Israel’s war on Gaza updates: Calls to stave off Rafah offensive grow
Countries and international groups warn against large-scale Israeli attack on city crowded with displaced Palestinians.
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This live page is now closed. Follow along with our coverage of the Israel-Gaza war at our new page here.
- At least 67 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air and sea attacks on Rafah early on Monday, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.
- The Israeli army says it rescued two captives from a house in Rafah’s Shaboura neighbourhood overnight, but Hamas plays down the operation.
- The United Nations warns of “unprecedented levels of acute food insecurity, hunger, and near-famine-like conditions in Gaza”.
- Israel’s planned ground offensive on Rafah would “blow up” the captive exchange negotiations, Al-Aqsa television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying.
- Israel’s attacks on Gaza have killed at least 28,340 Palestinians and wounded 67,984 others since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas-led attacks stands at 1,139.
Here’s what happened today
We will be closing this live page soon. Here’s a recap of the day’s main events.
- Countries and international organisations continue to express alarm over an anticipated Israeli assault on Rafah, where Israeli forces previously told hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to seek shelter.
- Hamas says three more Israeli captives in Gaza have been killed in Israel’s bombing of the territory.
- Hezbollah says five of its fighters have been killed in south Lebanon and claims several attacks against Israel.
- After meeting Jordan’s King Abdullah, US President Joe Biden acknowledges Palestinian suffering but says Washington shares Israel’s goal of defeating Hamas.
- Rights groups report numerous violent attacks against Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
- Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have continued to deteriorate, with the UN warning of hunger and “unprecedented levels of acute food insecurity” in the Strip, where Israel has continued to restrict aid deliveries.
Palestinian child killed in Israeli bombing in Rafah: Red Crescent
Four others have been injured in the shelling by Israeli forces, the Red Crescent added in a social media post.
The attack took place in the Brazil neighbourhood in Rafah earlier this evening, it said.
Israel has carried out several air strikes in the southern Gaza city in the past 24 hours, killing dozens, according to health officials.
🚑The Palestine Red Crescent teams transported a martyred child and four injuries due to the occupation's shelling in the Brazil neighborhood in #Rafah this evening. #Gaza pic.twitter.com/c5u19Bw8Gf
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) February 12, 2024
On Gaza, Biden and Abdullah not on ‘same page’
Analyst Khaled Elgindy of the Middle East Institute think tank says the two leaders appeared to have differences over the Gaza war in both “tone or substance”.
“The king spoke with great urgency about a ceasefire now. The President talked about a six-week pause, which may or may not happen,” Elgindy told Al Jazeera.
“They’re encouraging the Israelis … to reconsider their opposition. But you don’t have that same sense of urgency, despite the very dire circumstances, particularly in Rafah.”
Elgindy said that while King Abdullah was “very clear” in his remarks that there was no military solution to this crisis, there has been a “dissonance” in the Biden administration’s position.
He said the US appears “content to continue with Netanyahu in the driver’s seat and there’s no real attempt to change Israel’s behaviour in any meaningful way”.
Join me and His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan as we deliver remarks following our meeting where we discussed the ongoing situation in Gaza. https://t.co/5gzgN7Hrzo
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 12, 2024
Three more Hezbollah fighters killed
The Lebanese group has said three of its fighters were killed, bringing its death toll to five today.
Hezbollah also claimed seven separate attacks against Israel, saying that it has carried out 1,020 military operations across the Lebanese-Israeli borders since the outbreak of the war on Gaza.
Earlier, the Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah’s “infrastructure” in Lebanon.
Egypt slams far-right Israeli minister’s comments
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has released a statement condemning “disgraceful” comments from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said in a meeting on Monday that “the Egyptians bear considerable responsibility for October 7”.
“Egypt fully controls its territory, and does not allow any party to involve Egypt’s name in failed attempts to justify its own shortcomings,”the ministry’s spokesman, Ahmed Abu Zeid, said in a statement, adding that it was “unfortunate and disgraceful” that Israeli ministers continue making “irresponsible and inflammatory statements”.
French foreign ministry says 42 people evacuated from Gaza
The French foreign ministry has said that 42 people have been evacuated from Gaza via the Rafah crossing, according to the AFP news agency.
