JERUSALEM/CAIRO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told families of hostages held in Gaza that a deal that would secure their release could be near, his office said on Tuesday, as fighting raged in the battered Palestinian enclave.
Israeli forces pressed on with a new raid into Gaza’s southern area of Khan Younis after ordering civilians to evacuate some districts they said had been used for renewed attacks by Palestinian militants.
Thousands of people were fleeing for safer areas as Israeli airstrikes hit, UN officials said.
Netanyahu is currently in Washington and is expected to meet US President Joe Biden later this week after making an address to Congress.
Speaking in the US capital on Monday to families of hostages, he said: “The conditions (for a deal) are undoubtedly ripening. This is a good sign.”
Efforts to reach a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, outlined by Biden in May and mediated by Egypt and Qatar, have gained momentum over the past month.
“Unfortunately, it will not take place all at once; there will be stages. However, I believe that we can advance the deal and leave us in possession of the leverage to bring about the release of the others (hostages not freed in first stage),” Netanyahu said.
Ruby Chen, the father of dual US-Israeli citizen Itai Chen, a soldier whose body is being held in Gaza, was one of the family members who met with Netanyahu.
“He did say that conditions were ripening but I’m taking that with a pinch of salt,” Chen told Israeli Army Radio.
Chen said he hoped Biden, who on Sunday withdrew his bid for reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate in November’s US election, would apply more pressure on Netanyahu to secure the deal.
A Palestinian official close to the mediation effort accused Netanyahu of stalling.
“Hamas has shown the flexibility needed for an agreement to be reached and the ball is in his court,” the official said.
An Israeli negotiation team was due on Thursday to resume talks that would include hostages being released in return for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. In a week-long truce in November, 105 hostages were freed in return for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The hostages were seized in the Hamas raid into southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which about 1,200 people were killed and around and 250 taken captive, according to Israeli tallies.
Hamas and other militants are still holding 120 hostages, around a third of whom have been declared dead in absentia by Israeli authorities.
The death toll among Palestinians in Israel’s retaliatory offensive since then has reached more than 39,000, according to Gaza health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and much of the enclave laid to waste by airstrikes and artillery bombardments.
FEAR AND DISPLACEMENT
In Gaza on Tuesday, Israeli air raids hit the southern city of Khan Younis as Israeli troops and Palestinian militants fought in its shattered streets, forcing civilians to flee.
“Thousands of people on the move again, fleeing strikes & military operations. The situation is impossible. The cycle of fear & displacement has gone on too long. Everyone is exhausted,” the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said on X.
The Israeli military said dozens of militants had been killed in Khan Younis by its tanks and warplanes or in close-quarter combat. Weapon caches and tunnels used by the militants had been destroyed, it said.
Palestinian medics said one person was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the area on Tuesday, after dozens were reported killed by Israeli attacks there on Monday. Gaza’s health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants. Health officials have said most those killed have been civilians.
Further north, in Gaza City, Israeli bombing killed 16 people, medics said.
In Rafah, next to the border with Egypt where Israel has said it was stamping out Hamas’ last units, an Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinians.
Hamas said its fighters were combating Israeli soldiers in Rafah. Residents said tanks have operated in most of the city, but have yet to gain full control of the northern and western areas.
Israel’s Netanyahu says hostage deal could be near for hostages in Gaza
https://arab.news/z6hpx
Israel’s Netanyahu says hostage deal could be near for hostages in Gaza
- Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington: ‘The conditions (for a deal) are undoubtedly ripening. This is a good sign’
- Efforts to reach a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas have gained momentum over the past month
UN investigator accuses Israel of a ‘starvation campaign’ in Gaza that Netanyahu denies
- UN investigator Michael Fakhri: “Never in post-war history had a population been made to go hungry so quickly and so completely as was the case for the 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza”
UNITED NATIONS: The UN independent investigator on the right to food accused Israel of carrying out a “starvation campaign” against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an allegation that Israel vehemently denies.
In a report this week, investigator Michael Fakhri claimed it began two days after Hamas’ surprise attack in southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people, when Israel’s military offensive in response blocked all food, water, fuel and other supplies into Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said accusations of Israel limiting humanitarian aid were “outrageously false.”
