After formal hostage negotiations that had been taking place in Doha, Qatar, fell apart, the Biden administration continues to be in close contact with their Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian counterparts about ways to get more hostages out, according to officials.
The remarks appear to support Israel’s contention that its forces are closing in on what it claims are two Hamas strongholds in the north of Gaza — Jabalya and Shejaiya.
https://clubsajt.setmore.com The IDF says it is trying to minimize civilian casualties, and accuses Hamas of embedding itself in civilian infrastructure. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned there is “no effective protection of civilians” in Gaza. Refaat Alareer (left) sits with his friends and colleagues, Yousef Aljamal (center) and Jehad Abusalim (right), on the Staten Island Ferry in New York during a book tour in 2014. In 2014, Alareer edited “Gaza Writes Back,” a collection of short stories by young writers documenting their lives under Israeli blockade. He was also co-editor of “Gaza Unsilenced,” a collection of essays, photos and poetry published in 2015 that documented the pain, loss and faith of Palestinians under Israeli siege. He also contributed to “Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire,” an anthology published in 2022. A native of Gaza City, he studied at University College London and SOAS, in London. Nine years on, Alareer said he and many other Gazan parents felt “helplessness and despair” because they have no way to protect themselves, or their children, from Israel’s persistent strikes. "The decision was made in order to improve and upgrade the capabilities and volume of security screening of the humanitarian aid being admitted into the Gaza Strip via the Rafah Crossing in Egypt," COGAT said.
https://rss.com/podcasts/gangseoop/ Thirty-four injured Palestinians and four buses carrying an unknown number of foreign nationals also crossed from Gaza into Egypt Monday, a CNN journalist at the Rafah crossing said. So far, more than 1,200 American citizens, residents and family members have left the enclave, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Monday. Dr. Ahmed Al-Kahlot told CNN on Monday the hospital he runs in the center of Gaza City, Kamal Adwan, is surrounded by Israeli forces. According to the Reuters news agency, Borrell did not give details of possible EU sanctions, but the news agency said officials believed it would also involve travel bans to the EU. This picture taken from southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip on December 3, 2023, shows smoke billowing over the Palestinian enclave during Israeli bombardment amid continuing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Israel carried out deadly bombardments in Gaza on December 3 as international calls mounted for greater protection of civilians and the renewal of an expired truce with Palestinian militant group Hamas. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)
