Tag: israel
Gazans Face an Excruciating Choice as Israel Orders Them to Evacuate
Middle East Tensions A new declaration targeted eastern Gaza City, including several areas that had been declared evacuation zones. The United Nations said 390,000 people had been displaced in recent weeks. By Adam Rasgon and Iyad Abuheweila Adam Rasgon reported from Jerusalem and Iyad Abuheweila reported from Istanbul, Turkey The Israeli military issued new evacuation…
Israel Turns Away 2 British Lawmakers
Middle East Tensions The lawmakers, Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, said they were “astounded” by the decision to refuse them entry. By Amelia Nierenberg and Isabel Kershner Amelia Nierenberg reported from London, and Isabel Kershner from Jerusalem. Britain and Israel traded sharp criticisms this weekend after Israel blocked two British lawmakers from entering the country…
Israel admits mistakes over medic killings in Gaza
Israel’s army has admitted its soldiers made mistakes over the killing of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza on 23 March. The convoy of Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances, a UN car and a fire truck from Gaza’s Civil Defence came under fire near Rafah. Israel originally claimed troops opened fire because the convoy…
Israel Hits Syria With New Strikes and Ground Raid as Tensions Soar
Syria After Civil War Israel defended the moves as necessary security measures, but Syria accused it of trying to destabilize the country. By Carlotta Gall Reporting from Damascus, Syria Syria accused Israel on Thursday of trying to destabilize the country after intense airstrikes on military bases and a deadly raid in southern Syria, part of…
Israel Announces Plans to Seize ‘Large Areas’ of Gaza as It Expands Offensive Against Hamas
Middle East Tensions The announcement suggests that Israel is shifting tactics to hold on to swaths of the territory, at least temporarily. By Aaron Boxerman Reporting from Jerusalem The Israeli government on Wednesday laid out plans to expand its renewed military offensive in the Gaza Strip and seize large parts of the enclave, a strategy…
U.N. Accuses Israel of Killing 15 Rescue Workers in Gaza
Middle East Tensions The United Nations said Israeli forces killed the people as they were trying to aid injured civilians, then buried them in a mass grave. Israel said nine of the 15 dead were Palestinian militants. By Vivian Yee and Farnaz Fassihi Vivian Yee reported from Cairo, and Farnaz Fassihi from the United Nations.…
Israel strikes multiple sites in southern Lebanon in response to rocket attack
By Kat Lonsdorf TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military said it struck multiple Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, after several rockets were fired from there toward northern Israel Saturday morning. Lebanese health officials said two people had been killed, including a child, and several more were injured. Sirens rang out in the northern Israeli…
Israel launches ‘extensive strikes’ on Gaza with at least 220 reportedly killed
The Israeli military says it is carrying out “extensive strikes” in the Gaza Strip, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting that at least 130 Palestinians have been killed. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was targeting what it called “terror targets” belonging to Hamas. Mahmoud Abu Wafah, the deputy interior minister in Gaza and…
Israel launches deadly series of attacks on Gaza
James Hider Israel has launched a wave of deadly attacks against Gaza, a move that appears to have put an end to the fragile ceasefire that came into effect almost two months ago and aimed at ending almost 16 months of war. Palestinian doctors said that at least a dozen people had been killed with…
With Cease-Fire Shaky, Israel and Hamas Consider Both Diplomatic and Military Options
Middle East Tensions As the first phase of the truce in Gaza ends, the two sides are continuing negotiations but also preparing for a possible return to war. By Adam Rasgon and Iyad Abuheweila Adam Rasgon reported from Jerusalem, and Iyad Abuheweila from Istanbul. When the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced in…
Israel Halts Aid to Gaza and Proposes New Cease-Fire Framework
Middle East Tensions Israel has called for Hamas to accept a temporary extension of the existing cease-fire deal, and to release more hostages. By Isabel Kershner Reporting from Jerusalem Israel announced on Sunday that it was immediately halting the entry of all goods and humanitarian assistance into Gaza, trying to force Hamas into accepting a…
Israel and Hamas Exchange Prisoners and Hostage Remains
Trump Administration The militant group turned over four coffins it said contained the bodies of Israeli captives, and Israel began releasing Palestinian prisoners. By Aaron BoxermanAdam RasgonNatan Odenheimer and Ephrat Livni Aaron Boxerman, Adam Rasgon and Natan Odenheimer reported from Jerusalem. Hamas turned over what it said were the remains of four Israeli hostages early…
Expanding West Bank Campaign, Israel Sends Tanks for First Time in Decades
Middle East Tensions Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, said that 40,000 Palestinian residents displaced from militant hotbeds would not be allowed to return to their homes. By Isabel Kershner Reporting from Jerusalem Israel announced on Sunday that it was expanding its weekslong military operation against armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank and had…
