Gaza live: Fresh Israeli order forces over 170,000 Palestinians to leave their homes

The Israeli Haaretz newspaper, citing a senior security official, reports that the investigation into the settlers' attack on the village of Jit in the occupied West Bank revealed that soldiers arrived shortly after the incident but did not arrest the perpetrators.

The Israeli soldiers took no action to stop the violent settler attack on the village, Haaretz said.

Armed Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian town of Jit, east of Qalqilya, killing at least one man overnight Thursday.

The Palestinian health ministry identified Rashid Mahmoud Abdel Qader Sadda, 23, as the victim. He was shot in the chest by one of the armed settlers.

Several other Palestinians were wounded in the attack, one of them critically.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged parties in the Gaza conflict to provide concrete assurances for humanitarian pauses to allow a polio vaccination campaign, reported Reuters.

Speaking to reporters at the United Nations, Guterres emphasized the need for immediate assurances, warning that preventing and containing the spread of polio in Gaza will require a massive, coordinated, and urgent effort.

"Let's be clear: The ultimate vaccine for polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire," Guterres said. "But in any case, a polio pause is a must. It is impossible to conduct a polio vaccination campaign with war raging all over."

Guterres announced that the UN is ready to launch a polio vaccine campaign in Gaza for children under the age of 10 but acknowledged the "grave challenges" involved.

He explained that at least 95 percent vaccination coverage is needed during each of the two rounds of the campaign to prevent the spread of polio and reduce its emergence given the devastation in Gaza. He added that a successful campaign will require the facilitation of vaccine transport and refrigeration equipment, the entry of polio experts into Gaza, reliable internet and phone services, and other essential elements.

Israel's liaison office in Morocco's Rabat has resumed operations after a 10-month hiatus in an effort to revitalise relations between the two countries. 

A source at the Israeli liaison office confirmed to the Moroccan news website Hespress that the office has reopened after operations were suspended due to the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza.

Israel has reportedly prohibited its diplomatic officials from having contact with the Moroccan media, fearing social unrest and widespread opposition to the office’s reopening.

The move comes after last month's appointment of Hassan Kaabia, Israel's deputy foreign ministry spokesman for Arab media, as deputy head of the liaison office in Rabat.

The office is led by David Govrin, who in 2022 was recalled for several months following allegations of sexual misconduct and corruption. 

Read more: Israel's liaison office in Morocco quietly resumes operations

Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the UN rights office, condemned the attack in Jit, an occupied West Bank village, calling it "horrific."

"What is striking and important to remember is that yesterday's killing in Jit is not an isolated incident; it is the direct consequence of Israel’s settlement policy in the West Bank," Shamdasani stated during a news briefing.

She added, "By and large, we are seeing impunity for such attacks."

“Over the past 48 hours in Doha, senior officials from our governments have engaged in intensive talks as mediators with the aim of concluding an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages and detainees. These talks were serious, constructive, and conducted in a positive atmosphere.

“Earlier today in Doha, the United States, with the support of the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt, presented to both parties a proposal that narrows the gaps between the parties and is consistent with the principles set out by President Biden on May 31, 2024, and Security Council Resolution 2735.

“This proposal builds on the points of agreement achieved over the past week, and closes the remaining gaps in a manner that allows for the rapid implementation of the agreement.

“Technical teams will continue to work over the coming days on the details of implementation, including arrangements for implementing the comprehensive humanitarian components of the agreement, as well as the components related to hostages and detainees.

“Senior officials from our governments will meet again in Cairo before the end of next week, hoping to reach an agreement on the terms set out today. As the leaders of the three countries said last week, ‘There is no more time to waste and no excuses for further delay that can be accepted by any party. It is time to release the hostages and detainees, to begin the ceasefire, and to implement this agreement’.

“The path is now clear to achieve this outcome, to save lives, to bring relief to the people of Gaza, and to calm regional tensions.”

Armed Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian town of Jit, east of Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank, killing at least one man overnight Thursday.

The Palestinian health ministry identified Rashid Mahmoud Abdel Qader Sadda, 23, as the victim. He was shot in the chest by one of the armed settlers.

