Israel and Hamas have restarted talks for a truce by means of Qatari mediation as assaults on Gaza proceed – listed here are the foremost updates.
Right here’s how issues stand on Sunday, December 17, 2023:
Newest developments
- Al Jazeera is referring what it calls the “assassination” of its cameraman Samer Abudaqa in Gaza to the Worldwide Legal Courtroom. In a press release on Saturday, the Qatar-based community mentioned it instructed its authorized staff to “urgently” refer the case to the Courtroom.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to verify captive launch negotiations have resumed with Qatari mediation. Studies had indicated talks that had stalled because the begin of this month have restarted after Tel Aviv admitted to mistakenly killing three captives in Gaza.
- The Well being Ministry in Gaza has known as for an inquiry into witness stories that Israeli bulldozers “buried individuals alive” on the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. Main elements of the hospital have been “destroyed” by the Israeli military, in keeping with witness testimonies.
- A whole bunch of individuals are trapped inside Gaza’s solely Catholic church, together with kinfolk of British MP Layla Moran. The Holy Household Church has mentioned Israeli forces killed a mom and daughter there “in cold blood” on Saturday.
Human influence and combating
- Israeli assaults from air, land and sea on Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza proceed to rage whereas the Israeli military additionally retains pounding areas within the centre and north of the enclave to lethal impact. The newest air raids on the Jabalia refugee camp killed at the very least 20 Palestinians on Sunday. Greater than 19,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7.
- After a Hezbollah drone assault close to Lebanon’s border with Israel was introduced by the Iran-backed group, the Israeli military mentioned a 53-year-old soldier was killed close to Margaliot.
- The French International Ministry has demanded solutions after one among its officers was among the many casualties of an Israeli military assault in Rafah.
- A whole bunch of Jewish and Palestinian residents of Israel participated in a big rally in Haifa to name for a ceasefire settlement to launch captives held in Gaza.
- Worldwide demonstrations calling for a right away ceasefire have continued, most not too long ago seen in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Tunisia, France and Austria. Extra are deliberate in america and Canada quickly.
Diplomacy
- The Iran-backed Houthi motion in Yemen has engaged with “worldwide events” in talks over its assaults on Israel-linked ships within the Pink Sea. It mentioned its operations will solely cease after Israel stops its “aggression” in opposition to Gaza.
- US Central Command chief Michael Kurilla has met with Israeli army chief of workers Herzi Halevi in Israel. The assembly comes as US Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin has departed for the Center East, the place he’s set to journey to Israel, Bahrain and Qatar.
- French International Minister Catherine Colonna arrived in Israel on Sunday, the place she is predicted to press for an “speedy and sturdy” truce with the purpose of releasing all captives and delivering much-needed humanitarian help to Palestinians.