The war knows no respite in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army claimed on Sunday April 28 to have struck “dozens of terrorist targets” in central Gaza. It also claims to be preparing a ground offensive in Rafah where there are a million and a half Palestinians, mainly displaced people. Many capitals and humanitarian organizations fear a bloodbath in this city already regularly bombarded by the army.
Throughout Saturday, the Israeli navy targeted Hamas targets and provided support to troops deployed in the center of the territory, the army also said on Sunday. According to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondent, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes and artillery fire in several areas of the Gaza Strip, notably in Khan Younes and Rafah, in the south of the territory, as well as than in Gaza City.
In twenty-four hours, at least 66 additional deaths were recorded, according to a statement from the Hamas health ministry, which reports a new toll of 34,454 deaths in the Gaza Strip since October 7. In more than two hundred days of war, on the Israeli side, 1,170 people, mainly civilians, died, according to an AFP report based on official Israeli data.
Israel agrees to listen to the United States before any assault on Rafah, according to the White House
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC on Sunday that Israel had agreed to consider U.S. concerns and proposals before launching a possible ground assault against Rafah. “They assured us that they would not go to Rafah until we had the opportunity to express our views and concerns to them”said Mr. Kirby.
“What we hope is that after six weeks of temporary ceasefire, we can perhaps put in place something more lasting”said John Kirby, who also noted an increase in the number of aid trucks in northern Gaza. “The Israelis have begun to respect the commitments that President Joe Biden asked of them”he added.
Hamas delegation to respond to Israel’s truce proposals on Monday
A Hamas delegation will arrive in Egypt on Monday to deliver its response to the recent Israeli counter-proposal, with a view to a truce and the release of hostages, a senior official of the Palestinian movement announced to AFP on Sunday.
The Delegation, “led by Khalil Al-Hayya”member of the political branch of Hamas for Gaza and very involved in these negotiations, “will meet with the director and officials of the Egyptian intelligence service to discuss and deliver the movement’s response” Palestinian, said this senior official, on condition of anonymity.
Hamas said it had received a ” against proposal “ made by Israel as part of the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The delegation must also discuss a “new Egyptian proposal”added the senior official of the Palestinian movement.
Saudi Arabia hosts economic summit dominated by Gaza war
Saudi Arabia denounced on Sunday the failure of the international community in the face of the war in Gaza and called for the creation of a Palestinian state, during a special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh. “The situation in Gaza is clearly a disaster from every point of view, humanitarian, but also a total failure of the existing political system to deal with the crisis”said the head of Saudi diplomacy, Prince Faisal Ben Farhan to leaders and senior officials participating in this two-day summit in the Saudi capital.
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The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called on the United States to prevent a ground invasion in Rafah. “We call on the United States to ask Israel to stop the Rafah operation, because America is the only country capable of stopping Israel from committing this crime”Mr. Abbas declared during the summit in Riyadh, affirming that such an operation, announced by Israeli officials, would be “the greatest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people”.
The US State Department announced that Antony Blinken would travel to Riyadh on Monday to “discuss ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that allows for the release of hostages”. He “will also emphasize the importance of preventing expansion” regional war.
Israel will not be represented at the summit, and negotiations on a truce, conducted through American, Qatari and Egyptian mediation, are taking place elsewhere, but the event will be “an opportunity to have structured discussions” with “key players”declared Saturday the president of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Borge Brende.
“The world today walks a tightrope, trying to find a balance between security and prosperity”Faisal Al-Ibrahim, the Saudi planning minister, said on Saturday during a press conference. “We meet at a time when an error of judgment, an error of calculation or a miscommunication would further exacerbate our challenges”he added.
French foreign minister expected in Beirut
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné is due to meet on Sunday in Beirut with key Lebanese officials to try to defuse the cross-border conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, and avoid a large-scale war.
“We are making proposals to the political authorities to (…) avoid war in Lebanon »declared Mr. Séjourné during his visit to the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), deployed in the south of the country. “I will go to Beirut to see the political authorities to (…) to make proposals “he added. “Our responsibility is to mitigate the escalation and this is also our role in UNIFIL. We have 700 soldiers present here. »
Since the start of the war, there have been daily exchanges of fire on Israel’s northern border between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah.
Rallies in Tel Aviv to demand release of hostages
Meanwhile, internal pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu’s government continues to increase. On Saturday evening, thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv to demand the release of hostages kidnapped on October 7. “A deal, now!” » protesters chanted, while calling on the Netanyahu government to resign.
Shortly before, Hamas released a video in which two hostages appear, Keith Siegel, 64, and Omri Miran, 47. This is the second video released in several days by Hamas. At the rally in Tel Aviv, Mr. Miran’s father urged Hamas to “show humanity”and calling on the Israeli government to “make a decision now”.
And also
The pier under construction in Gaza “will certainly increase the volume of aid delivered” from here “two to three weeks”, but “nothing can replace land roads and trucks coming in” in Gaza, John Kirby said in an ABC interview. “We will probably have to wait two to three weeks before an operation”he clarified.