Middle East crisis live: UN team saw ‘large number of gunshot wounds’ among Gaza food aid injured; Biden hopes for ceasefire by Ramadan | Israel-Gaza war

Julian Borger

The US will begin airdrops of meals and emergency provides into Gaza within the subsequent few days, Joe Biden has introduced, amid UN warnings of famine and after Israeli troops opened hearth on Gazans searching for meals support.

Using airdrops is a spectacular however inefficient means of delivering support, and Friday’s announcement means that Biden had given up on with the ability to persuade Israel within the close to future to coordinate a large-scale ground-based reduction effort below the specter of mass hunger throughout Gaza.

Critics advised it represented not more than a gesture, which obscured Biden’s reluctance to make use of US leverage to power Israel to be extra cooperative within the supply of humanitarian support.

“Airdrops are usually not the answer to alleviate this struggling, and distract effort and time from confirmed options to assist at scale,” the Worldwide Rescue Committee support organisation mentioned. “All diplomatic focus must be on guaranteeing Israel lifts its siege of Gaza.”

Israel is going through rising worldwide strain for an investigation after greater than 100 Palestinians in Gaza had been killed when determined crowds gathered round support vehicles and Israeli troops opened hearth on Thursday.

Israel mentioned folks died in a crush or had been run over by support lorries though it admitted its troops had opened hearth on what it referred to as a “mob”. However the head of a hospital in Gaza mentioned 80% of injured folks introduced in had gunshot wounds.

On Friday, a UN group that visited a number of the wounded in Gaza Metropolis’s al-Shifa hospital noticed a “giant variety of gunshot wounds”, UN chief Antonio Guterres’s spokesman mentioned.

The hospital obtained 70 of the lifeless and handled greater than 700 wounded, of whom round 200 had been nonetheless there in the course of the group’s go to, spokesman Stéphane Dujarric mentioned.

“I’m not conscious that our group examined the our bodies of people that had been killed. My understanding from what they noticed when it comes to the sufferers who had been alive getting remedies is that there was numerous gunshot wounds,” he mentioned.

The UK referred to as for an “pressing investigation and accountability”. In an announcement, David Cameron, the international secretary, mentioned: “The deaths of individuals in Gaza ready for an support convoy had been horrific … this should not occur once more.” Israel should enable extra support into Gaza, Lord Cameron added.

You possibly can learn the total piece by my colleagues, Harriet Sherwood in London, Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem and Julian Borger in Washington, right here:

The Palestinian Authority hopes a ceasefire may be agreed in Gaza in time for Ramadan, its international minister, Riyad al-Maliki, mentioned on Saturday.

Talking at a information convention at a diplomatic discussion board in Antalya, Tukrey, Maliki mentioned the Palestinian Authority could be “the one authentic authority” to run Gaza after the battle, stories Reuters. The Palestinian Authority, which workout routines restricted self rule in components of the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, misplaced management of Gaza to the Hamas militant group in 2007.

Israel and Hamas have been negotiating by means of mediators over a attainable ceasefire in Gaza, with the purpose of halting combating in time for Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, which is able to begin on 10 or 11 March, relying on the lunar calendar.

The most recent figures from the Gaza well being ministry, which is run by Hamas, mentioned 92 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli strikes and 156 had been injured prior to now 24 hours.

In keeping with the assertion, no less than 30,320 Palestinians have been killed and 71,533 have been injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October.

The ministry doesn’t distinguish between combatants and non-combatants.

An Israeli drone strike killed three Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon on Saturday, stories Reuters citing safety sources in Lebanon.

The boys had been killed when the automobile they had been in was focused on a coastal highway close to the city of Naqoura, the sources mentioned. The Israeli military mentioned it was checking stories on the incident.

Israeli strikes since October have killed greater than 200 Hezbollah fighters and 50 civilians in Lebanon, whereas assaults from Lebanon into Israel have killed a dozen Israeli troopers and 5 civilians. Tens of hundreds of Israelis and Lebanese have fled villages on either side of the frontier.

