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Gaza ceasefire [January 2025]: Will it hold, and what does it mean for the people of Palestine?

aboveandbeyond said:
Hamas still exists. Majority of the casualties have been women and children.

Why is this?
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They won't cease to exist till they become the cause of Palestine's complete destruction. They won't stop before that.

P.S. Parasites don't cease to exist as well, and no superpower can cause their extinction.
 
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Israeli officials: No released prisoners in critical condition

An update to bring you on our 10.26am post regarding the four released prisoners the Palestinian Red Crescent says have been taken to hospital due to their "critical health condition".

Israeli officials dispute that any of the released prisoners are in a critical condition.

They say two of the released prisoners were evacuated by ambulance.

Another, they say, was in a wheelchair due to an injury sustained when he was captured by the Israel Defence Forces, and the other was also captured in Gaza and has muscular dystrophy.

Sky News
 

US Mideast envoy says phase two of Gaza talks to continue this week​


US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that talks on phase two of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas would continue this week “at a location to be determined” to figure out how to reach a successful conclusion.

He told Fox News that he had “very productive and constructive” calls on Sunday with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt’s director of intelligence.

Witkoff said they spoke about “the sequencing of phase two, setting forth positions on both sides, so we can understand ... where we are today, and then continuing talks this week at a location to be determined so that we can figure out how we get to the end of phase two successfully.”

Netanyahu’s office later said the Israeli leader will hold a meeting of the security cabinet on Monday to discuss the second phase of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire deal.

Netanyahu informed Witkoff about the meeting, the office said in a statement, adding that “he will convene the security cabinet meeting tomorrow to discuss the second phase of the agreement.”

 
‘No more silence’: Israelis face Gaza war backlash on Sri Lanka’s beaches

The sun hung low over the Indian Ocean, casting an amber glow on the waves as a heated argument erupted in Arugam Bay, a popular beach in eastern Sri Lanka.

In the water, a group of local surfers were engaged in a dispute with Israeli tourists that kicked off over surf etiquette – or rather, from the perspective of the Sri Lankans, a lack of it.

Jeevan Hall, an internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan surfer, was in the lineup of the surf when he encountered an Israeli tourist repeatedly taking waves without leaving any for others. Frustrated, Hall approached the tourist – an off-duty soldier of the Israeli army – and asked him to respect the surfing code of conduct and share the waves.

What started as an innocuous request quickly escalated into a tiff. Two of the soldier’s friends, also Israeli soldiers on a break, joined in. The three started paddling around him in the water, hurling insults in Hebrew.

Other surfers rushed to support Hall, only to be met with accusations from the Israelis: “You only have issues with us because of the war.”


www.aljazeera.com

‘No more silence’: Israelis face Gaza war backlash on Sri Lanka’s beaches

For years, relations between residents and Israeli visitors were cordial, but cracks in this dynamic are now visible.
www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com
 
Cricket Warrior said:
‘No more silence’: Israelis face Gaza war backlash on Sri Lanka’s beaches

The sun hung low over the Indian Ocean, casting an amber glow on the waves as a heated argument erupted in Arugam Bay, a popular beach in eastern Sri Lanka.

In the water, a group of local surfers were engaged in a dispute with Israeli tourists that kicked off over surf etiquette – or rather, from the perspective of the Sri Lankans, a lack of it.

Jeevan Hall, an internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan surfer, was in the lineup of the surf when he encountered an Israeli tourist repeatedly taking waves without leaving any for others. Frustrated, Hall approached the tourist – an off-duty soldier of the Israeli army – and asked him to respect the surfing code of conduct and share the waves.

What started as an innocuous request quickly escalated into a tiff. Two of the soldier’s friends, also Israeli soldiers on a break, joined in. The three started paddling around him in the water, hurling insults in Hebrew.

Other surfers rushed to support Hall, only to be met with accusations from the Israelis: “You only have issues with us because of the war.”


www.aljazeera.com

‘No more silence’: Israelis face Gaza war backlash on Sri Lanka’s beaches

For years, relations between residents and Israeli visitors were cordial, but cracks in this dynamic are now visible.
www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com
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Great from the Sri Lankans. They tend to be decent people.

These Israelis were trying to bully Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka. Wow! They should've been detained.
 
Hamas says it will return bodies of four hostages including Bibas family

Hamas says it will hand over the bodies of four hostages on Thursday, including the two youngest people held by the Palestinian armed group.

The group's negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said the bodies to be released would include those of the Bibas family - Shiri and her young children Kfir and Ariel, who were aged nine months and four years when Hamas kidnapped them during the 7 October 2023 attack.

Hamas alleges that the three were killed in Israeli bombardment. Israel has not confirmed this.

The children's father Yarden was released by Hamas earlier this month.

Al-Hayya said Hamas would also release six living hostages on Saturday – double the number originally planned.

In exchange, Israel will free all women and those under the age of 19 arrested since last October and is allowing some rubble-clearing equipment into Gaza through the border with Egypt.

In a statement, al-Hayya said the group agreed "handing over four bodies of the occupation prisoners on Thursday 20 February, including the bodies of the Bibas family."

Hamas claimed in November 2023 they had been killed in an Israeli air strike, without providing evidence. The Israeli military has not confirmed the report. Israeli officials have said only that they are gravely concerned for their lives.

An Israeli official told Reuters that deceased hostages would undergo identification in Israel before being named.

In a statement, the Bibas family said it was aware of the Hamas statement.

"In the past few hours, we have been in turmoil following Hamas spokesperson's announcement about the planned return of our Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir this Thursday as part of the hostages' remains release phase," the statement said.

"We want to make it clear that while we are aware of these reports, we have not yet received any official confirmation regarding this matter.

"Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over.

Hamas has named two of the six Israelis to be released on Saturday.

They are Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who were seized in 2014 and 2015 respectively after they crossed into Gaza on their own. The Israeli government has said both suffered from mental health issues at the time.

The families of several hostages have said that their loved ones are among those due to be released on the same day.

They are Omer Shem Tov, 22, Eliya Cohen, 27 and Omer Wenkert, 23, who were taken from the Nova Festival on 7 October 2023, and 40-year-old Tal Shoam who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be'eri.

Under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages. In exchange, Israel agreed to release about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.

Talks on progressing to the second phase of the deal - under which the remaining living hostages would be released and the war would end permanently - were due to start earlier this month but have not yet begun.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the talks would begin "this week".

He said Israel would "not accept the continued presence of Hamas or any other terrorist organisation in Gaza" but that Israel could prolong the ceasefire if discussions were productive.

"If we will see there is a constructive dialogue with a possible horizon of getting to an agreement (then) we will make this time-frame work longer," Saar said.

A total of 73 hostages are currently being held in Gaza - a mixture of Israeli soldiers and civilians both dead and alive. This also includes Thai and Nepalese nationals.

Some 251 hostages were taken by Hamas when it attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people.

Israel responded with a 15-month military offensive that killed 47,460 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, and devastated the coastal enclave.

BBC
 
globetrotter said:
www.khaleejtimes.com

UAE President rejects displacement of Palestinians from Gaza during talks with US official

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed firmly rejects attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasizing the need for a two-state solution for regional stability.
www.khaleejtimes.com

👆🏼 One more Muslim nation turning down Palestinese
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You must be an undercover Muslim sympathiser if you are approving of UAE's rejection of Palestine ethnic cleansing. 🇵🇸
 
Israel prepares to receive first dead hostages from Hamas

Hamas is to transfer to Israel the bodies of four hostages who have been held in Gaza since being taken alive in the group's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.

