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© Reuters. An Israeli tank manoeuvres close to the Israel-Gaza border, amid the continuing battle between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Israel, January 25, 2024. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
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By Stephanie van den Berg, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell
THE HAGUE/DOHA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -U.N. judges in The Hague will rule on Friday whether or not to order Israel to droop its army marketing campaign in Gaza as officers push forward with efforts to barter a brand new deal for a ceasefire and launch of extra Israeli hostages.
On the bottom, The Israeli army stated on Friday it was nonetheless engaged in “intensive battles within the coronary heart of Khan Younis” the principle metropolis within the south of the enclave, with forces hanging dozens of Hamas fighters and infrastructure from the air and floor. It stated forces additionally fired at Hamas targets in northern Gaza and alongside the Gaza shoreline.
Gaza officers stated on Thursday that Israeli strikes killed 20 Palestinians queuing for meals assist in Gaza Metropolis, 11 folks in central Gaza’s Al-Nusseirat refugee camp and at the least 50 folks within the prior 24 hours in Khan Younis, the place Israel is presently focusing the brunt of its would possibly.
Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the small print, whereas Israel stated it was both trying into the stories or didn’t instantly touch upon the incidents.
The judges of the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice (ICJ), additionally referred to as the World Courtroom, are because of rule on Friday on South Africa’s request for emergency measures in opposition to Israel in a case accusing it of state-led genocide within the Gaza Strip.
In additional than three months of warfare, Israel’s marketing campaign has leveled a lot of the enclave, displaced some 1.9 million Palestinians and killed at the least 25,900 folks, in line with Gaza officers. Israel launched its offensive in October after militants from Hamas, which guidelines Gaza, stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 folks and taking 240 hostages.
The court docket will situation its ruling at 1 p.m. (1200 GMT) in a listening to anticipated to final about an hour. Whereas the judges is not going to rule on the deserves of the genocide allegations, which can take years to resolve, South Africa requested the court docket to situation an interim order compelling Israel to droop its army operations.
Israel has referred to as South Africa’s allegations false and “grossly distorted,” and stated it makes the utmost efforts to keep away from civilian casualties in Gaza.
The court docket’s rulings are ultimate and with out attraction, nevertheless it has no method of implementing them. Israel on Thursday expressed confidence that the ICJ would “throw out these spurious and specious prices.” Hamas stated it could abide by an ICJ ceasefire order if Israel reciprocates.
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS SEEK NEW TRUCE DEAL
In the meantime, diplomatic efforts to barter a break within the battle continued. U.S. and Israeli intelligence chiefs had been because of meet Qatari Prime Minister and International Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Europe this weekend, one official advised Reuters. A second supply stated Egypt’s intelligence chief would additionally take part.
The White Home has been making an attempt to facilitate the discharge of the greater than 100 remaining Israeli hostages taken throughout Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel, which ignited the warfare in Gaza, though there stays a substantial distance between the 2 sides’ calls for.
A 3rd supply with information of the talks stated that Israel has proposed a 60-day pause within the combating throughout which hostages could be launched in phases, starting with civilian ladies and youngsters.
Beforehand, three sources advised Reuters that shuttle diplomacy over the previous month involving the U.S., Qatar and Egypt has sought to hammer out a brand new deal for a ceasefire of about one month. However progress has been held up by variations between Hamas and Israel over methods to carry a everlasting finish to the Gaza warfare.
Chinese language officers have requested their Iranian counterparts to assist rein in assaults on ships within the Purple Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis, or threat harming enterprise relations with Beijing, 4 Iranian sources and a diplomat acquainted with the matter stated.
The discussions in regards to the assaults and commerce between China and Iran occurred at a number of latest conferences in Beijing and Tehran, the Iranian sources stated, declining to supply particulars about once they occurred or who attended.
FLEEING TO RAFAH
In Gaza on Thursday, tanks hit areas round two hospitals in Khan Younis, forcing displaced folks into a brand new determined scramble for security, residents stated.
Israel’s army stated early on Friday that its intelligence discovered that Hamas was working from inside and across the two hospitals, Nasser and Al-Amal, in Khan Younis. Hamas and medical employees have denied Israeli claims that militants in Gaza use hospitals as cowl for bases.
The Israeli army stated it was coordinating with hospital employees to make sure they continue to be “operational and accessible” and there’s a secure hall for folks to depart the hospitals.
“The information on the bottom disprove the blatant misinformation that has been disseminated over the past 72 hours falsely claiming that the hospitals are beneath siege or assault,” it stated in an announcement.
On Thursday, hundreds of homeless folks sheltering in Khan Younis sought to flee to Rafah, 15 km (9 miles) away, the U.N. aid company for Palestinians (UNRWA) stated.
Video posted on X by Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, confirmed a crowd of individuals strolling en masse on Thursday on a dust highway. “A sea of individuals pressured to flee Khan Younis, ending up on the border with Egypt. A by no means ending seek for security that #Gaza is now not capable of give”, Lazzarini wrote.
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