Sunday, 19 November 2023

QATAR PM SAYS THAT THERE ARE NOW ONLY VERY MINOR OBSTACLES TO A DEAL FOR THE RELEASE OF SOME HOSTAGES

 Qatar PM says only "very minor" obstacles to hostage release deal remain and these are mainly practical and logistical issues

  1. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says nothing has yet been agreed and ruled out a full ceasefire, the White House says officials are working to agree a deal

  2. Earlier the Washington Post reported that Israel, Hamas and the US were close to agreeing the release of some hostages in return for a pause in fighting
  3. The World Health Organization says 291 critically ill patients including 32 babies are still at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, after many Palestinians evacuated on foot on Saturday
  4. The Palestinian news agency Wafa says 13 people have been killed in an Israeli air strike on Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza and two others in a strike on Khan Younis
  5. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 12,300 people have been killed in the territory since Israel began its campaign against Hamas.
  6. Hostage deal: Who said what?

    Borrell and Thani stand at lecterns on a stage
    Image caption: The Qatari prime minister and EU foreign policy chief held a joint press conference in Doha

    The Washington Post has reported that a deal that would see Hamas release dozens of hostages is imminent. The US and Israel have denied any such deal, but we've heard from Qatar that negotiators are ironing out minor issues in the deal.

    Here's what each of the key players have said:

    Qatar: "The challenges that remain in the negotiations are very minor compared to the bigger challenges, they are more logistical, they are more practical," Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thanisaid in a joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. He added that he was "more confident that we are close enough to reach a deal".

    The Washington Post: "Israel and Hamas are close to agreement on a US-brokered deal that would free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting," the report said, citing "people familiar with the emerging terms".

    The US: White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson posted on X: "We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal."

    Israel: In a briefing last night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were "a lot of incorrect reports about imminent agreements to free some or all of the roughly 240 people being held”. “As of now there is no deal,” he said.

  7. At least two killed in IDF raid in West Bank

    Two IDF soldiers on a roof
    Image caption: Israeli soldiers on a roof at Balata refugee camp in the West Bank

    At least two Palestinians died this morning during Israeli raids in the West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent told the AFP news agency.

    A 45-year-old man was killed in Jenin and another person died in Dheisheh refugee camp, the report said.

    We’ve also seen pictures this morning of Israeli forces operating around the Balata refugee camp.

  8. A recap of what happened on Saturday

    A group of people walk past ruin and rubble
    Image caption: Palestinians flee al-Shifa Hospital on foot.

    Here's a quick look-back at events in Gaza yesterday:

    • Hundreds of people evacuated al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. There was confusion over where the evacuation order came from - the hospital director said the Israeli military had ordered it, but the IDF denied this, saying it helped people leave after a request from the director
    • UN officials condemned an attack on a UN school that was being used as a shelter, Israel says it's investigating the claims - footage analysed by the BBC shows many people with severe injuries or lying motionless on the floor
    • Fifteen injured children from Gaza arrived in Abu-Dhabi so they could receive treatment. This was the first flight (it left from Egypt), the UAE is planning to treat 1,000 injured women and children in its hospitals
    • The families and supporters of the more than 200 hostages being held by Hamas marched from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
    • MORE DETAILS AT: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67466779

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