PM Netanyahu says a date has been set for a floor offensive in Rafah after Israeli troops withdraw from close by Khan Younis.
Right here’s how issues stand on Tuesday, April 9, 2024:
Combating and humanitarian disaster
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned on Monday {that a} date has been set for a floor offensive within the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah, the place about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
- Israeli troops withdrew on Sunday from Khan Younis, one other metropolis within the southern Gaza Strip, ending a key part of the struggle. Defence officers mentioned they’re regrouping earlier than a push into Rafah.
- In response, Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zahry advised Al Jazeera that the invasion menace “raises questions in regards to the function of resuming negotiations”.
- Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis has been left “fully non-functional” after a lethal, weeks-long Israeli siege, the UN Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in its newest replace on Gaza.
- The Palestinian loss of life toll from the struggle has surpassed 33,200 with practically 76,000 folks wounded, Gaza’s Ministry of Well being mentioned on Monday. Ladies and kids make up two-thirds of the lifeless.
Diplomacy and geopolitical tensions
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France’s overseas minister mentioned on Tuesday that strain, and probably sanctions, should be imposed on Israel to open crossings to get humanitarian help to Palestinians in Gaza.
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“There should be levers of affect, and there are a number of levers, going as much as sanctions, to let humanitarian help cross checkpoints,” Stephane Sejourne advised RFI radio and France 24 tv.
- Turkey restricted the export of 54 of its merchandise to Israel after Israel rejected a Turkish request for its army cargo planes to affix a humanitarian help operation for Gaza.
- Pope Francis met with family members of captives taken by Hamas on October 7, marking the six-month anniversary of the assaults in southern Israel with an hourlong viewers.
- Germany is dealing with costs on the high United Nations court docket for allegedly “facilitating the fee of genocide” in opposition to Palestinians in Gaza by offering its ally Israel with army and political assist.
- In Syria, Israeli warplanes focused army posts and infrastructure on Monday within the Mahaja space.
- Qatar’s embassy in Washington rejected a press release by James Comer, chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform in the US Home of Representatives, that “inaccurately claims” Doha has paid Hamas “$30m per 30 days since 2018”.
- Additionally within the US, former President Donald Trump mentioned any Jewish one that votes for the incumbent, Joe Biden, in November’s presidential election “doesn’t love Israel and albeit, needs to be spoken to”.
- US Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin requested Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant about what the Israeli army is doing to analyze the “tragic strike” that killed seven help staff in Gaza final week, in keeping with a US Protection Division readout.
- Disinformation is additional compounding Gaza’s disaster, UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres mentioned in a publish on X, calling for worldwide journalists be allowed entry into the enclave.
An info struggle has added to the trauma of the struggle in Gaza – obscuring info and shifting blame.
Denying worldwide journalists entry into Gaza is permitting disinformation and false narratives to flourish.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 8, 2024
Violence within the occupied West Financial institution
- The Israeli military mentioned its forces shot lifeless a Palestinian lady within the northern West Financial institution on Monday after she tried to stab a soldier at a checkpoint. The military mentioned the incident came about on the Tayasir checkpoint close to Tubas.
- Israeli forces arrested 10 Palestinians in raids throughout the occupied West Financial institution on Monday night time, the Palestinian information company Wafa reported.
- Three younger males have been arrested and one was injured by Israeli gunfire within the Aqabat Jabr camp east of Jericho, Wafa mentioned. Seven folks have been additionally arrested throughout massive Israeli raids in and round Tulkarem, Wafa added.