Extract from ABC News
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has spoken to President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday about reforming the Palestinian self-rule government, as part of US efforts to rally the region behind postwar plans for Gaza that also include concrete steps toward a Palestinian state.
Israeli strikes in southern and central Gaza intensified on Wednesday despite a pledge by Israel that it would pull out some troops and shift to a more targeted campaign, and pleading from its ally Washington to reduce civilian casualties.
But the fighting appears to be as intense as ever, especially in the southern and central areas where Israeli forces launched ground advances last month.
Israel has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians in Gaza since launching its campaign to eradicate the Hamas militant group that runs the enclave, after Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and captured 240 hostages in a rampage on October 7.
Here is the latest:
- Blinken seeks Palestinian governance reform postwar Gaza
- Heavy fighting in central and southern Gaza
- Red Sea clashes spike
Blinken seeks Palestinian governance reform for postwar Gaza
On his fourth visit to the region since the war began three months ago, Mr Blinken has met in recent days with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
He said they were open to contributing to postwar plans in return for progress on creating a Palestinian state.
Mr Blinken said that in his talks with Mr Abbas on Wednesday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, they discussed reforming the Palestinian Authority so "it can effectively take responsibility for Gaza".
Mr Abbas appeared ready to "engage in all of these efforts", he said.
Mr Abbas's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said they heard "good statements" from the Americans.
"But nothing has happened," he said.
"The priority now is to stop the war on Gaza."
The vision outlined by Mr Blinken faces serious obstacles.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is adamantly opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Meanwhile, the autocratic, Western-backed Palestinian Authority, whose forces were driven from Gaza when Hamas took over in 2007, lacks legitimacy in the view of many Palestinians.
Heavy fighting in centre and south
The military is now focusing major operations on the southern city of Khan Younis and built-up refugee camps in central Gaza that date back to the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation.
Hundreds of people have been killed in recent days in continuing strikes across the territory, including in areas of the far south where people have been told to seek refuge.
An air strike late on Tuesday hit a four-story house west of the southernmost city of Rafah, killing at least 14 people and wounding at least 20 others, including women and children, health officials said.
Associated Press reporters saw the dead and injured being brought into nearby hospitals.
The World Health Organization cancelled a planned medical aid mission to Gaza due to security concerns, the sixth such cancellation in two weeks.
"Intense bombardment, restrictions on movement, fuel shortages and interrupted communications make it impossible for WHO and our partners to reach those in need," Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said four of its staffers were killed when their ambulance was hit by an Israeli strike on the main road near Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.
Red Sea clashes spike
Since the Gaza war started, fears have grown of a widening conflict between Israel and Iran-backed armed groups, especially Lebanon's Hezbollah but also groups in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Yemen's Huthi rebels have carried out numerous attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, a vital artery for international trade.
The United States has set up a multinational naval task force to protect shipping from the attacks, which Mr Blinken on Wednesday said were "aided and abetted" by Iran.
On Tuesday, the rebels "launched a complex" attack, US Central Command said, adding that US and British forces had shot down 18 drones and three missiles, with no casualties or damage reported.
The Huthis later said they had fired a "large number" of missiles and drones at a US ship, with an adviser telling AFP it was the largest such attack since their campaign started.
British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned the Huthis of "consequences" if they continued their "illegal attacks".
ABC/Wires
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