Live Updates:Israel plans new West Bank settlements on eve of truce talks

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

1224 GMT –– Israel has published plans for one of its proposed new settlements in the occupied West Bank, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said, upping the ante a day before planned new Gaza peace talks.

The far-right minister said the move was a response to actions by the Palestinian West Bank leadership and countries which have recognised a Palestinian state.

"No anti-Israel or anti-Zionist decision will stop the development of the settlement. We will continue to fight against the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state. This is the mission of my life," said Smotrich.

Most United Nations member states consider settlements built in the West Bank and other territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war to be illegal under international law. Israel disputes this, citing the Jewish people's historical and biblical ties to the land.

1147 GMT –– Spain condemns Israeli minister's raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque complex

The Spanish government condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem.

On Tuesday, the far-right minister, alongside more than 2,000 radical Israelis, stormed the complex, praying, waving flags and singing the national anthem, despite Jewish religious rights being banned at the holy sites.

In a video he filmed, Ben-Gvir said: "Our policy is to enable Jewish prayer." He also promised to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza.

In a statement, Spain's Foreign Ministry called this provocation an "unacceptable violation of the historic status quo of the Jerusalem Holy Sites".

1138 GMT –– Japan to consider recognition of Palestine in a 'comprehensive manner'

Tokyo will consider recognising an independent state of Palestine in a "comprehensive manner", Japanese officials told Anadolu news agency, pitching Tokyo's "unique" role to move toward a two-state solution in the Middle East.

Japan does not recognise Palestine as an independent state but hosts the semi-status diplomatic mission, known as the Permanent General Mission of Palestine in Tokyo.

The diplomatic mission representing the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) government opened in 1977, and is headed by Ambassador Waleed Siam, who had told Anadolu news agency that Japan is "now studying seriously, and also South Korea, recognising the state of Palestine".

"They know that recognising the state of Palestine does not hinder future peace talks between us and Israelis," Siam said in a virtual interview early this month.

"Japan continues to support a 'two-state solution' through negotiations between the parties," Foreign Ministry officials told Anadolu news agency in an email interview.

1128 GMT –– Diplomatic solution for Israel-Hezbollah conflict 'achievable': US envoy

US envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein said that a diplomatic solution to avoid a war between Israel and Hezbollah is still "achievable".

The conflict between "Hezbollah and Israel has gone on for long enough", Hochstein said following his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut.

He said that a diplomatic resolution is "both achievable and urgent".

The US envoy noted that reaching a ceasefire in Gaza will create proper conditions to de-escalate the situation between Lebanon and Israel.

Berri "and I agreed there is no more time to waste and there are no more valid excuses from any party for any further delay", Hochstein said.

1049 GMT –– UNICEF official decries dire situation for children in besieged Gaza

A UNICEF spokesperson expressed deep concern over the plight of children in besieged Gaza, saying the ongoing offensive has deprived them of sleep, safety and a chance at a normal childhood.

In an interview following his recent mission to Gaza, Saleem Oweis, communication officer for UNICEF in the Middle East and North Africa, shared his observations and the severe challenges facing children in the region.

After visiting areas including Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and northern Gaza, he said they looked almost like a set from a disaster film, but with devastating real-life consequences.

"The depth of destruction, suffering, and displacement is so huge," Oweis said. "What we see on screens is just part of the reality. Being there, you can feel the extreme situation."

1019 GMT –– Israeli army detects rocket fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel

The Israeli army said it detected an anti-tank rocket fired from Lebanon toward the Israeli northern Metula town.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, the rocket did not cause any casualties or damage.

The Hezbollah group, for its part, said it targeted spy equipment in the Israeli army's Metula military post with appropriate weapons.

1018 GMT –– Israeli army kills 36 more Palestinians in Gaza, bringing tally to 39,965

The Israeli army killed 36 more Palestinians in attacks in Gaza, taking the overall death toll to 39,965 since last October 7, the Health Ministry in the enclave said.

A ministry statement added that some 92,294 others have been injured in the assault.

"Israeli forces killed 36 people and injured 54 others in two 'massacres' against families in the last 24 hours," the ministry also said. "Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them," it added.

1013 GMT –– Details emerge in Gaza ceasefire, hostage swap negotiations

Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire and prisoner exchange in Gaza have entered the final stages of a draft agreement, with new details emerging about the talks, security sources said.

Under the draft agreement, ongoing discussions between Israel and Hamas are centred on a proposal that would see the release of 12 Palestinian prisoners for each Israeli hostage held by Hamas.

Israel has agreed to release prisoners serving less than 30 years but is seeking veto power over the release of those sentenced to more than 30 years.

Currently, about 50 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including prominent Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, are serving sentences of over 30 years. Israel is demanding the right to veto the release of these individuals.

0930 GMT –– Gaza wakes up to Israeli strikes across the enclave, 20 killed

At least 20 Palestinians were killed and several others injured early morning in Israeli bombings across Gaza.

Seven people were killed in Israeli bombardment of a home in Nuseirat camp.

In Khan Younis, Four Palestinians were killed in an Israeli bombardment of family apartment and two Palestinians were killed and others injured by Israeli snipers in the town of Bani Suhaila, east of the city.

