Israel-Hamas war: Gaza hostages will not be released before Friday, says senior Israeli official

Israel’s national security adviser said the release of hostages under a temporary truce agreement with Hamas will not happen before Friday.

“Negotiations for the release of our captives are progressing and continue all the time,” Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said in a statement released by the prime minister’s office.

“The start of the release will proceed according to the original agreement between the parties, and not before Friday,” Hanegbi said.

It is expected that at least 50 hostages will be freed by Hamas during a four-day ceasefire under a new deal with Israel, brokered by the Qatar and the United States.

Dozens of children and their mothers held captive in Gaza since Hamas’s brutal incursion into Israel on 7 October will be freed via Egypt, according to the agreement.

The deal can be expanded to include the release of 85 women and children in total, diplomatic sources told The Independent. Israel is willing to extend the much-needed humanitarian ceasefire by a day for every 10 additional hostages released by Hamas, sources said.

The first release of hostages had been expected on Thursday, but late on Wednesday Israel said it had been delayed and would not happen until at least Friday.

Key Points

• 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

• Hostage swap delayed by at least a day, says Israel

More than 13,000 people have died in Gaza, officials say as they resume detailed count

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

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

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

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

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

08:45 , Namita Singh

Lord Cameron in Israel following truce announcement with Israel

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

08:18 , Namita Singh

Israel-Hamas truce deal for hostage release hits last-minute snag

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Susan Sarandon, Melissa Barrera dropped from Hollywood companies after comments on Israel-Hamas war

03:46 , Namita Singh

Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon and “Scream” star Melissa Barrera were each dropped by Hollywood companies after making comments on the Israel-Hamas war that some deemed antisemitic.

Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the upcoming “Scream VII,” acknowledged Barrera’s exit from the horror franchise.

The Mexican-born actress, who starred in “In the Heights” and the two recent “Scream” installments, had posted statements on Instagram Stories calling the war “genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

“Gaza,” she wrote, “is currently being treated like a concentration camp.

”Spyglass said in a statement that its position “is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.”

Late on Wednesday, Barrera posted a statement on Instagram Stories about her firing.

“First and foremost I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people,” she wrote.“I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism,” she added.

“I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom.”

Ex-State Department official arrested for hate crime after confronting halal vendor

03:36 , Namita Singh

New York police on Wednesday arrested a former US State Department official after he was captured on video calling an Egyptian halal street vendor a terrorist and saying the death of 4,000 Palestinian children “wasn’t enough.”

Stuart Seldowitz, 64, was arrested on charges of aggravated harassment, hate crime stalking, stalking causing fear, and stalking at a place of employment, police said in a statement.

“A 24-year-old male victim stated to police that an individual approached him at his work place multiple times and made anti-Islamic statements multiple times on different dates causing the victim to feel afraid and annoyed,” police said.

Video went viral earlier this month of multiple arguments over the Israeli-Hamas conflict between Mr Seldowitz, a former State Department employee, and the unidentified man working in a halal cart on a Manhattan sidewalk.

The war that broke out on 7 October has prompted a surge in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the United States and fueled frequent street protests in support of both Israel and Palestinians in Gaza.

Social media posts showed Seldowitz saying, “If we killed 4,000 Palestinian kids, you know what? It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough.”

Red Cross can visit hostages, says Netanyahu

03:27 , Namita Singh

The Red Cross will be able to visit any remaining hostages in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu said.

“We need to know they are alive, if they’re okay. It’s the minimum,” said Gilad Korngold, who drew just a measure of comfort from the deal between Israel and Hamas and was among those who was still awaiting word of relatives. Seven of his family members, including his 3-year-old granddaughter, were taken hostage.

“I want everybody back. But I think - and it’s a very tough decision - but I think the children and women must be (first). They’re most fragile. You know, they need to get out.”

‘Release delayed as truce agreement not signed by Hamas and Qatar’

03:18 , Namita Singh

There was a 24-hour delay because the agreement was not signed by Hamas and mediator Qatar, reported Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, citing an unidentified Israeli official. The official said they were optimistic the agreement would be carried out when it was signed.

“No one said there would be a release tomorrow except the media ... We had to make it clear that no release is planned before Friday, because of the uncertainty that hostages’ families are facing,” Kan quoted a source in Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office as saying.

