The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said it is unable to provide essential services in north Gaza, citing a severe shortage of staff and a collapse of social order triggered by Israeli attacks on civilians and restrictions on food aid access. Israeli actions, backed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other western governments, have left the civilian population in Gaza in dire straits. All international efforts to force Israel into an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza have so far been blocked by the US.
At least 24 displaced Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza’s Deir el-Balah. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reports an ongoing influx of wounded individuals, with the death toll expected to rise.
As Israel presses ahead with its war on Gaza, the Palestinian Authority has criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s post-war plan for the enclave. The plan, presented to Israel’s security cabinet, proposes maintaining security and military control over all land west of the Jordan River, encompassing the West Bank and Gaza.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, emphasised the need to end the Israeli occupation and called for recognition of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The White House has expressed unease with Netanyahu’s post-war plan, urging a revitalised Palestinian Authority to allow the Palestinian people a voice and a vote. The US opposes a reduction in the size of Gaza, rejects forcible displacement, and cautions against Gaza being dominated or ruled by Hamas.
Meanwhile, the UN’s top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), responding to a request from the UN General Assembly, has entered its fifth day of hearings to determine the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. At least 29,514 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since 7 October, with 69,616 others wounded.
In Paris, talks are underway to halt the fighting in Gaza, with Mossad’s head meeting separately with negotiating parties, including Qatar, Egypt, and the US. Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel is expected to join the talks following a meeting with Hamas leaders in Cairo. Hamas has concluded ceasefire talks in Cairo and awaits mediator feedback from the ongoing Paris discussions. Israel has yet to comment publicly on the talks, with discussions expected to extend through the weekend.