Hamas flexible on key ceasefire demand with new talks in Doha

Sami al-Arian, director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at Istanbul Zaim University, says with the resumption of truce talks in Qatar, Hamas may be willing to walk back one of its key demands – the immediate pullout of all Israeli forces from Gaza.

“There has been a lot of pressure from the mediators – particularly the Qataris and Egyptians – to be flexible on these terms. They have assured the resistance, Hamas and other groups, that potentially, eventually Israel will withdraw and stop the war, and there has to be some kind of movement,” al-Arian told Al Jazeera.

“It seems the resistance, Hamas and others, have been forthcoming on this and agreed to give this a chance this time around – provided they will not hand over the soldier captives, to keep them as a bargaining chip.”

Note the date on that, May 7th...

‘Safe to say, Israel isn’t really negotiating’

Political commentator Ori Goldberg says the Israeli public is interested in a Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas with talks set to resume in Doha, but the Israeli government “not so much”.

“The deal is there, the deal is obvious. You can go at it in several ways but it will have to involve a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza – if gradually, incrementally – and then hostages returned. Whether a deal comes out is a political decision. The Israeli government hasn’t made up its mind. The war serves a lot of its interests,” he said.

Golberg told Al Jazeera he’s not too optimistic with little international pressure brought to bear on the Netanyahu-led administration.

“Even after the destruction of Gaza, Hamas has not been destroyed … Israel has no goals, no end game, no vision. I think it’s safe to say, Israel isn’t really negotiating. Israel is playing out this drama as a hostage deal will have to be part of the end of the war. And I think it’s waiting to see if anyone is interested enough to apply the necessary pressure to make it feasible to stop the war.”

‘All kinds of deals’ Netanyahu is trying to get Trump to agree to

Sami al-Arian, director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at Istanbul Zaim University, says President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration could explain Israel’s move to re-engage in Gaza ceasefire talks.

He said what Prime Minister Netanyahu wants in exchange for a truce agreement with Hamas is for Trump to agree to Israel’s annexation of between 40-60 percent of the occupied West Bank. Israel’s leader also wants “something done about Iran’s nuclear power”, and “something out of the Syrian situation”.

“There are all kinds of deals that he [Netanyahu] is trying to get Trump to agree to,” said al-Arian. He added that, under the Biden administration, the United States “has been complicit in Israel’s war crimes”.

“It’s been a full partner by funding its genocidal campaign, supplying it with all the advanced weaponry, providing diplomatic cover through its veto power at the UN, and also through a campaign of coercion and intimidation of other countries,” al-Arian told Al Jazeera.

Hamas official says it wants a ceasefire as soon as possible

Basem Naim’s words come as a new round of talks over a deal kicks off in Qatar.

Naim said the group is serious about reaching an agreement and that Hamas will emphasise the need for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, two conditions that Israel has firmly pushed back against in the past.

For months, Israeli forces have been creating infrastructure that suggests a long-term security presence in the Strip.

Here are some of the key points he made:

Israeli military arrests settlers attempting to enter Gaza

Israeli military radio has reported that a number of settlers have been arrested for attempting to break into Gaza in order to begin establishing settlements in the Palestinian territory.

Army Radio said the arrests took place following an event to promote Israel’s settlement of the war-torn Gaza Strip.

Israeli politicians and far-right settler organisations have held events in recent months to push for the establishment of settlements in post-war Gaza.

Prominent settler activist Daniella Weiss reportedly attempted to enter Gaza in November with the help of Israeli soldiers to survey areas for potential settlement.

Israeli political leaders held a similar event in October, entitled “Preparing to Resettle Gaza”, in which 10 of 32 members of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s Likud party attended.

The arrest of Dr Hussam Abu Safia and a wife’s desperate plea

Dr Hussam Abu Safia hasn’t been seen since Israeli forces raided the last functioning medical facility in northern Gaza, the Kamal Adwan Hospital, last Friday. Soldiers carried out multiple strikes on the facility, setting parts of it on fire, forcing patients out, and detaining Dr Abu Safia, who is the head of the hospital.

The Israeli military has denied it is holding Dr Abu Safia, and his wife, Albina Abu Safia, says she has no information on his whereabouts.

At least 9 dead following Israeli attack in Maghazi refugee camp

Our Al Jazeera Arabic colleagues report that Israeli fighter jets bombed a house near the entrance to the camp in central Gaza, with at least nine people confirmed dead so far.

Israeli forces demand people leave Indonesian Hospital

Israeli forces are ordering people inside the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza to leave immediately, our correspondent on the ground reports. Israeli forces are continuing to fire in the vicinity of the medical facility. Most of those trapped in the hospital are women and children – some are injured and cannot move at all.

But the move to forcibly evacuate the Indonesian Hospital and the attacks on other nearby health centres come as the Israeli army expands its operations in the northern Gaza Strip.

PIJ condemns killing of father and son in Jenin, acuses PA forces

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has issued a statement condemning the “deliberate shooting” of a home in the occupied West Bank city that resulted in the death of a father and son, accusing Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces of carrying out the act.

The PA has denied responsibility for these killings, however its forces have been engaged in violent crackdowns on the city for weeks.

“We renew our demand that the authorities stop their attacks on our people, stop the siege of the camp, and stop pursuing the resistance fighters”, the PIJ statement says.

Video clip shows missile from Yemen in flight over Israel

Video shared on social media is said to show the missile fired from Yemen flying over central Israel earlier this morning. The video appears to show the missile, a bright light in the sky, before it disappears as Israeli warning sirens wail in the distance.

