Editorji is a popular short video news and information platform based in India. It was founded in 2018 by Vikram Chandra, one of India’s leading journalists, and has risen to prominence in the digital news space in a relatively short span of time. The platform is primarily designed for mobile devices, with applications available for Android and iOS.

ABOUT US:

about us editorji

Latest Video News: Editorji provides the latest news video headlines, latest videos clip from India and the World. Get all breaking news videos on Entertainment, Business, Coronavirus, Elections, Politics and more.

Latest Video News, Breaking News, Bollywood, Political, Sports, Business News | Editorji

+91 11 4035 6666 / info@editorji.com
3rd floor, Plot B, Khasara no 360, Sultanpur, New Delhi, Delhi 110030
<a title="mail to us" href="mailto:info@editorji.com">Send Feedback</a>
<a title="Contact Us" href="mailto:info@editorji.com">Contact Us</a>

REACH US

Contact for any questions, suggestions, comments, feedback or advertisement on Editorji.com, we are always looking forward to hearing from you.

Contact Us for Feedback, Suggestions and Advertising 

Editorji content is better experienced in our app.

Hamas handed over the first hostages to the Red Cross under a ceasefire deal brokered by Donald Trump, as emotional scenes unfolded in Tel Aviv and preparations advanced for a major prisoner exchange.

Hamas Releases Hostages Amid Israel-Hamas Ceasefire

Hamas Releases Hostages in Ceasefire Deal

Hamas handed over the first hostages to the Red Cross under a ceasefire deal brokered by Donald Trump, as emotional scenes unfolded in Tel Aviv and preparations advanced for a major prisoner exchange.

Hamas handed over the first seven of 20 surviving Israeli hostages to Red Cross representatives in Gaza on Monday, with a convoy of the humanitarian organisation on its way to pick up a second group.
In Tel Aviv, a huge crowd gathered to support hostage families erupted in joy, tears and song as news broke of the first releases, which came after two years of war in Gaza.
Under a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, Hamas is due to release all surviving hostages on Monday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The releases came as Trump arrived in Israel for a lightning visit ahead of a trip to Egypt for a peace summit, having declared the war "over".
"According to information provided by the Red Cross, seven hostages have been transferred into their custody, and are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip," the Israeli military and security service said.
In a later statement, the army said a Red Cross convoy was on its way to pick up a second group of hostages.
Among those gathered on Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Noga shared her pain and joy with AFP.
"I'm torn between emotion and sadness for those who won't be coming back," she said.
 - 'Nothing looked the same' -
On October 7, 2023, militants seized 251 hostages during Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel, which led to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians.
All but 47 of the hostages were freed in earlier truces, with the families of those who have remained in captivity leading lives of constant pain and worry for their loved ones.
In Gaza, too, the ceasefire has brought relief, but with much of the territory flattened by war, the road to recovery remains long.
"I returned to Sheikh Radwan with my heart trembling," 38-year-old Fatima Salem told AFP after she returned to her neighbourhood in Gaza City.
"My eyes kept searching for landmarks I had lost -- nothing looked the same, even the neighbours' houses were gone.
"Despite the exhaustion and fear, I felt like I was coming back to my safe place. I missed the smell of my home, even if it's now just rubble. We will pitch a tent next to it and wait for reconstruction."
 - 'War is over. Okay?' -
Trump's visit to the Middle East aims to celebrate his role in brokering last week's ceasefire and hostage release deal -- but comes at a precarious time as Israel and Hamas negotiate what comes next.
Under the US president's proposed roadmap, once the Palestinian militants have handed over the surviving hostages, Israel will begin releasing around 2,000 detainees in exchange.
Israel expects all 20 living hostages to be released to the Red Cross "early Monday morning", according to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One at the start of the "very special" visit, Trump brushed off concerns about whether the ceasefire would endure.
"I think it's going to hold. I think people are tired of it. It's been centuries," he said of the fighting.
"The war is over. Okay? You understand that?" the US president added.
In Israel, Trump is due to meet the families of hostages, before addressing the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem.
 - Final details -
His trip is partly a victory lap over the Gaza deal he helped broker with a 20-point peace plan announced in late September.
"Everybody's very excited about this moment in time," Trump said earlier as he prepared to board the plane at Joint Base Andrews near Washington.
Negotiators were still wrangling late Sunday over the final arrangements for the exchanges, with two Hamas sources telling AFP the group was insisting that Israel include seven senior Palestinian leaders on the list of those to be released.
Israel has previously rejected at least one of those names.
The sources said the group and its allies had nevertheless "completed all preparations" for handing over to Israel all the living hostages.
Israel does not expect all of the dead hostages to be returned on Monday.
Under the plan, Hamas is to hand over the remaining 47 hostages, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in 2014 during a previous Gaza war.
Among the prisoners to be released, 250 are security detainees, including many convicted of killing Israelis, while about 1,700 were detained by the Israeli army in Gaza during the war.
 - Peace summit -
After visiting Israel, Trump will head to Egypt, where he and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will co-host a summit of more than 20 world leaders to back his plan to end the Gaza war and promote Middle East peace.
Trump will be looking to resolve some of the huge uncertainty around the next phases of the peace plan -- including Hamas's refusal to disarm and Israel's failure to pledge a full withdrawal from the devastated territory.
Trump insisted he had "guarantees" from both sides and other key regional players about the initial phase of the deal, and the future stages.
Trump also said he would be "proud" to visit Gaza itself, but did not say when such a difficult security challenge would be possible.
A new governing body for devastated Gaza -- which Trump himself would head under his own plan -- would be established "very quickly," he added.
Under the plan, as Israel conducts a partial withdrawal from Gaza, it will be replaced by a multi-national force coordinated by a US-led command centre in Israel.
Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,806 people, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers credible.
The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.