Israel indefinitely delays Palestinian prisoner release as hostages freed
Israel says it is indefinitely delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, in another potentially major setback in the ceasefire process. Benjamin Netanyahu said the release was now going to be delayed until the next handover of hostages by Hamas was guaranteed – and without what the Israeli prime minister called the degrading…
Israel Says It Will Keep Troops ‘Temporarily’ in 5 Points in Lebanon
Middle East Tensions The announcement raised the specter of renewed fighting in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia. By Patrick Kingsley and Euan Ward Reporting from Jerusalem and Beirut The Israeli military said on Monday that it will keep forces in five locations in southern Lebanon after a deadline for its full…
Trump’s Proposal to Expel Palestinians From Gaza Hangs Over Rubio’s Israel Trip
Trump Administration Scholars of international law say President Trump’s vision for American control of a Gaza without Palestinians would be ethnic cleansing and a war crime. By Edward Wong and Isabel Kershner Edward Wong reported from Washington, and Isabel Kershner from Jerusalem. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel…
Israel says Gaza ceasefire will end if Hamas does not free hostages by Saturday
Israel’s prime minister has warned Hamas it will end the ceasefire in Gaza and resume intense fighting if the Palestinian group “does not return our hostages by Saturday noon”. Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered Israeli forces to amass inside and around Gaza in response to Hamas’s announcement that it was postponing freeing more hostages…
Hamas blames Israel as it postpones hostage release
A spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas says the group is postponing the next scheduled release of Israeli hostages, blaming what he says are Israeli violations of the ceasefire deal. Three hostages held in Gaza are due to be freed on Saturday in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Israel’s Defence Minister…
Israel troops withdraw from corridor that split Gaza in two
Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor – a military zone cutting off the north of the Gaza Strip from the south. Hundreds of Palestinians in cars and on carts laden with mattresses and other goods began returning to northern Gaza following the pull-out – often to scenes of utter destruction. The Israeli withdrawal…
Six hostages to be freed and Gazans to be allowed north – Israel
Hamas will release six hostages this week and Israel will allow Gazans to return to homes in the north from Monday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says. The hostages include Arbel Yehud – the civilian at the centre of a row which has led to Israel delaying the return of Gazans to northern Gaza. Hamas…
Palestinians’ return on hold as Israel accuses Hamas of breaching truce deal
Thousands of displaced Palestinians have been prevented from returning to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip, after Israel blocked a main road, accusing Hamas of breaching the terms of the ceasefire deal. The dispute came after Hamas released four Israeli female soldiers – and Israel freed 200 Palestinian prisoners. But the Israeli…
Israel Welcomes the Return of the Women Who Warned of a Raid From Gaza
Middle East Middle East Middle East Young female “spotters” for Israel’s army reported suspicious activity across the border. When Hamas attacked, 15 were killed and seven abducted. Four came home on Saturday. By Isabel Kershner Reporting from Jerusalem The Israeli Army lookouts were monitoring Hamas in Gaza across a security fence from a base in…
Hamas releases 4 more hostages as part of ceasefire agreement with Israel
Jerome Socolovsky Four female soldiers taken hostage in the Oct. 7, 2023 incursion into southern Israel by fighters belonging to the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza have won back their freedom. Liri Albag, 19; Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20 and Naama Levy, 20, were handed over to representatives of the International Committee of…
Israel Embarks on an ‘Extensive’ Military Operation in the West Bank
Gaza Cease-Fire Gaza Cease-Fire Gaza Cease-Fire The announcement came shortly after President Trump rescinded Biden-era sanctions on Israeli settlers and Jewish extremists raided Palestinian villages in protest against the cease-fire in Gaza. By Isabel Kershner and Fatima AbdulKarim Reporting from Jerusalem and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank Israeli security forces on Tuesday embarked on…
33 hostages are expected to be released by Hamas as part of a ceasefire with Israel
By NPR Staff After more than 15 months of fighting, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal, raising hopes for families that their loved ones could soon return home. In the first phase of the deal, Hamas is expected to free 33 hostages over six weeks — starting with three on…
Israel and Palestinians Prepare for Long-Sought Truce in Gaza
Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Qatar, which mediated the agreement, said the cease-fire deal was set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time on Sunday. By Aaron BoxermanRawan Sheikh Ahmad and Alan Yuhas Aaron Boxerman reported from Jerusalem, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad from Haifa, Israel and Alan Yuhas from New York The…
Israel has changed since Donald Trump’s last term – has he?