The video, shared by the Al Mayadeen news outlet, was reportedly recorded from Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank.

Footage captured from the West Bank city of Qalqilya shows a Yemeni missile descending rapidly toward its target, in central Israeli-occupied territories, before exploding at a distance.

Sirens were triggered across Israeli-occupied territories, early on Friday, as a result of… pic.twitter.com/6hwxCHkbgr

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 3, 2025

Houthi official says missile targeting Israel another failure for US-made THAAD

The latest missile launch from Yemen overnight against Israel highlights yet more failure by the US military’s advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD), a Houthi official said.

“Every new day that passes in the life of this aggression on Gaza means more development of Yemeni weapons and another failure for the Zionists and Americans,” Nasruddin Amer, a senior member of the Houthi media authority, said in a post on X.

Israel must realise that no system can reliably protect it from missiles travelling at hypersonic speeds, and must therefore stop the war on Gaza, Amer said.

The Israeli military, which reportedly deployed the THAAD for the first time last week to shoot down a Yemeni missile after a failed interception by Israel’s own defence systems, has not confirmed whether the US-made system was used last night.

The military did say that an initial interception attempt failed last night, allowing the Houthi missile to enter Israeli airspace where it was partially intercepted. The interception is being investigated, the military said.

Israeli military launches more attacks on southern Lebanon

The Israeli military reportedly launched more strikes across southern Lebanon overnight. At midnight, Israeli forces “carried out a bombing operation” in the vicinity of the town of Bani Haiyyan, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

Another attack was reported in Kfar Kila and “the sound of which was heard throughout the south”, NNA reports.

Earlier, the agency said Israeli forces are “combing the city of Bint Jbeil with heavy machine guns” from their positions on the outskirts of the town of Maroun al-Ras.

The attacks are only the latest violations by Israel’s military of a ceasefire with Hezbollah that has been in place since late November.

_{Lebanese soldiers on December 23, 2024, stand near the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israel’s attacks on southern Lebanon}

Lebanese army: Israeli military keeps violating ceasefire deal despite UN patrols

Lebanon’s military says “Israeli violations continue in villages occupied by the enemy” in the southern part of the country.

Israeli bulldozers demolished homes in several neighbourhoods of the town of Naqoura, delaying the entry of the army, according to the National News Agency.

The Lebanese army said it keeps patrolling the road connecting Biyyada and Naqoura in the south with the UN’s Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), also placing barricades on a coastal road between Hamra and Naqoura to prevent unauthorised movement. UNIFIL’s headquarters is located in Naqoura.

The army command also announced it will detonate unexploded ordnance in the area of Marjayoun.

Gaza Death Count WRONG: American Doc REVEALS HORRORS From Gaza Trip

Krystal and Emily are joined by an American Doctor who served in Gaza revealing the true horrors.

At UN HQ: UN Special Rapporteur Calls for Global Recognition of Gaza Genocide and Decisive Action

On 31 October 2024, Law for Palestine participated in a high-level briefing organised by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) at UN Headquarters in New York

The briefing, titled “International Legal Responsibilities for Preventing Genocide, Holding Perpetrators of War Crimes Accountable, and Ending the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine,” addressed critical legal and human rights issues, including recent insights from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on Israel’s policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The event drew a diverse audience of state representatives, NGOs, researchers, journalists, and human rights defenders.

Israelis: Do you know how many civilians have been killed in Gaza?

"It's very rare that you can witness such visceral racism and hatred expressed so openly."

Dr. CALLS OUT CNN’s Role in Gaza Genocide on CNN

To Dr. Haj-Hassan, remaining silent isn’t an option. “Being silent in the face of the intentional decimation of an entire healthcare system, the intentional killing and targeting of healthcare workers, the intentional detention and torture of healthcare workers for no other crime other than providing healthcare is complicity.” Tanya shares the harrowing stories of her time in Gaza, and while it’s very hard to hear, it is more important than ever to bear witness to the crimes committed against the Palestinian people.

Israeli delegates on phone during ex-Gaza doctor’s brave UN speech on brutality | Janta Ka Reporter

Dr. Tanya Hai Hassan who previously worked in Gaza on Friday made a powerful presentation outlining the harrowing situation of people living in Gaza following the destruction of medical facilities by Israeli forces. A visibly emotional Dr. Hassan lashed out at the international fraternity for silence and the US for its complicity of war crimes. Such was the arrogance of the Israeli delegates that they were seen looking into their phones as Dr. Hassan presented the bitter reality.

Is a Greater Israel Emerging?

Is the Netanyahu Government pursuing a "Greater Israel" agenda? Rooted in Biblical aspirations and Zionist visions, this concept has long been a subject of intense debate. Critics argue that Israel's policies, including the massive growth of settlements and its annexation rhetoric, align with a long-term vision of expanding control over historic lands. They also point to Netanyahu’s alliances with far-right religious Zionist parties, some of which openly advocate for extending Israeli territory to include all of Biblical Israel, as evidence of a broader strategy. Meanwhile, others claim that these actions are defensive measures in response to ongoing threats from groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, with no intention of formal annexation beyond the Golan Heights.

By exploring the history of the concept of Greater Israel, this video explores whether the Netanyahu government’s recent actions—settlement expansions in the West Bank, the Gaza war, and military operations in Lebanon and Syria—signal territorial ambitions or are simply a response to complex security challenges. By examining key events like the Six-Day War, the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, and the debates over the two-state solution to uncover whether the idea of "Greater Israel" is becoming a reality—or remains a polarising myth.