Palestinian children hold out plates to receive their share of vegetable patties prepared by volunteers in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, August 14, 2024. /CFP
At least 1,000 deaths have been reported in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli army's ongoing closure of the Rafah crossing for over 100 days, the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said on Wednesday.
Ismail Thawabteh, head of the office, told a press conference at Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza that the Israeli authorities' restriction on travel for 25,000 patients and wounded individuals seeking treatment abroad has led to more than 1,000 deaths in the past 100 days.
Thawabteh warned that the remaining individuals are at risk of death due to the denial of access to medical treatment. He held both the Israeli authorities and the U.S. administration responsible for the severe consequences of the Rafah crossing closure, including the hindrance of medical supplies, health delegations and humanitarian aid.
A man cycles past trash and rubble outside a school run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, being used as a makeshift shelter for Palestinians displaced by conflict, in the Jabalia camp for Palestinian refugees in the northern Gaza Strip, August 14, 2024. /CFP
On the same day, a Hamas official announced that the movement will not participate in the upcoming ceasefire negotiations in Qatar.
Suhail Hindi, a member of Hamas's Political Bureau, stated at a press conference that the group "will not participate in the upcoming negotiations scheduled to resume on Thursday in the Qatari capital."
Hindi clarified that Hamas had sought a clear commitment from Israel to adhere to the agreement made on July 2, which was based on a proposal from U.S. President Joe Biden. He added that Hamas is prepared to engage in the implementation mechanisms of the agreement should the commitment be made.
The announcement by Hamas came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved sending a negotiating delegation to Qatar to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza, with full authority granted.
The meeting in Qatar is scheduled following an invitation from Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. to resume talks on August 14 or 15 in Cairo or Doha. The discussions aim to resolve outstanding issues and address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, according to an Egyptian statement.
People and security forces check the wreckage of a car, reportedly targeted by an Israeli drone attack, in the main square of the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun, August 14, 2024. /CFP
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants has strongly condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by extremist Israeli ministers.
The ministry also denounced the Israeli government's recent decisions to expand settlements in the West Bank, calling them a clear violation of international law and a hindrance to peace efforts.
It also urged the international community and relevant countries to take immediate and decisive action to stop the aggression in Gaza, viewing this as the first step towards calming the crisis and preventing further escalation in the region.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made a provocative visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. In video footage released by his office, Ben-Gvir is seen accompanied by far-right supporters.
He was joined by Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Israel's minister for the development of the Negev and Galilee.
Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that about 1,500 right-wing activists accompanied Ben-Gvir during the visit.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound holds sacred significance for both Muslims and Jews and has long been a flashpoint for deadly violence between the two sides.
On Wednesday, two people were killed and four others wounded in an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese military sources.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Israeli airstrike targeted a car on a square in the town of Marjeyoun. The Lebanese Red Cross and the Civil Defense then transferred the casualties to hospitals in Marjeyoun and the city of Nabatieh.
The identities of the victims remain unclear, with local media suggesting they may be militants from either Hezbollah or an Islamic group.
(With input from Xinhua)