Summary of the day …
Antony Blinken has told a meeting of regional leaders in Riyadh that the most effective way to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza is to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Speaking in Saudi Arabia, the US secretary of state said that there had been “measurable progress” in delivering aid to Gaza, which Israel has beseiged for six months, but more is needed.
Blinken said Hamas has before it “a proposal that is extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel”. Speaking at a World Economic Forum eveint, he said “the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly. And I’m hopeful that they will make the right decision.”
British foreign secretary David Cameron has said the current proposal put to Hamas includes a sustained 40-day ceasefire and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Cameron added that he believed the Hamas leadership and those who took part in the 7 October attack inside Israel need to leave Gaza before a two-state political solution is feasible. The former British prime minister said the conflict will not end until all of the hostages abducted on 7 October are released.
Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday that his country was hopeful about a proposal for a truce and hostage release in the Gaza Strip. France’s foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné, visiting the region, said “Things are moving forward but you always have to be careful in these discussions and negotiations. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic and we need a ceasefire.
Israeli media is reporting that Israel has lowered to 33 the number of hostages expected to be released by Hamas in return for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
At least 34,488 Palestinians have been killed and 77,643 were injured during Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, a statement by Gaza’s Hamas-led health ministry said on Monday. It has not been possible for journalists to independently verify the casualty figures being issued during the conflict.
Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Rafah for Al Jazeera, has said that it has been “an extremely difficult night for civilians” and that “at least 20 Palestinians were killed, including five children” by Israeli airstrikes.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that Israeli security forces detained 12 Palestinians overnight in the occupied West Bank. It said raids were carried out in Hebron, Tulkarm, Jenin and Jericho.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) has reported an incident near Yemen’s port city of Mokha which is suspected to be another attack on shipping by Yemen’s Houthis.
The Times of Israel is reporting that Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has broken his foot “during a cross-country bike ride” and has been taken to hospital. The paper said he is expected to be released later today. The news comes a day after the far-right interior security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was discharged from hospital after a two day stay, having been involved in a car crash Friday.
Hamas’ al Qassam Brigades said on Monday it had targeted an Israeli military position with a salvo of missiles from south Lebanon. Israel’s military has claimed that overnight it once again struck at Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon. British maritime security firm Ambrey has said that a Malta-flagged container ship was targeted with three missiles while it was en route from Djibouti to Jeddah.
Blinken said he respected and understood the “profound emotions” people were feeling about the human suffering in Gaza, but also expressed frustration that the role of Hamas was seemingly being “erased” in protests at US campuses and beyond. Tehran criticised the US for the arrests of about 275 protesters in the US over the weekend.
Several European member states are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood by the end of May, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. 140 of the 193 UN member states have recognised the state of Palestine. On 18 April the US vetoed a draft security council resolution that would have recognised Palestine as a full member of the UN.
UK's foreign secretary Cameron: 40-day ceasefire is on table if Hamas accept deal
The current proposal put to Hamas over the Gaza war includes a sustained 40-day ceasefire and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages, British foreign secretary David Cameron said on Monday.
“I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes in the world should be on them today saying ‘Take that deal’,” Cameron added in a World Economic Forum special meeting held in Riyadh, echoing earlier words from US secretary of state Antony Blinken in calling the proposal “very generous”.
Cameron added that he believed the Hamas leadership and those who took part in the 7 October attack inside Israel need to leave Gaza before a two-state political solution is feasible.
The former British prime minister said the conflict will not end until all of the hostages abducted on 7 October are released.
Israeli media is reporting that Israel has lowered to 33 the number of hostages expected to be released by Hamas in return for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
On 7 October about 250 people are thought to have been abducted and seized as hostages by Hamas and other groups from Gaza. It is believed that about 130 still remain in the territory, though not all those are believed to be alive.
The general understanding of the deal on the table is that Hamas would initial release any women, children, the sick and those aged over 50. Hamas has at times appeared to argue that it cannot organise the gathering of information about the hostages or coordinate their release until a ceasefire is in place first, a condition which Israel has rejected.
