Israel sends tanks into West Financial institution as Gaza ceasefire doubtful with first part nearing its finish
Welcome to our persevering with reside protection of developments within the Center East.
Hamas launched six Israeli hostages on Saturday, however Israel suspended the handover of greater than 600 Palestinians it was because of free from its prisons in alternate, placing the delicate ceasefire settlement in jeopardy.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed the handover indefinitely as he’s demanding Hamas cease what he known as its “cynical use of hostages for propaganda”.
“It has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for Saturday until the release of the next hostages is ensured, without the humiliating ceremonies,” he mentioned.
In response, Hamas official Basem Naim advised Reuters on Sunday that the Palestinian militant group is not going to maintain talks with Israel by means of mediators on any additional steps within the ceasefire settlement except Palestinian prisoners are launched as agreed.
As tensions over the ceasefire settlement rise, Netanyahu vowed yesterday to realize the struggle’s said aims in negotiations “or by other means”.
“We are prepared to resume intense fighting at any moment,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, the Israeli army has despatched tanks into the occupied West Financial institution for the primary time in additional than 20 years, with raids reported in quite a few areas comparable to Hebron and Qabatiya.
The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, mentioned the most recent raid throughout the West Financial institution was increasing, and that troops would stay within the space’s city hotspots “for the coming year”, which means roughly 40,000 individuals displaced by the assault will be unable to return to their houses.
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Israeli international minister Gideon Saar will meet senior European officers in Brussels later right now. He’ll co-chair a gathering of the EU-Israel Affiliation Council with EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas within the first such session since 2022. The talks are set to give attention to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza – attributable to Israel’s assault on the territory – and altering regional dynamics.
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The White Home mentioned it helps Israel’s resolution to delay releasing 600 Palestinian prisoners, citing the “barbaric treatment” of Israeli hostages by Hamas.
Delaying the prisoner launch is an “appropriate response” to the militant group’s therapy of the hostages, nationwide safety council spokesperson Brian Hughes mentioned. Donald Trump is ready to assist Israel in “whatever course of action it chooses regarding Hamas,” he added. -
US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned he was headed to the Center East this week to “get an extension of phase one” of the truce. “We’re hopeful that we have the proper time… to begin phase two, and finish it off and get more hostages released,” Witkoff advised CNN. The primary part of the three-stage ceasefire settlement is because of finish in slightly below per week’s time. Delayed talks on the second stage of the deal, which is meant to contain an entire Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, are because of begin this week, however there may be uncertainty about whether or not they’ll occur and in the event that they do what sort of lasting outcome will be secured.
Key occasions
Deployment of tanks to West Financial institution and prolonged Israeli presence there may be ‘flagrant try and entrench genocide’ – Palestinian international ministry
In a submit on X, the Palestinian international ministry mentioned deploying tanks across the metropolis of Jenin within the occupied West Financial institution is a “a prelude to expanding its crimes against the Palestinian people”.
It mentioned:
The ministry of international affairs and expatriates warns of the Israeli occupation military’s deployment of heavy tanks round Jenin, viewing it as a prelude to increasing its crimes towards the Palestinian individuals – notably within the northern West Financial institution and its refugee camps.
This escalation comes as Israeli ‘defence’ minister Israel Katz boasts that the Israeli occupation military will stop displaced Palestinians from returning to their houses and has ordered an prolonged army presence within the space. Israeli occupation forces have already forcibly displaced 40,000 Palestinians from refugee camps within the northern West Financial institution. The ministry views these developments – together with Katz’s statements, the deployment of tanks, and the deliberate intimidation of defenceless civilians- as a grave escalation within the West Financial institution and a flagrant try and entrench genocide and compelled displacement towards our unarmed individuals.
The ministry renews its pressing calls on the worldwide group to intervene instantly to curb Israel’s unchecked aggression, which continues in blatant violation of worldwide legislation and signed agreements, and compel it to finish its assault on the Palestinian individuals and their elementary rights, foremost amongst them is their inalienable proper to stay on their land.
