Earlier reports suggested progress in Israel-Hamas talks for a 30-day ceasefire, including the release of hostages and prisoners, along with increased aid to Gaza. However, on Wednesday, the likelihood of such an agreement seemed remote…reports Asian Lite News
Intense Israeli airstrikes in Gaza overnight resulted in a reported 125 casualties, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled region. This happened when talks in Cairo aimed at achieving a ceasefire were ongoing.
The UN humanitarian agency OCHA noted that Israeli forces issued new evacuation orders for a part of Khan Younis, impacting around half a million residents and displaced individuals amid the ongoing conflict.
Israeli forces also cut off southern Gaza’s main hospitals in their assault on Khan Younis, Palestinian officials said, and closed the main escape route for hundreds of thousands of residents and people who have sought refuge there, the Arab News reported.
In response to questions about the fire at the center — run by UNRWA, the UN relief organization for the Palestinians — the Israeli military said the wider area was a significant base of Hamas militants.
“Dismantling Hamas’ military framework in western Khan Yunis is the heart of the logic behind the operation,” it said.
Earlier reports suggested progress in Israel-Hamas talks for a 30-day ceasefire, including the release of hostages and prisoners, along with increased aid to Gaza. However, on Wednesday, the likelihood of such an agreement seemed remote.
In their biggest operation in a month, Israeli tanks have pushed through Khan Younis, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering after leaving the north — the early focus of the war, it was reported.
Meanwhile, The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will on Friday rule whether or not to grant emergency measures against Israel following accusations by South Africa that the Israeli military operation in Gaza is a state-led “genocide.”
A “public sitting” will take place at 1 pm on Friday at the Peace Palace in The Hague during which Judge Joan E. Donoghue will read the court order, a release issued by the ICJ said.
“On Friday 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice will deliver its Order on the Request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel),” the release said.
“A public sitting will take place at 1 p.m. at the Peace Palace in The Hague, during which Judge Joan E. Donoghue, the President of the Court, will read the Court's Order,” the release added.
South Africa has lodged an urgent appeal to the ICJ to force Israel to “immediately suspend” its military operations in the Gaza Strip.
South Africa has based its accusation both on actions taken by Israel throughout the war and controversial comments made by Israeli officials regarding Palestinians in Gaza and how they should be treated.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently declared an unwavering commitment to dismantling Hamas, asserting that “nobody will stop us”, CNN reported.
In a press briefing, Netanyahu dismissed potential interference from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and other entities, including what he referred to as the “axis of evil” led by Iran.
“Nobody will stop us – not The Hague, not the axis of evil, and not anybody else,” Netanyahu stated emphatically, rebuffing the genocide accusations levelled against Israel at the ICJ.
He characterised the claims as a “hypocritical onslaught” orchestrated by those seeking to perpetrate another Holocaust against the Jewish people, as reported by CNN.
Describing the situation as a “moral low point in the history of nations,” Netanyahu highlighted alleged instances of antisemitism discovered in Hamas-controlled areas.
He claimed that anti-Semitic materials, including copies of Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf,” were found in Hamas tunnels in Gaza. Additionally, Netanyahu asserted that a child’s tablet with a screensaver featuring Hitler was discovered in a home in Gaza.
Despite acknowledging the persistence of antisemitism, Netanyahu underscored the resilience of the Jewish people, vowing to continue the fight “until the end.”
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