Afrigather Gaza’s Well being Ministry says 150 individuals have been killed within the territory within the final 24 hours and one other 313 have been wounded as Israeli forces proceed to battle militants, even within the northern a part of the territory.
The north, the place entire neighborhoods have been flattened, was the preliminary goal of Israel’s floor offensive in late October.
Israel’s navy stated Wednesday that its forces killed greater than 15 Hamas militants in northern Gaza over the previous day and focused militant infrastructure in a college.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected two key calls for made by Hamas in oblique cease-fire talks, saying that Israel is not going to withdraw from the Gaza Strip or launch hundreds of jailed militants.
The newest deaths convey the Palestinian dying toll from Israel’s offensive to 26,900, in accordance with the Hamas-controlled Well being Ministry. It doesn’t distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths however says most of these killed have been ladies and kids.
Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault in southern Israel that sparked the battle killed 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and about 250 individuals have been taken hostage, in accordance with Israeli authorities.
Presently:
— Iran threatens to ‘decisively respond’ to any US strikes as Biden weighs response to Jordan assault.
— EU goals to launch a Red Sea naval mission inside 3 weeks to guard ships from insurgent assaults.
— Biden says he’s decided on a response to the killing of three U.S. troops in Jordan.
— The place do the events stand on efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and the discharge of hostages?
— Israeli forces dressed as civilian ladies and medics kill three militants in a West Bank hospital.
Right here’s the most recent:
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Gaza’s Well being Ministry says 150 individuals have been killed within the final 24 hours and one other 313 have been wounded.
The deaths convey the Palestinian dying toll from Israel’s offensive to 26,900, in accordance with the Hama-controlled ministry. It doesn’t distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths however says most of these killed have been ladies and kids.
The practically four-month battle started with Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault in Israel, by which Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 individuals and kidnapped one other 250.
Israeli forces are nonetheless battling militants throughout Gaza, even within the northern a part of the territory, which was the preliminary goal of the bottom offensive in late October and the place entire neighborhoods have been flattened.
The navy stated Wednesday that its forces killed greater than 15 Hamas militants in northern Gaza over the previous day and focused militant infrastructure in a college.
It stated air and floor forces focused militants on the outskirts of the Shati refugee camp in Gaza Metropolis, which dates again to the 1948 battle surrounding Israel’s creation and resembles a dense city neighborhood.
The navy had stated in mid-November that it was in control of Shati.
The heaviest combating is within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, the place Israeli officers suspect senior Hamas leaders could also be hiding in a labyrinth of tunnels.
The battle has pushed some 85% of Gaza’s inhabitants of two.3 million from their properties into different components of the besieged territory, and U.N. officers say 1 / 4 of the inhabitants is ravenous.
JERUSALEM — Iran threatened Wednesday to “decisively reply” to any U.S. assault on the Islamic Republic following President Joe Biden’s linking of Tehran to the killing of three U.S. troopers at a navy base in Jordan.
The U.S. has signaled it’s getting ready for retaliatory strikes within the Mideast within the wake of the Sunday drone assault that additionally injured at the very least 40 troops at Tower 22, a secretive base in northeastern Jordan that’s been essential to the American presence in neighboring Syria.
Nonetheless, concerns remain that any further American strikes may additional inflame a area already roiled by Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas within the Gaza Strip and the continued assaults by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on transport within the Crimson Sea.
A U.S. Navy destroyer within the waterway shot down an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the Houthis late Tuesday, the most recent assault targeting American forces patrolling the important thing maritime commerce route, officers stated.
GENEVA — An array of U.N. organizations that concentrate on refugees, humanitarian assist, migration, well being, kids, meals, ladies, human rights and different points have united in an attraction to some key donor international locations to rethink their plans to halt funding for UNRWA, the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees.
The US and greater than a dozen different international locations have introduced plans to droop contributions to UNRWA after Israel alleged that 12 of its staff participated within the Oct. 7 assaults in Israel. U.N. officers fired many of the staff and vowed an investigation.
The heads of the World Well being Group, UNICEF, Worldwide Group for Migration, World Meals Program and different U.N. businesses and companions stated allegations that “a number of” UNRWA staffers have been concerned “within the heinous assaults on Israel” have been “horrifying.”
“Nonetheless, we should not forestall a complete group from delivering on its mandate to serve individuals in determined want,” the joint assertion stated.
“Selections by numerous member states to pause funds from UNRWA can have catastrophic penalties for the individuals of Gaza,” it stated. “No different entity has the capability to ship the dimensions and breadth of help that 2.2 million individuals in Gaza urgently want.”
“We attraction for these choices to be reconsidered,” the assertion stated.
On Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres met behind closed doorways with 35 donor nations and appealed for a restoration of funding in addition to new help. The U.S. State Division stated it expects to renew funding for UNRWA if the group carries out a reputable investigation into attainable hyperlinks between some staffers and the Hamas militant group.
ISTANBUL — Turkish Overseas Minister Hakan Fidan has urged the worldwide neighborhood to behave strongly to finish the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
“The blocking of humanitarian assist and medical provides to Gaza by Israel ought to by no means be accepted by the worldwide neighborhood,” he stated at a information convention on Wednesday within the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
Talking alongside Romanian Overseas Minister Luminita Odobescu, he added, “We can not and should not stay silent whereas 2 million individuals are overtly left to die of hunger and epidemic ailments beneath bombardment. World public opinion should as soon as once more be sturdy to stop this bloodbath.”
Fidan additionally known as on Israel to implement final week’s interim choice by the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice to guard civilians and declare a direct cease-fire.
BRUSSELS — The European Union plans to launch a naval mission within the Crimson Sea inside three weeks to assist defend cargo ships towards assaults by Houthi rebels in Yemen which are hampering trade and driving up prices, the bloc’s high diplomat stated Wednesday.
EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell stated he desires the mission to be up and working by Feb. 17. Officers say that seven EU international locations are prepared to supply ships or planes. Belgium has already dedicated to ship a frigate. Germany is predicted to do the identical.
Final week, U.S. and British forces bombed a number of targets in eight areas utilized by the Iranian-backed Houthis. It was the second time the 2 allies have carried out coordinated retaliatory strikes on the rebels’ missile-launching capabilities.
The Houthis have waged a persistent marketing campaign of drone and missile assaults on industrial ships for the reason that begin of the Israel-Hamas battle in October, however Borrell insisted that the EU mission is not going to participate in any navy strikes.
A U.S. Navy destroyer within the Crimson Sea shot down an anti-ship cruise missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the most recent assault targeting American forces patrolling the important thing maritime route, officers stated Wednesday.
The assault late Tuesday evening focused the usGravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, the U.S. navy’s Central Command stated in a press release.
“There have been no accidents or harm reported,” the assertion stated.
A Houthi navy spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed the assault in a press release Wednesday morning, calling it “a victory for the oppression of the Palestinian individuals and a response to the American-British aggression towards our nation.”
Saree claimed the Houthis fired “a number of” missiles. one thing not acknowledged by the U.S. Navy. Houthi claims have been exaggerated previously, and their missiles typically crash on land and fail to achieve their targets.