Israel and Hamas reached a Gaza ceasefire agreement that includes releasing all remaining hostages, freeing 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and easing the humanitarian crisis after two years of conflict.

Hamas, Israel agree hostage release, ceasefire under Trump plan

Israel and Hamas reached a Gaza ceasefire agreement that includes releasing all remaining hostages, freeing 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and easing the humanitarian crisis after two years of conflict.

Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed a Gaza ceasefire deal that could free the remaining living hostages within days, in a major step toward ending a war that has killed tens of thousands and unleashed a humanitarian crisis.
The agreement, to be signed Thursday, also calls for Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as well as prompt a surge of aid into Gaza after more than two years of war started by Hamas's unprecedented October 2023 attack on Israel.
Palestinian militant group Hamas is to release all hostages while Israel would pull its troops back to an agreed on line, US President Donald Trump said after talks in Egypt on his 20-point peace plan resulted in a deal.
A source within Hamas told AFP the group will exchange 20 living hostages all at the same time for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal's first phase, with the swap to happen within 72 hours of its implementation.
Trump said he believed all the hostages would "all be coming back on Monday", adding that Washington will play a role in helping rebuild war-torn Gaza as well as keeping it safe and peaceful.
"Honestly, when I heard the news, I couldn't hold back. Tears of joy flowed. Two years of bombing, terror, destruction, loss, humiliation, and the constant feeling that we could die at any moment," displaced Gazan Samer Joudeh told AFP.
"Now, we finally feel like we're getting a moment of respite," he added.
Qatar said the deal was the "first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid".
The hostages are to be freed in exchange for 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,700 others arrested by Israel since the war began, added source within Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would bring the hostages home "with God's help", and an official source added the premier's cabinet would meet Thursday to approve the deal.
Trump said earlier that he may travel to the Middle East this week as a deal was "very close".
The fast-paced developments came after AFP journalists saw US Secretary of State Marco Rubio interrupt an event at the White House on Wednesday and hand Trump an urgent note about the progress of the negotiations in Egypt.
"I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday," Trump said, adding that he was "most likely" to turn up in Egypt but would also consider going to war-torn Gaza.
Trump's plan called for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages held in Gaza, Hamas's disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.
 - 'Optimism prevails' -
Hamas had submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants released from Israeli jails in the first phase of the truce.
In exchange, Hamas is set to free the remaining 47 hostages, both alive and dead, who were seized in its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which sparked the war.
Hamas said it would be joined by delegations from Islamic Jihad -- which has also held some of the hostages in Gaza -- as well as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The negotiations were taking place under the shadow of the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Militants also took 251 people hostage into Gaza, where 47 remain, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,183 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.
The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.
The territory's civil defence agency, a rescue force operating under Hamas's authority, said the bombardment of Gaza had not stopped in the hours before the deal. An AFP journalist in Israel near the Gaza border reported hearing multiple explosions in the morning.
 - Protests, prisoners -
Global pressure to end the war has escalated, with much of Gaza flattened, a UN-declared famine unfolding and Israeli hostage families still longing for their loved ones' return.
One key to the negotiations was the names of the Palestinian prisoners Hamas pushed for.
High-profile inmate Marwan Barghouti -- from Hamas's rival, the Fatah movement -- is among those the group wanted to see released, according to Egyptian state-linked media.
Hamas's top negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, also said the Islamist group wants "guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all".

Israel and Hamas resumed peace talks in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh, marking two years since the Gaza war began. The Trump-backed plan aims for a ceasefire, hostage release, and Gaza disarmament.

Israel-Hamas Peace Talks Resume Amid Tensions in Gaza

Israel-Hamas Peace Talks in Egypt

Israel and Hamas resumed peace talks in Egypt&rsquo;s Sharm el-Sheikh, marking two years since the Gaza war began. The Trump-backed plan aims for a ceasefire, hostage release, and Gaza disarmament.

Peace talks between Israel and Hamas were resuming at an Egyptian resort city on Tuesday, the two-year anniversary of the militant group's surprise attack on Israel that triggered the bloody conflict that has seen tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza.
The second day of indirect negotiations in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is focused on a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump last week that aims to bring about an end to the war in Gaza.
After several hours of talks on Monday, an Egyptian official with knowledge of the discussions said the parties agreed on most of the first-phase terms, which include the release of hostages and establishing a ceasefire. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meetings.
The plan has received widespread international backing, and Trump told reporters on Monday that he thought there was a &ldquo;really good chance&rdquo; of a &ldquo;lasting deal.&rdquo; &ldquo;This is beyond Gaza,&rdquo; he said. "Gaza is a big deal, but this is really peace in the Middle East." Trump's peace plan Many uncertainties remain, however, including the demand that Hamas disarm and the future governance of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long said Hamas must surrender and disarm, but Hamas has not yet commented on whether it would be willing to.
The plan envisions Israel withdrawing its troops from Gaza after Hamas disarms, and an international security force being put in place. The territory would then be placed under international governance, with Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251.
The devastating war that has ensued has upended global politics, resulted in the deaths of 67,160 Palestinians, nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and has left the Gaza Strip in ruins.
The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says more than half of the deaths were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
A growing number of experts, including those commissioned by a UN body, have said Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip amounts to genocide - an accusation Israel vehemently denies.
On Tuesday, in the area attacked by Hamas two years ago, thousands of Israelis gathered to pay tribute to their loved ones who were killed and kidnapped. An explosion from Gaza echoed across the fields as they reflected, following the launch of a rocket in northern Gaza. No damage or injuries were reported.
In Gaza City, meanwhile, residents said Israeli attacks continued until the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, though there were no immediate reports of casualties.
A promise of humanitarian relief Ahead of the resumption of talks on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the hostilities, which have created "a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale that defied comprehension.&rdquo; &ldquo;The recent proposal by US President Donald J. Trump presents an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end,&rdquo; Guterres said.
&ldquo;A permanent ceasefire and a credible political process are essential to prevent further bloodshed and pave the way for peace. International law must be respected.&rdquo; Mediators from Qatar and Egypt were facilitating the talks, meeting first on Monday with members of the delegation from Hamas, then later with those from Israel.
Israel's delegation included Gal Hirsch, coordinator for the hostages and the missing from Netanyahu's office, while Hamas representatives included Khalil Al-Hayya, the group's top negotiator.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Monday that US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were on hand to take part in the talks and keep the president apprised.
She did not comment on a specific deadline for concluding the talks, but said it is important &ldquo;that we get this done quickly.&rdquo; Part of the plan is to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza, where more than two million Palestinians are facing hunger and in some areas famine.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the organisation was poised and ready to act.
&ldquo;The machinery is cranked up and ready to go as soon as we get the green light,&rdquo; Dujarric said. &ldquo;There are many thousands of metric tons in the pipeline of goods ready to enter&rdquo; from Jordan, the Israeli port of Ashdod and elsewhere, he added.&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expresses gratitude to US President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden for their role in facilitating the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal. 

