Page 28 - Gaza

MEA welcomes Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel, Hamas

India on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. The announcement on the deal comes after 15 months of conflict in Gaza. In its reaction, India hoped that the agreement will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," it said.

UN chief welcomes Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, says its critical 1st step

UN chief Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, describing the deal as a "critical first step and urging parties to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader region. In a significant breakthrough in the 15-month brutal conflict between Israel and Hamas, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire agreement which promises the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, UN Secretary-General Guterres said on Wednesday. Guterres commended the mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough. Guterres called on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this

Watch: Gazans celebrate as Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal brings hope

In Gaza, news of the truce was met with joy as crowds gathered in the streets. People chanted, embraced, and waved flags outside Deir el-Balah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a symbol of the war's toll

Israeli President Herzog calls on Cabinet to approve ceasefire deal

The most contentious aspect of the agreement is the phased nature of the hostage release

Gaza ceasefire still elusive as negotiators try to hammer out deal

During months of on-off talks to achieve a truce in the devastating 15-month-old war both sides have previously said they were close to a ceasefire only to hit last-minute obstacles

Trump's pressure & clarity of demand may secure Gaza ceasefire deal

As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to highlight in a valedictory speech at Washington's Atlantic Council on Tuesday, the deal on offer appears to have changed very little

Hamas accepts draft deal for Gaza ceasefire, hostages release: Reports

Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said on Tuesday. Mediator Qatar said the negotiations were at the closest point yet to sealing a deal. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the proposed agreement, and an Egyptian official and a Hamas official confirmed its authenticity. An Israeli official said progress has been made, but the details are being finalized. The plan would need to be submitted to the Israeli Cabinet for final approval. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door talks. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent the past year trying to mediate an end the 15-month war and secure the release dozens of hostages captured in Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack that triggered it. Some 100 Israelis are still captive inside Gaza, and the military believes at least a third them are dead. Officials have expressed mounting optimism

Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal 'closer than ever' as Trump pressures Netanyahu

Trump's Mideast envoy reportedly had a 'tense' meeting with Netanyahu, pressuring the Israeli PM to accept key compromises to secure a hostage deal ahead of the January 20 US presidential inauguration

Progress made over Israel-Hamas ceasefire, hostage release: Officials

US and Arab mediators made significant progress overnight toward brokering a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and the release of scores of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, but a deal has not been reached yet, officials said Monday. Three officials acknowledged progress has been made and said the coming days would be critical for ending more than 15 months of fighting that has destabilized the Middle East. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the talks. One of the three officials and a Hamas official said there were still a number of hurdles to clear. On several occasions over the past year, US officials have said they were on the verge of reaching a deal, only to have the talks stall. One person familiar with the talks said there had been a breakthrough overnight and that there was a proposed deal on the table. Israeli and Hamas negotiators will now take it back to their leaders for final approval, the person said. The person said mediat

Biden, Netanyahu discuss efforts to reach Israel-Hamas war ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden spoke on Sunday about efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas war, a sign of the intensifying push to reach a deal before Donald Trump's inauguration next week. Talks mediated over the past year by the US, Egypt and Qatar have repeatedly stalled at moments when they seemed close to a deal. Still, in recent days, US officials have expressed hope of sealing an agreement. Sunday's call between Biden and Netanyahu came as the head of Israel's Mossad foreign intelligence agency, David Barnea, and Biden's top Mideast adviser, Brett McGurk, were both in the Qatari capital Doha. Barnea's presence, confirmed by Netanyahu's office, meant high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved in talks. McGurk has been working on final details of a text to be presented to both sides, Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, told CNN's "State of the .

Netanyahu sends director of Mossad for Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved sending the director of the Mossad foreign intelligence agency to ceasefire negotiations in Qatar, his office said Saturday, in a sign of progress in talks on the war in Gaza. It was not immediately clear when David Barnea would travel to Qatar's capital, Doha, for the latest round of indirect talks between Israel and the Hamas militant group. His presence means high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved. Just one brief ceasefire has been achieved in 15 months of war, and that was in the earliest weeks of fighting. The talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar have repeatedly stalled since then. Netanyahu has insisted on destroying Hamas' ability to fight in Gaza. Hamas has insisted on a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the largely devastated territory. On Thursday, Gaza's Health Ministry said over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, the majority women and

Palestinian death toll from Israel-Hamas war above 46,000: Gaza health dep

The Gaza Health Ministry says the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has climbed above 46,000. The ministry updated its toll from the ongoing 15-month conflict on Thursday. It says 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded. The ministry has said women and children make up more than half the fatalities, but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in residential areas. Israel has also repeatedly struck what it says are militants hiding in shelters and hospitals, often killing women and children. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza. Israeli authorities believe at least a third of them were killed in the

