Live Updates: Egypt is hopeful of Gaza ceasefire deal in coming days — Sisi

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

13:12 GMT –– Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi said that he is hopeful for a ceasefire deal in Gaza in the coming few days.

"We hope that a ceasefire will be reached in the coming days to start a real relief for our people in Gaza in all fields," Sisi said at an event in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

Egypt, Qatar and the US are mediating between Israel and Hamas to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-prisoner swap.

Hamas, which is believed to be holding more than 130 Israeli hostages, demands an end to Israel’s deadly offensive in return for any hostage-prisoner swap deal with Tel Aviv.

14:45 GMT –– Possible Gaza ceasefire should not collapse: Sunak

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak extended the UK's support for Washington's efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza but expressed concern that if the agreement collapsed "within days," it would not be in everyone's favour.

Speaking to parliamentarians at the House of Commons, Sunak responded when asked if he shares the same stance as US President Joe Biden, who recently said he hopes ceasefire negotiations will be completed by this weekend.

He added that the UK should be proud of the contribution of "life-saving aid" to the people of Gaza.

14:03 GMT –– UN refugee agency unable to safely deliver aid to northern Gaza amid Israeli fire

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said it is still unable to safely deliver humanitarian aid to northern Gaza amid Israeli fire.

We "have been unable to reach northern Gaza and increasingly parts of southern Gaza, safely," UNRWA said in a statement. "Aid convoys reportedly continue to come under fire and are denied access by the Israeli authorities."

The refugee agency said that humanitarian aid flows into Gaza have dropped by 50 percent in February.

"The number of trucks entering Gaza remains well below the target of 500 per day, with significant difficulties bringing supplies in through both Kerem Shalom and Rafah," it added. "UNRWA trucks have struggled to enter the Gaza Strip due to security constraints and temporary closures at both crossings."

13:10 GMT –– Another 26 Israeli soldiers injured in Gaza fighting: military

Another 26 Israeli soldiers were injured in clashes in Gaza in the last 24 hours, according to the military.

Figures released by the army showed that 1,429 soldiers had been wounded since Israel expanded its ground offensive in Gaza on October 27, 2023.

According to military figures, at least 582 soldiers have been killed and 3,007 others injured since the outbreak of the conflict on October 7.

12:22 GMT –– Israel won’t make gains in Gaza via political deals: Hamas

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said that Israel and the US will not achieve through political deals what they failed to accomplish on the field in Gaza.

His statements came amid talks for a Gaza cease-fire and hostage-prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel.

"We tell Israel and the US that what they failed to impose in Gaza will not be achieved through political plots,” Haniyeh said at an event in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. He hinted that the Palestinian resistance group is ready to continue its fighting against Israeli forces during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, due to start next week.

The Hamas leader said Israeli threats to launch a ground attack in Rafah in southern Gaza "reflect the Nazi nature of the Israeli army."

11:54 GMT –– The Israeli army said that it hit Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon after detecting the launch of 10 missiles toward northern Israel.

Warplanes attacked a Hezbollah weapons depot and military structures in the vicinity of the Rameh area, southern Lebanon, the army said in a statement.

After receiving alerts in the Kiryat Shmona area, the army identified 10 missiles launched from Lebanon toward the Israeli territory, the statement added. Air defences successfully intercepted several missiles, it noted, adding that the army responded to the sources of fire within Lebanon.

The Army radio said a missile launched from Lebanon fell on a building in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, without any casualties reported.

12:22 GMT –– Israel won’t make gains in Gaza via political deals: Hamas

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said that Israel and the US will not achieve through political deals what they failed to accomplish on the field in Gaza.

His statements came amid talks for a Gaza cease-fire and hostage-prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel.

"We tell Israel and the US that what they failed to impose in Gaza will not be achieved through political plots,” Haniyeh said at an event in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. He hinted that the Palestinian resistance group is ready to continue its fighting against Israeli forces during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, due to start next week.

The Hamas leader said Israeli threats to launch a ground attack in Rafah in southern Gaza "reflect the Nazi nature of the Israeli army."

10:34 GMT –– Israel detains 35 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has detained at least 35 more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

According to a joint statement by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoner Society, the new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since Oct. 7 to 7,305.

According to figures by the two rights groups, the total number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails exceeds 9,000, including 3,484 held under administrative detention with no trial or charge, 200 children, and 70 women.

10:29 GMT — Palestinian death toll hits 29,954 in Israel's Gaza war

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has said that at least 29,954 people have been killed in the territory during Israel's onslaught.

The toll includes at least 76 deaths in the past 24 hours, while 70,325 people have been wounded since the attacks began on October 7, a ministry statement said.

09:43 GMT — Al-Qassam Brigades says missiles bombed Israeli headquarters in north

The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas has said it launched two missile salvos consisting of 40 Grad missiles from southern Lebanon into northern Israel.

Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement on its Telegram channel it had bombed the headquarters of the 769th Eastern Brigade and the airport barracks in Beit Hilal.

09:12 GMT — Hamas, Fatah to meet in Moscow for unified Palestine: report

Representatives of Hamas and Fatah will meet in Moscow on February 29 to discuss the formation of a unified Palestinian government and the rebuilding of Israel's besieged Gaza, the RIA state news agency has reported, citing the Palestinian ambassador to Russia.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov also confirmed to RIA Novosti that such a meeting was planned.

08:45 GMT — Palestine demands Israel cover Gaza reconstruction costs

The Palestinian Authority has demanded that Israel bear the financial burden of rebuilding Gaza and to demonstrate a greater commitment to maintaining the two-state solution.

"Israel must be held accountable for the devastation and casualties in the Gaza Strip and assume the responsibility for its reconstruction,'' Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said during a meeting with Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tsuji Kiyoto in Ramallah.

Shtayyeh's government will serve as a caretaker administration until a new government can be formed after he resigned on Monday.

08:00 GMT — US says Israel has not presented plan to protect civilians in case of Rafah invasion

The US has not been presented with any Israeli plan to secure the safety of civilians in Gaza in case of a military invasion on Rafah, the White House said.

"We've not been presented one. I can't speak for the Israelis and to what degree their planning has progressed and what that looks like," said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby at a press briefing.

Israel is planning to expand its ground invasion to Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city along the border with Egypt and home to 1.4 million Palestinians, amid international warnings about the consequences of such a decision.

For our live updates from Tuesday, February 27, click here.