Netanyahu thanks Trump and Biden for facilitatingIsrael-Hamas ceasefire deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expresses gratitude to US President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden for their role in facilitating the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal.&nbsp;

Following the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had discussions with both US President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, expressing gratitude for their support in facilitating the deal.&nbsp;
Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel's commitment to securing the return of all hostages and praised Trump for stressing the importance of preventing Gaza from becoming a terrorist stronghold. Both leaders agreed to meet soon in Washington to further discuss these matters. ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/qatar-us-announce-gaza-truce-hostage-release-deal-1736998994783" target="_blank">Qatar, US announce Gaza truce, hostage release deal</a> 
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office shared an update on social media, stating, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for his help in advancing the hostages' release and for supporting Israel in bringing an end to the suffering of the hostages and their families." The post continued, "The Prime Minister emphasized his commitment to returning all hostages and commended President-elect Trump for his remarks that the US would collaborate with Israel to ensure Gaza is not a safe haven for terrorism. The two leaders decided to meet soon in Washington to discuss this and other pressing issues."
Netanyahu also expressed gratitude to President Biden for his assistance in advancing the hostage deal, with the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office adding, "Prime Minister Netanyahu then spoke with US President Joe Biden and thanked him for his help in advancing the hostages deal."
In response to the ceasefire announcement, Trump shared his thoughts on social media, emphasizing the role his administration's victory played in facilitating the deal.
"This epic ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our historic victory in November, as it signaled to the world that my administration would pursue peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans and our allies," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I am thrilled that American and Israeli hostages will return home to be reunited with their families and loved ones."&nbsp;
He also remarked, "We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine what we will accomplish once I return to the White House, and my administration is fully confirmed to secure more victories for the United States."
Trump praised the efforts of his National Security team, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and emphasized the importance of maintaining "peace through strength" in the region.&nbsp;
"With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to ensure Gaza never becomes a terrorist sanctuary. We will continue promoting peace through strength throughout the region, building on the momentum of this ceasefire to expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America and the world," he concluded.
President Biden also acknowledged the difficulty of negotiating the deal. "The road to this deal has not been easy. I have worked in foreign policy for decades - this has been one of the toughest negotiations I have ever experienced. And we reached this point because of the pressure Israel put on Hamas, backed by the United States," Biden said when announcing the deal, which aims to end over 15 months of conflict.&nbsp;
The agreement includes a full ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages, including Americans.

Qatar and the United States brokered a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, including the release of hostages, with the hope of permanently ending the war in Gaza.

Qatar, US announce Gaza truce, hostage release deal

Qatar and the United States brokered a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, including the release of hostages, with the hope of permanently ending the war in Gaza.

Qatar and the United States announced Wednesday a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, adding that they hoped it would pave the way for a permanent end to the war in Gaza.
After mediators said a deal had been reached, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the "final details" were being worked on.
Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to thank them for their help securing the agreement, his office said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, said the deal was the "right move" to bring back hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war.
That attack, the deadliest in Israeli history, resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Israel's ensuing campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing 46,707 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the UN considers reliable.
Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 20 people were killed in Israeli strikes after the agreement was announced.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani told a press conference Wednesday that the "two belligerents in the Gaza Strip have reached a deal", adding that the ceasefire between them would take effect on Sunday.
"We hope that this will be the last page of the war, and we hope that all parties will commit to implementing all the terms of this agreement," he said.
Biden, meanwhile, said he was "deeply satisfied this day has come", calling the negotiations some of the "toughest" of his career.
He added that an as-yet unfinalised second phase of the agreement would bring a "permanent end to the war", saying he was "confident" the deal would hold.
Demonstrators in Tel Aviv calling for the release of the hostages embraced as news of the agreement spread, while thousands across Gaza celebrated the reported deal.
"I can't believe that this nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end. We have lost so many people, we've lost everything," said Randa Sameeh, a 45-year-old displaced from her home in Gaza City.
Hamas said the ceasefire was the "result of the legendary steadfastness of our great Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip".
Pressure to put an end to the fighting had ratcheted up in recent days as mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States intensified efforts to cement an agreement.
Qatar's Sheikh Mohammed said the three countries would monitor the implementation of the ceasefire via a body based in Cairo.
During the initial 42-day ceasefire, 33 hostages would be released, he said, "including civilian women and female recruits, as well as children, elderly people, as well as civilian ill people and wounded".
Also in the first phase, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza's densely populated areas to allow for the exchanges, as well as "the return of the displaced people to their residences", he said.
The number of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for the Israeli hostages in the second and third phases would be "finalised" during the initial 42 days, he said.
&nbsp;
- Trump hails deal -
Biden said the deal would "surge much needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families".
In his televised remarks, Israel's Herzog said there was "no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us -- whether to recover at home, or to be laid to rest".
Palestinian militants took 251 people hostage during the October 7 attack, 94 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
The agreement came after months of failed bids to end the deadliest war in Gaza's history, and days ahead of the inauguration of Biden's successor Trump, who hailed the deal even before it was officially announced by the White House.
Envoys from both Trump's incoming administration and Biden's outgoing one had been present at the latest negotiations.
"This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November" in the US election, Trump said on social media.
The president-elect added that his White House would "continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven".
But one far-right member of Netanyahu's cabinet, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, said ahead of a vote on the agreement that it was a "bad and dangerous deal for the security of the State of Israel".
&nbsp;
- Aid needed -
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pointed to the "importance of accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid" into Gaza as he welcomed news of the deal.
Egypt's state-linked Al-Qahera news outlet cited a security source as saying coordination was "underway" to reopen the Rafah crossing on Gaza's border with Egypt to allow the entry of aid.
The UN's Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, facing an Israeli ban on its activities set to take effect later this month, has said it will continue providing much-needed aid.
UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini welcomed news of the deal in a post on X.
"Many have been hoping for this moment for the past 15 months," he said. "What's needed is rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access and supplies to respond to the tremendous suffering caused by this war."