UAE launches education campaign in Gaza under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3

The UAE, as part of the 'Operation Chivalrous Knight 3', has launched a campaign to support education in the Gaza Strip.The campaign includes sending school bags and educational supplies to children, aiming to assist students in continuing their education amid the difficult humanitarian conditions facing the sector.As part of the UAE's ongoing humanitarian efforts, the campaign includes aid in the form of school bags equipped with essential supplies, including notebooks, pens, and stationery, as well as other school supplies. These will be sent in batches to support the educational process and encourage students to continue studying.This initiative comes within the framework of efforts led by the UAE, with the participation of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), Zayed Charitable & Humanitarian Foundation, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, and Sharjah Charity International, to alleviate the living burdens on Palestinian families and enhance educational opportunities for ...

US Army carries out airstrikes against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels

The US military says it carried out a wave of strikes against what it said were underground arms facilities of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. US Central Command said in a statement that Wednesday's strikes targeted weapons used by the rebels to attack ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis said seven strikes targeted sites in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, and the northern Amran province, without providing further details. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The United States and its allies have carried out repeated strikes on the Houthis, who have continued to target shipping. The rebels say they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

Israel launches raids across occupied West Bank, kills 3 Palestinians

The Israeli military launched a wave of raids across the occupied West Bank overnight and into Tuesday, killing at least three Palestinians. The army said it killed two Palestinian militants in an airstrike after they fired at troops in the area of Tamun, a village in the northern West Bank. It said another militant was killed in close-quarters combat in the nearby village of Taluza and that an Israeli soldier was severely wounded there. The military said it arrested more than 20 suspected militants in different parts of the territory. It said the overnight operations were not related to the shooting the day before, in which gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Israelis in the West Bank, killing two women in their 70s and a 35-year-old policeman before fleeing the scene. Israeli forces were pursuing those attackers in separate operations. Palestinians have carried out scores of shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks against Israelis, especially during the past 15 months of the

Hurdles remain as Israel, Hamas once again inch toward ceasefire deal

Israel and Hamas once again appear to be inching toward a ceasefire that could wind down the 15-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of Israelis held hostage there. Both Israel and Hamas are under pressure from outgoing US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to reach a deal before the January 20 inauguration. But the sides have come close before, only to have talks collapse over various disagreements. The latest round of negotiations has bogged down over the names of hostages to be released in a first phase, according to Israeli, Egyptian and Hamas officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing ongoing negotiations. Israel wants assurances that the hostages are alive, while Hamas says that after months of heavy fighting, it isn't sure who is alive or dead. Other hurdles remain. The first phase, expected to last for six to eight weeks, would also include a halt in fighting, a release of Palestinian prisoners and a surge in aid to the

Israel starts recruitment for first ultra-orthodox brigade 'Hahashmonaim'

It was also noted that 100 more ultra-orthodox people will join the brigade's first reserves company after undergoing intensive training for six months

Israeli strike hits Gaza humanitarian zone as Netanyahu OKs talks in Qatar

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 people, including several children, across the Gaza Strip, hitting Hamas security officers and an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone. As the daily bombardment continued, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had authorised a delegation from the Mossad intelligence agency, the Shin Bet internal security agency and the military to continue negotiations in Qatar toward a ceasefire deal. Israeli media said the delegation would depart on Friday. There was no immediate Hamas comment. The US-led talks have repeatedly stalled during 15 months of war. The Israeli strike in the seaside humanitarian zone known as Muwasi occurred as hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have been huddling there in damp winter weather. Everyone was taking shelter in their tents from the cold, and suddenly we found the world turning upside down. Why, and for what? said Ziyad Abu Jabal, displaced from Gaza City. The early morning strike killed

26 killed in fresh Israeli airstrikes in Gaza humanitarian zone, elsewhere

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 26 people across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, hitting Hamas security officers and an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone, as the daily bombardment continues and the latest efforts toward a ceasefire appear to have stalled. Everyone was taking shelter in their tents from the cold, and suddenly we found the world turning upside down. Why, and for what? said Ziyad Abu Jabal, displaced from Gaza City, after the strike in the seaside humanitarian zone known as Muwasi. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are huddling in Muwasi in damp winter weather. The early morning strike there killed at least 10 people, including three children and two senior Hamas police officers. Israel's military said it targeted a senior officer in the Hamas-run police force. It said he was involved in gathering intelligence used by Hamas' armed wing in attacks on Israeli forces. Another Israeli strike killed at least eight Palestinians in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. The

Israeli Air Force eliminates head of Hamas Internal Security Forces in Gaza

The IDF further said that Shahwan was responsible for developing intelligence assessments in coordination with elements of Hamas' military wing in attacks on the IDF in Gaza