Donald Trump has made an impact on the Middle East even before he sits down in the Oval Office to start his second term as president. He cut through the delaying tactics that Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in alliance with his ultranationalist coalition partners, had used to avoid accepting the ceasefire deal that Joe…
Israel delays vote to approve Gaza ceasefire deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed a cabinet vote to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal, due on Thursday, accusing Hamas of seeking last-minute changes to the agreement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a “loose end” was being tied up and that he was confident the ceasefire would still begin on Sunday as…
Israel and Hamas Near Agreement on Cease-Fire Deal, Qatar Says
Middle East Crisis Middle East Crisis Middle East Crisis The negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, appear to be making progress after months of failed attempts to achieve a breakthrough. By Adam RasgonAaron BoxermanIsabel Kershner and Ismaeel Naar Israel and Hamas appeared close to an agreement to declare a cease-fire in Gaza…
U.S. ambassador to Israel makes his final push for release of U.S. hostages from Gaza
Daniel Estrin JERUSALEM — The U.S. is seeking the release of all seven American hostages held in Gaza in negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jacob J. Lew told NPR on Friday. “We are going to do everything we can in this round to get…
Israel Strikes Ports and a Power Plant in Houthi-Controlled Parts of Yemen
Middle East Crisis Israel and its allies have escalated strikes against the Houthis to try to force them to stop firing on Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes, but it was not clear whether they would deter the Iran-backed militia. By Aaron Boxerman and Ismaeel Naar Aaron Boxerman reported from Jerusalem and Ismaeel Naar from…
Hostage Is Found Dead in Gaza Tunnel, Israel Says
Middle East Crisis The hostage, Youssef Ziyadne, an Arab Bedouin, was seized along with three grown children on Oct. 7, 2023. Two of them were released, but there is “serious concern” about the fate of the third. By Ephrat Livni The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it had discovered the body of a hostage…
Ireland Joins South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israel
Middle East Crisis Ireland had said it would intervene in the case at the International Court of Justice, arguing that Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to collective punishment. By Megan Specia Reporting from London Ireland has formally joined South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, according to a statement on Tuesday from the International Court of…
U.S. Envoy Says Israel Will Withdraw From Southern Lebanon
Middle East Crisis With the deadline looming for the terms of a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah to be met, an American diplomat on Monday said “much progress” had been made recently. By Euan Ward Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon A top U.S. envoy who helped broker the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah issued reassurance…
Hamas and Israel are negotiating the release of 34 hostages from Gaza
By Daniel Estrin , Abu Bakr Bashir TEL AVIV, Israel — Hamas has named 34 Israeli hostages in Gaza — including two dual U.S. citizens — it is willing to release in a ceasefire deal under negotiation with Israel. After more than half a year of sporadic ceasefire talks, the offer is the most serious…
Hamas Approves List of Hostages It May Free Under a Cease-Fire Deal With Israel
Middle East Crisis Israel says Hamas has not provided any information about the status of those 34 hostages, dampening any notion that the endorsement is a step toward a deal to stop the war. By Isabel Kershner and Abu Bakr Bashir Reporting from Jerusalem and London As Israeli and Hamas officials continued indirect talks on…
Middle East crisis live: Israel and Hamas wrangle over potential ceasefire and hostage deal
Israel and Hamas are wrangling over the details of a potential deal to halt Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip and return hostages home, as Palestinian officials said intensified Israeli bombardments had killed more than 100 people over the weekend. A Hamas official said the group had approved a list of 34 Israeli hostages to…
Israel Conducts Raids in Syria Amid Accusations of Cease-Fire Violations
Syria’s Civil War Four weeks after the fall of the Assad regime, Israel is pressing on with a military campaign on Syrian soil. By Ephrat Livni The Israeli military said on Sunday that it has been conducting “operational raids” in recent weeks on Mount Hermon in Syria, continuing a military campaign on Syrian soil that…
Social order in Gaza will collapse if Israel ends cooperation with UN aid agency, official says
Unrwa senior officer describes 60,000 people sheltering in school buildings sharing 12 bathrooms, but says without aid things will get worse Social order in Gaza is likely to collapse further if Israel goes ahead with its threat this month to end all cooperation with the UN refugee agency for Palestinians, Louise Wateridge, its senior emergency…
Biden plans to send $8bn arms shipment to Israel
The US Department of State has notified Congress of a planned $8bn (£6.4bn) arms sale to Israel, an American official has confirmed to the BBC. The weapons consignment, which needs approval from House and Senate committees, includes missiles, shells and other munitions. The move comes just over a fortnight before President Joe Biden leaves office.…
Israel confirms it is holding Gaza hospital chief Abu Safiya
