<p>Israel has released a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners, out of which 150 will be released in the first phase if the Hamas militant group releases more than the promised 50 Israeli hostages. The list was released on Wednesday (Nov 22) by Israel's Justice Ministry. As per Haaretz, the ministry also reportedly gave a time frame of 24 hours to the public to appeal to the court regarding the list.</p>

<p>A ceasefire was earlier agreed upon for a minimum of four days to facilitate the release of at least 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-china-presiding-over-session-india-warns-un-security-council-of-vicious-cycle-of-debt-traps-661488">With China presiding over session, India warns UN Security Council of 'vicious cycle of debt traps'</a></p>

<h2><strong>Who all are there in the released list?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Both sides have agreed to release 150 females and minors. Meanwhile, 287 out of 300 detainees mentioned in the list are males who are aged under 18.&nbsp;The remaining 13 prisoners are adult women arrested for attempting terror stabbing. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The 150 detainees will be released by Israel in the first phase. In the second phase,&nbsp;Israel will release another 150 Palestinian detainees in case another 50 hostages are released from Gaza.</p>

<p>As per the second phase, the truce in Israel-Hamas war will be extended by a day for every 10 further hostages released.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Israel has published a list of 300 Palestinians who could be released in total - most are&nbsp;male&nbsp;teenagers.</p>

<p>These Palestinians were arrested by Israel for clashing&nbsp;with police, throwing stones, and riots in the West Bank and East Jerusalem region, media reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The West Bank and East Jerusalem region have been brewing with violence for a long time and there have been many instances of clashes between Palestinians and police at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, especially during major holidays.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/chinas-state-banks-drive-yuan-rally-amidst-dollar-weakness-report-661466">China's state banks drive yuan rally amidst dollar weakness: Report</a></p>

<p>Many pro-Palestinians have been calling for a truce in the Israel-Hamas war, however, the talks were not able to reach any conclusive end till Wednesday, which finally reached a major breakthrough.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The agreement was cleared by the full Israeli cabinet.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-approves-hostage-deal-with-hamas-661498">Israel approves hostage deal with Hamas</a></strong></p>

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<p>Qatar played a pivotal role in reaching the agreement. The truce comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been quite dire with the Hamas-run government saying that the Palestinian death toll in the besieged region has surpassed 14,000.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The truce is a ray of hope for many of Gaza's civilians who are caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas. Many Israelis were outraged overt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inaction over the hostage situation.</p>

<p>As per Israel, the ceasefire might be extended depending on hostages being freed by Hamas militant group.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Netanyahu along with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz have been given the power by the government to continue to assess the situation at every step. They will call the shots as to when the ceasefire will end and for how long it will be there.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Israel has released a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners, out of which 150 will be released in the first phase if the Hamas militant group releases more than the promised 50 Israeli hostages.

Israel has released a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners, out of which 150 will be released in the first phase if the Hamas militant group releases more than the promised 50 Israeli hostages. The list was released on Wednesday (Nov 22) by Israel's Justice Ministry. As per Haaretz, the ministry also reportedly gave a time frame of 24 hours to the public to appeal to the court regarding the list. A ceasefire was earlier agreed upon for a minimum of four days to facilitate the release of at least 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel. Also Read | With China presiding over session, India warns UN Security Council of 'vicious cycle of debt traps' Who all are there in the released list? Both sides have agreed to release 150 females and minors. Meanwhile, 287 out of 300 detainees mentioned in the list are males who are aged under 18. The remaining 13 prisoners are adult women arrested for attempting terror stabbing. The 150 detainees will be released by Israel in the first phase. In the second phase, Israel will release another 150 Palestinian detainees in case another 50 hostages are released from Gaza. As per the second phase, the truce in Israel-Hamas war will be extended by a day for every 10 further hostages released. Israel has published a list of 300 Palestinians who could be released in total - most are male teenagers. These Palestinians were arrested by Israel for clashing with police, throwing stones, and riots in the West Bank and East Jerusalem region, media reports said. The West Bank and East Jerusalem region have been brewing with violence for a long time and there have been many instances of clashes between Palestinians and police at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, especially during major holidays. Also Read | China's state banks drive yuan rally amidst dollar weakness: Report Many pro-Palestinians have been calling for a truce in the Israel-Hamas war, however, the talks were not able to reach any conclusive end till Wednesday, which finally reached a major breakthrough. The agreement was cleared by the full Israeli cabinet. Watch | Israel approves hostage deal with Hamas × Qatar played a pivotal role in reaching the agreement. The truce comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been quite dire with the Hamas-run government saying that the Palestinian death toll in the besieged region has surpassed 14,000. The truce is a ray of hope for many of Gaza's civilians who are caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas. Many Israelis were outraged overt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inaction over the hostage situation. As per Israel, the ceasefire might be extended depending on hostages being freed by Hamas militant group. Netanyahu along with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz have been given the power by the government to continue to assess the situation at every step. They will call the shots as to when the ceasefire will end and for how long it will be there. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel releases  list of 300 detained Palestinian prisoners, 150 to be set free in first phase

<p>The Hamas group has agreed to release more than 50 hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in the fighting and the release of some Palestinian prisoners, Hebrew media reported citing diplomatic&nbsp;sources in Israel.</p>

<p>The deal is focused on releasing Israeli hostages over four days, of which 40 are children and 13 women, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday (Nov 21).</p>

<p>An official confirmation from the Israeli government is awaited.</p>

<h2><strong>Deal needs to get approved by Cabinet&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The temporary deal has to be approved by the Israeli Cabinet in order to go into effect the following day.</p>

<p>There is also a provision whereby the Israeli public can appeal the decision to release specific Palestinian prisoners in those 24 hours.</p>

<p>Channel 12 reported that the hostage deal will include the release of around 150 to 300 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, including female and minor prisoners.</p>

<p>However, it is believed that Israel will not free prisoners convicted of murder.</p>

<p>There is also the possibility of&nbsp;Hamas unilaterally releasing&nbsp;Thai citizens, taking the total of up to 80 hostages freed, Jewish Insider reported citing a diplomatic source.</p>

<p><strong>Also read </strong>|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ukrainian-sharpshooter-breaks-world-record-by-killing-russian-soldier-from-38-km-away-661002">&nbsp;Ukrainian sniper kills Russian enemy from a record distance of 3.8 km</a></p>

<p>It has been further reported that Benjamin Netanyahu's government did not accept Qatar’s original terms, which included allowing Gazan civilians to return to the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF will continue fighting in the north after the break.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-brics-could-help-reach-political-settlement-in-conflict-says-putin-661232">Israel-Hamas war: BRICS could help reach political settlement in conflict, says Putin</a></p>

<h2><strong>Over 240 hostages held captive&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The Israeli-based news outlet further reported that the hostage releases might begin on Thursday or Friday, and the ceasefire could be extended to allow the release of more hostages following the initial 50 or so.</p>

<p>At least 240 hostages, including foreigners, are believed to be kept under captivity in Gaza Strip. They were abducted by the Palestine-based Hamas terror group during the October 7 surprise assault, which left at least 1,200 Israelis dead, following which the Israeli military launched retaliatory attacks that killed more 10,500 Palestinians.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>


The Hamas group has agreed to release more than 50 hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in the fighting and the release of some Palestinian prisoners, Hebrew media reported citing diplomatic sources in Israel.

The Hamas group has agreed to release more than 50 hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in the fighting and the release of some Palestinian prisoners, Hebrew media reported citing diplomatic sources in Israel. The deal is focused on releasing Israeli hostages over four days, of which 40 are children and 13 women, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday (Nov 21). An official confirmation from the Israeli government is awaited. Deal needs to get approved by Cabinet The temporary deal has to be approved by the Israeli Cabinet in order to go into effect the following day. There is also a provision whereby the Israeli public can appeal the decision to release specific Palestinian prisoners in those 24 hours. Channel 12 reported that the hostage deal will include the release of around 150 to 300 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, including female and minor prisoners. However, it is believed that Israel will not free prisoners convicted of murder. There is also the possibility of Hamas unilaterally releasing Thai citizens, taking the total of up to 80 hostages freed, Jewish Insider reported citing a diplomatic source. Also read | Ukrainian sniper kills Russian enemy from a record distance of 3.8 km It has been further reported that Benjamin Netanyahu's government did not accept Qatar’s original terms, which included allowing Gazan civilians to return to the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF will continue fighting in the north after the break. Also read | Israel-Hamas war: BRICS could help reach political settlement in conflict, says Putin Over 240 hostages held captive The Israeli-based news outlet further reported that the hostage releases might begin on Thursday or Friday, and the ceasefire could be extended to allow the release of more hostages following the initial 50 or so. At least 240 hostages, including foreigners, are believed to be kept under captivity in Gaza Strip. They were abducted by the Palestine-based Hamas terror group during the October 7 surprise assault, which left at least 1,200 Israelis dead, following which the Israeli military launched retaliatory attacks that killed more 10,500 Palestinians. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Hamas to release over 50 Israeli hostages in deal for four-day pause, Palestinian prisoners: Reports

<p>Looks like Cardi B is not rallying behind US President Joe Biden anymore. Upset with the US government sending millions in aid to Ukraine and Israel for their respective ongoing wars with Russia and Hamas, Cardi B said she doesn’t like America cutting budgets for its own people while sending money to other countries for their wars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In an Instagram livestream, Cardi B said that she was done with Joe Biden. Cardi B whose legal name is Belcalis Almánzar, said that US domestic and foreign policies were in stark contrast as she highlighted that while the White House was helping Ukraine fight Russia and Israel fight Hamas, the New York City mayor announced a 5% municipal budget cut last week.</p>

<p>The mayor said that the cuts would affect schools, libraries, the New York police department and the sanitation service, among others.</p>

<p>Watch the video here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨 Cardi B goes off on Joe Biden for saying we can fund two foreign wars while American cities like New York are in decay but are facing budget cuts.<a href="https://t.co/g2vYTlVFUb">pic.twitter.com/g2vYTlVFUb</a></p>
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1726340379111194930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Her video further highlighted that “in New York, there is a $120mn budget cut that’s going to affect schools, public libraries and the police department. And a $5mn budget cut in sanitation … We are gonna be drowning in … rats.”</p>

<p>The mayor warned last week that more cuts would be necessary without additional funding from Washington to manage a rise in the number of migrants in New York. In a statement, the mayor said, “Migrant costs are going up, tax revenue growth is slowing and [Covid-19] stimulus funding is drying up. No city should be left to handle a national humanitarian crisis largely on its own, and without the significant and timely support we need from Washington, today’s budget will be only the beginning.”</p>

<p>It’s worth mentioning that Cardi B had helped promote Joe Biden’s candidacy as he successfully ran for the White House in 2020. Cardi B said, “I’m endorsing no presidents no more. Joe Biden is talking about, ‘Yeah, we can fund two wars,’ … talking about, ‘Yeah, we got it, we’re the greatest nation.’ No … we’re not. We don’t got it, and we’re going through some shit right now. So say it! We are really, really, really fu*** right now. No, we cannot fund these … wars.”</p>


Looks like Cardi B is not rallying behind US President Joe Biden anymore. Upset with the US government sending millions in aid to Ukraine and Israel for their respective ongoing wars with Russia and Hamas, Cardi B said she doesn’t like America cutting budgets for its own people while sending money to other countries for their wars.

