Gaza war: Three US troops killed in drone attack as fears of regional escalation rise

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Japan said it is joining other countries in suspending funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following Israeli charges that some UNRWA staff took part in Hamas's October 7 attack.

The agency has fired several staff over Israel's accusations and promised a thorough investigation into the claims, which were not specified, while Israel has vowed to stop the agency's work in Gaza after the war.

Several of the agency's top donors including the United States and Germany have since halted funding to UNRWA, which has been at the heart of humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

Japan said late Sunday it was "extremely concerned about the alleged involvement of UNRWA staff members in the terror attack on Israel on October 7 last year."

"In response, Japan has decided to suspend additional funding to UNRWA for the time being while UNRWA conducts an investigation into the matter and considers measures to address the allegations," a foreign ministry statement said.

Israel’s war against Hamas could last "10 years, or even an entire generation", war cabinet member Benny Gantz said.

Gantz said during a meeting with evacuated southern Israeli communities that the "complete removal of the threat" will take time, although he hopes to see "relative security" by the summer, i24NEWS and the Times of Israel reported.

Gantz also told residents that bringing home Hamas’s captives in Gaza is a bigger priority than eliminating the Palestinian armed group.

The White House said on Sunday there was no change in its Israel policy after NBC News reported the United States was discussing using weapon sales to Israel as leverage to convince the Israeli government to scale back its military assault in Gaza.

"Israel has a right and obligation to defend themselves against the threat of Hamas, while abiding by international humanitarian law and protecting civilian lives, and we remain committed to support Israel in its fight against Hamas. We have done so since October 7, and will continue to. There has not been a change in our policy," a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said.

The Israeli army has raided the town in the occupied West Bank of Jenin from all of its entrances with several military vehicles, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reports.

It also said clashes erupted in the village of Muthalath al-Shuhada, south of the city.

The Israeli army has been regularly storming Palestinian towns in the West Bank amid an uptick in settler violence. Israeli attacks have killed hundreds of Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7.

Three Hezbollah fighters have been killed by Israel strikes, the Lebanese militant group said.

The fighters were identified as Hussein Halawi, Ali Shokr and Sadeq Hashem.

Israel and the Hezbollah group have been engaging in tit-for-tat attacks along the Israel and Lebanon border since the start of the war in Gaza, with over 200 Hezbollah affiliates killed.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has condemned the attack that killed US troops close to the Jordan-Syria border, which he blamed on "Iran-aligned militia groups".

"We continue to urge Iran to de-escalate in the region," Cameron wrote in a social media post.

"Our thoughts are with those US personnel who have lost their lives and all those who have sustained injuries, as well as their families," he added.

Despite Cameron's warning to Iran, the UK itself has been involved in the wider Middle East conflict, often striking and targeting Houthi interests in Yemen and the Red Sea.

US President Joe Biden promises that Washington 'shall respond' after three troops killed on the Syria-Jordan border.

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said he is "outraged and deeply saddened" by the killing of three US troops near the Jordan-Syria border.

Austin echoed Joe Biden’s comments in holding Iran-backed groups responsible for the attack vowing to "respond at a time and place of our choosing".

"The President and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces, and we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests," he said in a statement.

Statement from the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin:

“I am outraged and deeply saddened by the deaths of three of our U.S. service members and the wounding of other American troops in an attack last night against U.S. and Coalition forces, who were deployed to a site in… pic.twitter.com/VCynI9RY8Q

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 28, 2024

 Jordan condemned on Sunday the "terrorist attack" on a military advance post just inside its border with Syria that killed three US military and injured dozens, and said it was cooperating with Washington to secure its frontier.

In the first official statement on the attack, staunch US ally Jordan said it was working with Washington to fight terrorism. Earlier, a government spokesperson had said the attack was on a US base in Syria adjacent to the border but not on Jordanian soil.

A senior Jordanian security source told Reuters that Jordan had recently appealed for more advanced US defence hardware and support because of worries Iran and its proxies could become embroiled more deeply in any wider Middle East conflagration.

Jordan had also requested Patriot air defence systems from Washington as part of its growing concern about being caught in the crossfire if the war in Gaza pulls in Iran and its well-armed regional militias on the kingdom's borders.

Thousands of Israelis, including far-right ministers and allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, gathered in Jerusalem on Sunday to call for the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

"If we don't want another October 7, we need to... control the territory," said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, alluding to the deadly Hamas attack that sparked the war, now in its fourth month.

The controversial politician said Israel should "encourage voluntary emigration" of Palestinians from Gaza, echoing past remarks that drew sharp rebuke from close ally the United States and the wider international community.

Settlements are considered illegal under international law.

Speakers at the rally, held at a Jerusalem convention centre and attended by members of Netanyahu's party and several other ministers, exhorted the premier to make their contentious dream a reality.