It has said they include a mother and two children from the Bibas family, whose unknown fate has gripped Israel since then. The youngest child, Kfir, was nine months old.

Hamas says the fourth body is that of Oded Lifshitz, 84, a veteran peace activist.

It will mark the first time the group will have handed over dead hostages since the ceasefire began last month.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said "the heart of the entire nation is torn", adding that Israel was dealing with "monsters".

Six living hostages are due to be freed on Saturday.

The news - though unconfirmed by the Israeli government - that Shiri Bibas, 33, and her sons (who would now be aged five and two) are dead triggered an outpouring of grief across the country. The government says it will only confirm the names of the dead after forensic examinations.

In a statement, the Bibas family in Israel said it was "in turmoil", adding that "until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over".

It is unclear how the four bodies will be handed over, though the Red Cross, which has received the hostages so far released alive by Hamas, has called for a dignified handover.

"We must be clear: any degrading treatment during release operations is unacceptable," it said in a statement on Wednesday night.

It follows widespread denunciation of the way in which Hamas has released hostages in recent weeks in staged events where they have been put on platforms in front on crowds of spectators before being handed over to the Red Cross representatives.

It is not known how Shiri, Kfir and his brother Ariel - if confirmed - died. Hamas claimed in November 2023 that they had been killed in an Israeli air strike, without providing evidence. At the time, then-member of Israel's war cabinet Benny Gantz said there was no confirmation of the claim.

The family were taken along with the father, Yarden, from kibbutz Nir Oz when hundreds of Hamas gunmen burst through the border with Israel and attacked communities, security forces sites and a music festival.

About 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed in the attack and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel launched a massive military campaign against Hamas in response, which has killed at least 48,297 Palestinians - mainly civilians - according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Yarden Bibas, 35, was released on 1 February along with two other hostages as part of an exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Oded Lifshitz, a retired journalist, was also taken from Nir Oz, along with this wife, Yocheved. The eighty-five year-old woman was freed by Hamas two weeks later.

Oded Lifshitz had been held by the armed Palestinian group Islamic Jihad since 7 October 2023.

The release of hostages' bodies was agreed as part of the ceasefire deal which came into effect on 19 January. Israel has confirmed there will be eight.

The two sides agreed to exchange 33 hostages for about 1,900 prisoners by the end of the first six weeks of the ceasefire.

Talks on progressing to the next phase of the deal - under which the remaining living hostages would be released and the war would end permanently - were due to start earlier this month but have not yet begun.

Twenty-four hostages and over 1,000 prisoners have so far been exchanged.

Seventy hostages taken on 7 October are still being held in Gaza. Three other hostages, taken over a decade ago, are also being held. About half of all the hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.

BBC
 
Hope Gaza becomes a safe tourist destination in future. It has great potential.
 
Hitman said:
Not happening as long as Israel annexes it.
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I have seen many great things happen in my lifetime that were once unimaginable.

For example, look at the miracles PM Modi is doing in Kashmir. He’s transforming it like no one ever has.
 
Bhaijaan said:
Hope Gaza becomes a safe tourist destination in future. It has great potential.
Click to expand...

One way to achieve this would be to move all israeli people to European and American cities, and the friends of Jewish people in those countries could pay for it. Then the Palestinians left there could turn it come to an agreement with the international community to close down all resistance movements and pass over to a govt which would emulate Dubai's leadership and turn Gaza into a wonderful tourist destination. :D
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
One way to achieve this would be to move all israeli people to European and American cities, and the friends of Jewish people in those countries could pay for it. Then the Palestinians left there could turn it come to an agreement with the international community to close down all resistance movements and pass over to a govt which would emulate Dubai's leadership and turn Gaza into a wonderful tourist destination. :D
Click to expand...

Then Lebanon, Syria will attack Palestine to take control of Israel land which is vacated by Jews ….
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
One way to achieve this would be to move all israeli people to European and American cities, and the friends of Jewish people in those countries could pay for it. Then the Palestinians left there could turn it come to an agreement with the international community to close down all resistance movements and pass over to a govt which would emulate Dubai's leadership and turn Gaza into a wonderful tourist destination. :D
Click to expand...

That could be one way of doing it.
Although political situation right now is more in favour of the US camp.

We need to find a peaceful solution to this. More sovereignty for indegenous Palestinians, demilitarisation etc
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Sorry never really sure what it is you are trying to say, since you quoted that article yesterday and totally put a false spin on it.
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Neighboring Muslim countries who r now helping Palestinese will put their claim on Israel land if Jews vacated Israel … and again fighting will continue
 
globetrotter said:
Neighboring Muslim countries who r now helping Palestinese will put their claim on Israel land if Jews vacated Israel … and again fighting will continue
Click to expand...

I think this is only happening in your overheated brain so far, but let us put that to one side and revisit it later.
 
Hitman said:
Not happening as long as Israel annexes it.
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Of course you'd support genocide and ethnic cleansing just as you were pushing debunked rumors, like the mass rape claims against Israeli settlers that even Israeli papers disproved.

UAE, Qatar, Saudi, Morocco, Egypt, Oman, Iran, Pakistan and many other are all tourist spots, none annexed by colonial religious supremacists. So it's clearly not about that. Guess it's just the last colonial project you're clinging to because of your hatred for Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi Muslims.
 
Actually that is still a very humanitarian alternative, at least the israelis won't be carpet bombed to rubble before the exodus is commenced.
 
HalBass9 said:
Of course you'd support genocide and ethnic cleansing just as you were pushing debunked rumors, like the mass rape claims against Israeli settlers that even Israeli papers disproved.

UAE, Qatar, Saudi, Morocco, Egypt, Oman, Iran, Pakistan and many other are all tourist spots, none annexed by colonial religious supremacists. So it's clearly not about that. Guess it's just the last colonial project you're clinging to because of your hatred for Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi Muslims.
Click to expand...
I think their position on Isreal and Palestine is due to a deep-seated self hate and the desperation to find some justification from their own actions in Kashmir...
 
Body returned from Gaza is not Bibas mother, Israeli military says

One of four bodies returned from Gaza to Israel on Thursday is not hostage Shiri Bibas, as claimed by Hamas, the Israeli military said.

The news that Shiri Bibas, 32, and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, who would now be aged five and two, were dead triggered an outpouring of grief in Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has informed the Bibas family that the bodies of her sons have been identified after their remains were given to Israel by Hamas on Thursday.

But the third body was not that of their mother, the IDF says.

It demanded the return of her body along with the other remaining hostages. Hamas has not yet commented on Israel's claim.

"During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body," the IDF posted on X.

"This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organisation, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages. We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages."

The IDF said that the two children "were brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023", according to intelligence and forensic findings. Hamas had said the boys and their mother were killed in an Israeli bombing.

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were aged 32, four and nine months when they were kidnapped during the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.

The children's father Yarden Bibas, 34, was released by Hamas on 1 February.

Israel has confirmed that the fourth body returned on Thursday was that of veteran peace activist, Oded Lifshitz.

