Summary
Here is a wrap-up of the day’s key events:
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has increased public pressure on Qatar to help secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, Reuters reports. When asked about his closed-door remarks, an audio recording of which was leaked to Israeli TV this week, that he was refraining from thanking Qatar for its mediation and deemed it “problematic”, Netanyahu told reporters: “I take back nothing.”
Palestine’s foreign ministry has released a statement reiterating its condemnation of “the ongoing genocide against our people for the 113th consecutive day”. It also condemned the “clear Israeli determination to continue destroying the Gaza Strip and turning it into an inhabitable place”.
The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, pressed China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, to use China’s influence to help rein in Iran’s support for Houthis after their attacks on Red Sea shipping, Reuters reports. According to a US official, Beijing has told Washington that it is raising the issue with Tehran. The official added that Washington is waiting to see whether China does so and how effective the outreach will be.
Switzerland said on Saturday no decision would be taken on an expected aid payment to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) until “serious accusations” against several UNRWA staff were clarified, reports AFP. The Swiss foreign ministry said it was “extremely worried” about allegations that several UNRWA staff members were involved in Hamas’s 7 October attacks inside Israel.
The UK has temporarily paused future funding of the UNRWA, saying it is “appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel”. It follows Italy, the US, Australia and Canada in suspending financing of the UNRWA after Israeli allegations that some of its staff participated in the 7 October Hamas attacks.
Israel Katz, Israel’s foreign minister, said on Saturday that his country would seek to stop the UNRWA from operating in Gaza after the war. Israel was aiming to ensure “UNRWA will not be a part of the day after”, Katz said, adding that he would try to gather support from the US, EU and other major donors to the agency.
Crews extinguished a fire onboard the tanker Marlin Luanda, after the vessel was struck by a Houthi anti-ship missile in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, the commodities trader Trafigura says. It adds that the firefighting effort was supported by Indian, US and French navy vessels. No casualties or injuries were reported onboard the fuel tanker.
Hamas said in a statement that Israel is on a “campaign of incitement” against UN agencies delivering aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. A statement by the group highlighted an Israeli accusation of “collusion” between the World Health Organization and Hamas, which the UN agency rejected on Friday. The statement also referenced recent the allegations that some UNRWA staff had participated in the 7 October Hamas attack.
The Palestinian foreign ministry said an immediate ceasefire is “the only way” to implement Friday’s international court of justice interim ruling. On Friday, the ICJ stopped short of ordering a ceasefire in Gaza but demanded Israel attempted to try to contain death and damage in its military offensive.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society on Saturday condemned the siege and targeting of al-Amal hospital and its branch headquarters in Khan Younis for the sixth consecutive day. The “siege and its consequences”, said the PRCS, are a “blatant violation of international agreements, especially the provisions of international humanitarian law that require the Israeli occupation to respect the Red Crescent emblem”.
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The UN’s key aid agency for Palestinian refugees, the Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said on Friday it had opened an investigation into several employees suspected of involvement in the 7 October attacks on Israel by Hamas, and that it had severed ties with those staff members.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has increased public pressure on Qatar to help secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Reuters reports:
Asked about his closed-door remarks, an audio recording of which was leaked to Israeli TV this week, that he was refraining from thanking Qatar for its mediation and deemed it “problematic,” Netanyahu told reporters: “I take back nothing.”
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Here are some images coming through the newswires from Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed more than 26,000 Palestinians while leaving nearly 2 million survivors grappling with shortages in food, water, fuel and medical supplies:
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With Nasser hospital out of commission, people in southern Gaza have been left with no healthcare options as a result of Israel’s attacks on the strip.
In a statement released over the weekend, Médecins Sans Frontieres said:
Amid ongoing heavy fighting and bombing in Khan Younis, south Gaza, Palestine/OPT, vital medical services have collapsed at Nasser hospital, currently the largest functioning health facility in the enclave. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) deplores a situation in which people have been left with no options to go for treatment in case of a large influx of war wounded.
Most of the hospital’s staff, along with thousands of displaced people who had sought shelter in the hospital, fled in the days leading up to the evacuation order of the surrounding areas by Israeli forces. The hospital’s surgical capacity is now almost non-existent, and the handful of medical staff remaining in the hospital must contend with very low supplies that are insufficient to handle mass casualty events – large influxes of wounded people.
