A Hamas official says Israel’s delay within the launch of some 600 Palestinian prisoners is a “severe violation” of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, and that talks on a second section of the accord will not be potential till they’re freed.
As a part of the truce deal, Israel was imagined to launch the prisoners final weekend after Hamas returned hostages taken in the course of the Oct. 7, 2023, assault. However Israel delayed the discharge over the treatment of the captives, who have been paraded before crowds. A senior Hamas official mentioned Tuesday that the militant group had “totally adhered to all provisions of the agreements,” and the delay might trigger the ceasefire to break down.
No less than six infants have died from hypothermia within the final two weeks in the Gaza Strip, the place a whole lot of hundreds of individuals are residing in tent camps and war-damaged buildings in the course of the fragile ceasefire, Palestinian medics mentioned Tuesday.
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Israel-Palestinian peace course of is on life assist, says a high UN official
This can be the “final probability” to realize impartial states of Israel and Palestine residing aspect by aspect in peace, in accordance with the highest U.N. official within the Center East.
“The 2-state resolution as a viable resolution geographically is withering away earlier than our very eyes, and phrases themselves received’t resolve it,” mentioned Sigrid Kaag, the appearing U.N. particular coordinator for the Mideast peace course of. “It wants lively political engagement and diplomacy.”
Kaag pointed to the impression of the struggle in Gaza, Israel’s increasing settlements within the West Financial institution and its threats to annex the occupied territory, saying, “I believe we couldn’t be additional away from the lofty beliefs” of a two-state resolution. She spoke to reporters after briefing the U.N. Safety Council on Tuesday.
Desperation grows in northern Gaza as Palestinians battle to rebuild their houses
When night time falls over northern Gaza, a lot of the cityscape of collapsed buildings and wreckage turns pitch black. Residing contained in the ruins of their residence, Rawia Tambora’s younger sons get afraid of the darkish, so she activates a flashlight and her telephone’s gentle to consolation them, for so long as the batteries final.
“Some individuals want the struggle had by no means ended, feeling it will have been higher to be killed,” Tambora mentioned. “I don’t know what we’ll do long-term. My mind stopped planning for the long run.”
Practically 600,000 Palestinians flooded again into northern Gaza below the now month-old ceasefire, in accordance with the United Nations. After preliminary reduction and pleasure at being again at their houses — even when broken or destroyed — they now face the truth of residing within the wreckage for the foreseeable future.
A 20-year-old pupil from Gaza Metropolis, Huda Skaik, mentioned the “worst half is that we’re simply now greedy that we misplaced all of it.”
▶ Learn extra about Palestinians living in the ruins of Gaza
Syria holds a nationwide dialogue convention because the battered nation seeks to rebuild
Syria’s new rulers started a long-awaited national dialogue conference as a “uncommon historic alternative” to rebuild the nation after the autumn of former President Bashar Assad and practically 14 years of civil struggle.
“Simply as Syria has liberated itself by itself, it’s applicable for it to construct itself by itself,” interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa advised the convention.
About 600 individuals from throughout Syria have been invited to the gathering Tuesday within the presidential palace in Damascus. It was hosted by the brand new authorities led by Islamist former rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which spearheaded the offensive that ousted Assad late final 12 months.
Episodes of revenge and collective punishment have been far much less widespread than anticipated. Nonetheless, many in Syria’s minority communities are not convinced by al-Sharaa’s guarantees of coexistence. HTS was previously affiliated with al-Qaida, though it broke ties.
The transition will even be intently watched by nations weighing whether or not to elevate sanctions.
▶ Learn extra about Syria
Trial begins in Germany for 4 alleged Hamas members accused of in search of weapons caches throughout Europe
A trial has begun in Germany for 4 alleged Hamas members suspected of organizing weapons caches across Europe. They’re accused of in search of out and establishing weapons depots for Hamas so militants might later use the firearms and ammunition for assaults in opposition to Israeli and Jewish targets on the continent.
Tuesday’s trial started in Berlin as a pilot case for federal prosecutors. Prosecutors say Hamas thought of concentrating on the Israeli embassy in Berlin, the realm round Tempelhof Airport within the capital and the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The defendants have been arrested in 2023 after Hamas’ assault in opposition to Israel on Oct. 7 of that 12 months.
A freed Israeli hostage addresses the UN Safety Council
Freed Israeli hostage Noa Argamani desires the world to verify the ultimate phases of the Gaza ceasefire happen so all of the hostages — together with her associate — return to their family members.
“Our life can not go on with out them,” mentioned Argamani, who’s the primary Gaza hostage to handle the U.N. Safety Council. The preliminary section of the ceasefire ends Saturday and talks on the second section haven’t but began.
“The hostages are in hell,” she mentioned, describing feeling left behind when different captives have been freed. She and three different hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces in June.