Looks like Cardi B is not rallying behind US President Joe Biden anymore. Upset with the US government sending millions in aid to Ukraine and Israel for their respective ongoing wars with Russia and Hamas, Cardi B said she doesn’t like America cutting budgets for its own people while sending money to other countries for their wars. In an Instagram livestream, Cardi B said that she was done with Joe Biden. Cardi B whose legal name is Belcalis Almánzar, said that US domestic and foreign policies were in stark contrast as she highlighted that while the White House was helping Ukraine fight Russia and Israel fight Hamas, the New York City mayor announced a 5% municipal budget cut last week. The mayor said that the cuts would affect schools, libraries, the New York police department and the sanitation service, among others. Watch the video here: 🚨 Cardi B goes off on Joe Biden for saying we can fund two foreign wars while American cities like New York are in decay but are facing budget cuts.pic.twitter.com/g2vYTlVFUb — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 19, 2023 × Her video further highlighted that “in New York, there is a $120mn budget cut that’s going to affect schools, public libraries and the police department. And a $5mn budget cut in sanitation … We are gonna be drowning in … rats.” The mayor warned last week that more cuts would be necessary without additional funding from Washington to manage a rise in the number of migrants in New York. In a statement, the mayor said, “Migrant costs are going up, tax revenue growth is slowing and [Covid-19] stimulus funding is drying up. No city should be left to handle a national humanitarian crisis largely on its own, and without the significant and timely support we need from Washington, today’s budget will be only the beginning.” It’s worth mentioning that Cardi B had helped promote Joe Biden’s candidacy as he successfully ran for the White House in 2020. Cardi B said, “I’m endorsing no presidents no more. Joe Biden is talking about, ‘Yeah, we can fund two wars,’ … talking about, ‘Yeah, we got it, we’re the greatest nation.’ No … we’re not. We don’t got it, and we’re going through some shit right now. So say it! We are really, really, really fu*** right now. No, we cannot fund these … wars.”

Cardi B is dropping support for Joe Biden over sending aid money to Israel, Ukraine for their wars

<p>Pakistan is said to be supplying 155mm shells to Israel amid its war with Hamas despite Islamabad's longstanding support to Palestinian cause and specific opposition to the existence of the state of Israel. An account on X, formerly Twitter, cited flight-tracker data to claim that a British Air Force plane flew from Bahrain to Nur Khan base in Pakistan's Rawalpindi, and reached an allied base in Cyprus via Oman.&nbsp;</p>

<p>British Royal Air Force's Akrotiri base in Cyprus has emerged as an international military hub to supply ammunition to Israel amid war with Hamas.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pakistan is exporting 155mm shells to Israel. Due to lack of global supplies, these weapons have been exported to Israel<br />
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The British Airforce RRR6664/5 flew from Bahrain to Rawalpindi PAF Nur Khan base, from Nur khan base to Bahrain. From Bahrain to Duqum , Oman and Duqum Oman… <a href="https://t.co/Am96juoTMM">pic.twitter.com/Am96juoTMM</a></p>
— People Talk Shows (@peopletalkshows) <a href="https://twitter.com/peopletalkshows/status/1725386297983017022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Earlier, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that over 40 US transport aircraft, 20 British transport aircraft and seven heavy transport helicopters flew to RAF Akrotiri carrying equipment, arms and forces.</p>

<p>US planes landing at Nevatim Air Force Base – located in southern Israel near the Negev desert – have delivered arms for the Israel’s military, Haaretz also reported. Furthermore, the US aircraft have landed at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv have carried, among other things, armoured vehicles.</p>

<h2><strong>What does it mean?</strong></h2>

<p>Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world that does not recognise Israel. At the time of its inception in 1947, Pakistan voted against the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. The backpage of a Pakistani passport infamously comes with a cautionary note that 'this passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel'.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Reports: Pakistan steps up arms supply to Ukraine | Russia-Ukraine War</strong></p>

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<p>The Pakistani government has maintained throughout that it will not pursue a normalised relationship with Israel until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as the Palestine's capital city.</p>

<p>But there has been a history of Pakistan reaching out to Israel via Turkey.</p>

<p>In 2009, Wikileaks reported that Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI had cautioned Israel against an upcoming terrorist attack in Mumbai -- the 26/11 attacks -- when Pakistan-based terrorists also targeted a Jewish cultural centre.<br />
<br />
Following the success of the Abraham Accords in 2020, ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed that the United States and "at least one other country" had been putting increased diplomatic pressure on Islamabad to normalise ties with Israel.</p>

<h2><strong>Between Ukraine and Israel: The 155mm factor</strong></h2>

<p>Pakistan is a&nbsp;producer of the types of basic munitions needed for ground assaults.</p>

<p>In September 2023, a report in The Intercept had claimed that secret Pakistani arms sales to the US helped Islamabad facilitate a much-contested bailout from International Monetary Fund (IMF). &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/everything-will-be-forgiven-how-the-us-got-pakistans-support-for-ukraine-after-aiding-imran-khans-ouster-637134">'Everything will be forgiven': How the US got Pakistan's support for Ukraine after aiding Imran Khan's ouster</a></strong></p>

<p>The arms sales were reportedly made for the purpose of supplying the Ukrainian military with 155mm shells among others.</p>

<p>This claim was specifically denied by Islamabad, as it emphasised its policy of 'strict neutrality' in Russia-Ukraine war.</p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


Pakistan is said to be supplying 155mm shells to Israel amid its war with Hamas despite Islamabad's longstanding support to Palestinian cause and specific opposition to the existence of the state of Israel.

