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Live blog: 520 people killed, injured, missing in central Gaza within week
Israel’s war on besieged Palestinians of Gaza — now in its 195th day — has killed at least 33,899 people and wounded over 76,664 as UNSC members disagree on when to vote on a Palestinian membership vote
The Gaza media office held “The US administration and the international community, in addition to the Israeli occupation, fully responsible for these crimes and their consequences and effects on the lives of civilians.”
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The Gaza media office held “The US administration and the international community, in addition to the Israeli occupation, fully responsible for these crimes and their consequences and effects on the lives of civilians.”
Thursday, April 18, 2024
0500 GMT — An Israeli army offensive in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has resulted in 520 killed, injured and missing people within a week, the Palestinian government media office said.
Following the army’s withdrawal from the camp after an eight-day attack, the office said “the Israeli occupation army committed a crime against humanity and against international law in the areas of Maghazi, Zahra and the New Camp north of Nuseirat.”
“The toll reached 520 martyrs, injured and missing and more than 13,000 housing units demolished within one week,” it added.
The local media said “this comes within the framework of the genocide being waged by the Israeli army against Palestinian civilians, which the US administration supports and participates in.”
The office pointed out that the Israeli army “destroyed 14 towers, residential buildings and dozens of homes belonging to citizens, displacing them from their towers, residential buildings, and homes under the threat of aircraft bombing and tank shells.”
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0400 GMT — Qatar re-evaluating its role as mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations
Qatar is re-evaluating its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas on reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and will take an “appropriate decision,” Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said.
Al Thani’s remarks came during a press conference held in Doha with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, Qatar News Agency reported.
He said “the meeting comes at a sensitive time in the region, following the recent escalation,” referring to Iran’s military retaliation following Israel’s April 1 air strike on its diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital.
He said consultations were held with Türkiye’s foreign minister and they agreed on “the necessity for all parties to resort to de-escalation, dialogue and resolving issues in the region logically, not through weapons and violence.”
Al Thani noted that “coordination with Türkiye is ongoing, and we appreciate Türkiye’s positions in supporting Palestine.”
0300 GMT — Protesters rally against arms sales to Israel outside British parliament
Hundreds of people protested in front of Britain’s parliament against arms sales to Israel and for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, a member of the main opposition Labor Party and former shadow minister for immigration, said in her speech that the health infrastructure and water lines in Gaza were deliberately destroyed by Israel, aid was cut off and millions of people were living in difficult conditions.
“No one can say that the war in Gaza is self-defence,” she said, noting that protests for Gaza should continue.
“Keep walking until the governments that support the massacre in Gaza understand you. Far from condemning Israel, our government continues to arm them. They are making our country a collaborator in genocide and war crimes. The government must stop selling arms to Israel and turning us into collaborators of the massacre,” she added.
Another Labor Party MP, Dawn Butler, said that as politicians, they have a responsibility to work for peace and justice in parliament.
0200 GMT — Israel kills seven civilians in Rafah strikes
Seven civilians, including a woman and three children, have been killed in Israeli air strikes in southern Gaza, Palestine’s official news agency reported.
WAFA citing its correspondent said Israeli warplanes targeted a site and a residential structure sheltering displaced persons in the city of Rafah, killing seven civilians, including a woman and three children.
2341 GMT — Uncertainty surrounds UN Palestinian membership vote
The Security Council vote on the Palestinians’ bid to become a full member state of the United Nations is expected to occur Thursday or Friday, diplomats said, as discussions continued.
Several diplomatic sources had told the AFP news agency earlier that the vote would take place on Thursday, but the situation has since changed with some member states asking for a Friday vote.
No firm decision had been taken, according to several diplomatic sources.
“It’s still in the air,” Slovenian Ambassador to the UN Samuel Zbogar told journalists.
“The vote is tomorrow at 3:00 o’clock. I’m sure. If you don’t believe me, you will see it tomorrow,” said Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour.
2300 GMT — UNRWA warns against its dismantling as sought by Israel
Dismantling the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, as sought by Israel, would accelerate besieged Gaza’s slide into starvation and doom generations of children to despair, the organisation’s head warned.
Director Philippe Lazzarini told the UN Security Council that the agency is the backbone of UN humanitarian operations in Gaza.
Referring to Israel, he said there is an “insidious campaign” under way to dismantle UNRWA and that this would have lasting consequences.
“In the short-term, it will deepen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and accelerate the onset of famine,” Lazzarini said.
2216 GMT — Algeria gives UNRWA $15 mln as exceptional fund, state TV says
Algeria has given the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) a $15 million exceptional fund, Algerian state TV said early.
UNRWA provides aid and essential services to Palestinian refugees in besieged Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and across the wider region.
2200 GMT — Türkiye expresses ‘solid, unwavering’ support for UNRWA
Türkiye expressed its solid and unwavering support for the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).
Speaking at a UN Security Council session on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz conveyed his appreciation to UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini for “his efforts to fulfil UNRWA’s mandate under extremely challenging circumstances.”
Noting that “the suffering in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is at unprecedented levels,” Yildiz stressed that the occupied West Bank “is under immense tension with settler violence and growing Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people.”
With illegal settlements, the demolition of houses, expulsions and land confiscations continuing daily, he reminded that at least 7,000 people had been arrested since October 7 “for no reason.”
“Gaza faces the most formidable man-made disaster in modern ages. Unseen destruction and massacres take place before our eyes. It is tormenting, heart-breaking,” he stressed.
Expressing Türkiye’s “solid, unwavering” support for UNRWA, he further called on member states to “ensure that UNRWA continues its critical work.”
For our live updates from Wednesday, April 17, click here.
SOURCE: TRTWORLD AND AGENCIES
