Page 51 - Hamas

Israeli offensive moves south Gaza as truce ends, 200 Palestinians killed

Israel pounded targets in the crowded southern half of the Gaza Strip on Saturday and ordered more neighbourhoods designated for attack to evacuate, driving up the death toll even as the United States and others urged it to do more to protect Gaza civilians. At least 200 Palestinians have been killed since the fighting resumed on Friday morning following a weeklong truce with the territory's ruling militant group Hamas, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. Separately, the ministry announced that the overall death toll in Gaza since the October 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 15,200, a sharp jump from the previous count of more than 13,300. The ministry had stopped issuing daily updates of the overall toll on November 11, following war-related disruptions of connectivity and hospital operations. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but said on Saturday that 70 per cent of the dead were women and children. It said more than 40,000 people

New urgency hangs over Antony Blinken's trip as Israel-Hamas war resumes

Netanayhu, who had warned all along that the campaign would resume, was similarly unsparing in his description of Israel's goals

Israeli officials knew Hamas' attack plan more than a year ago: Report

The translated document, which was reviewed by The New York Times, did not set a date for the attack, but described a methodical assault designed to overwhelm the fortifications around the Gaza Strip

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza resume after weeklong truce with Hamas ends

Israel's war with Hamas resumed in full force Friday, with airstrikes hitting targets in the Gaza Strip minutes after a weeklong truce expired. Black smoke billowed from the besieged territory, and Israel dropped leaflets over Gaza City and southern parts of the enclave, urging civilians to leave their homes to avoid the fighting. In Israel, sirens warned of incoming rockets at several communal farms near Gaza, a sign that militants also restarted attacks. The renewed hostilities heightened concerns for Palestinians many of whom have been displaced by the war as well as about 140 hostages still in Gaza, after more than 100 were freed during the truce. Qatar, which has served as a mediator along with Egypt, said negotiators were still trying to restart the cease-fire. Qatar's Foreign Ministry singled out Israel's role in the resumption of fighting and said it complicates mediation efforts and exacerbates the humanitarian catastrophe". A day earlier, US Secretary of State Antony ...

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.

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.

More Israeli hostages freed by Hamas as truce in Gaza lasts another day

Hamas began freeing Israeli hostages Thursday in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners under a last-minute deal to extend their cease-fire in Gaza by another day. But any further renewal of the truce, now in its seventh day, could prove more daunting since Hamas is expected to set a higher price for many of the remaining hostages. Hamas freed two Israeli women Thursday afternoon, and in the evening six more hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza and were being brought to Israel, the Israeli military said. International pressure has mounted for the truce to continue as long as possible after weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground campaign following Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war. Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have been killed and more than three-quarters of the population of 2.3 million have been uprooted, leading to a humanitarian crisis. Israel has vowed to resume the fighting with the goal of dismantling Hamas onc

Israel and Hamas agree to extend truce, minutes before it was to expire

The truce has allowed much needed humanitarian aid into Gaza after much of the coastal territory of 2.3 million was reduced to wasteland in response to a deadly rampage by Hamas militants

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World battling a wave of hate crime unleashed by Israel-Hamas war

Reports of crimes targeting Jews, Muslims and Arabs have risen in the US, Germany, Canada and beyond since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and the Israeli military's retaliatory operation in Gaza

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

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, .

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

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Israel and Hamas trade blame amid truce violation claims, says report

Israel, US spy chiefs meet Qatar PM; Blinken to visit the region this week

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