Israel-Hamas War

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Families of hostages held in Gaza storm Israel’s parliament meeting demanding deal for release

JERUSALEM (AP) — Dozens of family members of hostages held by Hamas stormed a committee meeting in Israel’s parliament Monday, demanding a deal to win their loved ones’ release, as European foreign ministers joined growing international calls for Israel to negotiate on the creation of a Palestinian state after the war.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-22-2024-d092205024c6064eb0440f0bfe06657f?

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21 Israeli soldiers killed in single attack in the Gaza Strip  The reservists were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings in central Gaza on Monday when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson, said. Hours later, the military announced that ground forces had encircled  Gaza's second largest city, Khan Younis, where dozens of Palestinians have been killed in heavy fighting in recent days.  Read more.

Why this matters: This is the deadliest attack on Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the 3-month-old war, which has also left over 25,000 Palestinians dead, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.   The heavy death toll could add new momentum to calls for Israel to pause the offensive or even halt it altogether. Large numbers of Israeli casualties have put pressure on Israel’s government to halt past military operations.   Families of the hostages and many of their supporters have called for Israel to reach a cease-fire deal, saying that time is running out to bring them home alive. On Monday, hostages’ family members disrupted a committee meeting in Israel’s parliament, yelling, “You won’t sit here while they are dying there!”

Related coverage ➤  WATCH: Relatives of hostages still held in Gaza storm Knesset committee meeting EU pushes for Palestinian statehood, rejecting Israeli leader’s insistence that it’s off the table US, British militaries launch new round of joint strikes against multiple Houthi sites in Yemen

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Israeli military says Gaza ground offensive has expanded into urban refugee camps

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces on Tuesday expanded their ground offensive into urban refugee camps in central Gaza after bombarding the crowded Palestinian communities and ordering residents to evacuate. Gaza’s main telecom provider announced another “complete interruption” of services in the besieged territory.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-26-2023-698c895797ccb057d13fe4f68690c98b?

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Rifts within Israel resurface as war in Gaza drags on. Some want elections now

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Ever since Israel was attacked on Oct. 7, a main Israeli highway has been flanked by billboards preaching national unity and a ubiquitous wartime slogan: “Together we will win.”

https://apnews.com/article/israel-war-netanyahu-gaza-elections-2cf0f1325dafbd07e7bf075b373a6358?

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Hamas reportedly rejects 2-month ceasefire as White House, Qatar say talks are ‘serious’

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Hamas reportedly rejected an Israeli offer for a two-month ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages held in Gaza, even as top U.S. and Qatari officials said talks aimed at an extended pause in the war are “serious.”

https://www.jta.org/2024/01/23/politics/hamas-reportedly-rejects-2-month-ceasefire-as-white-house-qatar-say-talks-are-serious?

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Cease-fire efforts for Israel-Hamas war gain steam. But an agreement still appears elusive

Efforts to reach a new cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appear to be gaining steam.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-ceasefire-505d0ea433bd94188c4c292fd6e63389?

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Qatar, key mediator in sensitive Israel-Hamas talks, lashes out at Netanyahu over critical remarks Qatar said it was appalled Wednesday by leaked remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he criticized the Arab country’s mediation efforts with Hamas, complicating already arduous negotiations meant to halt the hostilities in exchange for a release of hostages. Read more.

Why this matters: Qatar, along with Egypt, is working on a new agreement that could set free more hostages, and potentially offer some respite in the devastating 3-month war. But officials say the gap between the two sides is still wide, and the spat between Netanyahu and Qatar could rattle negotiations.   Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said his government was “appalled” by the reported remarks but that they were “not surprising.” If the remarks are confirmed, Netanyahu “would only be obstructing and undermining the mediation process, for reasons that appear to serve his political career instead of prioritizing saving innocent lives, including Israeli hostages,” Majed al-Ansari said.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Live updates | Tank rounds slam into crowded Gaza shelter, killing 9, UN says   Cease-fire efforts for Israel-Hamas war gain steam. But an agreement still appears elusive   UN court to issue ruling Friday on South Africa’s request for order to halt Israel’s Gaza offensive

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Where the sides stand on securing a cease-fire in Gaza U.S. and Mideast mediators appeared optimistic in recent days that they were closing in on a deal for a two-month cease-fire in Gaza and the release of over 100 hostages held by Hamas. But on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the militant group’s main demands, indicating that the gap between the two sides remains wide. Read more.