Several other Palestinians have been wounded in the attack, one of them critically.

The masked settlers hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails while storming the Palestinian town. Some of them burned cars and destroyed property.

Footage from the scene shows Palestinians screaming while trying to put out the fires on their property.

Read more: Palestinian killed as masked Israeli settlers storm West Bank town

Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the US said the ceasefire negotiations in Doha were “serious and constructive”.

In a joint statement, the three countries announced that Israel and Hamas were presented with a proposal that “narrows the gaps between the parties” while aligning with the “principles” outlined by US Joe President Biden in May.

“Senior officials from our governments will meet again in Cairo before the end of next week, hoping to reach an agreement on the terms set out today,” the statement said, emphasising that “there is no more time to waste and no excuses for further delay that can be accepted by any party.”

The statement added: “The path is now clear to achieve this outcome, to save lives, to bring relief to the people of Gaza and to calm regional tensions.”

Reuters quotes Israeli officials as saying that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

Blinken is expected to pressure Netanyahu to agree to a Gaza ceasefire deal following a summit held in Qatar.

According to an Axios reporter, Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Sunday. 

Israeli news outlet Haaretz reports that the Israeli delegation tasked with holding the Gaza ceasefire negotiations is expected to return from Qatar on Saturday evening.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has called on Israel to immediately stop the “unacceptable actions” of its settlers. 

“Day after day, in an almost total impunity, Israeli settlers fuel violence in the occupied West Bank, contributing to endanger any chance of peace,” Borrell wrote on X.

“I confirm my intention to table a proposal for EU sanctions against violent settlers’ enablers, including some Israeli government’s members,” he added.

Borrell’s statements come after 23-year-old Mahmoud Abdel Qader Sadda was shot and another Palestinian was injured during a settler attack on the village of Jit in the occupied West Bank.

Unicef and the WHO are calling for a humanitarian pause for seven days in Gaza to launch two rounds of a polio vaccination campaign at the end of August in the beseiged strip.

A statement issued by Unicef explained that the pauses "would allow children and families to safely reach health facilities and community outreach workers to get to children who cannot access health facilities for polio vaccination".

It added that the campaign would not be possible without the humanitarian pauses.

In coordination with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the UN entities have previously provided two drops of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 to more than 640,000 children under the age of 10.

Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan has accused Israel of trying to undermine the ceasefire negotiations, while mediators work to "bridge the gaps".

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Hamdan said Hamas does not have a clear picture of the status of the talks, but the group's officials believe Israel is not contributing positively.

“Mediators are still talking about bridging the gaps, but it is clear that the Israeli side is adding more conditions, talking about new issues,” said Hamdan. 

He said that Hamas would be ready to take part in the negotiations if Israel had shown any “positive signals”.

At least four people, including three children, have been killed during an Israeli strike that hit a tent camp in al-Mawasi, southern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.

Al-Mawasi has been previously identified by Israeli forces as a “humanitarian safe zone”.

Washington has condemned armed Israeli settler attacks on the occupied West Bank town of Jit overnight, which killed at least one Palestinian.

A White House spokesperson said that "violent attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank are unacceptable and must stop. Israeli authorities need to take necessary measures to protect all residents". 

Jack Lew, US ambassador to Israel, also reacted. 

“I am appalled by yesterday’s violent attack by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. These attacks must stop and the criminals be held to account,” Lew wrote on X.

The Palestinian health ministry identified Rashid Mahmoud Abdel Qader Sadda, 23, as the victim. He was shot in the chest by one of the armed settlers.

Several other Palestinians have been wounded in the attack, one of them critically.

Armed Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian town of Jit, east of Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank, killing at least one Palestinian man on Friday.

The Palestinian health ministry identified Rashid Mahmoud Abdel Qader Sadda, 23, as the victim. He was shot in the chest by one of the armed settlers.

Several other Palestinians have been wounded in the attack, one of them critically.

The masked settlers hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails while storming the Palestinian village. Some of them burned cars and destroyed property.

READ MORE: Palestinian killed in Israeli settler attack on West Bank