- Three people killed, three wounded as during Israeli forces’ raid across the occupied West Bank. Intense fighting was also reported in the Far’a refugee camp.
- President Biden says he hopes “by next Monday we will have a ceasefire”, adding that “my national security adviser tells me that we are close – close but not done yet”.
- Doctors at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City are treating victims on the floor after Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for aid.
- Hamas has slammed the Biden administration for enabling the siege of Gaza and said hunger in the territory “is a disgrace to humanity that history will not erase”.
- At least 29,782 people have been killed and 70,043 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from the October 7 attacks stands at 1,139.
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What we know about a possible ceasefire deal
- President Biden said he hopes “by next Monday we will have a ceasefire”, saying “we are close – close but not done yet”.
- Biden added that Israel would halt Gaza “activities” during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan under the ceasefire deal.
- The US Mission to the UN has circulated a draft resolution to members of the UN Security Council calling for them to “urgently” reach a “temporary ceasefire” agreement.
- Biden’s comments come a day after his national security adviser said representatives from Israel, Egypt, Qatar and the US discussed the terms of the ceasefire deal in Paris.
- The talks did not include Hamas, but the Palestinian group is reviewing the Paris truce proposal, which involves a 40-day pause and a hostage exchange.
- Reuters news agency, citing Egyptian security sources, earlier said the Paris meeting would be followed by talks involving Israel and Hamas, first in Qatar and later in Egypt.
- Israeli media reports that a delegation from Israel arrived yesterday in Qatar for ceasefire talks.
- Qatar’s emir is due in Paris today for talks with the French president.
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What’s happening at the Lebanon-Israel border?
Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces have exchanged fire since the early days of the war on Gaza. In recent weeks, tensions have escalated, with an increase in cross-border attacks that have resulted in fatalities on both sides.
Yesterday marked a further escalation when Israel struck eastern Lebanon for the first time since the war began, killing two people on the outskirts of Buday village near Baalbek, a Hezbollah stronghold in the Bekaa Valley.
Today, both sides confirmed that dozens of rockets were fired towards northern Israel from Lebanon.
Here are several incidents from yesterday:
- Hezbollah said it fired a volley of rockets at an Israeli military base in retaliation to the attack in the Bekaa Valley. The Israeli military confirmed this.
- Hezbollah said its fighters shot down an Israeli drone over its stronghold in southern Lebanon.
- A missile fired by Hezbollah towards the drone was intercepted by Israel and landed near a synagogue in a town close to Nazareth in northern Israel.
- Hassan Salami, a senior officer of Hezbollah in the Hujair Valley region in southern Lebanon, was killed by a missile fired by an Israeli fighter jet.
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Dozens of missiles launched towards Israel from Lebanon
The Israeli military says around 40 missiles have been launched towards Israel from southern Lebanon.
Lebanese Hezbollah group said it fired missiles at the Meron air control base on Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee area. Sirens have sounded in the Israeli towns of Sasa, Kfar Hoshen, Dovif and Safsufa.
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Hozier apologises after fan told to remove ‘Free Palestine’ scarf at concert
Hozier has apologised after one of his fans was asked to remove a scarf saying “Free Palestine” at his concert at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Wembley Stadium also apologised, clarifying that Hozier was not involved, and making a donation to the UNICEF Children in Gaza Appeal.
In a post on social media, Hiba Ahmad said she was “pulled aside and escorted to wardrobe with a body cam for wearing a Palestine solidarity” item.
Known for his song Take Me to Church, the Irish singer-songwriter has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and urged his fans to do the same.
Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/27/israels-war-on-gaza-live-biden-comments-turn-focus-back-to-gaza-ceasefire
