by Davide Frattini, correspondent from Jerusalem, Andrea Nicastro, correspondent in Beirut, and the online editorial team
The news from Sunday, January 28th, on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, live. Guterres: “Let us not punish the two million civilians who depend on UNRWA”
• It is the 113th day of the war: over 26,000 people have been killed in Gaza. According to the UN, 70% of the victims are women or children (data from January 18). According to a US intelligence estimate, Israeli security forces have killed only 20-30% of Hamas fighters (January 21). In Israel, 1,200 people died in the attack on October 7th.
• “Twelve UN staff involved in Hamas raids.” Blocked funds.
• The Hague: “Israel must avoid the risk of genocide.”
• US attack on a Houthi missile launch site in Yemen.
10:54 p.m. – Biden: “We will respond to the attack against the US military”
“We had a bad day in the Middle East yesterday and we will respond”: US President Joe Biden said this on the sidelines of an election rally in South Carolina and answered a question about the attack in Jordan in which three American soldiers died. The president then asked the crowd gathered in the banquet hall of a Baptist church for a moment of silence.
9:47 p.m. – Trump: “With me the attack on US soldiers would not have happened”
“This brazen attack on the United States is another terrible and tragic consequence of the weakness and capitulation of Joe Biden”: Donald Trump writes on his social network Truth and declares that with him as president there would be no war in Ukraine Hamas attack on Israel and this attack warn that we are instead “on the brink of World War III.”
7:36 p.m. – Netanyahu's office: Constructive meeting in Paris, but there are gaps
“The meeting was constructive, but there are still significant gaps between the parties, which will be discussed in further meetings this week.” This was announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office at the meeting in Paris to reach an agreement on the The Israeli hostages were released.
7:34 p.m. – Israel: The Paris meeting is positive, but it is still too early for an agreement
“The meeting was positive, but it is still too early to say whether this can lead to an agreement,” said an Israeli source quoted by Haaretz, confirming “some progress” in the negotiations in Paris.
7:16 p.m. – “Some progress in the Paris hostage negotiations”
“Some progress” was made at the Paris meeting on a possible agreement on the hostages still in the Gaza Strip. This was told by a diplomatic source to the Israeli Kan TV program broadcast by the media. The meeting was attended by the head of Mossad David, Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Director of the CIA William Burns and Director of Egyptian Intelligence Abbas Kamel.
7:05 p.m. – Media meeting in Paris on hostage negotiations ends
The meeting between the head of the Mossad David Barnea with the Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the head of the CIA law and the head of the Egyptian secret service Abbas Kamel on negotiations for the release of the Israeli hostages has ended in Paris. Haaretz reported it.
6:27 p.m. – Jordan: The attack on US soldiers took place in Syria, not Jordan
The attack, which killed three American soldiers, occurred not on Jordanian territory but in Syria. Jordanian government spokesman Muhannad al Mubaidin said this to the Jordanian public broadcaster. Mamlaka said the attack targeted the US Al-Tanf base in Syria.
American President Joe Biden spoke in a note of three deaths and several injuries in a drone attack on US forces stationed in northeastern Jordan near the border with Syria.
6:09 p.m. – The number of injured in the attack on the US base in Jordan rises to 34
The number of people injured in the Iran-linked drone strike in Jordan that killed three soldiers has risen to 34.
5:41 p.m. – Biden: “Attack by pro-Iranian militias on the US base in Jordan: 3 patriots dead.” We will prosecute those responsible.”
“We are still gathering information about this attack, but we know that it was carried out by radical militant groups supported by Iran and operating in Syria and Iraq.” Joe Biden explains this in a note on the drone strike in Jordan against one US position. expresses pain and condolences for the death of three American soldiers.
“The three American soldiers we lost were patriots in the highest sense,” the statement continued, “and their ultimate sacrifice will not be forgotten by our nation.” We will continue their commitment to the fight against terrorism. And have no doubt: we will hold all those responsible to account in due course and in the manner we choose.”
5:34 p.m. – Biden confirms the killing of three US soldiers in Jordan, 25 were injured
American President Joe Biden confirmed in a statement the news carried by CNN: three US soldiers were killed in a drone attack on a US base in Jordan. There are also 24 injured. The attack occurred in northeastern Jordan, near the border with Syria.
5:23 p.m. – CNN, 3 US soldiers killed in drone strike in Jordan
Three US soldiers were killed in a drone strike in Jordan: CNN reports. It is the first time that U.S. forces have suffered casualties in the Middle East since the war in Gaza began
5:11 p.m. – White House denies NBC: no changes in weapons for Israel
The White House has dismissed NBC News' report that the Biden administration is considering suspending or reducing the supply of some offensive weapons to Israel to persuade it to scale back its Gaza offensive. “Israel has the right and duty to defend itself against the threat posed by Hamas, respect international humanitarian law and protect the lives of civilians, and we remain committed to supporting Israel in its fight against Hamas.” We have been doing so since October 7th and will continue to do so. “Our policy has not changed,” said a spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
4:53 p.m. – Türkiye: The cessation of funding for UNWRA affects the Palestinian population
“The suspension of aid to UNWRA due to some allegations against a small number of its members will primarily harm the Palestinian people,” says the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Ankara hopes that the countries that announced the suspension of their funding of the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees in the Middle East will “review their decisions.”