Pakistan is said to be supplying 155mm shells to Israel amid its war with Hamas despite Islamabad's longstanding support to Palestinian cause and specific opposition to the existence of the state of Israel. An account on X, formerly Twitter, cited flight-tracker data to claim that a British Air Force plane flew from Bahrain to Nur Khan base in Pakistan's Rawalpindi, and reached an allied base in Cyprus via Oman. British Royal Air Force's Akrotiri base in Cyprus has emerged as an international military hub to supply ammunition to Israel amid war with Hamas. Pakistan is exporting 155mm shells to Israel. Due to lack of global supplies, these weapons have been exported to Israel The British Airforce RRR6664/5 flew from Bahrain to Rawalpindi PAF Nur Khan base, from Nur khan base to Bahrain. From Bahrain to Duqum , Oman and Duqum Oman… pic.twitter.com/Am96juoTMM — People Talk Shows (@peopletalkshows) November 17, 2023 × Earlier, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that over 40 US transport aircraft, 20 British transport aircraft and seven heavy transport helicopters flew to RAF Akrotiri carrying equipment, arms and forces. US planes landing at Nevatim Air Force Base – located in southern Israel near the Negev desert – have delivered arms for the Israel’s military, Haaretz also reported. Furthermore, the US aircraft have landed at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv have carried, among other things, armoured vehicles. What does it mean? Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world that does not recognise Israel. At the time of its inception in 1947, Pakistan voted against the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine. The backpage of a Pakistani passport infamously comes with a cautionary note that 'this passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel'. Also watch | Reports: Pakistan steps up arms supply to Ukraine | Russia-Ukraine War × The Pakistani government has maintained throughout that it will not pursue a normalised relationship with Israel until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as the Palestine's capital city. But there has been a history of Pakistan reaching out to Israel via Turkey. In 2009, Wikileaks reported that Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI had cautioned Israel against an upcoming terrorist attack in Mumbai -- the 26/11 attacks -- when Pakistan-based terrorists also targeted a Jewish cultural centre. Following the success of the Abraham Accords in 2020, ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed that the United States and "at least one other country" had been putting increased diplomatic pressure on Islamabad to normalise ties with Israel. Between Ukraine and Israel: The 155mm factor Pakistan is a producer of the types of basic munitions needed for ground assaults. In September 2023, a report in The Intercept had claimed that secret Pakistani arms sales to the US helped Islamabad facilitate a much-contested bailout from International Monetary Fund (IMF). Also read | 'Everything will be forgiven': How the US got Pakistan's support for Ukraine after aiding Imran Khan's ouster The arms sales were reportedly made for the purpose of supplying the Ukrainian military with 155mm shells among others. This claim was specifically denied by Islamabad, as it emphasised its policy of 'strict neutrality' in Russia-Ukraine war. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Israel-Hamas war: Pakistan supplies Israel with 155mm shells, claims report

<p>As the war between the state of Israel and Palestinian militant-political group Hamas enters its seventh week with minimal signs of cessation of violence that has caused unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the riddle that is Hamas control centre&nbsp;has emerged as top flashpoint of the ongoing war in West Asia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration is attempting to convince the world — by taking selected international journalists to the sites of what it claims are Hamas sanctuaries in Gaza — about Hamas' use of tunnels under Gaza hospitals as launchpads for attacks on Israel, a definitive answer on where is Hamas control centre is yet to emerge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides, the claim that the elaborate web of tunnels in Gaza are the locations where Israel and the US say Hamas is keeping the hostages it took as captive after the attack on Israel on October 7, is dominating the discourse.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Both Netanyahu and the Biden administration say they have evidence that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are operating command centres and ammunition depots under hospitals in Gaza, as part of an effort to use civilians using the hospitals as human shields.</p>

<p>But the purported Command Centre&nbsp;is yet to be discovered.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Al-Shifa hospital not a Hamas command centre?</strong></h2>

<p>On Thursday (Nov 18) night, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) led a selected few journalists to show a shaft in the ground with a staircase at Gaza City's largest Al-Shifa hospital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The shaft had electrical wiring, along with a metal staircase, the New York Times reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: WION takes you inside an IDF base near Gaza | WION Ground Report</strong></p>

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<p>The military said it had sent a drone down at least several metres into the shaft, which it said was found in the sand on the northern side&nbsp;of the hospital complex.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, the IDF released footage of weapons they said were found at Al-Shifa and the bodies of two Israelis taken hostage in locations adjacent to the hospital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The local medical staff have denied that the hospital was used as a Hamas command centre.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The opening of the tunnel that was seen at Al-Shifa's grounds could be booby-trapped with bombs that could explode. Such precedent exists. In 2013, six Israeli soldiers were injured when a bomb exploded when they tried to push in a camera into a tunnel in Gaza.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-palestine-war-al-shifa-hospital-focus-of-international-concern-wion-voa-co-production-659819">Israel-Hamas war: Al-Shifa hospital focus of international concern</a></strong></p>

<p>But there are conflicting accounts from the Israeli side itself on where exactly is the Hamas command centre.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Euronews that Hamas' underground command centre is based in Khan Yunis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip located about 30 km south of Al-Shifa hospital.</p>

<p>"That's where the real headquarters of Hamas is," he said.</p>

<p>"They have the leadership, they are hiding, they have the bunkers, they have the command positions, they have the launching pads."</p>

<p>Khan Younis is the largest city in southern Gaza. After Israel gave ultimatum to the Palestinians in northern Gaza to move towards south, Khan Younis is the place where people fled.</p>

<p>On Friday (Nov 18), Israel Defence Forces (IDF) warned people in some towns of Khan Younis as well to evacuate their homes and move to shelters.</p>

<p>The population of Khan Younis went from 400,000 residents to over a million in the wake of people fleeing towards south.</p>

<p>“With every passing day, there are fewer places where Hamas terrorists can operate,” Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, adding that the militants would learn that in southern Gaza “in the coming days."</p>

<p>Conclusively, due to elaborate network of tunnels in Gaza, a&nbsp;definite account of where is Hamas Control Centre&nbsp;may take months or may never come at all, according to the US military officials quoted in the New York Times.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How big are the Hamas tunnels?</strong></h2>

<p>Qatar-based Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, had claimed in 2021 that there were 310 miles of tunnels in Gaza.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US officials cited in the western media say that the tunnels in Gaza are akin to "miniature cities" with rooms, cells and even roads for the vehicles.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides, since taking over Gaza in 2007, Hamas has invested huge but unspecified amounts of money to revamp the existing tunnel infrastructure and create new ones. The tunnels are used to smuggle weapons, militants, politicians, food and goods necessary to make the rockets often fired into Israel from inside the strip.</p>

<h2><strong>Are Israeli forces entering Hamas tunnels in Gaza?</strong></h2>

<p>So far, there are no specific reports if or not Israel's military has entered the tunnels to "dismantle Hamas".&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Pentagon official was quoted as saying in the New York Times that Israeli forces will view sending soldiers down into the tunnels as a measure of last resort.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


As the war between the state of Israel and Palestinian militant-political group Hamas enters its seventh week with minimal signs of cessation of violence that has caused unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the riddle that is Hamas control centre has emerged as top flashpoint of the ongoing war in West Asia.

