Middle East crisis live: European Commission ‘hopeful’ first boat from Cyprus carrying aid to Gaza will set sail soon

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Gaza food aid ship stuck at Cyprus with ‘technical difficulties’

The Cyprus government spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, told the island’s official news agency that the exact timing of the vessel’s departure would not be made public for “security reasons”. It was later reported that due to “technical difficulties”, it might not depart until Monday morning.

Map of the region showing Cyprus and Gaza

The delay in the departure of the aid ship highlights the complexity of delivering aid to Gaza through unconventional means. Israel has been repeatedly accused of not doing enough to facilitate humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people. Its shallow shoreline waters and dearth of functioning ports make such maritime operations difficult, and it is unclear how much assistance via the new “sea highway” will affect the dire humanitarian situation on the ground.

After five months of war, the UN says a quarter of people in the besieged Palestinian territory are on the brink of starvation. The local health ministry said on Saturday that 23 people, including several children, had died of dehydration or malnutrition in the previous 10 days.

Read more here: Gaza food aid ship stuck at Cyprus with ‘technical difficulties’

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It has just gone 5pm in Gaza, Beirut and Tel Aviv. Here are the latest headlines …

The European Commission has said it is “hopeful” that the first boat carrying aid to Gaza will set sail soon after delays over the weekend. Departure arrangements for the Open Arms vessel were in the hands of the Cypriots, a spokesperson said. The delay in the departure of the aid ship highlights the complexity of delivering aid to Gaza through unconventional means.

As Ramadan begins, the Hamas-led health ministry in Gaza issued new casualty figures, claiming at least 31,112 Palestinians have been killed and 72,760 wounded since 7 October in Israel’s military offensive on the Gaza Strip.

In its latest operational update, Israel’s military has claimed that “IDF troops struck terrorist operatives who endangered the forces in the central Gaza Strip” and that “special forces are continuing to operate in the area of Hamad in Khan Younis.”

Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, has issued a statement for Ramadan in which he cautions against making it “a month of jihad”. Gallant said “We tell everyone who is thinking of trying us – we are ready, don’t make mistakes.”

In a video statement Israel’s prime minister has claimed the country has killed a senior Hamas leader, without naming them. Benjamin Netanyahu told viewers “We are on the way to total victory. On the way to this victory, we already eliminated number four in Hamas. Three, two, and one are on the way. They are all dead men, we will reach them all”. It is unclear who Netanyahu was referring to, although Israeli media have speculated he may have meant deputy political leader Saleh al-Arouri. He was killed in Beirut in January.

The UN secretary-general António Guterres has reiterated his calls for an end to hostilities in Gaza and the increased delivery of humanitarian aid, describing international humanitarian law as in tatters. He told the media “International humanitarian law lies in tatters. And a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah could plummet the people of Gaza into an even deeper circle of hell”. He also called for the release of hostages held by Hamas and the removal of “all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required” to Gaza.

Twelve of Israel’s most prominent human rights organisations have signed an open letter accusing the country of failing to comply with the international court of justice’s (ICJ) provisional ruling that it should facilitate access of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Hezbollah has claimed it launched a multi-drone attack on an Israeli air defence outpost across from Lebanon in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel claimed two “suspicious aerial targets” struck open areas in the northern Golan Heights, and there are no reports of any damage of casualties.

British maritime security firm Ambrey has said it was aware of a missile-related incident west of Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. Local media has claimed “the Yemeni port of Ras Issa has been attacked by three airstrikes in what it calls “US-British aggression”. The claims have not been independently verified.

Police in Italy have arrested three Palestinians who they said were planning attacks in an unspecified country, according to a police statement.

ShareNetanyahu: Israel has killed the Hamas ‘number four’ and will kill entire leadership

In a video statement Israel’s prime minister has claimed the country has killed a senior Hamas leader, without naming them.

Benjamin Netanyahu told viewers “We are on the way to total victory. On the way to this victory, we already eliminated number four in Hamas. Three, two, and one are on the way. They are all dead men, we will reach them all.”

It is unclear who Netanyahu was referring to, although Israeli media have speculated he may have meant deputy political leader Saleh al-Arouri. He was killed in Beirut in January, in what was seen at the time as the first strike in an expected campaign of overseas assassinations promised by Israeli officials after 7 October. Israel has never directly claimed the strike inside Lebanon’s capital.

Israeli media has also reported that Israel’s military is investigating whether it killed Hamas’s number three, Marwan Issa, over the weekend. The deputy head of the group’s military wing was reportedly killed in an airstrike Sunday.

ShareUN’s Guterres: ‘humanitarian law lies in tatters’ and an Israeli assault on Rafah threatens ‘even deeper circle of hell’

Reuters reports he told the media “International humanitarian law lies in tatters. And a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah could plummet the people of Gaza into an even deeper circle of hell.”

