Live Updates: UNSC fails to adopt US-backed resolution on Gaza truce

Friday, March 22, 2024

13:30 GMT — Russia and China vetoed a US-backed draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council on a ceasefire in Gaza, with Moscow accusing Washington of a "hypocritical spectacle" that does not pressure Israel.

Russia and China both exercised their veto against the resolution, which called for an "immediate and sustained ceasefire" lasting roughly six weeks that would protect civilians and allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said it was exceedingly politicised and contained an effective green light for Israel to mount an offensive in Rafah.

12:51 GMT — Global community 'eagerly' waits for Israeli officials to be brought to justice: Türkiye

The global community “eagerly” waits for the Israeli officials "to be brought to justice” for their crimes in Gaza, the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson said.

"For the first time in history, the entire world public is eagerly awaiting the day when the Israeli officials who committed these crimes will be brought to justice," Oncu Keceli said in a statement.

The statement noted that Israeli officials attempted to conceal their crimes against Palestinians and shield themselves from accountability, adding: “They have targeted President Erdogan for speaking the entire truth.”

12:17 GMT — Thousands defy Israeli restrictions, pray at Al Aqsa Mosque

At least 120,000 Palestinian worshipers performed the second Friday prayer of the holy month of Ramadan at Al Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem, despite Israeli restrictions.

Around 120,000 Muslims performed the Friday prayer today at Al Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Azzam al Khatib, the director-general of the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem, told Anadolu.

This number is considered lower than usual for this time of Ramadan, as the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem estimated the number of worshippers to be around 250,000 on the same day last year.

11:25 GMT — UN rapporteur urges accountability in Gaza for Israeli crimes

The UN special rapporteur on Palestine said Friday that accountability is "more needed than ever," in Gaza amid ongoing committed crimes by Israel.

"The colossal amount of evidence concerning international crimes committed by Israel in Gaza just over the past six months could keep the International Criminal Court busy for the next five decades, especially at the pace of the current proceedings," Francesca Albanese said on X.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

11:14 GMT — US tells Qatar to threaten Hamas with expulsion amid cease-fire talks impasse

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Qatar to threaten Hamas with deportation from the capital Doha, home to senior Hamas members, in case the group does not agree on a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal to end the Israeli war in Gaza, CNN has reported.

Citing two US officials, the report revealed that Blinken conveyed this message to Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar, in a meeting held on March 5 in Washington.

The officials said that Qatar comprehended the message and showed no major rebuff.

10:53 GMT — Finland announces to resume funding for UN agency for Palestinian refugees

Finland will lift a freeze on aid to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), the foreign trade and development minister has announced.

Following the unproven Israeli accusation that some UNRWA staffers were involved in the Oct. 7 attacks, many countries, including Finland, suspended payments to the aid agency in late January, pe nding an investigation.

"UNRWA improving its risk management, that is, preventing and initiating close monitoring for misconduct, provides sufficient guarantees for us at this point in time to continue our support," Foreign Trade and Development Minister Ville Tavio said at a press conference in Helsinki.

10:20 GMT — Video shows Israeli drone following, killing 4 Palestinian civilians in Khan Younis

An Israeli military drone targeted and killed four Palestinian civilians with missiles in Al Sekka area in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Al Jazeera channel showed in a video aired on Thursday evening.

The scenes were captured from an Israeli drone in Khan Younis in February, showing the pursuit of the four Palestinian youth and their targeting with several missiles.

Two of them were killed with the first missile, then the third and fourth were killed with two more missiles.

09:41 GMT — Israel claims of killing 150 Palestinians near Al Shifa hospital

The number of Palestinian deaths in the Al Shifa Hospital area in western Gaza rose to 150, the Israeli army has said.

“The Israeli army and Shin Bet forces continue fighting in the area of Shifa Hospital,” the Israeli army said on X.

Israeli soldiers killed about 150 Palestinians and arrested hundreds of “suspects,” the army said.

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources said the killings and arrests included displaced civilians sheltering in the hospital.

09:00 GMT — Israeli military claims capturing hundreds of Gaza fighters

Israeli forces have detained hundreds of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters including a number of security officials and military commanders during its extended raid into Gaza's main hospital, the military's main spokesperson has claimed.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israeli troops have killed hundreds of fighters and detained over 500 suspects, including 358 members of the Palestinian resistance groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the largest number since the beginning of the war nearly six months ago.

08:30 GMT — China says supports UN Security Council taking 'meaningful' action on Gaza war

China said it supported steps by the UN Security Council to end fighting in Gaza, while not saying whether Beijing, a permanent council member with veto power, would support a US draft resolution on the need for an immediate ceasefire.

