Closing summary
Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
At least 32,333 Palestinians have been killed and 74,694 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said on Monday. The latest figures include at least 21 Palestinians who were reportedly killed by an Israeli airstrike on an apartment block in central Gaza late on Sunday.
The UN security council voted to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the first time since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, after the US dropped a threat to veto, in a significant break with the Israeli government, bringing it to near total isolation on the world stage. The US abstained in a vote in Monday’s security council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan”. It also demanded the release of hostages by Hamas, but did not make the ceasefire dependent on hostage release, a linkage the US had previously insisted on.
Hamas welcomed the resolution and said it stood ready for an immediate exchange of prisoners with Israel, raising hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations under way in Doha, where intelligence chiefs and other officials from the US, Egypt and Qatar are seeking to broker a deal that would involve the release of some hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian detainees and prisoners, and a truce that would last an initial six weeks.
After the UN vote, the office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a planned visit to Washington by two of his ministers, intended to discuss a planned Israeli offensive on Rafah, which the US opposes. The White House said it was “very disappointed” by the decision. Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz argued that the visit should go ahead.
Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, will still meet with US defense secretary Lloyd Austin and other senior US officials despite the cancellation of a separate visit by an Israeli delegation to Washington. The meeting, set to take place at the Pentagon on Tuesday, will cover a range of topics including the release of hostages held by Hamas and the need for more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the Pentagon’s press secretary said.
Israel confirmed it will cease working with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), accusing the organisation of “perpetuating the conflict”. Unrwa has provided essential services to the Palestinians in the occupied territories for decades, and has been at the centre of a bitter controversy after being accused by Israel of collaborating with Hamas in Gaza – a charge it has denied.
The medical situation in Gaza’s hospitals has reached an “unimaginable” state of crisis, according to an emergency medical team organised by three aid groups that spent two weeks carrying out surgeries and other care at the European hospital near Khan Younis.
Israel’s foreign ministry said Spain, Malta, Slovenia and Ireland are offering “a reward for terrorism” with a joint statement about their readiness to recognise a Palestinian state. Israel has repeatedly insisted that the only way progress towards a two-state solution can be made is by direct talks between Israel and Palestinian authorities that it recognises. Palestinians have argued that this effectively grants Israel a veto over statehood.
US says it will 'find ways' to warn Israel against Rafah attack despite cancellation of visit
The US has said it will “find other ways to make our concerns known” regarding Israel’s planned military operation in Rafah despite the decision by Benjamin Netanyahu to scrap an Israeli delegation visit to Washington.
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, will likely discuss Rafah with visiting Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters. He said:
We believe this type of full-scale invasion would be a mistake, not just because of the civilian harm that it would cost which would be immense.
He added there are currently about 1.4m people in Rafah and Israel has not presented a coherent evacuation plan, adding:
This type of invasion would weaken Israel’s security and would make Israel less safe, not more safe. It would undermine its standing in the world.
Miller said that while Blinken will likely discuss US concerns over a Rafah invasion during his meeting with Gallant, the secretary of state would not be presenting Washington’s alternative plans for a military operation in the southern Gaza city.
