Summary of the day so far
Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 7 October, according to the latest figures by the territory’s health ministry on Thursday.
More than 100 Palestinians were killed as they gathered to receive humanitarian aid in Gaza City on Thursday, health officials said. At least 112 people were killed and more than 280 wounded in the incident, the Palestinian health ministry said.
There were conflicting reports about events leading up to the deaths. Witnesses said Israeli troops fired on a large crowd of Palestinians racing to pull food off an aid convoy, and Gaza’s health ministry described it as a “massacre”. Israel challenged the death toll and said many of the victims were run over by the trucks.
Hamas warned it could end hostage release negotiations after the incident. In a statement, it said: “The negotiations conducted by the movement’s leadership are not an open process at the expense of the blood of our people.”
Joe Biden acknowledged the deadly incident will complicate talks on a ceasefire. The US president told reporters he was reviewing the reports and said “there’s two competing versions of what happened. I don’t have an answer yet.” The US is urgently seeking information on what took place in northern Gaza, a spokesperson for the US state department has said.
Israel’s military published a video of what it claimed were people looting aid trucks in Gaza in the buildup to the incident. Due to forced relocation and the lack of access to aid, agencies have warned that much of the population in Gaza is suffering from food deprivation, with one in six children under the age of two found to be malnourished during screening in January, and reports yesterday that one in five pregnant women seen in a Gaza clinic are also malnourished.
Egypt and Jordan issued separate statements condemning Israel after the incident. Egypt said: “We consider targeting peaceful citizens rushing to pick up their share of aid a shameful crime and a flagrant violation of international law”.
Two Israeli men have been killed in a shooting attack at a gas station in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Thursday, Israel’s army and medics said. The Israeli military said the gunman was “neutralised” by security forces, adding that troops were pursuing other suspects in the area.
The US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, has said more than 25,000 women and children had been killed by Israel since 7 October. Austin added that about 21,000 precision-guided munitions had been provided to Israel since the start of its war in Gaza.
Israel is reviewing possible curbs on access to al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem over the upcoming Ramadan fasting month, a government spokesperson said. Far-right interior security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said last week there would be a quota for people wishing to take part in prayers at the al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan. Israel has been restricting the numbers attending the mosque since 7 October.
The archbishop of Canterbury has expressed his deep regret at his decision to refuse to meet a renowned Palestinian pastor if he shared a political platform with the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Justin Welby said in a post on social media he would now meet the Rev Dr Munther Isaac next week.
The pastor of the Christmas Evangelical Lutheran church in Bethlehem, who has been highly critical of Israel in Gaza, saw his Christmas sermon go viral when he said if Jesus Christ was born today it would have been under the rubble.
He revealed the archbishop had refused to meet him in an interview with the Guardian.
Recently I declined to meet with Rev Dr Munther Isaac during his UK visit. I apologise for and deeply regret this decision, and the hurt, anger, and confusion it caused.
I was wrong not to meet with my brother in Christ from the Holy Land, especially at this time of profound suffering for our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters. I look forward to speaking and praying with him next week.
Isaac replied:
Thank you archbishop. I welcome this statement, and I look forward to our meeting next week as brothers in Christ.
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