The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is calling for Israel to open an investigation into “the possible commission of a war crime” by its armed forces in Gaza. The UN received “disturbing information” regarding the death of “11 unarmed Palestinian men” in the city of Gaza on Tuesday evening during an Israeli Army operation in a residential building where several families were sheltering.
The UN Security Council, pending the position of the United States, is set to attempt again on Thursday to achieve unanimous agreement regarding a resolution aimed at increasing aid to the Gaza Strip. This vote has faced multiple delays.
The initially scheduled vote on Monday was postponed several times at the request of the United States, which had vetoed a previous text on December 8, calling for a “humanitarian ceasefire.”
Israel expresses openness to the idea of a ceasefire but rules out any cessation of hostilities before the “elimination” of Hamas, which it considers a terrorist organization, along with the United States and the European Union. Diplomatic efforts are currently underway on many fronts to achieve a new ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. For his part, Hamas is in talks with Egypt. Its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, visited Cairo on Wednesday.
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After more than two months of war in Gaza, the actions of the Israeli army are increasingly criticized, and international pressure for a ceasefire is mounting.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, during a visit to Cyprus on Wednesday, supported the opening of a maritime corridor between the Eastern Mediterranean island and the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid through Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned Israel on Wednesday that fighting terrorism does not mean “razing everything in Gaza,” reiterating his call for a ceasefire “leading to a halt for humanitarian reasons.”
The Health Ministry in Gaza reported on Wednesday 20,000 deaths since the October 7 attacks. It said 8,000 children and 6,200 women were among the dead.
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Miroslava Salazar, with AFP
