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Wednesday 21 august 2024

Blinken ends latest Mideast visit without a cease-fire, warning 'time

is of the essence'

"Our message is simple. It's for many Israelis who have over 40,000 Palestinians,
clear and it's urgent," he long pressed Netanyahu to according to Gaza's Health
told reporters before leav- agree to a cease-fire that Ministry, which does not
ing Qatar. "We need to would bring remaining hos- distinguish between civil-
get a cease-fire and hos- tages home. ians and combatants in its
tage agreement over the New protests were held count. The war has caused
finish line, and we need to Tuesday. "The longer they're widespread destruction
do it now. Time is of the es- there, the more body bags and forced the vast major-
sence." we get," said one protester, ity of Gaza's 2.3 million resi-
There has been added Adi Israeli, in Tel Aviv. dents to flee their homes,
urgency after the recent Israel's military said it re- often multiple times. Aid
targeted killings of militant covered the six bodies in groups fear the outbreak of
leaders of Hamas and Hez- an overnight operation in polio and other diseases.
bollah in Iran and Lebanon, southern Gaza, saying they An Israeli airstrike Tuesday
both attributed to Israel, were killed when troops killed at least 12 people at
and vows of retaliation that were operating in Khan a school-turned-shelter in
have sparked fears of a U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gestures as he departs for Younis. Hamas says some Gaza City. The Palestinian
wider regional war. Egypt, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Aug. 20, 2024. Associated Press captives have been killed Civil Defense, first respond-
Few details have been re- in Israeli airstrikes, though ers operating under the Ha-
leased about the so-called things going," Panikoff said. speaking on condition of returning hostages have mas-run government, said
bridging proposal put forth Americans have little al- anonymity to discuss Blink- talked about difficult con- around 700 people had
by the U.S., Egypt and Qa- ternative to continuing to en's private diplomatic ditions, including lack of been sheltering at the Mus-
tar. Blinken said it is "very push Israel and Hamas to talks. food or medications. tafa Hafez school. Israel's
clear on the schedule and agree to a negotiated end Blinken's meetings in Egypt, The recovery of the re- military said the strike tar-
the locations of (Israeli to fighting, but it's funda- which borders Gaza, and mains also is a blow to geted Hamas militants who
military) withdrawals from mentally about Israeli Prime in Qatar, which hosts some Hamas, which hopes to had set up a command
Gaza." Minister Benjamin Netanya- Hamas leaders in exile, exchange hostages for Pal- center there.
Hamas earlier Tuesday hu and new Hamas leader came a day after he met estinian prisoners, an Israeli "We don't know where to
called the latest proposal Yahya Sinwar, who helped Netanyahu. Wide gaps ap- withdrawal and a lasting go … or where to shelter
a reversal of what it had mastermind the Oct. 7 at- peared to remain between cease-fire. our children," said Um Kha-
agreed to, accusing the tacks, Panikoff said. And Israel and Hamas, though The military said it had iden- lil Abu Agwa, a displaced
U.S. of acquiescing to new they are "the two people angry statements often tified the remains of Chaim woman.
conditions from Israel. There that have been, frankly, serve as pressure tactics Perry, 80; Yoram Metzger, An Israeli airstrike in Deir
was no immediate U.S. re- most skeptical from the during negotiations. 80; Avraham Munder, 79; al-Balah hit people walk-
sponse to that. beginning" about making Both men have seen their Alexander Dancyg, 76; Na- ing down the street and
Blinken's comments on end- peace. political standing rise at dav Popplewell, 51; and seven were killed, includ-
ing his latest Israel-Hamas Netanyahu, meanwhile, home, as Israelis turn their Yagev Buchshtav, 35. ing a woman and two
peace mission were nota- met with right-wing groups attention from the war in Kibbutz Nir Oz, the farming children, according to an
bly bare of the optimism of families of fallen soldiers Gaza to a threatened wid- community where Mun- Associated Press journalist
that Biden administration and hostages in Gaza. The er conflict with Iran and Ha- der was among around who counted the bodies.
officials expressed going groups, which oppose a mas stabilizing a little with 80 residents seized, said he Another airstrike in central
into his trip, and earlier. cease-fire deal, said he told Sinwar now at the helm, died after "months of physi- Gaza killed five children
The upbeat tone through them Israel will not aban- lessening pressure on them cal and mental torture." Is- and their mother, accord-
much of the spring and don two strategic corridors to close a deal, Panikoff raeli authorities previously ing to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hos-
summer — with U.S. offi- in Gaza whose control has said. determined the other five pital, where an AP journalist
cials at times describing been an obstacle in the And while the U.S. could were dead. Hamas is still counted the bodies.
a cease-fire and hostage talks. Netanyahu's office try restricting arms sales to believed to be holding Palestinians displaced by
deal as nearer than ever — did not comment on their Israel to push it to end the around 110 hostages cap- recent Israeli evacuation
reflected necessary mes- account. war with Hamas, Panikoff tured during the Oct. 7 at- orders crowded into al-
saging, at least in part, said A senior U.S. official re- argued that risks making tacks, when militants killed ready teeming areas. One
Jonathan Panikoff, director jected as "totally untrue" Netanyahu dig in his heels some 1,200 people, mostly child in Deir al-Balah slept
of the Scowcroft Middle that Netanyahu had told further, instead. civilians. Israeli authorities on cardboard as insects
East Security Initiative at Blinken that Israel would Netanyahu's meeting with estimate around a third are flew around his face.
the Atlantic Council's Mid- never leave the Philadel- the families came as Is- dead. Over 100 other hos- "Are they going to dig the
dle East Program. phi and Netzarim corridors. rael's military said it recov- tages were released during ground and dump us there,
"If they don't project opti- Such statements are "not ered the bodies of six hos- last year's cease-fire in ex- or put us on a boat and
mism then it won't create ... constructive to getting a tages taken in Hamas' Oct. change for Palestinians im- throw us in the sea? I don't
even the potential for suf- cease-fire deal across the 7 attack that started the prisoned in Israel. Israel's re- know," said one man, Abu
ficient momentum to keep finish line," the official said, war, bringing fresh grief taliatory offensive has killed Shady Afana.q