Israel hostages release – latest: Gaza ceasefire begins as first women and children to be freed
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A four-day ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas has begun at the scheduled time of 7am, to be followed by the release of 13 women and children under a Qatar-brokered truce.
The first of at least 50 hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s brutal-incursion on 7 October will be released via Egypt on Friday, nine hours after the beginning of the humanitarian pause in Gaza, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.
Increased aid for Palestinians will also start to enter Gaza “as soon as possible", Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari added. He did not say how many Palestinian prisoners would also be freed, but officials have said three would be freed for every hostage.
“The first batch of civilians to be released from Gaza will be around 4pm of the same day. They will be 13 in number, all women, and children and those hostages of the same families will be put together in the same batch,” he added.
Sirens sounded in two Israeli villages just minutes after the truce came into force, but there was no immediate confirmation of any rocket attacks.
Key Points
Four-day Gaza ceasefire begins
Displaced Palestinians return to their ravaged homes
At least 50 hostages to be freed from Gaza during four-day ceasefire
Israel could extend ceasefire by a day for release of every 10 hostages
US and Qatar-brokered deal follows ‘gut-wrenching’ talks
Deal to free Palestinian children from Israeli prisons not yet finalised
Israel will free nearly 40 Palestinian prisoners today, top official says
09:10 , Andy Gregory
Israel will release 39 Palestinian prisoners on Friday, Palestine’s commissioner for prisoners has said.
Some 24 women and 15 teenage boys – all of them from either the occupied West Bank or Jerusalem – will be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Israel’s Ofer military jail around 4pm local time, Qadura Fares told Reuters.
“After the Red Cross receives the [Palestinian] prisoners, the ones from Jerusalem will go to Jerusalem and the ones from the West Bank will gather in Betunia municipal council where their families will be waiting,” Mr Fares told Reuters.
His US teenage son won’t be among the freed Hamas hostages: ‘Hopefully he is alive’
08:52 , Andy Gregory
As millions of Americans gather together for turkey and pumpkin pie, one New York family is desperately missing their 19-year-old son, who is still being held hostage by Hamas.
“Today is Thanksgiving. As Americans we have an empty seat at the table — you do not want to live in my universe,” his father Ruby Chen told The Independent.
His son Itay Chen was captured by the militant group during the deadly attack on October 7 that killed 1,200 civilians in Israel. Earlier this week a major diplomatic and humanitarian breakthrough was reached, with 50 women and children hostages expected to be released by Hamas on Friday morning. Part of the deal is a four day ceasefire to allow the removal of the hostages, and rare respite for Palestinain civilians barely surviving under ferocious Israeli bombardment of the besieged strip.
Teenage Itay – who was a member of the Israeli military stationed near Gaza – is not expected to be freed yet.
Bel Trew and Mike Bedigan have the full report:
An empty seat at Thanksgiving. Families of Hamas hostages pray for their safe return
Reports of ‘Israeli gunfire' in Gaza
08:31 , Andy Gregory
A Palestinian journalist reports that Israeli forces have allegedly opened fire at Palestinians in central Gaza, less than three hours after the humanitarian pause began.
Breaking: Israeli forces open fire towards Palestinians truing to return to their homes east of Maghazi in central #Gaza, around two and a half hours after the pause went into effect
I’m standing on the rooftop of our house of refuge & I can hear Israeli gun machines on the east— Maha Hussaini (@MahaGaza) November 24, 2023
The Independent is seeking further information.
Eight tankers of fuel and cooking gas enter Gaza via Rafah, says IDF
08:21 , Andy Gregory
Four tankers of fuel and four tankers of cooking gas have been transferred to UN humanitarian groups in southern Gaza via the Rafah crossing this morning, the IDF has said.
The aid was approved by Israel as part of the pause and the framework for the release of the hostages overseen by the US, Qatar and Egypt, the Israeli military said.
Israel warns Palestinians against returning home: ‘War has not ended’
08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has warned thousands of displaced Palestinians against returning to their homes in the north of Gaza during the four-day ceasefire.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to seek refuge in southern Gaza due to Israel’s incessant bombardment of the northern part of the Strip.
Arabic-language leaflets dropped Friday over southern Gaza said that “the war has not ended yet” and people should remain in place.
“Returning to the north is prohibited and very dangerous,” the leaflets said. “Your fate and the fate of your families is in your hands. We have warned you.”
Israel publishes list of 300 mostly teenage prisoners eligible for release
07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israel’s justice ministry has published a list of 300 prisoners eligible to be released, mainly teenagers detained over the past year for rock-throwing and other minor offences.
A four-day Qatar-brokered ceasefire began on Friday at 7am, which is set to be followed by the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas militants.
The first group of 13 women and children held by Hamas would be freed on Friday afternoon, Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson said.
During the four-day period Hamas pledged to free at least 50 of the about 240 hostages, while Israel is expected to free 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Both sides will release women and children first, the Qatari official said.
There is a provision in the deal for more groups of hostages and prisoners to be exchanged in subsequent days, but this would be dependent on the ceasefire holding.
How the hostage deal was finalised?
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The negotiations hardly ran smoothly. But in the end, persistence paid off.
Six weeks ago, not long after Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis and took scores of others hostage in a surprise assault, the government of Qatar quietly reached out to the US to discuss how to release those who had been taken captive by the militant group.
But the mission demanded extreme sensitivity. It was so secret that US officials established a communications cell to reach Hamas directly, and kept those negotiations tightly guarded throughout the US government. Only a handful of people were aware of the talks, according to a senior White House official.
For weeks through the cell, which allowed the small circle of negotiators to speak regularly without additional bureaucracy, US and Israeli officials would scramble to put together a deal that would release dozens of hostages held by Hamas.
The White House saw that as the only realistic way to halt the bloody combat that has devastated the region for more than six weeks.
The US continuously pushed Hamas, with Qatar and Egypt acting as critical intermediaries.
More here.
How the hostage deal came about: Negotiations stumbled, but persistence finally won out
Rocket alarms sound in Gaza border towns just after ceasefire
06:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Israeli military sounded sirens in two villages near the Gaza Strip on Friday, warning of possible rocket attacks from the Hamas-ruled region just 15 minutes after a four-day truce came into force.
There was no confirmation of a rocket launch, which would be the first violation of the Qatar-brokered truce.
Rocket alarms were also sounded in two border villages just two hours prior to the commencement of the truce, Times of Israel reported.
Live: View of Rafah crossing as Israel and Hamas agree to four-day ceasefire
06:44 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israeli troops arrest Al-Shifa hospital director
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The director of Gaza’s largest hospital and several other medical personnel were reportedly arrested by Israeli forces on Thursday.
Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the director of Al-Shifa, was arrested as he evacuated patients to the south of the conflict-torn strip, AFP reported citing his colleague.
The Israeli forces said the director was being questioned over evidence that Hamas militants used Al-Shifa as an alleged command and control centre.
The military raided the hospital last week.“Doctor Mohammad Abu Salmiya was arrested along with several other senior doctors,” said Khalid Abu Samra, a chief of department at the hospital.
One other doctor and two nurses had been detained by the Israeli forces, a Gaza health ministry official told AFP.
The Hamas said it “strongly denounces” the arrest of Dr Salmiya and his colleagues, calling on the International Committee of the Red Cross and other organisations to press for their “immediate release”.
IDF destroys Hamas tunnel before truce
06:21 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) says it has completed its “operational preparations” according to the combat lines of the pause.
Earlier today, IDF troops destroyed a route of underground tunnels and a number of tunnel shafts discovered in the area of the Al-Shifa Hospital.
Over the last day and night, IDF troops on the ground, in the air, and at sea continued to strike terror targets, operate in different areas to locate suspicious structures and engage with terrorists, the IDF officials said on Friday.
Videos showed some IDF tanks crossing the border from Gaza into Israel on Friday morning, though the extent to which Israel’s forces will withdraw from positions in Gaza for the duration of the ceasefire remains unclear.
Bel Trew reports from Tel Aviv.
Displaced Palestinians return to their ravaged homes
06:06 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Commander of Hamas’s naval forces killed, IDF says
06:00 , Alexander Butler
Amar Abu Jalalah was killed along with another member of the Hamas naval forces, the IDF said in a statement.
It said Jalalah was “a senior operative in Hamas’s naval forces and was involved in directing several terror attacks by sea that were thwarted.”
Over 100 Russians evacuated from Gaza
05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
More than 100 Russian nationals were airlifted by a special aircraft from conflict-torn Gaza, the Russian emergencies ministry said on Friday.
At least 101 Russian nationals had been taken from Gaza to Egypt in the past 24 hours, bringing to more than 750 the total number of Russian evacuees, the ministry said on Telegram.
The group flew home aboard a chartered Ilyushin-76 aircraft, it added.
More than 650 had been flown to Russia, including more than 300 children.
Gaza ceasefire begins
05:07 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A four-day ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas has begun at the scheduled time of 7am, with the pause in fighting due to be followed by the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas militants.
Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said both sides had exchanged lists of those to be released, and the first group of 13 women and children held by Hamas would be freed on Friday afternoon.
He did not say how many Palestinian prisoners would be freed, but officials have said three would be freed for every hostage.
