Live Updates: Hamas shows 'flexibility' for truce amid Israeli reluctance

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

0519 GMT — The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has said in a statement they will continue negotiating through mediators until they reach a ceasefire agreement with the Israelis.

"We are showing the required flexibility in order to reach a comprehensive cessation of aggression against our people, but the occupation is still evading the entitlements of this agreement," Hamas added.

Negotiators from Hamas, Qatar and Egypt — but not Israel — are in Cairo trying to secure a 40-day ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in time for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins early next week.

0330 GMT — Blinken meets Qatari counterpart for ceasefire in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with his Qatari counterpart amid efforts to reach a six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in exchange for a hostage deal.

Blinken said ahead of his meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the State Department that there is an "opportunity for an immediate ceasefire that can bring hostages home, that can dramatically increase the amount of humanitarian assistance getting to Palestinians who so desperately need it, and can also set the conditions for an enduring resolution."

"And it is on Hamas to make decisions about whether it is prepared to engage in that ceasefire," he added.

0123 GMT — US says shot down missile, drones launched by Yemen's Houthi

A US destroyer has shot down drones and a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi toward it in the Red Sea, American officials said, as the Indian navy released images of it fighting a fire aboard a container ship earlier targeted by the Houthis.

The Houthi attack involved bomb-carrying drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile, the US military's Central Command said.

The US later launched an air strike, destroying three anti-ship missiles and three bomb-carrying drone boats, Central Command said.

0118 GMT — Trump supports Israel in its Gaza carnage

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has expressed his support for Israel's carnage in besieged Gaza, in his most explicit comments yet on the fighting, as international pressure grows on the United States to rein in its ally.

"Yes," Trump responded when asked during an interview on Fox News if he was "in Israel's camp."

The interviewer then asked if the former president was "on board" with the way Israel was executing its invasion in Gaza.

"You've got to finish the problem," Trump responded.

0107 GMT — Chile excludes Israeli firms from LatAm's top aerospace fair

Chile has said it will exclude Israeli firms from Latin America's biggest aerospace fair, to be held in Santiago in April.

"By decision of the Government of Chile, the 2024 version of the International Air and Space Fair [FIDAE], to be held between 9 and 14 April, will not have the participation of Israeli companies," a Defence Ministry statement said.

It did not give a reason, but the government of leftist President Gabriel Boric has been critical of what he has called Israel's "disproportionate" response to the October 7 surprise blitz by Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

0052 GMT — US says Israeli ministers blocking Gaza aid deliveries

The US State Department said that extremist Israeli ministers are preventing aid deliveries from entering the besieged Gaza, raising questions about the legality of continued US assistance to Israel.

"Some of the obstacles that we have seen from the Israeli political establishment, you have seen ministers in the Israeli government block the release of flour from the port at Ashdod. You have seen ministers of the Israeli government supporting protests that blocked aid from going into Karem Shalom [Karem Abu Salem]," spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, referring to a key border crossing between Israel and Gaza.

0036 GMT — US pushes UN to back temporary Gaza truce to free captives

The United States has revised language in a draft United Nations Security Council resolution to back "an immediate ceasefire of roughly six weeks in Gaza together with the release of all hostages," according to the text seen by the Reuters news agency.

The third revision of the text — first proposed by the US two weeks ago — now reflects blunt remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris.

The initial US draft had shown support for "a temporary ceasefire" in Israel's carnage on the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

2203 GMT — '62% of pro-Biden voters' oppose US arms transfer to Israel

More than 50 percent of Americans oppose arms shipments to Israel and 62 percent of respondents who voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 want US to halt weapon transfer to Tel Aviv until its attacks end against besieged Gaza, while only 30 percent of Trump voters support halt, according to a US think tank.

"Fifty-two percent of Americans agree that the US government should halt weapons shipments to Israel until Israel stops its attacks on Gaza," the Center for Economic and Policy Research [CEPR] said in a statement, citing a new YouGov poll it commissioned.

CEPR said the poll revealed, "a major partisan split as 62 percent of the respondents who voted for President [Joe] Biden in 2020 agree with the statement 'The US should stop weapons shipments to Israel until Israel discontinues its attacks on the people of Gaza,' while just 14 percent disagree."

The poll was conducted between February 27 — March 1.

2300 GMT — Protesters demand Gaza ceasefire during sit-in at Dutch parliament

A group of protesters have staged a sit-in in the Dutch parliament in The Hague, the Netherlands in solidarity with Palestinians.

The demonstrators occupied the entrance hall, chanting slogans such as "The Netherlands, shame on you," "Ceasefire now" and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

During a session held by lawmakers, another group hung a Palestinian flag in the visitors ' area in the House of Representatives. Police later dragged the protesters away.

2234 GMT — French minister says Israeli war in Gaza must stop

Israel's brutal war on besieged Gaza must stop, as the humanitarian situation there is "intolerable," France’s minister of state for development and international partnerships said.

Chrysoula Zacharopoulou stressed the "absolute necessity" for Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.

Her remarks came during a session in parliament where French opposition lawmaker Thomas Portes raised concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.

Criticising Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne's stance on Gaza, Portes said: "How long will France continue to watch the massacre in Gaza without taking action?"

2134 GMT — Pro-Palestine group sues Canada over military exports to Israel

Pro-Palestine and human rights advocates in Canada have filed a lawsuit against the federal government to stop it from allowing companies to export military goods and technology to Israel.

The lawsuit, filed in a federal court, argues that Canadian laws prevent military exports to Israel because there is "substantial risk" they could be used to violate international law and commit serious acts of violence against women and children, according to a statement from the applicants.

The applicants include the Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights group, the Palestinian organisation Al-Haq and four individuals.

For our live updates from Tuesday, March 5, click here