12.00
Von der Leyen: “Hamas is withdrawing from Gaza and the UN peacekeeping mission”
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen argues that the EU has a role to play for a peaceful future in the Middle East and offers “some possible ideas” for the post-war period. “Gaza cannot be a paradise for terrorists, Hamas cannot rebuild its base in the Gaza Strip,” he argues. There is then the possibility of an “international peace mission under the UN”. There would then only be “one Palestinian Authority” that would govern a Palestinian state. At the same time, Israeli forces “must not remain in Gaza, there must be no expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the blockade must end.” The European Union has announced an increase of 25 million euros in its humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Von der Leyen argues that the EU has a role to play for a peaceful future in the Middle East and offers “some possible ideas” for the post-war period. “Gaza cannot be a paradise for terrorists, Hamas cannot rebuild its base in the Gaza Strip,” he argues. There is then the possibility of an “international peace mission under the UN”. There would then only be “one Palestinian Authority” that would govern a Palestinian state. At the same time, Israeli forces “must not remain in Gaza, there must be no expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the blockade must end.”
“Hamas is clearly using civilians as human shields” said the President of the European Commission to the EU ambassadors. “Israel has the right to defend itself in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law. That’s the starting point. It also gives us the credibility to propose ideas for a political solution and to build on our legacy as advocates of the two-way solution states,” he added, specifying that the images of civilians and children emerging “from the rubble were rescued in Gaza”, “make your heart bleed”.
10:09
Sources: The Rafah border crossing has been closed to foreigners for the fourth day
For the fourth day in a row, foreigners and dual nationals will not be allowed to leave the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Local sources reported that Hamas would not allow passage until its request to also evacuate the wounded from the north of the Strip and Gaza City from the border crossing was fulfilled. However, the arrival of international humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave remains confirmed.
Video Gaza City surrounded, “the strip is divided into two parts”
10:01
Israel opens a corridor to Gaza in the south from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said Israel would again open a corridor to allow Gaza civilians in the northern strip to escape south. Adraee continued writing
08:49
Blinken meets with the Turkish Foreign Minister in Ankara
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara to discuss the situation in Gaza and the conflict between Israel and Palestine. This was reported by the Anadolu news agency. It is unclear whether there will be a joint press conference following the talks.
08:39
Hamas, over 200 dead in attacks on Israel last night
More than 200 Palestinians were killed in Israeli army attacks on the Gaza Strip last night, Hamas’ health ministry said.
Video shots and explosions in Gaza during the night
“More than 200 martyrs were reported in the night massacres,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the death toll affected only Gaza City and the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
08:36
West Bank: Palestinian killed in clashes with soldiers
A Palestinian (Mahmud al-Atrash, 20 years old) was killed today in incidents with the army in Halhul, near Hebron (West Bank). This was reported by the Maan agency.
Meanwhile, citing media sources, Israeli military intelligence warned that the situation in the West Bank was reaching dangerous proportions. The reasons include: calls from Hamas to join the fight in Gaza; the unemployment of 140,000 commuters who have not been able to work in Israel for a month; the salary freeze of 120,000 Palestinian Authority employees and widespread settler violence against farmers involved in the olive harvest.
07:22
Israel arrests Palestinian Tamimi: “We will massacre you”
The Israeli army overnight arrested Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian activist who is also known internationally for slapping two soldiers in her West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah, in 2018 when she was 17 years old. Tamimi was serving eight months in prison at the time. This time – Haaretz reported – she was arrested for posting the following post on social media: “Our message to the settler herds is that we are waiting for you in all cities in the West Bank. We will massacre you and you will say.” “What Hitler did to you was a joke. We will drink your blood and eat your skulls.”
07:44
Army, 450 attacks on Gaza, Hamas commander killed
The Israeli army has killed Hamas commanders and attacked over 450 targets in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours. The military spokesman said the soldiers had “taken control of a Hamas military compound with observation posts, training areas for militants and tunnels, killing numerous terrorists.”
Video: Gaza, land and air strikes on Hamas targets
The commanders hit include Jamal Moussa, “responsible for Hamas special security operations. In 1993, Moussa carried out a fire attack against Israeli soldiers on patrol in the Gaza Strip. Hamas commanders were also killed in pitched battles.
01:20
The US also has nuclear submarines stationed in the Middle East
The US is flexing its muscles in the Mediterranean to deter the escalating conflict between Hamas and Israel: US Army Central Command announced on The Ohio class was stationed from Africa through the Middle East to Central and South Asia. The news comes two days after the Navy announced that two carrier strike groups – the Gerald Ford and the Dwight Eisenhower – launched aircraft and practiced missile defense during a three-day exercise in the Mediterranean.