“After a request from France, 42 people today left the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the latest round of evacuations brings the total number of people taken out of Gaza following requests from the French government to more than 200.
Biden appears to acknowledge Palestinian Health Ministry’s Gaza death toll
Last year, the US president sparked outrage when he cast doubt over the number of Palestinian casualties reported by the Health Ministry in Gaza.
But as we reported earlier, the US president said “too many” of the 27,000 Palestinians killed in the conflict have been innocent civilians.
The number he acknowledged nearly reflects the data of the Health Ministry, which says 28,340 Palestinians have been killed in the war so far.
Experts, rights advocates and even US officials have said that the ministry’s figures are largely accurate, stressing that it is the only party with access to data from hospitals and morgues in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Health officials have said that the death toll in Gaza is likely far higher, given that many people remain missing with rescuers unable to reach Palestinians under the rubble of many buildings targeted by Israel.
Jordan’s King Abdullah says world ‘cannot afford’ Israeli assault on Rafah
King Abdullah lamented that his meeting with Biden comes as “one of the most devastating wars in recent history continues to unfold in Gaza”. Here’s what the Jordanian leader had to say:
- More than 100,000 Palestinians have been killed, injured or remain missing in Gaza and the world “cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafah” that is “certain to produce another humanitarian catastrophe”.
- There needs to be a “lasting ceasefire” and renewed efforts to bring increased aid to Gaza from all possible entry points.
- UNRWA’s role is indispensable and it is “imperative” that it continues to receive support.
- The world “must not ignore” the situation in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, where the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and escalation by “extremist” settlers threaten to “unleash chaos on the entire region”.
- “The separation of the West Bank and Gaza cannot be accepted” and there can be no peace without a political solution that leads to an “independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital”.
- “All attacks against innocent civilians, women and children, including those of October 7, cannot be accepted by any Muslim”, and the horrors of the last few months must not be “repeated or accepted”.
Biden reiterates opposition to forced displacement of Palestinians
Speaking alongside Jordan’s King Abdullah who is visiting the White House, the US president gave an update on the situation in Gaza. Despite his “unwavering” support for the war, Biden acknowledged Palestinian suffering in his remarks.
Here’s what he had to say:
- “The United States shares the goal of seeing Hamas defeated and ensuring long-term security for Israel and its people.”
- “The Palestinian people have also suffered unimaginable pain and loss. Too many of the over 27,000 Palestinians killed in this conflict have been innocent civilians … including thousands of children.”
- Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have no access to food, water and basic services.
- Washington “is working on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, which would bring an immediate and sustained period of calm to Gaza”.
- “We oppose any forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza.”
- “The major military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible plan for ensuring the safety and support of more than 1 million people sheltering there.”
Rights group reports another round of settler attacks against Palestinians
The Israeli human rights group Yesh Din is reporting a settler assault on the Palestinian village of Asirah al-Qibliyah in the occupied West Bank.
“About an hour ago, dozens of settlers attacked the village of Asirah al-Qibliyah with stones, smashed windows, set vehicles on fire, causing damage to property and injuring 3 residents,” the group said in a social media post.
“The army arrived and shot tear gas and rubber bullets at the Palestinian residents.”
This is the second round of settler attacks that Yesh Din has reported in the past hours.
“This is just the latest in a series of violent attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians. The UN says that since October 7, there have been at least 515 attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers,” Al Jazeera correspondent Hamdah Salhut said, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem.
[1] About an hour ago, dozens of settlers attacked the village of Asirah al-Qibliyah with stones, smashed windows, set vehicles on fire, causing damage to property & injuring 3 residents. The army arrived & shot tear gas & rubber bullets at the Palestinian residents >> pic.twitter.com/bL80mcyBL8
— Yesh Din English (@Yesh_Din) February 12, 2024
IMF director warns of potential ‘spillover’ from Gaza war
International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva has warned that the continued war in Gaza and related confrontations, including attacks in the Red Sea, pose a threat to the stability of the global economy.
“I fear most a longevity of the conflict because, if it goes on and on, the risk of spillover goes up,” she said in remarks at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.
