2024-04-09 17:34:00
It’s already dawn in the Middle East. This is what you should know
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the timetable has already been set for a ground offensive on the Gazan city of Rafah, where an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltered, but did not reveal the date.
This Monday, Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, said that if Netanyahu abandoned plans for a ground offensive in Rafah, he could lose the support of the coalition that has kept him in power.
Following Netanyahu’s announcement, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Israel had not informed the US about the timetable for the Rafah invasion, and reiterated that the US believes a ground offensive “would have “a hugely detrimental effect on…civilians, and which would ultimately harm Israel’s security.”
Miller said the US would have “more talks in the coming days, in the coming weeks” with Israeli officials about the Rafah offensive “and how they could do it better.”
Here are the latest events in the region:
Ceasefire agreement: CIA Director Bill Burns presented a new proposal to try to bridge the gap in ongoing negotiations to reach an agreement to achieve a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the liberation of Israeli hostages held by the group, according to a source familiar with the talks.
UN to review Palestine’s status: A United Nations committee will review this month whether to grant Palestine full member state status at the UN, according to a United Nations official. The Palestinian Mission to the UN obtained “non-member observer state” status in November 2012.
The consequences of the Damascus attack: Iran’s retaliatory attack against Israel following the deadly attack on its consulate in Damascus would likely be carried out by regional forces, people familiar with US intelligence services have told CNN. The United States and its allies have been preparing for a possible attack on Israeli and American assets in the Middle East since last week’s attack.
Khan Younis in ruins: Palestinians who were forced to leave their homes in Khan Younis by the Israeli military offensive have begun to return to the city in small numbers following the withdrawal of Israeli forces. After the withdrawal, the bodies of at least 46 Palestinians were recovered.
More aid trucks enter Gaza: On Monday, 419 aid trucks passed through the Kerem Shalom and Nitzana border crossings, the largest single-day delivery since the conflict began, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported. Before the conflict, an average of 450-500 such trucks entered Gaza daily. Traditionally, most aid has entered Gaza through land border crossings, which remain heavily restricted by Israel.
The UN requests access to the media: UN chief António Guterres called for international journalists to be allowed into Gaza, warning that, alongside the physical conflict in the enclave, a disinformation war is underway.
Leaders call for a ceasefire: The leaders of Egypt, France and Jordan have jointly called for a ceasefire in Gaza. In an opinion article published in the state newspapers of Jordan and Egypt, as well as in France’s Le Monde and The Washington Post, they stressed the need for a peaceful resolution through a two-state solution.
The sale of weapons, under examination: A lawyer representing Nicaragua has stressed before the highest UN court the “urgent” need for Germany to suspend the sale of weapons to Israel, arguing that this supply of weapons could make the country “complicit” in the alleged genocide in Gaza .
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