Palestinian news agency Wafa is reporting that the death toll in Rafah from Israeli airstrikes has risen to 25, with “at least four civilians, including three women” killed in the latest strike on the west of Rafah. Earlier reports said that at least 20 Palestinians, including five children, had been killed by airstrikes. Images over the news wires have shown people mourning over multiple wrapped bodies. It has not been possible for journalists to independently verify the casualty figures being issued during the conflict, and access to Gaza for international journalists has been restricted.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) has issued more detail of an incident off the coast of Yemen. It reports that there was “an explosion in close proximity to a merchant vessel. Vessel and crew are reported safe.”
British maritime security firm Ambrey has said that a Malta-flagged container ship was targeted with three missiles while it was en route from Djibouti to Jeddah.
Several European member states are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood by the end of May, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday at the sidelines of a World Economic Forum special meeting in Riyadh, Reuters reports.
Ireland and Spain earlier this month reiterated their intention to forge an alliance of countries that will soon recognise Palestine as a nation state.
140 of the 193 UN member states have recognised the State of Palestine. On 18 April the US vetoed a draft security council resolution that would have recognised Palestine as a full member of the UN.
Reuters reports that student protesters have forced the Sorbonne University in Paris to close for the day after staging a demonstration there.
Chanting “Free Palestine” at the university’s gates, some students set up tents in the courtyard. It comes days after similar protests at Paris’s Sciences Po elite school.
Police were securing the street with the main entrance, facing a group of around 50 students, a Reuters reporter saw.
The Times of Israel is reporting that Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has broken his foot “during a cross-country bike ride” and has been taken to hospital. The paper said he is expected to be released later today.
The news comes a day after the far-right interior security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was discharged from hospital after a two day stay, having been involved in a car accident Friday. The paper reports that “dashcam footage from the scene of the accident showed the minister’s car and another car in his entourage running a red light”.
Egyptian foreign minister 'hopeful' about new proposal for truce in Gaza
Egypt’s foreign minister said he was “hopeful” about a new proposal for a truce in Gaza as a Hamas delegation was due in Cairo for talks on Monday.
“There is a proposal on the table (and it’s) up to the two sides to consider and accept,” Sameh Shoukry said in Riyadh at the World Economic Forum.
“We are hopeful,” he added, explaining that “the proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides and has tried to extract moderation”.
“We are waiting to have a final decision. There are factors that will have an impact on both side’s decisions, but I hope that all will rise to the occasion.”
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push towards halting the fighting.
A Hamas delegation was due in Egypt on Monday, where it is expected to respond to Israel’s latest proposal for a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages after almost seven months of war.
Summary of the day so far …
Antony Blinken has told a meeting of regional leaders in Riyadh that the most effective way to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza is to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Speaking in Saudi Arabia, the US secretary of state said that there had been “measurable progress” in delivering aid to Gaza, which Israel has beseiged for six months, but more is needed.
Blinken said Hamas has before it “a proposal that is extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel”. Speaking at a World Economic Forum eveint, he said “the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly. And I’m hopeful that they will make the right decision.”
Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday that his country was hopeful about a proposal for a truce and hostage release in the Gaza Strip, but that it was waiting for a response on the proposal from Israel and Hamas.
France’s foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné said “Things are moving forward but you always have to be careful in these discussions and negotiations. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic and we need a ceasefire. We will discuss the hostages, humanitarian situation and the ceasefire.”
At least 34,488 Palestinians have been killed and 77,643 were injured during Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, a statement by Gaza’s Hamas-led health ministry said on Monday. It has not been possible for journalists to independently verify the casualty figures being issued during the conflict.
Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Rafah for Al Jazeera, has said that it has been “an extremely difficult night for civilians” and that “at least 20 Palestinians were killed, including five children” by Israeli airstrikes.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that Israeli security forces detained 12 Palestinians overnight in the occupied West Bank. It said raids were carried out in Hebron, Tulkarm, Jenin and Jericho.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) has reported an incident near Yemen’s port city of Mokha which is suspected to be another attack on shipping by Yemen’s Houthis.
Hamas’ al Qassam Brigades said on Monday it had targeted an Israeli military position with a salvo of missiles from south Lebanon. Israel’s military has claimed that overnight it once again struck at Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon.
