20:56: Source – Negotiators prepare implementation of Gaza agreement
According to AP news agency, Middle East negotiators are preparing to implement a ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip even before a final agreement is reached. The current proposal closes virtually every gap between Israel and Hamas, said a source familiar with the status of the negotiations.
Negotiators from the US, Qatar and Egypt had announced shortly before that the negotiations would be postponed until next week. The aim is to reach an agreement at a further meeting in Cairo that will bring an end to the fighting.
19:50: US Secretary of State Blinken travels to Israel
As part of the negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Antony Blinken is traveling to Israel in person. The US Secretary of State will travel there on Saturday to continue “intensive diplomatic efforts” there, ministry spokesman Vedant Patel said in Washington.
The aim is to bring the agreement to a conclusion. During his visit, Blinken will stress the need for all parties in the region to “avoid at all costs” an escalation.
19:09: UN chief calls for ceasefire on polio vaccinations
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling on the conflicting parties in the Gaza Strip to declare a ceasefire in order to vaccinate the children living there against polio. “Let’s be clear: the ultimate vaccine against polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” he says. It is impossible to carry out a polio vaccination campaign while there is war everywhere.
The radical Islamic Hamas says it supports the UN proposal for a seven-day humanitarian ceasefire to immunize Palestinian children against polio.
18:49: Netanyahu hopes for deal with Hamas through mediator pressure
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is relying on the pressure of the mediators to bring the Gaza talks with Hamas to a conclusion. In a statement, the head of government thanked Egypt, Qatar and the USA for their efforts to dissuade the Islamists from their rejection of a hostage deal. Israel hopes that their pressure will persuade Hamas to accept the proposals made at the end of May so that the details of the agreement can be implemented.
5.58pm: Biden – Goal of a Gaza ceasefire almost achieved
According to US President Joe Biden, talks on a ceasefire in the Gaza war have made progress. They are closer to a solution than they were three days ago. But they have not yet reached their goal. Biden’s entourage has not disclosed the exact status of the agreement.
According to agency reports, the Doha negotiators from the USA, Qatar and Egypt spoke of a constructive and positive atmosphere during the talks, without going into any details. According to their statements, nothing will change in the “status quo” of the war for the coming weekend. They are exploring the possibilities of implementing the USA’s plan. They also want to continue negotiations next week.
15:50: Israeli politicians condemn settler attack in the West Bank
Israeli politicians have condemned the attack by settlers in the occupied West Bank last Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was taking the riots in the village of Jit near the city of Nablus in the north of the West Bank seriously. He assured that Israelis who committed crimes would be prosecuted. President Yitzhak Herzog also condemned the attack, as did Defense Minister Joav Galant. The settlers had “attacked innocent people,” Galant said.
According to agency reports, a Palestinian was killed in the incident in Jit. Other people were seriously injured. Residents told the AP news agency that at least 100 masked settlers had come to Jit, fired live ammunition, set fire to houses and cars, and damaged water tankers. Video footage showed flames in the village. One resident reported that they had to wait two hours for help from the military while defending their village. The Israeli military announced on Thursday evening that it had arrested an Israeli civilian and launched an investigation.
14:30: Israel demands help from the West in case of possible counterattack
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz is calling for support from the Western allies in the event of a possible Iranian counterattack. In such a case, the coalition of allies is expected to “also attack important targets in Iran,” said Katz. The foreign ministers from Great Britain and France, David Lammy and Stéphane Séjourné, had expressed concern after Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in Tehran. He was considered an important negotiator for the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. In France and Great Britain, these should now be brought to a conclusion. According to a recent ARD survey, 68 percent of the population in Germany are against the Bundeswehr being drawn into a Middle East war.
