Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Explosions following Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah Xinhua News Agency/PA Images
Palestine

Biden tells Israel's Netanyahu he expects 'significant de-escalation' in Gaza conflict

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier today issued a tough threat against Hamas.

LAST UPDATE | May 19th 2021, 8:20 PM

US PRESIDENT JOE Biden has told Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he expects “significant de-escalation” in the military confrontation with the Palestinians, amid intense efforts to reach a ceasefire.

Deafening air strikes and rocket fire once more shook Gaza in the conflict that has, since 10 May, claimed 227 Palestinian lives according to the Gaza health ministry and killed 12 people in Israel according to Israeli police.

“The president conveyed to the prime minister that he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire,” the White House said after a fourth phone call in a little over a week.

Those killed on today in Gaza included a disabled man, his pregnant wife and their three-year-old child, the health ministry said.

As diplomatic efforts intensified to stem the bloodshed, Germany said its top diplomat was heading to Israel for talks tomorrow.

Netanyahu earlier today issued a tough threat against the Gaza Strip’s Islamist rulers Hamas, who Israel says has fired around 3,700 rockets at Israel since 10 May.

“You can either conquer them, and that’s always an open possibility, or you can deter them, and we are engaged right now in forceful deterrence,” he told foreign ambassadors.

“But I have to say we don’t rule out anything.”

But an Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said in a separate briefing that Israel was assessing at what stage it may stop its military campaign.

“We are looking at when is the right moment for a ceasefire,” said the source.

mideast-gaza-city-israel-airstrikes Palestinians inspect a destroyed car after an Israeli air strike in Gaza City Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

Israel was evaluating whether its objective of degrading Hamas’ capabilities had been achieved, the military source said, and “whether Hamas understands the message” that its rocket barrages towards Israel cannot recur.

Warplanes hit Gaza City again in the pre-dawn hours, as the Israeli military kept targeting militant leaders and infrastructure in the crowded enclave which has been under Israeli blockade for nearly 15 years.

Gaza mother-of-seven Randa Abu Sultan, 45, recounted how her family crowded into one room to sit out another night of fear.

“We’re all terrified by the sound of explosions, missiles and fighter jets,” she said. ”My four-year-old son tells me he’s scared that if he falls asleep, he’ll wake up to find us dead.”

Diplomatic flurry

The United States, a key Israel ally, has repeatedly blocked adoption of a joint UN Security Council statement calling for a halt to hostilities.

A UN Security Council meeting broke up without issuing a statement last night, but France then said it had proposed a resolution calling for a ceasefire, in coordination with Egypt and Jordan.

Beijing’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, told reporters his team had heard the French ceasefire proposal and China was “supportive”.

But the United States said today it would not support the proposed resolution, saying it could undermine efforts to de-escalate the crisis.

“We’ve been clear and consistent that we are focused on intensive diplomatic efforts underway to bring an end to the violence and that we will not support actions that we believe undermine efforts to de-escalate,” a US spokesperson at the UN told AFP.

israel-palestinians Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on during a briefing to ambassadors to Israel at the Hakirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel Sebastian Scheiner / PA Images Sebastian Scheiner / PA Images / PA Images

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas was to meet Israel’s foreign and defence ministers tomorrow and travel to Ramallah to hold talks with the Palestinian premier, his office said.

Humanitarian crisis

Hamas has launched around 3,700 rockets at Israel since 10 May, prompting many people living in communities near the border to hide in bomb shelters virtually around the clock.

Palestinian rocket fire has killed 12 people in Israel, including two children, one Indian and two Thai nationals, and injured 333, Israeli authorities said.

Overnight, armed groups fired 50 rockets towards southern Israel, 10 of which fell short and struck inside Gaza, the Israeli military said.

The Israeli army meanwhile said it had attacked “40 underground Hamas targets” overnight in southern Gaza.

Israeli air strikes have killed 227 people in Gaza, including 64 children, and wounded 1,620, according to health ministry figures.

In the enclave’s north, a journalist working for Hamas-linked Al-Aqsa radio was killed when an Israeli strike hit his home, authorities said.

mideast-gaza-khan-younis-israel-airstrikes Palestinians inspect a destroyed house after an Israeli airstrike in Bani Suhaila, east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

Israel’s bombing campaign has also left Gaza’s two million population desperate for relief.

Hospitals have been overwhelmed by patients, there are frequent blackouts and sewage from broken pipes has flooded some areas.

Some 72,000 civilians have fled their homes, seeking refuge in UN-run schools and other public buildings, the United Nations says.

‘Day of anger’

The latest escalation was sparked after clashes broke out at east Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, one of Islam’s holiest sites.

This followed violence over the planned evictions of Palestinian families from homes in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah district.

The conflict has since sparked mob violence between Jews and Israeli Arabs, and sharply heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinians clashed with police in multiple towns and in annexed east Jerusalem Tuesday after Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah movement had called for a “day of anger”.

The Palestinian health ministry said a Palestinian woman was shot dead today near Hebron, as the army said she had tried to attack Israeli forces.

The death brought to 25 the Palestinians killed in the West Bank since 10 May.

In northern Israel, the army said it fired artillery shells toward southern Lebanon, in response four rockets launched at the Jewish state from Lebanese territory, in the third such attack in less than a week.

© AFP 2021 

Your Voice
Readers Comments
39
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel