Hostage summit in Europe ends, Netanyahu’s office says
The summit in Paris to discuss a deal between Israel and Hamas to release hostages has concluded, according to Netanyahu’s office.
“A short time ago, the intelligence summit in Europe ended with the participation of Mossad head David Barnea, Shin Bet chief Ronan Bar, and reservist colonel Nitzan Alon with the head of the CIA, the prime minister of Qatar, and the Egyptian minister of intelligence,” said a spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office. “The meeting was defined as a constructive meeting. There are still significant gaps in which the parties will continue to discuss this week in additional mutual meetings.”
UNRWA ‘never received any concerns on specific staff members,’ commissioner-general says
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East “never received any concerns on specific staff members,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.
“UNRWA shares the list of all its staff with host countries every year, including Israel,” Lazzarini said. “The Agency never received any concerns on specific staff members.”
Following allegations that some UNRWA staff members participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, multiple countries, including the U.S., U.K., Italy, Finland and Canada, have suspended funding to the agency.
The allegations against the staff members are being investigated by the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the internal oversight body of the U.N.
“I urge countries who have suspended their funding to re-consider their decisions before UNRWA is forced to suspend its humanitarian response,” Lazzarini said. “The lives of people in Gaza depend on this support and so does regional stability.”
Japan suspends funding to UNRWA
Japan announced that it has suspended funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
The country has joined eight others that have also suspended funding to the agency following allegations 12 members participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. The countries include the U.S., U.K., Italy, Germany, Australia, Finland, Canada and the Netherlands.
Japan “will continue to make persistent and active diplomatic efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and to calm down the situation as soon as possible by providing support to other international organizations,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs press secretary Kobayashi Maki said.
U.S. lawmakers express condolences for families of soldiers, call on Biden to punish Iran
House members quickly responded to news of the killings of three U.S. service members in Jordan, with many saying they were devastated by the deaths and some pressing Biden to take action against Iran for backing the militia that launched the deadly drone strike.
“This is heartbreaking news — my prayers are with the families of these brave service members,” Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., said on X. “President Biden must immediately hold Iran accountable for their terrorist proxies and reverse any standing sanctions waivers. This is the cost of weak leadership on the world stage.”
Rep. Rubén Gallego, who is running for U.S. Senate, said the U.S. government could not afford to “stand idle to terrorism.”
“I am grieving for the families of the three service members killed in Jordan,” Gallego said in an emailed statement. “The attack carried out by Iranian-backed militants is a heinous escalation, and it must not go unpunished.”
“We cannot stand idle to terrorism,” Gallego added. “I am committed to providing the administration the needed resources to protect our troops in the region and hold Iran accountable.”
Former CIA Director John Brennan spoke with MSNBC’s Jen Psaki about how the death of three U.S. soldiers in a drone attack in Jordan is a “dangerous escalation” and discussed the possible decisions President Joe Biden may be facing.
GOP senators condemn Iran after drone strike kills 3 U.S. soldiers in Jordan
Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Lindsey Graham denounced the Iranian regime after three U.S. service members were killed in Jordan today in what the White House said was a drone strike from a Tehran-backed militia.
Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, tweeted a link to a news article about the attack and then added two words: “Target Tehran.”
Graham, R-S.C., who is known for his hawkish foreign policy views, tweeted: “Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.”
In a series of posts on X, Graham also lambasted the Biden administration for what he characterized as a failed policy toward Iran.
“When the Biden Administration says ‘don’t,’ the Iranians ‘do’. The Biden Administration’s rhetoric is falling on deaf ears in Iran,” Graham wrote. “Their policy of deterrence against Iran has failed miserably.”
3 U.S. troops killed by ‘radical Iran-backed militant groups,’ Biden says
President Joe Biden said three U.S. troops were killed in Jordan by “radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” adding that “we are still gathering the facts of this attack.”
“Today, America’s heart is heavy,” Biden said in a statement. “Last night, three U.S. service members were killed — and many wounded — during an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeast Jordan near the Syria border.”
Biden said the three service members who were killed “were patriots in the highest sense.”
“We will strive to be worthy of their honor and valor. We will carry on their commitment to fight terrorism. And have no doubt — we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing,” Biden said.