"China supports the Security Council in taking further responsible and meaningful actions as soon as possible to make unremitting efforts to end the fighting in Gaza at an early date," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said.

The United States, which has repeatedly blocked calls for a truce in Gaza, will submit for a vote on Friday a draft to the Security Council on the need for "an immediate ceasefire".

07:50 GMT — Israel restricts Palestinians’ access to Al Aqsa Mosque for 2nd Friday of Muslim holy month

Israeli authorities barred Palestinians from the occupied West Bank from entering the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem for the second consecutive Friday of the Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan.

A large number of Israeli soldiers and police are deployed throughout the city to restrict Muslim faithful access to the mosque, witnesses told Anadolu Agency.

An Anadolu correspondent pointed out that several men and women were refused entry by Israeli forces, claiming they did not obtain the necessary permits.

06:16 GMT — Blinken to press Israel for 'immediate' truce in Gaza war

Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Israel to press for a truce in Gaza, ahead of a key UN Security Council vote on a US draft resolution calling for an "immediate" ceasefire.

Israel's main backer the United States announced it would submit for a vote on Friday a draft to the Security Council on the need for an "immediate ceasefire as part of a hostage deal", after repeatedly using its veto power to block other similarly worded resolutions.

After talks in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Blinken flies to Israel, his sixth trip to the region since the war began on October 7.

05:37 GMT — UK, Australia call for 'immediate cessation of fighting' in Gaza

Britain and Australia have declared the need for an "immediate cessation of fighting" in Gaza, as diplomatic pressure built on Israel to ditch a planned ground assault on the southern city of Rafah.

After a meeting of Australian and UK foreign and defence ministers in Adelaide, the allies issued a statement that stressed the "urgency of an immediate cessation of fighting in Gaza to allow aid to flow and hostages to be released".

05:11 GMT — There is no moral argument that justifies arms sales to Israel: UN rapporteur

Providing weapons to Israel that kill more Palestinian civilians is a "war on human rights" and nothing justifies continuing arms sales, according to the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

In an op-ed published by the British daily The Guardian, Mary Lawlor evaluated the continued arms sales to Israel in the face of the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.

"There exist no moral arguments that can justify the continued sale of weapons to Israel by states that respect the principle of the universality of human rights," said the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

05:00 GMT — Footage of French-Israeli soldier mocking Palestinian torture victims ‘shocking and disgusting’

Video footage circulating on social media of a French-Israeli soldier insulting Palestinians that his unit tortured is “shocking and disgusting,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine has said.

“This footage is shocking and disgusting. As I initially stated regarding potential legal consequences: the competent authority to address crimes committed by French citizens in foreign countries is the French judiciary.

“In accordance with the constitutional principle of separation of powers, this authority is exercised independently,” he added.

4:16 GMT — EU seeks 'humanitarian pause' in Gaza as UN awaits US resolution

EU leaders have called for an "immediate humanitarian pause" in Gaza, urging measures to prevent population displacement amid ongoing Israeli aggression in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

"The EU calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire. Full & safe humanitarian access into Gaza is essential to provide the civilian population with life-saving assistance in a catastrophic situation in Gaza," European Council President Charles Michel said as a joint text agreed upon by EU’s 27 heads of state and government was released.

"The European Council calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance," the bloc said in the text published by the council.

03:41 GMT — No moral argument that justifies arms sales to Israel: UN rapporteur

Providing weapons to Israel that kill more Palestinian civilians is a "war on human rights" and nothing justifies continuing arms sales, according to the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

In an op-ed published by the British daily The Guardian, Mary Lawlor evaluated the continued arms sales to Israel in the face of the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, where nearly 32,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7 last year.

"There exist no moral arguments that can justify the continued sale of weapons to Israel by states that respect the principle of the universality of human rights," said the UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

03:10 GMT — US to bring resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza for vote in UN

The United States will bring a UN draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an Israel-Hamas hostage deal to a Security Council vote on Friday morning, a US spokesperson said.

The latest version of the draft resolution, seen by Reuters news agency, says an "immediate and sustained ceasefire" lasting roughly six weeks would protect civilians and allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The resolution "unequivocally supports ongoing international diplomatic efforts to secure such a ceasefire in connection with the release of all remaining hostages," it reads, referring to ongoing talks brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

02:28 GMT — Expulsion out of Rafah would take 'weeks': CENTCOM chief

The head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said that expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza's southern city of Rafah would take "weeks."

That was Michael "Erik" Kurilla's response to being asked by a lawmaker on the Senate House Armed Services Committee if 1.3 million residents could be moved from Rafah for a possible Israel invasion "in two weeks."

He said he could not give a timeframe "without seeing their [Israel's] definitive plan."

For our live updates from Thursday, March 21, click here.