Argamani mentioned Israel believes 24 of 63 hostages are alive in Gaza.
“With out rapid motion many extra harmless individuals will probably be killed, together with my associate Avinatan Or,” she mentioned. “Till Avinatan returns, my coronary heart is in captivity.”
▶ How many hostages are left in Gaza?
Trial begins for American landlord charged with hate crime and homicide of a Palestinian American boy
A trial is about to start out Tuesday of a landlord in the US who’s accused of homicide, tried homicide and a hate crime over the lethal assault on a Palestinian American woman and her young son.
Joseph Czuba, 73, is charged within the deadly stabbing of six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14, 2023 — simply days after the struggle in Gaza started and amid rising hostility in opposition to Muslims and Palestinians within the U.S.
The boy was stabbed 26 occasions. Prosecutors allege Czuba turned rising paranoid in regards to the struggle due to listening to commentary on conservative speak radio. Shaheen advised police that Czuba attacked them after she had urged him to “pray for peace.” Czuba has pleaded not responsible.
Israeli opposition politician desires Egypt to rule Gaza for years
Israeli opposition chief Yair Lapid has advised the Gaza Strip could possibly be dominated and rebuilt by neighboring Egypt. In alternate, he mentioned, Gulf Arab nations and the worldwide neighborhood would assist Egypt with its spiraling economic crisis by paying off billions of {dollars} in overseas debt.
Lapid mentioned Egypt could lead on a “peace power” backed from regional allies that might govern a demilitarized Gaza for eight years, presumably so long as 15 years.
“Throughout that interval, the situations for self-governance in Gaza will probably be created,” Lapid mentioned, talking Tuesday on the Washington-based Basis for Protection of Democracies, a conservative assume tank.
There was no rapid remark from Egypt, which alongside different Arab states has sought to hyperlink any postwar plan for Gaza to progress towards the institution of a Palestinian state — a nonstarter for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities.
Lapid, a fierce critic of Netanyahu, has voiced assist for a two-state resolution previously.
▶ Learn extra about Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza
Israel’s spy chief offers particulars about exploding pager operation in opposition to Hezbollah
The top of Israel’s Mossad overseas intelligence company on Tuesday referred to as the exploding pagers and walkie talkies operation in opposition to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and Syria a “turning level of the struggle,” which gave Israel momentum to deal a heavy blow to Hezbollah.
The gadgets utilized by a whole lot of Hezbollah members exploded almost simultaneously in two waves on Sept. 17 and 18. The attack killed at the very least 12 individuals — together with two younger kids — and wounded thousands more.
Mossad chief David Barnea spoke whereas accepting an award for the operation from a Tel Aviv assume tank, the Institute for Nationwide Safety Research.
Barnea mentioned the primary 500 pagers outfitted with explosives arrived in Lebanon just some weeks earlier than the struggle in Gaza started on Oct. 7, 2023, however that officers concerned within the operation determined to attend to detonate them till extra pagers had arrived and have been in use.
He mentioned the operation involving the walkie talkies with explosives began greater than a decade in the past, whereas the pager operation started in 2022.
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Correction: This submit has been up to date to appropriate the dates of the assaults.
▶ Learn extra about Hezbollah’s capabilities after the latest war with Israel
Funeral procession for Israeli hostage Oded Lifshitz attracts hundreds of mourners
Hundreds of Israelis stood silently with flags alongside the 100-kilometer (60-mile) funeral procession for one of many 4 Israeli hostages whose our bodies have been returned final week from Gaza as a part of the ceasefire settlement.
Oded Lifshitz, 84, was one of many oldest hostages held by Hamas. He was laid to relaxation in Kibbutz Nir Ouncesin southern Israel, the place he lived and was captured on Oct. 7, 2023.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who attended the funeral, requested for “forgiveness, that the State of Israel didn’t defend you, your loved ones, and your kibbutz.”
The Israeli army didn’t launch details about how Lifshitz was killed however mentioned an post-mortem decided he died round November 2023.
Israeli hostage’s spouse says their captivity shook her to the core
A founding member of Kibbutz Nir Oz, Oded Lifshitz was a journalist and peace activist who campaigned for the popularity of Palestinian rights. In retirement, he volunteered to drive Palestinians from the Gaza border to medical appointments in Israel as a part of a gaggle referred to as On the Technique to Restoration.
His spouse, Yocheved Lifshitz, was kidnapped with him and freed before the first ceasefire agreement.
“We fought all these years for social justice and sadly we have been dealt a extreme blow by the individuals we helped on the opposite aspect,” she mentioned, including that she is going to “proceed on our path and proceed to battle to free all of the hostages.”
The couple’s eldest son, Arnon, mentioned that had his father survived, he would by no means have talked about the phrase revenge — “solely rehabilitation.”