As the war between the state of Israel and Palestinian militant-political group Hamas enters its seventh week with minimal signs of cessation of violence that has caused unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the riddle that is Hamas control centre has emerged as top flashpoint of the ongoing war in West Asia. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration is attempting to convince the world — by taking selected international journalists to the sites of what it claims are Hamas sanctuaries in Gaza — about Hamas' use of tunnels under Gaza hospitals as launchpads for attacks on Israel, a definitive answer on where is Hamas control centre is yet to emerge. Besides, the claim that the elaborate web of tunnels in Gaza are the locations where Israel and the US say Hamas is keeping the hostages it took as captive after the attack on Israel on October 7, is dominating the discourse. Both Netanyahu and the Biden administration say they have evidence that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are operating command centres and ammunition depots under hospitals in Gaza, as part of an effort to use civilians using the hospitals as human shields. But the purported Command Centre is yet to be discovered. Al-Shifa hospital not a Hamas command centre? On Thursday (Nov 18) night, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) led a selected few journalists to show a shaft in the ground with a staircase at Gaza City's largest Al-Shifa hospital. The shaft had electrical wiring, along with a metal staircase, the New York Times reported. Also watch | Israel-Hamas war: WION takes you inside an IDF base near Gaza | WION Ground Report × The military said it had sent a drone down at least several metres into the shaft, which it said was found in the sand on the northern side of the hospital complex. Earlier, the IDF released footage of weapons they said were found at Al-Shifa and the bodies of two Israelis taken hostage in locations adjacent to the hospital. The local medical staff have denied that the hospital was used as a Hamas command centre. The opening of the tunnel that was seen at Al-Shifa's grounds could be booby-trapped with bombs that could explode. Such precedent exists. In 2013, six Israeli soldiers were injured when a bomb exploded when they tried to push in a camera into a tunnel in Gaza. Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Al-Shifa hospital focus of international concern But there are conflicting accounts from the Israeli side itself on where exactly is the Hamas command centre. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Euronews that Hamas' underground command centre is based in Khan Yunis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip located about 30 km south of Al-Shifa hospital. "That's where the real headquarters of Hamas is," he said. "They have the leadership, they are hiding, they have the bunkers, they have the command positions, they have the launching pads." Khan Younis is the largest city in southern Gaza. After Israel gave ultimatum to the Palestinians in northern Gaza to move towards south, Khan Younis is the place where people fled. On Friday (Nov 18), Israel Defence Forces (IDF) warned people in some towns of Khan Younis as well to evacuate their homes and move to shelters. The population of Khan Younis went from 400,000 residents to over a million in the wake of people fleeing towards south. “With every passing day, there are fewer places where Hamas terrorists can operate,” Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, adding that the militants would learn that in southern Gaza “in the coming days." Conclusively, due to elaborate network of tunnels in Gaza, a definite account of where is Hamas Control Centre may take months or may never come at all, according to the US military officials quoted in the New York Times. How big are the Hamas tunnels? Qatar-based Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, had claimed in 2021 that there were 310 miles of tunnels in Gaza. US officials cited in the western media say that the tunnels in Gaza are akin to "miniature cities" with rooms, cells and even roads for the vehicles. Besides, since taking over Gaza in 2007, Hamas has invested huge but unspecified amounts of money to revamp the existing tunnel infrastructure and create new ones. The tunnels are used to smuggle weapons, militants, politicians, food and goods necessary to make the rockets often fired into Israel from inside the strip. Are Israeli forces entering Hamas tunnels in Gaza? So far, there are no specific reports if or not Israel's military has entered the tunnels to "dismantle Hamas". A Pentagon official was quoted as saying in the New York Times that Israeli forces will view sending soldiers down into the tunnels as a measure of last resort. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Explained | The riddle that is Hamas' control centre in Gaza—between Al-Shifa and Khan Younis

<p>At least 50 were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the al-Fakhoora School, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Saturday (Nov 18).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed a death toll of at least 50 people as a result of the bombing, with the incident occurring in the early hours of Saturday.</p>

<p>As the Israel-Hamas war continues, UN-run schools in the refugee camps have become a place of shelter for many escaping the relentless humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of individuals are seeking shelter at these places while Israel entered offensive mode to eliminate the Hamas Islamist group.</p>

<p>Reports suggest that there is a scene of widespread casualties at the refugee camp, with medical teams working to evacuate the wounded.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latvia-independence-day-2023-celebrated-by-google-doodle-660168">Latvia Independence Day 2023 celebrated by Google doodle</a></p>

<p>Expressing condemnation, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, decried the strikes on UN-run schools in Gaza.</p>

<p>Lazzarini spoke of the severity of the situation, stating that he had witnessed "horrifying images and footage of scores of people killed and injured" in one of the agency's schools that had been providing shelter for thousands of displaced individuals.<br />
<br />
Lazzarini took to X, formerly Twitter, to assert, "These attacks cannot become commonplace; they must stop."</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fukushima-wastewater-release-fumio-kishida-says-china-agreed-to-discuss-japanese-seafood-ban-660159">Fukushima wastewater release: Fumio Kishida says China agreed to discuss Japanese seafood ban</a></p>

<h2><strong>80 killed in dual Israeli strikes: Hamas-run health ministry</strong></h2>

<p>According to an official from the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the death toll rose to over 80 people on Saturday due to dual Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp.</p>