Israeli media, citing anonymous officials, reported the pause in fighting with Hamas also would not start before Friday. Israel’s Ynet news website reported that Israel had not yet received the names of the hostages slated for release by Hamas.

Since the Hamas attack on southern Israel that surprised the government and shocked Israelis, five hostages have been recovered alive. Israel says 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians and about 240 hostages of different nationalities taken hostage by Islamist gunmen.

No Gaza hostage release before Friday, Israel says

03:02 , 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 said, thwarting hopes of relatives that some would be freed today.

Israel and Hamas agreed early yesterday 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 had yet to be officially announced.

An Egyptian security source said mediators sought a start time of 10am today, but the Israeli official said negotiations over the fine details of the handover were still taking place and would take some time.

US shoots down multiple drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen

02:56 , Namita Singh

The United States shot down multiple one-way attack drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Thursday morning local time, US Central Command said on X.

“The drones were shot down while the US warship was on patrol in the Red Sea. The ship and crew sustained no damage or injury,” the post said.

Negotiations still going on, says Israeli security chief

Wednesday 22 November 2023 22:20 , Jane Dalton

The release of 50 hostages from Hamas captivity in Gaza will not begin until Friday, according to Israel’s national security adviser.

The release, which was part of a deal between Israel and Hamas that included a four-day ceasefire, had been expected to begin on Thursday.

“Negotiations for the release of our captives are progressing and continue all the time,” the adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said in a statement released by the prime minister’s office.

“The start of the release will proceed according to the original agreement between the parties, and not before Friday,” Mr Hanegbi added.

At least 50 women and children who were captured by Hamas militants on 7 October are expected to be released in the coming days in exchange for a four-day pause in fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian women and children jailed in Israel.

The deal represents the first diplomatic breakthrough since the beginning of the war.

Aid groups ready to deliver thousands of trucks to Gaza

Wednesday 22 November 2023 22:10 , Jane Dalton

International aid groups say they are ready to deliver thousands of truckloads of food, water and other supplies to besieged Gaza if a temporary ceasefire takes hold as hoped on Thursday.

Some hailed an important first step, but many said that a four-day truce wasn’t enough to meet overwhelming needs after seven weeks of fighting have displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians now living in miserable conditions.

Key details of the accord remain unclear, including the mechanics of getting more aid to desperate civilians and escorting the first group of Israeli hostages out of Gaza where they have been held since Hamas’ rampage in Israel.

Aid groups say a key ambition is to get help to northern Gaza.

Hostage swap delayed by at least a day, says Israel

Wednesday 22 November 2023 21:59 , Jane Dalton

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s national security adviser says a planned hostage-for-prisoner swap with Hamas has been delayed until at least Friday.

Tzachi Hanegbi said contacts on the deal were continuing. “The release will begin according to the original agreement between the parties, and not before Friday,” he said.

Pope Francis meets with relatives of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners

Wednesday 22 November 2023 19:00 , Tom Watling

Pope Francis met separately Wednesday with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel and begged for peace and an end to what he called terrorism and “the passions that are killing everyone.”

Francis spoke about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians after his meetings, which were arranged before the Israeli-Hamas hostage deal and a temporary halt in fighting was announced. Francis didn’t refer to the deal, which marked the biggest diplomatic breakthrough since the war erupted following Hamas’ Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel.

Pope Francis meets with relatives of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners

Gaza health officials say they lost the ability to count dead as Israeli offensive intensifies

Wednesday 22 November 2023 18:00 , Tom Watling

Palestinian health officials in Gaza said Tuesday that they have lost the ability to count the dead because of the collapse of parts of the enclave’s health system and the difficulty of retrieving bodies from areas overrun by Israeli tanks and troops.

The Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, which carefully tracked casualties over the first five weeks of war, gave its most recent death toll of 11,078 on Nov. 10. The United Nations humanitarian office, which cites the Health Ministry death toll in its regular reports, still refers to 11,078 as the last verified death toll from the war.

Gaza health officials say they lost the ability to count dead as Israeli offensive intensifies

Israel Supreme Court rejects appeals against Palestinian prisoner swap

Wednesday 22 November 2023 17:02 , Tom Watling

Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected appeals to the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, it has just been announced.

The rejection paves the way for the negotiations to go ahead for tomorrow. A temporary truce in Gaza is expected to begin at 10am tomorrow.

Earlier today, the Israeli Ministry of Justice published a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners from which at least 150 could be swapped for 50 hostages held by Hamas.

