Palestine-Israel war
Live Reporting
In Gaza, starving children fill hospital wards as famine looms
Six-year-old Fadi al-Zant is acutely malnourished, his ribs protruding under leathery skin, his eyes sunken as he lays in bed at the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, where famine is bearing down.
Fadi's spindly legs can no longer support him enough to walk.
NYU urges dismissal of antisemitism lawsuit, says it acted ‘decisively’
New York University says it has moved “decisively” to root out antisemitism on its campus, and that a lawsuit by Jewish students claiming they have been mistreated should be dismissed, Reuters reports.
In a Monday night filing in Manhattan federal court, NYU said reports of antisemitism have declined significantly, sometimes to near zero, following a surge immediately after the October 7, 2023 outbreak of fighting in Gaza.
The university also said student victims of antisemitism lack legal standing to demand sweeping changes.
It said it has taken “far more” steps than the law requires to address their concerns, including the adoption of a “10 Point Plan” that boosts on-campus security and disciplines people who violate its anti-discrimination policies.
“NYU recognises that the past few months have been profoundly challenging for many members of its community, including its Jewish and Israeli students, but plaintiffs allegations do not state a claim,” it said. “There is no need for this court’s intervention now, and likely never will be.”
US-Israel meeting on Rafah likely early next week: White House
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre has said that US and Israeli officials will likely meet early next week in Washington to discuss Israel’s military operation in Rafah, citing deep concerns about reports of imminent famine in Gaza, Reuters reports.
Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to send a senior team of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington for meetings in the coming days for comprehensive discussions.
Details were still being worked out, but the meeting would probably occur early next week, she said, adding the White House urged Israel to do more to allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.
320 tonnes of relief goods sent to Gaza since Oct 30, NDMA briefs PM Shehbaz
The National Disaster Management Authority has briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that it has sent 320 tonnes of relief goods to Gaza since October 30.
Italy opposed to Israeli ground operation in Rafah
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said the country is opposed to a ground incursion by Israeli forces into the Gaza Strip’s southern city of Rafah, Reuters reports.
“We will reiterate our opposition to military action on the ground by Israel in Rafah that could have even more catastrophic consequences for the civilians crowded in that area,” Meloni told lawmakers in the Senate.
She added that the opening of new land routes and a maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave, was a priority.
Israeli aggression against civilians as means of pressure won’t work: Hamas official
A member of Hamas’s political bureau Izzat al-Rishq has said that the Israeli attack on al-Shifa Hospital and its surroundings is “evidence of the state of confusion that [Benjamin] Netanyahu and his army are living in”.
According to Al Jazeera, he said that “the victory that Netanyahu imagines is a mirage and a distant dream thanks to the steadfastness of our people and our valiant resistance”.
Al-Rishq added that Israel’s attempt to use the escalation of “barbaric aggression” against civilians as a means of pressure to achieve its goals would not work.
Britain's deputy PM defends Israel
Britain's deputy prime minister defended on Tuesday Israel's right to protect itself amid growing tension between the Middle Eastern country and its biggest backers, but called for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza on humanitarian grounds.
Oliver Dowden said the British government was "continuously" urging Israel to abide by international humanitarian law and had also raised concerns about getting aid into Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis is raging after six months of fighting.
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Israel team to visit US over Biden concerns on Rafah
US President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that an Israeli military operation in Rafah would deepen anarchy in Gaza and they agreed that teams from each side would meet in Washington to discuss it, the White House said.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters the two countries would have a comprehensive discussion on the way forward in Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis is raging after six months of fighting.
Gaza headed towards famine amid Israeli aid curbs
More than 70 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is facing “catastrophic hunger”, according to a UN-backed report.
Food insecurity in Gaza has become deeper and wider and the trend in acute malnutrition is steeply rising.
The report says the latest data shows that people are resorting to eating animal fodder, scavenging or begging.
Northern Gaza could be hit by famine any time between now and May, the report adds.