Between 300 and 350 patients remain at Nasser hospital, unable to evacuate because it is too dangerous and there are no ambulances. These patients have war-related injuries such as open wounds, lacerations from explosions, fractures, and burns. On 24 January, at least one patient at the hospital died because there was no orthopaedic surgeon available.
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Palestine foreign ministry condemns'ongoing genocide against our people'
Palestine’s foreign ministry has released a statement reiterating its condemnation of “the ongoing genocide against our people for the 113th consecutive day”.
It also condemned the “clear Israeli determination to continue destroying the Gaza Strip and turning it into an inhabitable place”.
It added:
The ministry views the continuation of this genocide as an Israeli challenge to the [ICJ] court decision, a clear commitment to systematic destruction of the region, creating a polluted environment, particularly by targeting hospitals and sewage stations. It also relates to the persistent policies of starvation, thirst, and depriving citizens of their basic needs, especially during the winter season.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemns the ongoing genocide against our people for the 113th consecutive day, with clear Israeli determination to continue destroying the #GazaStrip and turning it into an inhabitable place. The ministry views the… pic.twitter.com/hYMOr7K26H
— State of Palestine - MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) January 27, 2024
Since 7 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 26,000 Palestinians and injured nearly 65,000 additional Palestinians. Meanwhile, nearly 2 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced by Israeli attacks across Gaza amid shortages in food, water and medical supplies.
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The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, pressed China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, to use China’s influence to help rein in Iran’s support for Houthis after their attacks on Red Sea shipping, Reuters reports.
According to a US official, Beijing has told Washington that it is raising the issue with Tehran. The official added that Washington is waiting to see whether China does so and how effective the outreach will be.
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Switzerland said on Saturday no decision would be taken on an expected aid payment to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) until “serious accusations” against several UNRWA staff were clarified, reports AFP.
The Swiss foreign ministry said it was “extremely worried” about allegations that several UNRWA staff members were involved in Hamas’s October 7 attacks inside Israel.
UNRWA said on Friday it had severed ties with several employees over the Israeli accusation and launched an investigation. The UK, Italy, Canada, Australia and the US have all suspended funding to UNRWA.
According to AFP, the Swiss foreign ministry said the country’s annual contribution to UNRWA, around 20m Swiss francs ($23 million) in recent years, had yet to be approved for 2024. “No decision will be taken as to this payment until we have more information about the serious accusations against UNRWA staff members,” it said.
Switzerland’s right-leaning lower house of parliament attempted during general budget discussions last month to strip UNRWA of its annual funding but the upper house opposed the move. Parliament eventually reached a compromise to cut 10m francs from the overall humanitarian funding budget, without specifying where the money should be saved. It said all contributions to humanitarian aid in the Middle East would be paid in instalments and only after consultation with parliamentary foreign policy committees.
“These consultations have yet to take place,” the foreign ministry stressed on Saturday. “Switzerland has zero tolerance for all forms of support for terrorism, and for calls to hatred or incitement to violence,” it added. “[Switzerland] expects that immediate measures will be taken in the face of credible allegations.”
It noted that UNRWA had taken immediate measures by firing the accused employees and launching an investigation.
Commodities trader Trafigura assessing security risk of Red Sea after fire on tanker
Commodities trader Trafigura said on Saturday it was assessing the security risks of further Red Sea voyages after firefighters put out a blaze on a tanker attacked by Yemen’s Houthi group a day earlier, reports Reuters.
The US military said a US navy ship and other vessels provided assistance after the Marlin Luanda was hit by a Houthi anti-ship missile. Over several hours early on Saturday the Marlin Luanda’s crew battled a blaze in one cargo tank on the vessel’s starboard side, Trafigura said in a statement. By Saturday afternoon, the blaze was extinguished and all crew were safe, it added.
“No further vessels operating on behalf of Trafigura are currently transiting the Gulf of Aden and we continue to assess carefully the risks involved in any voyage, including in respect of security and safety of the crew, together with shipowners and customers,” a Trafigura statement said.
