Hamas official says more pressure must be put on Israel for next phase of ceasefire
Hossam Badran has told AFP has said a second phase of the ceasefire cannot move forward if Israeli “violations” persist. He called on mediators to heap more pressure on Israel.
“The second phase cannot begin as long as the [Israeli] occupation continues its violations of the agreement and evades its commitments,” he said. “Hamas has asked the mediators to pressure the occupation to complete the implementation of the first phase,” he said.
The first phase of the ceasefire, which went into effect on October 10, is nearing its end. It largely concerned the exchange of captives – both living and dead – for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and Israel’s partial withdrawal from Gaza.
Details of the second phase, which would concern future governance and the possible deployment of an international stability force, have yet to be agreed upon.
‘Beyond absurd’: Israeli Supreme Court extends ban on foreign media in Gaza
The Supreme Court in Jerusalem has held another hearing on Tuesday regarding a petition by the Foreign Press Association (FPA) to allow independent international media to enter Gaza.
The court again granted the Israeli government a postponement. The Foreign Press Association says this is the ninth postponement since the petition was filed in September last year.
In a statement, the FPA said the situation was “beyond absurd”.
“These repeated delays have robbed the world of a fuller glimpse of conditions in Gaza and made a mockery of the entire legal process,” the FPA said.
No independent international media has been allowed in Gaza since October 7, 2023. Earlier this month, Reporters Without Borders said Israel killed more reporters than any other country in 2025.
Israel remains leading killer of journalists in 2025: Report
Nearly half of the journalists killed globally this year were by Israeli forces in Gaza, a new report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has found. Israel killed more journalists in 2025 than any other country and was named the top killer of journalists by the NGO for the third year running.
Overall, 67 journalists were killed around the world this year, one more than in 2024. Israeli forces carrying out the genocidal war in Gaza were responsible for the deaths of 29 Palestinian reporters.
Thibaut Bruttin, RSF’s director general, said Palestinian journalists were not killed by accident. “They weren’t collateral victims. They were killed, targeted for their work,” Bruttin said in a statement.