“A deliberate starvation policy? You can say anything — it doesn’t make it true,” he said in a press conference Wednesday.
Following intense international pressure — especially from close ally the United States — Netanyahu’s government gradually has opened several border crossings for tightly controlled deliveries. Fakhri said limited aid initially went mostly to southern and central Gaza, not to the north where Israel had ordered Palestinians to go.
A professor at the University of Oregon School of Law, Fakhri was appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council as the investigator, or special rapporteur, on the right to food and assumed the role in 2020.
“By December, Palestinians in Gaza made up 80 percent of the people in the world experiencing famine or catastrophic hunger,” Fakhri said. “Never in post-war history had a population been made to go hungry so quickly and so completely as was the case for the 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza.”
Fakhri, who teaches law courses on human rights, food law and development, made the allegations in a report to the UN General Assembly circulated Thursday.
He claims it goes back 76 years to Israeli’s independence and its continuous dislocation of Palestinians. Since then, he accused Israel of deploying “the full range of techniques of hunger and starvation against the Palestinians, perfecting the degree of control, suffering and death that it can cause through food systems.”
Since the war in Gaza began, Fakhri said he has received direct reports of the destruction of the territory’s food system, including farmland and fishing, which also has been documented and recognized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and others.
“Israel then used humanitarian aid as a political and military weapon to harm and kill the Palestinian people in Gaza,” he claimed.
Israel insists it no longer places restrictions on the number of aid trucks entering Gaza, including food.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Netanyahu cited figures from COGAT, Israel’s military body overseeing aid entry into Gaza, that 700,000 tons of food items had been allowed into Gaza since the war began 11 months ago.
Nearly half of that food aid in recent months has been brought in by the private sector for sale in Gaza’s markets, according to COGAT figures. However, many Palestinians in Gaza say they struggle to afford enough food for their families.
Israel allows trucks of aid through two small crossings in the north and one main crossing in the south, Kerem Shalom. However, since Israel’s invasion of the southern city of Rafah in May, the UN and other aid agencies say they struggle to reach the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom to retrieve the aid for free distribution because Israel’s military operations make it too dangerous.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “beyond catastrophic,” with more than 1 million Palestinians not receiving any food rations in August and a 35 percent drop in people getting daily cooked meals.
The UN humanitarian office attributed the sharp reduction in cooked meals partly to multiple evacuation orders from Israeli security forces that forced at least 70 of 130 kitchens to either suspend or relocate their operations, he said Thursday. The UN’s humanitarian partners also lacked sufficient food supplies to meet requirements for the second straight month in central and southern Gaza, Dujarric added.
He said critical shortages of supplies in Gaza are stem from hostilities, insecurity, damaged roads, and Israeli obstacles and access limitations.
German minister says ‘purely military approach’ not the solution in Gaza
- Baerbock on Friday called for “a ceasefire now” and also spoke out against hawkish statements by Israeli officials about the West Bank, where the army on Aug. 28 launched a raid in multiple cities that has left at least 36 dead
TEL AVIV: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday that a military approach alone was not the solution to Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“The past weekend has dramatically demonstrated that a purely military approach is no solution to the situation in Gaza,” she said after meeting with her Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, in the coastal Israeli city of Tel Aviv.
Baerbock was referring to the recovery of six more dead hostages announced on Sunday.
Their deaths have ramped up domestic pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seal a deal with Hamas for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, though the two sides have traded blame over stalled talks this week.
FASTFACT
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for ‘a ceasefire now’ and also spoke out against hawkish statements by Israeli officials about the West Bank.
Baerbock on Friday called for “a ceasefire now” and also spoke out against hawkish statements by Israeli officials about the West Bank, where the army on Aug. 28 launched a raid in multiple cities that has left at least 36 dead.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, said in a post on X on Friday that he had asked Netanyahu to make the defeat of Hamas “and other terrorist organizations” in the West Bank one of the aims of the war in Gaza.
“When members of the Israeli government themselves call for the same approach in the West Bank as in Gaza, that is precisely what acutely endangers Israel’s security,” Baerbock said.
Her comments came one day after German police shot dead a man who opened fire on them in what they treated as a foiled “terrorist attack” on Munich’s Israeli Consulate on the anniversary of the 1972 Olympic Games killings.
