Live blog: US, allies to create naval task force to protect Red Sea ships

Monday, December 18, 2023

2142 GMT — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has announced the creation of a multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea following a series of missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthis.

Austin, who is on a trip to Bahrain, home to the US Navy's headquarters in the Middle East, said participating countries include the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain.

He said they would conduct joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

"This is an international challenge that demands collective action. Therefore today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative," Austin said in a statement.

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2052 GMT — UNSC delays ceasefire vote to Tuesday

The UN Security Council has delayed a vote on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for a halt to hostilities in besieged Gaza to allow unhindered access to deliver humanitarian aid to the massive number of civilians in need of food, water and medicine until Tuesday morning, as members intensed negotiations to try to avoid another veto by the United States.

The council said the vote would not take place, and diplomats said negotiations were taking place to get the United States, Israel's closest ally, to abstain or vote "yes" on the resolution.

A key issue is how to implement and sustain a desperately needed aid operation. Human Rights Watch accused Israel earlier of deliberately starving Gaza’s population by blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel, a method of warfare that it described as a war crime.

The draft on the table called for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities" for humanitarian access to deliver aid.

But this language is expected to be watered down to a "suspension" of hostilities or something possibly weaker to satisfy the Americans, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions have been private.

The importance of a Security Council resolution is that it is legally binding, but in practice, many parties choose to ignore the council’s requests for action. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they are a significant barometer of world opinion.

2035 GMT — Hamas downplays Gaza tunnel discovery by Israel

A Hamas official said one of the group's tunnels revealed by the Israeli army in besieged Gaza had "successfully" accomplished its mission, downplaying the Israeli announcement of its discovery.

On Sunday, the Israeli army showed images of what it said was the biggest Hamas tunnel uncovered so far under besieged Gaza, near the Erez crossing between the Palestinian territory and Israel.

The army said the subterranean passage had formed part of a wider branching network that stretched for over four kilometres.

"The publishing of images of the long tunnel... 72 days after the start of the [Israeli] aggression, came too late," Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, told a news conference in Beirut.

"Thanks to this tunnel, the mission that we wanted to accomplish has been carried out successfully," Hamdan said without elaborating.

1756 GMT — US raises concerns with Israel over Gaza church killings

The US has raised concerns with Israel about reports that an Israeli sniper shot dead two Christian women in a Christian compound in Gaza over the weekend, White House spokesperson John Kirby has told reporters.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Catholic authority in the Holy Land, said the two women, named as Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar, were shot dead in the compound of the Holy Family Parish in Gaza.

1818 GMT — Hamas' armed wing posts video showing Israeli hostages pleading for release

Hamas' armed wing has posted a one-minute video message via its Telegram account showing three elderly Israeli hostages pleading for their release.

One man, who identified himself as 79-year-old Haiem Bery, was seated in the middle of two others around the same age, speaking in Hebrew into the barrel of the camera. He said he was being held with other elderly hostages with chronic illnesses, and that all of them were living in very harsh conditions.

"We are the generation who built the foundation for the creation of Israel. We are the ones who started the Israeli military. We don't understand why we have been abandoned here," he said.

"You have to release us from here. It does not matter the cost. We don't want to be casualties as a direct result of the Israeli military air strikes. Release us with no conditions. Don't let us grow old here," he added.

The video ends with all three men repeating the phrase in unison, "Don't let us grow old here."

1801 GMT — Israeli army says two more soldiers killed in Gaza

Another two Israeli soldiers were killed in clashes in Gaza, raising Monday’s death toll to seven, the military has said.

A military statement said a soldier from the Givati Brigade's reconnaissance unit and another from the army's Combat Engineering Corps were killed in fighting in southern and northern Gaza.

Another Israeli soldier was seriously injured in Gaza’s north, the army said.

Monday’s deaths brought to 129 the number of soldiers killed since Israel expanded its ground offensive in Gaza on Oct. 27.

1751 GMT — Houthi official: ships in Red and Arabian seas are safe except those that belong to Israel

Ships travelling in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea are safe except those that belong to Israel, Mohammed Abdulsalam, a spokesman for the Houthis in Yemen has said in a post on X.