3 U.S. troops killed in drone attack in Jordan
TAMPA — Three U.S. troops were killed and 25 were injured following a drone attack on a base in northeast Jordan, near the Syria border, according to CENTCOM.
The troops have not been identified pending notification of next of kin.
President Biden has been briefed on the attack, according to the White House.
Biden administration discussing slowing weapons deliveries to Israel
The Biden administration is discussing using weaponry sales to Israel as leverage to convince the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to heed long-standing U.S. calls to scale back its military assault in the Gaza Strip, according to three current U.S. officials and one former U.S. official.
At the direction of the White House, the Pentagon has been reviewing what weaponry Israel has requested that could be used as leverage, said the sources, though they added that no decisions have been made.
After weeks of private administration requests produced fewer results than the White House wants, the sources said, the U.S. is considering slowing or pausing the deliveries in the hope that doing so will prod the Israelis to take action, such as opening humanitarian corridors to provide more aid to Palestinian civilians. The pauses or slowdowns would not include air defenses, but would focus on offensive military equipment.
Medics unable to conduct operations at Al-Amal hospital due to oxygen depletion
Medics working at Al-Amal hospital are unable to perform surgeries due to the depletion of oxygen at the hospital, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has said.
In a post on X, the emergency medical NGO attributed the lack of oxygen to ongoing Israeli attacks on the hospital, which is in the southern city of Khan Younis.
The PRCS reported yesterday that the hospital had been under siege for six consecutive days, with Israeli tanks surrounding its buildings and targeting internally displaced people living inside its premises.
Death toll rises in Gaza after heavy day of bombardment
The death toll in the Gaza Strip has reached 26,422, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said in a statement, as 165 people were killed in fighting and bombardment over the past 24 hours.
A single strike on a house in a suburb of Gaza City killed eight people, health officials said.
Two-hundred ninety people were also wounded overnight, as hospitals in Khan Younis report being surrounded by Israeli tanks and suffering from depleting oxygen, electricity and supplies.
Kerem Shalom border crossing designated ‘closed military area’
The IDF has announced that the Kerem Shalom border crossing is now a “closed military area.”
The order follows days of protests by Israeli nationalists at the crossing who are attempting to prevent aid from reaching the Gaza Strip. Over 100 trucks were diverted from Kerem Shalom to the Rafah crossing last week.
Israeli media reports that up to 300 protesters are stationed at the crossing and have encountered roadblocks and entered confrontations with the police. Some of the protesters include the families of hostages held in Gaza.
It was not clear from the initial statement whether the designation of the crossing as a military zone would close the border to aid trucks entering Gaza, or simply prevent civilians from coming near the area on the Israeli side.
UNRWA: There is simply not enough food
Palestinians displaced to Deir al Balah in central Gaza lined up in the cold and rain at UNRWA facilities for supplies such as canned food and flour, as the agency said shelters had reached four times their capacity.
Images released by the UNRWA on X showed people queuing in flooded paths between tents.
“There is simply not enough food,” the agency said in the post.
The Egyptian Red Crescent said today that 95 trucks of humanitarian, medical and food aid and six fuel trucks were handed over to the UNRWA and the Palestine Red Crescent at the Rafah crossing today.
At the Al-Auja crossing and the Kerem Shalom crossing, where Israeli nationalists have been protesting for days to stop aid from entering Gaza, 180 trucks of supplies are waiting to complete inspection.
Hospitals and medical centers near collapse in Khan Younis
Medical facilities are at risk of collapse in Khan Younis, the southern Gaza city now at the focus of Israel’s offensive, the Gaza Health Ministry warned on Sunday, as fighting raged across the Palestinian enclave.
Palestinian medics and residents said Israel continued to bomb areas around the two main hospitals in Khan Younis, hindering efforts by rescue teams to respond to desperate calls from people caught in the Israeli bombardment.
“There is a complete failure of the health care system at Nasser and Al-Amal hospitals,” Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qudra said, adding that 165 Palestinians were killed and 290 wounded in the past 24 hours.
Negotiators edge closer to striking hostage deal as Hamas official signals ‘flexibility’ on the timing of a cease-fire
Negotiators appear to be closing in on a possible deal that would see a temporary suspension of Israel’s war in Gaza with the “parallel” release of some hostages held by Hamas, a Hamas official with knowledge of the talks told NBC News.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the group was “flexible” on the details of a deal and would consider releasing hostages as long as the goal was a “final, comprehensive, lasting cease-fire.”