Some shipping companies have suspended transits through the Red Sea, which is accessed from the Gulf of Aden, and taken much longer, costlier journeys around Africa to avoid being attacked by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi group, which began launching waves of exploding drones and missiles at vessels on 19 November in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The Houthi attacks have primarily targeted container vessels moving through the Red Sea. Many fuel tankers have kept using the route. A notable exception is QatarEnergy, the world’s second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which earlier this month stopped sending tankers via the Red Sea, citing security concerns.
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Summary of the day so far
Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
The UK has temporarily paused future funding of United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), saying it is “appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel”. It follows Italy, the US, Australia and Canada in suspending financing of UNRWA after Israeli allegations that some of UNRWA’s staff participated in the 7 October Hamas attacks.
Israel Katz, Israel’s foreign minister, said on Saturday that his country would seek to stop UNRWA from operating in Gaza after the war. Israel was aiming to ensure “UNRWA will not be a part of the day after”, Katz said, adding that he would try to gather support from the US, EU and other major donors to the agency.
Crews extinguished a fire onboard the tanker Marlin Luanda, after the vessel was struck by a Houthi anti-ship missile in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, the commodities trader Trafigura says. It adds that the firefighting effort was supported by Indian, US and French navy vessels. No casualties or injuries were reported onboard the fuel tanker.
The US military says it has destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and ready to launch. The missile “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region”, US central command said in a statement.
Hamas said in a statement that Israel is on a “campaign of incitement” against UN agencies delivering aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. A statement by the group highlighted an Israeli accusation of “collusion” between the World Health Organization (WHO) and Hamas, which the UN agency rejected on Friday. The statement also referenced recent the allegations that some UNRWA staff had participated in the 7 October Hamas attack.
The Palestinian foreign ministry said an immediate ceasefire is “the only way” to implement Friday’s ICJ interim ruling. On Friday, the ICJ stopped short of ordering a ceasefire in Gaza but demanded Israel attempted to try to contain death and damage in its military offensive.
The decision by some countries to cease support for the UNRWA entails great political and relief risks, Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) said on Saturday.
The latest figures from the Gaza health ministry, which is run by Hamas, said 174 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes and 310 were injured in the past 24 hours.
Israel pressed ahead on Saturday with its campaign against Hamas in Gaza’s Khan Younis, as bad weather hit displaced Palestinians seeking refuge further north in the battered enclave. Witnesses reported heavy aerial and tank fire across Khan Younis, an area of southern Gaza that has become the focus of Israel’s ground offensive against Hamas, and around two main hospitals there. Thousands of civilians were reported to be trapped in southern Gaza by the bombardment and fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters on Saturday.
Israeli strikes hit in the vicinity of al-Amal hospital and the largest functioning medical facility in the south, Nasser hospital, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said. Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the health ministry, said Israeli bombardment was compromising healthcare and endangering the lives of doctors, patients and displaced people.
Hamas said its fighters fired an anti-tank missile against an Israeli tank in south-west Khan Younis.
The Israeli military said it killed at least 11 gunmen who were trying to plant explosives near troops and others firing rifles and rocket-propelled grenades at soldiers in Khan Younis.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, allied with Hamas, said its fighters were engaging Israeli forces in the area and had fired rockets into Israel.
Two women and a man were killed early on Saturday in what witnesses said was an Israeli airstrike on a home in the southernmost part of Gaza.
A 28-year-old internally displaced man was killed in the courtyard of al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis after Israeli forces opened fire on him, says the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS).
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on Saturday condemned the siege and targeting of al-Amal hospital and its branch headquarters in Khan Younis for the sixth consecutive day. The “siege and its consequences”, said the PRCS, are a “blatant violation of international agreements, especially the provisions of international humanitarian law that require the Israeli occupation to respect the Red Crescent emblem”.
Hezbollah sources told Al Jazeera that four of its members were killed in a separate shelling attack in Bayt Lif in southern Lebanon. The news organisation said the Israeli army confirmed that they did use their air force to hit targets in southern Lebanon. According to Al Jazeera, Hezbollah responded with rockets on Saturday, hitting the central Galilee. The Guardian has been unable to independently verify the facts.
Updated
Images of a fire onboard the tanker Marlin Luanda earlier, have come in on the news wires.
Crews extinguished the fire that started after the vessel was struck by a Houthi anti-ship missile in the Gulf of Aden on Friday. Commodities trader Trafigura said that the firefighting effort was supported by Indian, US and French navy vessels.
