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SvennoJ on 30 May 2024
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Palestine Foreign Ministry welcomes China-Arab forum joint statement

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry says the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in Beijing has agreed on a number of positions, including:

  • Calling for another UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza
  • Condemning starvation of Palestinians in the enclave
  • Supporting full membership of Palestine in the UN
  • Protecting UNRWA and maintaining its funding
  • Recognising the Palestinian Authority as the sole official representative of Palestinians
  • Calling for an international peace conference for Gaza




Hamas informs mediators of readiness to reach ‘full agreement’ with Israel

“We informed the mediators today of our clear position that if the occupation stops its war and aggression against our people in Gaza, we are ready to reach a full agreement that includes a comprehensive exchange deal”, a statement from the group, published on its Telegram channel, reads.

Hamas has long maintained that Israel ending its war on the Gaza Strip is a necessary condition for any further negotiation on an exchange of Israeli captives held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

“We showed flexibility and positivity with the efforts of the mediators over the previous rounds of negotiations, leading to the announcement of the approval of the mediators’ proposal on May 6,” the statement continues, referring to when, earlier this month, Hamas announced that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal put forward by mediators Qatar and Egypt.

Israel promptly rejected this advance from Hamas, and then on May 7 began its long-feared offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Israel “responded to our positive position by invading the city of Rafah and occupying the crossing, and provided remarks leading to the disruption of the mediators’ efforts”, Hamas alleges in its statement.


UNRWA has ‘not received’ letter from Israel to vacate East Jerusalem

A UN spokesperson says a letter allegedly sent by Israel to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees to vacate its headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem has yet to be received.

“Well, we’ve seen the media reports. I spoke to my colleagues at UNRWA who have not received anything, any official written communication. And I can tell you that they see this as the ongoing pattern of harassment of UNRWA, its workers and its facilities,” Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

He said nothing has been received “as of a half an hour ago”. His remarks came after the Israel Land Authority ordered UNRWA to evacuate its headquarters within 30 days.

According to The Times of Israel, the authority said the UN agency owes it “$7,326,711.19 for operating on land belonging to Israel without consent for the last seven years”.

 

‘World must act to hold the perpetrators accountable’

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini says at least 192 of the agency’s staff have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the war began.

At least 450 Palestinians have been killed while seeking shelter at UN-operated facilities with more than 170 Israeli attacks on UN buildings, he said in an opinion in the New York Times.

“The war in Gaza has produced a blatant disregard for the mission of the United Nations, including outrageous attacks on the employees, facilities, and operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,” Lazzarini wrote.

“These attacks must stop and the world must act to hold the perpetrators accountable.”

 

MSF closes another care facility, blames Israeli attacks

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says that it has been “forced” to close another primary care facility in Gaza, this one in the al-Mawasi area, blaming Israel’s offensive on the southern city of Rafah.

“This is the second health facility we have been forced to close this week and another step in Israel’s systematic dismantling of Gaza’s health system. Since February, we have treated over 33,000 patients at the health centre,” MSF announced in a post on X.

Earlier this week, after Israeli attacks on Tal as-Sultan, near Rafah, killed many Palestinians, MSF also closed its care facility there, citing “extreme violence”.

“MSF has been forced to leave 14 medical facilities in Gaza since October,” it said.

 

Humanitarian needs at ‘unprecedented levels’ in Gaza: ICRC

The picture in southern Gaza’s Rafah is “devastating” as the Israeli army is expanding its ground invasion of the area, killing and displacing more civilians, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

William Schomburg, head organisation’s Gaza subdelegation, says “there’s an overwhelming sense of fear and panic”.

“The operation in Rafah intensified and there have been yet further displacement. I can look out now and see hordes of people scraping together everything they have and trying to get out of there, whether it’s on foot, donkey or car.”