Page 68 - Gaza

Israel storms Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing scores: Report

Some took up positions inside the town of Bani Suhaila on Khan Younis' eastern outskirts

Israel orders evacuations but Palestinians are running out of places to go

Israel's military renewed calls on Monday for mass evacuations from the southern town of Khan Younis, where tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge in recent weeks, as it widened its ground offensive and bombarded targets across the Gaza Strip. The expanded operations, following the expiration of a weeklong cease-fire, are aimed at eliminating Gaza's Hamas rulers, whose October 7 attack into Israel triggered the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian violence in decades. The war has already killed thousands of Palestinians and displaced over three-fourths of the territory's population of 2.3 million people, who are running out of safe places to go. Already under mounting pressure from its top ally, the United States, Israel appears to be racing to strike a death blow against Hamas if that's possible, given the group's deep roots in Palestinian society before any new cease-fire. But the mounting toll of the fighting, which Palestinian health officials say has killed ..

Netanyahu's trial in corruption case to resume under shadow of Gaza war

A district court here will resume hearing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption case on Tuesday after a more than two-month hiatus due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on October 7. Under the so-called Case 4000 or the Bezeq-Walla bribery case, Netanyahu allegedly took regulatory steps beneficial to Bezeq Telecommunications in exchange for favourable media coverage on the Walla website, earlier owned by Bezeq. The Jerusalem District Court will resume hearing on 74-year-old Netanyahu's corruption case on Tuesday. In June, the three judges in the case recommended that the prosecution withdraw the bribery charge. The prosecution, however, declined to withdraw the charge and decided to continue the trial as planned, after which the court heard the testimonies of the people concerned. The last hearing in the bribery case was held on September 20, afte

Biden's allies in Senate demand that Israel limit civilian deaths in Gaza

As a cease-fire ticked down last week and Israel prepared to resume its round-the-clock airstrikes, Sen. Bernie Sanders and a robust group of Democratic senators had a message for their president: They were done asking nicely for Israel to do more to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza. Lawmakers warned President Joe Biden's national security team that planned U.S. aid to Israel must be met with assurances of concrete steps from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right government. The truth is that if asking nicely worked, we wouldn't be in the position we are today, Sanders of Vermont said in a floor speech. It was time for the United States to use its substantial leverage with its ally, Sanders said. And we all know what that leverage is, he said, adding, the blank-check approach must end. With Biden's request for a nearly $106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs hanging in the balance, the senators' tougher line on Israel has ..

Will intensify investigations: ICC prosecutor after Israel, Ramallah visit

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said on Sunday that his office will further intensify its efforts to advance its investigations of possible crimes by Hamas and Israeli forces, after he visited the region for this first time since his appointment. There have been widespread claims of breaches of international law by Hamas and Israeli forces since war erupted after the deadly October 7 attacks by Hamas and other militants that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in southern Israel. Around 240 people were taken hostage. The Hague-based court has been investigating crimes in the Palestinian territories committed by both sides since 2021 but has yet to announce any charges. Israel is not a member state of the court and does not recognise its jurisdiction. Prosecutor Karim Khan said in a written statement issued after his visit that he witnessed scenes of calculated cruelty at locations of the October 7 attacks. During the visit, he spoke to family member

Israel-Hamas war: Israeli negotiators leave Qatar as truce talks break down

During a seven-day truce, 105 hostages were released, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals. In exchange, Israel freed 210 Palestinian prisoners -- all of whom were women or minors

Israel Prez seeks India's help in release of hostages held captive by Hamas

Israel on Friday said President Isaac Herzog sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's help in promoting ways to secure the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza. Israeli President Herzog held a meeting with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the COP28 UN Climate Conference in Dubai. The (Indian) Prime Minister expressed to the President his strong condemnation of the massacre and acts of terrorism committed by Hamas, a communication from Herzog's spokesperson said. Herzog called upon all the world leaders to join hands in the humanitarian effort to return all the hostages home swiftly and safely. He appealed to the Prime Minister of India to do all he could to promote the issue, the communication added. The Ministry of External Affairs said the two leaders exchanged views on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the region. "The Prime Minister expressed his condolences on the loss of lives in the October 7 terror attacks and welcomed the release of ...

