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Forums - Politics Discussion - Israel-Hamas war, Gaza genocide

SvennoJ 4 hours ago

UN experts hope ceasefire deal can stop Israel’s ‘genocidal assault’

A group of UN experts, including special rapporteurs and independent experts, have delivered a statement urging all parties to accept the ceasefire deal and expressing dismay that shortly after the deal was announced, “Israel continued bombing Gaza indiscriminately.”

“It is time for all people and illegally detained captives to return home to their loved ones – both the Israeli captives in Gaza and thousands of Palestinians who have been arbitrarily detained and often tortured in Israeli prisons,” the statement read.

“We can only hope that this agreement will end the devastating loss of life, stop the genocidal assault and violence that has tormented millions in occupied Palestinian territory and brought apocalyptic destruction in the Gaza Strip.”


Phase one of the ceasefire deal ‘doesn’t meet the needs of Gaza’: Ex-UN official

Martin Griffiths, the former UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, spoke to Al Jazeera about the ceasefire deal.

“The promises of Israeli withdrawal … must be talked through,” he said, adding that there needs to be a clear indication of when the Israeli authorities will allow aid to enter unimpeded.

However, he said that within the humanitarian community, they are already seeing indications that the Israeli government is already looking for “evidence of scapegoating” and looking to blame Hamas for a breakdown of the deal.

“There’s already a lack of purpose. There is already much more doubt, I think, about moving to phase two,” he said, noting that phase one of the ceasefire “doesn’t meet the needs of Gaza”.


UN chief names new Middle East envoy

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has named former Dutch Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag as the new UN Middle East envoy, a spokesperson says.

Kaag will also continue in her current role as the UN senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, said deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq.



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SvennoJ 4 hours ago

Gaza ceasefire won’t last without political process, warn analysts

Experts who spoke to Al Jazeera fear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has resisted a ceasefire deal for months and insisted that Hamas must be destroyed, will resume hostilities after the captives are recovered to ostensibly “punish” the Palestinian group, buttress Israel’s security and ensure his own political survival, while somehow blaming Hamas for the failure of the deal.

“Israel is very good at breaking ceasefires and making it appear that it wasn’t its fault,” said Mairav Zonszein, an expert on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group.


‘Netanyahu wanted perpetual war’: Ex-Israeli negotiator

Daniel Levy, a former Israeli negotiator, tells Al Jazeera the Israeli prime minister is likely to continue provocations to try to “upend” the ceasefire.

“We can expect ongoing efforts to goad and provoke the unravelling of this deal. We’ll see, I’m sure, ugly things going on in the West Bank and East Jerusalem” as well as “aggression against UNRWA”, Levy said. “This is a fragile place to be.”

Levy also listed the ongoing costs of Israel’s war in Gaza, including its “international reputation, legal vulnerabilities and its economy”.

He suggested that with the imminent return of Trump to the White House, the Israeli leader was forced into a ceasefire.


Israel adds enhanced security in West Bank to war goals

Following the Gaza ceasefire deal, Israel’s cabinet has added to the list of war goals the enhancement of security in the West Bank, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority has reported.

“The following war objective will be added: to significantly harm the capabilities of armed organisations in the West Bank, and to strengthen defence and security in the West Bank, with an emphasis on maintaining the security of travel and settlements,” the text of the resolution stated.

This news comes amid a Palestinian Authority crackdown on armed groups in the city of Jenin, and an increased Israeli army willingness to deploy air power against cities in the occupied West Bank.

Israel already redirected 3 battalions to the West Bank last week, the war there will continue to ramp up in scale.


PA says ready to assume responsibility over Gaza

The Palestinian presidency says it has completed all preparations to assume its “full responsibilities” in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian news agency Wafa has reported.

In a statement quoted by Wafa, the Palestinian Authority (PA) said that its staff is “fully prepared to carry out its duties and alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza”.

It also reiterated the position expressed by President Mahmoud Abbas that it has legal and political jurisdiction over the Strip, like the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank and Jerusalem.



SvennoJ 4 hours ago

Israel making ‘no effort’ to probe Gaza war crimes allegations: ICC chief

Israel, despite its extensive legal expertise, has not properly investigated war crimes allegations brought against it during the war in Gaza, according to Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“The question is have those judges [in Israel], have those prosecutors, have those legal instruments been used to properly scrutinise the allegations that we’ve seen in the occupied Palestinian territories, in the State of Palestine? And I think the answer to that was ‘no’,” Khan said in an interview with the Reuters news agency.

“We’re here as a court of last resort and … as we speak right now, we haven’t seen any real effort by the State of Israel to take action that would meet the established jurisprudence,” he added.

Khan also criticised the US House of Representatives’ vote last week to sanction the ICC for issuing an arrest warrant against Netanyahu, saying it “is a matter that should make all people of conscience be concerned”.

On top of its warrant for Netanyahu, the ICC has also issued warrants for Israeli defence chief Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

EU’s Borrell says ‘cherry-picking’ ICC arrest warrants undermines credibility

The European Union’s former top diplomat Josep Borrell has said that “cherrypicking in applying the Rome Statute is incomprehensible”, in a reference to declarations by several countries, including the US, Italy and Poland, that they will not enforce the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as mandated by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Rome Statute is the treaty that established the ICC. In March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.