Blinken said he respected and understood the “profound emotions” people were feeling about the human suffering in Gaza, but also expressed frustration that the role of Hamas was seemingly being “erased” in protests at US campuses and beyond. Tehran criticised the US for the arrests of about 275 protestors in the US over the weekend.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that Israeli security forces detained 12 Palestinians overnight in the occupied West Bank. It said raids were carried out in Hebron, Tulkarm, Jenin and Jericho.
Reuters reports that Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said on Monday that his country was hopeful about a proposal for a truce and hostage release in the Gaza Strip, but that it was waiting for a response on the proposal from Israel and Hamas.
Shoukry was speaking on a panel in Riyadh with Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi, who said the war in Gaza had turned “Israel into a pariah state”.
AFP reports from Tehran that Iran on Monday again criticised police crackdowns in the US against university students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
“The American government has practically ignored its human rights obligations and respect for the principles of democracy that they profess,” foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani said.
Tehran “does not at all accept the violent police and military behaviour aimed at the academic atmosphere and student demands”, AFP reports he said, referring to the arrests of about 275 people in the US over the weekend.
In recent months Iran has been accused of being behind an attack on a journalist in London, sentenced rapper Toomaj Salehi to death for his role in protests, stepped up arrests amid a crackdown on women refusing to wear the hajib, and a UN fact-finding mission has said the Iranian regime’s human rights violations during its brutal suppression of protests in 2022 amount to crimes against humanity.
Local media is reporting that Israel’s air force has again launched airstrikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
More details soon …
Here are some of the latest images sent to us over the news wires from Gaza.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken has reiterated that the US would not support an Israeli ground offensive on Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip until it has seen a plan to prevent harm to civilians.
Speaking at a World Economic Forum meeting in Saudi Arabia, Blinken said:
We’ve said clearly, and for some time now on Rafah that, in the absence of a plan to ensure that civilians will not be harmed, we can’t support a major military operation in Rafah. And we have not yet seen a plan that gives us confidence that civilians can be effectively protected.
Asked about pro-Palestinian demonstrations which have swept US university campuses and led to scores of arrests and confrontations, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said he respected and understood the “profound emotions” people were feeling about the human suffering in Gaza, but also expressed frustration that the role of Hamas was seemingly being “erased”.
He told the audience at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia:
I think what we’re seeing in my own country, and in the region, and many other places, reflects the deep emotions, the profound feelings, that many people have at the suffering that so many people are enduring, and in particular the innocent children, women, and men in Gaza.
It’s a profound thing. I not only understand it, I understand why people are speaking out and speaking up. And I think this is something that generation to generation, people find things to be galvanised by, and I understand it profoundly.
At the same time, I have to say that I would wish that other elements were reflected in what people are saying what they’re doing. I don’t hear anything said about Hamas.
I don’t hear anyone reflecting on the fact that obviously, the atrocity of 7 October never should have happened, but once it happened, everything could have been over in an instant if Hamas had stopped hiding behind civilians, put down its weapons, given back the hostages, and surrendered. None of the suffering that we’ve seen since would have happened.
So where is the demand on Hamas? There’s been silence. It’s almost as if it has been erased from the story. That’s something that I think we also need to reflect on. Even as I say, I profoundly understand the deep emotion that that people are expressing, whether it’s on our campuses or other places.
Updated
Antony Blinken has said that the implementation of a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel and the normalisation of relationships in the region with Israel would serve as the greatest rebuke to Iran and Hamas.
The US secretary of state said:
I think the single biggest most effective rebuke to both Iran and Hamas would be Israel having normal relations with every country in this region, and the realisation of a Palestinian state.
Of course, both Hamas and Iran have opposed a two-state solution. So almost by definition, achieving it would be a profound rebuke to everything that they’ve stood for – and destroyed for – over many years.
Blinken: Hamas is 'the only thing' standing in the way of a ceasefire in Gaza
Speaking at the World Economic Forum meeting in Saudi Arabia, Antony Blinken has said the only thing standing in the way of a ceasefire in Gaza is Hamas, and they need to “decide quickly” on the deal in front of them.
