Morning Briefing: November 17, 2023

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday, including a deadly Israeli airstrike on southern Gaza, UN warning on fuel shortage to be the leading cause of deaths in Gaza, Hamas saying its prepared for a long war with Israel, and a communication blackout in Gaza.

TOP STORIES

• 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrike on southern Gaza

At least 10 Palestinians were killed Thursday in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in the Al-Qarara area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

Several others were injured in the attack, Palestine TV reported.

This came after Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee renewed his warning to the people of Gaza, calling on them to move south for their safety.

The government media office in Gaza has repeatedly reported attacks on roads that Israel declared “safe” towards the south of the Gaza Strip.

• Lack of fuel would be 'main reason' for deaths in Gaza, warns UN

The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Thursday that a lack of fuel would be the "main reason" for deaths in the Gaza Strip if it is not supplied to the besieged region.

"We need a cease-fire now, and fuel," Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said at a press conference in Geneva.

He said they received a "tiny" amount of fuel, "half of a truck," on Wednesday, but that Israel has restricted the use of that fuel to aid trucks arriving at the Rafah crossing.

• Hamas says it’s prepared for long war with Israel

Hamas's political bureau chief said Thursday that resistance forces in the Gaza Strip are prepared for a prolonged war with the Israeli army.

In a recorded speech, Ismail Haniyeh praised the resilience of the Palestinian people and the coordination of resistance factions “to disperse the capabilities of the Israeli army and weaken it on multiple fronts.”

On another note, he called for the implementation of the resolutions of an emergency Arab-Islamic summit held in the Saudi capital Riyadh days ago.

• Palestinian telecom firm announces communication blackout in Gaza

The Palestinian Telecommunication Group on Thursday announced a complete blackout of communications and internet services in the Gaza Strip due to the depletion of fuel.

“We regret to announce that all telecom services in Gaza Strip have gone out of service as all energy sources sustaining the network have been depleted, and fuel was not allowed in,” the group said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Palestinian Communications and Information Technology Minister Yitzhak Sidr appealed to Egypt to activate roaming services and operate telecommunication stations near the Gaza border.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• After days of tense debate and protests, Spain’s parliament on Thursday re-elected Pedro Sanchez as prime minister, allowing him to form a functioning government, heading a progressive coalition government alongside the leftist Sumar party.

• Dubbed a "new starting point" to stabilize bilateral relations, China’s President Xi Jinping told his American counterpart Joe Biden during their face-to-face meeting in San Francisco that the US has to choose between solidarity and confrontation, said a statement by Beijing.

• Residents in the Gaza Strip are facing potential starvation, a World Food Program official warned Thursday, with "winter fast approaching and the unsafe and overcrowded shelters that lack clean water, people are facing the immediate possibility of starvation."

• The UN on Thursday expressed regret over Israeli statements of rejecting its resolution, which calls for urgent humanitarian pauses in the Gaza Strip.

• Norway's parliament has approved a resolution that calls on the government to be ready to recognize Palestine as an independent state, local media reported Thursday.

• The Israeli army said that three more soldiers were killed in fighting in the Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll to 371 since the outbreak of the current conflict on Oct. 7.

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• "Grave violations" committed by Israel against Palestinians since Oct. 7 "point to a genocide in the making," a group of independent UN experts said.

• The Israeli army stormed the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Thursday and besieged the Jenin refugee camp, leading to clashes with Palestinian gunmen.

• Nathaniel Veltman was found guilty Thursday of first-degree and attempted murder in the killings of four members of a Muslim family in Ontario, Canada, in 2021.

• The Gaza Strip has been transformed “from the largest open-air prison into the largest open cemetery in the world,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said.

SPORTS

• Slovakia beat Iceland, book place at EURO 2024

Slovakia bagged a ticket to next summer's UEFA EURO 2024 finals after beating Iceland 4-2 in a Group J match on Thursday.

Slovakian midfielder Lukas Haraslin scored two goals against Iceland.

Juraj Kucka and Ondrej Duda from a penalty kick were the other scorers for Slovakia, who ended the group in second place.

• Israeli football clubs to play European competition matches in Serbia

Israeli football clubs will travel to Serbia for the remainder of their home fixtures in European competitions because of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, UEFA said Thursday.

European football's governing body said in the second-tier UEFA Europa League matchday five, Maccabi Haifa from Israel will face French club Rennes at Belgrade's Rajko Mitic Stadium on Nov. 30.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Jordan cancels energy deal with Israel over Gaza war

Jordan announced Thursday that it will not sign a deal with Israel to exchange solar energy for desalinated water in light of Israel’s war against Hamas.

"We will not be able to continue the energy-for-water agreement because no Jordanian minister can sit next to an Israeli minister to sign an agreement while they are killing our brothers in Gaza," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi told the Qatar-based Al Jazeera news channel.

• Amazon to allow auto dealers to sell vehicles in US in 2024

Amazon announced Thursday it will start allowing auto dealers to sell vehicles on its US website next year.

"Customers will be able to search on Amazon for available vehicles in their area based on a range of preferences, including model, trim, color, and features; choose their preferred car; and then check out online with their chosen payment and financing options," it said in a statement.

The company said Hyundai will be the first brand available for customers to purchase.