The release of hostages' bodies was agreed as part of the ceasefire deal which came into effect on 19 January, and Israel has confirmed it expects eight bodies will be handed over.

The two sides agreed to exchange 33 hostages for about 1,900 prisoners by the end of the first six weeks of the ceasefire.

Talks on progressing to the next phase of the deal - under which the remaining living hostages would be released and the war would end permanently - were due to start earlier this month but have not yet begun.

Twenty-eight hostages and more than 1,000 prisoners have so far been exchanged.

Sixty-six hostages taken on 7 October are still being held in Gaza. Three other hostages, taken more than a decade ago, are also being held. About half of all the hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.

About 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed in the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023 and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel launched a massive military campaign against Hamas in response, which has killed at least 48,297 Palestinians - mainly civilians - according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Also on Thursday, three buses exploded in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, in what Israeli police said is a suspected terror attack.

Devices in two other buses failed to explode, they said, adding that "large police forces are at the scenes, searching for suspects". No casualties have been reported.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced he had ordered the IDF to carry out an "intensive operation against centers of terrorism" in the West Bank.

BBC
 
Hamas Accuses Netanyahu Of 'Procrastinating' Over Second Phase Of Gaza Truce

Hamas on Thursday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "procrastinating" on negotiations for the second phase of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, after Palestinian militants returned the bodies of four deceased hostages to Israel.

"The second phase negotiations have not practically begun, and we are ready to engage in them as stipulated in the agreement," Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou said in a statement, adding that "Netanyahu is procrastinating regarding the second phase".

The fragile truce took effect on January 19 after more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Since the first phase of the ceasefire began, 19 Israeli hostages have been released in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners.

Thursday's repatriation of hostage remains from Gaza is the first time Hamas has handed over bodies since the beginning of the truce, which has held despite accusations of violations on both sides.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Tuesday said talks would begin this week on the ceasefire's second phase, aiming to lay out a more permanent end to the war.

Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP on Wednesday that Hamas was ready to free all remaining hostages held in Gaza in a single swap during phase two.

Hamas and its allies took 251 people captive during their attack. Prior to Thursday's handover, there were 70 hostages in Gaza, including 35 the Israeli military says are dead.

That attack resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 48,319 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

AFP
 

Hostage's body not returned as remains 'mixed' in rubble, Hamas says - with Netanyahu warning group 'will pay'​


Hamas says the remains of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas appear to have been mixed with other human remains in what it claims was an "Israeli airstrike".

Israel said the body handed over by Hamas was not Shiri's, saying it had instead received the remains of an "anonymous body without identification".

Israel claimed today forensic evidence showed Shiri and her two children were murdered in captivity by Hamas. Sky News has asked the IDF to provide evidence for their claims, but they have refused to comment further.

The Palestinian group claims Shiri and her children were all killed in Israeli airstrikes near the start of the war.

Ms Bibas was kidnapped with her sons - four-year-old Ariel, and nine-month-old Kfir - from the Niz Or kibbutz during the Palestinian militant group's incursion into Israel in October 2023.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it received the bodies of Ariel and Kfir on Thursday.

However, it said the body that Hamas had claimed was their mother was not her and the group had therefore violated the ceasefire agreement.

"During the identification process, it was found that the additional body received was not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other abductee. It is an anonymous body without identification," it said in a statement.

"This is a very serious violation by the Hamas terrorist organisation, which is required by the agreement to return four dead abductees. We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all of our abductees."

Hamas said there was the "possibility of an error or overlap in the bodies" due to Israeli bombing. Hamas has said they were all killed in Israeli airstrikes near the start of the war. The group has never provided evidence to back this up. Israel says the Bibas family were murdered by Hamas in captivity.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said Israel would make Hamas pay for failing to release Shiri's body, calling it a "cruel and malicious violation".

"We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages - both living and dead - and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement," he said in a video statement.

The body of journalist and peace activist Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted, was also handed over on Thursday.

Hamas handed over the remains as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement which was reached with Israel last month.

The bodies were transferred in four black coffins in a carefully orchestrated public display as a crowd of Palestinians and dozens of armed Hamas militants watched.

Israelis lined the road in the rain near the Gaza border to pay their respects as the convoy carrying the coffins drove by.

In Tel Aviv, people gathered, some weeping, in a public square opposite Israel's defence headquarters that has come to be known as Hostages Square.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eliminate Hamas and said the four coffins meant "more than ever" that Israel had to ensure there was no repeat of the 7 October attack.

Mr Netanyahu said: "Our loved ones' blood is shouting at us from the soil and is obliging us to settle the score with the despicable murderers, and we will."

Israel's President Isaac Herzog said: "Agony. Pain. There are no words. Our hearts - the hearts of an entire nation - lie in tatters."

United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, called the parading of the four bodies "cruel" and "inhumane" in a statement on Thursday.

He said: "Under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families."

The Bibas family has become a powerful symbol of the 251 Israelis kidnapped on 7 October - not least because Kfir was the youngest taken.

The children's father, Yarden Bibas, was released on 1 February as part of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

news.sky.com

Hostage's body not returned as remains 'mixed' in rubble, Hamas says - with Netanyahu warning group 'will pay'

The Israeli military, which confirmed it had received the bodies of Ms Bibas' two young sons, has accused Hamas of a "serious violation" of the ceasefire agreement.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
 
Family of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas says new returned body is hers

The family of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas says a new body handed over by Hamas on Friday is hers.

"Our Shiri was murdered in captivity and has now returned home," the family said in a statement. Israel's forensic officials who have been examining the body are yet to confirm the identification.

Remains handed over by Hamas on Thursday which it said were that of Shiri Bibas turned out to be an unidentified woman, Israel said.

It comes as six living hostages are due to be handed over by Hamas later on Saturday as part of the ceasefire deal. More than 600 Palestinian prisoners will be freed in exchange.

The Bibas family said: "For 16 months, we sought certainty, and now that we have it, there is no comfort in it, but we hope for the beginning of a closure."

Hamas previously said the mother and her two children were killed in an Israeli air strike.

Earlier, a senior Hamas official confirmed to the BBC the handover of the new body from Hamas to the Red Cross had taken place on Friday evening.

Israel earlier accused Hamas of breaking the terms of the ceasefire deal after forensic testing showed remains handed over on Thursday were not that of Shiri Bibas.

The bodies of her sons Ariel and Kfir Bibas were returned to Israel, as was that of another hostage, Oded Lifschitz.

In a post on X on Friday, Hamas spokesman Ismail al-Thawabta said Shiri's remains seemed to have been mixed up with other bodies under rubble after the air strike.

Israel has disputed the claim that Ariel and Kfir Bibas were killed in an airstrike, with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari telling a press conference "forensic findings", which have not been seen by the BBC, suggested the boys had been killed "deliberately".

He said evidence had been shared with Israel's "partners around the world so they can verify it".

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were aged 32, four and nine months when they were kidnapped during the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.

They were taken hostage along with the children's father Yarden Bibas, 34, who was released alive by Hamas on 1 February.

In the Hamas attacks of 7 October, about 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages.

In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign against Hamas which has killed at least 48,319 Palestinians - mainly civilians - according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

BBC
 

Hamas frees six hostages in Gaza, Israel yet to release Palestinians​

JERUSALEM, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Hamas freed six hostages from Gaza on Saturday, the last living Israeli captives slated for release under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire agreement that began last month.

