Rafah, Palestinian Territories: Tears in his eyes, Mohammed al-Sabbagh shouts into a mobile phone, imploring his niece on the other end to "be strong" as she languishes under rubble in Gaza. | The call was made near the start of a three-day ordeal for the girl, 15-year-old Hala Hazem Hamada, who was finally rescued on Tuesday after a deadly encounter with Israeli soldiers that claimed the lives of six relatives including her parents. ● The bloodshed began on Saturday, when Israeli troops descended on the residential complex where Hala's family, originally from northern Gaza, had sought refuge outside the territory's southern city of Khan Yunis. ● The Israeli military had said it was raiding "terrorist infrastructure" in the area and taking suspected "terrorists" into custody. Hala told AFP that soldiers had called out on a loudspeaker asking residents to leave, but before she and her family could do so, "the house started collapsing on us", levelled by bulldozers.

■ Day 153: 38,800 martyrs, over 72,000 wounded (Al Mayadeen)

■ APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE IN THE GAZA STRIP (ORDER OF 26 JANUARY 2024) (.pdf) + APPLICATION INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS (.pdf)
■ THE EXPRESSION OF HATRED FOR GENTILES (Richard Edmondson/Nahida Izzat) (10/04/14)

A new report has revealed that the United States has quietly authorized over 100 separate weapons sales to Israel since the start of the Gaza war in early October, despite mounting alarm over the occupying regime’s genocidal campaign against the besieged territory. | US officials told members of Congress in a recent classified briefing that the sales include thousands of precision-guided munitions, small diameter bombs, bunker busters, small arms and other lethal aid, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday. ● The report comes as only two approved weapons sales authorized by US President Joe Biden had been made public so far but the latest triple-digit figure has not been previously reported. ● The Biden administration bypassed Congress to initiate $106 million in sales of tanks ammunition as well as $147.5 million of components needed to make 155 mm shells. ● However, the 100 other weapons transfers were processed without any public debate because each fell under a specific dollar amount that requires the executive branch to individually notify Congress.

■ US has quietly approved more than 100 weapons sales to Israel since Oct. 7: Report (Anadolu)
■ US, Israel seek temporary ceasefire in Gaza to ‘buy time’ to continue war: Hamas official (PressTV)
■ Warmongers working hand in glove (Shahrokh Saei) (Tehran Times)

Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Israeli occupation's decision to approve the construction of approximately 3,500 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank, the Foreign Ministry said. | The Kingdom also condemned the attempt to annex wide areas of the West Bank, including Al-Quds, which violates all international resolutions, international human-rights law, and United Nations resolutions, and obstructs the opportunities for peace and stability in the region, SPA reported on Thursday. ● Additionally, the Kingdom reiterated the importance of ending the suffering and providing hope for the Palestinian people, enabling them to secure their rights to live safely, and establishing their Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Al-Quds as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions.
 ● The Muslim World League (MWL) welcomed on Wednesday the outcomes of the extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Ministers Council of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was held in Jeddah to discuss the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, according to Aawsat.

■ Qatar strongly condemns Israeli occupation's approval of building new settlements in West Bank (The Peninsula)
■ Saudi Arabia condemns Israel new settlement plan in WB (03/02/24)

The US Central Command [CENTCOM] has confirmed that a missile attack by Yemen’s Armed Forces on a merchant ship transiting the Gulf of Aden has left at least three seafarers dead, the first fatalities since the Arab country launched retaliatory attacks on vessels in the area. | CENTCOM said in a statement on Wednesday that the fatalities occurred after the Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence, a Liberian-owned bulk carrier, was set ablaze approximately 50 nautical miles [93km] off the coast of Yemen’s port of Aden. ● It also reported at least four injuries, of which three are in critical condition, as well as “significant damage to the ship” following the strike. ● Earlier, a shipping source said three crew members were missing from the bulk carrier True Confidence and four others had been badly burned following an attack on the vessel, which initial reports identified as a US-owned one. ● A US military official also said smoke was seen coming from True Confidence, adding that a lifeboat had also been seen in the water near the ship. ● The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations [UKMTO] agency also said it had received a report of the incident, adding that the vessel had been abandoned by the crew and was "no longer under command." ● The Yemeni armed forces claimed responsibility for the operation and said the operation came after the ship’s crew rejected warning messages from the Yemeni naval forces.

■ China to continue shipping steel via Red Sea despite attack on vessel: traders (S&P Global)
■ China says war in Gaza disgrace to civilization, supports Palestine's full membership in UN (Yemen News Agency)

Sweden officially joined NATO as its 32nd member on Thursday, almost two years after first applying to the military alliance. | Earlier on Thursday, the Swedish government said in a statement it was holding an extraordinary meeting to vote on joining NATO after all current members had approved its accession to the military alliance. The news was then confirmed later Thursday with a statement from NATO, with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg saying the country was “taking its rightful place at our table.” “Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and the whole Alliance more secure. I look forward to raising their flag at NATO HQ on Monday,” he added.