A senior Israeli government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told NBC News there was a “serious effort underway to secure a hostage release.” Israeli officials said they could not elaborate further given the sensitivity of the talks.
It comes after The New York Times reported that negotiators were closing in on a deal.
NBC News has previously reported that talks are focused on a multiple-stage process that could begin with a temporary suspension of hostilities in exchange for the release of some hostages and the provision of aid. The “main goal” would still be Israel committing to a full cease-fire, the official said.
As it stands, the official said Israel did not appear to be ready to commit to a full cease-fire.
Cutting funding to UNRWA could violate states’ obligations under Genocide Convention, says U.N. rapporteur for Palestinians
The U.N.’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories has condemned decisions taken by Western states to suspend funding for the UNRWA, arguing it constituted “collective punishment.”
Francesca Albanese said that the funding cuts implemented by at least eight governments so far are “most likely violating their obligations under the Genocide Convention,” she said in a post on X.
“Defunding UNRWA at this critical time overtly defies ICJ’s order to allow effective humanitarian assistance,” she added in a separate post.
“This will entail legal responsibilities — or the demise of the international legal system,” she said.
Displaced Palestinians suffer hail and rain in Rafah
Palestinians displaced into makeshift tent cities around the border city of Rafah are facing extreme weather conditions including hail and flooding, damaging tents and causing illnesses for vulnerable people, residents told NBC News.
“Rain is falling on us like the sea, the roof is ripped, the blankets are full of water,” a mother of five who did not give her name told NBC News.
She said they had tried to shelter inside schools, but there was no space. Their tent was makeshift, and she did not have dry clothes for her daughter and worried about snow, should the temperature drop at night.
“Water came into the tent, so we took the children out and hung covers outside,” said Khad Abu Teim, who arrived in Rafah 50 days ago after being displaced from his home in Khan Younis. Earlier this week, he was forced to abandon his sodden, waterlogged tent and took his children to sleep in a local mosque instead, he said.
“The nylon is ripped, it’s melting. It can’t protect against this kind of rain, the snow and hailstone that fell,” he added. “My wife is suffering from influenza, she is asleep from yesterday. Water came inside the tent.”
France calls on UNRWA to take action, but does not suspend funding
France has not joined other Western countries such as the U.S., U.K., and Canada in suspending funding to the UNRWA following allegations that several employees were involved in the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said it had noted “with dismay of the information communicated today by UNRWA” and that it was calling on the organization to “take action to ensure that hate speech can no longer flourish within it without firm sanctions.”
U.N. relief chief: Now is not the time to let Gaza down
A senior United Nations humanitarian affairs official has said the world needs to be “at full stretch to give the people of Gaza hope,” in a statement appearing to criticize decisions by several countries, including the U.S., to cut funding to the UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.
Martin Griffiths, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said on X that the “humanitarian capacity to assist” the people of Gaza “has never been under such threat.”
“Now is not the time to let them down,” he added.
Cuts to funding have followed accusations from Israel that a dozen UNRWA staffers were involved in the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7.
UNRWA may be forced to end lifesaving aid due to funding suspension, commissioner-general says
Lifesaving aid provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East may end due to the suspension of funding from multiple countries, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said.
The U.S., U.K., Canada, Italy and Finland are among the countries that have suspended funding to the UNRWA pending an investigation into allegations that members of staff participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
“It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the Agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation,” Lazzarini said. “The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative authority in the UN system, has already been seized of this very serious matter.”
The UNRWA is the primary humanitarian agency in Gaza and over 2 million people in the enclave depend on the agency for survival, according to Lazzarini.
“It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and political crises in the region,” he said. “UNRWA shares the list of all its staff with host countries every year, including Israel. The Agency never received any concerns on specific staff members.”
Lazzarini urged countries that have suspended funding to the UNRWA to reconsider before the agency “is forced to suspend its humanitarian response.”
“The lives of people in Gaza depend on this support and so does regional stability,” he said.
Pope Francis renews call for cease-fire
Pope Francis made a renewed call for a cease-fire in Gaza, saying that because of global conflict “too many children continue to suffer, to be exploited and to die.” Francis made the remarks during an address to an Italian nonprofit fundraising for a Rwandan orphanage.
