The United Nations Security Council is set for a meeting on Friday morning on Israel’s war against the Gaza Strip. However, the United States still opposes a ceasefire.

According to Al Jazeera, the United Arab Emirates is circulating a new draft resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The draft follows the rare move by UN chief Antonio Guterres to invoke Article 99 to force the Security Council to address the situation.

But the deputy U.S. envoy to the UN, Robert Wood, told reporters on Thursday that Washington’s “position hasn’t changed”. The Biden administration has been opposed to a ceasefire, saying such a move will benefit Hamas.

“We again think that the best thing that we can do, all of us, for the situation on the ground is to let the quiet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy that’s ongoing continue,” Wood said.

“And that’s, we think, the best hope for trying to improve the situation on the ground with regards to humanitarian relief, for getting hostages out, and for trying to move forward towards some kind of process.”

UK protesters surround F-35 parts factory

Demonstrators in Wimborne have blocked the entrances to an Eaton Mission Systems building in solidarity with the Palestinian people, Al Jazeera reported.

The factory in southwestern England produces the in-flight refuelling probe for the F-35, a US fighter jet the protesters say is being used in Israel’s war on Gaza.

Progressive legislators join protest in front of US Capitol

Doctors have staged a protest outside the seat of the US legislative branch demanding a ceasefire.

They were joined by members of the US House of Representatives Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, who have been among the most vocal elected officials calling for an end to the fighting in Gaza.

Support for Israel remains staunch within the US Congress, although the number of legislators calling for a ceasefire has grown steadily as the war progresses.

At least 54 members of the 435-seat US House of Representatives have called for a ceasefire, according to a tally by the Win Without War Group. Four US senators have also called for a ceasefire.

Joint statement on humanitarian ‘catastrophe’ in Gaza

More than two dozen UN agencies and major NGOs have described the crisis in Gaza as “amongst the worst we have witnessed”.

The statement, issued after representatives from the organisations met in Amman, Jordan, outlines the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, the dire lack of food and water and the breakdown of the medical system.

“No effort is being spared by all humanitarian organisations and agencies engaged in the ongoing relief response; however, the current scale of assistance amounts to only a fraction of escalating needs,” the statement read.

It called for the opening of the Karem Abu Salem border crossing (called Kerem Shalom in Israel) to allow more aid into Gaza and the evacuation of wounded Palestinians to medical facilities outside the strip.

“Gaza was facing severe humanitarian challenges even before the recent escalation, and the situation now has escalated to unprecedented levels,” it added.

US resumes drone flights over Gaza

The surveillance flights, which had been paused during the break in fighting agreed to by Israel and Hamas, have been resumed in an effort to locate the captives still held in the enclave.

“In support of hostage recovery efforts, the US has resumed unarmed UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] flights over Gaza, and we continue to provide advice and assistance to support our Israeli partner as they work on their hostage recovery efforts,” Lisa Lawrence, a Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement.

‘Very intense fighting’ risking health operations in southern Gaza: WHO chief

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the deliveries of “trauma and emergency care supplies” to the European Gaza Hospital and Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza were the first since November 29.

But “so much more is needed”, the WHO chief said, reiterating the need for a ceasefire.

“We are extremely concerned about thousands of patients, and health and care workers,” Tedros added.