As Israel threatens to launch offensive in Rafah, the US has drafted a UN decision calling for a short lived ceasefire.
Right here’s how issues stand on Tuesday, February 20, 2024:
Combating and humanitarian disaster
- Israel’s assault in Gaza has killed greater than 29,000 Palestinians since October 7, the territory’s Ministry of Well being mentioned on Monday, marking one other grim milestone in one of many deadliest and most damaging navy campaigns in current historical past.
- Footage verified by Al Jazeera reveals Palestinian individuals fleeing to take cowl after coming underneath assault from Israeli forces as they waited for humanitarian help in northern Gaza.
- The Israeli navy launched a video on Monday displaying what’s believed to be the youngest captive, his brother and mom being led by the streets of the southern Gaza metropolis of Khan Younis. Al Jazeera couldn’t independently confirm the Israeli claims.
- Individually, Benny Gantz, a member of Netanyahu’s three-man struggle cupboard, warned that the offensive would increase to Rafah if the captives weren’t freed by the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, anticipated round March 10.
- The struggle has pushed round 80 p.c of the Palestinians in Gaza from their houses and left 1 / 4 of the inhabitants ravenous, in keeping with UN officers.
Diplomacy
- The US says it’s nonetheless working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to attempt to dealer one other truce and captive launch settlement. However these efforts seem to have stalled in current days. Qatar on Monday criticised comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wherein he mentioned that the Gulf state ought to do extra to safe the discharge of captives and that Doha funds the Palestinian group.
- The US drafted a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a “short-term ceasefire” within the Gaza Strip “as quickly as sensible” and opposing an Israeli floor offensive on the southernmost metropolis of Rafah.
- The battle has introduced close to day by day exchanges of fireplace between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group risking an escalation within the battle. Israeli warplanes on Monday carried out no less than two strikes close to the southern port metropolis of Sidon in one of many largest assaults close to a serious metropolis, wounding 14 individuals, Lebanese state media mentioned.
- Palestinian representatives on Monday asked judges on the UN’s highest court docket to declare Israel’s occupation of their territory unlawful, saying their advisory opinion might contribute to a two-state answer and an enduring peace.
- The 15-judge panel of the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice has been requested to evaluate Israel’s “occupation, settlement and annexation … together with measures aimed toward altering the demographic composition, character and standing of the Holy Metropolis of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of associated discriminatory laws and measures”.
Violence within the occupied West Financial institution
- The Palestinian information company Wafa experiences that the Israeli navy has launched Muhammad Muhammad Abd al-Majid Sharqiya, a 50-year-old prisoner from the village of Zabuba, west of Jenin within the occupied West Financial institution, after 23 years in Israeli custody.
- Elsewhere within the occupied West Financial institution, a person has been injured by bullet fragments and dozens of residents had been uncovered to tear fuel throughout Israeli raids within the Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.