Updated
Here are some of the latest images coming in around the world from global news agencies:
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Three Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike on home, say witnesses
Two women and a man were killed early Saturday in what witnesses said was an Israeli airstrike on a home in the southernmost part of Gaza, reports the Associated Press (AP).
The strike came less than a day after the ICJ ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza. As part of its binding ruling, the top UN court asked Israel for a compliance report in a month, meaning the military’s conduct will be under increasing scrutiny. The court stopped short of ordering a ceasefire.
Friday’s decision came in a case brought by South Africa, which alleged Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian territory’s people, a charge Israel vehemently denies.
Updated
UK suspends UNRWA support after Israeli allegations
The UK has temporarily paused future funding of UNRWA, saying it is “appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel”.
A statement sent to the Guardian by the UK’s foreign, commonwealth and development office said:
The UK is appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK government has repeatedly condemned.
The UK is temporarily pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations.
We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it.
Updated
Displaced Palestinian man killed in al-Amal hospital courtyard, says the PRCS
A 28-year-old internally displaced man was killed in the courtyard of al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis after Israeli forces opened fire on him, says the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS).
In an update on its X account, the PRCS announced the news that a 28-year-old internally displaced person had been killed in the shooting and then shared a video of medical teams attempting to resuscitate the man.
The PRCS said Israeli forces fired at him while he was at the hospital’s reception and emergency enterance.
🚨Urgent: a 28-year-old internally displaced person at AlAmal Hospital in #KhanYunis was killed in the courtyard hospital, due to the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on him. #NotATarget ❌#IHL #Gaza #AlAmalHospital
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) January 27, 2024
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Gunmen in south-eastern Iran near the Pakistan border killed nine foreign nationals Saturday, Agence France-Press reports – citing Iranian media, more than a week after the neighbours exchanged deadly cross-border fire.
So far, no group or individuals had claimed responsibility, it says, citing the Mehr news agency.
The deadly attack follows rare military action in the porous border region of Balochistan – split between the two nations – that had stoked regional tensions already inflamed by the Israel-Hamas war. Sistan-Balochistan is one of the few mainly Sunni Muslim provinces in Shia-dominated Iran.
Updated
Fire onboard Red Sea tanker extinguished
Crews have extinguished a fire on board the tanker Marlin Luanda, after the vessel was struck by a Houthi anti-ship missile in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, the commodities trader Trafigura says. It adds that the firefighting effort was supported by Indian, US and French navy vessels.
All crew on board the Marlin Luanda are safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been fully extinguished. The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbour.
According to Reuters, the US military said earlier that a US Navy ship and other vessels were providing assistance after the Marlin Luanda was hit by the Houthi missile.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched waves of exploding drones and missiles at vessels since 19 November, in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The Marshall Islands-flagged Marlin Luanda issued a distress call on Friday and reported damage, US Central Command has said. The USS Carney and other coalition ships were providing assistance to the tanker, it said.
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Palestine Red Crescent Society condemn targeting of al-Amal hospital by Israeli forces
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) on Saturday condemned the siege and targeting of al-Amal hospital and its branch headquarters in Khan Younis for the sixth consecutive day.
In a statement posted to X, the PRCS said “the occupation continues to bombard the vicinity of the hospital and open fire, jeopardising the safety of medical staff, the wounded, patients, and approximately 7,000 displaced individuals who sought refuge there to escape Israeli bombardment”.
The PRCS called on “the international community to provide protection for its headquarters and medical and EMS teams in Khan Younis”.
The PRCS condemns the siege and targeting by the Israeli occupation of PRCS Al-Amal Hospital, and its branch headquarters in #KhanYunis for the sixth consecutive day. The Israeli occupation continues to bombard the vicinity of the hospital and open fire, jeopardizing the safety… pic.twitter.com/JGhZYGYZQF
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) January 27, 2024
Since the beginning of the “continuous targeting” of al-Amal hospital and the PRCS’ headquarters for about four weeks, dozens of people had been killed and injured inside the facilities and surrounding areas, it added. “This is in addition to the state of terror and panic experienced by the medical staff and displaced in the corridors and various sections of the building” that had been severely damaged due to the continuous bombardment, the PRCS said.
