TRANSCRIPT
United States President Joe Biden has warned Israel it will stop supplying some weapons if it launches a major ground operation in the Gaza city of Rafah.
It comes after the US earlier decided to pause a shipment of weapons to Israel.
There's widespread concern over the well-being of the more than one million civilians sheltering in Rafah amid a persistent Israeli vow to invade the city.
US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller says no operation in Rafah would be the best outcome for everyone involved.
"They have made quite clear they intend to conduct an operation, the operations they have conducted so far has been limited. They have talked, I think, quite openly about conducting a major military operation in Rafah. We are opposed to that. But we'll see what happens. We have made quite clear we don't want to see it happen. We continue and I should say we do continue to engage with them about other options that they can pursue. We have presented a full range of other policy choices that they can make that we think would achieve the goal of dismantling Hamas and choking off the Hamas battalions that remain in Rafah without further endangering civilians there."
The United Nations has revealed more than 80,000 people have fled the southern Gaza city of Rafah since Monday.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will continue with their offensive despite mounting pressure to agree to a ceasefire.
"We are determined and we are united in order to defeat our enemies and those who want to destroy us. If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone. I have said that if necessary – we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails and with that same strength of spirit, with God's help, together we will win."
There had been reports Hamas and Israel were edging closer to a deal which could result in a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages being held in Gaza in return for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel.
But high-level talks in Cairo have been put on hold, according to officials briefed on the negotiations and Egyptian state media.
One official revealed anger had flared over Israel’s seizure of the Rafah border crossing.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 pro-Palestinian protesters who are against Israel's participation in Eurovision have gathered in Sweden's city, Malmo, as Israel advanced to the grand final of the song contest.
Israeli representative, Eden Golan, made it through to the grand final with her song "Hurricane", alongside nine other countries, including Switzerland and the Netherlands.
One of the protestors has spoken to SBS News.
"I think I'm very disappointed as Israel is here. I think things must be different just to stop this. Also for the person, the artist that's coming, it's not that fun for her. Only singing and everyone dislike her."
Police surrounded demonstrators, saying protests were largely calm, but nine people had also been taken into custody and one person was arrested on suspicion of a serious crime under the Knife Act.
The United Nations continues to express concern over the humanitarian situation in Lebanon amid conflict on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
UN spokesman Farhan Haq has highlighted the daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line demarcation dividing Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights as a key issue.
“The daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line are deeply concerning, profoundly impacting towns and villages on both sides. Many people have been displaced, injured, and killed, including today. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon is working continuously to decrease tensions with hundreds of daily activities aimed at de-escalating situations and assisting local communities within its mandate. The ultimate solution can only be political and diplomatic. We urge all parties to reaffirm their commitment to the cessation of hostilities and to upholding their obligations under Resolution 1701.”
Meanwhile Australia has been urged to support a Palestinian bid for United Nations membership.
Palestinian envoy in Australia Izzat Abdulhadi has called for Australia to vote for a non-binding motion at the United Nations General Assembly.
The draft resolution would call on the UN Security Council to reconsider elevating Palestine from a non-member observer state to full UN membership.