But hours after the Israeli hostages were handed over, Israel had yet to release the more than 600 Palestinian prisoners and detainees it had agreed to let go in exchange.

The Israeli prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reason for the delay.

Israelis Eliya Cohen, 27, Omer Shem Tov, 22, and Omer Wenkert, 23, all seized from the site of the Nova music festival in Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, were released in Nuseirat, central Gaza, to the Red Cross.

Dozens of militants stood guard in a crowd that had gathered to watch the handover, as masked Hamas men armed with automatic rifles stood on each side of the three men, who appeared thin and pale, as they were made to wave from the stage.

Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 39, were earlier released in Rafah in southern Gaza.

The Hamas-directed releases, which have included public ceremonies in which captives are taken on stage and some made to speak, have faced mounting criticism, including from the United Nations, which denounced the "parading of hostages".

Hamas rejected the criticism on Saturday, describing the events as a solemn show of Palestinian unity. It later handed over a sixth hostage, Hisham Al-Sayed, a 36-year-old Arab citizen of Israel, to the Red Cross in Gaza City with no public ceremony.

Al-Sayed and Mengistu have been held by Hamas since they entered Gaza of their own accord around a decade ago. Shoham was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri along with his wife and two children, who were freed in a brief truce in November 2023.

Sixty-three more captives, less than half of whom are believed to be alive, remain in Gaza and are due to be released under a three-phase ceasefire deal mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

Shem Tov embraced his parents tightly, laughing and crying. "How I dreamt of this," he said in a video distributed by the Israeli military.

Shoham smiled, waved and gave a thumbs up to friends who had gathered outside the hospital where he was taken.

"We've been waiting for Tal every day since October 7th," said Yael Avner, 50, one of Shoham's friends. "It's a great relief just to see him there, himself just coming back home."

Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, who is still held in Gaza, accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "dragging his feet" and trying to appease members of his coalition government who have called for a return to war.

All remaining hostages should be released together, she said.

 
Israel delays releasing 620 Palestinian prisoners

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said early on Sunday, hours after the Palestinians were to have been freed under an already fragile ceasefire deal, that the scheduled release would be delayed until the next release of Israeli hostages is secured "without humiliating ceremonies".

The six hostages freed from Gaza on Saturday were the last living Israeli captives slated for release under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire agreement that began last month.

Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Hatem Maher and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Jana Choukeir in Dubai and Rami Amichay in Tel Aviv; Writing by James Mackenzie and Maayan Lubell; Editing by Diane Craft, William Mallard, Sharon Singleton, Daniel Wallis and Cynthia Osterman.


 

Hamas says no Gaza ceasefire talks unless Israel releases prisoners​


Hamas says talks with Israel about further steps in the Gaza ceasefire deal are conditional on Palestinian prisoners being freed as agreed.

Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinians in return for six living and four dead hostages who had been freed, accusing Hamas of repeated violations including "humiliating" handover ceremonies.

A senior Hamas official said the decision exposed the entire agreement to "grave danger" and called on mediators, especially the US, to pressure Israel.

The deal's first phase and temporary six-week truce is set to expire on Saturday but indirect negotiations on the second phase and an end to the war have not yet begun.

UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the ceasefire was "precarious" and that a resumption of hostilities must be avoided at all costs.

He also called for the "dignified release of all remaining hostages".

On Saturday - the start of the sixth and final week of the ceasefire deal's first phase - Hamas released six living Israeli hostages.

As with many of the previous handovers, five of them were led onto stages beside armed fighters before being transferred to the Red Cross and then taken to Israel.

Later, Hamas posted a video of two other hostages in a vehicle watching one of the handover ceremonies and appearing to plead with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to get them out too. A forum representing the hostages' families condemned the video as a "sickening display of cruelty".

There was already fury in Israel after Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages earlier in the week, including those of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons Ariel and Kfir, who were abducted during the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel.

It emerged on Friday that Hamas had handed over the remains of a Palestinian woman rather than those of Ms Bibas. The group said there had been a mistake and transferred Ms Bibas's body later that day.

Israeli authorities also said a post-mortem had shown that Ariel and Kfir's captors killed the boys "with their bare hands", contradicting Hamas's claim that they died in an Israeli air strike.

Israel was scheduled to free 620 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the 10 hostages. More than 400 were Gazans detained by Israeli forces during the war, while 50 of the prisoners were serving life sentences in Israeli jails.

They had reportedly already boarded buses at a prison in the occupied West Bank when the order came to suspend their release while Netanyahu consulted ministers.

In the early hours of Sunday, the prime minister's office said the release would be postponed "in light of Hamas's repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes".

"It has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies."

Source: BBC
 
The Bald Eagle said:

Hamas says no Gaza ceasefire talks unless Israel releases prisoners​


Hamas says talks with Israel about further steps in the Gaza ceasefire deal are conditional on Palestinian prisoners being freed as agreed.

Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinians in return for six living and four dead hostages who had been freed, accusing Hamas of repeated violations including "humiliating" handover ceremonies.

A senior Hamas official said the decision exposed the entire agreement to "grave danger" and called on mediators, especially the US, to pressure Israel.

The deal's first phase and temporary six-week truce is set to expire on Saturday but indirect negotiations on the second phase and an end to the war have not yet begun.

UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the ceasefire was "precarious" and that a resumption of hostilities must be avoided at all costs.

He also called for the "dignified release of all remaining hostages".

On Saturday - the start of the sixth and final week of the ceasefire deal's first phase - Hamas released six living Israeli hostages.

As with many of the previous handovers, five of them were led onto stages beside armed fighters before being transferred to the Red Cross and then taken to Israel.

Later, Hamas posted a video of two other hostages in a vehicle watching one of the handover ceremonies and appearing to plead with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to get them out too. A forum representing the hostages' families condemned the video as a "sickening display of cruelty".

There was already fury in Israel after Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages earlier in the week, including those of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons Ariel and Kfir, who were abducted during the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel.

It emerged on Friday that Hamas had handed over the remains of a Palestinian woman rather than those of Ms Bibas. The group said there had been a mistake and transferred Ms Bibas's body later that day.

Israeli authorities also said a post-mortem had shown that Ariel and Kfir's captors killed the boys "with their bare hands", contradicting Hamas's claim that they died in an Israeli air strike.

Israel was scheduled to free 620 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the 10 hostages. More than 400 were Gazans detained by Israeli forces during the war, while 50 of the prisoners were serving life sentences in Israeli jails.

They had reportedly already boarded buses at a prison in the occupied West Bank when the order came to suspend their release while Netanyahu consulted ministers.

In the early hours of Sunday, the prime minister's office said the release would be postponed "in light of Hamas's repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes".

"It has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies."

Source: BBC
Click to expand...

Why is Israel not releasing those prisoners? Very absurd.
 

Israel ‘wants to extend first phase of Gaza ceasefire deal’ as talks stall​


Israel is seeking to extend the first stage of the ceasefire agreement in the war with Hamas in Gaza and is prepared to resume fighting if there is no progress in crucial talks this week, according to reports.

Israel’s Kan Radio, along with Ma’ariv, a daily newspaper, reported on Tuesday that informal talks were under way aimed at extending the first 42-day stage of the ceasefire, which expires on Saturday. Official internationally mediated negotiations on how to implement the second stage – which would involve a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory – were supposed to begin weeks ago, but have been repeatedly postponed as the fragile truce has lurched from crisis to crisis.