<p>The UN-run Al-Fakhura school, converted into a shelter for displaced Palestinians, witnessed at least 50 fatalities in the dawn strike, as reported by the official to AFP.</p>

<p>In a separate strike on another building in the camp, 32 individuals from the same family were killed, including 19 children, claimed the health ministry.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hezbollah-israel-trade-strikes-at-lebanese-border-660147">Hezbollah, Israel trade strikes at Lebanese border</a></strong></p>

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<p>The ministry released a list of the 32 members of the Abu Habal family.&nbsp;Jabalia, the largest refugee camp in Gaza, has seen over 1.6 million people displaced during more than six weeks of intense conflict between Israel and Hamas.</p>

<p>As the devastating consequences of these attacks continue to trickle, many are holding pro-Palestine protests calling for a ceasefire as the urgent step towards resolution to the ongoing crisis in the region.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)<br />
<br />
<strong>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>


At least 50 were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the al-Fakhoora School, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Saturday (Nov 18).

At least 50 were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the al-Fakhoora School, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Saturday (Nov 18). The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed a death toll of at least 50 people as a result of the bombing, with the incident occurring in the early hours of Saturday. As the Israel-Hamas war continues, UN-run schools in the refugee camps have become a place of shelter for many escaping the relentless humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of individuals are seeking shelter at these places while Israel entered offensive mode to eliminate the Hamas Islamist group. Reports suggest that there is a scene of widespread casualties at the refugee camp, with medical teams working to evacuate the wounded. Also Read | Latvia Independence Day 2023 celebrated by Google doodle Expressing condemnation, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, decried the strikes on UN-run schools in Gaza. Lazzarini spoke of the severity of the situation, stating that he had witnessed "horrifying images and footage of scores of people killed and injured" in one of the agency's schools that had been providing shelter for thousands of displaced individuals. Lazzarini took to X, formerly Twitter, to assert, "These attacks cannot become commonplace; they must stop." Also Read | Fukushima wastewater release: Fumio Kishida says China agreed to discuss Japanese seafood ban 80 killed in dual Israeli strikes: Hamas-run health ministry According to an official from the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the death toll rose to over 80 people on Saturday due to dual Israeli strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp. The UN-run Al-Fakhura school, converted into a shelter for displaced Palestinians, witnessed at least 50 fatalities in the dawn strike, as reported by the official to AFP. In a separate strike on another building in the camp, 32 individuals from the same family were killed, including 19 children, claimed the health ministry. Watch | Hezbollah, Israel trade strikes at Lebanese border × The ministry released a list of the 32 members of the Abu Habal family. Jabalia, the largest refugee camp in Gaza, has seen over 1.6 million people displaced during more than six weeks of intense conflict between Israel and Hamas. As the devastating consequences of these attacks continue to trickle, many are holding pro-Palestine protests calling for a ceasefire as the urgent step towards resolution to the ongoing crisis in the region. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

At least 50 killed in Israeli airstrikes on al-Fakhoora school in Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp

<p>Israel and Hamas are reportedly at the threshold brink of closing an agreement to reach a five-day pause in fighting in exchange for the return of women and children held hostage by Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip, Washington Post reported.</p>

<p>The report claimed that under a six-page agreement, all parties in the conflict would freeze the state of war for at least five days during which dozens of hostages among a total of 239 will be released in batches every 24 hours.</p>

<p>But White House later clarified that Washington has not reached any such deal but the Biden administration will continue to 'work hard' to conclude one.</p>

<p>"We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal," Adrienne Watson,&nbsp;the White House National Security Council Spokesperson wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p>

<h2><strong>Israel-Hamas war temporary pause: What is it about?</strong></h2>

<p data-el="text" data-testid="drop-cap-letter" dir="null">According to reports in the US media, the outline of a deal was put together during strenuous talks in Qatar immediately after the outbreak of the war in West Asia.</p>

<p data-el="text" data-testid="drop-cap-letter" dir="null">The Biden administration dispatched US Secretary of State Antony Blinken twice since October 7&nbsp;to diffuse the hostage situation, and de-escalate the prevailing hostilities in the region.</p>

<p data-el="text" data-testid="drop-cap-letter" dir="null"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-why-is-blinken-returning-to-west-asia-despite-a-failed-peace-bid-last-time-653921?utm_source=ground.news&amp;utm_medium=referral">Explained | Why Blinken has returned to West Asia despite a failed peace bid last time</a></strong></p>

<p data-el="text" data-testid="drop-cap-letter" dir="null">Notably, while the US President&nbsp;Joe Biden himself failed to engage with Palestinian leaders during his West Asia visit last month&nbsp;— after a four way leader summit between leaders of the US-Jordan-Egypt-Palestine Authority was cancelled&nbsp;— UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Union leaders have managed to engage with both Israeli and Arab leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-el="text" data-testid="drop-cap-letter" dir="null"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spotlight-on-washingtons-waning-political-capital-after-gaza-hospital-blast-sinks-bidens-jordan-summit-648187">Spotlight on Washington's waning political capital after Gaza hospital blast sinks Biden's Jordan summit</a></strong></p>

<p data-el="text" data-testid="drop-cap-letter" dir="null">It continues to be unclear until now if Israel would agree to temporarily pause in its offensive in Gaza if the Palestinian militant groups fostered in the region fail to return the hostages they took in the aftermath of their attack on Israel on October 7 that killed around 1200 Israelis.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-el="text" data-testid="drop-cap-letter" dir="null"><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Palestine War | WHO: Al-Shifa hospital is a 'death zone'</strong></p>

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<p>Israel has since retaliated with constant bombardment to target Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. The retaliatory state of war in Gaza, however, has&nbsp;killed more than 12,000 Palestinians, mostly children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.</p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


Israel and Hamas are reportedly at the threshold brink of closing an agreement to reach a five-day pause in fighting in exchange for the return of women and children held hostage by Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip, Washington Post reported.