The PRCS also added that a curfew and blockade in the hospital’s vicinity were hindering the movement of ambulances and of its emergency medical team in the city to reach the injured, provide first aid and transport them to hospital.
The “siege and its consequences”, said the PRCS, are a “blatant violation of international agreements, especially the provisions of international humanitarian law that require the Israeli occupation to respect the Red Crescent emblem”.
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'UNWRA will not be a part of the day after' the war in Gaza, says Israel's foreign minister
Israel Katz, Israel’s foreign minister on said Saturday that his country would seek to stop UNRWA from operating in Gaza after the war.
Israel was aiming to ensure “UNRWA will not be a part of the day after”, Katz said, adding that he would try to gather support from the US, EU and other major donors to the agency, reports Reuters.
Commending the US government for its decision to cease funding to @UNRWA after it was revealed that some of its employees were involved in the heinous massacre on #October7.
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) January 27, 2024
We have been warning for years: @UNRWA perpetuates the refugee issue, obstructs peace, and serves as a…
Hamas on Saturday slammed Israeli “threats” against UNRWA, urging the UN and other international organisations not to “cave in to the threats and blackmail”.
UNRWA said on Friday it had severed ties with several employees accused by Israel of involvement in Hamas’s 7 October attack, prompting the US, Australia, Canada and Italy to suspend critical funding.
Israel pressed ahead on Saturday with its campaign against Hamas in Gaza’s Khan Younis, as bad weather hit displaced Palestinians seeking refuge further north in the battered enclave, reports Reuters.
Witnesses reported heavy aerial and tank fire across Khan Younis, an area of southern Gaza that has become the focus of Israel’s ground offensive against Hamas, and around two main hospitals there.
Hamas said its fighters fired an anti-tank missile against an Israeli tank in south-west Khan Younis.
The Israeli military said it killed at least 11 gunmen who were trying to plant explosives near troops and others firing rifles and rocket-propelled grenades at soldiers in Khan Younis. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, allied with Hamas, said its fighters were engaging Israeli forces in the area and had fired rockets into Israel.
Israeli strikes hit in the vicinity of al-Amal hospital and the largest functioning medical facility in the south, Nasser hospital, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said, according to Reuters. Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesperson for the health ministry, said Israeli bombardment was compromising healthcare and endangering the lives of doctors, patients and displaced people.
However, Israeli military says it is in contact with hospital directors and medical staff by phone and on the ground to make sure that they are running and accessible. Israel say Hamas operates in and around medical facilities, an allegation the group denies.
Witnesses and Hamas militants reported fighting on Saturday in the central and northern parts of the enclave, where heavy rain flooded tents of those displaced, forcing some to seek alternative shelter in the middle of the night.
In Rafah, where over half of Gaza’s people are now taking cover in shelters and tents, the Gaza health ministry said an Israeli airstrike killed three people in a house there. It was not immediately clear who the casualties were and there was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, reports Reuters.
In the occupied West Bank, one man was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces near Jenin, witnesses said.
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Suspending support for UNRWA involves 'great political and humanitarian relief risks', says senior Palestinian offical
The decision by some countries to cease support for the UN relief agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) entails great political and relief risks, Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) said on Saturday, reports Reuters.
In a post on X, al-Sheikh wrote:
We call on the countries that announced the cessation of their support for #UNRWA to immediately reverse their decision, which entails great political and humanitarian relief risks, as at this particular time and in light of the continuing aggression against the Palestinian people, we need the maximum support for this international organization and not stopping support and assistance to it.”
We call on the countries that announced the cessation of their support for #UNRWA to immediately reverse their decision, which entails great political and humanitarian relief risks, as at this particular time and in light of the continuing aggression against the Palestinian… https://t.co/mxIam0zmZs
— حسين الشيخ Hussein AlSheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) January 27, 2024
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Al Jazeera has been told by Hezbollah sources that four of its members were killed in a separate shelling attack in Bayt Lif in southern Lebanon. The news organisation said the Israeli army confirmed that they did use their air force to hit targets in southern Lebanon.
According to Al Jazeera, Hezbollah has responded with rockets within the last two hours, hitting the central Galilee. Hezbollah said there will be no negotiations with Israel until there is a complete end to the war in Gaza.
