Hamas delegation to Cairo to review Egypt's peace proposal

2023-12-29 16:40:38, Kosova & Bota CNA

A senior delegation of Hamas officials was expected to travel to Cairo on Friday to review Egypt's peace proposal, designed to end the war between Hamas and Israel.

The Egyptian plan, which has three phases, calls for the release of Hamas hostages kidnapped on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; establishing a cease-fire that would end the war; the formation of a professional Palestinian government to govern post-war Gaza.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two militant groups fighting Israel, have seen copies of the proposal since last week, according to reports.

Israel's military continued its airstrikes and ground operation against Hamas in northern, central and southern Gaza on Friday. Residents say settlements in Nuseirat and Maghazi refugee camps, located in central Gaza, were hit overnight. Fierce fighting has also been reported in the Bureij refugee camp.

Heavy fighting has been reported in the southern city of Khan Younis. An Israeli bomb hit a house at dusk on Thursday, killing eight Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. In the Maghazi camp, three Palestinians were killed and six injured in a rocket attack on a house, according to the Palestinian Red Cross.

Israeli tanks have been seen near Bureij. Hamas released a video it said showed members of the group attacking Israeli tanks and forces east of Bureij. Reuters news agency said it had not verified the authenticity of the video.

The United Nations aid office warned that the increased intensity of fighting in the Gaza Strip, the frequent disruption of communication lines, blocked roads and fuel shortages are "challenging relief operations."

The Israeli military on Thursday expressed "regret for the damage caused to uninvolved civilians" in Sunday's airstrike on the Maghazi refugee camp. The Ministry of Health in the Hamas-ruled territory announced that at least 70 civilians had been killed in the attack.

The army statement said Israeli warplanes had struck two targets "near which Hamas operatives were" and an initial investigation concluded that other nearby buildings had also been hit, causing "unintended damage to other civilians who were not included.”

French President Macron urges lasting ceasefire

As Israel remains focused on the campaign to destroy the militant group, which the United States and other Western countries have designated a terrorist organization, French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to work toward a lasting ceasefire with the help of regional and international partners.

On October 7, Hamas militants crossed the border into Israel and attacked Israeli communities across the southern part of the country, killing 1,200 people, according to Israel. Hamas also kidnapped 240 hostages, 129 of whom are still being held in Gaza.

In response, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and launched an air, land and sea attack on Gaza. The Israeli offensive devastated entire parts of Gaza and killed 21,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-led Health Ministry.

The Israeli army has announced that 167 of its soldiers have been killed.

Israeli forces confiscate millions

In the West Bank, the Israeli military announced that it had carried out raids on Tuesday against people suspected of helping finance Hamas. According to an Israeli army statement, 21 people were arrested and tens of millions of shekels (Israeli currency) were confiscated in the operation in the West Bank.

Israeli forces have also carried out airstrikes in the city of Jenin, and Israeli forces have fired at Palestinians in response to what the Israeli military says opened fire on its soldiers.

The attack in the West Bank is the latest in a series of actions Israel has taken there, which it says are in response to terrorist activities.

The UN human rights office released a report on Thursday noting that the human rights situation in the West Bank has "rapidly escalated" since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said it had verified the deaths of 300 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, of which 291 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, eight by Israeli settlers and one by the army. Israeli or from the settlers.

According to the report, most were killed during clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops, involved in protests and during operations that the Israeli army undertook in Palestinian cities.

"The use of military tactics and weapons in the context of establishing law and order, the use of unnecessary or excessive force and the application of multiple, arbitrary and discriminatory restrictions on movement against Palestinians are extremely problematic," UN Commissioner Volker stated. Turkish.

He called on Israel to take action to stop settler violence and investigate violent incidents by settlers and the Israeli military.

The warship shoots down the drone, the missile

In the Red Sea on Thursday, the US warship USS Mason shot down a drone and a long-range anti-ship missile that the Pentagon said was launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen. At the time of the attack, 18 ships were in the area, but no damage or injuries were reported, US Central Command announced on platform X/VOA.