Live: US senate blocks resolution to stop weapons transfer to Israel

21/11/2024 - 07:55

Dozens killed and wounded in Israeli strikes in northern Gaza, medics say

Dozens were killed and wounded in Israeli air strikes on several houses in Beit lahiya in northern Gaza Strip, medics told Reuters on early on Thursday.

21/11/2024 - 05:31

• US Senate rejects bid to stop some military sales to Israel

21/11/2024 - 03:58

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Wednesday that at least 43,985 people have been killed and 104,092 wounded in more than 13 months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants.

21/11/2024 - 04:18

US Senate rejects bid to stop some military sales to Israel

The US Senate on Wednesday blocked legislation that would have halted the sale of some US weapons to Israel, which had been introduced out of concern about the human rights catastrophe faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

Seventy-nine of the 100 senators opposed a resolution that would have blocked sales of tank rounds to Israel, while 18 approved it and one voted present. Seventy-eight opposed a second measure, which would have stopped the shipment of mortar rounds, while 19 supported it and one voted present. The Senate was to vote later on Wednesday on a third resolution that would stop shipments of a GPS guidance system for bombs.

All of the votes in favor of the measures came from the Democratic caucus, while "no" votes came from both Democrats and Republicans. The "resolutions of disapproval" were filed by Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and co-sponsored by a handful of Democrats.

Strong bipartisan support for Israel in Congress meant the resolutions were never likely to pass, but backers hoped significant support in the Senate would encourage Israel's government and President Joe Biden's administration to do more to protect civilians in Gaza.

Yesterday's key developments:

• US special envoy Amos Hochstein said that an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war was "now within our grasp" as he met officials to discuss a truce plan largely endorsed by Lebanon.
• Israel's military said it is fighting the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, not the Lebanese Armed Forces, after the latter said four of its soldiers had been killed in Israeli strikes.
• The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Israel's war in Gaza, accusing council members of cynically rejecting attempts at reaching a compromise.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)

About casualty figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry:

Gaza’s health ministry collects data from the enclave’s hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent. For more on the health ministry’s casualty figures, click here.