Israel and Hamas are reportedly at the threshold brink of closing an agreement to reach a five-day pause in fighting in exchange for the return of women and children held hostage by Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip, Washington Post reported. The report claimed that under a six-page agreement, all parties in the conflict would freeze the state of war for at least five days during which dozens of hostages among a total of 239 will be released in batches every 24 hours. But White House later clarified that Washington has not reached any such deal but the Biden administration will continue to 'work hard' to conclude one. "We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal," Adrienne Watson, the White House National Security Council Spokesperson wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Israel-Hamas war temporary pause: What is it about? According to reports in the US media, the outline of a deal was put together during strenuous talks in Qatar immediately after the outbreak of the war in West Asia. The Biden administration dispatched US Secretary of State Antony Blinken twice since October 7 to diffuse the hostage situation, and de-escalate the prevailing hostilities in the region. Also read | Explained | Why Blinken has returned to West Asia despite a failed peace bid last time Notably, while the US President Joe Biden himself failed to engage with Palestinian leaders during his West Asia visit last month — after a four way leader summit between leaders of the US-Jordan-Egypt-Palestine Authority was cancelled — UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Union leaders have managed to engage with both Israeli and Arab leaders. Also read | Spotlight on Washington's waning political capital after Gaza hospital blast sinks Biden's Jordan summit It continues to be unclear until now if Israel would agree to temporarily pause in its offensive in Gaza if the Palestinian militant groups fostered in the region fail to return the hostages they took in the aftermath of their attack on Israel on October 7 that killed around 1200 Israelis. Also watch | Israel-Palestine War | WHO: Al-Shifa hospital is a 'death zone' × Israel has since retaliated with constant bombardment to target Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. The retaliatory state of war in Gaza, however, has killed more than 12,000 Palestinians, mostly children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

White House clarifies on potential hostage deal to pause Israel-Hamas war

<p>The war between Israel and Hamas since the sudden cross-border attack launched by the terrorists on October 7 has led to a large civilian death toll.<br />
<br />
The war and the humanitarian losses come under a complex international system of justice which has emerged since World War II. The system is mainly aimed at protecting civilians.<br />
<br />
Even if the states claim that they are taking steps in self-defence, international rules related to armed conflict remain applicable to all participating nations in a war.</p>

<h2><strong>What laws apply to armed conflict?</strong></h2>

<p>In the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the internationally accepted laws of armed conflict were laid down which were ratified by all member states of the United Nations and supplemented by rulings delivered by international war crimes&nbsp;tribunals.<br />
<br />
Treaties govern the treatment of soldiers, civilians and prisoners of war in a system which is known as the "Law of Armed Conflict" or "International Humanitarian Law". It is applicable to the government forces as well as organised, non-state armed groups, including Hamas.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-historical-conflict-between-israel-palestine-amid-unprovoked-escalation-by-hamas-644471">Explained: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas</a></p>

<h2><strong>Can a hospital be made a military target in a war?</strong></h2>

<p>The medical facilities in Gaza, especially the Al Shifa Hospital, have been a centre of the Israel-Hamas war. Isareli intelligence and IDF have accused Hamas of using medical facilities as covers to evade attacks as well as air strikes and establishing command and control centres beneath them, a charge Hamas denies.<br />
<br />
Canadian lawyer Carolyn Edgerton, who had dealt with several cases at the International Criminal Tribunal, stated that although they did not look into the hospital attacks specifically, the jurisprudence emphasised the need to balance the principles of humanity and military necessity.<br />
<br />
"Attacking hospitals and other medical units is prohibited under the first Geneva Convention, and that protection extends to the wounded and the sick, the staff of those establishments and ambulances. And that protection doesn't end unless those establishments are used by a party to the conflict to commit an act ... harmful to the enemy," she stated, reported Reuters.</p>

<h2><strong>What kind of acts can violate war crimes law?</strong></h2>

<p>The deliberate targeting of civilians and taking of civilians as hostages by Hamas terrorists, indiscriminate firing of rockets and counter-strikes in Gaza have been cited by Human Rights Watch as possible war crimes.<br />
<br />
Under the Geneva Conventions, torture, murder and hostage-taking have been explicitly banned, while the response of Israel can also be investigated for war crimes.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;US: Blinken asks Israel for urgent action against settler violence in West Bank&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>What does the Geneva Conventions advocate?</strong></h2>

<p>The overarching goal of the Geneva Conventions is to protect civilians in wartime. Under the armed conflict's laws, combatants include military and volunteer forces, non-state armed groups and members of state armed forces.<br />
<br />
It is forbidden to directly target civilians or civilian objects. It is considered a separate war crime to intentionally attack material and personnel involved in humanitarian assistance as long as those carrying the humanitarian aid are civilians.<br />
<br />
A siege can also be seen as a war crime if the civilians are targeted. International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the Israeli army needs to show that "any attack that impacts innocent civilians or protected objects" such as schools, churches, hospitals or mosques must be carried out in accordance with the armed conflict's laws, reported Reuters.<br />
<br />
As per these laws, civilian objects can be considered legitimate military targets if they are effectively contributing to military action. "The burden of proving that the protective status is lost rests with those who fire the gun, the missile or the rocket in question," Khan stated.<br />
<br />
According to the laws, if a legitimate military target is attacked by a combatant, a proportional assault must be carried out and it must be ensured that there is no excessive loss of civilian life or that civilian objects do not suffer much damage.<br />
<br />
The Geneva Conventions as well as international tribunals' subsequent rulings have explained that proportionality is not a numbers game where one can compare one side's death toll with the other side, rather the death casualties need to be proportionate to the direct military advantage which is likely to be the outcome of that specific attack.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-gaza-strip-and-the-struggle-for-survival-for-millions-of-its-residents-645290">Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents</a></p>