The US secretary of state told the audience that the region faced “arguably the worst crisis in the Middle East since 1948”, and that the US was “trying to bring the conflict in Gaza to an end, trying to ensure that it doesn’t spread.”
He said:
Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel. And in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly. And I’m hopeful that they will make the right decision. And we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic.
Blinken extended thanks to Qatar and Egypt for their work in attempting to broker a deal, saying “we are determined to do everything we can to bring an end to the terrible human suffering that we’re seeing every single day in Gaza among children, women, men, who’ve been caught in a terrible crossfire of Hamas’ making.”
At least 34,488 Palestinians have been killed and 77,643 were injured during Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, a statement by Gaza’s Hamas-led health ministry said on Monday.
Reuters reported the minister said 34 were killed and 68 injured in the last 24 hours.
It has not been possible for journalists to independently verify the casualty figures being issued during the conflict.
Here are some slightly fuller quotes from France’s foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné speaking to Reuters earlier. He told the news agencies:
Things are moving forward but you always have to be careful in these discussions and negotiations. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic and we need a ceasefire. We will discuss the hostages, humanitarian situation and the ceasefire. Things are progressing, but we must always remain prudent in these discussions and negotiations.
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering in Saudi Arabia, US secretary of state Antony Blinken is about to appear in conversation with Børge Brende, the former foreign minister of Norway. We will bring you any key lines that emerge.
If you are interested in finding out more about the crisis in the Middle East and the Guardian’s reporting on it, we have an event this week which might help.
Guardian Newsroom: Crisis in the Middle East is a livestreamed event which will be chaired by Devika Bhat, the Guardian’s deputy head of international news, and will feature contributions from Peter Beaumont, the Guardian’s senior international reporter, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, Guardian reporter, and Emma Graham-Harrison, senior international affairs correspondent.
The event takes place on Tuesday 30 April 2024, from 7pm-8:15pm BST. You can book tickets online, and find out more details here …
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) has reported an incident near Yemen’s port city of Mokha.
More details soon …
Blinken: 'measurable progress' in delivering aid to Gaza but ceasefire 'most effective' to address humanitarian suffering
Antony Blinken has told a meeting of regional leaders in Riyadh that the most effective way to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza is to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Speaking in Saudi Arabia, the US secretary of state said that there had been “measurable progress” in delivering aid to Gaza, which Israel has beseiged for six months, but more is needed.
International aid agency groups have repeatedly warned of imminent famine, especially in the north of Gaza, due to a failure to get in more aid while the territory undergoes near continuous aerial bombardment from Israeli forces. At least 20 Palestinians including five children were reported killed by airstrikes overnight in Rafah, where an estimated one million displaced people are sheltering. The office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it does not accept the assessment there is famine in the territory.
Blinken said that Iran was the biggest source of instability in the region. He said that events of the last few months had shown in the “sharpest possible relief” that there were two possible paths ahead.
One, he said, was “riven with division, destruction and violence and permanent insecurity.”
He suggested, however, that meetings such as today showed that there were far more nations in the region interested in the second path, of “greater integration, greater security, greater peace”.
“Many more of us want to pursue that path,” Blinken said.
Blinken is scheduled to meet Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, speak at a World Economic Forum event in Riyadh, and also meet Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan and other regional representatives before an anticipated visit to Israel later in the week.
Antony Blinken has said that Iran is the greatest threat to stability in the region, and also addressed the issue of Yemen Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken is speaking in Saudi Arabia. We will bring you any key lines that emerge.
More details soon …
At least 20 Palestinians reported killed by Israeli strikes on Rafah overnight
Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Rafah for Al Jazeera, has said that it has been “an extremely difficult night for civilians”. Conflicting numbers are being given by different local media outlets, but he states that “at least 20 Palestinians were killed, including five children” by Israeli airstrikes.
He wrote for the news network:
Hospitals in densely populated areas were flooded with people and bodies piled up in morgues before being taken for burial. We have also been hearing about artillery attacks on other areas in the territory, including in the Bureij refugee camp. Battles were also raging overnight between Hamas fighters and Israeli soldiers close to Nuseirat junction in central Gaza.
