Armenia’s foreign ministry said Friday that the former Soviet republic would recognize a Palestinian state, prompting Israel to summon its ambassador for a “severe reprimand.” Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it joined United Nations resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire, and said “the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing military conflict” was one of the most important on the international agenda. The head of one of the largest hospitals in north Gaza says his staff has recently registered some 250 children suffering from malnutrition and the numbers are raising daily due to acute food shortages. Dr. Husam Abu Safyia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, urged the international community to pressure Israel to allow an increased flow of food and other products into the Gaza Strip, warning that conditions are dire in the coastal territory.
Here’s the latest:
Quick Read
Bullet Points: Armenia Recognizes Palestinian State Amid Gaza Crisis
- Diplomatic Move: Armenia announces recognition of a Palestinian state, leading Israel to summon its ambassador for a “severe reprimand.”
- International Context: Many countries recognize a Palestinian state, though major Western powers have not. Recent recognitions include Spain, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, and Antigua and Barbuda.
- Gaza Crisis: Malnutrition among children in Gaza is worsening, with 250 children reported suffering from acute food shortages.
- Aid Challenges: The breakdown of law and order in Gaza has rendered new aid routes unusable, worsening the humanitarian crisis.
- Conflict Casualties: Israeli ground offensives and airstrikes have resulted in over 37,400 deaths in Gaza, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry.
- Historical Attack: The conflict escalated after Hamas’ attack on October 7, killing about 1,200 Israelis and abducting approximately 250.
- Humanitarian Concerns: The head of a major Gaza hospital reports severe malnutrition and calls for increased food supplies.
- International Negotiations: Qatar’s foreign minister indicates some progress in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt.
The Associated Press has the story:
Armenia recognizes a Palestinian state, as malnutrition spreads among children in Gaza
Newslooks- JERUSALEM — (AP)
Armenia said it would recognize a Palestinian state on Friday, prompting Israel to summon its ambassador for what the Foreign Ministry described as a “severe reprimand.”
Dozens of countries have recognized a Palestinian state, though none of the major Western powers has done so. Palestinians believe the recognitions confer international legitimacy on their struggle, especially as Israel’s war against Hamas, now in its ninth month, faces growing international criticism over the campaign of systematic destruction in Gaza and huge cost in civilian lives.
Also Friday, the head of a major hospital in north Gaza said his staff have seen some 250 children suffering from malnutrition, with numbers rising daily due to acute food shortages.
Palestinians face widespread hunger as the war has largely cut off the flow of food, medicine and basic goods to Gaza, which is now totally dependent on aid.
Meanwhile, Israel’s pledge to guard a new aid route into southern Gaza has fallen flat, as the U.N. and international aid organizations say a breakdown in law and order has made that route unusable.
The Israeli military said that two soldiers were killed in combat in central Gaza, while three were severely injured.
Israeli ground offensives and bombardments have killed more than 37,100 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.
Israel launched the war after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250.
Armenia recognizes Palestinian state
JERUSALEM — Armenia’s foreign ministry said Friday that the former Soviet republic would recognize a Palestinian state, prompting Israel to summon its ambassador for a “severe reprimand.”
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it joined United Nations resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire, and said “the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing military conflict” was one of the most important on the international agenda.
“We support the ‘two-state’ solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the statement said. “We are convinced that this is the only way to ensure that both Palestinians and Israelis can fulfill their legitimate aspirations.”
Dozens of countries have recognized a Palestinian state, though none of the major Western powers has done so. Palestinians believe the recognitions confer international legitimacy on their struggle, especially amid international outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Last month, Spain, Ireland and Norway said they had decided to recognize a Palestinian state, and since then Slovenia and the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda have followed suit.
Bodies of 5 killed in an airstrike in Gaza City recovered from apartments
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian Civil Defense organization says its teams have recovered the bodies of five people who were killed in an airstrike that hit two apartments in Gaza City.
The agency said several people were also injured in Friday’s strike that hit the apartments of two families in the center of the city.
An earlier airstrike hit a municipal garage in the city and killed five people, raising to 10 the number of people killed Friday.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 37,400 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.
Israel launched the war after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250.
Israeli airstrike levels Gaza municipal garage, killing 5
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian Civil Defense authorities say an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City hit a municipal garage, killing five people.
The strike on the garage in the center of Gaza City came Friday and killed four municipal workers and one passer-by, while leaving an unknown number of others buried under the rubble of the damaged building, the Civil Defense said.
The Gaza municipality confirmed that the strike hit its employees but did not give a breakdown on the casualties.
Israel launched the war after Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack, in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250.
Since then, the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure has suffered heavy damage, and the war has largely cut off the flow of food, medicine and other supplies to Palestinians who are facing widespread hunger.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 37,400 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.
Gaza hospital chief says hundreds of children are suffering from malnutrition
DEIR Al-BALAH, Gaza Strip – The head of one of the largest hospitals in north Gaza says his staff has recently registered some 250 children suffering from malnutrition and the numbers are raising daily due to acute food shortages.
Dr. Husam Abu Safyia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, urged the international community to pressure Israel to allow an increased flow of food and other products into the Gaza Strip, warning that conditions are dire in the coastal territory.
Abu Safyia told The Associated Press on Friday that medical authorities have sent teams from his hospital to centers housing displaced people in north Gaza to assess them for malnutrition.
He said flour is the most available foodstuff in north Gaza, and that people need more proteins and fats to keep healthy.
North Gaza was badly affected by the fighting during the early months of the Israel-Hamas war and continues to suffer food shortages.
Abu Safyia added that illnesses are spreading in Gaza as trash piles grow, because authorities lack the resources to remove garbage and sewage from the streets.
“We are facing a real disaster,” he said adding that more people could die in the coming days if food does not flow into the Gaza Strip.
Qatari foreign minister says ceasefire negotiations are making progress ‘to some extent’
MADRID – Qatar’s foreign minister says some progress has been made in negotiations over a Gaza cease-fire deal but gaps remain between Israel and Hamas.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country is a mediator alongside the U.S. and Egypt, said Friday “there has been progress to some extent in the situation.”
Mediators have held “successive meetings” with the Hamas leadership in an effort to bridge the gaps, he said during a visit to Spain.
“There cannot be one party to the conflict adopting the vision of the other party,” he said. The solution “must be based on compromises between the two parties.”
Currently:
— The fate of the latest cease-fire proposal hinges on Netanyahu and Hamas’ leader in Gaza.
— Israel’s pledge to guard an aid route into Gaza falls flat as lawlessness blocks distribution.
— A rare public rift appears between Israel’s political and military leadership over how the war in Gaza is being conducted.
— The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group warns archenemy Israel against wider war.
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Gaza at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