He also called for the release of hostages held by Hamas and the removal of “all obstacles to ensure the delivery of lifesaving aid at the speed and massive scale required” to Gaza.

Earlier, twelve of Israel’s most prominent human rights organisations signed an open letter accusing the country of failing to comply with the international court of justice’s (ICJ) provisional ruling that it should facilitate access of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Over the weekend, Islamic Relief reported that pregnant women and new mothers in Gaza are facing a constant struggle to keep themselves and their babies alive, amid life-threatening shortages of food, water and medical care. Of 36 hospitals in Gaza, just 12 are partially functioning, with the rest not functioning. The Hamas-led health ministry says the death toll since 7 October has reached over 31,100, and huge swathes of the population in Gaza have been displaced from their homes, and are living in makeshift tent camps in the south of the territory.

Hamas is believed to still be holding 134 hostages abducted from inside Israel on 7 October, not all of whom are thought to still be alive.

Al-Masirah, a Houthi-linked news channel, is claiming that the Yemeni port of Ras Issa has been attacked by three airstrikes in what it calls “US-British aggression”. The claims have not been independently verified.

More details soon …

ShareEuropean Commission ‘hopeful’ that first boat from Cyprus carrying aid to Gaza will set sail soon

Lisa O’Carroll

Lisa O’Carroll is the Guardian’s Brussels correspondent

“We are very hopeful nonetheless that despite the delay that has happened over the weekend, the ship will be in a position to leave shortly and head for Gaza,” he added.

It remains unclear why the boat has not yet left with local reports citing “technical issues.”

Sources say the sailing of the first ship “was always going to be the most difficult” with security in Cyprus complete but questions over distribution of that aid on land understood to be delaying matters.

The EU says the ship, which is separate to the US plans for a maritime corridor, is just one of three routes to getting life-saving supplies to the besieged population of Gaza where there are now warnings of starvation and famine.

But the demand for aid still dwarfs supply, with just 200 tonnes of aid on the boat. EU figures show that 500 tonnes a day were being delivered in peacetime. On good days, during the conflict, about 100 tonnes have been delivered by land.

A humanitarian airbridge has seen 41 flights to Egypt carrying vital supplies including shelter, medicine and hygiene kits. Separately the European Commission is also working on possible partnership to parachute aide in as the Jordanians and others have been doing.

“The European Commission is responsible for the delivery of aid to Palestine, to Palestinians in Gaza, and this is what we’re working on. Yes, there are significant difficulties, which is why we’re looking at other options, like the maritime corridor which is being opened and like the airdrops. Of course in parallel, all efforts are being undertaken by the responsible actors in order to work on the political dimension of this conflict,” said the official spokesperson for the commission.

The maritime corridor from Cyprus has been under discussion since late last year and could ultimately used for other purposes including reconstruction, the commission added.

Peter Beaumont

The court in The Hague made a number of legal requirements of Israel when it issued a provisional ruling in late January in response to South Africa’s complaint accusing the state of committing genocide in its military campaign in Gaza.

The requirements included taking all measures to prevent intentional harm to civilians, facilitating immediate humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, preventing and punishing direct or public incitement to genocide, and preserving evidence of any wrongful acts committed during the country’s war against Hamas.

In their letter, the rights groups say Israel was legally obliged to implement the measures ordered by the court but has so far failed to do so. Signatories to the letter include the military whistleblower group Breaking the Silence and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.

“The ICJ order is a legal obligation to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. It must be abided by, not only to ease the urgent suffering of civilians but for the sake of humanity as a whole,” the letter says. It also notes that the ICJ urged Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release all Israeli hostages.

Read more of Peter Beaumont’s report here: Israeli human rights groups accuse country of failing to abide by ICJ’s Gaza aid ruling

Italian police have arrested three Palestinians based in central Italy who they said were planning attacks in an unspecified country, according to a police statement.

Reuters reports:

The three men living in l’Aquila, about 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Rome, had set up a cell linked to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, it said.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is an armed group that is linked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement and is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the European Union and the United States.

Police said the three Palestinians had been charged with criminal conspiracy for terrorism purposes or subversion of the democratic order, which carries jail terms of up to 15 years.

Police said:

The suspects engaged in proselytism and propaganda (…) and planned attacks, including suicide attacks, against civilian and military targets on foreign territory.

One of the three men is wanted by Israel, and an Italian court is examining an extradition request for him, the statement added.

In a separate statement, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi hailed the arrest of “three dangerous terrorists” and said Italy was always on high alert against extremism and radicalisation.

There was no immediate comment by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

There are some striking images of aid packages falling into northern Gaza, looking like a flock of birds.