Baerbock said she had “expressed my deepest and full solidarity” with Katz.
“This is a terrible situation. This is a terrible moment for us, especially on the very anniversary of Munich 1972,” she said.
Authorities in Vienna said investigators seized electronic devices at the home of the young Austrian who fired shots near the Munich consulate, but found no weapons or Daesh propaganda material.
Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemns killing of US-Turkish citizen during West Bank protests
- 26-year-old Aysenur Ezgi Eygi shot in the head on Friday in Nablus area while protesting against expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank
AMMAN: Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the killing on Friday of a dual US-Turkish citizen while she was taking part in a protest against the expansion of settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The ministry described the incident as a “horrible crime for which those involved must face consequences,” the Jordan News Agency reported.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was shot in the head in the Nablus area of the northern West Bank while protesting. Her death was confirmed by the US State Department and the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The latter said she was killed by Israeli soldiers and described the incident as a “murder carried out by the Netanyahu government.”
Ambassador Sufian Qudah, a spokesperson for Jordan’s Foreign Ministry, said the killing was a “continuation of the crimes committed by the occupation and its ongoing violations against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.”
It “reflects the extreme policies of the Israeli government, which feed into extremism and hatred and encourage settlers to target the killing of Palestinians and anyone who supports the Palestinian people in their struggle for their rightful state,” he added.
Qudah urged the international community to live up to its moral and legal obligations by compelling Israel to halt its aggression in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and to hold accountable those who commit crimes against Palestinian civilians.
Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza as polio vaccination resumes
- In Nuseirat, one of territory’s eight historic refugee camps, an Israeli strike killed two women and two children
- Nearly 90 percent of the Gaza ceasefire deal is agreed, but critical issues remain where there are gaps
CAIRO: Israeli military strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, as health officials resumed vaccination of tens of thousands more children in the enclave against polio.
In Nuseirat, one of the territory’s eight historic refugee camps, an Israeli strike killed two women and two children, while eight other people were killed in two other strikes in Gaza City, the medics said.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces battled Hamas-led fighters in the Zeitoun suburb of Gaza City, where residents said tanks have been operating for over a week, in eastern Khan Younis, and in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, where residents said Israeli forces blew up several houses.
Eleven months into the war, diplomacy has so far failed to conclude a ceasefire deal to end the conflict and bring the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza as well as many Palestinians jailed in Israel.
The two warring sides continued to blame one another for failing efforts by mediators, including Qatar, Egypt and the United States. The US is preparing to present a new ceasefire proposal to hammer out differences, but prospects of a breakthrough remain dim as gaps between the sides remain large.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that it was incumbent on both Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to say yes on remaining issues to reach a Gaza ceasefire deal.
Nearly 90 percent of the Gaza ceasefire deal is agreed, but critical issues remain where there are gaps, including the issue of the so-called Philadelphi corridor on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt, Blinken said at a press briefing. Israel said it wouldn’t leave the corridor and Hamas says an agreement isn’t possible unless they did.
Meanwhile, residents of Khan Younis and displaced families from Rafah, continued to crowd medical facilities, bringing their children to get the polio vaccines. The campaign was launched after the discovery of a case of a one-year-old baby who was partially paralyzed.
POLIO CAMPAIGN TO MOVE TO NORTHERN GAZA
This was the first known case of the disease in Gaza — one of the world’s most densely populated places — in 25 years. It re-emerged as Gaza’s health system has virtually collapsed and many hospitals have been knocked out of action due to the war.
The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, said at least 160,000 children received the drops in southern Gaza areas on Thursday where medical staffers began the second stage of the campaign, benefiting from an Israeli and Hamas agreement on limited pauses in the fighting.
“Since 1 September @UNRWA & partners have vaccinated nearly 355,000 children against #polio in #Gaza middle & southern areas,” UNRWA said in a post on X.
“In the next few days, we’ll continue rolling out the polio vaccination campaign aiming to reach around 640,000 children under 10 with this critical vaccine,” it added.
The campaign will move on Sunday to the northern Gaza Strip, which has been the focus of the major Israeli military offensive in the past 11 months. According to the World Health Organization, a second round of vaccination would be required four weeks after the first round.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent assault on the Hamas-governed enclave has since killed over 40,800 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while also displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.