The Guardian has been unable to independently verify the facts.
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174 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours, says health ministry
The latest figures from the Gaza health ministry, which is run by Hamas, said 174 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes and 310 were injured in the past 24 hours.
According to the statement, at least 26,257 Palestinians have been killed and 64,797 have been injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October.
The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants.
Italy suspends financing of UNRWA
Italy has followed the US, Australia and Canada in suspending financing of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), reports Reuters.
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister said on Saturday, via a post on X: “The Italian government has suspended financing of the UNRWA after the atrocious attack on Israel on 7 October.”
Il Governo italiano ha sospeso finanziamenti @UNRWA dopo l’atroce attacco di Hamas contro Israele del 7 ottobre. Paesi Alleati hanno recentemente preso stessa decisione. Siamo impegnati nell’assistenza umanitaria alla popolazione palestinese, tutelando la sicurezza di Israele.
— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) January 27, 2024
Tajani added that some of Italy’s allies had already taken the same decision. It follows allegations that some of UNRWA’s staff were involved in the 7 October attack in Israel carried out by Hamas, though Tajani made no direct reference to those suspicions.
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Israel on a 'campaign of incitement' against UN agencies delivering aid in Gaza, say Hamas
Hamas said in a statement that Israel is on a “campaign of incitement” against UN agencies delivering aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, reports Al Jazeera.
The news organisation said the statement highlighted an Israeli accusation of “collusion” between the World Health Organization (WHO) and Hamas, which the UN agency rejected on Friday.
The statement also referenced recent allegations that UNRWA staff participated in the 7 October Hamas attack, which led the US, Canada, Australia and Italy to cut their funding for UNRWA.
“We stress the importance of the role of these agencies in providing relief to our people and documenting the crimes of the occupation,” it said.
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Australia and Canada suspend UNRWA funding after Israeli allegations
Australia and Canada suspended their funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), after Israel accused several employees of involvement in Hamas’s 7 October attack, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, said on Saturday she was “deeply concerned” by the allegations against UNRWA. “We are speaking with partners and will temporarily pause disbursement of recent funding,” she wrote on social media platform X.
Allegations UNRWA staff were involved in the abhorrent October 7 terror attacks are deeply concerning.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) January 27, 2024
Australia welcomes UNRWA’s swift response and will engage closely on investigations.
We are speaking with partners and will temporarily pause disbursement of recent funding. pic.twitter.com/Havwserjh3
“We welcome UNRWA’s immediate response, including terminating contracts and launching an investigation, as well as its recent announcement of a full investigation into allegations against the organization,” she added.
Wong also noted in her statement UNRWA’s “vital, life-saving work”, adding it “is providing essential services in Gaza directly to those who need it, with more than 1.4 million Palestinians currently sheltering in its facilities”.
Canada’s international development minister, Ahmed Hussen, on Friday announced that Ottawa had “temporarily paused any additional funding to UNRWA while it undertakes a thorough investigation into these allegations”.
“Canada is taking these reports extremely seriously and is engaging closely with UNRWA and other donors on this issue,” he wrote on X.
Canada unequivocally condemns the October 7th attack on Israel. I am deeply troubled by the allegations relating to some UNRWA employees. I have instructed Global Affairs Canada to pause all additional funding to UNRWA pending the outcome of the investigation. Read my statement: pic.twitter.com/YfEbwhKvzx
— Ahmed Hussen (@HonAhmedHussen) January 26, 2024
“Should the allegations prove to be accurate, Canada expects UNRWA to immediately act against those determined to have been involved in Hamas’s terrorist attacks.”
The moves come after the US halted its funding to UNRWA on Friday, saying the allegations were against 12 employees who “may have been involved” in the Hamas attack that triggered the war in Gaza.
UNRWA said on Friday it had severed ties with the staff members accused by Israel of involvement in the 7 October Hamas attack.
The head of the agency, Philippe Lazzarini, vowed to hold “accountable, including through criminal prosecution” any UNRWA employee found to have been involved in “acts of terror”.
The UN chief, António Guterres, has pledged to conduct an “urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA”.