An extension of stage one would involve further hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees, but Israeli officials are sceptical of the idea’s workability.

The ceasefire is at an impasse before the scheduled release of four Israeli bodies on Thursday, after Israel decided to postpone freeing 600 Palestinians last weekend. That decision appears to have been prompted by a film released by Hamas on Saturday in which two hostages were forced to watch the release of other captives. The video, together with handover ceremonies in which the hostages have been paraded around by the militant group, have infuriated public opinion in Israel.

Hamas has said it will not engage with any negotiations until the 600 Palestinians whose release was delayed are freed, putting mediators under pressure to resolve the latest dispute before the next release of hostage bodies on Thursday and the expiration of stage one two days later. The group had previously said it was open to a short extension of phase one in order to keep aid flowing to the territory and talks on stage two alive.

Egypt, a key mediator between the sides, has also refused to discuss an extension of the first phase unless phase two talks begin at the same time, AP reported on Tuesday, citing two officials.

Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, is returning to the region on Wednesday. In an interview with CNN over the weekend, he said he was aiming for an extension of stage one to ensure there would be time to negotiate stage two.

In stage two of the deal, of uncertain duration, Israel is supposed to completely withdraw its forces from Gaza, in effect ending the war, and talks on future governance of the strip should begin. Reconstruction is due to begin in stage three, but the sides remain far apart on Gaza’s future.

Source: The Guardian
 
Gaza ceasefire deal impasse resolved by mediators, officials say

Israeli and Hamas officials say the latest impasse in the Gaza ceasefire deal has been resolved by mediators.

Israel had delayed the release of 600 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in protest at what it said was the cruel treatment of Israeli hostages being handed over by Hamas. Hamas said this was a serious violation of the deal.

It is now expected that the prisoners will be freed as well as another batch, possibly later on Wednesday or Thursday, in exchange for the return of the bodies of four hostages.

That would clear the way for US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to visit the region. He has said he wants Israel and Hamas to begin delayed talks on the second stage of the ceasefire.

News of the breakthrough came as thousands of Israelis gathered in the central city of Rishon LeZion to watch the funeral procession of hostages Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, whose bodies were returned by Hamas last week.

They were killed in captivity after being kidnapped during Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza.

Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday night that a delegation led by the group's Gaza leader, Khalil al-Hayya, had concluded a trip to Cairo after reaching an agreement to resolve the problem over the delayed release of the Palestinian prisoners.

"They will be released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli [hostages] agreed to be handed over during the first phase, in addition to the corresponding Palestinian women and children," it added.

Hayya also reiterated Hamas's commitment to the ceasefire deal "with all its stages and clauses".

There was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli government.

But Israeli sources told the Haaretz newspaper that the bodies of the four hostages were likely to be handed over by Hamas on Wednesday evening at the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza.

The source added that the families of the four hostages had been notified.

They were not identified, but are believed to be Shlomo Mansour, 86, Ohad Yahalomi, 50, Tsachi Idan, 50, and Itzik Elgarat, 69.

Egyptian officials said Hamas had agreed to hand over the bodies on Thursday without any ceremonies inside Gaza.

Hamas - which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US, UK and other countries - had warned earlier this week that it would not take part in indirect talks about further steps in the ceasefire unless the prisoners were released.

The 620 Palestinian prisoners - including more than 400 Gazans detained by Israeli forces during the war and 50 prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails - were supposed to have been released in return for six living and four dead hostages handed over by Hamas last week.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are supposed to be exchanged for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Gaza during the ceasefire deal's first phase, which is due to end on Saturday.

So far, 25 living hostages and four dead hostages have been released. Both Israel and Hamas have said the last four hostages are dead. Five living Thai hostages have also been freed outside the deal.

The agreement has also seen Israeli forces withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have been allowed to return to their homes in the north and hundreds of aid lorries are now being allowed into the territory each day.

The ceasefire's second phase should see the 57 remaining hostages released, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the 7 October attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

At least 48,348 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Most of Gaza's population of 2.1 million has also been displaced multiple times, almost 70% of buildings are estimated to be damaged or destroyed, the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed, and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.

BBC
 
Israeli hostage release: Hamas hands over four bodies

Hamas has handed over what it says are the bodies of four Israeli hostages from Gaza, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Israel is testing DNA samples to confirm they are the remains of Shlomo Mansour, 86, Ohad Yahalomi, 50, Tsachi Idan, 50, and Itzik Elgarat, 69, all of whom were taken by Hamas in the 7 October 2023 attacks.

Early on Thursday, Israel began releasing more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, with dozens returned to the occupied West Bank and Gaza, where they were met by jubilant crowds.

It will be the final exchange of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which is due to end on Saturday.

Israel is yet to confirm the results of DNA tests carried out on the four bodies returned as part of the exchange.

Initial tests were expected to happen close to the Israel-Gaza border, and Israeli media later reported they were transported to a forensics laboratory in Tel Aviv.

It comes after the body of a Palestinian woman from Gaza was handed over by Hamas to Israel instead of the body of Israeli Shiri Bibas last Thursday, provoking fury in Israel. Hamas said it was a misidentification and later handed a body over to Israel confirmed to be that of Bibas.

Hamas handed the bodies over privately, with no public ceremony, as Israel demanded, unlike in previous exchanges.

Israel has accused Hamas of "humiliating" handover ceremonies - and delayed last weekend's prisoner release because of what it said was the cruel treatment of hostages at the handovers.

Before Wednesday's releases, a Hamas official told the AFP news agency that the return of the four bodies would take place "without public presence to prevent the occupation from finding any pretext for delay or obstruction".

Photos released by the Reuters news agency showed a bus carrying what are believed to be Palestinian prisoners out of Ofer Prison in the West Bank late on Wednesday.

A bus carrying Palestinian prisoners later arrived at a checkpoint at the Ramallah Cultural Palace, where a large crowd has gathered to celebrate their release.

Later, dozens of Palestinian prisoners were seen getting off buses outside a hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza.

The Palestinian prisoners expected to be released include more than 400 Gazans detained by Israeli forces during the war and 50 prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails.

Along with Ofer prison in the West Bank, Israel earlier said prisoners would also be released from Ketziot prison in southern Israel.

The Hamas-run Prisoners' Media Office said a hospital in Gaza was preparing to receive the released Palestinians.

Tsachi Idan, 50, was taken away by Hamas gunmen from his home in Nahal Oz. His eldest child, Maayan - who had just turned 18 - was shot dead in the attack. In August, Tsachi's wife, Gali, told US TV that the last she had heard of her husband was a report from released hostages in November 2023.

In a statement via the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Tsachi's family said it is "with great sadness" that they have learnt "our beloved Tsachi is no longer alive and that his body will be returned to Israel during the night".

Itzik Elgarat, 69, was kidnapped from Nir Oz, and reportedly shot in the hand during the attack. His phone was traced to Gaza after the attack.

Ohad Yahalomi, 50, was abducted from Nir Oz, along with his 12-year-old son, Eitan, who was released during the November ceasefire.

In February 2025, the IDF said it had informed the family of Iraq-born Shlomo Mansour, 86, that he was killed by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and his body taken to Gaza.

