Live Middle East: At least 13 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Rafah

01:59

At least 13 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Rafah

At least thirteen people have been killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes on three houses in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza. Doctors in the area announced this on Monday, according to reports Reuters.

The attacks on Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape Israeli bombardments, took place at a time when a ceasefire appeared to be imminent.

On Sunday, Hamas officials said a delegation led by Khalil Al-Hayya, the group’s deputy Gaza head, would discuss a ceasefire proposal delivered to Hamas by mediators from Qatar and Egypt. A senior Hamas official is reported to have said that the Palestinian movement has “no major problems” with Israel’s latest proposal.

The mediators, supported by the United States, are trying to prevent a massive attack on Rafah with that deal. Israel insists it is necessary to destroy the last Hamas battalions, but critics say such an attack would turn into a humanitarian disaster. (Editorial)

11:48 PM, Yesterday

Armistice seems imminent: Hamas sees ‘no major problem’ in latest proposal

More than five months after the previous and so far only ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, a new ceasefire seems imminent. A senior Hamas official told the news agency on Sunday AFP that the Palestinian movement has ‘no major problems’ with Israel’s latest proposal.

The Israeli proposal is a response to a proposal from Egyptian and Qatari mediators. “The atmosphere is positive, unless Israel creates new obstacles,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

What exactly is included in the proposal has not been disclosed. But according to the American news site Axioswhich quotes Israeli officials, includes a willingness to talk about “restoring lasting peace” in Gaza.

A Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas, was expected to give the group’s response to the ceasefire proposal during a meeting with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Monday.

Two far-right Israeli ministers said earlier on Sunday that they would drop the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if a truce is agreed, because this would mean a postponement of the military ground offensive they want in Rafah. (ANP, Belga)

Also read: Diplomats seize ‘a bit of momentum’ to put pressure on negotiations between Hamas and Israel

7:40 PM, Yesterday

Welcome to the live blog of Monday April 29

This was the most important news of Saturday April 27 and Sunday April 28:

• Nearly two hundred activists were arrested on Saturday during new pro-Palestinian protests at American universities, media in the US report. The arrests were made at Northeastern University in Boston, Arizona State University and Indiana University.

• Far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich threaten to topple the Israeli government if Prime Minister Netanyahu abandons the planned ground offensive in Rafah. The threats come on the eve of new negotiations in Egypt.

• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expects the Israeli attack on Rafah to begin “within days.” According to him, only the Americans can prevent this. Abbas called on Washington to use all its influence to avert the attack.

Read the full live blog from last weekend here.