live blog
According to media reports, the CIA chief wants to begin negotiations over the release of the Hamas hostages in the coming days. France has criticized the shelling of a UN refugee shelter. All developments in the live blog.
According to the ruling terrorist organization Hamas, 120 people were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Friday night. This was announced by the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. The militant Islamist organization also spoke of fierce fighting in the center and west of the city of Khan Yunis.
Khan Yunis, the largest city in the south of the Gaza Strip and home of Hamas leader Jahja Sinwar, is currently the Israeli army’s main target. According to them, many high-ranking members of the radical Islamic Palestinian organization are hiding there. Thousands of people have fled Khan Yunis to seek shelter in Rafah on the border with Egypt.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is traveling to Jordan following her visit to East Africa. Delegation circles said she would hold political talks there on Saturday about the crisis in the Middle East. Jordan, like Egypt, has traditionally been considered a mediator in the Middle East conflict for decades. The country, home to two million Palestinian refugees, is an important partner of the US and the EU.
Baerbock set off on a multi-day trip to East Africa on Wednesday. A planned visit to the small state of Djibouti on the Red Sea did not take place because the neighboring country Eritrea had not granted the required overflight permit for Baerbock’s plane. The minister and her delegation therefore had to spend a night in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah.
From there, Baerbock flew to Kenya, where she promised the imminent conclusion of a migration agreement with the East African country. Today Baerbock wants to meet with representatives of Sudanese civil society in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, after which a short visit to the crisis country South Sudan is planned.
According to media reports, CIA chief Bill Burns plans to travel to Europe in the coming days to negotiate the release of the hostages held by Hamas from Israel. As CNN reported, citing US officials familiar with the plans, Burns wants to talk to the intelligence chiefs of Israel and Egypt as well as the Prime Minister of Qatar about an agreement to release the remaining hostages.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is today in The Hague considering South Africa’s request to classify Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip as genocide and wants to decide on the demand for an end to the military operation. But the judges will not address the main allegation of the case – whether genocide took place – but will focus on the emergency measure requested by South Africa.
This is about an immediate halt to the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. The 17-judge panel will decide whether interim measures should be imposed and whether there is a risk that Israel’s behavior violates the 1948 Genocide Convention. The court will announce its decision at 1 p.m. in a hearing that is expected to last about an hour. Israel denies the allegations and has already asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit.
France has “condemned” the shelling of a UN refugee shelter in the Gaza Strip. “United Nations entities and humanitarian workers whose work is essential to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip must be absolutely protected,” the French Foreign Ministry said. Israel must adhere to “international humanitarian law.” According to the United Nations, 13 people were killed in the shelling of the UN shelter for internally displaced people in Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the building was hit by two tank missiles. As far as is known, only the Israeli armed forces use tanks in the Gaza Strip.
Foreign Minister Baerbock has urged Israel to respect international law when acting in the Gaza Strip. The Yemeni Houthis want to continue attacking ships in the Red Sea. Thursday’s live blog for reading.