what to remember from Thursday March 21

The 27 countries of the European Union are calling for an “immediate humanitarian pause” in the Gaza Strip.

Westerners are pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. On the one hand, the United States announced Thursday March 21 that it had presented a draft resolution to members of the UN Security Council calling for a “immediate ceasefire linked to the release of the hostages” in these territories. On the other hand, the 27 countries of the European Union are calling for a “immediate humanitarian pause” in Gaza. Franceinfo takes stock of the main information relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

European Union calls for ‘immediate humanitarian pause’ in Gaza

The leaders of the 27 countries of the European Union, meeting at a summit in Brussels, called on Thursday March 21 for a “immediate humanitarian pause” in Gaza. “The European Council calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a lasting ceasefire, (calls) for the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian aid”according to this text.

In this press release, the Twenty-Seven also ask Israel to “do not carry out a ground operation in Rafah”in the south of the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of Gazouis are refugees who are fleeing the bombings.

Washington tabled a draft resolution on a ceasefire

The US Secretary of State announced that the United States had presented a draft resolution to members of the UN Security Council calling for a “immediate ceasefire linked to the release of the hostages” in the Gaza Strip. “We very much hope that countries will support it”, Antony Blinken said in an interview with Saudi media. According to the spokesperson for the American ambassador to the UN, this vote will take place on Friday. On several occasions in recent months, Washington has vetoed resolutions calling for immediate ceasefires between the two parties.

In the event of failure of the United States’ resolution at the UN, France prepares its own resolution, and Stéphane Séjourné stands ready to defend it. The Minister of Foreign Affairs plans to go to Egypt this weekend to plead for this French solution, according to franceinfo information from a highly placed diplomatic source.

A meeting between the leaders of Mossad and the CIA on Friday, with a view to a truce

The head of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, will travel to Doha, Qatar, on Friday to meet with the head of the CIA, as part of negotiations around a truce in the Gaza Strip, the office announced Thursday of the Israeli Prime Minister. He will also meet the Qatari Prime Minister and the head of the Egyptian intelligence services, other mediators in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a truce. A deal to release hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel is also in talks.

After five and a half months of war, “the gap is narrowing”said Antony Blinken, in negotiations for a truce associated with the release of hostages. “If it is difficult to achieve” to an agreement, “this is still possible”he added.

Four Palestinians killed in Israeli army operation in West Bank

Four Palestinians were killed in an Israeli army operation launched overnight from Wednesday to Thursday in the “Nour Shams camp”, adjoining Tulkarem, in the occupied West Bank, according to a new report provided by the Palestinian Red Crescent. The Israeli army announced shortly after midnight that it was carrying out an operation in this refugee camp located in the northwest of the Palestinian territory.

Israel says it killed ‘more than 140 terrorists’ in al-Chifa hospital

In a statement, the Israeli army said Thursday it had killed “more than 140 terrorists in the hospital area” al-Chifa, in Gaza City, on which it launched an operation on Monday. AFP images showed thick clouds of smoke above Khan Younes, in the south of the Gaza Strip. In the neighboring town of Rafah, residents inspected the rubble of houses, in a landscape of ruins.