1747 GMT — Hamas official reiterates no hostage exchange until Israel ends its war on Gaza

Hamas official Osama Hamdan has reiterated the group's position that any negotiations on a hostage exchange were off the table until Israel stops its war on Gaza.

"We are open to initiatives from Qatar and Egypt about a hostage exchange that would stop the war in Gaza", Hamdan told a press conference in Beirut.

1644 GMT — Israel visit 'not to dictate timelines' on Gaza war: Austin

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin has said that the war on Gaza was an Israeli operation and his visit to Israel was not aimed at setting a timeline for the conflict.

"This is Israel's operation and I'm not here to dictate timelines or terms," the US Defence Secretary said at a press conference with his Israeli counterpart.

He also said the US would provide more arms and munitions to Israel, as he warned Iran to "stop" supporting Houthi rebels who were attacking vessels in the Red Sea.

"We'll continue to provide Israel with the equipment that you need to defend your country... including critical munitions, tactical vehicles and air defence systems," he said.

"In the Red Sea, we're leading a multinational maritime task force to uphold the bedrock principle of freedom of navigation," he added.

1637 GMT — Israel sees gradual transition to next phases of Gaza invasion: defence chief

Israel will gradually transition to the next phase of invasion in the Gaza war in which the local population may be able to return to the north of the coastal enclave, the country's defence minister has said.

"I can tell you that soon we will be able to distinguish between different areas in Gaza," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a joint news conference with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Tel Aviv.

Gallant said this would allow Israel to start working on bringing back the local population "maybe sooner in the North" of Gaza than in the South.

1603 GMT — Hezbollah shells 2 air defence platforms in northern Israel

Lebanese group Hezbollah has said that it had shelled two Iron Dome air defence platforms in northern Israel.

A brief statement by the group said the attack targeting the platforms in the Kabri settlement resulted in “direct hits.”

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army on the claim.

1600 GMT — International community must send clear message to Israel to end 'massacre': Erdogan

The international community has a primary responsibility to send a clear message to Israel and put an end to the ongoing "massacre" in Gaza, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Speaking at a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Hungary's capital Budapest, Erdogan said that since the beginning, Türkiye has been exerting intensive diplomatic efforts for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and to prevent the spread of conflict.

Türkiye is working for the immediate cessation of "Israeli brutality" in Gaza, he added.

1502 GMT — Egypt rejects deployment of joint forces with Israel on Gaza border

Egypt has rejected the deployment of a joint Egyptian-Israeli force on the Philadelphia axis near the border with Gaza, according to Israeli media.

"A recent Israeli bombing of the Philadelphia axis has angered Cairo, especially since the area is subject to a bilateral agreement that requires obtaining prior permission before carrying out any military actions," Israeli public broadcaster KAN said.

Egyptian officials are worried that any Israeli military operations in the area would have a direct impact on the situation in the Sinai Peninsula.

"Cairo repeatedly reiterated that there were no tunnels in this area," KAN said.

1452 GMT — Egypt’s Sisi: war in Gaza is threat to national security

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi has said that the Israeli war on Gaza is a threat to national security.

"This ongoing war on our eastern borders, which calls for the mobilisation of all our efforts to prevent its continuation, represents a threat to Egyptian national security in particular and to the Palestinian cause in general," Sisi said in a televised speech after winning a third term as president.

1406 GMT — Gaza death toll from Israeli onslaught tops 19,400: officials

The Health Ministry in besieged Gaza has said that at least 19,453 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory from the Israeli brutal war since October 7.

According to the ministry, 52,286 people in Gaza have been wounded in more than two months of fighting.

1331 GMT — Gaza's Shifa hospital is struck by Israeli fire: witnesses

An Israeli air strike has hit Gaza’s largest hospital, killing and wounding several people, witnesses have said.

Al Jazeera television aired footage appearing to show the aftermath of the strike on Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, with several people sprawled lifeless on the ground inside the medical compound, which includes several buildings.

Two people sheltering at the hospital confirmed the strike to The Associated Press.

1327 GMT — Israeli attacks, harassment, unprecedented censorship aimed at news blackout: CPJ

Israel’s war on Gaza has been deadly for journalists – the deadliest ever conflict for media workers, specifically because of the high number of fatalities in such a short period of time, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

CPJ data, as of Dec. 17, shows at least 64 journalists and media workers have been killed since Oct. 7, while figures from Gaza’s Media Office place the number significantly higher at 95.

