#Gaza #Update #Death #Toll #Biden #Discusses #Key #Ceasefire
International
Thea Fathanah Arbar, CNBC Indonesia
News
Tuesday, 02/13/2024 22:00 IWST
Photo: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – United States (US) President Joe Biden said his country was currently working hard to broker a ceasefire agreement in the fighting in Gaza, send aid and humanitarian supplies to the region, and free the hostages.
“Key elements of the deal have been discussed,” Biden said, but added that “there are still gaps.”
Biden made this statement after Israeli troops attacked the Rafah area, where 67 Palestinians were killed in air and sea attacks in the area.
The following are the latest developments regarding the war in Gaza, as compiled by CNBC Indonesia from various sources on Tuesday (13/2/2024):
Biden’s Key on Gaza
With the threat of an Israeli ground attack on Rafah, Joe Biden said the US would do “everything possible” to achieve a ceasefire.
After a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Biden said that “key elements of the deal were discussed,” but “there are still gaps.”
Senior officials from the US, Egypt, Israel and Qatar are expected to meet in Cairo to discuss a three-phase framework that would include freeing hostages and achieving an extended pause. This was conveyed by a source familiar with the matter to the news agency.
Abdullah said Biden’s leadership was key to resolving this conflict. “We need a lasting ceasefire now,” Abdullah said.
“This war must end,” he stressed.
On the other hand, Biden also voiced international calls for Israel to cancel plans for a massive military attack on the city of Rafah. He spoke after talks with Abdullah at the White House on Monday (12/02/2024).
“The massive military operation in Rafah must not proceed without a credible plan to ensure the safety and support of the more than 1 million people sheltering there,” he said.
Death toll passes 28 thousand
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli aggression since October 7 had risen to 28,473, including more than 12,300 children and around 8,400 women.
At least 68,146 people were injured, including 8,663 children and 6,327 women. The ministry also said that more than 11,000 people were in urgent need of evacuation.
Palestinians Detained in West Bank
The number of prisoners in the occupied West Bank has risen to 7,000, according to data from two prisoner rights groups.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society and the Commission for the Affairs of Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Detainees said this number did not include those from Gaza who were subject to enforced disappearance.
“Detention during this period was brutal. Detainees were attacked, abused and beaten. Some of them were used as human shields, while others were killed while in detention,” the group said.
Netanyahu Says Congratulations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated soldiers who carried out the dramatic rescue of two Israeli hostages in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians fled to seek refuge.
Netanyahu described it as a “perfect operation”.
The Israeli military launched air strikes on nearby buildings to support the rescue, killing at least 67 Palestinians. Hamas later claimed that other Israeli hostages were also killed in the bombing.
The families of Fernando Simon Marman (60) and Louis Har (70), who were held hostage in Gaza for 129 days, said they were very happy to be reunited with their loved ones. The Israel Defense Forces said it rescued Marman and Har from a second-floor apartment in the southern city of Rafah as it launched a massive airstrike in the area.
Despair in Rafah
Palestinian residents of Rafah described the panic and despair spreading in Gaza’s southernmost city. This comes after Israel said it would expand its ground offensive into densely populated areas.
At least half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents live in Rafah, a city that previously housed only a fraction of that number. This region is on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
Sunak Expresses Concerns
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said that Sunak was “very concerned about the possibility of a military attack on Rafah”.
“It’s impossible to see how you can fight between these people, there’s nowhere for them to go… we are very concerned about this situation and we want Israel to stop and think seriously before further action is needed,” said the Foreign Minister England, David Cameron as quoted by the Guardian.
US Will Approve Funding to 3 Countries
The US Senate looks set to approve a long-awaited funding package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The Senate voted 66-33 to remove the final procedural hurdle before a vote on confirmation that could take place as early as Wednesday. The bill will then be brought to the DPR.
Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, said the package lacks border security provisions.
Watch the video below:
Video: Biden is said to have cursed at Netanyahu regarding peace in Gaza
(wia)
