11:50 a.m
Mossad chief in Paris to discuss hostage agreement
Mossad chief David Barnea arrived in Paris today to speak with delegations from the US, Qatar and Egypt about a possible deal to release hostages in Gaza. This was confirmed by three sources cited by Haaretz. Barnea will meet CIA Director Bill Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. On the negotiating table is a two-month break in the war in return for the release of over 100 hostages.
10:12
Guterres (UN): “For 12 UNRWA employees who may be Hamas accomplices, the population of Gaza cannot be starved”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promises legal consequences after 12 UNRWA employees were accused of involvement in attacks against Israel on October 7. “Any staff member involved in terrorist attacks will be held accountable, including in criminal investigations,” he said in a UN statement. The United Nations Office of Internal Audit has launched an investigation. So far, nine of the 12 agency employees Israel accuses of involvement in the Hamas attacks have been identified and immediately fired. A tenth was declared dead and the identities of the remaining two are being examined by investigators. “The tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many of them in one of the most difficult situations for humanitarian workers, must not be punished. “The essential needs of a desperate population that they are trying to alleviate must be taken into account,” he added, calling on countries that have suspended their contributions to the agency, including Italy, to ensure the continuity of their work.
08:47
UNRWA, Director Lazzarini: “Funds cut? Over a million people in the Gaza Strip will be left without food or shelter.”
Following the suspension of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, director Philippe Lazzarini expects to stop delivering aid that two million people in Gaza rely on. “Nine countries have temporarily stopped funding UNRWA. “These decisions endanger our humanitarian work in the region, particularly in the Gaza Strip,” he said. UNRWA operates shelters for more than a million people and provides food and basic medical care. “The Palestinians in Gaza did not need this further collective punishment,” he stressed. Countries including Italy, Britain and the United States stopped funding the agency after Israel announced that 12 agency employees, who were immediately fired, were involved in the October 7 attacks.
08:34
Israel is calling for the resignation of the director of the UN refugee agency UNRWA
Israel's foreign minister is also calling for the director of the United Nations refugee agency UNRWA to resign after allegations led to nine countries, including Italy, cutting off funding. Israel reported that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 attacks. “Lazzarini, please resign,” wrote Israel Katz. Government spokesman Eylon Levy accused the agency of being a “front” for Hamas.