The exchange is the final one before the current phase of the ceasefire deal ends on Saturday.

It remains unclear whether the truce will be extended, or progress to phase two, which would see the release of all remaining living hostages in Gaza in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners.

Negotiations for phase two were due to start during phase one - but it is believed they have yet to begin.

Wednesday's hostage release follows days of impasse between Israel and Hamas - which was resolved by mediators on Tuesday.

Israel had been supposed to release more than 600 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, in exchange for the six living and four dead hostages handed over by Hamas last week.

But Israel delayed the release, in protest at what it said was Hamas's cruel treatment of Israeli hostages as they were handed over.

Also on Wednesday, thousands of Israelis lined the roads of southern Israel for the funeral procession of three hostages who were killed in captivity in Gaza - Shiri Bibas, and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir.

Kfir, aged nine months, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was the youngest of the 251 hostages snatched in the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks. His brother, Ariel, was just four.

Shiri Bibas and her children were buried in a single casket next to the final resting place of her parents, Yossi and Margit Silberman, who lived in the same kibbutz and were killed there on 7 October.

In total, some 1,200 people were killed and 251 people taken hostage. It ignited the deadliest war in Gaza's history, in which more than 48,000 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

BBC
 
Israel has completed forensic tests confirming the identities of four dead Israeli hostages whose bodies were handed over by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners

On Wednesday night, Hamas passed four coffins to the Red Cross from Gaza. Israel's prime minister confirmed on Thursday that they contained the remains of Shlomo Mansour, 86, Ohad Yahalomi, 50, Tsachi Idan, 50, and Itzik Elgarat, 69, and said all four men had been murdered.

The handover cleared the way for the delayed release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

It was the last exchange of the six-week-long first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, leaving questions over what happens next.

Hamas has said it is ready to start delayed talks on the second phase, which aims to end the war and secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces pressures from his political allies to resume fighting and crush Hamas, has pushed for an extension of the current phase.

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy the Palestinian armed group in response to its unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

At least 48,365 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Most of Gaza's population of 2.1 million has been displaced multiple times. Almost 70% of buildings are estimated to be damaged or destroyed. The healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems have collapsed, and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.

Source: BBC
 
Gaza ceasefire deal hits critical moment as first phase ends

Where next? The first six-week phase of the Gaza ceasefire ends on Saturday.

The 42 days since 19 January have seen their fair share of uncertainty, hope, grief and anger, but everything that should have happened in that time has.

Israeli hostages - the living and the dead - have been released. Palestinian prisoners set free.

But negotiations on phase two, including the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, have barely begun.

Talks opened in Cairo on Friday but Israel's delegation returned home in the evening.

Reports suggested that negotiations would continue "at a distance" and that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to hold late-night consultations with the delegation, senior ministers and intelligence chiefs.

For such a meeting to take place late on the sabbath was highly unusual. No statements emerged from the consultations, with reports suggesting they would continue on Saturday night.

Israel appears to be looking to extend the current phase for another six weeks, to get more hostages back and release more Palestinian prisoners but without withdrawing its troops.

The government here is adamant that Hamas, the group responsible for the massacres of 7 October 2023 and the taking of 251 hostages, has to lay down its arms and relinquish any form of authority in the Gaza Strip.

Israel also says it is not yet ready to leave the Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border - a process that should have begun on Saturday.

"We will not allow the Hamas murderers to again roam our borders with pickup trucks and guns, and we will not allow them to rearm through smuggling," an unnamed Israeli official said in a statement sent to reporters on Friday.

Such anonymous quotes are often believed to come directly from the prime minister's office.


www.bbc.com

Gaza ceasefire deal hits critical moment

Talks on phase two of the agreement to release all hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops have barely begun.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Israel approves extension of Gaza ceasefire

The Israeli government has approved a temporary extension of the Gaza ceasefire for the next six weeks, covering the Muslim Ramadan and Jewish Passover periods.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office made the announcement shortly after the first phase of the previously agreed ceasefire expired at midnight on Saturday.

Netanyahu's office said that under a ceasefire proposal by US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, half of the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza - both alive and dead - would be released on the first day.

The remaining hostages would be freed "if an agreement on a permanent ceasefire is reached".

Hamas has not publicly commented on the latest Israeli move.

The Israeli government backed the ceasefire extension after a four-hour meeting called by Netanyahu.

The prime minister's office claimed that Hamas "has so far refused" to back the Witkoff plan, adding that Israel would immediately start negotiations if the group changed its position.

The US envoy's plan envisages that Israel could return to fighting after 42 days if it believed negotiations on a second phase had failed.

On Friday night, Hamas said it would not agree to any extension of phase one without guarantees from American, Qatari and Egyptian mediators that phase two would eventually take place.

Hamas seems determined to remain a force in Gaza, even if it might be willing to hand over day-to-day governance to other Palestinian actors, including the Palestinian Authority in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the BBC's Paul Adams reports from Jerusalem.

The first phase of the ceasefire that came into force on 19 January expired on Saturday.

It halted 15 months of fighting between Hamas and the Israeli military, allowing the release of 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

But negotiations on phase two, including the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, have barely begun.

There are believed to be 24 hostages alive, with another 39 presumed to be dead.

Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage.

Israel responded with an air and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip, during which at least 48,365 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

BBC
 
Israel blocks entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza

Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza as it demands Hamas agree to a US plan for a ceasefire extension.

The first phase of the ceasefire expired on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Hamas had so far refused to accept a temporary extension under a proposal by Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff.

A Hamas spokesman said blocking supplies to Gaza was "cheap blackmail" and a "coup" on the ceasefire agreement and urged mediators to intervene.

The Palestinian group wants phase two of the deal to go ahead as originally negotiated, with the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

It previously said it would not agree to any extension of phase one without guarantees from US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators that phase two would eventually take place.

A statement from Netanyahu's office said: "With the end of Phase 1 of the hostage deal, and in light of Hamas's refusal to accept the Witkoff outline for continuing talks - to which Israel agreed - Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will cease.

"Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas continues its refusal, there will be further consequences."

The Hamas spokesman said: "Netanyahu's decision to stop aid going into Gaza once again shows the ugly face of the Israeli occupation... The international community must apply pressure on the Israeli government to stop starving our people."

Late last night, Netanyahu's office said Israel had agreed to a US proposal for the ceasefire to continue for about six weeks during the Muslim Ramadan and Jewish Passover periods.

If, at the end of this period, negotiations reached a dead end, Israel would reserve the right to go back to war.

US envoy Witkoff has not made his proposal public. According to Israel, it would begin with the release of half of all the remaining living and dead hostages.

Witkoff proposed the six-week extension after becoming convinced that more time was needed to try to bridge the differences between Israel and Hamas on conditions for ending the war, according to the earlier statement from Netanyahu's office.

Israel would immediately start negotiations on this if Hamas changed its position on the six-week ceasefire extension, Netanyahu's office said.

Aid agencies confirmed that no aid trucks had been allowed into Gaza on Sunday morning.

"Humanitarian assistance has to continue to flow into Gaza. It's very essential. And we are calling all parties to make sure that they reach a solution," Antoine Renard from the World Food Programme (WFP) told the BBC.