Increased aid for Palestinians will start to enter Gaza “as soon as possible,” Mr al-Ansari said.
The hope is that the “momentum” from this deal will lead to an “end to this violence”, he told reporters on Thursday.
Up to 27 people killed in strike on UN school in Jabalia refugee camp, Gazan health ministry claims
05:01 , Alexander Butler
The health ministry in Gaza said 27 Palestinians have been killed in a strike on a school affiliated with the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.
At least 27 people were killed and 93 wounded in the strike, AFP reported that a Palestinian doctor said.
UK’s David Cameron to meet Palestinian leaders
04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
David Cameron will meet with Palestinian leaders to discuss how Britain can help alleviate the crisis in Gaza after the announcement of a truce in the war between Israel and Hamas.
The foreign secretary earlier held talks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and president Isaac Herzog as it was confirmed a four-day ceasefire will begin on Friday morning.
Lord Cameron will continue his visit to the region on Friday, meeting with Palestinian leaders to focus on how the UK can help respond to the crisis in Gaza.
“Tomorrow, in meetings with Palestinian leaders and aid agencies, he will focus on how UK efforts can help alleviate the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” the foreign office said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We are working towards a long-term political solution to this crisis.”
Hamas to release 23 Thai hostages unconditionally after Iran-mediated talks
04:01 , Alexander Butler
Hamas is set to release 23 Thai hostages it is holding in Gaza without any conditions, according to a report by the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news site.
The release of Thai hostages would not be connected to the deal reached by Israel and Hamas over the release of dozens of Israeli hostages held by militants as well as Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, the outlet said.
The announcement comes after Iran-mediated talks between the Palestinian militant group and the Thai government, it said.
Israel increased bombardment of Gaza ahead of truce
03:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israeli forces intensified strikes from “air, land and sea” across Gaza between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon ahead of the scheduled truce, the UN said.
“Many casualties have been reported,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
About 200 patients and medical staff were awaiting evacuation at the Indonesian hospital in North Gaza, it said, adding that the hospital was surrounded by Israeli forces.
Three children, including an infant in an incubator died in Kamal Odwan hospital in North Gaza’s Jabalia on Wednesday due to the lack of electricity, the UN report added.
Cuban president leads country’s march for Palestine
03:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Thousands of people in Cuba led by president Miguel Diaz-Canel marched along Havana’s iconic boardwalk in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Wearing a black-and-white Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, Mr Diaz-Canel on Thursday was accompanied by prime minister Manuel Marrero and foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez.
The marchers walked for 2km, passing in front of the US Embassy. Palestinian medical students who were in Cuba as part of a cooperation program joined the rally.
“Today we are supporting the Palestinian people, supporting all those people who feel the pain of having lost a family member, a loved one due to this massacre,” Yanquiel Cardoso, a physical culture specialist who participated told Associated Press.
“We are asking for a ceasefire ... and for Palestine to be free.”
Many young people had posters with the phrase “Free Palestine” with crude photographs of children injured by bombs or flags identifying both Cubans and Palestinians.
His US teenage son won’t be among the freed Hamas hostages
03:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
As millions of Americans gather together for turkey and pumpkin pie, one New York family is desperately missing their 19-year-old son, who is still being held hostage by Hamas.
“Today is Thanksgiving. As Americans we have an empty seat at the table — you do not want to live in my universe,” his father Ruby Chen told The Independent.
His son Itay Chen was captured by the militant group during the deadly attack on October 7 that killed 1,200 civilians in Israel.
Bel Trew and Mike Bedigan report.
An empty seat at Thanksgiving. Families of Hamas hostages pray for their safe return
WHO chief joins chorus of voices calling for temporary truce to become permanent ceasefire
03:01 , Alexander Butler
The chief of the World Health Organisation has joined the chorus of Arab leaders and Palestinian groups calling for the temporary truce agreed between Israel and Hamas overnight to be turned into a permanent ceasefire.
In a statement on X, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he “welcomed the announcement” from the early hours of this morning but that it was “not enough to end the suffering of civilians”.
“Efforts to free the remaining hostages must continue, and I reiterate that those still in captivity must receive any needed medical care,” he said.
“We continue to call for all hostages to be released. We also continue to call for a ceasefire so that civilians in Gaza can receive sustained, safe and scaled up support for recovery.”
We welcome the announcement of the Israel-Hamas agreement for 50 Israeli hostages to be released. My thoughts are with the families, some of whom my @WHO colleagues and I met with in recent weeks.
We also welcome the 4-day pause in fighting that will allow more aid to be safely…— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 22, 2023
Only Hamas's total surrender can stop war resuming after truce, says Israeli minister
02:01 , Alexander Butler
Hamas is trying to “extort” Israel and hostages should be released without a price, Israel’s economy minister Nir Barkat told Sky News.