There is another entire layer of Israeli tactics against journalists, one that Sherif Mansour, Middle East and North Africa program coordinator for CPJ, says is reflected in the "unprecedented level of censorship and harassment, (and) the detention of journalists in Gaza, the West Bank, and in Israel."

1320 GMT — Several Gaza prisoners died inside Israeli detention camp: report

Several Palestinians held by Israeli forces in Gaza died inside a detention centre in southern Israel, according to Israeli media.

Haaretz newspaper said hundreds of Palestinian detainees were held inside a detention centre in Beersheba for several weeks.

"Many of them died inside the centre," the daily said, without specifying their number.

1318 GMT — Oil company BP pauses all transits through Red Sea

Oil company BP has announced that it is temporarily pausing all transits through the Red Sea following recent attacks by the Houthi group in Yemen.

"In light of the deteriorating security situation for shipping in the Red Sea, bp has decided to temporarily pause all transits through the Red Sea," the company said in a statement.

The BP said that it will keep this precautionary pause under ongoing review, subject to circumstances as they evolve in the region.

1318 GMT — EU's Borrell slams Israel's 'appalling lack of distinction' in Gaza

Israel's military is showing "an appalling lack of distinction" in its targeting in Gaza, the EU's top diplomat has said, highlighting the deaths of Israeli hostages, worshippers and other Palestinian civilians.

"We are witnessing an appalling lack of distinction in Israel's military operation in Gaza," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on social media.

"Worshippers, three Israeli hostages, and hundreds of other civilians have died during the most recent military operations," he said.

"This must stop. A humanitarian pause is urgently needed."

1245 GMT — Another journalist killed in Israeli strike in Gaza, tally rises to 96 since Oct. 7

Another Palestinian journalist was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, taking the tally to 96 since Oct. 7, the government media office has said.

Abdullah Alwan lost his life in the strike that targeted Jabalia city in northern Gaza, the media office said in a statement.​​​​​​​

1229 GMT — Evergreen shipping line to stop accepting Israeli cargo, suspend Red Sea route

Taiwanese container shipping line Evergreen has said that it has decided to temporarily stop accepting Israeli cargo with immediate effect and instructed its container ships to suspend navigation through the Red Sea until further notice.

Evergreen added that ships on regional services to Red Sea ports will sail to safe waters nearby and wait for further notification, while container ships which are scheduled to pass through the Red Sea will be rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope to continue their voyages to destination ports.

1201 GMT — Houthi rebels attack a commercial ship in Red Sea

A Cayman Islands-flagged tanker has been attacked in a crucial shipping route off Yemen, a US military official has said.

The attack that targeted the Swan Atlantic, a chemical and oil products carrier, is the latest in a series of assaults on vessels in the Red Sea and its strategic Bab el Mandeb Strait.

The attacks have been claimed by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who say they are targeting vessels linked to Israel in support of Palestinian fighters.

1156 GMT — 4 Palestinians killed in Israeli army raid on Al Far'a refugee camp in occupied West Bank

At least four young Palestinians were killed as Israeli forces raided the Al Far'a refugee camp near the city of Tubas in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry has said.

The raid marked the second such incident within two weeks, a ministry statement said.

In a separate statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that its teams provided medical assistance to six seriously injured people in the Al Far'a camp and that they have been rushed to hospitals.

According to an Anadolu reporter, the Israeli army withdrew from the refugee camp after a two-hour raid in the area.

Three Palestinians were detained during the raid, local sources said.

1150 GMT — Türkiye continues efforts to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to Palestinians

Türkiye continues its efforts to deliver urgent humanitarian aid for Palestinians, the Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson has said.

"We continue our efforts, together with all our institutions and organisations, to deliver the urgently needed humanitarian aid for the Palestinians," Oncu Keceli said on X.

In coordination with AFAD, the Turkish disaster management authority, approximately 2,500 tons of humanitarian aid arrived at the Al Arish port in Egypt through 13 air shipments and two ships between Oct. 13 and Dec. 12, he added.

"This figure is expected to increase."