Some advocated the deportation of Gaza's Palestinians and declared that settlements were the only way to ensure security for Israelis.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Sunday called on the nine countries that announced their temporary freeze of new financial assistance for UNRWA to revert their decision.

During a press conference in Ramallah, Shtayyeh stressed that the Palestinian government, views with "great concern" the dangerous repercussions of the war waged against UNRWA and cutting off its funding.

World Health Organization (WHO) director Tedros has urged donors to not suspend donations to the Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, after it was announced that a number of Western nations will suspend funding following Israeli allegations that some of the agency's staff were involved in Hamas' October 7 attack.

"Cutting off funding will only hurt the people of Gaza who desperately need support," he said.

We appeal to donors not to suspend their funding to @UNRWA at this critical moment. Cutting off funding will only hurt the people of #Gaza who desperately need support.https://t.co/xx85VOCIjx

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 28, 2024

An Israeli MK has sent an official letter requesting that the UK-based Sky News Group to sack anchor Belle Donati, following a television interview on Friday.

Donati made a comparison between the Holocaust and Israel's military onslaught in the Gaza, which MK Danny Danon criticised, calling it "inappropriate to draw a comparison between the State of Israel and the Nazis".

Danon went on to call Donati's comments "antisemitic".

Earlier today, I submitted a formal letter to the Sky News Group, requesting the immediate termination of anchor @belledonati. During our interview last Friday, Ms. Donati made a shocking comparison between the present situation in Gaza and the Holocaust. In 2024, there should be… pic.twitter.com/Lu1lMIEl4q

— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) January 28, 2024

Israel said a meeting Sunday with top US, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Paris on the Gaza war was "constructive" but "significant gaps" remained.

"The meeting was defined as a constructive meeting," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement, adding "there are still significant gaps which the parties will continue to discuss this week in additional mutual meetings."

Jordan's government spokesperson said that the attack that killed the three American troops did not occur within Jordan, but in Syria.

Muhannad al Mubaidin, addressing Jordanian public broadcaster al Mamlaka television, specified that the US al-Tanf base in Syria was the actual site of the attack.

The military wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades, has announced that it attacked two Israeli "Merkava" tanks using Yassin-105 rounds.

This incident occurred in the Jouret Al Aqad neighborhood, located in the southern part of Khan Younis city, within the besieged Gaza Strip.

Biden attributed in a statement the attack on U.S. forces that resulted in the death of three U.S. service members to "radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq."

The US Central Command released a statement specifying, "On January 28, three US service members were killed and 25 injured from a one-way attack (drone) that impacted at a base in northeast Jordan, near the Syria border," attributing the cause to a drone strike.

A drone attack killed three US troops in northeast Jordan, close to the Syrian border, CENTOM has announced.

US journalists, referencing the Pentagon, report that an additional 25 individuals were injured in the same incident.

3 US service members were killed, 25 injured by a drone attack in northeast Jordan, near the Syrian border per CENTCOM pic.twitter.com/KwpNF4bJkx

— Margaret Brennan (@margbrennan) January 28, 2024

Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that she thinks some protests in the United States demanding a ceasefire in Gaza could be linked to Russia, and that the FBI should conduct a probe into their funding.

Pelosi, who made the remarks in a CNN interview, provided no evidence for her claims. She was asked whether opposition to President Joe Biden's policy in the war in Gaza could hurt the Democrat in November's presidential election.

"For them to call for a ceasefire is Mr. Putin's message, Mr. Putin's message. Make no mistake, this is directly connected to what he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) would like to see," Pelosi told CNN.

A young Palestinian man was shot and injured in Israeli raids in Beit Rima, a town located northwest of Ramallah

Local sources, as cited by WAFA, confirmed that the injured man was transported to the Martyr Yasser Arafat Hospital in Salfit for treatment.

The report also mentioned that Israeli forces conducted raids in various parts of the town, employing live ammunition and toxic gas.

UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese said that Israel "overtly defies" the recent ruling of the ICJ, specifically its directive "to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in Gaza," by pushing countries to withdraw funding from UNRWA.

Albanese emphasized that this situation could lead to "legal responsibilities – or the demise of the international legal system."

The head of the US Central Intelligence Agency as well as top Egyptian, Qatari and Israeli officials were communicating in Paris on Sunday to seek a ceasefire in Gaza, officials close to the participants said.

French authorities were also in touch with these four countries with the aim of negotiating a halt to hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas ruling the territory, the sources said.

Thousands have taken to the streets in Israel, rallying for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and advocating for early elections.

Israeli police have detained several demonstrators who were part of these protests in Tel Aviv.