▶ Learn extra about the hostages released by Hamas
Hamas official says Israel’s delay in releasing prisoners places ceasefire in danger
A Hamas official says Israel’s delay within the launch of some 600 Palestinian prisoners constitutes a “severe violation” of the ceasefire agreement, and advised that talks on a second section of the accord will not be potential till they’re returned.
As a part of the settlement, Israel was imagined to launch the prisoners final weekend after Hamas freed hostages from its Oct. 7, 2023, assault. However Israel delayed the discharge over the therapy of the captives, who have been paraded earlier than crowds.
In a written assertion, Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official, mentioned the militant group had “totally adhered to all provisions of the agreements” and that Israel’s delay “places the settlement prone to collapse, doubtlessly resulting in a resumption of struggle.”
The primary section of the ceasefire is because of finish Saturday, and whereas negotiations on a second section have been to have began weeks in the past, they haven’t but begun.
A U.S. diplomat is returning to the area this week with the hope of extending the primary section to purchase time for additional negotiations, however Naim advised Hamas was unwilling to speak till the prisoners have been launched.
▶ Learn extra about a key deadline in the Gaza ceasefire
No less than 6 infants have died from hypothermia within the Gaza Strip
Palestinian medics say at the very least six infants have died from hypothermia within the final two weeks within the Gaza Strip.
A fragile ceasefire that took maintain final month paused 15 months of struggle between Israel and the Hamas militant group. However a whole lot of hundreds of individuals are nonetheless residing in squalid tent camps or bombed-out buildings with little shelter from the chilly, and temperatures have plunged in current days.
Dr. Ahmed al-Farah, head of the pediatric division on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, advised The Related Press that it acquired the physique of a 2-month-old woman on Tuesday. He mentioned one other two infants have been handled for frostbite, with one among them discharged.
Saeed Saleh, of the Affected person’s Pals Hospital in Gaza Metropolis, mentioned 5 infants aged one month or youthful have died from the chilly during the last two weeks.
Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the Gaza Well being Ministry’s information division, mentioned it has recorded 15 deaths from hypothermia this winter.
The territory on the Mediterranean coast experiences chilly and moist winters, with temperatures dropping beneath 10 levels Celsius (50 levels Fahrenheit) at night time.
▶ Learn extra about babies freezing to death in Gaza
Freed Israeli hostage says religion stored her going by means of Gaza captivity
Agam Berger, a former hostage launched by Hamas, mentioned it was her Jewish religion that sustained her throughout her 16-month ordeal within the Gaza Strip.
Berger was a army spotter who was captured throughout Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault that ignited the struggle.
Berger advised Israeli public radio Reshet Guess on Tuesday that she was held in tunnels and residences with different feminine captives. She was given two meals a day, pita and rice, and had some entry to media.
In January 2024, Berger mentioned her captors introduced her and different hostages two Jewish prayer books, in addition to different objects left behind by Israeli troopers, comparable to a newspaper and army maps. She mentioned across the first Hanukkah she spent in captivity in December 2023, in a tunnel with 4 different hostages, they requested their captors for candles to mark the vacation, and so they introduced them one.
▶ Learn extra from the interview with Agam Berger
Lebanon’s prime minister says solely armed forces can defend the nation
Lebanon’s new prime minister has learn his authorities coverage assertion stating that solely the nation’s armed forces ought to defend the nation in case of struggle.
Nawaf Salam was picked to type a brand new authorities final month after a devastating struggle between Israel and Hezbollah that killed over 4,000 individuals and brought about widespread destruction.
Hezbollah has stored its weapons over the previous a long time saying it’s essential to defend Lebanon in opposition to Israel. However many in Lebanon have been calling on the group to disarm, and such calls intensified in the course of the newest struggle that stopped when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into impact on Nov. 27.
Salam mentioned Tuesday that the federal government asserts that Lebanon has the appropriate to defend itself in case of “aggression” and solely the state has the appropriate to have weapons. He additionally mentioned that the federal government takes measures to liberate land occupied by Israel “by means of its forces solely.”
▶ Learn extra about the ceasefire in Lebanon
Trump administration’s suspension of funds to WHO freezes $46 million for Gaza
A Trump administration transfer to droop funding to the World Well being Group has frozen $46 million for its operations in Gaza, a high WHO official within the area mentioned Tuesday.
Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO consultant for Occupied Palestinian Territories, mentioned the “freezing” would depart six areas underfunded, together with EMT operations, rehabilitation of well being services, coordination with associate organizations, and medical evacuation operations.
Talking from Gaza to reporters a U.N. briefing in Geneva, Peeperkorn mentioned cash for such operations remained in WHO’s funding pipeline and “we’re nonetheless going full steam forward” with actions.
Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesman, mentioned he didn’t have figures about how the U.S. funding cuts affected everything of its operations worldwide.
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Observe AP’s struggle protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