1146 GMT — Italian foreign minister criticises Israel for shooting inside Gaza church

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani criticised Israel for allegedly shooting inside a Christian compound in Gaza, in a rare Italian reprimand on how Israel is conducting the war against Hamas.

“It seems serious to me that there are snipers who shoot inside Christian churches. The terrorists aren’t there. Hamas terrorists are in the underground tunnels," Tajani said on the sidelines of an event at the Foreign Ministry in Rome.

1129 GMT — CIA chief to meet Israeli, Qatari officials for prisoner talks

CIA director Bill Burns is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency in Warsaw to discuss a potential new deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, Axios has reported, citing two US and Israeli officials.

1023 GMT — France demands clarification from Israel after its staffer killed in Gaza air strike

France has demanded clarification from Israel over the killing of one of its Foreign Ministry staffers in an air strike at a residential building in Rafah, southern Gaza.

In a joint press conference with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Tel Aviv, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said: "We have asked for a complete spotlight on the circumstances that could explain the targeting of this house, following the explosion that resulted in the death of this staffer".

The ministry stated that "some staffers sought refuge in the home of a colleague working in the French Consulate, and the house was subjected to Israeli shelling on Dec. 13".

1018 GMT — Israel kills dozens in Gaza as US defence head arrives for talks

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has arrived in Israel for talks on the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

Austin, who is accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel’s war Cabinet during his visit.

The top defence official will press Israeli leaders to "transition to a new phase of the war" in Gaza after weeks of heavy strikes and a ground offensive, according to The Times of Israel newspaper.

0945 GMT — Over 100 Palestinians killed in Israeli air strikes in northern Gaza

More than 100 Palestinians were killed and scores were missing following Israeli air strikes on houses in the city of Jabalia in northern Gaza.

According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, health sources reported on Monday morning that more than 100 Palestinians were killed in Jabalia, with as many people still trapped under the rubble. At least 20 people were also injured in the attacks.

On Sunday, it was reported that civil defence teams recovered more than 30 bodies.


Around 100 people are estimated to remain trapped under the rubble, according to the Palestine TV Channel.

0933GMT — Israeli army unleashed attack dogs on wounded: Officials

Gaza health officials have called for probe after Israeli forces were accused of using bulldozers and unleashing attacker dogs during a raid on the Kamal Adwan Hospital.

Israeli forces raided the hospital last week after besieging and shelling it for several days.

At a press conference on Sunday, Munir Al Bursh, the general director of hospitals in Gaza, and the hospital's pediatric department head Hussam Abu Safiya said Israeli forces destroyed some sections of the medical facility, denied access to aid, and attacked health workers, the wounded, and displaced civilians seeking refuge.

Earlier, Palestinian Health Minister Mai Al Kaila had called for an international investigation into the Israeli acts.

0848 GMT — Catholic cardinal condemns 'cold-blooded killing' of 2 women

The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has condemned the "cold-blooded killing" of two women by an Israeli sniper at a Catholic church in Gaza.

"What absolutely puzzles me is this there’s nothing to further Israel's right to defend itself, which I understand," Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols told SkyNews.

"The killing of evidently vulnerable and innocent people seems to me to set back what Israel says it's trying to achieve," Nichols added.


When reminded that the Israeli army denied allegations that it had attacked the church, Nichols said: "That's hard to believe, frankly, because the people in Gaza and the cardinal Archbishop of Jerusalem they're not given to tell lies."

0840 GMT — Israel's security minister criticises government over opening

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has criticised the government for allowing aid trucks to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

According to Israel's Maariv newspaper, Ben-Gvir expressed his anger at the sudden change in policy without a discussion in the Cabinet, describing the decision as irresponsible. He said aid delivery through the crossing should not be allowed unless all the hostages were back home.

Israeli authorities on Friday announced the temporary reopening of the Kerem Shalom, acquiescing to the US calls to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

0727 GMT — HRW denounces Israel for using starvation as 'weapon of war'

Israel is using starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza by intentionally cutting people’s access to water and food, which is a war crime, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

“Israeli forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel, while willfully impeding humanitarian assistance, apparently razing agricultural areas, and depriving the civilian population of objects indispensable to their survival,” the rights group said in a statement.