Israeli citizens and officials had 24 hours to appeal against this, pursuant to standard law.

It was not believed that any appeals would carry significant weight and the Supreme Court has now confirmed this.

UN chief 'welcomes’ temporary truce agreed by Israel and Hamas

Wednesday 22 November 2023 16:30 , Tom Watling

The United Nations secretary general has “welcomed the agreement” to a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Antonio Guterres, in a statement on X, wrote: “I welcome the agreement reached by Israel & Hamas. It‘s an important step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done.

“The UN will mobilise all its capacities to support the implementation & maximise positive impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

UK's Cameron meets Arab, Islamic country counterparts to discuss Israel-Hamas conflict

Wednesday 22 November 2023 16:00 , Tom Watling

British foreign minister David Cameron met his counterparts from Arab and Islamic countries in London on Wednesday to discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict after the two sides agreed to ceasefire in Gaza for at least four days.

“We discussed how to use this step forward to think about the future and how we can build a peaceful future which provides security for Israel but also peace and stability for the Palestinian people”, Cameron said in a statement.

Foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, Indonesia and Nigeria, as well as the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and Ambassador of Qatar attended the meeting, Britain said.

Iranian foreign minister meets Hamas officials in Beirut

Wednesday 22 November 2023 15:30 , Tom Watling

The Iranian foreign minister has met with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad officials in Lebanon ahead of the temporary truce in Gaza, which comes into effect tomorrow.

In a statement on X, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian wrote: “Today in Beirut, in a meeting with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad officials, I was informed about the latest developments in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as more details of the humanitarian ceasefire and future scenarios.

“Undoubtedly, resistance cannot be removed. The killing of civilians, the human blockade and the forced displacement of Palestinians must be stopped.”

Israeli officials to visit Qatar later today ahead of hostage swap

Wednesday 22 November 2023 15:00 , Tom Watling

Head of the Israeli security service Dedi Barnea and Major General Nitzan Alon will visit Qatar today to finalize the final details of the agreement for the release of the abductees and the ceasefire, local reports have said.

More than 50 from same family killed in north Gaza - Palestinian minister

Wednesday 22 November 2023 14:39 , Tom Watling

More than 50 members of the same family have been killed in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza during Israel‘s military campaign there, the Palestinian foreign minister said on Wednesday.

“Only this morning, from the Qadoura family in Jabalia, 52 people have been wiped out completely, killed,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said on the sidelines of a briefing by Arab and Muslim foreign ministers in London.

“I have the list of the names, 52 of them, they were wiped out completely from grandfather to grandchildren.”

Gary Lineker in new impartiality row after sharing post accusing Israel of ‘textbook genocide’

Wednesday 22 November 2023 14:15 , Tom Watling

Gary Lineker has sparked a new impartiality row after sharing an interview with an Israeli academic describing the situation in Gaza as “textbook genocide”.

The Match of the Day presenter reposted a video of journalist Owen Jones speaking with Raz Segal, an associate professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Stockton University, New Jersey.

In the clip, Segal – who has an established career discussing Israeli history – told Jones the raids and violence taking place in Gaza was a “clearly articulated” case of genocide.

Gary Lineker shares interview accusing Israel of ‘textbook genocide’

Israeli sources confirm 6-hour window for hostage releases every day

Wednesday 22 November 2023 13:54 , Tom Watling

Israeli sources have reported that there will be a six-hour window each of the four days of the temporary truce, effective from tomorrow, in which hostages may be exchanged.

Another Israel-Hamas prisoner swap will take place this month - Palestinian official

Wednesday 22 November 2023 13:38 , Tom Watling

The Israel-Hamas deal agreed on Wednesday for the freeing of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners will be repeated later this month, a Palestinian official told Reuters.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that would mean a total release of 100 of the around 240 people Hamas seized during its Oct. 7 killing spree in southern Israel.

Hamas top advisor discusses details of temporary truce

Wednesday 22 November 2023 13:09 , Tom Watling

A top Hamas advisor has discussed additional details of the temporary truce agreed with Israel overnight.

Taher al-Nono, adviser to the head of Hamas’s political bureau Ismail Haniyeh, said that eight of the 300 aid trucks that will enter Gaza each day of the truce will be fuel tankers.