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An immediate ceasefire 'only way' to implement ICJ ruling, says Palestinian foreign ministry
The Palestinian foreign ministry said an immediate ceasefire is “the only way” to implement Friday’s ICJ interim ruling.
According to Al Jazeera, the Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the “continuation of the ongoing genocidal war against our people” in a statement. It said it showed “Israeli determination to complete the destruction of the Gaza Strip”.
The statement also drew to attention the fact that not a single high-ranking Israeli official promised to abide by the ruling, and top officials, including the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, promised to continue the war, effectively undermining the ruling.
On Friday, the ICJ stopped short of ordering a ceasefire in Gaza but demanded Israel attempted to try to contain death and damage in its military offensive.
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Trafigura, the commodities group that operated the Marlin Luanda, said on Saturday that no casualties or injuries were reported onboard the fuel tanker after a missile struck the vessel as it transited the Gulf of Aden on Friday.
It also said that crew were continuing efforts to control the fire in one of the Marlin Luanda’s cargo tanks with support from military vessels, reports Reuters.
More now on the ongoing battles in Khan Younis, where as reported below there were more overnight strikes.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that its military aircraft, tanks and infantry troops killed at least 11 Palestinians over the past 24 hours in battles in Khan Younis.
The military claimed to target militants who were trying to plant explosives near troops and others firing rifles and rocket-propelled grenades at soldiers, according to a statement from the Israeli military, Reuters reports.
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Australia joins US and Canada in pausing UN agency funding during investigation
More now on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) launching an investigation into several employees accused of taking part in Hamas’s 7 October attacks in Israel.
Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, on Saturday said Australia will join its likeminded partners in the US and Canada in pausing the funding. She said Australia was deeply concerned about the allegations.
“We welcome UNRWA’s immediate response, including terminating contracts and launching an investigation, as well its recent announcement of a full investigation into allegations against the organisation,” Wong said in a statement.
You can read our full story here:
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Below are some of the latest images coming in around the world from global news agencies relating to the crisis:
Thousands of civilians were trapped in southern Gaza by bombardment and fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters on Saturday, Agence France-Presse reports.
Growing alarm has focused on Khan Younis, the biggest city in Gaza’s south, where the two main hospitals were barely functioning under the weight of the relentless bombardment and the press of thousands in need.
Witnesses reported more overnight strikes on Khan Yunis, the current epicentre of Israel’s assault on Gaza, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said some of the dead and wounded had been taken to the city’s barely functioning Al-Amal hospital.
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US confirms oil tanker attack and destroys Houthi anti-ship missile
The US military says it has destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and ready to launch. The missile “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region,” US central command said in a statement on X.
U.S. Conducts Self-Defense Strike Against Houthi Anti-Ship Missile
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 27, 2024
On Jan. 27 at approximately 3:45 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command Forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile aimed into the Red Sea and which was prepared to launch. U.S. Forces… pic.twitter.com/UcHqDiyT1I
The missile strike came eight hours after after an oil tanker was struck and set alight off coast of Yemen. The oil tanker attack prompted the UK government to say Britain and its allies “reserve the right to respond appropriately”.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed their naval forces carried out an operation targeting what they described as the “British oil tanker Marlin Luanda” in the Gulf of Aden. Shipping data suggests the vessel sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands.
The US military has also confirmed the attack, posting a statement on X saying “Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker”.
Houthis Strike M/V Marlin Luanda Operating in the Gulf of Aden
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 27, 2024
On Jan. 26, at approximately 7:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V… pic.twitter.com/Mw3Mg138cy
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Welcome and opening summary
It’s just past 9am in Gaza and Tel Aviv. Welcome to our latest Middle East crisis blog. I’m Christine Kearney and I’ll be with you for the next while.
The US military has confirmed a Houthi attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden after it was struck and set alight off the coast of Yemen. About eight hours after the attack, the US says it destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and was ready to launch.
The missile “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region,” US central command said in a statement.
More on that in a moment but first, here’s a summary of the latest so far:
At least 26,083 Palestinians have been killed and 64,487 have been injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, according to the latest figures from the Gaza health ministry on Friday. Those figures include 183 Palestinians killed and 377 injured in the past 24 hours.