Asked about the number of Palestinian deaths, which the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says has surpassed 13,000, Mr Barkat says: “No, I’m sorry, I’m not willing to listen to this game theory. It is not about game theory, not numbers.
“It is very simple. We will go after all of Hamas. And we will do the best we can not to hurt innocent people, but they use them as shelter.”
What happens when the Gaza ceasefire ends?
01:01 , Alexander Butler
A four-day ceasefire in Gaza set to begin on Friday will allow for the release of 50 hostages, the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, and a brief respite from the relentless bombardment of the densely populated territory for more than two million civilians.
But what happens when it ends?
The short answer is that the war will continue, and it may be even bloodier than before. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu put it bluntly on Wednesday during a live address about the hostage deal. “The war continues,” he said. “We continue until we have achieved complete victory.”
What happens when the Gaza ceasefire ends?
Benjamin Netanyahu vows Gaza war will continue after ceasefire
00:01 , Alexander Butler
Families of hostages, and Palestinians trapped in besieged Gaza wait anxiously for the start of a long-awaited truce and exchange of captives, in the first breakthrough in a bloody seven-week war, The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports.
At least 50 women and children captured by militants are expected to be gradually released over a four day period in exchange for a halt in fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian women and children jailed in Israel.
Hamas said hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid – including fuel – would be allowed to enter Gaza.
Netanyahu vows Gaza war will continue after ceasefire as hostages face anxious wait
‘Dogs are eating corpses on the streets of Gaza’: Qatari official describes ‘unparalleled’ destruction
Thursday 23 November 2023 23:00 , Alexander Butler
The level of death and destruction in Gaza is “unparalleled”, Qatar’s foreign ministry has said, warning that while Friday’s truce is a vital step towards peace, “no amount of aid is going to be enough”, The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports.
Dr Majed Al-Ansari, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson, urged the international community to negotiate the unfettered flow of supplies into the Strip, on the eve of the first temporary ceasefire, which Doha was integral in pushing through.
Under the terms of the deal, during a four-day pause in fighting, Hamas militants will free 50 Israeli women and children hostages in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian women and teenagers in Israeli prisons.
‘Dogs are eating corpses on the streets of Gaza’, says Qatari official
Biden has ‘fingers crossed’ for release of hostages
Thursday 23 November 2023 22:00 , Alexander Butler
President Joe Biden delivered pumpkin pies to firefighters on Thursday to celebrate the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and expressed hope about a pending hostage release in the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
Biden, who is vacationing with his family on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket, has spent part of his time here speaking to foreign leaders about the war.
He told reporters at the fire station that he would not give an update on the hostages until Friday, but said he was keeping his “fingers crossed” that a 3-year-old American girl would be among those released first.
Mother-of-two ‘longs for return’ of daughters abducted by Hamas
Thursday 23 November 2023 21:10 , Alexander Butler
The mother of two Israeli children abducted by Hamas has said she is going through an “incredibly difficult time” after finding out her daughters will not be released under Friday’s hostage exchange.
Mother-of-two Mayaan Zin, whose daughters Dafna, 15, and Ela, eight, were abducted by Hamas on 7 October, said she longs for their return but was “relieved” for other families.
“I’ve been informed that Dafna and Ela are not on the list of the 13 hostages to be released tomorrow. This is incredibly difficult for me; I long for their return. I’m relieved for the other families and hopeful for the release of all the hostages,” she said on X.
I've been informed that Dafna and Ela are not on the list of the 13 hostages to be released tomorrow. This is incredibly difficult for me; I long for their return.
I'm relieved for the other families and hopeful for the release of all the hostages.— Maayan Zin (@ZinMaayan1007) November 23, 2023
Gaza ceasefire: 13 Israeli hostages to be freed as four-day truce begins
Thursday 23 November 2023 20:10 , Alexander Butler
Thirteen Israeli hostages will be released from Gaza on Friday at the start of a four-day truce that Qatar called a “catalyst for long-term peace” and a “glimmer of light at the end of tunnel”, The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports.
Under the terms of the breakthrough deal, brokered by Doha and Washington, Hamas militants will free 50 women and children they abducted in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian women and teenagers from Israeli prisons.
The agreement, secured after weeks of fraught negotiations, also allows for the pause in hostilities to be extended daily provided more hostages are released.