He added that the aid will also include basic equipment, clothing and medical equipment for all hospitals. It was suggested that the aid will continue beyond the days of the agreement but that remains unconfirmed.

Syrian air defences shoot down missiles over Damascus, state media claims

Wednesday 22 November 2023 12:48 , Tom Watling

Syrian state TV is reporting intercepted missiles over Damascus, fired from the direction of Israel.

Rishi Sunak says he ‘welcomes’ ceasefire in Gaza

Wednesday 22 November 2023 12:45 , Tom Watling

WHO chief joins chorus of voices calling for temporary truce to become permanent ceasefire

Wednesday 22 November 2023 12:20 , Tom Watling

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.”

You can read his full statement below.

Israel-Hamas cease-fire to start Thursday morning, according to Egyptian state media

Wednesday 22 November 2023 11:55 , Tom Watling

Egypt's state-run Qahera TV has said that the Israel-Hamas truce will take effect at 10 am local time (0800 GMT) tomorrow, adding weight to claims originally made by a senior Hamas official earlier this morning to the same effect.

Egypt helped mediate the four-day cease-fire, which will facilitate the release of dozens of hostages captured by Hamas during its 7 October attack into southern Israel.

The deal will also see the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the entry of more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Israeli media has also reported that the truce will begin Thursday at 10 am.

Ex-Obama official caught on video allegedly racially abusing Muslim man

Wednesday 22 November 2023 11:42 , Tom Watling

A former high-ranking official in the Obama administration has been caught on video allegedly racially abusing a Muslim food vendor in New York.

The video was posted online and quickly ignited a firestorm among Democrats who quickly identified its subject as Stuart Seldowitz, a former member of Barack Obama’s White House national security council (NSC) who also worked on Israel-Palestine policy for the State Department for several years.

In the video, Mr Seldowitz is allegedly seen and heard making racist comments to the vendor, who tries to get him to leave him alone without further abuse, reported The Daily Beast.

Ex-Obama official caught on video allegedly racially abusing Muslim man

Family of girl among three American hostages to be released hope she will be home for fourth birthday

Wednesday 22 November 2023 11:13 , Tom Watling

A three-year-old girl is among three American hostages expected to be released in the landmark deal struck between Israel and Hamas, with the little girl’s family clinging onto hopes that she will be home for her fourth birthday on Friday.

The Israeli government approved a truce agreement – brokered by the US and Qatar – on Wednesday for the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the 7 October attack on Israel which left 1,200 dead.

Under the terms of the deal, 50 hostages – many of them women and children – will be freed by Hamas in exchange for a four-day pause in Israel’s air and ground campaign in Gaza.

Arab ministers welcome truce but call for extended cessation of hostilities

Wednesday 22 November 2023 11:10 , Tom Watling

Arab foreign ministers welcomed an agreement for a temporary truce between Israel and Gaza militant group Hamas on Wednesday but said it should be extended and become a first step toward a full cessation of hostilities.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan said at a roundtable discussion with journalists in London that the agreement, which includes hostage releases and stepped-up aid into the devastated Gaza Strip, should also ultimately lead to a resumption of talks for a two-state solution.

Earlier, The Independent reported that the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank were issuing the same calls.

The Arab foreign ministers are leading a so-called contact group of mostly Muslim countries which are lobbying Israel‘s major allies to bring about an end to the Gaza war, which erupted on Oct. 7 when Hamas gunmen launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 civilians and Israeli soldiers.

Keir Starmer welcomes hostage agreement and humanitarian pause

Wednesday 22 November 2023 11:03 , Tom Watling

Keir Starmer has welcomed the agreement over hostages and a pause in the conflict.

The Labour leader called for all remaining hostages to be released and for "all sides" to uphold this agreement.

Sir Keir added: “A substantial humanitarian pause is what Labour has been calling for alongside our international partners.

“We must now ensure this pause is used to tackle the urgent and unacceptable humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

“There must be immediate access to aid, food, water, fuel and medicine to ensure hospitals function and lives are saved. Aid and fuel need to not just get in but be distributed widely and safely.

“We must also use the space this pause creates to take more steps on a path towards a full cessation of hostilities rather than an escalation of violence.

“It must start a process that ensures Israelis feel safe and secure from terror and that innocent Palestinians, who have endured far too much death and destruction, can return home and rebuild their lives free from bombardment and Hamas control.

“In recent years, the international community has treated the two-state solution as a slogan rather than a serious strategy. That must now change.”