Just like the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Hezbollah is an ally of Iran. It says its marketing campaign on the border goals to help Palestinians below Israeli hearth within the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah signalled this week that it will halt its assaults if Israel’s Gaza offensive stops, however it’s also able to carry on combating if the Gaza battle continues. On Friday, Hezbollah introduced the deaths of 4 members killed in Lebanon.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant final Sunday indicated that Israel deliberate to extend assaults on Hezbollah within the occasion of a Gaza ceasefire, however was open to a diplomatic deal to withdraw Hezbollah fighters from the border.

Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati instructed Reuters on Thursday a halt to combating in Gaza as early as subsequent week would set off oblique talks to finish hostilities on the border.

African Union chief Moussa Faki Mahamat on Saturday strongly condemned “the mass killing of Palestinians queueing for humanitarian support” and urged a world probe after dozens died after a rush on an support convoy in Gaza, stories AFP.

“Mahamat strongly condemns an assault by Israeli forces, that killed and wounded greater than 100 Palestinians searching for life-saving humanitarian support,” the bloc mentioned in an announcement dated Friday however posted on X on Saturday.

“The chairperson requires a world investigation into the incident to carry the perpetrators to account,” the assertion mentioned, urging “an instantaneous and unconditional ceasefire”.

French president Emmanuel Macron mentioned on Friday he was angered by what Gaza authorities mentioned was the capturing of greater than 100 Palestinians searching for humanitarian support and demanded “reality and justice” relating to the function of Israeli troopers within the incident, stories Reuters.

Gaza well being authorities mentioned Israeli forces on Thursday shot lifeless greater than 100 Palestinians as they waited for an support supply, however Israel blamed the deaths on crowds that surrounded support vehicles, saying victims had been trampled or run over.

An Israeli official additionally mentioned troops had “in a restricted response” later fired on crowds they felt had posed a menace. He dismissed the casualty toll given by Gaza authorities however gave no determine himself.

In a publish on X, Macron wrote:

Deep indignation on the photographs coming from Gaza the place civilians have been focused by Israeli troopers. I categorical my strongest condemnation of those shootings and name for reality, justice, and respect for worldwide legislation.”

He mentioned it was crucial for an instantaneous ceasefire within the battle to be put in place.

Macron additionally wrote: “The scenario in Gaza is horrible. All civilian populations have to be protected. A ceasefire have to be carried out instantly to permit humanitarian support to be distributed.”

Talking on France Inter radio on Friday, French international minister Stéphane Séjourné mentioned Paris would again the UN’s name for an impartial investigation.

“The humanitarian scenario has been catastrophic for a number of weeks now and what occurred is indefensible and unjustifiable. Israel wants to have the ability to hear it and it must cease,” Séjourné instructed France Inter.

“We’ve gone a step additional, individuals are combating for meals and there are riots. I heard the request from the secretary common of the UN to open an impartial investigation and I believe that France will help this,” Séjourné mentioned.

World leaders have referred to as for an investigation and a ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas battle after dozens of determined Palestinians had been killed dashing an support convoy.

AFP stories that Israeli troops opened hearth as Palestinian civilians scrambled for meals provides throughout a chaotic melee on Thursday that the Hamas-run territory’s well being ministry mentioned killed greater than 100 folks in Gaza Metropolis.

The Israeli navy mentioned a “stampede” occurred when hundreds of Palestinians surrounded the convoy of 38 support vehicles, resulting in dozens of deaths and accidents, together with some who had been run over. An Israeli supply acknowledged troops had opened hearth on the group, believing it “posed a menace”.

Gaza’s well being ministry referred to as it a “bloodbath” and mentioned 115 folks had been killed and greater than 750 had been injured.

A UN group that visited a number of the wounded in Gaza Metropolis’s al-Shifa hospital on Friday noticed a “giant variety of gunshot wounds”, a spokesperson for the UN chief, António Guterres, mentioned.

Stephane Dujarric mentioned the hospital obtained 70 of the lifeless and handled greater than 700 injured, of whom about 200 had been nonetheless there in the course of the group’s go to.

He mentioned:

I’m not conscious that our group examined the our bodies of people that had been killed. My understanding from what they noticed when it comes to the sufferers who had been alive getting remedies is that there was numerous gunshot wounds.

The casualties got here after a World Meals Programme official warned: “If nothing adjustments, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza.”

