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Live blog: Israel’s response to ceasefire proposal obstructive — Hamas
Israel’s war on Gaza — now in its 130th day — has killed at least 28,340 Palestinians and wounded 67,984 others, as Israeli air strikes continue to pound Rafah city.
People gather for a rally calling on Israel to stop its Rafah invasion in Gaza at Union Square in New York City. / Photo: Reuters
REUTERS
People gather for a rally calling on Israel to stop its Rafah invasion in Gaza at Union Square in New York City. / Photo: Reuters
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
0409 GMT — The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has said Israel’s response to a framework agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza does not help reach a deal.
At a press conference, senior Hamas leader Osama Hamdan said his group reviewed the Israeli response and considers it a backtrack from the proposed framework as it “puts conditions and obstacles that don’t help reach a deal to stop the aggression on our people.”
“The (Israeli) occupation’s response to the Paris proposal doesn’t guarantee the freedom of movement of residents and the return of displaced people to their homes and areas and also doesn’t include a total withdrawal from all areas of the Gaza Strip,” Hamdan said.
He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s behaviour “confirms that he is continuing with a policy of evasion and procrastination” and is not serious about reaching a ceasefire deal.
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0412 GMT — Greece’s main opposition party condemns Israeli attack on Rafah
Greece’s left-wing main opposition SYRIZA party has condemned Israel’s attack on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza which killed over 100 people and the Greek government’s “deafening silence” over it.
“SYRIZA-PS expresses its strong concern about the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The absolutely reprehensible actions of Hamas do not justify in any way the violation of international humanitarian law which maintains the vicious cycle of blood and violence,” the party said in a statement.
“In contrast to the continued deafening silence of the government, which is limited to repeating the need for a ‘prolonged cessation of hostilities’ and ‘de-escalation of the crisis’, SYRIZA-PS consistently expresses its solidarity with the hard-pressed Palestinian people.”
0356 GMT — UN special rapporteur slams Israel for denying her entry amid escalation of atrocities in Gaza
The UN special rapporteur for Palestinians issued a scathing rebuke against Israel for denying her entry to the country, saying it is the latest instance of barring UN special rapporteurs since 2008 and an attempt to deflect attention from the escalation of atrocities in Gaza.
Francesca Albanese’s statement came amid reports of intensified violence in Gaza, particularly in the southern city of Rafah, where civilians have sought refuge in supposedly safe areas, only to come under devastating bombings.
“Israel’s denying me entry is not news: Israel has denied entry to all special rapporteurs/oPt since 2008! This must not become a distraction from Israel’s atrocities in Gaza, which are taking (on) a new level of horror with the bombing of people in ‘safe areas’ in Rafah,” she said on X.
0239 GMT — UNGA president warns another phase of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza ‘is at our doorstep’
The president of the UN General Assembly expressed grave concern over Israel’s assault on the city of Rafah in the southern besieged Gaza.
“I am deeply distressed by the escalating military operation into Rafah, where over a million civilians are already sheltering in the most dire conditions,” Dennis Francis said on X.
“Another phase of this humanitarian catastrophe is at our doorstep. This is not a path to sustainable peace,” he added.
0239GMT — US Senate advances Ukraine aid bill to final phase before passage
The US Senate has voted to advance a $95.34B aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan toward possible passage on Wednesday, sweeping aside a final procedural hurdle after days of legislative wrangling.
0215 GMT — ‘US claims Houthis fired 2 missiles toward Bab al Mandab Strait
Yemen’s Houthi group fired two missiles toward the Bab al Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
“On Feb. 12 from 3:30 to 3:45 am (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired two missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Bab al-Mandab,” CENTCOM said on X.
“Both missiles were launched toward MV Star Iris, a Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel transiting the Red Sea carrying corn from Brazil,” it said, adding the ship reports being seaworthy with minor damage and no injuries to the crew.
2100 GMT — Israel kills 67 Palestinians in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah
Israeli air strikes have killed 67 Palestinians in the city of Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled to escape Israel’s brutal war, as Israel claims to have rescued two captives in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza during the attack.
Women and children were among those killed in the air strikes, Palestinian officials said.
2330 GMT — France proposes Hezbollah withdrawal, border talks for Israel-Lebanon truce
France delivered a written proposal to Beirut aimed at ending hostilities with Israel and settling the disputed Lebanon-Israel frontier, according to a document seen by the Reuters news agency that calls for fighters, including Hezbollah’s elite unit, to withdraw 10 km from the border.
The document, the first written proposal brought to Beirut during weeks of Western mediation, was delivered to top Lebanese state officials, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati, by the French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne last week, four senior Lebanese and three French officials said.
The plan proposes Hezbollah and Israel would cease hostilities against each other, including Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.
2200 GMT — Jordan’s king says Gaza needs ‘lasting ceasefire now’
Jordanian King Abdullah II called for an immediate ceasefire in besieged Gaza, speaking at the White House alongside US President Joe Biden.
“We need a lasting ceasefire now,” he said.
The Jordanian king added that an Israeli ground attack on the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah would be “certain to produce another humanitarian catastrophe.”
2200 GMT — Rafah attack will have ‘severe consequences,’ Iran warns Israel
The Iranian foreign minister has warned of “severe consequences” after the Israeli premier vowed to continue their attacks on Rafah in the south of besieged Gaza.
“Extending the scope of war crimes and genocide of the occupying Israeli regime to the Palestinian refugees in Rafah will have severe consequences for Tel Aviv,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on X.
For our live updates from Monday, February 12, click here.
SOURCE: TRTWORLD AND AGENCIES