Three Palestinians were killed and others injured in a raid targeting a house in Al-Maghazi camp.

Two Palestinians were killed and others injured in a bombing of a residential apartment in Beit Lahia project area in the northern Gaza.

Artillery shelling also hit Rafah, Al-Sabra, and Al-Zeitoun neighbourhoods in Gaza City.

0733 GMT –– Israeli forces, Palestinian fighters clash in occupied West Bank

Israeli troops killed five Palestinians in air strikes and a raid in the north of the occupied West Bank, sources on both sides said.

The Israeli army said it "carried out air strikes on several armed terrorists" in the town of Tammun, five kilometres (three miles) from Tubas.

Tubas governor Ahmad Saad told AFP news agency that four Palestinians were killed in Tammun and one in Tubas.

"The (Israeli) forces are withholding the bodies of the five martyrs, and when we inquired with the liaison office, we were officially informed about the five martyrs," Saad said.

Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported that "the army entered Tubas at dawn and shot and killed a young man hiding in his home".

0630 GMT –– Israeli forces kill man in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army raided the city of Tubas in the northern occupied West Bank early, killing a Palestinian man after surrounding his home.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the man as Fayez Abu Amer, stating that he was killed after being detained by Israeli forces who had besieged his residence.

According to an Anadolu news agency correspondent, the Israeli military's raid on Tubas led to confrontations with local Palestinians.

Simultaneously, the Israeli army also conducted a raid in the nearby town of Tamun, storming several homes.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that one Palestinian was seriously wounded in the raid and was taken to Tubas government hospital.

0554 GMT –– Palestinian teen killed by Israeli sniper near East Jerusalem

Shadi Sheha, 16, was fatally shot while working at a car wash by an Israeli army sniper on Tuesday night in Anata, east of occupied East Jerusalem.

According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, local sources reported that Sheha was targeted by an Israeli army sniper stationed inside the Pisgat Ze'ev settlement.

0534 GMT — Palestine envoy urges UNSC 'it is time to sanction' Israel

Palestine's envoy to the UN, Riyad Mansour, urged the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel amid its ongoing carnage on civilians across besieged Gaza.

"Israel continues taking human lives and every action possible to spread wildfires across the Middle East as we sit here on the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions," Mansour said during an urgent Security Council session requested by Algeria after Israel carried out a deadly air strike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians.

"Let me state the obvious. Israel does not care about your condemnations... It dismisses your resolutions. It does not even listen to your debates," Mansour said, referring to Israeli envoy to the UN Gilad Erdan.

0438 GMT — US claims to have destroyed two Houthi vessels in Red Sea

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that it destroyed two Houthi vessels in the Red Sea, noting they presented a "clear and imminent threat" to US and coalition forces in the region.

"This reckless and dangerous behaviour by Iranian-backed Houthis continues to threaten regional stability and security," CENTCOM wrote on X.

03:14 GMT — UNSC blames US for delivering weapons to Israel after school attack

UN Security Council members denounced the Israeli military's recent attack on a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza that killed at least 100 Palestinians, while Russia and China held the US accountable for the incident due to weapons support.

"When pushing for Security Council Resolution 2735, the US claimed that Israel had accepted a ceasefire agreement, but the reality is quite the opposite," Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of China to the UN, told the Council during an emergency session on Palestine that was requested by Algeria.

Saying there are no "credible signs of Israel's commitment to a ceasefire," Cong said, "what we see is ever-expanding military operations and ever-rising civilian casualties."

02:48 GMT — Hamas slams Israel's use of Palestinians as shields in Gaza

Palestinian resistance group Hamas has issued a strong condemnation in response to a recent investigation by Israel's Haaretz daily, which uncovered the Israeli army's systematic use of Palestinian civilians as human shields during the invasion of besieged Gaza.

The report, which detailed how Palestinians, including minors and the elderly, were forced to accompany Israeli soldiers while inspecting tunnels and buildings, has sparked outrage among Palestinian leaders.

Hamas leader Izzat al-Rishq released a statement describing the actions revealed in the Haaretz investigation as clear war crimes that necessitate international condemnation and legal pursuit.

02:13 GMT — US approves $20B weapon sales to Israel

US President Joe Biden's administration has approved more than $20 billion in new weapons sales to Israel, brushing aside pressure from rights activists to stop arms deliveries over the death toll in Gaza.

In a notification to Congress, the State Department said it had approved a sale of 50 F-15 fighter jets to Israel for $18.82 billion.

Israel will also buy nearly 33,000 tank cartridges, up to 50,000 explosive mortar cartridges and new military cargo vehicles.

02:00 GMT — Blinken urges Israel to prevent repeat of Ben Gvir's provocation at Al-Aqsa

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent further "provocative actions" after a far-right minister led prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site.

In a strongly worded statement after his spokesman already offered criticism, Blinken said that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir showed "blatant disregard" for the status quo at the site sacred to Jews and Muslims alike.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu's office has made clear that the actions of Minister Ben Gvir are inconsistent with Israeli policy. We will look to the government of Israel to prevent similar incidents in the future," Blinken said.

For our live updates from Tuesday, August 13, 2024, click here.