Where things stand: Netanyahu seeks “total victory.” He has vowed to continue the war until Israel destroys Hamas and returns all the hostages, two elusive goals that many Israelis fear are mutually exclusive.   Hamas wants the war to end. They have refused to release more hostages until Israel ends its offensive and withdraws from Gaza. It wants a broader agreement that would include a long-term truce and reconstruction.   Mediators seek middle ground. The U.S. and Arab mediators are seeking a resolution where hostages would be released in stages over a two-month period in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, more desperately needed humanitarian aid for Gaza, and the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. A two-month respite could buy time for negotiating a larger agreement to address the conflict.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Live updates | Netanyahu rejects 2 key Hamas demands for any cease-fire   Israel military operation destroys a Gaza cemetery and says Hamas used the site to hide a tunnel   What is UNRWA, the main aid provider in Gaza that Israel accuses of militant links?

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Scoop: State Department reviewing options for possible recognition of Palestinian state

Secretary of State Tony Blinken asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza, two U.S. officials briefed on the issue told Axios.

https://www.axios.com/2024/01/31/palestine-statehood-biden-israel-gaza-war?

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Rumors swirl in Kyiv of Zelenskyy planning to oust his top general

Tensions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top commander Valery Zaluzhny came to a head this week following reports that the military leader was going to be fired.

https://www.politico.eu/article/rumors-swirl-kyiv-volodymyr-zelenskyy-plan-oust-top-general-valery-zaluzhny/

Poll: Ukrainians' trust in Zelensky declines to 62%, trust in military, Zaluzhnyi remains high

Public trust among Ukrainians in President Volodymyr Zelensky has declined over the past year, but an overwhelming majority of Ukrainians trust the military and its Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) released on Dec. 18 found.

https://kyivindependent.com/poll-ukrainians-trust-in-zelensky-declines-trust-in-zaluzhnyi-is-high/

Russia-Ukraine war not a 'stalemate,' Zelenskyy tells NBC News in exclusive interview

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected claims that the war with Russia has reached a stalemate in an exclusive interview with NBC News’ "Meet the Press" on Sunday, as his military’s struggling counteroffensive and the war in the Middle East threaten to sap Western support.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-war-not-stalemate-rcna123670

Ukraine and Russia complete first prisoner swap since plane crash

Russia's military says each side got 195 soldiers back on Wednesday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68156442

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Analysis shows destruction and possible buffer zone along Gaza Strip’s border with Israel Satellite photos show new demolition along a 1-kilometer-deep path on the Gaza Strip’s border with Israel, according to analysis by The Associated Press and experts. The destruction comes as Israel said it wants to establish a buffer zone, over international objections, further tearing away at land Palestinians want for a state. Read more.

Key developments: Israeli leaders have signaled that they would like to establish a buffer zone as a defensive measure, which they contend could prevent a repeat of the Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas. That’s despite U.S. warnings not to shrink Gaza’s territory.   There has been a continued growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank under Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government. That further undermines the prospects for an independent Palestinian state in the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.   The demolition along the border represents only a sliver of the wider damage from the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which one assessment suggests has damaged or destroyed half of all the buildings within the coastal enclave.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Top UK diplomat says Britain could recognize a Palestinian state before a peace deal with Israel   AP-NORC poll: Half of US adults say Israel has gone too far in war in Gaza   Turkish police rescue hostages held at gunpoint for hours in Procter & Gamble plant in Gaza protest

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Blinken returns to Mideast in push for hostage deal and postwar plan for Gaza, but obstacles loom

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Monday at the start of his fifth visit to the Middle East since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, hoping to press ahead with a potential cease-fire deal and postwar planning while tamping down regional tensions.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-05-2024-44028d8b5fcfc32ce4f96cfba9cd1702?