Vital medical services at Gaza’s largest functioning health facility have collapsed amid ongoing intense fighting and bombing in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, leaving people with no options to go for treatment, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned. Most of the staff at Nasser hospital, along with thousands of displaced people sheltering in the hospital, fled in the days leading up to the evacuation order by Israel Defense Forces (IDF), while the European Gaza hospital is “unreachable” for medical staff because its neighbouring areas are under evacuation order, it said. Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza has experienced a complete power outage, according to reports.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said “intensive battles” continued to rage in the heart of the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, as it said dozens of Hamas targets were destroyed.
The UN’s international court of justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In an interim judgment delivered on Friday, the court stopped short of granting South Africa’s request to order an immediate ceasefire to the war. The ruling is not the final word from the court on whether Israel’s actions amount to genocide, but it provides a strong indication that the judges believe there is a credible risk to Palestinians under the genocide convention.
South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has said he expects Israel to abide by the international court of justice’s ruling that it take measures to prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. “Some have told us we should mind our own business … and yet it is very much our place as the people who know too well the pain of dispossession, discrimination, state sponsored violence,” Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation. South Africa hailed a “decisive victory” for international rule of law after the court’s ruling.
Israeli officials have accused the international court of justice of antisemitic bias and expressed dismay that the case was not thrown out altogether. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in response to the ruling that his country was committed to upholding international law, as well as defending its people. Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defence minister, who was cited by the court president for calling Palestinians “human animals” at the start of the Israeli offensive, said the court had gone “above and beyond” in granting South Africa’s “antisemitic” request.
Hamas has welcomed the international court of justice’s ruling on South Africa’s request to impose emergency measures against Israel over its war in Gaza. The Palestinian militant group also called on the international community to require Israel to implement the court’s decisions and stop what it called the continuing “genocide” against Palestinians. A senior Hamas official called for Israel to be forced to implement the court’s decisions. The Palestinian foreign ministry also welcomed orders by the ICJ, calling it an “important reminder that no state is above the law”.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, has said he hopes Israel will comply with the international court of justice’s ruling. In a statement from Stéphane Dujarric, the UN chief’s spokesperson, Guterres noted that decisions of the ICJ were binding and that he “trusts that all parties will duly comply with the order from the court.”
International reactions to the top UN court’s ruling were split along the lines of the war raging in the Palestinian territory. The ICJ ruling was welcomed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt and Spain. The EU said it expects Israel and Hamas to fully comply with the ICJ rulings. Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said Israel “must adhere” to the ruling but that Hamas also needs to release its remaining hostages. Iran’s foreign minister called for Israeli authorities to face justice. The US continues to believe that allegations of genocide against Israel are “unfounded”, a state department spokesperson said.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has launched an investigation into several employees accused of taking part in Hamas’s 7 October attacks in Israel, and has severed ties with those staff members, its head said on Friday. The US state department said it would provide no additional funding to the agency until the allegations were addressed.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has denied Israel’s accusation that it is “colluding” with Hamas by ignoring Israeli evidence of the “military use” of hospitals in the Gaza Strip. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that the claims, made by Israel’s ambassador to the UN on Thursday, could endanger its staff “who are risking their lives” on the ground in Gaza.
Joe Biden spoke on Friday with his Egyptian and Qatari counterparts ahead of a trip to Europe by the CIA director, William Burns, to seek a deal to secure the release of more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Burns and his Israeli counterpart, the Mossad head, David Barnea, will meet Qatari officials in coming days for talks on a second potential Gaza hostage deal and pause in fighting, according to reports. The US and Israeli intelligence chiefs have previously met Qatari and Egyptian officials, helping to broker a short-lived truce in November in which more than 100 hostages were freed. Burns’ trip comes after a visit to the region by White House senior envoy Brett McGurk this week. The White House said however that there are no “imminent developments” on an agreement over a hostage release.
Hamas has released a video showing three Israeli women held hostage in Gaza. Two of the women in the video said they were Israeli soldiers, Daniela Gilboa, 19, and Karina Ariev, 19. A third, Doron Steinbrecher, 33, said she was a civilian.
The Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza, a key chronicler of the war in Gaza, has been evacuated from the strip and found refuge in Qatar. “I had to evacuate for a lot of reasons … I left with a broken heart,” Azaiza wrote. At least 76 journalists have been killed in Gaza in the three-month-old war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Updated