2:42 p.m. – Talks between the USA, Egypt, Israel and Qatar on Sunday in Paris about the ceasefire in Gaza
Contacts took place in Paris on Sunday between CIA Director William Burns and senior officials from Egypt, Qatar and Israel to discuss a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war, sources close to the participants in those meetings said. According to the same sources, these four countries have also been in contact with the French authorities with the aim of reaching an agreement that would provide for a ceasefire in the fighting and the release of the hostages held by Hamas.
2:25 p.m. – France stops funding UNRWA
France announced today that it will suspend funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) following allegations of staff's alleged involvement in the militant group Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. “France has not planned any new payment for the first half of 2024. “It will then decide in due course, together with the United Nations and important donors, on the measures to be taken,” the Foreign Ministry said, explaining the allegations were “extremely serious.”
2:24 p.m. – Abu Mazen: “Unjust campaign against UNRWA, keep funds”
Abu Mazen's presidency condemned Israel's “unjust campaign” against UNRWA, which “aims to resolve the issue of Palestinian refugees,” which contradicts the United Nations' 1949 determinations. The Presidency – quoted by Wafa – has then asked countries to announce the cut in funding to “withdraw their position” until “the investigations” into the twelve employees fired for suspected links to Hamas are completed. Finally, he denounced that “the real aim of the Israeli campaign is to eliminate the role of UNRWA in Gaza in the post-war period.”
12.08 – 007 Israel: “UNRWA employees killed and captured hostages”
Of the 12 UNRWA employees suspected of being involved in the October 7 massacre, some played an active role in killing and kidnapping: Israeli intelligence supports this, as Yedioth Ahronoth writes. Intelligence also believes that there were other UNRWA employees who brought weapons into Gaza.
12:02 p.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.
11:32 a.m. – Israel denies an impending hostage-taking agreement to NYT
Israeli government sources denied New York Times reports that significant progress had been made in a hostage deal. According to the sources, “the news could reflect wishful thinking on the part of the Americans or an attempt to create the appearance of an agreement. “I wish it were true, but unfortunately it is not true,” the source added, reported again by the Israeli press has been published. Israel – writes the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth – is not aware of any weakening of the position of Hamas, which continues to insist on a cessation of hostilities as a condition for an agreement.
10:23 a.m. – Hamas: “Death toll in Gaza has reached 26,422”
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza reported that at least 26,422 people, mostly women, children and teenagers, have died in Gaza since the war between Israel and the Islamist movement began. There have been at least 165 casualties in the last 24 hours.
10:22 a.m. – Guterres: “12 from UNRWA will respond, but countries allow agency work”
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.
10:03 a.m. – WSJ: “80% of Gaza tunnels are intact”
(by Guido Olimpio) Wall Street Journal headline: 80 percent of Gaza tunnels still intact. An estimate attributed to military sources but necessarily incomplete as only some Palestinian faction leaders know the true extent of the “network” and the damage suffered. The article takes up elements already published in recent weeks and also reported on , and highlights the difficulty of neutralizing the best weapon in the hands of the Mujahideen.
In total:
1) It takes a long time to find the galleries.
2) The scope is known, but the army and intelligence services do not have a precise picture because the militants built the network over a long period of time and with perfect planning.
3) Explosives, engineering operations and air strikes destroyed a significant number of tunnels: 20 percent are estimated, in some even twice as much. A more positive assessment than the estimate that 80 percent are still operational. There are no certainties here either.
4) The seawater inundation, Operation Atlantis, had a partial impact, with results less than expected. However, soldiers could repeat this type of tactic.
5) The military focused on searching for “crossroads,” that is, underground hideouts that house the militant leaders and probably the hostages as well. A goal that brings additional obstacles: the presence of prisoners slows down any attack, the risk is too high.
9:51 a.m. – Army: “Fierce fighting is underway in Khan Yunis”
There has been heavy fighting in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip in recent hours. This was announced by the military spokesman. Special forces, the paratrooper brigade and also the air force are involved. Several “terrorists” were eliminated and “huge amounts of weapons” were located. In the north of the Gaza Strip, the spokesman continued, Israeli forces had located and destroyed “a complete underground terror route.” In the central sector, ground troops used a drone to eliminate a militiaman who posed a threat to them.
9:09 a.m. – Israel has informed Cairo that it will send soldiers to Rafah and along the “Philadelphia Corridor.”
Israel informed Egypt last night of its intention to send its military as far south as Gaza, to Rafah and along the “Philadelphia Corridor”, a buffer between Israel and Egypt, although Cairo opposed such a move, Sky News revealed Arabia known. Relations between Israel and Egypt are deteriorating significantly. Nebamin Netanyahu has not spoken to Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in weeks, with the Egyptian president rejecting calls from the Israeli prime minister.