Israel has confirmed it is holding Gaza hospital director Dr Hussam Abu Safiya after earlier telling a local NGO that it was unaware of his case, sparking concern for his well being. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statement said he was “currently being investigated by Israeli security forces” in person. The statement did not offer…
Israel sets out case to UN security council for full assault on Yemen’s Houthis
Council tells Israeli ambassador it condemns air raids that have killed Yemeni civilians as well as Houthi attacks Israel has set out its case to the UN security council for a full assault on Houthi forces in Yemen, claiming the Iranian-backed group now represents a well-armed terrorist army that threatens not just the regional economy…
Israel and Hamas Each Claim Wins in Fierce Fighting in Northern Gaza
Middle East Crisis As the renewed clashes in the north of the enclave neared the three-month mark, there was no sign of them abating. By Ephrat Livni After nearly three months of an intensified Israeli military campaign in northern Gaza to quell what Israel has said is a Hamas resurgence, fighting raged unabated on Monday,…
WHO ‘appalled’ by Israel attack on northern Gaza’s last functioning major hospital
Kamal Adwan in Beit Lahia was partially destroyed and critical patients are at grave risk, the UN body says The World Health Organization says it is “appalled” by an Israeli raid which it said had shut down and partly destroyed the last major hospital still functioning in northern Gaza. Israel’s “systematic dismantling of the health…
Israel orders remaining residents of Beit Hanoun to leave
Order triggers new wave of displacement and there are reports of damage to two more Gaza hospitals Israel has issued new evacuation orders for all remaining civilians to leave Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza as part of a blistering three-month-old campaign that Israel denies is aimed at depopulating a third of the Palestinian territory, amid…
Israel Struggles to Halt Attacks From Houthis in Yemen, Once Off Radar
Middle East Crisis news analysis Even as battles with its enemies on its borders appear to be winding down, Israel is being challenged by intensifying attacks by the Houthi militia in Yemen, 1,000 miles away. By Isabel Kershner Reporting from Jerusalem For years, the Houthis were the enemy most Israelis didn’t know they had. Now…
New leaders in Damascus call for cordial Syria ties with a resistant Israel
The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them. Hadeel Al-Shalchi DAMASCUS, Syria — The newly appointed governor of Damascus has called on the United States to use its influence to…
A Month On, a Tenuous Cease-fire Holds Between Israel and Hezbollah
Middle East Crisis Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged strikes and accusations of breaches. Implementation of the deal has been slow. But the truce has brought some calm to a tumultuous region. By Abdi Latif Dahir Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon A fragile cease-fire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has largely held for a…
Israeli attack grounds UN health chief in Yemen
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other UN staff were at Yemen’s international airport in Sanaa on Thursday during Israeli air strikes which are reported to have killed at least six people. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said they were about to board a plane when the attacks began. Houthi-run Saba…
The Fall of Bashar al-Assad’s Regime in Syria: A New Chapter Begins
As news of Assad’s departure spread, thousands of citizens poured into the streets of Damascus. Videos and images showed people waving flags, chanting slogans of freedom, and embracing the moment as a turning point for their country.
The Gaza Conflict: Genocide Accusations Spark International Controversy
The Gaza conflict, which has devastated the region for over a year, has reached a critical point with Amnesty International’s recent accusations of genocide against the Israeli government. These claims have ignited intense debate within the international community, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Context of the Ceasefire
The ceasefire agreement, which came into effect at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, mandates the withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from southern Lebanon and the repositioning of Israeli troops to their territory. Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers were deployed to oversee the truce’s implementation. However, disagreements persist over Israel’s right to respond militarily to ceasefire violations.
International News Highlights
Israel and Lebanon are reportedly close to reaching a ceasefire agreement, according to international sources. U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce the agreement within the next 36 hours. The Israeli government will vote on the truce this Tuesday.
Pope Francis Calls for International Investigation into Possible Genocide in Gaza
In a statement that has resonated globally, Pope Francis has called for a thorough investigation to determine whether Israel’s military actions in Gaza constitute genocide against the Palestinian people. This request is based on excerpts from an upcoming book where the Pontiff mentions that international experts believe the operations in Gaza exhibit characteristics of genocide.
Escalation of the Gaza Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
The United Nations has accused Israel of denying food access to northern Gaza in October, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.