It pointed out to the statements made by high-ranking Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Energy Minister Israel Katz on their intention to “deprive civilians in Gaza of food, water and fuel – statements reflecting a policy being carried out by Israeli forces".

0652 GMT — Hamas official rejects new hostage-prisoner talks

A Hamas official has said discussion about another hostage-prisoner exchange deal with Tel Aviv was not possible until the Israeli army withdrew from Gaza and implemented a permanent truce.

Khalil Al-Haye, a Hamas representative based in Lebanon, told Al Jazeera that they will continue their resistance against Israel in the besieged enclave.

He emphasized the need for a comprehensive cease-fire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza before addressing the issue of hostages and prisoners.

0458 GMT — Demonstrators in Germany, Netherlands rally for Palestine

Demonstrators in Germany and the Netherlands expressed support for Palestine, with thousands gathering in Berlin to take part in a vehicle convoy and hundreds marching to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Simultaneously, human rights organizations in Amsterdam called for a cease-fire in Gaza, decrying the Dutch government's inaction.

In Berlin, demonstrators attached Palestinian flags and signs to their vehicles saying "Stop the genocide in Gaza" and "Freedom for Palestine" and later formed a convoy that passed through the central points of the city.

In the Netherlands, hundreds of people gathered at Leiden train station and marched to the International Criminal Court (ICC) building in the administrative capital, The Hague, in support of Palestine.

0227 GMT — Security Council to vote on new ceasefire call amid pressure

The United Nations Security Council will vote on Monday on a new resolution calling for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities" in Gaza, as Washington exhibits growing impatience with key ally Israel.

The upcoming Security Council resolution was introduced by Arab countries that had come away from last Tuesday's General Assembly vote bolstered by such broad international support, though the latest text's fate remains uncertain.

The new draft, drawn up by the United Arab Emirates and seen by AFP, calls for an "urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza."

Read more here

0130 GMT — Palestinian Authority urges France to help resolve issue of settler violence

The Palestinian Authority urged France to help resolve the problem of settler violence against Palestinians.

During a meeting between Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Shtayyeh emphasized the need to put pressure on Israel to stop violations by illegal settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Shtayyeh also called for opening all crossings with Gaza to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and fuel and to restore electricity and water services.

He also noted the importance of France's support for the recognition of the State of Palestine with full membership in the UN.

0020 GMT — Israel faces new calls for truce after killing of hostages

Israel's government faced calls for a ceasefire from some of its closest European allies after a series of shootings, including the "mistakenly" killing of three Israeli hostages, fueled global concerns about the conduct of the 10-week-old war in Gaza.

Israeli protesters are urging their government to renew negotiations with Gaza's Hamas government, whom Israel has vowed to destroy.

Israel is also expected to face pressure to scale back major combat operations when US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visits on Monday.

0000 GMT — WHO denounces 'destruction' of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital

The head of the World Health Organization denounced "the effective destruction" of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north of Gaza, adding that at least eight patients had died.

Among the deceased patients was a 9-year-old child, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

His statement came as the Israeli army pulled out of the hospital after an operation lasting several days, claiming it had been used as a command and control centre by Hamas.

Hamas has repeatedly denied such claims.

2330 GMT — Palestinian journalist killed in Israeli bombardment

Palestinian journalist Haneen Al Qashtan was killed along with her family in an Israeli airstrike on their house in the Al Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, local Media Office said.

The statement noted that the number of journalists killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7 has now reached 95.

In a previous statement, the media office said Israel has intentionally killed journalists in Gaza with the aim of silencing the Palestinian narrative, concealing the truth and preventing news and information from reaching regional and international public opinion.

1933 GMT — Israel kills 90 in refugee camp as its attacks continue in Gaza

Israeli army launched deadly attacks up and down Gaza, hitting a refugee camp in the north, a hospital in the south and killing a teenage girl who had lost her leg in an earlier strike, according to Palestinian officials, media and eyewitnesses.

Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza killed 90 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry spokesman told Reuters. Another missile attack on a house belonging to the Shehab family killed 24 people, Hamas Aqsa radio said.

"We believe the number of dead people under the rubble is huge but there is no way to remove the rubble and recover them because of the intensity of Israeli fire," he said by telephone.

For our live updates from Sunday, December 17, click here.