Miller said that the Biden administration would work "over the coming days" with fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar "to push for a final agreement".

US 'will push for final Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal', says it opposes IDF presence in Gaza

Miller said that the Biden administration would work "over the coming days" with fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar "to push for a final agreement"

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Tuesday that it was time to "finalise" a deal between Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza war.&nbsp;
Talking to reporters, Miller said that Biden would work "over the coming days" with fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar "to push for a final agreement".
He was speaking after Netanyahu rejected "concessions" in indirect negotiations with Hamas, despite growing domestic and international pressure following the recovery by Israel's military of six killed hostages from the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
"It is time to finalise that deal," Miller said.
The United States on Tuesday unsealed a raft of "terrorism" and other charges against six Hamas leaders related to the group's October 7 attack on Israel which sparked the war in Gaza.
Those targeted in the February charges include Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh, who had been engaged in truce talks when he was killed in July in an attack blamed on Israel.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk called for an "independent, impartial and transparent investigation" into reports that the six captives recovered dead from Gaza had been summarily executed.
Despite increasing grief and fury among Israelis, who have taken to the streets to pressure the government and express concern for the fate of the hostages, Netanyahu said he would "not give in to pressure".
(With AFP inputs)

Police investigate a possible terror attempt, after a deadly bomb blast in Tel Aviv on the day US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived.

Deadly Tel Aviv Blast Triggers Terror Probe As Israel Braces For Iran, Hezbollah Attacks

Police investigate a possible terror attempt, after a deadly bomb blast in Tel Aviv on the day US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived.

Israeli Police are investigating a possible terror attempt, after a bomb blast killed a man and injured another in Tel Aviv.
The unidentified man in his fifties wo was killed was said to carrying the explosive device. Another man, passing by on a scooter, suffered injuries and has been hospitalised.
The blast happened on the day US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv to push for a Gaza ceasefire deal.

Ismail Haniyeh was considered Hamas' chief diplomat who was engaged in negotiations with Israel for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. His assassination puts peace talks at risk and strengthens hardliners in the Hamas.

How Ismail Haniyeh assassination derails Gaza ceasefire negotiations

Ismail Haniyeh was considered Hamas' chief diplomat who was engaged in negotiations with Israel for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. His assassination puts peace talks at risk and strengthens hardliners in the Hamas.

The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran deals a severe blow to ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.&nbsp;
For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been engaged in tense discussions with Israel and Hamas to stop fighting in the Palestinian territory, and release Israeli and foreign hostages still held by Hamas. Haniyeh was Hamas' man at the table for these negotiations.
Diplomats viewed Haniyeh as a relatively pragmatic, moderate leader who was well regarded by warring factions of the Palestinian resistance. He was among the few Palestinian leaders willing to consider reconciliation and peace with Israel.
Conflict resolution experts argue that Haniyeh's assassination kills peace talks and strengthens hardliners in the Hamas, like the group's military chief Yahya Sinwar.&nbsp;

The annual "Children and Armed Conflict" report is not due to be published until the June 18, but Israel got private notification of the inclusion.

Israel 'disgusted' at inclusion on new UN human rights blacklist

The annual "Children and Armed Conflict" report is not due to be published until the June 18, but Israel got private notification of the inclusion.

The upcoming inclusion of Israel on a UN list of countries and armed forces determined to be failing to protect children in war prompted a furious Israeli response Friday.
The annual "Children and Armed Conflict" report from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is not due to be published until June 18, but Israel's UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, spoke out after receiving private notification of the inclusion.
"I am utterly shocked and disgusted by this shameful decision," Erdan said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on his X social media account that the UN "put itself today on history's blacklist when it adopted the absurd claims of Hamas."
"The IDF is the most moral military in the world and no 'flat earth' decision by the UN secretary-general can change that," he wrote, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, said adding Israel to the "list of shame" would not restore the lives of children killed or left permanently disabled in Israeli military attacks.
"But it is an important step in the right direction towards ending the double standards and the culture of impunity Israel has enjoyed for far too long and that left our children vulnerable," he said on X.
A diplomatic source told AFP that Hamas and another Palestinian militant group, Islamic Jihad, would also appear on the list.
Erdan lashed out at Guterres personally, saying: "The only one who is blacklisted today is the secretary-general."
"Now Hamas will continue even more to use schools and hospitals because this shameful decision of the secretary-general will only give Hamas hope," he said.
Gaza is suffering through a war which broke out after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,731 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. Of those, some 15,000 have been minors, according to Gaza's government press office.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/yemen-s-houthi-rebels-detain-at-least-9-un-staffers-and-others-in-sudden-crackdown-report-1717765381335">Yemen's Houthi rebels detain at least 9 UN staffers and others in sudden crackdown: report</a>

The Ivy League institution said it would forego the university-wide ceremony, and hold a series of smaller school-based events instead.

