Envoys from US, UK and Germany join Tel Aviv protest

The US, UK and Germany’s ambassadors to Israel spoke at a rally organised by relatives of Israeli captives in Tel Aviv, urging Hamas to release those who remain captive in Gaza.

Jack Lew, the US’s envoy, said Washington was pushing for the ongoing talks to succeed, according to The Times of Israel.

“The United States demands the release of seven of our hostages, four of whom we know to be dead — now!” Lew was quoted as saying. “There could be a ceasefire tomorrow, and an end to the suffering of Gazans, if Hamas releases the hostages,” he added.

Simon Walters, the British envoy, drew on his childhood in war-torn northern Ireland as an example of the sacrifices needed for peace, according to The Times of Israel.

“Every step toward peace was very painful, but that is the only way,” he was quoted as saying. “Hamas is fully responsible for these crimes, but practically, we know the only way to bring the hostages home is through negotiations.”

Steffen Seibert, the German envoy, highlighted the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza. “I know this is not a popular thing to say, but these tragedies are linked,” Seibert said, calling in Hebrew for an end to the “indescribable suffering of hundreds of thousands of Gazans”, as well as the release of the captives, the paper reported.

_{Israelis protest against their government and show support for the captives who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack}

Yes, sacrifices need to be made for peace, foremost ending colonialism, occupation and apartheid which led to Oct 7.

Israeli president hopes negotiators secure captives deal ‘soon’

Isaac Herzog says the country is in the midst of “critical days” as the government tries to secure the release of captives held in Gaza.

“I strengthen the hands of those engaged in the work of negotiations and hope that they will bring about an agreement soon. We must act with all our forces, in all aspects and in all arenas, so that the kidnapped men and women return,” Herzog wrote on X after visiting the family of Shlomo Mansour, one of the captives in Gaza.

He added that they will “not rest” until the complete return of captives, including the bodies of those who have died.

Netanyahu to meet Smotrich as captives talks intensify: Report

Israeli media reports say the Israeli prime minister is expected to meet with far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich later today as negotiations to secure a captives deal intensify.

The Walla news outlet, quoting an unnamed source, said Netanyahu will speak to Smotrich to assess whether the minister would resign from the government if a captives-for-prisoners deal is reached.

The report added that Netanyahu’s meeting stems from the understanding that there is a high likelihood that far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir will also resign from the government if a deal is signed.

So, to avoid both ministers quitting simultaneously, Netanyahu will try to persuade Smotrich to vote against a deal instead of leaving the coalition government, the report said.

Israel refusing to commit to an end of the war as part of ceasefire deal: Report

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, quoting an unnamed source, says one of the main disputes in the negotiations in Doha is Israel’s refusal to commit to ending the war on Gaza after the deal’s second phase.

The source is reported to have said there would be an attempt to present a promise from the US to pressure Israel to end the war, even if Israel did not explicitly agree to it.

The paper said Israel is expected to present a plan to mediators for a military reorganization across the Palestinian enclave. This would include the Philadelphi Corridor, the 14km (8.7-mile) long strip of land spanning the border between Gaza and Egypt.

Rescuers in Gaza decry Israeli attacks on schools-turned-shelters

Mahmoud Basel, a member of Gaza’s Civil Defence, has slammed what he called the world’s silence as Israel continues to attack schools-turned-shelters in the enclave.

“Attacking and targeting the schools are ongoing crimes committed by the Israeli forces. The entire world is watching silently as our shelters and schools, which host displaced people, are being targeted,” he said.

The comments came after Israeli forces bombed the Halawa school in Jabalia, killing at least eight people.

Israel claimed it was targeting Hamas fighters inside the school, but offered no evidence to back the claim.

 
46,565 Palestinians killed since October 7, 2023: Health Ministry

Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 46,565 Palestinians have been killed and 109,660 injured since Israel’s genocide in the enclave began on October 7, 2023.

In the past 24 hours, at least 28 Palestinians were killed as Israeli raids on schools-turned-shelters continued, the ministry added.

About 5,000 killed or missing in northern Gaza: Medical source

The Israeli military’s operation that has been ongoing for 100 days in northern Gaza has resulted in 5,000 Palestinians killed or missing, a medical source has told Al Jazeera.

They added that another 9,500 people were injured in the operation.

Israeli forces launched the operation in the north on October 6, laying a deadly siege on hundreds of thousands of people in the war-ravaged area.

Israeli settlers cut down olive trees in the Jordan Valley

The Wafa news agency is reporting that Israeli settlers caused significant damage to Palestinian olive trees and farmland near Bardala village in the northern Jordan Valley, in the occupied West Bank on Friday night.

The settlers attacked an area of approximately 10 dunums (2.4 acres), in the latest of a string of recent attacks that have become more frequent after Israeli settlers established a new outpost nearby, Wafa reported.

The northern Jordan Valley is one of the most targeted areas in the occupied West Bank, with Israeli settlers and soldiers destroying crops, burning lands, and uprooting fruit-bearing trees to try to force Palestinians to leave their land, Wafa added.


_{Israeli soldiers stand guard as Israeli troops deny access to Palestinian farmers to harvest olives, in Burqa near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on October 20, 2024}

PA’s forces lay siege to Jenin refugee camp

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that the Palestinian Authority’s security forces have imposed a siege on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, preventing the entry of food and medical supplies.

AJA cited local sources in the camp.

The siege comes as the PA, which partially governs the West Bank, continues its months-long security operation against Palestinian fighters, including the Jenin Brigades, in the camp.

The operation began in December after the PA arrested several fighters and members of the Jenin Brigades seized two PA vehicles and set fire to them.

Local sources told AJA that the PA’s security forces cut off water and electricity from large parts of the camp, and arrested many wounded people from inside hospitals. They also said journalists have been warned to stop covering developments in the camp and prevented from entering it.

Meanwhile, the Jenin Brigades told Hurriyah News that talks with the PA were at a deadlock and that the fighters would not surrender their weapons to the authority.

Israel detains 3 teenagers during West Bank raid

Israeli forces have detained three teenagers during an early morning raid in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank.

Mohammad Awad, a local activist, told Wafa that Israeli soldiers stormed the Safa neighbourhood in the town of Beit Ummar, raided several homes and detained three minors.

Those detained were identified as Musab Khaled Ekhlail, 15, Hamad Raed Adi, 16, and Qais Mohammad al-Tit, 15.

Israeli forces also closed the entrances to various refugee camps, towns, and the city of Hebron with metal gates.

Military checkpoints were set up at the Old City of Hebron entrances, near the Ibrahimi Mosque, and at several locations, including the Ras al-Joura neighbourhood in the north and Farsh al-Hawa in the west.

Two teenagers injured by Israeli fire near Jenin

Two teenagers have been injured in Israeli firing near the town of Jaba, south of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, Wafa reports.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its emergency teams transported a 15-year-old boy who sustained a gunshot wound from live ammunition and a 13-year-old injured by shrapnel in his foot to a medical facility.

Israeli forces stormed the city this morning to allow settlers to reach a location on its outskirts, near Jaba.