New Israeli air raid on Gaza City
Israeli air strikes have hit Gaza City’s Yarmouk neighbourhood.
The area is crowded with residential homes and buildings. The targeted location has not yet been determined.
Footage verified by Al Jazeera shows plumes of smoke rising above numerous high-rise buildings in the area in the aftermath of the strikes.
We’ll bring you more on this as we have it.
Gaza death toll climbs
At least 31,819 people have been killed and 73,934 wounded by Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, according to the latest figures shared by the Health Ministry.
The statement added that 93 people were killed and 142 wounded in the past 24 hours.
How far can the current ceasefire talks go?
The latest round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas reportedly began in Qatar on Monday night, as an Israeli delegation considers a captives-for-ceasefire proposal presented by the Palestinian group.
An Israeli delegation, along with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, will discuss Hamas’s three-stage plan to end the war, which would see the release of all captives from the October 7 attacks in exchange for 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, among other conditions.
Israeli officials estimate negotiations in Doha could take at least two weeks.
If successful, this would be the second halt in fighting, after a temporary humanitarian pause was secured on November 22. The deal lasted seven days before the Israeli military resumed its assault on Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire by firing towards Israel.
Netanyahu claimed that Hamas violated the truce by not agreeing to release further captives held in Gaza, leading to the breakdown of subsequent negotiations.
What happened when Israel pounded areas around al-Shifa Hospital
Israeli attacks on residential buildings in the vicinity of al-Shifa Hospital have resulted in further killings and injuries, Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif reports.
One building on Jalaa Street was reduced to rubble, with Israeli jets and drones hovering overhead. One of the victims killed as a result of the air strikes was a young girl.
Residents and neighbours used their bare hands to try and pull out the victims from under the rubble.
“For God’s sake, I have nowhere to go… all my family were killed,” a young boy is heard crying. “I have nowhere to go, for God’s sake.”
Al-Shifa Hospital and the surrounding area remain besieged by Israeli forces, resulting in a complete lack of medical assistance or activity from civil defence teams, as no ambulance or rescue teams are able to reach the area.
UNICEF official slams world’s ‘shocking inaction’ on impending famine in Gaza
Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s regional director for Middle East and North Africa, has called for the opening of all crossings into Gaza after a UN-backed report warned of imminent famine in northern parts of the enclave.
“The IPC findings on #Gaza confirm what we have been warning about of impending famine for months now,” she said in a post on X.
“The world’s inaction is shocking as more children succumb to a slow death. All border crossings must open now to allow unfettered access of humanitarian aid.”
How the uncommitted vote against Biden’s Gaza policy is going ‘national’
The organisers of Listen to Michigan – an effort to protest against Joe Biden’s policy towards Israel’s war in Gaza – have a message for the United States president: The conflict is not a “niche” issue for only some segments of the political left.
Listen to Michigan emerged earlier this year as a grassroots movement focused on the state’s primary. It called on voters to cast “uncommitted votes” instead of backing Biden’s re-election effort, in an attempt to signal displeasure over the president’s stance on the war.
But that movement has kicked off a domino effect in other key states, with similar “protest votes” emerging. On Monday, Listen to Michigan unveiled plans to take its campaign to the national stage.
Blinken to travel to Saudi Arabia, Egypt to discuss truce deal
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza and increase the amount of humanitarian aid entering the besieged enclave, the State Department has announced.
Spokesman Matthew Miller said Blinken, who is currently in the Philippines, is scheduled to meet with Saudi officials in Jeddah on Wednesday, followed by a visit to Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian authorities.
Trudeau raises concern over Rafah offensive in call with Israeli minister
More on the phone call between Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz.
Trudeau’s office has released a statement saying that the Canadian leader shared concerns over the planned Israeli offensive on Rafah, highlighting “the severe humanitarian implications” of such a move for all civilians taking refuge in the southern city.
The prime minister also “underscored the need to increase the volume of life-saving humanitarian aid for civilians and to ensure aid reaches all those in need, safely and without delay”, it said.