Columbia University cancels main graduation ceremony due to Gaza protests

The Ivy League institution said it would forego the university-wide ceremony, and hold a series of smaller school-based events instead.

Columbia, the prestigious New York university at the heart of US campus protests against the war in Gaza, announced Monday that it has canceled the main ceremony for graduating students next week.
The Ivy League institution said it would "forego the university-wide ceremony that is scheduled for May 15" and hold a series of smaller events instead.
"We are determined to give our students the celebration they deserve, and that they want," Columbia announced, saying "smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families."
"We will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly. A great deal of effort is already underway to reach that goal," the university said.
Demonstrations against Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza have rocked campuses across the United States for weeks, prompting crackdowns, mass arrests, and a White House directive to restore order.
Last week, police evicted protesters occupying a Columbia University building and cleared out an unauthorized encampment on the campus lawn.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/sunita-williams-to-carry-this-as-her-lucky-charm-during-her-third-journey-into-space-1715007092279">Sunita Williams to carry THIS as her lucky charm during her third journey into space</a>

The protests, which began last week at Columbia University, have spread to other campuses, including Yale, MIT and Harvard.

Tensions flare at US universities over Gaza protests

The protests, which began last week at Columbia University, have spread to other campuses, including Yale, MIT and Harvard.

Tensions flared between pro-Palestinian student protesters and school administrators at several US universities Monday, as in-person classes were cancelled and demonstrators arrested.
The protests, which began last week at Columbia University with a large group of demonstrators establishing a so-called "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on school grounds, have spread to other campuses, including Yale, MIT and others.
Some Jewish students at Columbia have reported intimidation and anti-Semitism amid the days-long protest, which is calling for the prestigious New York institution to divest from companies with ties to Israel.
Classes were moved online Monday, with university president Nemat Shafik calling for a "reset" in an open letter to the school community.
"Over the past days, there have been too many examples of intimidating and harassing behavior on our campus," she said.
"Anti-Semitic language, like any other language that is used to hurt and frighten people, is unacceptable and appropriate action will be taken.
"To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday," she added.
Last week, more than 100 protesters were arrested after university authorities called the police onto the private campus Thursday, a move that seemingly escalated tensions and sparked a greater turnout over the weekend.
Mimi Elias, a social work student who was arrested, told AFP on Monday: "We are going to stay until they talk to us and listen to our demands."
"We don't want anti-Semitism or Islamophobia. We are here for the liberation of all," Elias said.
Joseph Howley, an associate professor of classics at Columbia, said the university had reached for the "wrong tool" by involving police, which had attracted "more radical elements that are not part of our student protests."
"You can't discipline and punish your way out of prejudice and community disagreement," Howley told AFP.
Further downtown, police began detaining protesters who had set up their own encampment at New York University at around 8:30 pm, the New York Times reported, after the school called the students' behavior "disorderly, disruptive, and antagonizing."
There were also demonstrations at MIT, the University of Michigan and Yale, where at least 47 people had been arrested on Monday after refusing requests to disperse.
"The university made the decision to arrest those individuals who would not leave the plaza with the safety and security of the entire Yale community in mind," the Ivy League university said in a statement.
At Harvard, university officials on Monday suspended the Palestinian Solidarity Committee, the student group said on Instagram.
They were ordered to "cease all organizational activities" for the rest of the term, or risk permanent expulsion after holding an unregistered demonstration last week, student newspaper the Harvard Crimson reported, citing an email to the group.
Universities have become the focus of intense cultural debate in the United States since Hamas's October 7 attack and Israel's overwhelming military response, as a humanitarian crisis grips the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/india-news/india-4th-largest-military-spender-in-world-after-us-china-and-russia-sipri-report-1713844289915">India 4th largest military spender in world after US, China and Russia: SIPRI report</a>

Allegations of human rights violations against Israeli army's ultra-Orthodox Netzach Yehuda battalion precede the deadly October 7 attacks by Hamas.

US hints at sanctions against Israel's Netzach Yehuda over alleged abuses in West Bank

Allegations of human rights violations against Israeli army's ultra-Orthodox Netzach Yehuda battalion precede the deadly October 7 attacks by Hamas.

