EL PAÍS offers the last hour of the Arab-Israeli conflict for free.
If you want to support our journalism,
subscribe.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Hamas' ceasefire proposal in Gaza is a “starting point” that leaves room for an agreement to be reached.
Blinken held a press conference to culminate his diplomatic tour of the Middle East, in which he met with Israeli and Palestinian politicians.
“The dehumanization of Israelis on October 7 cannot be a license to dehumanize others,” said the Secretary of State, who also regretted that the daily number of victims in Gaza, considering that “it remains too high.”
The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the war amounts to 27,708, in addition to 67,147 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas.
The Islamist militia had sent a ceasefire proposal, in three phases, which Israel has rejected.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, has assured that "surrendering to the demands of Hamas" in exchange for the handover of the 136 hostages still in Gaza "would only invite a new massacre", like that of September 7. October.
“There is no solution other than total victory,” he said.
Go to start
New posts
The country
Antony Blinken: “The number of victims in Gaza remains too high”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Hamas' ceasefire proposal in Gaza is a “starting point” that leaves room for an agreement to be reached.
Blinken held a press conference to culminate his diplomatic tour of the Middle East, the fifth since the conflict began and in which he met with Israeli and Palestinian politicians.
“The dehumanization of Israelis on October 7 cannot be a license to dehumanize others,” said the Secretary of State, who also regretted that the daily number of victims in Gaza, considering that “it remains too high.”
In addition, he has stated that a UN team will begin a mission in the north of the Strip to evaluate the situation and has defended that the functions of the Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) are in Israel's sights.
“The Palestinian Authority should reform and revitalize itself,” added the American politician.
On the other hand, he has expressed “concern” over the possibility that the Netanyahu Government's official rhetoric could further inflame the conflict.
(Reuters)
ACT.7 FEB 2024 - 21:40
The country
Abbas asks Blinken that the US recognize the Palestinian state
The president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, asked the United States this Wednesday to recognize the Palestinian State.
He did so during a meeting in Ramallah with Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, who has visited the occupied West Bank after meeting with the main Israeli authorities as part of his tour of the Middle East.
“President Abbas stressed the importance of American recognition of the Palestinian State” to become “a full member of the United Nations,” and again urged the adoption of the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Abbas reiterated to Blinken “the need to immediately stop the continued Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip,” in what he considered “a war of genocide and destruction” carried out by Israel.
He has also demanded that humanitarian aid access to Gaza be accelerated to appease its serious humanitarian crisis, and warned of the displacement of more than a million people, who are now overcrowded in Rafah, in the extreme south of Gaza and which is being hosted in largely internally displaced, given the news of a possible Israeli offensive in the area.
Abbas and the body he presides over, the ANP, have limited government in small areas of the occupied West Bank, while they lost control over Gaza in 2007, when the Strip was taken over by Hamas.
“Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian State, and it is not possible to accept or address the plans of the occupation authorities [of Israel] to separate it or cut any centimeter of its territory,” Abbas told Blinken.
(Efe)
ACT.7 FEB 2024 - 21:24
The country
What has happened in the last few hours
These are the most relevant news about Israel's military offensive in Gaza and the escalation in the Middle East at 9:00 p.m. this Wednesday, February 7:
Netanyahu rejects the proposal for a 135-day truce in Gaza.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected the compensation that Hamas is asking for for handing over the 136 hostages remaining in Gaza: 135 days of ceasefire, the release of up to 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the entire Strip, the entry of more humanitarian aid, the beginning of the reconstruction of the territory and the indirect negotiation of the definitive end of the war.
“Surrendering to Hamas's delusional demands would only invite a new massacre.
There is no solution other than total victory,” he said in a press conference.
Hamas' ceasefire proposal.
The Palestinian militia had submitted a ceasefire plan divided into three phases of 45 days each.
Blinken meets with Netanyahu in the final phase of his Middle East tour.
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has received the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who is in the last phase of his tour of the Middle East, the fifth since the war in the Gaza Strip began.
The two “had a long and in-depth meeting in private,” Netanyahu's office said.
Blinken had a press conference scheduled for late afternoon.
Israeli troops kill three Palestinians in the West Bank.
Soldiers of the Israeli Armed Forces have killed three Palestinians in the West Bank, during a raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp, in Tulkarem in the northeast of the occupied West Bank.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least one 39-year-old man and another 36-year-old man were shot dead by troops.
The Israeli army has claimed to have killed three “terrorist operatives”.
The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the war is 27,708.
The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the start of the war amounts to 27,708, in addition to 67,147 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas.
In the last 24 hours, 123 Palestinians have been killed and 169 injured by Israeli attacks, the ministry added.
The Israeli army finds another tunnel in Gaza where it claims Hamas held hostages.
The Israeli army recently found a tunnel more than a kilometer long in the city of Khan Younis, in the south of the Strip, where it claims that Hamas had been holding Israeli hostages.
