US President Joe Biden expressed his hope for a ceasefire in Gaza by Monday. Although President Biden did not provide specific details during a brief comment to reporters, he mentioned that his national security adviser informed him they are close to finalising the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The statement from President Biden comes in the wake of an incident where an active-duty member of the US Air Force died by setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in protest of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Hamas praised the individual, stating that his name would remain “eternal” in the memory of Palestinians. The Palestinian resistance group criticised the Biden administration for enabling the siege of Gaza, declaring that hunger in the territory is a disgrace to humanity that history will not erase.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced his resignation, claiming unprecedented escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem and the war, genocide, and starvation in the Gaza Strip.
International human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, issued separate statements accusing Israel of failing to comply with the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling. The ICJ had called for Israel to take immediate and effective measures to protect Palestinians and facilitate the delivery of adequate aid to Gaza. As the ICJ concluded its sixth day of hearings on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories, countries from the global south have predominantly criticised Israel’s illegal decades-old military occupation of Palestinian territories.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated the organisation would not be a party to any forced displacement of civilians in response to Israel’s evacuation plans in Rafah.
Doctors at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City treat victims on the hospital floor after Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for aid. The toll of the conflict continues to rise, with at least 29,782 people reported killed and 70,043 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since 7 October.
Diplomatic efforts continue for a potential ceasefire and a hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. Negotiators are outlining an agreement that could halt the fighting for six weeks.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reported a rise in newborn deaths in Gaza, primarily attributed to the lack of access to proper maternal care. The Al Helal Al Emirati maternity hospital in Rafah, a critical healthcare facility in the region, is now in the spotlight. The hospital faces severe limitations, with only five available beds for deliveries. The facility managed 78 deliveries in a single night despite these constraints.
World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about the anticipated Israeli assault on Rafah. With over a million people seeking shelter in Rafah, the WHO chief highlights the conditions that could worsen the situation in the region. Ghebreyesus underscores the severe shortages of essential resources such as food, water, and medicine in Rafah, making the population exceptionally vulnerable to the impact of a full-scale Israeli incursion.