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Israel says it's getting closer to Hamas leader

The Israeli military believes it's making progress in its hunt for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Israeli defense officials tell Axios' Barak Ravid.

Why it matters: The war in Gaza "must not end" until Hamas' leadership there has been killed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today — just as Secretary of State Tony Blinken arrived in the region to build support for a temporary ceasefire.

• Hamas hasn't yet responded to Israel's offer to pause fighting for two months in exchange for the return of all remaining hostages.
• Blinken is lobbying other Middle Eastern leaders to support that proposal.

Hamas' slow response may be a result of its leaders frequently moving locations, making it harder to communicate and coordinate, Israeli officials said.

• Israeli intelligence believes Sinwar and other Hamas leaders have been hiding in the city of Khan Younis since the early stages of the war.
• Special units in the Israel Defense Forces have been operating in the tunnels in Khan Younis for several weeks in an attempt to catch the Hamas leaders. They've now taken control of much of that tunnel network, Israeli officials said.

Go deeper.

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Blinken seeks progress on Gaza cease-fire-for-hostages deal in meetings with Egyptian mediators U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Cairo on Tuesday for a meeting with Egyptian leaders that U.S. officials said would concentrate mainly on the task of negotiating a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in exchange for the release of hostages held by the militants. Read more.

Why this matters: Blinken faces major challenges. Hamas and Israel are publicly at odds over key elements of a potential truce and Israel has dismissed the United States’ calls for a path to a Palestinian state.   The United States, Qatar and Egypt have drawn up a proposal for a cease-fire of several weeks and the phased release of the hostages. But Hamas, which did not publicly respond to the proposal, has said it won’t release any more captives until Israel ends its offensive. The militants are also expected to demand the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners — demands Netanyahu has publicly ruled out.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ In Israel, France’s new foreign minister presses for a cease-fire to end ‘the tragedy in Gaza’   Live updates | More than half of Gaza’s population is now crammed into a town on the Egyptian border   WATCH: AP explains US Secretary of State Blinken’s latest visit to the Middle East

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Qatar gets ‘positive’ response from Hamas on cease-fire plan as group reiterates its broader demands

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Hamas’ response to the latest plan for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages was “generally positive,” key mediator Qatar said Tuesday, as the militant group reiterated its demand for an end to the war, something Israel has thus far ruled out.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-06-2024-30c536e5f4487700d9666b9b3ddd3564?

Blinken says a Hamas-Israel deal is still possible even though the sides remain far apart

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that a cease-fire and hostage-release agreement between Israel and Hamas was still possible, despite the two sides being far apart on the central terms for a deal.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-07-2024-6ceffca2970243cd039e90268c32c617?

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The families of a few Israeli hostages don’t want a deal to bring them home. They want Hamas crushed

JERUSALEM (AP) — Chants of “Now! Now! Now!” ring out at nearly every protest in Israel imploring the government to do everything possible to win the immediate release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-hostages-ceasefire-deal-prisoners-e886ead73905a1b88429d67705d03c47?

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Calling Israel’s response in Gaza ‘over the top,’ Biden conditions defense aid on allowing humanitarian assistance

WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Joe Biden is conditioning U.S. defense assistance on not impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid, a key point of tension between the U.S. and Israeli governments during the Gaza war.

https://www.jta.org/2024/02/09/politics/calling-israels-response-in-gaza-over-the-top-biden-conditions-defense-aid-on-humanitarian-assistance?

Israeli human rights groups call for an immediate ceasefire, release of hostages

(JTA) — An array of left-leaning Israeli human rights groups has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

https://www.jta.org/2024/02/07/israel/israeli-human-rights-groups-call-for-an-immediate-ceasefire-release-of-hostages?