Palestinian Authority leader welcomes truce but calls for permanent ceasefire

Wednesday 22 November 2023 10:55 , Tom Watling

The leader of the Palestinian Authority, who presides over parts of the West Bank, has said he “welcomes the humanitarian truce” brokered overnight but is still demanding a permanent end to the fighting.

President Mahmoud Abbas, 87, is widely unpopular among Palestinians but US officials, including top diplomat Anthony Blinken, have met with him to discuss taking over in Gaza.

Watch live: Relatives of Israeli hostages hold press conference in Vatican following ceasefire deal

Wednesday 22 November 2023 10:46 , Tom Watling

Watch live as relatives of Israeli hostages held by Hamas hold a press conference after a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday 22 November.

Live: Relatives of Israeli hostages hold press conference following ceasefire deal

Hamas official says Gaza ceasefire to begin at 10am tomorrow

Wednesday 22 November 2023 10:40 , Tom Watling

A senior Hamas official has said that the temporary ceasefire agreed upon overnight will begin in Gaza at 10am local time tomorrow.

Musa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera: “The cease-fire in the Gaza Strip will begin tomorrow at 10am.”

Gaza is two hours ahead of London, meaning that the ceasefire will begin here at 8am.

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen told Army Radio that he expects to recover the first hostages from Gaza tomorrow under a foreign mediated deal. He declined to confirm a report that the process would begin at 5am.

Who are the Palestinian prisoners to be swapped for Hamas hostages?

Wednesday 22 November 2023 10:35 , Tom Watling

Israel has released the names of 300 Palestinians prisoners being held across the country, ahead of an imminent swap for dozens of hostages taken by Hamas during their attack on 7 October that killed 1,200 people and saw 240 people taken captive into Gaza.

The deal is the culmination of weeks of back-and-forth negotiations mediated by US and Qatari officials and will involve a four-day truce during which the hostages and prisoners will be released.

You can read the full report here.

Who are the Palestinian prisoners to be swapped for Hamas hostages?

Hostage recovery to begin tomorrow

Wednesday 22 November 2023 10:23 , Tom Watling

The process of the recovery of Hamas hostages will begin tomorrow, the Israeli foreign ministry has announced.

Cameron welcomes Israel-Hamas truce which paves way for hostage release

Wednesday 22 November 2023 10:20 , Tom Watling

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the truce between Israel and Hamas was a “crucial step” towards releasing hostages and providing humanitarian relief in Gaza.

Hamas will release dozens of hostages in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

The Israeli government said the deal will see Hamas free 50 of the roughly 240 hostages held in the Gaza Strip over a four-day period.

Cameron welcomes Israel-Hamas truce which paves way for hostage release

IDF says hostage release is 'step forward'

Wednesday 22 November 2023 10:05 , Tom Watling

Russia welcomes Israel-Hamas ceasefire, says humanitarian pauses are only way forward

Wednesday 22 November 2023 09:59 , Tom Watling

Russia welcomed a ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Palestinian conflict on Wednesday and said humanitarian pauses were the only way to make progress towards a settlement.

“This is the first good news from Gaza in a long time,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“Russia and most countries were calling for a truce and humanitarian pauses, because only on the basis of such pauses can the contours of future attempts at a sustainable settlement be built.”

Since the start of the conflict, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasised the suffering of Palestinian citizens, called the crisis a failure of US policy and urged Israel to show restraint. Russia also angered Israel by hosting a Hamas delegation in Moscow last month.

Western officials have accused Russia of employing double standards. They have suggested the Kremlin’s calls for Israel to stop bombing civilian areas in Gaza are undermined by its own constant targeting of civilian areas in Ukraine as part of its “special military operation”.

Indeed, the United Nations Human Rights Office confirmed yesterday that the number of Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian attacks has surpassed 10,000, though they added that the true total was likely “significantly higher”.

Fifty hostages in Gaza to be freed as Israel and Hamas reach deal after weeks of fraught negotiations

Wednesday 22 November 2023 09:45 , Tom Watling

Fifty hostages, including dozens of children, will be released from captivity in Gaza after a deal was reached between Israel and Hamas – marking a major breakthrough after weeks of fraught negotiations.

Under the agreement, which was brokered by Qatar and the US, at least 50 Israeli civilians – including the children and their mothers – will be released via Egypt during a four-day pause in hostilities.