The United States appears close to sanctioning an Israeli military unit over alleged human rights violations in the West Bank, a move the Israeli prime minister angrily denounced as "the height of absurdity."
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted at such steps when asked by a reporter in Italy about reports that his department had recommended cuts in military aid to an Israeli unit involved in violent incidents in the West Bank.
The allegations precede the deadly October 7 attacks by Hamas on southern Israel.
Blinken, without providing details, said his department was conducting investigations under a law that prohibits sending military aid to foreign security units that violate human rights with impunity.
He then added: "I think it's fair to say that you'll see results very soon. I've made determinations; you can expect to see them in the days ahead."
In late 2022, the State Department directed embassy staff in Israel to investigate alleged abuses in the West Bank by the army's ultra-Orthodox Netzach Yehuda battalion.
That included a January 2022 incident when a 78-year-old Palestinian American died of a heart attack after being detained.
Although the allegations precede the Hamas attacks and Israel's retaliatory war in Gaza, the suggestion of any sanctions against Israeli forces drew an angry response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"In recent weeks, I have been working against the imposition of sanctions on Israeli citizens, including in my conversations with senior American government officials," he posted late Saturday on social media platform X.
"At a time when our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terror, the intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low. The government headed by me will act by all means against these moves."
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant similarly slammed the possibility of sanctions, after discussing the issue with army chief Herzi Halevi.
"The commanders and troops of the Netzach Yehuda battalion operate on the frontline &ndash;- since the outbreak of the war, they have been working to push Hezbollah forces from the northern border, to thwart terrorism in Judea and Samaria, and most recently, they are operating to dismantle Hamas brigades in Gaza," he said, adding that they were operating in line with international law and the Israeli military's values.
He urged Washington "to withdraw its intention to impose sanctions" on the battalion.
The Axios website, citing three US sources with knowledge of the matter, reported Saturday that Blinken was expected to announce sanctions against the battalion "within days."
It said the sanctions would ban the unit from receiving any US military aid or training.
An earlier report from ProPublica said a special State Department panel had recommended in December that Blinken disqualify several military and police units serving in the West Bank from receiving any US aid.
The latest developments came even as the US House of Representatives on Saturday overwhelmingly approved a bill to provide $26 billion in new emergency aid to Israel.

The move to target violent settlers in the West Bank comes two months after the United States and Britain took similar steps.

EU sanctions four 'extremist' Israeli settlers 

The move to target violent settlers in the West Bank comes two months after the United States and Britain took similar steps.

The European Union on Friday imposed sanctions on four "extremist" Israeli settlers and two groups over violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, Brussels said.
The decision was the second part of an agreement among EU member states that saw Palestinian Islamists Hamas last week sanctioned over sexual violence during the October 7 attack on Israel.
The move to target violent settlers in the West Bank comes two months after the United States and Britain took similar steps.
The EU put two "radical" organisations Lehava and the Hilltop Youth on its asset freeze and visa ban blacklist for their attacks on Palestinians.
It also included Hilltop Youth leaders Meir Ettinger and Elisha Yered, along with settlers Neria Ben Pazi and Yinon Levi.
"The listed individuals and entities are responsible for serious human rights abuses against Palestinians," said an EU statement.
It said abuses included "torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" and "the violation of right to property and to private and family life of Palestinians in the West Bank."
The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has seen a surge in violence in the past year, particularly since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in Gaza.
At least 468 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers across the West Bank since the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel that triggered the war, according to official Palestinian sources.

The UN agencies were conducting an assessment mission in Khan Yunis, after Israeli forces withdrew last week.

UN agency finds 1,000-pound unexploded bombs in Gaza schools

The UN agencies were conducting an assessment mission in Khan Yunis, after Israeli forces withdrew last week.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Tuesday it had found unexploded 1,000-pound bombs inside schools after Israel pulled troops out of southern Gaza's main city Khan Yunis.
The Israeli army has carried out relentless air strikes and bombardments in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7.
UN agencies led an "assessment mission" in Khan Yunis after Israeli forces withdrew from the embattled city last week, UNRWA said.
It found "significant challenges in operating safely due to the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXOs), including 1,000-pound bombs inside schools and on roads".
"Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) require a range of lifesaving assistance, including health, water and sanitation, and food," it said.
Earlier this month, the United Nations said it would take "millions of dollars and many years to decontaminate the (Gaza) Strip from unexploded munitions".
"We work off the rule of thumb that 10 percent of ordnance doesn't function as designed," UN Mine Action Service chief Charles Birch said in a statement earlier this month.
"We estimate that, to begin the clearance of Gaza, we need around $45 million."
The October 7 Hamas attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,843 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

The Israeli military said its aircraft struck and eliminated Ismail Yusef Baz, the commander of Hezbollah's coastal sector.

Israel kills local Hezbollah commander in Lebanon strike

The Israeli military said its aircraft struck and eliminated Ismail Yusef Baz, the commander of Hezbollah's coastal sector. 

The Israeli military said its aircraft struck and eliminated Ismail Yusef Baz, the commander of Hezbollah's coastal sector.

An Israeli strike killed a local Hezbollah commander in south Lebanon on Tuesday, the Israeli army and a source close to the powerful Iran-backed movement said.
Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah have been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire since the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel on October 7, triggering war in the Gaza Strip.
Tuesday's strike came with regional tensions high after Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel over the weekend in retaliation for a deadly Israeli strike on Tehran's consulate in Damascus.
The Israeli military said its "aircraft struck and eliminated Ismail Yusef Baz, the commander of Hezbollah's coastal sector", adding he was killed in the Ain Baal area.
The official National News Agency reported one dead in an Israeli strike on a car in Ain Baal, about 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the border, later saying "enemy warplanes" struck two cars in Shehabiya, about 10 kilometres from Ain Baal, reporting casualties.
Hezbollah announced in a statement that Baz had been killed, without mentioning his rank or role.
But a source close to the group told AFP that "the field commander in charge of the Naqura region" had been killed "in an Israeli strike".
Hezbollah said it launched Katyusha rockets on a base in northern Israel's Beit Hillel "in response to the Israeli enemy's attacks" on Lebanese villages, "the latest of which was in Ain Baal".
Earlier Tuesday, Hezbollah claimed an attack on Beit Hillel using explosive drones, with local Israeli authorities saying three people were wounded.
The Israeli military said "two armed" drones entered from Lebanon and exploded near Beit Hillel.
Hezbollah had said its fighters launched an "air attack with suicide drones in two phases... striking the Iron Dome (air defence system) platforms and their crew" in the area.
On Monday, Hezbollah targeted Israeli troops with explosive devices, wounding four soldiers who crossed into Lebanese territory -- the first such attack in six months of clashes.
The violence has killed at least 365 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 70 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
In Israel, the military says 10 soldiers and eight civilians have been killed since hostilities began.
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled their homes on both sides of the border.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/death-to-america-chants-raised-in-massive-pro-palestine-protest-in-new-york-1713249235750">'Death to America' chants raised in massive pro-Palestine protest in New York</a>

The Israeli army said its fighter jets struck a significant Hezbollah weapons manufacturing site.

