For today, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM
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U.S., Britain urge Hamas to accept Israeli truce proposal, by Humeyra Pamuk, Alexander Cornwell and Pesha Magid | Reuters RIYADH — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken today urged Hamas to swiftly accept an Israeli proposal for a truce in the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group. Hamas negotiators were expected to meet today with Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo to . . . READ MORE . . .
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Israeli airstrikes on Rafah kill at least 22 people, Palestinian health officials say. From AP. Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have killed at least 22 people, including six women and five children, Palestinian health officials said. One of the children killed in the strikes overnight into Monday was just 5 days old. Israel has . . . READ MORE . . .
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Gaza truce or Rafah assault? Netanyahu faces political dilemma, by Maayan Lubell | Reuters JERUSALEM — Far-right allies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are raising pressure on the embattled leader to reject a new Gaza ceasefire, jeopardizing his government’s stability if he backs away from an assault on Hamas in Rafah. Hamas representatives were due in Cairo today as . . . READ MORE . . .
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Israeli officials concerned about possible ICC arrest warrants as pressure mounts over war in Gaza, by Josef Federman and Samy Magdy | AP JERUSALEM — Israeli officials appeared increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the country’s leaders, as international pressure mounts over the war in Gaza. Airstrikes overnight into today killed 25 people in a southern city, according to hospital records. The deaths in Rafah . . . READ MORE . . .
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Blinken says Israel must still do more to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza, by Matthew Lee | AP RIYADH — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip and that he would use his current Middle East trip — his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October — to press that case with Israeli leaders. READ MORE . . .
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As conditions worsen in Gaza, humanitarian workers’ jobs become more difficult. Leila Fadel of NPR talks with Bob Kitchen of the International Rescue Committee, about a letter aid groups wrote to President Biden demanding concrete action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.
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FROM APRIL 28 Biden and Netanyahu speak as pressure’s on Israel over planned Rafah invasion and cease-fire talks, by Tia Goldenberg, Jon Gambrell and Samy Magdy | AP TEL AVIV — The White House on Sunday said U.S. President Joe Biden had again spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as pressure builds on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza. READ MORE . . .
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Saudi foreign minister describes situation in Gaza as a ‘catastrophe.’ Middle East Monitor. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has described the situation in the Gaza Strip as a “catastrophe” at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh. Faisal Bin Farhan added that talking about half-measures in the Gaza Strip is “ridiculous,” and that the focus should be on the two-state solution. He stressed . . . READ MORE . . .
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Israeli peace activists push the 2-state sollution in the Middle East. Reported by Michele Kelemen | NPR Secretary of State Antony Blinken is trying to convince Israelis to consider a future Palestinian state, but many in Israel are more opposed to it than ever. Click HERE to listen and read.
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FROM APRIL 28 Israel will scale up amount of aid going into Gaza, military says. From Reuters. JERUSALEM — The amount of humanitarian aid going into the Gaza Strip will be ramped up in coming days, Israel’s military said on Sunday, citing new corridors that use an Israeli seaport and border crossings into . . . READ MORE . . .
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FROM APRIL 26 U.S. postpones decision on aid to Israeli army battalion accused of abuses against Palestinians, by Ellen Knickmeyer, Farnoush Amiri and Matthew Lee | AP WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken has determined that an Israeli army battalion committed grave human-rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank before the war in Gaza. But he said in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson that he is postponing a decision on blocking aid to the unit to give Israel more time to right the wrongdoing. READ MORE . . .