Reuters, citing a statement on the Telegram messaging app, reports that the Hamas’ al Qassam Brigades said on Monday it had targeted an Israeli military position with a salvo of missiles from south Lebanon.
More details soon …
Talks on a ceasefire in Gaza are progressing, French foreign minister Stéphane Séjourné said on Monday in Riyadh, where he was due to meet other ministers of Arab and western countries as well as Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas.
“Things are moving forward but you always have to be careful in these discussions and negotiations. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic and we need a ceasefire,” he told Reuters.
There are conflicting local media reports on the number of people killed overnight by Israeli airstrikes on Rafah, with some outlets putting the number as high as 22.
Israel’s military, meanwhile, despite continued diplomatic efforts to avert futher fighting, is still preparing troops on the border with Gaza, seemingly to enter Rafah and the south of the Gaza Strip, where one million displaced people are estimated to be sheltering.
Yesterday, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a briefing “We will continue to pursue Hamas everywhere in Gaza. We will continue doing everything in our power to bring back home our hostages. We will continue to fulfill our mission: free our hostages from Hamas and free Gaza from Hamas.”
Israel’s military has claimed that overnight it once again struck at Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon. Israel and anti-Israeli forces have been clashing almost non-stop over the UN-drawn blue line that separates Israel and Lebanon since 7 October.
In its statement, the IDF claimed:
IAF fighter jets struck Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon. Among the targets struck were operational infrastructure in the area or Jabal Blat, as well as a number of Hezbollah military structures in the area of Marwahin.
The claims have not been independently verified.
A senior state department official has said that while in Riyadh, the US secretary of state Antony Blinken is expected to meet with senior Saudi leaders and hold a wider meeting with counterparts from five Arab states – Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
Opening summary
Welcome to our live coverage of the Israel-Gaza war and wider Middle East crisis. Here is a rundown on the latest developments.
Joe Biden has again spoken with Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated his “clear position” opposing Israeli plans to invade Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah as pressure builds on Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal.
The US president also stressed to the Israeli prime minister that progress in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza should be “enhanced”, the White House said on Sunday.
The leaders’ call came ahead of the US secretary of state arriving in Saudi Arabia on Monday to try to restart the truce and hostage-release negotiations and discuss efforts to prevent a spiralling regional conflict. Antony Blinken will later continue on to Jordan and Israel on his latest visit to the region since Hamas’s 7 October attacks on Israel.
Hamas, meanwhile, said it had no “major issues” after reviewing Israel’s latest truce proposal, a senior Hamas official told Agence France-Presse. “The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles.” A delegation from the Islamist group is due to arrive in Cairo on Monday to deliver the group’s response.
In other news:
The Palestinian president said that only the US could stop Israel attacking Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians are sheltering. Speaking on Sunday at the World Economic Forum summit in the Saudi capital, Mahmoud Abbas said he expected an assault on the Gaza city in the coming days. He added that only a “small strike” on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee Gaza, warning: “The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history would then happen.”
A senior official from key intermediary Qatar urged Israel and Hamas to show “more commitment and more seriousness” in the ceasefire negotiations.
Israeli airstrikes on three houses in Rafah killed 13 people and wounded many others, medics said on Monday. Hamas media outlets put the death toll at 15. In Gaza City, in the strip’s north, Israeli planes struck two houses, killing and wounding several people, health officials said.
At least 34,454 Palestinian people have been killed and 77,575 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said. An estimated 66 people were killed and 138 injured over the past 24 hours, the Hamas-run ministry said on Sunday.
World Central Kitchen said it was resuming its operations in Gaza, while continuing to mourn its seven workers killed in an Israeli military attack. The food aid charity paused its operations in the territory after the 1 April strikes, which the military called a “grave mistake”.
The US military said it engaged five unmanned drones over the Red Sea which “presented an imminent threat to US, coalition and merchant vessels in the region”. US central command did not say in its Sunday statement if the drones were destroyed.
France’s foreign minister said Paris had been putting forward suggestions to “avoid war in Lebanon”. “I will head to Beirut to meet political authorities to … make proposals,” Stéphane Séjourné said during a visit to the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (Unifil) headquarters.
It is Martin Belam in London here with you for the next few hours. You can reach me at martin.belam@theguardian.com.
