“If by Ramadan, the hostages are not at home, fighting will continue everywhere, including in the Rafah region [à l’extrême sud de la bande de Gaza]“, warned Israeli Minister Benny Gantz, member of Benyamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet, Sunday February 18. Ramadan, the holy month of Muslims, begins around March 10. The statement comes despite international pressure to protect the estimated 1.4 million Palestinians crowded into the city of Rafah. Follow our live stream.
The ICJ consulted on the consequences of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. The highest court of the United Nations is holding hearings from this Monday on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, with an unprecedented number of 52 countries called to testify. The United States, Russia and China will address judges for a week in The Hague, seat of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
New deadly strikes carried out on Sunday on the Gaza Strip. The prospects of a truce with Hamas are fading, more than four months after the start of the war. The United States, Israel’s main ally, has threatened to block a new draft resolution at the UN Security Council demanding “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, while Israeli bombings left 28,985 dead in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.
Lula compares Israel to Nazis, “shameful” according to Netanyahu. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday accused Israel of committing a “genocide” Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, comparing the Israeli offensive to the extermination of the Jews by the Nazis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted strongly by denouncing comments “shameful and serious” and summoning the Brazilian ambassador to Israel.