“Right now we see a risk of spillover in the Suez Canal.”
Situation in hospital near Khan Younis ‘terrible’: Doctor
Ahmed Mokhalati at the European Hospital in Gaza says the medical centre is experiencing a “total disaster” and is unable to receive any more patients.
“This is the only hospital that can provide conflict-like, comprehensive care. We have a 240-bed capacity, expanded to 370. Currently, we have 2,000 patients,” he told Al Jazeera.
“The hospital corridors are full, and even the emergency department is crowded with patients,” Mokhalati added, saying the situation at the facility was another example of how “the health system in Gaza has collapsed”.
“It’s a terrible situation.”
In January, the World Health Organization said only 15 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals were partially functional – nine in the south and six in the north.
UN says it ‘won’t be party’ to forced displacement in Rafah
A spokesperson for United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has said that the international body “will not be party” to any forced displacement of Palestinian civilians in Rafah, as Israel prepares for an assault on the city where Israeli forces previously instructed displaced Palestinians to seek shelter.
“We will not be party to forced displacement of people,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. “As it is, there is no place that is currently safe in Gaza.”
“You can’t send people back to areas that are littered with unexploded ordnance, not to mention a lack of shelter,” Dujarric said, referring to parts of the northern and central Gaza Strip.
Rights advocates have been warning since the start of the war that Israel may be planning to force Palestinians to leave Gaza in what would amount to ethnic cleansing.
UK maritime group reports missile strike on vessel off of Yemen
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has said that it received reports of an attack on a vessel off the coast of Yemen, where Houthi forces have continued to carry out raids on commercial ships.
“UKMTO has received a report of an incident, 40NM South of AL Mukha, Yemen,” the group said in a report. “Master reports his vessel was attacked by two missiles and reports minor damage. Vessel and crew are safe. Vessel proceeding to next port of call.”
UKMTO WARNING
INCIDENT 029 Update 002https://t.co/XsgrK5uW2N#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/deSmnUmPGs
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) February 12, 2024
Islamic Jihad says two of its fighters killed in Lebanon
The al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian group, says the two fighters were killed while performing their “fighting duties” in south Lebanon near the border with Israel.
The Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hezbollah, had claimed responsibility for attacks against Israel from Lebanon last year.
Israel has an ‘obligation’ to protect civilians in Rafah: White House
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby says Washington has told Israel “loud and clear” about its concerns over civilians in Rafah.
“We hope and expect our Israeli counterparts will factor in the safety of those civilians appropriately as they consider future operations down in Rafah,” he said.
Kirby also reiterated that while the United States had never asked Israel not to enter Rafah, the White House believes it’s not “advisable” to take such action without an “executable and effective” plan for the safety of people there.
“Israel has an obligation to protect them,” he added.
The US is Israel’s top military and diplomatic backer.
Since the start of the war, Israel has ordered hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza to move south until they reached Rafah along the border with Egypt. The city itself is now in the crosshairs of the Israeli military.
‘Humanitarian workers should be protected’: UNRWA chief
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency, has said that in two separate incidents, Israeli forces opened fire on an UNRWA school in Khan Younis, in the southwest area of the besieged coastal enclave.
“As a result, two UNRWA colleagues on duty were shot, one was killed. Despite multiple attempts, we couldn’t retrieve his body,” he said.
“Humanitarian workers are not a target; they should be protected,” Lazzarini added.
PA calls for stopping ‘Israel’s genocide’ of Palestinians in Rafah
The Palestinian Authority (PA) foreign ministry has called on all relevant parties to “prevent mass slaughter” in the southern Gaza Strip, where 1.5 million people are currently taking shelter.
“Israel, the occupying power, and those who provide it with the diplomatic, military and political cover are complicit in this genocide and are defying their obligations under international law as well as the ruling of the International Court of Justice,” it said in a statement.
Statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates – State of Palestine 🇵🇸 🇵🇸 #Gaza_under_attack#CeasefireNow#Palestine#Israeliwarcrimes pic.twitter.com/KQthLZni7z
— State of Palestine – MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) February 12, 2024
HRW welcomes claim against Hamas at ICC
Omar Shakir, the Israel-Palestine director for Human Rights Watch, has welcomed a decision by families of those taken captive by Hamas to submit a claim against the group at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Great to see families of hostages turning to the [ICC] for accountability,” Shakir said in a social media post.
