US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks tonight about the ceasefire in Gaza
I spoke this morning with Monocle 24's The Globalist --- after last night's rebuff by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a ceasefire but before this evening's apparent agreement to stop fighting --- about the political and military dimensions of the situation in Gaza for Israel, Hamas, the US, Egypt, and other countries.
On a street running along the Gaza City waterfront, three young men --- one armed --- were celebrating. They waved at a man driving by blowing his horn. Above their heads a loudspeaker on a mosque repeated over and over: Allahu Akbar.
Part of the celebration is relief that, hopefully, the eight days and nights of bombing and shelling are now at an end and people can sleep safely. Or sleep at all.
But there is also a mood of victory.
"Israel begged for a ceasefire because it could not stop our rockets," said Adel Mansour, who was without a gun. "They bombed us, they killed our women and children, but they could not stop the resistance. So they had to surrender and agree to stop the assassinations. They learned we cannot be defeated by their bombs."
Statements by Hillary Clinton and Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night
The US once more returned itself to the margins. For many international actors, Washington is now no more than the backer of West Jerusalem. That leaves the diplomatic space for others --- notably the Egyptians and the Turks --- to try and occupy.
And that in turn not only affects the US position over the Israel-Palestine issue. It will have immediate effects for situations such as the handling of the Syrian crisis and the approach to Iran. And the longer that the fighting and death continues in Gaza, the greater the effect on the Obama Administration's long-term capital --- if it has any --- in the region and beyond.
1935 GMT: The Bedouin civilian who was killed after a rocket attack from Gaza on Eshkol Regional Council has been named as Alayaan Salem al-Nabari from the southern Negev desert.
1931 GMT: Several hours ago, rumours were flying about a possible ceasefire announcement at 1900 GMT. This was subsequently denied by officials on both sides, but the possibility remained. However, things seem far from a ceasefire right now. Al Jazeera English journalist Jacky Rowland reports that there appears to be an "escalation" of attacks on northern Gaza. Speaking to the station she said:
There has been sustained heavy artillery fire coming into the northern Gaza Strip from tanks lined up along the Israeli border.
Citizen journalist @RenaGaza, in Gaza, uploads this audio recording reportedly capturing the sounds of live ammunition, taken about 20 minutes ago:
1857 GMT: Electronic Intifada speaks to workers at the Shifa hospital in Gaza. Ibrahim Jirjawi, a nurse on the orthopedic ward, says:
It's very hard now, with many injured people coming every hour. Women and children outnumbered men, especially with the new wave [of attacks] targeting houses and civilian buildings.
In the last hour, Haaretz reports that Gaza hospitals are reporting severe shortage in medical supplies.
It's more dangerous now than before, and we expect that things will be worse if ground operations start.
1854 GMT: According to IBA Radio, the second person killed after a rocket attack from Gaza on Eshkol Regional Council was a Bedouin civilian. An IDF soldier was also killed in the attack.
1849 GMT: Ceasefire news. The Turkish Foreign Secretary Davutoglu has said:
#FMDavutoglu “ A ceasefire aggrement was reached. The ceasefire will come into effect at midnight” #Gaza
1842 GMT: The IDF tweets that it has attacked an Islamic Jihad site in Gaza, killing Yunis Shaluf, whom they claim "was responsible for rocket fire on Eilat several months ago".
Two teenage brothers have been killed and an unknown number wounded in an Israeli strike on a home near the Rafah border crossing, according to local reports. The names of the dead were given as Ahmad al-Nasasra, 17, and Mohammed al-Nasasra, 15.
This matches other social media reports we've seen, including this picture which was posted on Facebook:
Ahmad and his brother Muhammed AL-Nasasra were murdered...An Israeli missile leveled a home in Rafah
2132 GMT: Amnesty International has called for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council "to impose an international arms embargo on Israel, Hamas, and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza".
Speaking about the current crisis, Amnesty International’s MENA Deputy Director Ann Harrison also said that the NGO has "serious concerns" that Palestinians are being killed by "indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks by Israeli forces.
Since the beginning of the Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday and the rocket fire from Gaza, at least 84 Gazans and three Israelis have been killed. The number of injuries, the vast majority in Gaza, is estimated to be several hundred.
Medical sources indicate at least half of the casualties are civilians. More than a dozen of the dead are children, the youngest only 10 months old. Two of the women killed were pregnant.
2043 GMT: The Committee to Protect Journalists has said it is "alarmed" by the Israeli attacks on media centres overnight. Deputy Director Robert Mahoney said:
Journalists are civilians and are protected under international law in military conflict. Israel knows this and should cease targeting facilities housing media organizations and journalists immediately.
2035 GMT: Today, Israel bombed a home in the Gaza Strip it said belonged to Hamas official Yehiya Rabiah. At least 12 people were killed by the attack, including 4 children and 5 women, all from the same family. Haaretz reports that the intended target of Israel's "surgical" strike may not have been struck at all:
Earlier reports by the IDF Spokesman to the effect that Israel assassinated the head of Hamas' rocket-launching unit Yehiya Rabiah today in an aerial bombing in northern Gaza appear to have been inaccurate. Apparently, the IAF mistakenly bombed the home of one of his neighbors, Mohammed a-Dallo, killing 10 members of his family and two of his neighbors. Rabiah seems to have survived the attack.
2032 GMT: Up to 500 Egyptian activists have reportedly crossed into Gaza in solidarity with the Palestinian people. They are also bringing with them medical supplies. AP quotes one activist, Adam Mubarak, as saying:
We are telling the Palestinians that we are on their side. Our visit is a message to Israel that we will not abandon the Palestinians in Gaza.
2021 GMT: Another Palestinian has been killed following an airstrike in Jabalia. The death toll now stands at 72.
2020 GMT: After reports of an airstrike in south Gaza killing two more Palestinians, Al-Jazeera English updates on the death toll, now at 71:
2059 GMT:Jordan. Security officials are holding and interrogating 130 citizens for 15 days on suspicion that they called for the overthrow of King Abdullah II at protests this week. They face charges of "threatening to undermine the regime, illegal gathering, and creating civil strife", which can carry sentences of up to 5 years.
Human rights lawyer Musa Abdallat said of the detained individuals, "These are prisoners of conscience who should be released".
1919 GMT:Bahrain The Ministry of Interior offers its thought for the day:
Freedom of religion in Bahrainis not an iron curtain behind which politically explosive activities can be used to incite people
Some may disagree. The main opposition society AlWefaq recently released a report on the attack on Friday prayers led by Sheikh Isa Qassim which took place on 9 November. Authorities reportedly set up 26 separate checkpoints to keep worshippers away from Duraz. People who attempted to travel to the mosque by foot were fired on with tear gas.
The Government, however, is unlikely to heed the dissent. It said Sunday that “a number” of Shiite religious figures have been referred to the public prosecutor for delivering political sermons or leading anti-regime chants.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 18:28 | ;)