Israel strikes Hezbollah site in east Lebanon

The Israeli army said its fighter jets struck a significant Hezbollah weapons manufacturing site.

Israel Sunday struck a Hezbollah site in Lebanon's east near the Syrian border, the Israeli army and a source from the Iran-backed group said, as tensions soared after Iran directly attacked Israel.
The Hezbollah source told AFP that "the Israeli strike targeted an area... near Baalbek and targeted a two-storey building belonging to Hezbollah," adding there were no casualties.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that "an enemy air strike targeted a building" in the village of Nabi Sheet and "destroyed it".
An AFP photographer at the site saw the concrete and steel wreckage of the building, levelled in the attack.
The Israeli army said in a statement that in response to launches overnight, "fighter jets struck a significant Hezbollah weapons manufacturing site" in the Nabi Sheet area "deep inside Lebanon".
Earlier Sunday, Hezbollah said it had twice launched barrages of Katyusha rockets towards the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, saying they were in response to Israeli attacks on "villages and towns" in Lebanon.
It has launched similar barrages in the past, but Sunday's launches coincided with a major Iranian drone and missile attack against Israel.
The Iranian attack was in response to an April 1 air strike widely blamed on Israel that destroyed an Iranian consulate building in Damascus, killing seven Revolutionary Guards, including two generals.
Hamas ally Hezbollah has exchanged near-daily cross-border fire with Israel since the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel on October 7, triggering war in the Gaza Strip.
The violence, which has largely been contained to the Israeli-Lebanese border area, has killed at least 364 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 70 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
Hezbollah on Sunday said one of its fighters from south Lebanon's Khiam had been killed, without specifying where or when he died.
The Israeli army had also said its fighter jets struck Hezbollah "military structures" in south Lebanon overnight, including in Khiam.
The NNA reported Israeli attacks on various locations in south Lebanon overnight, and at least one strike on Sunday afternoon.
In Israel, the military says 10 soldiers and eight civilians have been killed since hostilities began.
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled their homes on both sides of the border.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/biden-told-netanyahu-us-will-not-engage-in-counteroffensive-against-iran-report-1713086770916">Biden told Netanyahu US will not engage in counteroffensive against Iran: report</a>

China: Israel-Iran escalation a spillover of war on Gaza

The foreign ministry spokesperson also said there should &ldquo;no more delays&rdquo; in implementing a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

In response to Iran&rsquo;s retaliatory attacks on Israel, China has called to &ldquo;exercise calm and restraint&rdquo;.&nbsp; Chinese Foreign Ministry said the &ldquo;ongoing situation&rdquo; is the &ldquo;latest spillover of the Gaza conflict&rdquo; that "must end now&rdquo;.
The foreign ministry spokesperson also said there should &ldquo;no more delays&rdquo; in implementing a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Tensions between the rival powers have flared after Iranian generals were killed in an Israeli strike in Syria.

War on Gaza raging, Israel mulls opening Tehran front? Foreign minister said this

Tensions between the rival powers have flared after Iranian generals were killed in an Israeli strike in Syria.

Israel's foreign minister threatened Wednesday that its country's forces would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel, as tensions between the rival powers flare following the killings of Iranian generals in a blast at the Iranian consulate in Syria.
&ldquo;If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,&rdquo; Israel Katz said in a post on X in both Farsi and Hebrew.
The remarks came after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated early Wednesday a promise to retaliate against Israel over the attack on its consulate in Damascus earlier this month.
Tehran holds Israel responsible for the strike that leveled the building, killing 12 people. Israel has not acknowledged its involvement, though it has been bracing for an Iranian response to the attack, a significant escalation in their long-running shadow war.
Khamenei spoke at a prayer ceremony celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying the airstrike was &ldquo;wrongdoing" and akin to an attack on Iranian territory.
&ldquo;When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory,&rdquo; Khamenei said, in remarks broadcast by Iranian state TV. &ldquo;The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished.&rdquo; Neither Katz nor the Ayatollah elaborated on the way they would retaliate.
Among 12 killed in the blast on Apr 1 were seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard members, four Syrians and a Hezbollah militia member.
Khamenei also criticised the West, particularly the US and Britain, for supporting Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
&ldquo;It was expected they (would) prevent (Israel) in this disaster. They did not. They did not fulfil their duties, the Western governments,&rdquo; he said.
Iran supports anti-Israeli militant groups like Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah. It does not recognise Israel.
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/biden-vs-netanyahu-us-president-says-israel-pm-s-handling-of-war-in-gaza-a-mistake-1712755885479">Biden Vs Netanyahu: US president says Israel PM's handling of war in Gaza a 'mistake'</a>

Israel's plans for an offensive in Rafah created a rift with US, which was worsened by an Israeli airstrike last week on an aid convoy. 