“The ICC plays an essential role in upholding the rules-based int’l order & holding all perpetrators of serious crimes to account. Impartial and independent justice badly needed in Israel/Palestine.”
Israel and its top ally, the United States, have previously rejected ICC investigations into possible abuses in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Moreover, Israel – which pursues policies of building settlements on occupied Palestinian land in violation of international law – has not ratified the Rome Statute that established the court.
Great to see families of hostages turning to the @IntlCrimCourt for accountability. The ICC plays an essential role in upholding the rules-based int'l order & holding all perpetrators of serious crimes to account. Impartial & independent justice badly needed in Israel/Palestine. https://t.co/6KzXtG1WGN
— Omar Shakir (@OmarSShakir) February 12, 2024
Biden has failed to hold Israel accountable for attacking Americans: CAIR
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an advocacy group, has said that the administration of US President Joe Biden has failed to take adequate steps towards accountability for Israel despite consistent abuses against United States citizens.
“The Biden administration has repeatedly failed to hold the far-right Israeli government accountable for attacks like last night’s Rafah massacre and even attacks on American citizens, like the assassination of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the murder of another American teenager, Tawfiq [Ajaq], last month,” the group said in a social media post.
“These failures embolden the Israeli government to kill more innocent people with impunity.”
Israel is not abiding by ICJ order to allow in Gaza aid: Former UN official
Ardi Imseis says that since the provisional measures were issued by the top UN court last month, 17 massacres have been committed in the Gaza Strip, killing about 2,000 Palestinians.
“There is a severe intensification of the situation itself. We now have 1.4 million Palestinians pushed towards the south on the border with the Egyptian Sinai,” the professor at Queens University told Al Jazeera’s Inside Story programme.
“The prospect of permanent forcible transfer of this community into Egypt, either through direct bombardment … or over time through starvation used as a method of war and the cutting off of humanitarian aid and assistance to this community, looms large.”
Amnesty says Rafah’s population has grown fivefold during war
The rights group says the city’s population has ballooned since October 7, highlighting the danger an Israeli offensive would pose to civilians there.
As Israeli forces have pressed farther south, they have ordered displaced Palestinians to seek shelter in Rafah near the border with Egypt.
“Most people in Rafah have already fled other areas of Gaza after being ordered by Israeli authorities to ‘evacuate’,” Amnesty said in a social media post. “Civilians have nowhere to go to escape the bombardment and are facing the real and imminent risk of genocide.”
Rafah’s population has increased x5 since the Israeli offensive began in October and now Israeli forces are preparing to launch a ground operation in Rafah. pic.twitter.com/8MoGYbUj8w
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) February 12, 2024
If you’re just joining us
It is now 10pm (20:00 GMT) in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel. Here’s a summary of the major events of the past few hours:
- UNRWA reports outbreaks of hepatitis A and alarmingly high rates of diarrhoea in Rafah.
- Hamas says its fighters have killed 10 Israeli soldiers from “zero distance” in Khan Younis.
- Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant hails the freeing of two captives in Rafah as a “turning point” in the war, but Hamas plays down the operation as a “ploy” by Israel to hide defeats.
- The ICC prosecutor expresses concern over a potential ground incursion by Israeli forces in Rafah.
- The UN warns of hunger and “unprecedented levels of acute food insecurity” in Gaza.
- Hamas says three more captives in its custody have been killed in Israeli air raids.
UN special rapporteur ‘welcomes ICC prosecutor’s announcement’
We reported earlier that Karim Khan, prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), had said he is “deeply concerned” by Israel’s bombardment of Rafah as well as reports of an anticipated Israeli ground offensive there.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, has welcomed his comments, saying: “May all perpetrators be brought to justice soon. Even more urgently, may a ceasefire be enforced (as Israel is killing Palestinians even in ‘safe zones’) and hostages released, along with the thousands of Palestinians arbitrarily detained.”