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Israel rejects Hamas' hostage deal demands, but says still ready to negotiate

Israel told Egyptian and Qatari mediators late Thursday that while it rejects most of Hamas' demands in its response to the latest hostage deal proposal, it is ready to launch negotiations based on the original proposal put forth two weeks ago, according to two Israeli officials.

https://www.axios.com/2024/02/09/israel-hostage-deal-negotiations-hamas-netanyahu?

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Israel’s next target in Gaza war is likely Rafah. Terrified people say there’s nowhere left to go

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza’s southernmost town, Rafah, is bursting at the seams. Nearly the last place spared an Israeli offensive so far, Rafah’s population has more than quintupled with Palestinians streaming in to escape fighting. They pack by the dozens into apartments. Sidewalks and once-empty lots are clogged with tents full of families.

https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc?

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A Palestinian Aid Worker Describes a Harrowing 18-Day Siege Inside a Gaza Hospital

RAFAH, GAZA — For more than two weeks, Israeli forces have laid siege to Al-Amal Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, blocking all roads to the facility and deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis. 

https://theintercept.com/2024/02/08/gaza-hospital-seige-red-crescent/?

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At least 67 Palestinians killed in Gaza during an Israeli rescue of 2 hostages Israeli forces rescued two hostages early Monday, storming a heavily guarded apartment in the southern Gaza Strip and extracting the captives under fire in a raid that was a small but symbolically significant success for Israel. The raid took place in Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting elsewhere in the Israel-Hamas war. Read more.

Recent developments: In Gaza, where civilians have borne a staggering toll since the war erupted, the operation unleashed another wartime tragedy with at least 67 Palestinians killed, including women and children. Health officials say more than 12,300 Palestinian minors have been killed in Israel's war on Hamas.   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said sending ground troops into Rafah is essential for achieving Israel’s war goals. President Joe Biden had urged Israel not to conduct a military operation in Rafah without a “credible and executable” plan to protect civilians.   Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries have warned of severe repercussions if Israel goes into Rafah. “An Israeli offensive on Rafah would lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X. Human Rights Watch said forced displacement is a war crime.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Egypt is threatening to void its decades-old peace treaty with Israel. What does that mean?   Biden welcomes King of Jordan as framework for hostage deal is decided in Israel-Hamas conflict   Gaza mediators and others warn Israel of disaster if it launches a ground invasion of crowded Rafah

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Airstrike from Israeli hostage rescue wipes out entire Palestinian family in Gaza border town

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Ibrahim Hasouna trudged over the rubble of the destroyed house, pointing out where family moments had taken place — where his mother and sister-in-law used to sleep, where he played with his 5-year-old nieces, where he helped his 1-year-old nephew take his first steps.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-family-killed-3f28892cf94c5b5c4e64f3f449c8a6f1?

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“Where Can We Go?”: Terror and Panic Set In as Israel Readies to Invade Rafah

RAFAH, GAZA — It was a night of terror in Rafah. Early Monday morning, the Israeli military rained bombs on the city in southern Gaza that borders Egypt. The ground shook, the sound of fighter jets dropping bombs so intense and persistent that some described it as a “fire belt,” a term Palestinians use to describe the prolonged targeting of nearby areas. At least 100 people were killed in the bombings, which some of Rafah’s inhabitants said were among the worst of the war.

https://theintercept.com/2024/02/13/gaza-rafah-displaced-israel/?

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Leaders of Canada, Australia and New Zealand jointly call for ‘immediate humanitarian ceasefire’ in Gaza

(JTA) — The prime ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand have joined a growing chorus of voices calling on Israel not to follow through with its plan to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

https://www.jta.org/2024/02/15/global/leaders-of-canada-australia-and-new-zealand-jointly-call-for-immediate-humanitarian-ceasefire-in-gaza?

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☎️ Biden, Bibi ramp up talks

An Israeli armored vehicle moves near the Gaza border yesterday. Photo: Leo Correa/AP President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held their second call this week, as global concerns mounted over stalled hostage talks and a looming Israeli ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: Biden has grown increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu and Israel's actions during the war. Biden "reiterated his view that a military operation should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the civilians in Rafah," the White House said in a readout. Keep reading.