for a permanent ceasefire after the initial exchange of hostages and prisoners, according to the proposal.
A deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would be agreed upon after the first stage, Hamas said in its proposal.
The Palestinian resistance group said all detainees from both sides would be released in a second stage of the plan.
05:20 GMT — US circulates draft for UN ceasefire resolution in Israel's Gaza war
The United States circulated the final draft of a United Nations Security Council resolution late Thursday that would support international efforts to establish “an immediate and sustained ceasefire” in Israel's war on Gaza as part of a deal to release captives taken during Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7.
No time has been set for a vote, and the draft, obtained by The Associated Press, could still be changed.
The US circulated the initial draft on February 19, a day before it vetoed a widely supported Arab-backed resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the war in the embattled Gaza, saying it would interfere with negotiations on a deal to free the captives.
03:40 GMT — Israel kills and wounds 'dozens' waiting for food aid in Gaza
Israel has targeted Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in besieged Gaza, killing and wounding dozens, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said, adding that the death toll may rise as at least 21 bodies and more than 155 wounded were shifted to hospitals.
The Palestinians were waiting for humanitarian aid at Gaza's Kuwaiti roundabout, the ministry said in a statement, adding it demonstrated "Israel's premeditated intent to carry out a new and horrific massacre."
The process of evacuating the dead and injured is under way despite the challenging conditions in the region, it said. The death toll could increase due to the serious condition of the wounded, who are being treated at nearby hospitals, the statement added.
03:13 GMT — Netanyahu's office says new Hamas truce position still 'unrealistic'
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has said a new besieged Gaza truce proposal presented by the resistance group Hamas to mediators was still based on "unrealistic demands."
The statement said an update on the issue will be presented to the war cabinet and extended security cabinet on Friday.
02:30 GMT — US locks in UN resolution backing efforts to broker Gaza truce
The US finalised its draft UN Security Council resolution on Israel's war on besieged Gaza, traditionally the final step before asking for a vote on the text that would back international efforts to broker an immediate ceasefire as part of a hostage release deal.
The final draft, seen by the Reuters news agency, "unequivocally supports international diplomatic efforts to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire as part of a deal that releases the hostages, and that allows the basis for a more durable peace to alleviate humanitarian suffering."
It was not immediately clear when or if the US would ask the 15-member council to vote on the text negotiated over the past month. To pass, a resolution needs at least nine votes and no vetoes by the US, France, Britain, Russia or China.
The US could still make further changes to the draft.
For our live updates from Thursday, March 14, click here.