Talks continue on Israel-Hamas truce as airstrikes hit Gaza, says Qatar

Mediator Qatar said Friday that efforts are continuing to renew an Israel-Hamas truce and expressed deep regret over the resumption of Israeli bombardments after a weeklong cease-fire expired earlier in the day. Israel and Hamas have traded blame, with each saying the other side violated the terms of the truce. Qatar, which has served as a mediator along with Egypt, appeared to be singling out Israel's role in the resumption of violence. Qatar's Foreign Ministry said that the continued bombing of the Gaza Strip in the first hours after the end of the pause complicates mediation efforts and exacerbates the humanitarian catastrophe in the territory. It urged the international community to move quickly to stop the violence.

Israeli fighter jets hit Hamas targets in Gaza Strip as war resumes

Israeli fighter jets hit Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday shortly after a weeklong truce expired, the military said, as the war resumed in full force. Airstrikes hit southern Gaza, including the community of Abassan east of the town of Khan Younis, the Interior Ministry in the Hamas-run territory said. Another strike hit a home northwest of Gaza City. Live footage from the Gaza Strip showed black smoke billowing from the territory. The Israeli military's announcement of the strikes came only 30 minutes after the cease-fire expired at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) Friday. Earlier Friday, Israel accused Hamas of having violated the terms of the cease-fire, including by firing rockets toward Israel from Gaza. The halt in fighting began Nov. 24. It initially lasted for four days, and then was extended for several days with the help of Qatar and fellow mediator Egypt. During the week-long truce, Hamas and other militants in Gaza released more than 100 hostages, most of them Israelis, in

Gaza truce expires without word of extension, fresh clashes possible

A temporary truce in the Israel-Hamas war expired Friday morning, without immediate word from mediator Qatar on an extension, raising the possibility of renewed fighting. The truce expired at 7 a.m (0500 GMT) Friday. The halt in fighting began a week ago, on Nov. 24. It initially lasted for four days, and then was extended for several days with the help of Qatar and fellow mediator Egypt. During the week-long truce, Hamas and other militants in Gaza released more than 100 hostages, most of them Israelis, in return for 240 Palestinians freed from prisons in Israel. Virtually all of those freed were women and children. Reaching agreements on swaps appears to be growing harder as most women and children held in Gaza have already been released.

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Israel-Hamas fail to agree for next hostage swap, truce set to expire

Doron Spielman, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said in a briefing on social media that no agreement had been reached regarding the next hostages to be released

China presents UN with vague Mideast peace plan as US promotes its own role

China on Wednesday presented the United Nations Security Council with a four-point plan for Middle East peace in a demonstration of its ambitions to be a global superpower. But the plan was short on details, and the United States quickly reminded the council of its attempts to ease the Gaza war. China has had little role in negotiations over the Israel-Palestinian conflict, which have been largely monopolized by the United States for decades. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the council that the war shows the urgent need for a Palestinian state alongside Israel. We should revitalize the political prospects of the two-state solution with stronger determination, he said. The lack of a Palestinian state is the crux of the repeated turbulence in the Palestinian-Israeli situation, he said. US President Joe Biden and other US officials also have spoken in favor of working toward a two-state solution for the conflict. China made its biggest foray into Middle East politics when it ..

Last release of hostages in Gaza begins as mediators aim to extend truce

International mediators worked to extend the truce in Gaza, encouraging Hamas militants to keep freeing hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further relief from Israel's air and ground offensive. The cease-fire will otherwise end within a day. Two Russian-Israeli women freed by Hamas entered Israel Wednesday evening, the military said. The release was expected to be followed by the swap of 10 more hostages in Gaza for 30 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Israel has welcomed the release of dozens of hostages in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives. Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored on Wednesday that Israel will resume its campaign to eliminate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for 16 years and orchestrated the deadly attack on Israel that triggered the war "After this phase of returning our abductees is exhausted, will Israel return to fighting? So my answer is an unequivocal yes," he said. "Ther

Ten Israelis, 4 Thai nationals released by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners

Hamas released 16 hostages late Wednesday in the last swap for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under the current Gaza truce, as international mediators raced to seal another extension to allow further exchanges and prolong the halt of Israel's air and ground offensive. The Israeli military said a group of 10 Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals had been freed by Hamas and exited Gaza. Earlier, two Russian-Israeli women were freed by Hamas in a separate release. Israel was set to free 30 Palestinian prisoners in return. Negotiators were working down to the wire to hammer out details for a further extension of the truce beyond its deadline of early Thursday. The talks appear to be growing tougher as most of the women and children held by Hamas are freed, and the militants are expected to seek greater releases in return for freeing men and soldiers. International pressure has mounted for the cease-fire to continue as long as possible after nearly eight weeks of Israe

Israel-Hamas war: Mediators look to extend truce in Gaza on its final day

International mediators worked on Wednesday to extend the truce in Gaza, hoping the territory's Hamas rulers will keep freeing hostages in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further respite from Israel's air and ground offensive. It will otherwise expire within a day. Israel has welcomed the release of dozens of hostages in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives. But its other major goal the annihilation of the armed group that has ruled Gaza for 16 years could be slipping out of reach. Weeks of heavy aerial bombardment and a ground invasion have demolished vast swathes of northern Gaza and killed thousands of Palestinians. But it seems to have had little effect on Hamas' rule, evidenced by its ability to conduct complex negotiations, enforce the cease-fire among other armed groups, and orchestrate the smooth release of hostages. Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, and other commanders have likely relocated to the south, .

Blinken seeks new extension of Gaza cease-fire as he heads to West Asia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration would like to see a new extension of the cease-fire agreement in Israel's war with Hamas after the current one expires to secure the release of additional hostages held by the militant group and to ramp up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. As he prepared to make his third visit to the Middle East since the war began with Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Blinken said Wednesday that in addition to discussing short-term logistical and operational planning, the Biden administration believes it is imperative to discuss ideas about the future governance of Gaza if Israel achieves its stated goal of eradicating Hamas. Israel and Arab nations have resisted such discussions about future governance, with Israeli officials concentrating on the war and Arab leaders insisting the immediate priority must be ending the fighting that has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians. The extension of the current deal expires later ..

Gaza truce: Hamas and Israel exchange more hostages for prisoners on day 5

Hamas released 12 hostages and Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday, the fifth day of a fragile cease-fire that has enabled humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza and that mediators hope to extend even as Israel pledges to resume the war. Israel said 10 of its citizens and two Thai nationals freed by Hamas returned to Israel. Soon after, Israel released the Palestinian prisoners. The truce is due to end after one more exchange Wednesday night. CIA director William Burns and David Barnea, who heads Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, were in Qatar, a key mediator with Hamas, to discuss extending the cease-fire and releasing more hostages, a diplomat said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. A US official confirmed Burns was in Qatar, speaking anonymously because the director's travel plans are not publicised for security reasons. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit the region this week, also with an eye to extending the ...

Any campaign in south Gaza must avoid civilian displacement: US to Israel

The Biden administration has told Israel that it must work to avoid "significant further displacement" of Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza if it renews its ground campaign aimed at eradicating the Hamas militant group, senior US officials said. The Democratic administration, seeking to avoid more large-scale civilian casualties or mass displacement like that seen before the current temporary pause in the fighting, underscored to the Israelis that they must operate with far greater precision in southern Gaza than they did in the north, the officials said, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Amid mounting international and domestic pressure about the rising Palestinian death toll, the White House has begun to put greater pressure on Israel that the manner of the coming campaign must be "carefully thought through", according to one of the officials. The Israelis have been receptive when administration officials have raised these

India's position on Gaza crisis 'remarkable' from day one: Israeli envoy

Israeli defence forces have completely destroyed Hamas's infrastructure in northern Gaza except the underground tunnels and the focus at the end of the current pause in fighting will be to clean up the southern part of the strip, Israeli Ambassador Naor Gilon said on Tuesday. In an interaction with a group of journalists, the envoy also described India's position on the Gaza crisis as "remarkable" from the day one and especially mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong denunciation of Hamas's unprecedented terror attack on Israeli cities on October 7. Gilon said Israel banning Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terror group around 15 years after the Mumbai terror attack was a "gesture", asserting that both sides have been expanding anti-terror cooperation in the last few years. The Israeli ambassador said he was hopeful that India will designate Hamas as a terrorist entity and that his government has already provided New Delhi all the required information against the group. Days after the