Thousands of trucks have been entering the Gaza Strip each week since the ceasefire was agreed in mid-January. Aid agencies have managed to store supplies, which means there is no immediate danger to the civilian population from this morning's Israeli decision.

Also on Sunday, medics said four people had been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza. The Israeli military said it had attacked people who were planting an explosive device.

The first phase of the ceasefire that came into force on 19 January expired on Saturday.

It halted 15 months of fighting between Hamas and the Israeli military, allowing the release of 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

But negotiations on phase two, including the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, have barely begun.

There are believed to be 24 hostages alive, with another 39 presumed to be dead.

Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage.

Israel responded with an air and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip, during which at least 48,365 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

BBC
 

Israel ‘bears responsibility’ for hostages’ fate: Hamas​


Hamas said Sunday that Israel “bears responsibility” for the fate of hostages held in the Gaza Strip after it suspended the entry of humanitarian aid over a dispute on extending the ceasefire.

“The occupation [Israel] bears responsibility for the consequences of its decision on the population of the [Gaza] Strip and for the fate of its prisoners” held by Hamas or other armed groups, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement.

 
Arab states and UN condemn Gaza aid blockade by Israel

Several Arab states and the UN have condemned Israel for blocking the entry of all humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Egypt and Qatar said the Israeli move on Sunday violated a ceasefire deal, while UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described it as "alarming".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country acted because Hamas was stealing the supplies and using them "to finance its terror machine".

He also accused the Palestinian group of rejecting a US proposal to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, after it expired on Saturday. Israel said it had approved the proposal.

A Hamas spokesman said Israel's blockade was "cheap blackmail" and a "coup" against the ceasefire agreement.

The ceasefire deal halted 15 months of fighting between Hamas and the Israeli military, allowing the release of 33 Israeli hostages for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

In a statement on Sunday, Qatar's foreign ministry said it "strongly condemns" the Israeli decision, describing it as "a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement" and "international humanitarian law".

In Egypt, the foreign ministry accused Israel of using starvation as "a weapon against the Palestinian people", the AFP news agency reported.

Both Qatar and Egypt helped to mediate the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia expressed its "condemnation and denunciation" of the Israeli aid blockade, the foreign ministry said.

Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, wrote in a post on X: "International humanitarian law is clear: We must be allowed access to deliver vital lifesaving aid."

Netanyahu said Israel had decided to act "because Hamas steals the supplies and prevents the people of Gaza from getting them.

"It uses these supplies to finance its terror machine, which is aimed directly at Israel and our civilians, and this we cannot accept."

Hamas has previously denied stealing humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Netanyahu also said Hamas was refusing to accept a temporary extension of the ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff.

The first phase of the ceasefire came into force on 19 January and expired at midnight on Saturday.

Negotiations on phase two, meant to lead to a permanent ceasefire, the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, were due to have started weeks ago - but have barely begun.

There are believed to be 24 hostages alive, with another 39 presumed to be dead.

Phase three is meant to result in the return of all remaining bodies of dead hostages and the reconstruction of Gaza, which is expected to take years.

Hamas has previously said it will not agree to any extension of phase one without guarantees from the mediators that phase two will eventually take place.

As the first phase of the deal expired on Saturday, Netanyahu's office said Israel had agreed to Witkoff's proposal for the ceasefire to continue for about six weeks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Jewish Passover periods.

If, at the end of this period, negotiations reached a dead end, Israel would reserve the right to go back to war.

Witkoff has not made his proposal public. According to Israel, it would begin with the release of half of all the remaining living and dead hostages.

Witkoff is said by Israel to have proposed the temporary extension after becoming convinced that more time was needed to try to bridge the differences between Israel and Hamas on conditions for ending the war.

Aid agencies confirmed that no aid trucks had been allowed into Gaza on Sunday morning.

"Humanitarian assistance has to continue to flow into Gaza. It's very essential. And we are calling all parties to make sure that they reach a solution," Antoine Renard from the World Food Programme (WFP) told the BBC.

Thousands of trucks have entered the Gaza Strip each week since the ceasefire was agreed in mid-January.

Aid agencies have managed to store supplies, which means there is no immediate danger to the civilian population.

Also on Sunday, medics said four people had been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza. The Israeli military said it had attacked people who were planting an explosive device in the north of the territory.

Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage.

Israel responded with an air and ground campaign in the Gaza Strip, during which at least 48,365 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

BBC
 

Germany says Israel should ‘immediately’ let aid into Gaza​

Germany’s Foreign Ministry says Israel’s move to stop aid entering Gaza is “not a legitimate means of pressure in negotiations”.

“Unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip must be guaranteed at all times,” ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer told a press briefing.

Germany has been one of Israel’s top allies during its war on Gaza, even defending its arms transfers to the state at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Source: Al Jazeera
 
He knows its Ramadan and are also seeing Gazans starting to rebuild their homes, lives so will want to cause them pain by blocking basic items.

Its clear the israelis are using this break to give their pathetic soldiers some rest and build up their arsenal to start again.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
KingKhanWC said:
He knows its Ramadan and are also seeing Gazans starting to rebuild their homes, lives so will want to cause them pain by blocking basic items.

Its clear the israelis are using this break to give their pathetic soldiers some rest and build up their arsenal to start again.
Click to expand...

Yes. I don't think Netanyahu wants peace. It is all about Greater Israeli Project I guess.
 
Palestinians should accept the best deal they can get and move on, even if its hard to swallow.

What do you think @bones

America should cut off all funding to Israel and focus on its internal issues why are they not doing it? @deltexas
 
rpant_gabba said:
Palestinians should accept the best deal they can get and move on, even if its hard to swallow.

What do you think @bones

America should cut off all funding to Israel and focus on its internal issues why are they not doing it? @deltexas
Click to expand...
Sadly this is a completely different situation because unlike Ukraine, no one has been arming the Palestinians. The Palestinians have been on the receiving end of 70+ years of genocide. The Palestinians have not been wanting to join NATO...

America can't cut off funding to Israel because they are slaves to them. Just look at how many Zionests are in the current and previous US regimes.
 
bones said:
Sadly this is a completely different situation because unlike Ukraine, no one has been arming the Palestinians. The Palestinians have been on the receiving end of 70+ years of genocide. The Palestinians have not been wanting to join NATO...

America can't cut off funding to Israel because they are slaves to them. Just look at how many Zionests are in the current and previous US regimes.
Click to expand...
Of please. Ukraine was enslaved by the bolsheviks.

what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
 
bones said:
There is more nuance to each conflict that you care to acknowledge.
Click to expand...
nope. Violent thugs are attacking those who can't defend themselves.

those who provide assurances are not keeping their word. I'd say they are very very similar
 
rpant_gabba said:
Palestinians should accept the best deal they can get and move on, even if its hard to swallow.

