Israel’s safety minister toured a courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque in a provocative transfer that might threaten ceasefire talks.
Israel’s far-right Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a flashpoint holy web site in Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis.
Tensions over the positioning in occupied East Jerusalem have fuelled previous rounds of Israeli-Palestinian violence, and Ben-Gvir’s go to on Thursday threatens to disrupt delicate talks aimed toward reaching a ceasefire in Israel’s more-than-nine-month warfare on Gaza.
The Palestinian International Ministry condemned the go to as a “provocative intrusion” that endangered the delicate established order concerning the Jerusalem compound.
The mosque is located within the Al-Aqsa compound, the third holiest web site on the earth for Muslims. The positioning can be revered by Jews, who consult with it because the Temple Mount.
Below the established order, non-Muslims might go to the positioning however can not pray. Nonetheless, Jewish guests have been more and more defying the ban, one thing Palestinians think about provocation, fearing that Israel intends to take over the positioning.
Ben-Gvir stated he went as much as the positioning to wish for the return of Israeli captives “however with no reckless deal, with out surrendering”.
Hamas stated the transfer by Ben-Gvir was a “harmful escalation” and referred to as on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to take “severe motion to cease these systemic violations” of the holy web site.
Truce talks in jeopardy as Israel steps up offensive
Israeli negotiators landed in Cairo on Wednesday to proceed truce talks, which seem to have stalled after a senior Hamas official stated that the group was withdrawing from the talks after latest Israeli strikes on Gaza however was able to return if its perspective modifications.
Hamas’s political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, has accused Israel of intentionally undermining negotiations for a truce and captives launch deal as a result of it didn’t wish to finish the warfare.
Israel’s army offensive in central Gaza continues to accentuate, with 54 Palestinians killed in 24 hours, Palestinian authorities stated on Thursday.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Deir el-Balah, stated the extreme Israeli bombing marketing campaign within the centre of the enclave has left 500 individuals useless up to now 10 days.
“That’s possible a conservative quantity. When you think about all these lacking, it’s in all probability far increased than this,” he stated.
“This morning, a complete household of three generations – grandparents, dad and mom, and their youngsters – have been all killed. That is the sample of systematic mass killing that we’ve witnessed time and again,” Mahmoud acknowledged.
Netanyahu visits Rafah
As Israeli forces continued assaults on Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is because of tackle the US Congress subsequent week, made a shock go to to Israeli troops within the space round Rafah, telling them that army strain mixed and an insistence on securing the discharge of dozens of captives nonetheless held in Gaza was producing outcomes.
“This double strain just isn’t delaying the deal, it’s advancing it,” he stated, in accordance with a press release from his workplace.
Round 250 individuals have been taken captive through the Hamas-led October 7 assault on Israel, wherein no less than 1,139 individuals have been killed, in accordance with an Al Jazeera tally based mostly on Israeli statistics.
Israel’s subsequent warfare on Gaza has killed no less than 38,848 individuals and wounded 89,459 others, in accordance with Palestinian officers.
Israelis launched from captivity within the Gaza Strip are planning a protest on Thursday in opposition to Netanyahu’s US journey.
They are saying they are going to launch a “particular assertion” at a sq. in Tel Aviv the place protesters calling for the discharge of captives and new elections have gathered because the begin of the warfare.