“How can we expect third countries to enforce the ICC arrest warrant against Putin (which they should!) and then say we won’t enforce it against Netanyahu?” Borrell wrote on X.

“Our credibility as a community of law is eroding.”

The EU's credibility is at an all time low, can't even fix the problems in your own backyard.


Israel’s defence minister cancels all administrative detention orders for settlers

Israel Katz has announced that he will cancel all administrative detention orders against Israeli settlers in response to the planned release of some Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire deal.

“I have decided to release the settlers detained in administrative detention and to convey a clear message of strengthening and encouraging the [occupied West Bank] settlements”, he said in a statement.

Settlers are Israeli citizens who live illegally on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. More than 700,000 settlers – 10 percent of Israel’s nearly 7 million population – live in 150 settlements and 128 outposts spread across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.



SvennoJ 4 hours ago

More than 100 people killed in Gaza since truce deal: Civil defence

At least 101 Palestinians have been killed and more than 264 injured by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the announcement of the recent ceasefire agreement, according to the enclave’s civil defence.

Eighty-two of the killings came in Gaza City, the rescue agency said. It added that 27 of those killed were children and 31 were women.


A view of damage at a residential building following an Israeli air raid on Jabalia on Thursday


‘More people going to die’ as Gaza waits for start of ceasefire on Sunday

Within the past 24 hours, the Israeli military scaled up its attacks across the Gaza Strip, mainly targeting buildings and public facilities, and more people were killed inside their homes and shelters where they had been seeking refuge and protection.

In the past few hours, it has been quite difficult and bloody here in the central area of Gaza, mainly in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where heavy artillery shelling and drone attacks have struck many of the residential buildings and people outside in the street.

In the north … the majority of people killed happened to be from areas in the eastern part of Gaza City and the city centre of Old Gaza.

If we just look at the span of time from the moment the ceasefire – or the agreement of the ceasefire – was announced, to now, we are looking at 87 people being killed, 21 of them happened to be children and 25 women among the dead.

From this time to Sunday, it is going to be a very long time for the ceasefire to take effect and the worry is increasing as more people are going to die the longer the ceasefire takes.


Israeli military launches deadly raids in southern, central Gaza

The Israeli military has carried out an airstrike on a house east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, which struck the Baraka family home in the town of Abasan killing at least 5 people, according to the Palestinian Information Center and the Quds News Network. More people remain missing under the rubble.

Israeli forces have also shelled tents housing displaced Palestinians in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least one person and injuring more, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.


Death toll rises for Israeli strike in Khan Younis

As we reported earlier, the Israeli military has carried out a deadly strike on a home in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza.

Five people are now confirmed killed in that attack, which struck the Baraka family home in the town of Abasan, east of Khan Younis, according to the Palestinian Information Center and the Quds News Network.

More people remain missing under the rubble.


Israeli artillery shelling ‘echoes’ across central Gaza

There continues to be relentless devastation. Israeli attacks have been concentrated on homes that are packed full of families, including women and children.

Israeli forces are also hitting areas that civilians have fled to following forced evacuation orders. Civilians describe the situation as similar to the initial months of the war.

We still hear echoes of Israeli artillery shelling across central areas of the Gaza Strip.



SvennoJ 4 hours ago

Palestinians injured in Israeli drone attack in north Gaza

An unspecified number of Palestinians were injured by fire from an Israeli drone in the Jabalia al-Balad area in northern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

The Israeli military has also carried out two raids over the past hour in Gaza City, which has been the target of intense bombardment for several days, with no casualties reported so far.


Nine reported killed in Israeli attack on Jabalia home

Israeli bombardment of a home in northern Gaza’s Jabalia has killed at least nine people, according to the Wafa news agency and our correspondent on the ground. The victims, including women and children, are relatives of a Palestinian journalist, Wafa reports.


Palestinian killed in al-Mawasi attack

We are getting reports of another deadly attack in central Gaza, this time targeting a tent housing displaced people in the so-called “humanitarian zone” of al-Mawasi area. The attack has killed at least one person, report our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic.


Israel kills nine members of Palestinian journalist’s family in northern Gaza

Air raids on residential buildings have clearly intensified, hitting families while they were sleeping. One was the family of a Palestinian journalist. His family had remained in northern Gaza, refusing to leave the area.

Initial reports are that nine civilians [from the family] have been killed. Four of them are still under the rubble of the destroyed building. Until now, artillery shelling and bombardment have shown no sign of slowing on the ground.


Seven bodies recovered after two Israeli attacks: Gaza’s civil defence

The search and rescue agency has said its crews pulled out two bodies of the Ghurab family members after a raid on the al-Mufti area in the enclave’s Deir el-Balah governorate yesterday. A statement by the civil defence said three other bodies were still under the rubble.

