Israel-Hamas war: Lapid urges PM to pursue cease-fire deal

The United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) announced on Saturday evening it had to stop "health and other critical services" in Gaza's southern border city of Rafah, where an Israeli operation is currently unfolding.

"All of our 36 @UNRWA shelters in #Rafah are empty now," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Lazzarini said that UNRWA was meanwhile working from Khan Younis in southern Gaza and other middle areas "where 1.7 million people are living," adding that the humanitarian space in the strip was continuing "to further shrink."

"UNRWA was allowed to pick up just under 450 trucks in the past 3 weeks in support of the humanitarian operation. This is nothing in the face of the needs" Lazzarini said, adding that the amount required per day was 600 trucks with loads of commercial, fuel and humanitarian supplies.

Israel's leadership considers Rafah to be the last stronghold of the Hamas militant group which it has vowed to destroy.

Many of Israel's allies have expressed opposition to a military incursion in the southern city, considering the high number of civilians who had sought shelter there, as Israel's military offensive in the Palestinian territory has expanded since the Hamas-led terror attack on October 7.

More than a million already displaced people have fled the Rafah offensive and are now sheltering in tent camps. 

Egypt's state-linked al-Qahera television have reported that Egyptian, US, and Israeli officials would meet in Cairo on Sunday to discuss reopening the Rafah crossing.

The crossing that had been the main way for aid to enter Gaza has been closed since May 7, when Israel took control of the Gaza side.

Egypt has refused to open its side of the crossing, fearing Israeli control will remain permanent.

"Egypt has confirmed to all parties its constant stance based on non-opening of the Rafah crossing so long as Israel keeps its control of its Palestinian side," an unnamed source told al-Qahera News TV.

After discussions with US President Joe Biden last month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed to temporarily redirect UN aid to the Kerem Shalom crossing, near Rafah, on Gaza's border with Israel.

A group of Berliners is marking International Children's Day by reading the names of over 15,000 children reported to have been killed in Gaza and Israel since October 7.

The list of names was compiled from lists provided by a Dutch NGO and the names released by the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

The uninterrupted reading at the Neue Wache Memorial in the German capital, dedicated to victims of war and tyranny, started on Saturday morning and was expected to last until midnight. 

Co-organizer of the event Nadja Vancauwenberghe said, "The idea was to hold a vigil for all the children killed in Gaza. This is a chance for people to show their compassion, whatever their politics are. We were overwhelmed by how many German people wanted to take part."

The UN said more than half of the people killed in Gaza were women and children. More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its operations in the enclave, according to figures provided by the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel's military offensive in Gaza has now killed at least 36,379 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's Health Ministry.

There were 95 deaths reported in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that the number of Palestinians injured since the beginning of the war had reached 82,407.

Israel launched a ground operation in Gaza last year, after Hamas and other militant groups staged an attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on October 7. They also took another 250 people as hostages.

Indonesia's president-elect, Prabowo Subianto, told the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that his country was willing to send peacekeeping troops to Gaza to maintain a cease-fire if needed.

It comes after US President Joe Biden outlined a proposal to end the war in Gaza.

"When needed and when requested by the UN, we are prepared to contribute significant peacekeeping forces to maintain and monitor this prospective cease-fire as well as providing protection and security to all parties and to all sides," Prabowo said on Saturday.

Prabowo said Indonesia was ready to "evacuate, receive and to treat" up to 1,000 patients in its hospitals "in the immediate future."

"In the interests of all sides, we must do our best to achieve a real and lasting solution," he told the security forum, which was attended by defense ministers from around the world.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the destruction of Hamas was part of Israel's plan to end the war in Gaza.

A statement from his office said putting a permanent cease-fire in place before Hamas is removed from power, its military structures dismantled, and hostages returned was a "non-starter."

His remarks come a day after US President Joe Biden outlined a plan Israel had made to secure a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.

The three-part plan would begin with a six-week cease-fire, during which Israel would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza.

Some Israeli hostages taken by Hamas and other militants during their terror attack on Israel on October 7 would be exchanged for some Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

The deal would eventually lead to a permanent cease-fire and a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza.

Hamas — designated a terror organization by the US, Israel and Germany among others — said on Friday it was ready to engage "positively and in a constructive manner."

Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept US President Joe Biden's proposal to end the conflict in Gaza.

"The government of Israel cannot ignore President Biden's consequential speech. There is a deal on the table, and it should made," Yair Lapid wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Lapid said his party would support it even if right-wing factions in the governing coalition rebelled, meaning a deal would likely pass in parliament.

Biden said Friday the first phase of the deal would last six weeks and would include a complete cease-fire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of the Gaza Strip.

This would allow Palestinians displaced by the fighting in the Palestinian territory to return to their homes. Biden also said that this phase would include the release of some hostages by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

The US president said that this would be followed by a second phase in which Israel and Hamas would negotiate a permanent end to hostilities. 

This phase would include the release of all remaining hostages.

lo/ab (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)