Earlier, Gantz posted on X saying he spoke out against a parliamentary resolution in Canada that calls for the official recognition of the State of Palestine.
Israel, Hamas begin truce talks in Doha: Reports
US and Israeli media outlets say Israel and Hamas have resumed indirect negotiations in Qatar’s capital, Doha.
Axios, citing two unnamed Israeli officials and a source with direct knowledge, said the Israeli delegation headed by Mossad chief David Barnea met with Qatari and Egyptian mediators led by Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.
A senior Israeli official told the US news website that the current round of talks could take at least two weeks and that the Israeli delegation will stay in Doha for the detailed talks with Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
The mediators are moving between Israeli and Hamas delegations who are located in separate parts of the same compound in Doha, the official said.
“It is going to be a long, difficult and complex process but we want to try and get a deal,” the official was quoted as saying.
The Time of Israel news website, citing other Israeli media outlets, also said talks have kicked off. It added that Barnea was likely to return to Israel on Tuesday, while the Israeli negotiating team would remain in Doha.
There was no immediate comment from Hamas or the mediating countries.
Famine expected in Gaza between now and May
Northern Gaza could be hit by famine any time between mid-March and May and more than 70 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is facing “catastrophic hunger”, according to a UN-backed report.
The document, published on Monday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), said Palestinians in Gaza are resorting to eating animal fodder, scavenging or begging, particularly in northern Gaza, where 27 children have died of malnutrition amid an Israeli siege.
US destroys Houthi anti-ship missiles, drones in Yemen
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) says it destroyed “seven anti-ship missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and three weapons storage containers” in attacks on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said it determined that “these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region”.
Israeli attack on Jabalia kills eight Palestinians, including children
Israeli forces have shelled a house in Jabalia in northern Gaza on Monday evening, killing at least eight Palestinians, including children, according to the Wafa news agency.
Citing witnesses, the agency said the house belonged to the al-Banna family and was destroyed completely. Many others were wounded, it said.
Earlier, we reported on an Israeli attack on Rafah that killed at least 14 Palestinians.
Imminent famine in north Gaza ‘entirely manmade’: UN chief
Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the UN, has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire after a new report warned that northern Gaza could be hit by famine any time between mid-March and May.
“The imminent famine in the northern part of Gaza is an entirely manmade disaster,” Guterres said in a post on X.
“We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable, the unjustifiable.”
Gaza's catastrophic food shortage; two out of every 10,000 people dying daily, says monitor
CAIRO/JERUSALEM/LONDON (Reuters) – Extreme food shortages in parts of the Gaza Strip have already exceeded famine levels, and mass death is now imminent without an immediate ceasefire and surge of food to areas cut off by fighting, the global hunger monitor said on Monday.
The Integrated Food-Security Phase Classification (IPC), whose assessments are relied on by UN agencies, said 70% of people in parts of northern Gaza were suffering the most severe level of food shortage, more than triple the 20% threshold to be considered famine.
EU foreign ministers have “unanimously” approved sanctions against violent settlers who harass Palestinians in the West Bank.
Northern Gaza could be hit by famine any time between mid-March and May and more than 70 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is facing “catastrophic hunger”, a UN-backed report has warned.
Israel blocked him from entering Gaza: UNRWA chief
Cairo (AFP) – The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Monday Israel had blocked him from entering the war-torn and besieged Gaza Strip where the UN has warned of impending famine.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said he had "intended to go into Rafah today, but was informed my entry had been declined," speaking in a Cairo joint press conference with Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Israel asks World Court not to order new measures over Gaza hunger
THE HAGUE (Reuters) – Israel has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) not to issue emergency orders for it to step up humanitarian aid to Gaza to address a looming famine, dismissing South Africa's request to do so as "morally repugnant".
In a legal filing to the United Nations' top court, made public on Monday, Israel said it "has real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking" in Gaza during the war.
