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Israeli fighter jets continued their heavy blows in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least one Palestinian and injuring several others. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignored the request for demotion.
In 11 days of violent conflict, at least 227 Palestinians were killed, including 64 children.
On the Israeli side, 12 people were killed.
US President Joe Biden discussed the incident in Gaza with Netanyahu on Wednesday and told the caretaker leader that he expects a “significant escalation on the road to a ceasefire today.”
But shortly after Biden finished the call, Netanyahu said that he was “decided” to continue bombing Gaza until Israel achieved its “target.”
At the same time, diplomatic efforts for a truce between Israel and the Hamas rulers in Gaza remain stagnant, and the United States continues to prevent the UN Security Council from taking action on this issue.
The following are the latest updates:
The Wall Street Journal stated that the Hamas ceasefire in Israel may begin as early as Friday
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) stated that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could arrive “as early as Friday”. ReportedU.S. and foreign officials who participated in the discussion were quoted.
The newspaper said that Egyptian officials had made progress in negotiations with the Hamas leadership, while the Israeli military privately admitted that it was close to accomplishing its goals.
An American official who asked not to be named told the Wall Street Journal that there is currently a ceasefire mechanism, and “the only problem is timing.”
The official also pointed out that members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another armed group in Gaza, are still wild cards.
Hamas officials expect a truce “in a day or two”
A senior Hamas political official, Moussa Abu Marzouk, predicted that the escalation of the Israeli-Gaza situation will reach a ceasefire within a few days.
He told Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen television station: “I think the continued efforts on the ceasefire will be successful.” “I hope to reach a ceasefire within a day or two, and the ceasefire will be carried out on the basis of mutual agreement.
An Egyptian security source told Reuters that the two sides agreed to a ceasefire in principle with the help of a mediator, but the details are still under secret negotiations.
A Palestinian was killed in Gaza
The Palestinian news agency Wafa’s reported that in the latest Israeli airstrike on Gaza, at least one Palestinian was killed and 13 others were injured.
A Wafa reporter based in the Gaza Strip said that Israeli fighter jets carried out at least 30 airstrikes, targeting the roads and houses of Gaza City, Jabaliya and Khan Younis.
The agency said the raid caused “significant damage” to the Saftawi highway, which connects Gaza City to the northern part of the enclave, and disrupted electricity, water and sanitation networks.
Palestinian groups “launched 80 rockets overnight”
According to the “Times of Israel” quoted by the Israeli military, Palestinian groups in Gaza fired 80 rockets and mortars into southern Israel between 7pm on Wednesday and 7am on Thursday.
According to the website, the Israeli air defense system intercepted most of the rockets and no casualties were reported.
It added that the last rocket was launched at 1 am local time.
U.S. opposes France’s UN draft resolution
According to the Associated Press, Washington opposed the resolution proposed by the United Nations Security Council drafted by France, which urged a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The spokesperson of the US mission to the United Nations reiterated Washington’s position that public statements may interfere with Biden’s efforts to end hostilities.
The spokesperson told the Associated Press: “We have always stated clearly and unanimously that we will focus on in-depth diplomatic efforts to stop violence, and we will not support actions that we believe to undermine the work of demotion.” Anonymous.
The diplomat said that the remaining members of the 15-member institution supported the French draft.
U.S. Democrats urge Biden to promote Israeli-Palestinian truce
More than 130 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives called on Biden to “promote an immediate cessation of violence between Israel and Hamas” and “urged the two sides to negotiate a ceasefire quickly.”
The letter said: “The alternative is an ever-expanding human tragedy, the scale of which is unimaginable.”
I urge more than 130 members of Congress @POTUS Call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.
No more lives should be lost. pic.twitter.com/jEc2uZcgOS
-Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) May 19, 2021
Several Palestinians were injured in Israeli raids
According to medical personnel, at least nine Palestinians were injured when Israel attacked a house in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Eight other people were injured in an airstrike on a residential building in Jabaliya, northern Gaza.
Israel carried out dozens of air strikes on Gaza
Israel continued to hit the Gaza Strip with air strikes early Thursday.
There were many loud noises in the Palestinian territories, and the sky before dawn was shining bright orange.
Israeli warplanes blew up Al-Saftawi Street in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/YWsddgskjq
-Time of Gaza (@Timesofgaza) May 20, 2021
For all the progress since yesterday (May 19), please go to Here.
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