War between Israel and Hamas: what to remember from Monday, January 29 Franceinfo

Hamas has said it wants to negotiate a “full ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip before reaching an agreement with Israel.

Published on January 29, 2024 10:05 p.m

Reading time: 3 minutes

Bombings in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on January 29, 2024. (AFP)

The European Union called on Monday, January 29, for an independent audit of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Several countries have already announced that they will stop funding the organization, whose employees are accused by Israel of being involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks. For its part, at the diplomatic level, Hamas said it wanted to negotiate a “full ceasefire” with Israel in the Gaza Strip, rather than a “temporary ceasefire,” before reaching an agreement. Franceinfo summarizes what you need to know about the day.

Hamas says it wants a “complete ceasefire” with Israel

Hamas wants to negotiate a “full ceasefire” with Israel in the Gaza Strip before reaching an agreement, a senior official in the Palestinian Islamist movement told AFP on Monday, January 29. “We are talking, above all, about a complete and total ceasefire, not a temporary ceasefire,” Taher al-Nounou, a senior Hamas official, said after a meeting between American officials, Israelis, Qataris and Egyptians in Paris this weekend to end the fighting in Palestinian territory. Once the fighting ends, “the remaining details can be discussed,” including the release of the hundred Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

In addition, “remarkable progress” was made at talks in Paris this week, said Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahmane Al-Thani. For his part, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke of “real hope” that the hostages could be released soon.

The European Union is calling for an independent review of the functioning of UNRWA

“We ask you to accept that an audit will be carried out by independent experts selected by the European Commission,” the commission spokesman said, adding that based on the results it will decide whether to suspend its funding to UNRWA investigation not initiated by the United Nations. Several States have announced that they will stop funding this organization, which is essential to the implementation of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

For its part, Saudi Arabia called on donors to continue funding UNRWA so that the organization “can continue to carry out its tasks to ensure the basic needs of Palestinians and mitigate the impact of the humanitarian crisis.” Riyadh calls for “strengthening investigation and investigative procedures” to “establish facts supported by evidence.”

The USA promises retaliation “very significant” following the deaths of three soldiers in Jordan

The United States announced “consistent” retaliation on Monday after pro-Iranian groups were blamed for a drone strike in Jordan on Sunday that killed three American soldiers and injured at least 34 people. “But we are not seeking a war with Iran” or “a major conflict in the Middle East,” the White House National Security Council spokesman made clear on Monday.

US President Joe Biden accuses “Iran-backed radical fighter groups operating in Syria and Iraq” of carrying out this attack. Tehran, for its part, denies any involvement in the attack, which took place in an already explosive regional context. This first death of American soldiers in an attack since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas raises fears of escalation in the region.

At least eight dead in Syria in attack attributed to Israel

Eight people, including pro-Iranian fighters, were killed in an Israeli strike south of Damascus on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH) said. “Three Israeli missiles targeted a base of Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Revolutionary Guards,” the Iranian regime's ideological army, “in the neighborhood of Sayeda Zeinab,” OSDH director Rami told AFP. Abdel Rahman. According to this source, two Syrians, including the bodyguard of a Revolutionary Guard officer, are among the dead.