Gaza ceasefire: 13 Israeli hostages to be freed as four-day truce begins
Watch: Pro-Palestine protesters dragged away after disrupting Macy's Thanksgiving parade
Thursday 23 November 2023 20:00 , Alexander Butler
Watch: David Cameron meets Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel-Hamas truce announced
Thursday 23 November 2023 19:00 , Alexander Butler
The US hostages that won’t be released in Hamas prisoner swap
Thursday 23 November 2023 18:00 , Alexander Butler
As many as 50 hostages taken by Hamas could return to their families beginning on Friday in a prisoner swap deal that, along with an initial four-day ceasefire, represents the biggest diplomatic and humanitarian breakthrough in a conflict that has claimed over 15,000 lives in Israel and Gaza over the past month and a half.
But for Jonathan Dekel-Chen, a Hebrew University of Jerusalem history professor, the wait for his hoped-for reunion is set to go on. His son Sagui, 35, was kidnapped from the Nir Oz kibbutz during the brutal 7 October attacks.
The prisoner swap, which is expected to formally begin on Friday, is slated to involve only women and children being released from Gaza, followed by the staggered release of 150 Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails.
The US hostages that won’t be released in Hamas prisoner swap
Watch live: Israeli children protest for safe return of Hamas hostages
Thursday 23 November 2023 17:00 , Alexander Butler
Watch live: Israeli children protest for safe return of Hamas hostages
Hamas confirms ceasefire
Thursday 23 November 2023 16:00 , Alexander Butler
The armed wing of Hamas, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, has confirmed that the four-day pause in fighting will begin at 7am.
In a statement it said all military actions by al-Qassam Brigades and Israeli forces would cease during the four-day halt in fighting.
200 aid trucks to deliver supplies daily during ceasefire, says Hamas
Thursday 23 November 2023 15:05 , Alexander Butler
Up to 200 aid trucks will deliver “relief and medical supplies” to “all areas of the Gaza Strip” daily during the four-day ceasefire, Hamas said.
The militant group added that an additional four trucks will deliver fuel and cooking gas every day of the truce to the enclave.
“Three Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, will be released for every one Zionist prisoner,” it said in a statement.
“Within four days, 50 Zionist prisoners, women and children under the age of 19, will be released.”
Israel confirms list of hostage release names
Thursday 23 November 2023 14:53 , Bel Trew
Israel has confirmed a preliminary list of the names of hostages set to be released under a Qatar-brokered ceasefire tomorrow.
“Israel confirms that a preliminary list of names has been received. The appointed officials are checking the details of the list and are in contact with the families,” the prime minister’s spokesperson said.
Up to 13 women and children are expected to be released at 4pm on Friday following the beginning of a four-day ceasefire at 7am.
Israel and Hamas truce will start at 7am, says Qatar
Thursday 23 November 2023 14:25 , Alexander Butler
The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will begin at 7am tomorrow, Qatar’s foreign ministry has announced.
Speaking at a news conference in Doha, a ministry spokesman said the first group of hostages will be handed over at 4pm.
Dr Majed al Ansari said the first group will be made up of 13 people and families will be given priority. “The beginning of the pause will be at 7am Friday 24 November, and it will last as agreed for four days,” he said.
“The first batch of civilians to be released from Gaza will be around 4pm of the same day. They will be 13 in number, all women, and children and those hostages of the same families will be put together in the same batch.”
Official Spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs @majedalansari: The humanitarian pause in Gaza will begin at 7 am on Friday November 24#MOFAQatar
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) November 23, 2023
Hezbollah fires 50 rockets at Israel after five senior fighters killed
Thursday 23 November 2023 14:08 , Alexander Butler
Hezbollah has fired more than 50 rockets at military posts in northern Israel after five of its senior fighters were killed.
The Lebanese militant group sent waves of rockets over the border in one of its most intense bombardments since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted last month.
In a series of statements, the Iran-backed group said the volleys it fired toward Israeli posts included 48 Katyusha rockets that were directed at an army base in Beit Zeitem
David Cameron meets Israeli prime minister
Thursday 23 November 2023 13:56 , Alexander Butler
The UK foreign secretary David Cameron has met Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset in Jerusalem.
Mr Netanyahu said Israel was “hoping” to get hostages out of Gaza, but warned it “wasn’t without its challenges” and it must “eradicate” Hamas first.
“We have to, we hope to get this first tranche out. And then we’re committed to getting everyone out. We’ll continue with our war aims, namely to eradicate Hamas, because Hamas has already promised that they will do this again and again and again,” he said.
Lord Cameron responded by saying the UK stood with the people of Israel but added it was “important” to talk about a humanitarian pause.
“I think it’s an opportunity to crucially get hostages out and to get aid into Gaza. There’s never an excuse for this sort of hostage taking.
“All the hostages should be released.I hope everyone who’s responsible and behind this agreement can make it happen, to bring relief to those families, including, of course, there are British nationals who have been taken hostage,” he said.
