Cairo – Amman
11:50 – 15/05/2021
Egypt and Jordan warned yesterday that any attempt to displace Palestinians from their homes would constitute a red line. The announcement came as Israeli forces continued to pound the Gaza Strip.
Fear of the displacement of Palestinians from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem.
Demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinian people have taken place in several Arab and European countries, including France, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan and Lebanon. Cities where these demonstrations took place included Cairo, Riyadh, Amman, Baghdad, and Sanaa.
Jordanian demonstrators gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Amman, and protesters in Cairo held a sit-in outside the Journalists Syndicate and near the Israeli embassy.
- The announcement came after Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel was ready to continue the operation in Gaza until it achieves its objectives.
- The Egyptian government stressed that a ceasefire must be implemented immediately in the Gaza Strip, warning that the continuation of the Israeli aggression would lead to further deterioration of the situation and spread of violence..
- Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip said they were ready to accept a mutual ceasefire if the Israelis were willing.
- The United Nations has said that more than 80,000 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes as a result of Israeli bombardment.
International efforts to end the violence:
- The European Union yesterday called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying the violence had gone beyond unbearable.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned by the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip, adding that he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and the suffering of civilians.
- The United States said it was deeply concerned about the escalating violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip, adding that it was urging both sides to de-escalate and bring the violence to an end.
The human cost of the violence:
- The Palestinian Health Ministry said that at least 139 people, including 39 children, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since Monday.
- The Israeli military said that at least 10 Israelis, including two children, have been killed by rockets fired from Gaza.
The violence in the Gaza Strip is the worst since the 2014 war. It has been sparked by the Israeli government’s decision to evict Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem.
Kind regards
E. Thompson