My colleague Bethan McKernan has written concerning the growth of Israel’s lethal army operation within the occupied West Financial institution. Right here is an extract from her piece:
The Israel Protection Forces mentioned they have been sending tanks to the northern metropolis of Jenin for the primary time because the peak of the second intifada, or Palestinian rebellion, in 2002.
Israel’s newest operation within the West Financial institution, launched two days after the ceasefire in Gaza got here into impact on 19 January, has killed greater than 50 individuals and ripped up roads and infrastructure within the territory’s refugee camps, set as much as home Palestinians displaced after the creation of Israel in 1948.
At the moment the camps resemble city slums, and have lengthy functioned as bastions of armed resistance to the occupation.
The Israeli military started large-scale operations within the West Financial institution within the spring of 2022 after a spate of Palestinian assaults towards Israelis, and violence there has soared because the Hamas assaults of seven October 2023 that ignited the most recent struggle in Gaza.
Tensions within the West Financial institution have risen additional since Thursday night time after a sequence of bus explosions close to Tel Aviv that appeared to detonate early, inflicting no casualties. In a Telegram submit, a department of Hamas’ army wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, from the West Financial institution metropolis of Tulkarem, praised the assaults however stopped wanting taking duty.
Israel sends tanks into West Financial institution as Gaza ceasefire doubtful with first part nearing its finish
Welcome to our persevering with reside protection of developments within the Center East.
Hamas launched six Israeli hostages on Saturday, however Israel suspended the handover of greater than 600 Palestinians it was because of free from its prisons in alternate, placing the delicate ceasefire settlement in jeopardy.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed the handover indefinitely as he’s demanding Hamas cease what he known as its “cynical use of hostages for propaganda”.
“It has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for Saturday until the release of the next hostages is ensured, without the humiliating ceremonies,” he mentioned.
In response, Hamas official Basem Naim advised Reuters on Sunday that the Palestinian militant group is not going to maintain talks with Israel by means of mediators on any additional steps within the ceasefire settlement except Palestinian prisoners are launched as agreed.
As tensions over the ceasefire settlement rise, Netanyahu vowed yesterday to realize the struggle’s said aims in negotiations “or by other means”.
“We are prepared to resume intense fighting at any moment,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, the Israeli army has despatched tanks into the occupied West Financial institution for the primary time in additional than 20 years, with raids reported in quite a few areas comparable to Hebron and Qabatiya.
The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, mentioned the most recent raid throughout the West Financial institution was increasing, and that troops would stay within the space’s city hotspots “for the coming year”, which means roughly 40,000 individuals displaced by the assault will be unable to return to their houses.
-
Israeli international minister Gideon Saar will meet senior European officers in Brussels later right now. He’ll co-chair a gathering of the EU-Israel Affiliation Council with EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas within the first such session since 2022. The talks are set to give attention to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza – attributable to Israel’s assault on the territory – and altering regional dynamics.
-
The White Home mentioned it helps Israel’s resolution to delay releasing 600 Palestinian prisoners, citing the “barbaric treatment” of Israeli hostages by Hamas.
Delaying the prisoner launch is an “appropriate response” to the militant group’s therapy of the hostages, nationwide safety council spokesperson Brian Hughes mentioned. Donald Trump is ready to assist Israel in “whatever course of action it chooses regarding Hamas,” he added. -
US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned he was headed to the Center East this week to “get an extension of phase one” of the truce. “We’re hopeful that we have the proper time… to begin phase two, and finish it off and get more hostages released,” Witkoff advised CNN. The primary part of the three-stage ceasefire settlement is because of finish in slightly below per week’s time. Delayed talks on the second stage of the deal, which is meant to contain an entire Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, are because of begin this week, however there may be uncertainty about whether or not they’ll occur and in the event that they do what sort of lasting outcome will be secured.