Director of Al-Shifa Hospital arrested, IDF says
Thursday 23 November 2023 13:37 , Bel Trew
The director of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza has been arrested and taken in for questioning by the ISA, the Israel Defence Forces said.
“The director of the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip was apprehended and transferred for ISA questioning following evidence showing that the Shifa Hospital, under his direct management, served as a Hamas command and control center,” the IDF said.
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari added: “Now, the irrefutable truth of Hamas’ exploitation of hospitals in Gaza is on full display to the world. I want to make it clear that Israel is at war with Hamas. We are not at war with the people of Gaza.”
British hostages in Gaza a ‘priority’ as David Cameron visits Israel, No10
Thursday 23 November 2023 13:12 , Archie Mitchell
David Cameron is in Israel meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders and pushing for the release of British hostages in Gaza.
The government believes there are three British hostages being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
And, as foreign secretary Lord Cameron meets with leaders in the region, the prime minister’s spokesman said securing the release of the hostages is a “priority”.
The spokesperson said: “That is something we will continue to be pushing for. It is a priority for us working with regional partners.”
What happens when the Gaza ceasefire ends?
Thursday 23 November 2023 11:46 , Tom Watling
A four-day ceasefire in Gaza set to begin on Friday will allow for the release of 50 hostages, the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, and a brief respite from the relentless bombardment of the densely populated territory for more than two million civilians.
But what happens when it ends?
The short answer is that the war will continue, and it may be even bloodier than before. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu put it bluntly on Wednesday during a live address about the hostage deal. “The war continues,” he said. “We continue until we have achieved complete victory.”
What happens when the Gaza ceasefire ends?
Spain in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in 'the very short term'
Thursday 23 November 2023 11:00 , Tom Watling
Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares on Thursday said his country is in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas “in the very short term”.
“Our position with regards to Palestine and the Palestinian people is clear. We are in favour of a Palestinian State. In the very short term, what is truly urgent is for a humanitarian ceasefire to happen,” Mr Albares said in an interview with Spanish radio station RNE.
The existence of a Palestinian state “will be the best guarantee for peace in the Middle East”, ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Israel and the West Bank on Thursday.
He reiterated that Spain is ready to hold a peace conference on the conflict.
More than 13,000 people have died in Gaza, officials say as they resume detailed count
Thursday 23 November 2023 10:29 , Tom Watling
The director of the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza says it has resumed its detailed count of casualties from the Israel-Hamas war, and has documented more than 13,000 deaths.The Health Ministry had stopped updating its figures on 11 November after the breakdown of access and communication in northern Gaza, where Israeli ground troops are battling Palestinian militants.The latest count is based on updated figures from hospitals in the south and 11 November figures from the northern hospitals. The real toll is likely higher.The Health Ministry says another 6,000 people have been reported missing, and are feared buried under the rubble.
Anxious families wait to see if loved ones will be among those freed
Thursday 23 November 2023 09:45 , Namita Singh
Relatives of the Israeli hostages are worried about the fragility of the agreement, while others fear not everyone will come home, writes Kim Sengupta:
Anxious families wait to see if loved ones are among 50 freed in Gaza hostage deal
Gaza is world’s most dangerous place for children - Unicef
Thursday 23 November 2023 09:30 , Namita Singh
The Gaza Strip is the “most dangerous place in the world to be a child”, the head of the United Nations children’s agency Unicef says.
Executive Director Catherine Russell told the UN Security Council that more than 5,300 Palestinian children had reportedly been killed since 7 October, when Palestinian militants of Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking hostages, most of them civilians.
Israel has focused its retaliation against Hamas in Gaza, a territory of 2.3 million people.
How Joe Biden and a ‘secret cell’ of aides worked to arrange a Gaza ceasefire
Thursday 23 November 2023 09:15 , Namita Singh
How Joe Biden and a ‘secret cell’ of aides worked to arrange a Gaza ceasefire
Children will be traumatised after capture, says psychologist
Thursday 23 November 2023 09:00 , Namita Singh
Dozens of Israeli children held hostage by the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza for more than six weeks face a difficult return when they return home under a prisoner swap agreement, doctors and child psychology specialists said.
At least 50 hostages, most of them children, are expected to be returned under a deal which includes a four-day pause in the fighting in Gaza and the return of around 150 Palestinian prisoners.
“They will probably show signs of post-trauma, which means that some of them will be very fidgety, very frightened, some may be very angry,” said Dr Daphna Dollberg, clinical and developmental psychologist at the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo.
