Israel allegedly proposes ceasefire – The night at a glance
Published: Tuesday, Jan 23rd 2024, 05:10
Back to Live Feed
As Israel's army expands its offensive in the southern Gaza Strip, diplomatic efforts to end the fighting are in full swing. According to a media report, the Israeli government, under pressure from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has now proposed a two-month ceasefire in order to free the hostages still being held by the Islamist Hamas. Meanwhile, Arab countries are reportedly working on a peace proposal whereby Saudi Arabia would offer to recognize Israel in return for the creation of a Palestinian state.
Another military strike against the Houthi militia
Meanwhile, the USA and Great Britain, with the support of other allies, have once again attacked Houthi militia positions in Yemen. In the coordinated military strike on Monday, eight locations of the Iranian-backed Islamists were attacked, the allies announced in a statement published by the Pentagon. The EU states also want to participate militarily in securing international shipping in the Red Sea, which is endangered by repeated attacks by the Houthis. On Monday, they reached an agreement in principle on a military operation which, according to diplomats, should ideally start next month.
Fierce fighting in southern Gaza
The Houthi militia wants to force an end to the Israeli attacks in Gaza by firing on ships. Eyewitnesses there reported violent clashes between Israeli soldiers and Hamas fighters in the west of Chan Junis on Monday. The city, located in the south of the sealed-off coastal strip, is considered a Hamas stronghold. According to reports, the fighting took place in the immediate vicinity of two hospitals and tent cities for refugees from northern Gaza. The Palestinian Red Crescent aid organization spoke of dozens of dead and injured.
According to Israeli media reports, the military confirmed that it had undertaken a major advance in an area to the west of Chan Junis that it had not previously entered. The operation could last several days. The aim is to incapacitate the Hamas brigade in Khan Yunis. So far, 50 Hamas fighters have been killed. The army announced that three soldiers had been killed on the Israeli side. The war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by Hamas terrorists and other extremist groups in southern Israel on October 7.
Report: Israel's offer does not provide for an end to the war
On the Israeli side, 1,200 people were killed, most of them civilians. Israel responded with massive air strikes and a ground offensive. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 25,200 people have been killed so far. This figure, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, is almost impossible to verify independently.
Israel has now submitted an offer for a two-month ceasefire to mediators from Egypt and Qatar, the news portal "Axios" reported on Monday evening, citing two Israeli officials. According to the report, the offer does not include an end to the war by Israel - instead, the military would merely withdraw from the population centers. Palestinians who have fled to the south of the Gaza Strip on the orders of the Israeli military would be able to return to the north. It would be Israel's most far-reaching offer of this kind to date.
During a week-long ceasefire at the end of November, Hamas released 105 hostages. In return, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners from prisons. Since then, Israel's government has shown little willingness to make concessions for further hostage releases. According to Israeli government figures, the terrorists are currently holding 136 people, 25 of whom are probably no longer alive. With the death of each hostage, criticism of Prime Minister Netanyahu is growing.
Arab states work on peace plan
Hamas had previously linked any new hostage releases to an end to the war. In order to achieve this, Arab countries are working on a proposal, according to the Wall Street Journal, whereby Saudi Arabia would offer to recognize Israel in return for the creation of a Palestinian state. The details are still being worked out, but so far Israel's stance has been negative. It was only at the weekend that Netanyahu made it clear that he remains opposed to a two-state solution after the end of the Gaza war.
EU criticizes Netanyahu
The Israeli head of government was criticized for this stance at a meeting of European foreign policy experts in Brussels on Monday. Alongside the USA, Germany and the EU are also increasing the pressure on opponents of a two-state solution. "All those who don't want to know anything about it have not yet come up with any other alternative," criticized Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the meeting with her EU colleagues on Monday. Not only Israel, but also the Islamist Hamas rejects a two-state solution, according to which an independent, democratic and demilitarized Palestinian state should exist peacefully alongside Israel. Instead, Hamas strives to destroy the state of Israel.
USA imposes sanctions against Hamas supporters
Meanwhile, the US government has imposed further sanctions against financial supporters of Hamas. The State Department and the Treasury Department in Washington announced on Monday that several individuals and institutions in the Gaza Strip who had arranged money transfers to Hamas, including from Iran, were the target of the punitive measures. This also involved transactions using cryptocurrencies from the Revolutionary Guards, the elite unit of the Iranian armed forces, to Hamas.
What will be important on Tuesday
In Geneva, aid organizations want to comment on the continuing catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The UN Security Council is due to meet in the evening. Meanwhile, tensions in the Red Sea continue following the renewed military strike by the USA and allies against the Houthi militia.
©Keystone/SDA
English 
German 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic