Gaza

Israeli strikes kill 3 people near Gaza City amid renewed peace efforts

Israeli military strikes on Monday killed three people west of Gaza City, according to the hospital where the casualties arrived. Shifa Hospital reported the deaths amid the months-old ceasefire that has seen continued fighting. The Israeli army said Monday it is striking targets in response to Israeli troops coming under fire in the southern city of Rafah, which it says was a violation of the ceasefire. The army said it is striking targets "in a precise manner." The four-month-old US-backed ceasefire followed stalled negotiations and included Israel and Hamas accepting a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war unleashed by Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack into Israel. At the time, Trump said it would lead to a "Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace." Hamas freed all the living hostages it still held at the outset of the deal in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the remains of others. But the larger issues the ...

Gaza's Rafah crossing reopened, but few Palestinians managed to cross

When the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt finally reopened this week, Palestinian officials heralded it as a "window of hope" after two years of war as a fragile ceasefire deal moves forward. But that hope has been sidetracked by disagreements over who should be allowed through, hourslong delays and Palestinian travellers' reports of being handcuffed and interrogated by Israeli soldiers. Far fewer people than expected have crossed in both directions. Restrictions negotiated by Israeli, Egyptian, Palestinian and international officials meant that only 50 people would be allowed to return to Gaza each day and 50 medical patients - along with two companions for each - would be allowed to leave. But over the first four days of operations, just 36 Palestinians requiring medical care were allowed to leave for Egypt, plus 62 companions, according to United Nations data. Palestinian officials say nearly 20,000 people in Gaza are seeking to leave for medical care that they say i

Israeli strikes kill 24 in Gaza as ceasefire comes under fresh strain

Israeli strikes pounded Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 24 Palestinians, including two babies, according to health officials in the territory, where a fragile ceasefire has come under increasing strain. Israel said it killed three militant leaders and others who posed a threat to its forces, and that some strikes came in response to a Hamas attack that seriously wounded one of its soldiers. Deadly Israeli strikes have repeatedly disrupted the truce since it took effect on October 10. The escalating Palestinian toll has prompted many in Gaza to say it feels like the war is continuing unabated. Among the Palestinians killed on Wednesday were at least five children, seven women and an on-duty paramedic, according to hospital officials. "The genocidal war against our people in the Gaza Strip continues," said Dr Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Gaza City's Shifa Hospital, in a Facebook post. "Where is the ceasefire? Where are the mediators?" Israel strongly denies accusations that i

Gaza's Rafah crossing reopens for limited traffic as ceasefire advances

Palestinians in Gaza watched with hope and impatience Sunday as workers laid the groundwork to reopen the territory's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, its lifeline to the world. Israel says the crossing is scheduled to resume Monday as its ceasefire with Hamas moves ahead. "Opening the crossing is a good step, but they set a limit on the number of people allowed to cross, and this is a problem," said Ghalia Abu Mustafa, a woman from Khan Younis. Israel said the crossing had opened in a test, and the Israeli military agency that controls aid to Gaza said residents could begin crossing Monday. But only a small number of people can cross at first. "We want a large number of people to leave, for it to be open so that sick people can go and return," said Suhaila Al-Astal, a woman displaced from the city of Rafah who said her sick daughter needed help abroad. "We want the crossing to be open permanently." Israel's announcement came a day after Israeli strikes killed at least 30 ...

Israeli strikes kill at least 12 in Gaza as ceasefire efforts inch forward

Hospitals in Gaza said Israeli strikes killed at least 12 Palestinians Saturday, one of the highest tolls since an October agreement aimed at stopping the fighting. The strikes hit locations in northern and southern Gaza, including an apartment building in Gaza City and a tent in Khan Younis, officials at hospitals that received the bodies said. The casualties included two women and six children from two different families. The strikes came a day before a border crossing is set to open in Gaza's southernmost city, a reminder that the death toll is still rising even as a ceasefire agreement inches forward. All of the territory's border crossings have been closed since the start of the war and Palestinians see the Rafah crossing with Egypt as a lifeline for the tens of thousands in need of treatment outside the territory, where the majority of medical infrastructure has been destroyed. Shifa Hospital said the Gaza City strike killed a mother, three children and one of their relatives

US seeks to quell fears that Trump's 'Board of Peace' will replace UN

The Board of Peace is a core element of Trump's 20-point plan that helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last year

Express appreciation to US in addressing 'long-standing' Gaza issue: India

India voiced appreciation to the US towards addressing the "long-standing" conflict in Gaza as New Delhi noted the recent progress with regard to the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution on the issue. These remarks were made by India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish on Wednesday. "India takes note of recent progress with regard to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 to end the Gaza conflict. India also takes this opportunity to express appreciation to the United States in addressing this long-standing issue," Harish said in his remarks to the UN Security Council open debate on the Situation in the Middle East. The UN Security Council resolution 2803, adopted in November last year, endorsed US President Donald Trump's 'Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict' of September 29 that entails that "Gaza will be a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours" and will be redevelope

Recovery of last Gaza hostage remains opens path for ceasefire phase two

The remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recovered, Israel's military said Monday, clearing the way for the next phase of the ceasefire that paused the Israel-Hamas war. The announcement that the remains of Ran Gvili had been found and identified came a day after Israel's government said the military was conducting a "large-scale operation" in a cemetery in northern Gaza to locate them. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "an incredible achievement" for Israel and its soldiers, telling Israeli media that "I promised we would bring everyone home and we have brought everyone home." He said Gvili, who was killed during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war, was among the first to be taken into Gaza. The return of all remaining hostages, living or dead, has been a key part of the Gaza ceasefire's first phase, and Gvili's family had urged Israel's government not to enter the second phase until his remains were recovered and returned. Netanyahu's ..

Israel conducts 'large-scale operation' to locate last hostage in Gaza

Israel said Sunday its military was conducting a "large-scale operation" to locate the last hostage in Gaza, as Washington and other mediators pressure Israel and Hamas to move into the next phase of their ceasefire. The statement came as Israel's Cabinet met to discuss the possibility of opening Gaza's key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and a day after top US envoys met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about next steps. The return of the remaining hostage, Ran Gvili, has been widely seen as removing the remaining obstacle to moving ahead with opening the Rafah crossing, which would signal the ceasefire's second phase. The return of all remaining hostages, alive or dead, has been a central part of the first phase of the ceasefire that took effect on Oct 10. Before Sunday, the previous hostage was recovered in early December. While Israel has carried out search efforts before for Gvili, more detail than usual was released about this one. Israel's military said it was search

US envoys urge Netanyahu to move to second phase of Gaza ceasefire

Top US envoys met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, urging his government to move into the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and Middle East adviser, according to the prime minister's office, which did not give details. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe the talks, told reporters the envoys had been working closely with Netanyahu on recovering the remains of the last hostage in Gaza, and on the next steps for demilitarising the territory. The US is anxious to keep the Trump-brokered deal moving, but Netanyahu faces pressure to wait until Hamas returns the hostage's remains. The biggest signal of the second phase would be the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Ali Shaath, the head of a future technocratic government in Gaza that is expected to run day-to-day affairs, said Thursday the border ..

Berlin cannot accept Trump's Board of Peace plan in current form: Merz

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Berlin is open to joining Trump's Gaza peace initiative but rejects its current structure on constitutional grounds.

Trump calls for UN to work with new Board of Peace on Gaza, other conflicts

The reaction came after Trump formally launched the Board of Peace at the WEF, signing its charter and describing the move as a major step towards global conflict resolution

Trump launches Board of Peace, says it'll work with UN on global conflicts

Trump, who will chair the Board of Peace, invited dozens of world leaders to join the initiative, arguing that it should address conflicts beyond Gaza while working alongside the United Nations

Putin says Russia ready to send $1 billion to Trump's Board of Peace

Russia, which has not formally joined Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza, said it is prepared to contribute $1 billion to support the Palestinian people through the US president's initiative

Pakistan PM accepts Trump's invitation to join 'Board of Peace' on Gaza

The "Board of Peace" was unveiled as part of phase two of the fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas to end the Israel-Gaza conflict, as reported by Al Jazeera

Trump's Board of Peace envisions an alternative UN, with himself at the top

Trump's proposed Board of Peace, initially tied to Gaza, is expanding into a global conflict-resolution body, drawing mixed reactions as leaders gather at Davos

Israel agrees to join Trump's Board of Peace that will oversee Gaza

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he had agreed to join US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, after his office earlier criticized the makeup of the board's committee tasked with overseeing Gaza. The board, chaired by Trump, was originally envisaged as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. The Trump administration's ambitions have broadened into a more sprawling concept, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and hinting it will soon broker global conflicts. The announcement is a departure from the previous stand by Netanyahu's office. It had said the composition of the Gaza executive committee which includes Turkey, a key regional rival wasn't coordinated with the Israeli government and ran "contrary to its policy, without clarifying its objections. Netanyahu's decision to join the board could now put him in conflict with some of the far-right allies in his coalition, such as Israel's Finance Minister Bezale

Trump could still lead Board of Peace even after leaving White House

The possibility of a chair-for-life status for Trump is the latest wrinkle in the creation of the signature diplomatic initiative that is drawing resistance from fellow Group of Seven leaders

A Short History of the Gaza Strip: Anne Irfan's book traces roots of crisis

Gaza, the city, is as old as the Old Testament in which it finds a mention. Gaza, the modern-day strip, was born in 1948, its fate entwined with the establishment and expansion of Israel

Datanomics: Gaza trapped in poverty as Donald Trump opens peace panel

India has been invited to join the proposed Gaza Peace Board as the Israel-Palestine conflict devastates Gaza and the West Bank, with collapsing incomes, rising poverty and record unemployment