It has gone 10.30am in Gaza and Tel Aviv and that is our newest Guardian weblog on the Center East disaster. Right here’s an summary of the latest key developments.

World leaders have referred to as for an investigation and a ceasefire within the Israel-Gaza battle after greater than 100 Palestinians had been killed as they rushed at an support convoy and Israeli troops opened hearth.

The Israeli navy mentioned a “stampede” occurred when hundreds of Palestinians surrounded the convoy of vehicles, resulting in dozens of deaths and accidents, together with some who had been run over.

A United Nations group that visited a number of the wounded in Gaza Metropolis’s al-Shifa hospital on Friday noticed a “giant variety of gunshot wounds”, mentioned a spokesperson for the UN secretary common, António Guterres.

The hospital obtained 70 of the lifeless and handled greater than 700 injured, of whom about 200 had been nonetheless there in the course of the group’s go to, the spokesperson mentioned.

In the meantime, the US president, Joe Biden, mentioned he was “hoping” for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – which is able to begin on 10 or 11 March – however that settlement was nonetheless not sealed.

“I’m hoping so, we’re nonetheless working actual exhausting on it,” he mentioned in Washington of a deal. “We’re not there but.”

In different headlines:

• The US will begin airdrops of meals and emergency provides into Gaza within the subsequent few days, Biden has introduced, amid UN warnings of famine and after the meals support deaths. Friday’s announcement suggests the US president has given up on with the ability to persuade Israel within the close to future to coordinate a large-scale ground-based reduction effort below the specter of mass hunger throughout Gaza, stories Julian Borger in Washington.

• At the very least 30,228 Palestinians have been killed and 71,377 injured in Israel’s navy offensive in Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza well being ministry has mentioned. The Hamas-run ministry on Friday gave the overall casualties prior to now 24 hours as 193 Palestinians killed and 920 injured, which included these killed or damage within the support convoy incident.

• The US navy struck a Houthi missile it mentioned was ready to launch from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in direction of the Crimson Sea. US central command claimed on Friday the surface-to-air missile “offered an imminent menace to US plane within the area”. It additionally mentioned the Iran-backed Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile into the Crimson Sea within the late night, inflicting no affect or injury to vessels.

• Hamas mentioned on Friday that seven extra hostages seized throughout its 7 October assault on Israel had died due to Israeli navy operations in Gaza. The declare was in an announcement attributed to a spokesperson for its navy wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

• The EU has mentioned it can resume funding the UN Reduction and Works Company for Palestine (UNRWA) subsequent week, after the 2 events got here to an settlement to permit EU-appointed specialists to audit the best way it screens workers to establish extremists. Israel has accused 12 UNRWA workers of collaborating within the Hamas assault inside Israel on 7 October. A month after the Israeli allegations, UN investigators have but to obtain any proof from Israel to help the claims.

• A member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy serving as a navy adviser in Syria was killed in a suspected strike by Israel on Friday. Israel additionally launched air raids over Lebanon.

• Practically 20,000 worshipers had been capable of attain the al-Aqsa mosque for Friday prayers regardless of important restrictions on the entry of worshipers imposed by Israeli safety forces. There have been arrests, and a few worshippers had been denied entry and compelled to wish outdoors the compound.

The US president, Joe Biden, mentioned on Friday he was “hoping” for a ceasefire deal within the Israel-Hamas battle by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan however settlement was nonetheless not sealed.

“I’m hoping so, we’re nonetheless working actual exhausting on it. We’re not there but,” he instructed reporters on the White Home when requested if he anticipated a deal by Ramadan, which is able to begin on 10 or 11 March, relying on the lunar calendar.

“We’ll get there however we’re not there but – we might not get there,” Biden added, with out elaborating, as he headed to his helicopter.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) additionally stories that Biden had mentioned firstly of this week that he anticipated a deal by Monday for a six-week halt within the combating between Israel and Hamas, however has steadily walked again the timeline.

The president introduced earlier on Friday that the US would quickly begin airdropping support to Gaza, a day after dozens of determined Palestinians had been killed dashing an support convoy.

Biden has mentioned the incident might complicate talks, however wouldn’t touch upon Friday on what was holding up a deal, including:

I’m not going to inform you that as a result of that’ll become involved within the negotiations.