Tonight: Israeli police arrested 5 anti war activists during a protest in Tel Aviv pic.twitter.com/BLVjts3QZV

— Oren Ziv (@OrenZiv_) January 27, 2024

The Israeli military chief has declared the Karem Abu Salem crossing a "closed military area," following an earlier commitment by the Israeli military to not obstruct aid into Gaza after the ICJ's ruling on Friday. 

British authorities have reported that the HMS Diamond, a British naval vessel, countered a drone assault by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea. "

Deploying her Sea Viper missile system, Diamond destroyed a drone targeting her with no injuries or damage sustained to Diamond or her crew," the Ministry of Defence said in a Sunday statement.

"These intolerable and illegal attacks are completely unacceptable and it is our duty to protect the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea," the statement added

The Palestinian foreign ministry said that scenes of citizens forced to evacuate their homes are a "disgrace to humanity," highlighting the dire situation of approximately 1.9 million Palestinians in Gaza who are internally displaced.

The ministry stressed the severity of the situation in Khan Younis, where over half a million Palestinians, including those in hospitals and health centers, have been ordered by occupying forces to leave their homes. 

The documented heart-wrenching scenes of forced #displacement, under the occupation's aggression, unfold a tragedy for thousands of Palestinian refugees. This includes women, children, the elderly, individuals with special needs, and the sick, forced to flee from central areas of… pic.twitter.com/SkGqRPSqKz

— State of Palestine - MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) January 28, 2024

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has extended the duration of firearm permits for Israelis by an additional six months. 

In a post on X, he wrote that these gun licenses were initially due to expire in the first quarter of 2024. 

בשורה חשובה. חתמתי הבוקר על תקנות המאריכות בחצי שנה את תוקף הרישיונות לנשק אשר תוקפם היה אמור לפוג ברבעון הראשון של 2024. נשק מציל חיים! pic.twitter.com/18tPE4xYv7

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) January 28, 2024

Former spokesman for UNRWA, Chris Gunness, has expressed concern over the "coordinated political attack" targeting the UN agency responsible for aiding Palestinian refugees.

"The Israelis have said they cannot win the war on Gaza unless UNRWA is disbanded. So what clearer signal do you want?" he said.

Gunness also pointed out the imminent financial crisis facing UNRWA, with only a few weeks of funding left to continue its vital humanitarian work in Gaza.

"This unconscionable gap inflicted by these Western countries would be filled very quickly," Gunness said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

"Some of the most desperate people in the Middle East are now facing starvation, they’re facing famine, and the Arab states need to step up to the plate," he added.

According to the United Nations' children's agency, children in the occupied West Bank are experiencing ongoing fear and grief amid the Israeli army's continued assaults in the region during the conflict with Gaza. 

Children in the #WestBank live in constant fear and grief amid escalating violence, profoundly affecting their mental health and disrupting their access to education.
All #children have the right to be safe no matter where they are. pic.twitter.com/18kbxxTd0k

— UNICEF Palestine (@UNICEFpalestine) January 28, 2024

The spokesperson for the Israeli military Daniel Hagari sconfirmed that Israeli fighter jets targeted two Hezbollah locations in the Lebanese towns of Zibqin and Houla.

He also mentioned that Israeli artillery hit multiple sites in southern Lebanon as a measure "to remove a threat."

"The decision to suspend aid to the UN Palestinian refugee agency by many Western countries is collective punishment," says the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency Philippe Lazzarini.

UNRWA lifesaving assistance is about to end following countries decisions to cut their funding to the Agency.

Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million people depend as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing. I am shocked such decisions are taken based on alleged behavior of a…

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 27, 2024

Uganda's government has stated that Judge Julia Sebutinde's dissenting vote in the ICJ against Israel does not represent the country's official stance.

Sebutinde was the only member of the 17-judge panel to oppose all six decisions made by the court, which directed Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide.

The Ugandan government emphasised that Sebutinde's position was her personal view and not reflective of the government's stance.

In a recent statement, the government reiterated its support for the Non-Aligned Movement's stance on the conflict, which condemns Israel's military actions, the killing of civilians, and calls for an immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access.

Approximately 20,000 demonstrators gathered in Madrid to express solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Participants waved Palestinian flags and raised slogans against Israel, while some displayed gratitude towards South Africa for presenting the genocide case against Israel to the ICJ.

- Thousands take to Madrid streets in pro-Palestine rally

- Second straight weekend Spanish capital host huge protest demanding an end to ‘genocide’ in #Gaza Strip pic.twitter.com/PW5l9rbTVb

— World Times (@WorldTimesWT) January 28, 2024

In the last 24 hours alone, 165 Palestinians were killed and 290 injured in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry.

Israeli attacks have also devastated large areas of Gaza, displacing nearly 85 percent of the population.

Israeli offensives in Gaza have led to the death of at least 26,422 Palestinians and left 65,087 injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The casualties include over 11,000 children and 7,500 women.