US presses on with ceasefire talks as pressure builds on multiple Mid East fronts

Pro-Palestine Demonstrators Stage Protests in Chicago as The Democratic National Convention Continues

Hundreds of Chicago Police kettled demonstrators and press, separating them from pro-Israel demonstrators, on Madison Street in front of the Israeli Consulate. About 200-300 pro-Palestine protesters staged a series of demonstrations outside the Israeli Consulate, in Chicago, Illinois, leading to many arrests and police chases, as the Democratic National Convention entered its second day. (Photo by John Rudoff/Sipa USA) Source: SIPA USA / John Rudoff/John Rudoff/Sipa USA

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Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 50 Palestinians in the past 24 hours as a ceasefire deal remains elusive. Protesters have gathered outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to demand an agreement - and the release of both Israeli and Palestinian hostages.


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TRANSCRIPT:

On the move again.

Palestinians are fleeing the western area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip after an Israeli evacuation order, moving towards the central part of the city.

One man says he had been displaced twenty times and that houses and tents have been struck.

This man, Fadi Al-Attar, says no one cares about their human rights.

“Where are the human rights? Where are the people? Where is the world that is watching us? Are we just Arabs by name? Where are the Arabs? All the United States and world are against us because we are Arabs. We want to die. They can hit us with nuclear and then we rest. We do not want to live. Every day we flee, thousands and millions flee. Oh world, look here, look here. Oh people, oh Arabs, look here. Where are those who have religion? Where is humanity? Where are the human rights organisations that do not pay attention to the people? They fire at us like rain. Every day we die and live, die and live. We want people to see us, we want people who have mercy in their hearts so they can see what Israel is doing against us.”

Israeli forces have continued to strike targets in Gaza, killing at least 50 Palestinians over the past day.

The bombardment is being maintained even as U-S Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs the region, and a ceasefire deal remains out of sight.

Prior to his departure, Mr Blinken told reporters that Israel has accepted an agreement.

"Israel has now accepted that proposal, I heard that directly from President (Benjamin) Netanyahu yesterday. And we hope and expect that Hamas will do the same. That's the critical next step. But once that happens, we also have to complete the detailed implementation agreements that go along with putting the cease-fire into effect. And there it is very important that everyone do what's necessary to bring the flexibility to the table to make sure that we can get the implementation agreed and that the parties to the cease-fire can make good on the commitments that they've made in the agreement."

But both Israel and Hamas are saying otherwise.

While the details have not been revealed, Hamas says the deal on offer is a so-called "bridging proposal" and maintains Israel has added several new conditions that it cannot accept.

These include maintaining Israel's military presence along the Netzarim Corridor, which would allow it to inspect displaced persons returning to the north of Gaza.

On the other hand, Israel also says it has not agreed to a permanent ceasefire, with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant reiterating that the war cannot end until Israel's goals are achieved.

“The most important thing in my view and as a perception, is to remember what the goals of the war are, and to meet all of the goals of the war regarding Hamas as well as regarding the hostages and to now look to the north, we understand why.” 

While the US is keeping up the pressure for an agreement to be reached, it's also facing political pressure at home.

Family members of American hostages held in Gaza have come to protest alongside other demonstrators at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, saying that "time is running out" for a cease-fire deal.

Father of American hostage Omer Neutra, Ronen Neutra, says both Hamas and Israel must be made to agree.

"Countries must put the pressure on Hamas, but not only on Hamas, but also on Bibi Netanyahu's government as the prime minister who needs to make bold decisions and has been reluctant to give up on some of the more difficult elements of this deal and so far has only brought recently bodies."

Police have made several arrests as they pushed protesters away from the convention with batons.

But Chicago resident Jonathan Bell says people are simply trying to get their message out.

"Many people talk about October, but everyone fails to mention 1948 and 1968, when Israel created an open-air prison and prevented Gazans, Palestinians, from living or having just a decent life. And now they are starving the people. They are bombing schools and hospitals. And the people here are protesting to say that that's not right. And the United States should not be aiding and abetting a terrorist like Netanyahu. He is a terrorist and his cabinet, who are calling for the starvation and the annihilation of the Palestinian people, it is a terrorist act on the part of Israel."

Most speakers at the Democratic National Convention have avoided the topic altogether.

Some say that the Democrat's position on the war will only alienate voters.

"Both parties have been funding Israel and have continued to fund Israel and are supporting Israel, so they're both complicit. I think there are people who will not vote at all rather than vote for her unless she makes a change in the policy clear." 

Political pressure is also being maintained in Israel.

In Jerusalem, hundreds of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters have gathered outside the Israeli military enlistment office, preventing people who had received summons from the army from presenting themselves for enlistment.

Israeli police have reportedly beat and arrested a number of the protesters, using water cannons to disperse the crowd.

But Ultra-Orthodox protester, Shimon Sofer, says they won't be deterred, because joining the Israeli Army is against the Jewish religion.

"You need to understand that we Jewish people, the religion doesn't want let us go to the Israeli army. It’s anti (against) the religious (religion) that we have. And everyone that goes into the Israeli army is being no Jewish, is anti-Jewish." 

Pressure is also building elsewhere.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces have detained an ambulance crew working at a hospital in Jenin.

The head of the Al-Hayat Medical Centre, Fadi Jarrar, says Israeli soldiers stopped the ambulance at a checkpoint before detaining the crew and impounding the vehicle.

Hezbollah has also reportedly fired 50 rockets at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, hitting several homes and injuring one person.

The group says the attack was in response to an Israeli strike into Lebanon on Tuesday night that killed one person and injured 19.

Benjamin Netanyahu remains firm, saying Israel is not afraid to continue proving the strength of their air force.

"The Air Force is our iron fist that knows how to hit the soft underbelly of our enemies. If we have to, we will prove it again and even more vigorously." 

Israel however continues to attract widespread criticism for its military campaign.

A new report released by the civil society group Defence for Children International Palestine documents what it calls an Israeli policy of systematically detaining and torturing Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip.

The civil society group says it has recorded at least 31 instances of Palestinian children being used as human shields by Israeli forces since 2000.

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