The Independent understands that there will also be an exchange of Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons but details were not yet finalised.

Our Chief International Correspondent Bel Trew reports.

Fifty hostages in Gaza to be freed in Israel and Hamas deal after weeks of talks

Pope says conflict between Israel and Hamas has gone beyond war to 'terrorism'

Wednesday 22 November 2023 09:24 , Tom Watling

Pope Francis on Wednesday met separately with Israeli relatives of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians with family in Gaza and said the conflict had gone beyond war to become “terrorism”.

Speaking in unscripted remarks at his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square shortly after the early morning meetings in his residence, Francis said he heard directly how “both sides are suffering”.

Israel and Hezbollah exchange rocket fire over northern border

Wednesday 22 November 2023 09:08 , Tom Watling

Israel and Hezbollah appear to be exchanging fires across the northern border only hours after a temporary truce in Gaza was negotiated.

Local reports have claimed in the last few minutes that sirens are sounding in the northern Israeli settlement of Kfar Rosh.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed that “warplanes attacked several terrorist targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in Lebanese territory” this morning.

He also posted a video purporting to show the attack.

Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia says 5 killed by US strikes

Wednesday 22 November 2023 09:00 , Tom Watling

Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah militia said five of its members were killed in its stronghold of Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad, in U.S. strikes that Washington said were in response to attacks by Iran-aligned militias against its forces in the region.

The U.S. carried out two series of strikes in Iraq on Tuesday and Wednesday, its first publicly reported responses on Iraqi territory to dozens of recent attacks and a sign of escalation in the regional conflict tied to the Israel-Hamas war.

The attacks began on Oct. 17 and have been linked by Iraqi militia groups to U.S. support for Israel in its bombardment of Gaza following attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.

The strike by fighter aircraft targeted and destroyed a Kataib Hezbollah operations centre and a command and control node near Al Anbar and Jurf Al-Sakhar, a U.S. defence official said.

An Iraqi military official said at least three members of Kataib Hezbollah had been killed and seven wounded in the overnight U.S. strikes.

Kataib Hezbollah is part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, a group of many mainly Shi’ite Muslim armed groups that was formed in 2014 to fight Islamic State and subsequently recognised as an official security agency by Iraq’s government.

Hezbollah leader meets with senior Hamas officials in Lebanon

Wednesday 22 November 2023 08:57 , Tom Watling

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has met with senior Hamas officials in the Lebanese capital of Beirut amid confirmation of a temporary truce in Gaza, local reports have confirmed.

Nasrallah met with Khalil al-Hiya and Osama Hamdan to discuss with them “continuing coordination”.

They spoken beneath a portrait of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Ambulances arrive to evacuate final Al-Shifa hospital patients

Wednesday 22 November 2023 08:49 , Tom Watling

More than a dozen ambulances have arrived at the al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza this morning to evacuate some of the remaining patients.

Israeli Defence Forces took control of the hospital last week after claiming that Hamas was running a command post underneath it. They have yet to show conclusive evidence of this.

“14 PRCS ambulances accompanied by the UN & Doctors Without Borders arrived at Al-Shifa Hospital to evacuate the wounded and patients,” a Palestine Red Crescent Society statement said on X.

As of Monday, the United Nations said that just under 300 patients remained in al-Shifa hospital.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians were either sheltering there or being treated prior to the evacuation notices handed down by Israeli forces in the past few weeks. It is the largest medical complex in Gaza.

On Monday, the World Health Organisation said it had become a “death zone”.

Add-ons of the Hamas hostage deal

Wednesday 22 November 2023 08:41 , Tom Watling

A deal was agreed upon overnight for a four-day ceasefire in Gaza while roughly 50 hostages will be released from the enclave in exchange for roughly 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

But included in the deal are additional elements designed to improve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Israel will allow roughly 300 aid trucks to enter Gaza per day, according to one report. This would amount to a significant increase; in the previous weeks, less than a dozen have been permitted to enter the enclave via the Egyptian Rafah crossing.

More fuel will also be permitted into the enclave during the pause in fighting, according to one senior Israeli official, though it is unclear how much and to whom it will be given.

Previously, any fuel supplies have been handed only to United Nations organisations for fear of Hamas using it for their own ends. Overcrowded hospitals in Gaza have said previously that the lack of fuel is preventing them from performing life-saving surgeries.