Watch: IDF says Israel ‘still at war’ despite suspension of hostilities for hostage release
Thursday 23 November 2023 08:45 , Namita Singh
Lord Cameron in Israel following truce announcement with Israel
Thursday 23 November 2023 08:27 , Namita Singh
Foreign secretary Lord Cameron is visiting Israel following the announcement of a truce in the war with Hamas.
The former prime minister arrived in Israel amid uncertainty about when the pause in the fighting will begin.
The agreement for a four-day ceasefire in Gaza appears to have hit a last-minute snag.
A senior Israeli official said it would not take effect before Friday, a day later than originally expected.
The deal will see the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, with Palestinian prisoners expected to be freed by Tel Aviv.
The lull in the fighting is also expected to clear the way for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza to ease the suffering of citizens who have been bombarded and besieged by Israel as it takes on Hamas in response to the 7 October atrocities.
In pictures: David Cameron reaches Israel
Thursday 23 November 2023 08:18 , Namita Singh
Israel-Hamas truce deal for hostage release hits last-minute snag
Thursday 23 November 2023 08:11 , Namita Singh
An agreement for a four-day cease-fire in Gaza and the release of dozens of Hamas-held hostages and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel appeared to have hit a last-minute snag when a senior Israeli official said it would not take effect until Friday, a day later than originally announced.
The diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for the over 1.7 million Palestinians who have fled their homes under weeks of Israeli bombardment, as well as families in Israel fearful for the fate of their loved ones captured during Hamas’ 7 October attack that triggered the war.
Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced the delay late on Wednesday, without providing a reason. Israeli media reported that some final details were still being worked out.
The Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, which played a key role in mediating with Hamas, said early Thursday that a new time for the agreement to go into force would be announced “in the coming hours.” It was originally set to begin today at 10am . The US and Egypt also helped negotiate the deal.
Israel says attacked over 300 Hamas targets over the last day
Thursday 23 November 2023 07:02 , Namita Singh
Israel said its forces carried out aerial strikes on over 300 Hamas targets over the past day. The claims could not be independently verified.
In Israel, sirens warning of incoming rocket fire from Gaza blared in communities near the border with the enclave, the military said. There were no reports of damage or injuries.
No let up in Israel’s attack on Gaza amid truce deal
Thursday 23 November 2023 07:02 , Namita Singh
Israeli aircraft and artillery struck Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis in at least two waves and 15 people were killed, reported Palestinian media. This comes amid efforts to broker a ceasefire deal to secure release of hostages and let in humanitarian aid.
Attacks were also reported in several other parts of Gaza, including the Jabalia and Nuseirat camps.
Announcement on start of truce could come in few hours - Qatar
Thursday 23 November 2023 06:25 , Namita Singh
An Egyptian security source said mediators had sought a start time of 10am today.
Speaking in the morning, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majid bin Mohammed Al Ansari said an announcement on the beginning of the truce could come in the next few hours. Qatar has been mediating in the negotiations on the truce.
“The negotiations on the release of our hostages are advancing and continuing constantly,” Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said in a statement released by the prime minister’s office.
“The start of the release will take place according to the original agreement between the sides, and not before Friday,” it said.
Maryland hate crime commission member suspended for anti-Israel social media posts
Thursday 23 November 2023 05:40 , Namita Singh
Maryland‘s attorney general suspended a member of the state’s new commission aimed at addressing hate crimes this week after she posted on social media criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a news release on Tuesday that his office recently learned about the personal social media posts of Zainab Chaudry, director of the Maryland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
The Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention is required to include a representative of CAIR along with other advocacy organizations. It was created by state lawmakers during the 2023 legislative session and began meeting last month. Mr Brown has the authority to appoint its members as chair of the commission.
Report:
Maryland hate crime commission member suspended for anti-Israel social media posts
Humanitarians want more aid for Gaza, access to hostages under Israel-Hamas truce. And more time
Thursday 23 November 2023 05:26 , Namita Singh
International aid groups say they are ready to deliver thousands of truckloads of food, water and other supplies to besieged Gaza if a temporary cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war takes hold as hoped on Thursday.
Some hailed an important first step, but many said on Wednesday that a four-day truce isn’t enough to meet overwhelming needs after seven weeks of fighting have displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians now living in miserable conditions.
More here:
Humanitarians want more aid for Gaza, access to hostages under Israel-Hamas truce. And more time
What happens when the Gaza ceasefire ends?
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:57 , Namita Singh
A four-day ceasefire in Gaza set to begin on Friday will allow for the release of 50 hostages, the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, and a brief respite from the relentless bombardment of the densely populated territory for more than two million civilians.
But what happens when it ends?
The short answer is that the war will continue, and it may be even bloodier than before. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu put it bluntly on Wednesday during a live address about the hostage deal. “The war continues,” he said. “We continue until we have achieved complete victory.”
