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Live blog: Hamas hails Russia, China for vetoing ‘misleading’ US resolution
Israeli war on besieged Palestinians of Gaza — now in its 169th day — has killed at least 32,070 people and wounded 74,298 others, as Netanyahu rejects Blinken’s advice against launching invasion of Rafah.
Muslims perform the second Friday prayer of the Holy month of Ramadan among the rubble of Al Farooq Mosque which was destroyed by Israel in attack on Rafah, Gaza on March 22, 2024. / Photo: AA
AA
Muslims perform the second Friday prayer of the Holy month of Ramadan among the rubble of Al Farooq Mosque which was destroyed by Israel in attack on Rafah, Gaza on March 22, 2024. / Photo: AA
Saturday, March 23, 2024
2205 GMT — Palestinian resistance group Hamas has praised Russia, China, and Algeria for voting against a US-proposed UN Security Council resolution that tried to link a ceasefire in Gaza to the release of Israeli captives from Gaza.
“We appreciate the stance of Russia, China, and Algeria, who rejected the US draft resolution that is biased to the [Israeli] aggression on our [Palestinian people,” Hamas said in a statement.
Hamas said the US resolution used “misleading wording” and was complicit with Israeli goals to continue its aggression on Gaza, and tried to give Israel “cover and legitimacy to the genocidal war against our Palestinian people in Gaza.”
The US-sponsored resolution was vetoed by Russia and China. Algeria also voted “no,” while Guyana abstained, and the remaining 11 Security Council members voted in favour.
2220 GMT — UN chief Guterres to visit Gaza border
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will visit the Egypt-Gaza border city of Rafah on Saturday to reiterate his call for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine war, his spokesman said.
Guterres, who is currently in Brussels, will arrive in Egypt on Friday evening for “his annual Ramadan solidarity trip which comes this year in turbulent times, with the conflict in Gaza,” spokesman Farhan Haq said.
While there, the secretary general will meet aid workers on the Egyptian side of Rafah, which is split over the border with Gaza and has been a key gateway for humanitarian supplies reaching the territory.
Guterres will also visit a hospital in el-Arish, an Egyptian city which sits close to the Gaza border.
2250 GMT — Yemeni Houthi group reports additional US-UK strikes on Sanaa
The Yemeni Houthi group HAS reported a series of US and UK airstrikes on the capital, Sanaa, which is under the group’s control.
“American-British aggression targeted the capital Sanaa,” said Houthi-run al-Masirah Channel in a statement.
The television station, however, did not elaborate on the raids or if they resulted in property damage or casualties.
1946 GMT — Lebanon to complain to UN, saying Israel disrupts navigation systems
Lebanon will file an urgent complaint with the UN Security Council over what it called Israel’s violation of its sovereignty by disrupting its navigation systems, the Foreign Ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry said Israel was affecting the safety of civil aviation in the airspace of Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport.
“Lebanon also holds Israel internationally responsible for the consequences of any accident or disaster cause d by Israel’s deliberate policy of jamming air and ground navigation systems, and deliberately disrupting signal receiving and transmitting devices,” the statement read.
For our live updates from Friday, March 22, click here.
SOURCE: TRTWORLD AND AGENCIES