8:31 a.m. – The UN agency in Gaza is accused of collusion with Hamas, nine states are blocking the funds
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT (Davide Frattini)
JERUSALEM — Together they are worth nearly half a billion dollars, much of which they had guaranteed through the end of 2022. Seven countries have decided to follow the United States and suspend funding for UNRWA, the United Nations agency that deals with Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and neighboring Arab countries. The crisis of trust in the organization is emerging from the Gaza Strip, and the crisis will be felt there, where the 2.2 million residents are increasingly dependent on international aid to survive in these 113 days of war.
Italy, which contributed $18 million, “stopped funding four months ago after the cruel attack,” comments Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. “We are committed to supporting the population.” The number of Palestinians killed is over 26,000, and the conditions in the improvised camps – almost 90 percent of the population are internally displaced, meaning they have lost their homes – are becoming increasingly desperate. During the conflict, the United Nations managed to distribute flour, food and drinking water while warning that hunger was becoming a famine.
Here is the complete article
8:19 a.m. – These messages in the UNRWA chat after the October 7 massacre: “Pray for the martyrs”
(by Greta Privitera) The latest: “What is the situation in the Khan Younis industrial area?”; “Who knows how I can register to receive blankets?”; “Does anyone have any idea what the salary will be?” We translate the latest news. All of them are requests for help or explanations about what is happening in the Gaza Strip. “Where will they relocate me?” asks a woman. “I can’t find a family,” one man posted. We log in to the Unrwa Gaza Telegram channel, an unofficial chat with 3,200 members made up mostly of staff from the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees.
Ahead of the allegations of collaboration with Hamas against the 12 UNRWA employees, which were added to the testimony of a hostage who said he was hidden in the attic of a professor at the agency, the Geneva-based non-governmental organization Un Watch released a dossier, in in which he says that immediately after the October 7 massacre, the chat we are reading was flooded with anti-Semitic messages praising “the great work of the terrorists.”
Here is the article
06:44 – “The two million civilians who depend on UNRWA must not be punished”
The continuation of UNRWA operations is “vital for two million people,” Guterres continued. The appeal is directed at the United States, which has announced the suspension of any further aid to UNRWA, followed by several other countries, including Italy, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Finland and Germany. “Two million civilians in Gaza rely on UNRWA’s assistance for their daily survival, but UNRWA’s current funding will not make it possible to meet all their needs in February,” the UN Secretary-General stressed. “The allegedly despicable actions of these employees must have consequences. But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many of whom find themselves in one of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be punished. The urgent needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met,” he added. Guterres then confirmed, as reported by Washington, that twelve UNRWA employees were affected by “extremely serious allegations” and were the subject of an internal United Nations investigation. “Any United Nations staff member involved in terrorist attacks will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution,” he announced, pledging to cooperate with relevant authorities.
06:19 – UN appeal to ensure continuity of UNRWA
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on states to “ensure the continuity” of the Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA after many funds were blocked amid allegations against some members of the organization that they were involved in the attacks on Israel on March 7 September was involved. “While I understand their concerns and I too was appalled by these allegations,” Guterres said in a statement, “I strongly appeal to governments that have suspended their funding to at least ensure the continuity of UNRWA operations.”
04:44 – Nyt, conclusion of the agreement on the release of the hostages and the ceasefire
A draft agreement presented in black and white that provides for the gradual release of prisoners held by Hamas in return for an approximately two-month halt to the Israeli military offensive. According to the New York Times, the agreement is close to being finalized. The draft treaty will be the focus of talks that will take place in Paris. U.S.-led negotiators are close to reaching an agreement that would require Israel to suspend attacks on Gaza for about two months in return for the release of more than 100 hostages still in Gaza, the New York newspaper reports in the hands of Hamas. The deal could be signed in the next two weeks. As the New York Times reports, negotiators have prepared a written draft that includes a mediation between Israel and Hamas' proposals put forward over the past 10 days. Although there are still major points of contention, negotiators say they are “cautiously optimistic” that a final agreement is within reach, said U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Although the agreement did not provide for the permanent ceasefire demanded by Hamas in return for the release of all hostages, the same sources believe that if Israel accepted the ceasefire for two months, the ceasefire would provide a useful window for implementing further diplomatic efforts. The draft called for a first phase of a 30-day ceasefire in which Hamas would initially release women, the elderly and the wounded. In the meantime, the parties should agree on a second ceasefire, also lasting 30 days, to also enable the release of Israeli men and soldiers. In addition, the draft would also include an increase in humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip, while the parties would still negotiate the number of released Palestinians currently held in Israeli prisons. According to NYT sources, a two-month ceasefire would allow for greater diplomatic efforts to finally end the conflict.
January 28, 2024 (changed January 28, 2024 | 10:55 p.m.)
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED