Hamas stated Thursday it will send a delegation to Cairo as quickly as doable to continue cease-fire talks, in response to Egypt’s newest proposal. In a assertion, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh stated he had spoken to Egypt’s intelligence chief and “stressed the positive spirit of the movement in studying the cease-fire proposal.” The assertion didn’t say when the delegation would journey.
If the Israel-Hamas warfare stopped right this moment, it could nonetheless take till 2040 to rebuild all of the properties which have been destroyed in almost seven months of Israel’s bombardment and floor offensives within the territory, in accordance to United Nations estimates launched Thursday.
The United States has pressured Israel to improve support deliveries throughout the warfare, and on Wednesday, Israel reopened a border crossing with hard-hit northern Gaza Strip for the primary time because it was broken at the beginning of the warfare.
Meanwhile, on his seventh go to for the reason that newest warfare between Israel and Hamas broke out in October, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed for a cease-fire deal. The proposed truce would free hostages held by Hamas in change for a halt to the preventing and the supply of a lot wanted meals, drugs and water into Gaza. Palestinian prisoners are additionally anticipated to be launched as a part of the deal.
On Oct. 7, Palestinian militants launched an unprecedented assault into southern Israel, killing round 1,200 individuals — principally civilians — and abducting round 250 hostages. Israel says militants nonetheless maintain round 100 hostages and the stays of greater than 30 others.
The loss of life toll in Gaza is greater than 34,500 Palestinians, in accordance to native well being officers, because the territory faces a humanitarian disaster. The warfare has pushed round 80% of Gaza’s inhabitants of 2.3 million from their properties, brought on huge destruction in a number of cities and cities and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.
Currently:
— Nonstop Mideast protection of the Israel-Hamas warfare pauses for protests and police motion at U.S. faculties.
— Colombia’s president says the nation will break diplomatic relations with Israel over the warfare in Gaza.
— The Biden administration is weighing measures to assist Palestinians carry household from the area.
— Blinken presses Hamas to seal cease-fire with Israel, saying “the time is now” for a deal.
Follow AP’s protection of the warfare at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Here’s the most recent:
HAMAS DELEGATION TO GO TO EGYPT FOR MORE CEASE-FIRE TALKS
CAIRO — Hamas says it’s sending a delegation to Cairo to continue cease-fire talks.
Hamas had been anticipated to ship a solution to Egypt’s newest proposal as quickly as Thursday.
In a assertion, the group’s supreme chief, Ismail Haniyeh, stated he had spoken to Egypt’s intelligence chief and “stressed the positive spirit of the movement in studying the ceasefire proposal.”
The assertion stated Hamas negotiators would journey to Egypt as quickly as doable “to complete the ongoing discussions with the aim of working forward for an agreement.”
The assertion didn’t say when the delegation would journey.
GERMAN CHANCELLOR AND ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER TALK ABOUT HOSTAGE RELEASE AND CEASE-FIRE IN PHONE CALL
BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned efforts to safe the discharge of hostages held by Hamas and a cease-fire in a telephone name Thursday, German authorities spokesperson Wolfgang Buechner stated, with out offering particulars.
Further enhancements within the provide of humanitarian support to individuals in Gaza was additionally a matter, Buechner stated in an emailed assertion.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Germany is the second-largest provider of arms to Israel, behind the United States. It’s additionally among the many international locations that introduced it could resume cooperation with the United Nations aid company for Palestinians in Gaza after the publication of an impartial evaluate of its neutrality — a determination Israel’s Foreign Ministry had referred to as “regrettable and disappointing.”
HEALTH MINISTRY ADDS 28 PEOPLE TO THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR DEATH TOLL IN GAZA
BEIRUT — The Gaza Health Ministry stated Thursday the our bodies of 28 individuals killed by Israeli strikes had been introduced to native hospitals over the previous 24 hours. Hospitals additionally obtained 51 wounded, it stated in its every day report.
That brings the general Palestinian loss of life toll from the Israel-Hamas warfare to no less than 34,596, the ministry stated, and 77,816 wounded. The Health Ministry doesn’t distinguish between fighters and civilians in its tallies, however says that ladies and youngsters make up round two-thirds of these killed.
The Israeli navy says it has killed some 13,000 militants, with out offering proof to again up the declare.
FIGHTING IN GAZA HAS DESTROYED OVER 370,000 HOMES AND WILL TAKE UNTIL AT LEAST 2040 TO REPAIR, UN REPORT SAYS
AMMAN, Jordan — If the warfare in Gaza stopped right this moment, it could nonetheless take till 2040 to rebuild all of the properties which have been destroyed in almost seven months of Israel’s bombardment and floor offensives within the territory, in accordance to United Nations estimates launched Thursday.
“Every additional day that this war continues is exacting huge and compounding costs to Gazans and all Palestinians” stated United Nations Development Programme Administrator Achim Steiner.
At least 370,000 housing items in Gaza have been broken, together with 79,000 destroyed fully, in accordance to the brand new report by the UNDP and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, which particulars how Israel’s assault, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault, has devastated the economic system of the Palestinian territories, and the way the influence will improve the longer the battle goes on.
After earlier Israel-Hamas conflicts, housing was rebuilt at a charge of 992 items yr. Even if Israel permits a five-fold improve of development materials to enter Gaza, it could take till 2040 to rebuild the destroyed homes, with out repairing the broken ones, the report stated.
In Gaza, the Israeli offensive has just about shut down the economic system, which contracted 81% within the final quarter of 2023. The report stated the “productive basis of the economy has been destroyed,” with sectors skilled losses of greater than 90%.
Gaza, residence to some 2.3 million Palestinians, has been below blockade by Israel and Egypt since Hamas’ 2007 takeover, placing tight controls on what enters and exits the territory. Even earlier than the warfare, it confronted “hyper-unemployment” of 45%, reaching almost 63% amongst youthful employees. Since the warfare started, it misplaced some 201,000 jobs.
The warfare has additionally impacted the West Bank, the place for months Israel has imposed restrictions on motion. In 2024, your entire Palestinian economic system — together with each Gaza and the West Bank — has to date contracted 25.8%, and if the warfare continues the loss will attain 29% by July, equal to $7.6 billion, the report stated.
HAMAS PRAISES COLOMBIA’S DECISION TO BREAK RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL
BEIRUT — The militant Palestinian group Hamas praised Columbia’s announcement that it could break relations with Israel, saying such a transfer is a recognition of the struggling of Palestinian individuals.
In its assertion Thursday, Hamas referred to as on different leaders of Latin America to minimize their international locations’ diplomatic relations with Israel, which it described as “a rogue and Fascist entity that is continuing its crimes against our people.”
Historically, Colombia was one in all Israel’s closest companions in Latin America. But relations between the 2 nations cooled since Gustavo Petro was elected as Colombia’s first leftist president in 2022.
Petro introduced his authorities would break diplomatic relations with Israel efficient Thursday, describing Israel’s siege of Gaza as “genocide.” He beforehand suspended purchases of weapons from Israel and in contrast that nation’s actions in Gaza to these of Nazi Germany. Hamas stated it valued Petro’s stance extremely.
Weeks after the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel that sparked the present warfare in Gaza and killed some 1,200 individuals, Petro recalled Colombia’s ambassador to Israel as he criticized the nation’s navy offensive.