Medical charity launches mental health helplines for Lebanese
- Israeli forces step up airstrikes, hitting series of Lebanese border villages
BEIRUT: Medecins Sans Frontieres in Lebanon has warned of a growing mental health crisis as a result of mass displacement in the south.
The organization highlighted “worsening psychological and financial burdens caused by displacement, loss of property and continued insecurity.”
It has launched two mental health helplines in response.
“Two mental health helplines were launched on Friday, aiming to provide necessary and free psychological support to communities suffering from psychological stress as a result of the conflict, including psychological first aid, consultations, and support with referrals to nearby facilities for the displaced and conflict-affected communities,” MSF said.
More than 113,000 people have been displaced from Lebanon’s southern border since violence broke out on Oct. 8 last year.
Most remain in the south, living with relatives, in rented houses or in the homes of expatriates who have opened their doors, with fewer than 5,000 living in shelters.
Dr. Luna Hammad, MSF medical coordinator in Lebanon, said: “Mental health is often overlooked in times of crisis, but it is as important as physical health.
BACKGROUND
More than 113,000 people have been displaced from Lebanon’s southern border since violence broke out on Oct. 8 last year.
“The stress, fear and uncertainty experienced by the population in Lebanon can have a major impact on their mental health. Neglecting these needs can lead to long-term consequences that affect individuals, families and communities.”
Amid the escalation between Hezbollah and Israel in southern Lebanon, MSF said it has launched a mobile medical team to support healthcare centers and shelters in the south.
“The team has provided continuous healthcare to 1,357 patients, including follow-up treatment for chronic diseases and consultations for displaced people, as well as health awareness sessions and psychological first aid,” the organization added.
“MSF carried out training sessions for health workers and deposited up to 10 tonnes of medical supplies and equipment in hospitals across the country.”
Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed 39 health workers and closed six primary healthcare centers.
Friday saw new destruction across southern Lebanon, with Israel carrying out a series of strikes.
Footage showed two Israeli airstrikes carried out in the morning on a residential building in Mays Al-Jabal, which was destroyed near other razed structures.
The number of airstrikes on the largest town in the border region totals 126 since October last year, its mayor, Abdel Moneim Shuqair, said.
He added: “More than 1,850 shells of various sizes, including 750 internationally banned white phosphorus bombs, have fallen on the town and its surroundings since the beginning of hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli army 11 months ago, up until today.”
The situation is similar in the border town of Aitaroun, where Israel is employing a scorched earth policy.
Aitaroun Mayor Salim Mrad told Arab News: “Aitaroun, like the towns of Aita Al-Shaab and Kfarkela, is subject to daily Israeli assaults.
“The damage here has exceeded that of the 2006 war.
“These are border towns with high population densities, and the residents are known for distinctive vitality and live off agriculture.
“The town has 2,000 residential units, and it can be said that more than 100 houses in Aitaroun have been destroyed, and about 800 houses have been partially destroyed.
“The town’s economy has come to a halt, and the death toll has reached 16, including civilians.”
Israeli jets on Friday carried out an airstrike on a home in the town of Dhayra in the western sector, while Israeli artillery targeted the town of Kfarkela. An Israeli airstrike also targeted a house on the outskirts of the town of Beit Lif.
Artillery shelling with phosphorus bombs in the area between Tal Nahas and Hamames toward the Marjayoun plain caused fires to break out.
Also on Friday, Hezbollah announced a series of operations against Israeli military sites, targeting surveillance equipment and buildings in Metula, a statement said.
Israeli media reported “extensive damage to a building in the Metula settlement after a large fire broke out following the launch of an anti-tank missile from Lebanon.”
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said: “Three anti-tank missiles were launched from Lebanon toward Metula opposite the border, hitting several buildings without causing any injuries.”
Hezbollah also targeted the Ruwaiset Al-Qarn site and the Zebdine barracks with rockets. Both sites are in the disputed Shebaa Farms area.
The group also used an assault drone to strike the Ma’ayan Baruch kibbutz near the Lebanese border.
The Israeli army announced that on Thursday evening it struck Hezbollah military facilities “in Aita Al-Shaab and Yarine, and attacked Hezbollah targets in the Blida area.”