More in this report:
What happens when the Gaza ceasefire ends?
Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad flees Gaza
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:56 , Namita Singh
Plestia Alaqad, a Palestinian journalist whose dispatches from Gaza have provided a rare glimpse of the war to millions of social media followers around the world, has fled Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing bombardments and military siege.
“I traveled yesterday and this was literally one of the hardest decisions that I took,” she wrote in the caption under an Instagram video on Wednesday. “I hope this nightmare ends and I’ll be back in Gaza soon.”
She made the decision to leave for the safety of her family, fearing that her reporting and role as a journalist could put her family’s life in danger, she said.
My colleague Alex Woodward has more:
Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad flees Gaza: ‘I hope this nightmare ends’
Optimistic that release will begin on Friday: White House
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:55 , Namita Singh
The release of hostages under a temporary truce between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants will not happen before Friday, Israel’s national security adviser and the US said, dashing hopes of relatives that some would be freed on Thursday.
Israel and Hamas agreed early on Wednesday to a ceasefire in Gaza for at least four days, to let in humanitarian aid and free at least 50 hostages held by militants in the enclave in exchange for at least 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel.
The starting time of the truce and release of hostages captured by Hamas during its 7 October attack on Israel has yet to be officially announced. An Egyptian security source said mediators had sought a start time of 10am on Thursday.
White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson said final logistical details for the release were being worked out. “That is on track and we are hopeful that implementation will begin on Friday morning,” Ms Watson said.
Shadowy Hamas leader in Gaza is at top of Israel’s hit list after last month’s deadly attack
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:23 , Namita Singh
The mastermind of the Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the worst Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed in generations is a secretive figure, feared on both sides of the battle lines.
Since Hamas fighters carried out the deadliest attack on Israel in decades, Israeli officials have vowed to crush the Palestinian militant group and its enigmatic leader in Gaza.
Report:
Shadowy Hamas leader in Gaza is at top of Israel's hit list after last month's deadly attack
Anxious families wait to see who will be freed in Gaza hostage deal
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:22 , Namita Singh
There is relief that moves are being made to bring those being held captive back, writes our World Affairs Editor Kim Sengupta. But some relatives are worried about the fragility of the agreement, while others fear not everyone will come home.
Anxious families wait to see if loved ones are among 50 freed in Gaza hostage deal
Israel unveils what it claims is a major militant hideout beneath Al Shifa Hospital
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:22 , Namita Singh
Israeli military officials have shown a group of international journalists a small living quarters they found in a tunnel underneath Al Shifa Hospital, claiming that the space had been used by Hamas militants.
Israel unveils what it claims is a major Hamas militant hideout beneath Gaza City's Shifa Hospital
How the hostage deal came about
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:08 , Namita Singh
The negotiations hardly ran smoothly. But in the end, persistence paid off.
Six weeks ago, not long after Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis and took scores of others hostage in a surprise assault, the government of Qatar quietly reached out to the United States to discuss how to release those who had been taken captive by the militant group.
But the mission demanded extreme sensitivity. It was so secret that US officials established a communications cell to reach Hamas directly, and kept those negotiations tightly guarded throughout the US government. Only a handful of people were aware of the talks, according to a senior White House official.
For weeks through the cell, which allowed the small circle of negotiators to speak regularly without additional bureaucracy, US and Israeli officials would scramble to put together a deal that would release dozens of hostages held by Hamas.
Report:
How the hostage deal came about: Negotiations stumbled, but persistence finally won out
Netanyahu vows Gaza war will continue after ceasefire
Thursday 23 November 2023 04:04 , Namita Singh
Families of hostages, and Palestinians trapped in besieged Gaza wait anxiously for the start of a long-awaited truce and exchange of captives, in the first breakthrough in a bloody seven-week war.
At least 50 women and children captured by militants are expected to be gradually released over a four-day period in exchange for a halt in fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian women and children jailed in Israel.
Hamas said hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid – including fuel – would be allowed to enter Gaza. Israeli diplomatic sources told The Independent the ceasefire could be extended by a day for every additional 10 or so additional hostages released. In exchange, there will also be more Palestinians released.
Our chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports:
Netanyahu vows Gaza war will continue after ceasefire as hostages face anxious wait
NYC halal food truck vendor ‘terrified’ by former Obama adviser’s racial abuse
Thursday 23 November 2023 03:57 , Namita Singh
Mohamed Hussein told The Independent that Stuart Seldowitz’s insults about his Islamic faith and threats against his family in Egypt were entirely unprovoked.
Report:
Food truck vendor says he is ‘terrified’ over former Obama adviser’s racial abuse