Packages fall towards northern Gaza, after being dropped from a military aircraft. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/ReutersPackages fall towards northern Gaza, after being dropped from a military aircraft. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/ReutersShareSummary of the day so far …

It is approaching 2pm in Gaza, Beirut and Tel Aviv. Here are the latest headlines …

An aid ship carrying 200 tonnes of food to alleviate looming famine in the Gaza Strip remained docked in Cyprus on Sunday night, despite the push for maritime aid in the face of stalling ceasefire talks. The delay in the departure of the aid ship highlights the complexity of delivering aid to Gaza through unconventional means. Israel has been repeatedly accused of not doing enough to facilitate humanitarian assistance to Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people.

CNN has been reporting that Israeli officials have told it that Israel is not yet ready to expand its ground operations into Rafah. The report said that the military is yet to buildup sufficient troops, and no plan for evacuating civilians has been agreed.

Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that overnight and into the morning Israeli security forces have detained at least a further 25 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. It brings the total number of detentions there since 7 October up to about 7,530.

Three Israeli troops have been lightly wounded in a helicopter incident at Netavim base in southern Israel. The IDF said it is investigating.

The IDF has issued a disciplinary note to a top commander after he ordered the destruction of Al-Asraa university building university compound in southern Gaza City without the approval of a superior.

British maritime security firm Ambrey has said it was aware of a missile-related incident west of Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

CNN has been reporting that Israeli officials have told it that Israel is not yet ready to expand its ground operations into Rafah.

Citing anoymous officials, Jeremy Diamond and Richard Allen Greene reported this for the news network:

The Israeli military has yet to build up the forces needed to proceed with a Rafah offensive, and it has not finalized plans for a civilian evacuation of the city, the officials said.

While the necessary force buildup could be enacted in short order, a major civilian evacuation is expected to take at least two weeks, the officials said.

And the Israeli cabinet has not yet signed off on plans submitted by the Israel Defense Forces for an evacuation and incursion, officials on both the military and political sides said.

The report added that the officials did not rule out an offensive starting before the end of Ramadan.

There are reports that three Israeli troops have been lightly wounded in a helicopter incident at Netavim base in southern Israel. The IDF said it is investigating. It is believed the helicopter caught fire before take-off.

More details soon …

ShareIsrael’s defense minister Yoav Gallant cautions against making Ramadan “a month of jihad”

Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, has issued a statement for Ramadan in which he cautions against making it “a month of jihad”.

The Times of Israel quotes Gallant saying:

The month of Ramadan is an important month in which the Qur’an was revealed and in which there is an opportunity to improve neighbourly relations and strengthen family ties.

We are aware that the month of Ramadan may be a month of jihad. We tell everyone who is thinking of trying us – we are ready, don’t make mistakes.

Mona Chalabi and Andrew Witherspoon have produced this interactive for us today, entitled The Story of Gaza’s Destruction in 100 Lives, which tries to put the figures emerging from the territory into context. As Chalabi writes:

Rafah, the southernmost province of Gaza, had a prewar population of 280,000; now it holds almost 1.5 million people, most of them in tents that are not able to provide adequate shelter during cold and rainy weather, let alone offer sanitation facilities. Five hundred people share a single toilet.

The 15% of Gazans who have not been displaced from their homes are not necessarily any less vulnerable than their displaced neighbors. Frequently, those who stay are compelled to do so because disability makes movement impossible. When someone is too unwell to evacuate, family members are often reluctant to leave them behind.

You can read it, along with the animated graphics that go with it, here: The story of Gaza’s destruction in 100 lives – a visual guide

Reuters reports British maritime security firm Ambrey has said it was aware of a missile-related incident west of Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

More details soon …

Hezbollah has claimed it launched a multi-drone attack on an Israeli air defence outpost across from Lebanon in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Reuters reports it said the attack, in which it deployed four drones, hit its target with “accuracy”. It described it as an operation in support of Palestinian groups in Gaza.

Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since capturing them from Syria in 1967.

The IDF claimed this morning that two “suspicious aerial targets” struck open areas in the northern Golan Heights, and there are no reports of any damage of casualties.

The claims have not been independently verified.

Here are some of the latest images sent to us over the news wires from Gaza and Israel.

A handout photo issued by the Israel Defense Forces shows Israeli soldiers operating at an undisclosed location inside the Gaza Strip. Photograph: Israel Defense Forces/ReutersPeople inspect damage and recover items from their homes after Israeli airstrikes on 11 March 2024 in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, an area where Israel’s military has repeatedly instructed Palestinians to move to for safety. Photograph: Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty ImagesPeople mourn as they receive the dead bodies of victims of an Israeli strike on 11 March 2024 in Rafah. Photograph: Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty ImagesAn Israeli soldier prays near military vehicles near the Israel-Gaza border. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/ReutersShare

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Middle East crisis live: European Commission ‘hopeful’ first boat from Cyprus carrying aid to Gaza will set sail soon | Israel-Gaza war

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