It also said five bodies were recovered from the home of the Sultan family in northern Gaza City. Four other bodies are still under the rubble after the home was hit by Israeli bombing yesterday evening, the statement added.


Three killed in western Gaza City: Civil defence

The enclave’s rescue service says an unidentified number of people have also been injured after an Israeli bombing near western Gaza City’s al-Zafer Tower yesterday.


Israeli air raid kills two in northern Gaza

The attack took place in Jabalia al-Balad, according to our colleagues on the ground. It is the second deadly attack to hit the Jabalia area today, with an earlier attack on a home killing nine people.


Aftermath of Israeli strike on Khan Younis


Palestinians inspect the destruction after an Israeli air strike on tents despite the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Khan Younis, Gaza, on January 17


Israel kills two in Gaza City

Wafa news agency reports that at least two people have been killed in the al-Jurun area, in the north of the city, after an Israeli fighter jet hit a residential home there. The victims were a father and his son, Wafa reports.



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SvennoJ 4 hours ago

Israeli military launches raids across the occupied West Bank

More Israeli military raids have taken place across the occupied West Bank, the Wafa news agency reports, including:

  • Three Palestinian teenagers have been injured by Israeli gunfire during a raid on the Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank.
  • Israeli military vehicles entered and took up positions in the courtyard of the Arab Evangelical Hospital in Nablus.
  • Israeli military forces raided the Tulkarem refugee camp in the early hours of the morning leading to clashes with Palestinian fighters, and there were reports of gunfire.
  • Homes near the main entrance to the village of Haris, west of Salfit, were raided overnight. Nearby, in the town of Deir Istiya, Israeli settlers pelted Palestinian-owned vehicles with stones.


Israeli military arrests 3 Palestinians in Nablus, 5 near Salfit

Israeli forces stormed the occupied West Bank village of Haris, west of Salfit, overnight and arrested five Palestinians, the Wafa news agency reports. The Israeli military also stormed several neighbourhoods in the city of Nablus, arresting three Palestinians, according to Wafa.


Israeli settlers attack Shuqba, Yasouf in the occupied West Bank

Video verified by Al Jazeera’s fact-checking unit, Sanad, shows Palestinian vehicles on fire in the village of Shuqba, west of Ramallah, as Israeli settlers storm the area. Witnesses broadcast the video on a local Palestinian platform a short while ago. It includes locals’ attempts to fend off the settlers.

Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Salfit governorate published a statement saying Israeli settlers had cut down about 100 olive trees in the village of Yasouf.

The governorate quoted the head of the village council on its Facebook account saying Israelis from the Neve Nehemia settlement cut and broke about 100 of the trees, estimated to be 60 years old, adding that the aim of these attacks is to try to displace citizens from their lands.



SvennoJ 4 hours ago

UN chief urges end to Israeli ‘occupation’ in southern Lebanon

Antonio Guterres has called for an end to Israel’s “continued occupation” and “military operations” in southern Lebanon, after a November ceasefire to end fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah armed group.

“The continued occupation by the Israel (military) inside the UNIFIL area operations and the conduct of military operations in Lebanese territory are violations of Resolution 1701 … They must stop,” he told members of the UN peacekeeping force as he visited them, referring to the UN Security Council decision that ended a 2006 war between both sides.

UN chief says 100 Hezbollah ‘weapons caches’ found after Lebanon truce

Antonio Guterres says the caches belonging to the group and its allies have been discovered by peacekeepers since a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect.

UN peacekeepers “uncovered over 100 weapons caches belonging to Hezbollah or other armed groups since November 27”, the UN secretary-general said.

Guterres added that the “presence of armed personnel, assets and weapons” other than those of the Lebanese army and the UNIFIL peacekeeping force violate a UN Security Council resolution that ended a 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.

Guterres earlier called for an end to Israel’s “continued occupation” and “military operations” in southern Lebanon since the November ceasefire.


Lebanon reports four more Israeli violations to ceasefire: Report

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reports four more Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that took effect 52 days ago between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to NNA, the Israeli military blew up several homes in Meiss El-Jabal town of the Marjayoun district in southern Lebanon. The news agency also reported that a Syrian national had been arrested by the Israeli army while grazing a herd of cattle on the outskirts of the Rmeish town.

Hezbollah and Israel reached a ceasefire deal on November 26 to end more than 14 months of fighting, since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza. However, Lebanese authorities have reported more than 564 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including the death of 37 people and injury of 45 others.


Houthis claim attacks on targets in southern, central Israel

Yemen’s Houthi group says it has struck targets in central and southern Israel as well as a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. In a statement, the group’s military spokesman Yahya Saree said its fighters “carried out three military operations against Israeli targets”.

He said the group targeted the Eilat area in southern Israel with four cruise missiles.

The group also attacked “a vital target” in the Ashkelon area in southern Israel with a combat drone, he said. In a third military operation, Saree added that the group attacked the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area in central Israel with three combat drones.

The Houthi spokesman also said its fighters targeted the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier for the seventh time in the Red Sea. Earlier today, the Houthis reported that the US carried out five air strikes on the Harf Sufyan district in the northern province of Amran in western Yemen.