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At least 13,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict, including 5,500 children, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza government. Attacks by the Israeli army have also caused 30,000 injuries. All hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip have ceased to function due to lack of fuel and siege by the Israeli Forces. The Palestine Red Crescent's emergency medical services teams have reported that they have evacuated 31 babies from Al-Shifa hospital for transfer to Egypt. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has denounced the hijacking of a cargo ship in the Red Sea by the Houthis, the Yemeni rebel militia allied with Iran. In the morning, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said he was increasingly confident that an agreement would be reached between Israel and Hamas for the release of hostages held by the Palestinian militia, for which only "very minor" fringes remain. The White House has also assured that it is "working hard" to reach the pact.
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El País
China assures that it will work to "restore peace in the Middle East"
The Chinese government said on Monday that it is willing to work to help "restore peace in the Middle East". This was stated by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, meeting with a delegation of diplomats from Arab and Muslim-majority nations visiting Beijing. "Let us work together to quickly calm the situation in Gaza and restore peace in the Middle East as soon as possible," Wang told foreign ministers in his opening statement. In addition to Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, senior representatives of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia and Jordan are participating in the meeting. (Image: EFE)
ACT.20 NOV 2023 - 07:39
EFE
Japan condemns Houthi rebels' seizure of a cargo ship operated by a Japanese company
The Japanese government on Monday "resolutely" condemned the capture by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea of a cargo ship operated by a Japanese company and called for the release of the 25 sailors on the crew taken hostage in the incident.
Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said Tokyo is working with relevant countries to ensure the prompt release of the ship and its crew, 25 seafarers of Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Filipino, Mexican and Romanian origin. The Houthis announced on Sunday the capture of the ship, which they said belonged to Israel, in "a military operation" that culminated in the diversion of the ship to an unspecified port controlled by the insurgents, who said such actions were only aimed at Israeli vessels.
The Galaxy Leader freighter, which carried vehicles, is owned by a British company but operated by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen (NYK Line). The Houthis have said the insurgents are treating the crew "in accordance with the teachings and values" of Islam and have warned "all ships belonging to or working with the Israeli enemy" that they will be "a legitimate target."
ACT.20 NOV 2023 - 05:45
El País
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry retracts a statement denying Hamas' responsibility for the massacre in Israel
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has removed the statement denying that Hamas was responsible for the massacre at the Nova festival on October 7, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Palestinian government spokesmen said the publication had not been approved by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The now-deleted statement claimed that "Israeli helicopter" fire was responsible for the deaths of the 364 partygoers.
ACT.20 NOV 2023 - 07:40
El País
Hamas reiterates that the "massacre" at the electronic music festival on October 7 was Israel's responsibility
Hamas has denounced that the massacre at the Nova electronic music festival on October 7 — which began the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip — was caused by the "military, security and intelligence failures" of the Israeli army, and has reiterated that it was its helicopters that bombed the young people attending the event.
This was stated by Hamas officials at a press conference in Beirut, where they welcomed the investigations published on Sunday by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which claimed that the death of 360 people at the festival on the day of the Hamas assault was partly caused by a bombardment by the Israeli army. "The Apache helicopters were the ones that bombed the participants in the concert. The charred bodies were the result of missiles from a Zionist plane," the spokesmen of the Islamist militia said.
The Hamas attack on October 7 caused more than 1,400 deaths, according to the Israeli authorities. The militia captured more than 240 hostages, and many of them are still in their hands. After the massacre in Nova, numerous videos could be seen in which Islamist militants were seen arresting several young people who were enjoying the festival. A few days later, the Israel Defense Forces released videos of charred bodies in cars near where the event had been held. (Image: EFE)
ACT.20 NOV 2023 - 07:41
El País
UNESCO warns that "attacking schools is a clear violation of international law"
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has warned that "attacking schools is a clear violation of international law." "Horrific images have emerged following the bombing of schools where many civilians had taken refuge," the UN agency said in a message on the social network X.
The statement refers to the Israeli bombardments that have fallen over the past 24 hours on the schools of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in Gaza. These centers now serve as a refuge for thousands of displaced people in the Strip, and have killed dozens of civilians, according to the agency.
ACT.19 NOV 2023 - 22:49
El País
Macron reproaches Netanyahu that there are "too many civilian losses" in Gaza
French President Emmanuel Macron has reproached Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there are "too many civilian losses" in Gaza, and reminded him of the "absolute necessity to distinguish between terrorists and the population", according to the Elysée.
The French head of state also told Netanyahu, during a telephone conversation, "his great concern about the increase in violence against Palestinian civilians", and asked him to act "to prevent this violence from spreading and to remain calm". In addition, Macron reiterated to the Israeli president "the importance of establishing an immediate humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire".
Macron also addressed the same issue during a conversation with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, before whom he "condemned the violence" committed "against Palestinian civilians" in the West Bank. (AFP)
ACT.19 NOV 2023 - 22:10
El País
Israel publishes what it says is evidence that Hamas has used al-Shifa hospital to hide hostages
The Israel Defense Forces have released videos of what they say are evidence that Hamas used the facilities of the al-Shifa hospital, the largest and most important hospital in the Gaza Strip, at the beginning of the conflict, to hide and treat captured Israeli hostages.
"In the documentation released with the help of the Israel Intelligence Agency, Hamas terrorists can be seen on Saturday, October 7, forcibly transporting hostages, a Nepalese civilian and a Thai civilian, who were kidnapped in Israeli territory. These findings prove that the Hamas terrorist organization used the Shifa hospital complex on the day of the massacre as terrorist infrastructure," they said in a statement. The army has posted two of the videos in a message on the social network X.
ACT.19 NOV 2023 - 22:01