“It was used to hide high-ranking members of the Hamas terrorist organization and hold hostages,” a military spokesman said.
Guterres is "particularly alarmed" by reports that Israel intends to attack Rafah.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has been “particularly alarmed” by reports that the Israeli army now intends to focus on Rafah.
“An action of this type would exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with incalculable regional consequences,” Guterres told the UN General Assembly.
ACT.7 FEB 2024 - 21:00
The country
Israeli troops kill three Palestinians in West Bank
Soldiers of the Israeli Armed Forces killed three Palestinians this Wednesday during armed clashes in a raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp, in the city of Tulkarem in the northeast of the occupied West Bank, in the midst of a spiral of violence in the region.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least one 39-year-old man and another 36-year-old man were shot dead by troops, while the Israeli Army claimed it killed three "terrorist operatives."
Local Palestinian militias also said on Telegram that they were facing the army in the countryside, already the subject of other operations this year and one of the highest points of tension in the West Bank.
According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli special forces stormed Nur Shams today supported by military reinforcements, which led to armed clashes.
According to Wafa, the troops attacked a house in the countryside with grenades and a military backhoe demolished part of the building, and at least one young man was injured by a gunshot and three women were injured by shrapnel.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Army has assured that its troops "carried out anti-terrorist activities in the Nur Shams area", together with the border police, and that they surrounded the building where "an important terrorist agent: Muatasam Ali" had barricaded himself.
“He was suspected of having carried out an attack against soldiers and other activities, and after exchanges of fire and the use of other methods, he was neutralized,” he clarified.
"During the operation, two armed terrorists who were trying to flee the building were also neutralized," the army confirmed.
The current spiral of violence in the West Bank is the largest since the Second Intifada (2000-2005).
Israel took control of the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War, and since then it has maintained a long regime of military occupation and colonization over the territory.
(Efe)
ACT.7 FEB 2024 - 20:22
Antonio Pita
Netanyahu rejects ceasefire proposal: "Surrendering to Hamas demands would only invite a new massacre"
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, assured this Wednesday that "surrendering to the demands of Hamas" in exchange for the handover of the 136 hostages still in Gaza "would only invite a new massacre", like that of October 7.
“There is no solution other than total victory” and this is “within reach,” he said at a press conference in Tel Aviv.
“The day after is the day after Hamas.
“Not part of Hamas, all of Hamas,” he added.
It is his response to the proposal that the Islamist movement has delivered to the mediators and that the Secretary of State of one of them, the United States, analyzes this Wednesday with his interlocutors in Israel.
According to a draft consulted by the Reuters agency, Hamas asks in exchange for the 136 hostages remaining in Gaza (31 of them already dead) 135 days of ceasefire, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from throughout Gaza, the entry of more humanitarian aid, the beginning of the reconstruction of the territory and the indirect negotiation of the definitive end of the war.
ACT.7 FEB 2024 - 19:03
The country
This is the Hamas ceasefire proposal that the Government of Israel is studying
While waiting for the Israeli Government to pronounce itself, these are the main points of Hamas's ceasefire proposal for the Gaza war.
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, is scheduled to make a public appearance at 6:30 p.m. in which he is expected to address her.
The text aims to end military operations with a progressive de-escalation, the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and the end of the blockade of Gaza, permission for the displaced to return to their homes and the increase in humanitarian aid in the Stripe.
These are the details:
-First 45 days.
Temporary cessation of military operations, cessation of aerial reconnaissance operations and withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of the territory.
Liberation of Israeli women and children under 19 years of age held hostage in Gaza as well as the elderly and sick people.
Release of women, children, the elderly and the sick imprisoned in Israeli prisons.
Agreement for the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, of which Hamas would choose 500 with long sentences.
Increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza, including the north of the Strip, and return of the displaced to their districts.
Beginning of reconstruction work on hospitals, homes and other public buildings.
UN agencies must provide services and establish refugee camps for the population.
-Seconds 45 days.
Previous discussions on the conditions to maintain the ceasefire.
Release of all kidnapped men, military and civilian, in exchange for the release of other Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Continuation of humanitarian measures.
Withdrawal of Israeli troops from the entire territory of Gaza.
Beginning of the general reconstruction of the territory and end of the blockade.
-Thirds 45 days.
Exchange of bodies and remains from both sides after their identification.
Continuation of humanitarian work in the Strip agreed upon in previous phases.
(Reuters)
ACT.7 FEB 2024 - 17:38
The country
Guterres is "particularly alarmed" by reports that Israel now intends to focus on attacking Rafah
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Wednesday that he is "particularly alarmed" by reports that the Israeli military intends to focus next on Rafah in Gaza.
"Such an action would exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with incalculable regional consequences," Guterres told the 193-member UN General Assembly, while again calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and unconditional release of all hostages.
(Reuters)
ACT.7 FEB 2024 - 16:22