What do you think @bones

America should cut off all funding to Israel and focus on its internal issues why are they not doing it? @deltexas
Click to expand...
Palestinians have rejected multiple peace deals in the past. Did I say US has to "only" focus on its "internal" issues ? I said it is country first, US interest's first. An approach with one country will not be the same as another one. Also, this is close to a 100 year conflict compared to recent Ukraine Zelensky conflicts if you dont include Crimea. Hamas is a terrorist organization that intends to wipe off Israel and US from the map. And they have refused to entertain any peace deal. They have to realize they will not get all of Israel + WB + Gaza. Its a pipe dream. Going back to this :

www.foreignassistance.gov

FA.gov

ForeignAssistance.gov is the U.S. government’s flagship website for making U.S. foreign assistance data available to the public. It serves as the central resource for budgetary and financial data produced by U.S. government agencies that manage foreign assistance portfolios.
www.foreignassistance.gov www.foreignassistance.gov

Palestine got close to 1 billion foreign aid from the US in 2024. Why do they not reject it ? For all Pak posters here - Pak used to get billion plus every year. Why did Pak not reject it ? The reality is Hamas doesnt want any peace. Israel and the United States engage in longstanding intelligence cooperation, sharing information on common security threats, collaborating on technology development, and coordinating efforts in areas such as counterterrorism. It is country first for any country. The Iron Dome, invented by Israel but produced in America, now has also become part of the U.S. Army’s defense system. Its a collaboration. Has Hamas agreed to a single peace deal ? They house Hamas terrorists in schools, hospitals etc. Do they ever spend any foreign aid on education, growth, health ?? The nearby Islamic countries have closed their borders to Palestinians. Have they ever proposed a peace proposal , a compromise idea ? No. River to the sea, want the whole land. Well, good luck with that. You are causing the suffering of millions of Palestinians by refusing to even talk about peace. Hamas started a brutal invasion in 2023 and they should expect a retaliation.
 
Also the conflict is a 100 years old one with a lot of historical baggage unlike the Ukraine one. So it will take more time to resolve. But apples to Oranges.
 
Gaza ceasefire in peril as Israel and Hamas hit impasse

The testing second stage of Gaza's ceasefire was always in doubt; now it seems to be dead at the moment it was meant to start.

Concern is mounting that war will return to this ravaged territory, deepening the profound suffering of Palestinians and threatening the lives of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

Israel, backed by the United States, says there is a new deal now, after the agreement's first phase ended on Saturday. And it has halted all humanitarian aid to Gaza until Hamas accepts this new version too.

"A flagrant violation," was Cairo's strongly worded response. Egypt as well as Qatar, the two Arab mediators in this process along with the US, have also accused Israel of violating international humanitarian law by "using food as a weapon of war".

Under the terms of the agreement, 600 trucks carrying vital humanitarian aid are meant to enter Gaza daily - and huge numbers crossed through the 42 days of the first phase.

There has also been a loud chorus of criticism from other Arab states, as well as humanitarian leaders.

UN Secretary General António Guterres, who has arrived in Cairo for Tuesday's emergency Arab summit on rebuilding Gaza, called for the "immediate" resumption of assistance. He urged "all parties to make every effort to prevent a return to hostilities".


www.bbc.com

Israel-Hamas standoff puts Gaza ceasefire in peril

Concern grows after Israel said it would block aid to Gaza unless Hamas accepted a new US proposal.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 

Hamas confirms Israel killed local leader in Jenin​

The group says Isser Saadi was among those killed in a gun battle with the Israeli forces in Jenin, northern occupied West Bank.

In an earlier statement, the Israeli army said that it had killed Saadi.

Hamas said Saadi was one of the prominent leaders of the Qassam Brigades, the group’s armed wing, adding that he survived several assassination attempts by Israel in the past.

It added the group will “remain committed to the resistance until the occupation is defeated and Palestine is liberated”.

As we’ve been reporting, Israel’s military has been carrying out a violent six-week raid in Jenin, in which dozens of Palestinians have been killed.

Source: Al Jazeera
 
Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas as US confirms direct hostage talks

US President Donald Trump has issued what he called a "last warning" to Hamas to release the hostages being held in Gaza.

"I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say," Trump said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.

It comes just hours after the White House confirmed it is holding direct talks with Hamas over the hostages.

Washington has until now avoided direct engagement with the group, and there is a longstanding US policy against having direct contact with entities it lists as terrorist organisations.


www.bbc.com

Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas over Israeli hostage release

The president also appeared to threaten civilians in Gaza, saying they would be "dead" if they held hostages.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Cricket Warrior said:
Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas as US confirms direct hostage talks

US President Donald Trump has issued what he called a "last warning" to Hamas to release the hostages being held in Gaza.

"I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say," Trump said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.

It comes just hours after the White House confirmed it is holding direct talks with Hamas over the hostages.

Washington has until now avoided direct engagement with the group, and there is a longstanding US policy against having direct contact with entities it lists as terrorist organisations.


www.bbc.com

Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas over Israeli hostage release

The president also appeared to threaten civilians in Gaza, saying they would be "dead" if they held hostages.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
Click to expand...
If only Biden did the same.
 
Gaza: Trump confirms Hamas talks as Israel imposes Al-Aqsa restrictions for Ramadan Friday prayers

President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday that a senior US official recently held direct talks with Hamas about securing the release of hostages held in Gaza, after it was revealed earlier this week that direct engagement occurred between the two for the first time in decades.

Trump said the effort was "aimed at helping Israel and that the United States would not pay for the release of captives".

The US president's comments come as his envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, accused Hamas of "not being forthright" with Washington during their recent discussions, stressing that the US wants to continue its negotiations with the group, but threatened "an alternative option that will not be good" if the negotiations fail.

This also comes after the US State Department rejected Egypt's plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, saying that the proposal "does not meet the requirements and nature of what President Donald Trump requested".

In Gaza, Palestinians are continuing to struggle with diminishing amounts of food and necessities, as well as increased prices, amid Israel's total siege and ban on the entry of humanitarian aid.

In occupied East Jerusalem, Israel has imposed restrictions on Muslim worshippers hoping to pray at Al-Aqsa, only allowing some people aged over 50 and their young children from the occupied West Bank to enter the holy compound on Fridays during the holy month of Ramadan.

A statement from Benjamin Netanyahu's office said a "limited number of Muslim worshippers" would be admitted in line with last year's arrangement, starting on Friday without specifying a number.

Those allowed are men age 55 and older, women age 50 and older and children up to age 12. They must also pass security screening and multiple checkpoints.

Source: New Arab News
 
Gaza hunger crisis could return if Israeli blockade continues, UN relief agency chief says

There is a risk that Gaza experiences another hunger crisis if Israel continues to block aid, the head of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA) in Gaza said on Monday, warning the situation is quickly deteriorating.

Israel cut aid flows of food, medicine and fuel imports earlier this month, a move it said was designed to pressure militant group Hamas in ceasefire talks. On Sunday, it announced an electricity cut, which aid groups say would deprive Gazans of clean water.

"I think the more we go ahead (with aid blockages), the more we will see the impact increasing on the population. And obviously, the risk ... is that we go back to situation we experienced months ago about deepening hunger in the Gaza Strip," said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

"Whatever the intent is, it's clearly a weaponization of humanitarian aid into Gaza," he told reporters. "We have seen the situation is deteriorating very, very quickly."

In the same press briefing in Geneva, he described the agency's financial situation as "critical and precarious".

Israel, which has long alleged that UNRWA has ties to Hamas, barred the agency from its territory in January.

Israel's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva said earlier on Monday that it is actively encouraging U.N. agencies and others to take over UNRWA's work in Gaza.

Lazzarini said the agency was subject to a disinformation campaign and that it has not seen any other groups replacing it in Gaza so far.

SOURCE:https://www.reuters.com/world/middl...ockade-continues-un-relief-agency-2025-03-10/
 
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