Biden Vs Netanyahu: US president says Israel PM's handling of war in Gaza a 'mistake'

Israel's plans for an offensive in Rafah created a rift with US, which was worsened by an Israeli airstrike last week on an aid convoy.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza a mistake and called for his government to flood Gaza with aid, ramping up pressure on Israel to reach a cease-fire and widening a rift between the two staunch allies that has worsened as the war has dragged on.
Biden has been an outspoken supporter of Israel's war against Hamas since the militant group launched a deadly assault on October 7. But in recent weeks his patience with Netanyahu has appeared to be waning and his administration has taken a more stern line with Israel, rattling the countries' decades-old alliance and deepening Israel's international isolation over the war.
The most serious disagreement has been over Israel's plans for an offensive in the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah and the rift has spiraled since, worsened by an Israeli airstrike last week on an aid convoy, which killed seven workers with the food charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), most of them foreigners.
Israel said the deaths were unintentional but Biden was outraged.
Biden's comments, made in an interview that aired late Tuesday after being recorded two days after the WCK strike, highlight the differences between Israel and the US over humanitarian aid to people in Gaza, where a monthslong war has led to warnings of imminent famine.
&ldquo;What he's doing is a mistake. I don't agree with his approach,&rdquo; Biden told Spanish-language broadcaster Univision.
He was responding to being asked if Netanyahu is prioritizing his political survival over the national interest.
Biden said Israel should agree to a cease-fire, flood beleaguered Gaza with aid for the next six to eight weeks and allow other countries in the region to help distribute the aid. &ldquo;It should be done now,&rdquo; he said.
Hunger in Gaza is overshadowing the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, a typically joyous festival during which families celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Israel halted aid deliveries to Gaza in the early days of the war, but under US pressure has slowly increased trucks allowed to enter the territory. Still, aid groups have complained that supplies are not reaching desperate people quickly enough, blaming Israeli restrictions, and countries have attempted other ways to deliver them including air drops and by sea.
Israel says its has steadily ramped up aid throughout the war, opening up more entry points for trucks to enter and to reach especially hard-hit areas like northern Gaza, an early target of Israel's in the war.
Israel blames aid groups for being too slow to deliver aid once it's inside Gaza. Those groups say logistical issues and the precarious security situation &mdash; underscored by the WCK strike &mdash; complicate aid deliveries.
Israel and Hamas are currently engaged in talks meant to bring about a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages captured by Hamas and others who stormed across the border on October 7. But the sides remain far apart on key issues, including the return of Palestinians to hard-hit northern Gaza.
Netanyahu has vowed to achieve &ldquo;total victory&rdquo; in the war, pledging to destroy Hamas' military and governing capabilities to prevent a repeat of the October 7 attacks and to return the hostages. He says that victory must include an offensive in Rafah, which Israel says is Hamas' last major stronghold, but more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people are currently seeking shelter there.
Six months into the war, Israel is growing ever more isolated, with even its closest partner increasingly vocal about its discontent in the war's direction and longtime trading partners like Turkey taking potentially painful economic steps to express dismay.
Netanyahu is under pressure to decide on a postwar vision for Gaza but critics say he is delaying because he doesn't want to anger his ultranationalist governing partners, who support resettling the Gaza Strip, which Israel withdrew from in 2005 and an idea Netanyahu has ruled out.
Israel launched the war in response to Hamas' cross-border assault, where militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took roughly 250 people hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
More than 33,200 Palestinians have been killed in the relentless fighting, according to Gaza's Health Ministry which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count but says most of the dead are women and children. Israel says it has killed some 12,000 militants, without providing evidence.
The war has ignited a humanitarian catastrophe. Most of the territory's population has been displaced and with vast swaths of Gaza's urban landscape levelled in the fighting, many areas are uninhabitable.&nbsp;
Also watch: <a href="https://www.editorji.com/world-news/was-india-involved-in-2021-canadian-election-poll-officials-reveal-truth-1712732375538">Was India involved in 2021 Canadian election? Poll officials reveal truth</a>

Israeli military claims it was a precision airstrike against an operational Islamic Jihad command centre and terrorists positioned in the courtyard of the hospital.&nbsp;

Israeli strike on Gaza hospital kills four, wounds 17: WHO

Israeli military claims it was a precision airstrike against an operational Islamic Jihad command centre and terrorists positioned in the courtyard of the hospital. 

Israeli military claims it was a precision airstrike against an operational Islamic Jihad command centre and terrorists positioned in the courtyard of the hospital.&nbsp;

An Israeli air strike on a Gaza hospital Sunday killed four people and wounded 17, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
The strike at Al-Aqsa hospital was witnessed by a World Health Organization team sent there to assess needs and to collect incubators for the north of Gaza, Tedros said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Israel's military denied that the hospital was damaged.
"A WHO team was on a humanitarian mission at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza, when a tent camp inside the hospital compound was hit by an Israeli airstrike today," the WHO chief wrote.
He gave no details of the victims, but added: "WHO staff are all accounted for."
The Israeli army said on X that one of its planes "struck an operational Islamic Jihad command center and terrorists positioned in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Hospital in the area of Deir al Balah.
"Following the precise strike, the Al-Aqsa hospital building was not damaged and its function was not affected," it added.
Tedros said in a later post that 21 patients had died at Al-Shifa hospital in the northern Gaza City since March 18.
The hospital, which was Gaza's largest before the war broke out, has only one bottle of water available for every 15 people, he said.
Tedros renewed his appeal for patients, health professionals and aid workers to be protected during the conflict, and for attacks on hospitals to stop.
"We again call for protection of patients, health personnel and humanitarian missions," he added.
"The ongoing attacks and militarisation of hospitals must stop. International humanitarian law must be respected."
Tedros urged all parties to the conflict to comply with the UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.
Since an unprecedented October 7 attack Hamas launched out of the Gaza Strip, Israel has said it will destroy the movement and has relentlessly bombed the Palestinian territory.
There are 10 hospitals in the Gaza Strip still functioning at a minimum level, compared to 36 before the start of the war, according to the WHO.
As well as air strikes there has also been fierce ground fighting in and around hospitals in the territory, where many Gazans fleeing the violence have taken shelter.
Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 32,782 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

israel hamas war

Categories