<h2><strong>Which global institutions try war crimes?</strong></h2>

<p>The local jurisdictions are the first in line to try alleged war crimes. In the case of the Israel-Hamas war, it is the case courts in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.<br />
<br />
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is the only legal organisation on the global level to bring charges.<br />
<br />
The ICC's founding Rome Statute has given it the legal authority to carry out an investigation of alleged crimes which take place on the territory of its member states or are carried out by their nationals if the domestic authorities are "unwilling or unable" to try.</p>

<h2><strong>What international law speaks about human shields?</strong></h2>

<p>Hamas has been blamed by Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza as Tel Aviv claims it is using Palestinians as human shields in Gaza and hiding arms and command centres in the residential areas and hospitals.<br />
<br />
International humanitarian law has forbidden the use of human shields in war and such cases are seen as a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions.<br />
<br />
The human shields' alleged presence does not mean automatically that the warring nation cannot consider the site as a legitimate military target.<br />
<br />
However, any attack which is launched on such a site needs to be weighed&nbsp;against the principle of proportionality, and the number of civilian casualties needs to be compared to the estimated military advantage.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


The war between Israel and Hamas since the sudden cross-border attack launched by the terrorists on October 7 has led to a large civilian death toll. The war and the humanitarian losses come under a complex international system of justice which has emerged since World War II.

The war between Israel and Hamas since the sudden cross-border attack launched by the terrorists on October 7 has led to a large civilian death toll. The war and the humanitarian losses come under a complex international system of justice which has emerged since World War II. The system is mainly aimed at protecting civilians. Even if the states claim that they are taking steps in self-defence, international rules related to armed conflict remain applicable to all participating nations in a war. What laws apply to armed conflict? In the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the internationally accepted laws of armed conflict were laid down which were ratified by all member states of the United Nations and supplemented by rulings delivered by international war crimes tribunals. Treaties govern the treatment of soldiers, civilians and prisoners of war in a system which is known as the "Law of Armed Conflict" or "International Humanitarian Law". It is applicable to the government forces as well as organised, non-state armed groups, including Hamas. Also read: Explained: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas Can a hospital be made a military target in a war? The medical facilities in Gaza, especially the Al Shifa Hospital, have been a centre of the Israel-Hamas war. Isareli intelligence and IDF have accused Hamas of using medical facilities as covers to evade attacks as well as air strikes and establishing command and control centres beneath them, a charge Hamas denies. Canadian lawyer Carolyn Edgerton, who had dealt with several cases at the International Criminal Tribunal, stated that although they did not look into the hospital attacks specifically, the jurisprudence emphasised the need to balance the principles of humanity and military necessity. "Attacking hospitals and other medical units is prohibited under the first Geneva Convention, and that protection extends to the wounded and the sick, the staff of those establishments and ambulances. And that protection doesn't end unless those establishments are used by a party to the conflict to commit an act ... harmful to the enemy," she stated, reported Reuters. What kind of acts can violate war crimes law? The deliberate targeting of civilians and taking of civilians as hostages by Hamas terrorists, indiscriminate firing of rockets and counter-strikes in Gaza have been cited by Human Rights Watch as possible war crimes. Under the Geneva Conventions, torture, murder and hostage-taking have been explicitly banned, while the response of Israel can also be investigated for war crimes. Watch: US: Blinken asks Israel for urgent action against settler violence in West Bank What does the Geneva Conventions advocate? The overarching goal of the Geneva Conventions is to protect civilians in wartime. Under the armed conflict's laws, combatants include military and volunteer forces, non-state armed groups and members of state armed forces. It is forbidden to directly target civilians or civilian objects. It is considered a separate war crime to intentionally attack material and personnel involved in humanitarian assistance as long as those carrying the humanitarian aid are civilians. A siege can also be seen as a war crime if the civilians are targeted. International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the Israeli army needs to show that "any attack that impacts innocent civilians or protected objects" such as schools, churches, hospitals or mosques must be carried out in accordance with the armed conflict's laws, reported Reuters. As per these laws, civilian objects can be considered legitimate military targets if they are effectively contributing to military action. "The burden of proving that the protective status is lost rests with those who fire the gun, the missile or the rocket in question," Khan stated. According to the laws, if a legitimate military target is attacked by a combatant, a proportional assault must be carried out and it must be ensured that there is no excessive loss of civilian life or that civilian objects do not suffer much damage. The Geneva Conventions as well as international tribunals' subsequent rulings have explained that proportionality is not a numbers game where one can compare one side's death toll with the other side, rather the death casualties need to be proportionate to the direct military advantage which is likely to be the outcome of that specific attack. Also read: Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents Which global institutions try war crimes? The local jurisdictions are the first in line to try alleged war crimes. In the case of the Israel-Hamas war, it is the case courts in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is the only legal organisation on the global level to bring charges. The ICC's founding Rome Statute has given it the legal authority to carry out an investigation of alleged crimes which take place on the territory of its member states or are carried out by their nationals if the domestic authorities are "unwilling or unable" to try. What international law speaks about human shields? Hamas has been blamed by Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza as Tel Aviv claims it is using Palestinians as human shields in Gaza and hiding arms and command centres in the residential areas and hospitals. International humanitarian law has forbidden the use of human shields in war and such cases are seen as a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions. The human shields' alleged presence does not mean automatically that the warring nation cannot consider the site as a legitimate military target. However, any attack which is launched on such a site needs to be weighed against the principle of proportionality, and the number of civilian casualties needs to be compared to the estimated military advantage. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | What kind of war crime laws apply to the Israel-Hamas conflict?

<p>The International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutor on Friday (Nov 17) stated that a joint request was submitted to him by five countries to carry out an investigation of the current situation in the Palestinian territories.<br />
<br />
As international concern continues to swell over the increasing toll, the demand was made as a few families of the Israelis who were taken as hostage by Hamas on October 7, also sought the involvement of the ICC.<br />
<br />
Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the request was submitted by South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros and Djibouti. South Africa stated that the request was made "to ensure that the ICC pays urgent attention to the grave situation in Palestine".<br />
<br />
An investigation is already being carried out by the ICC into "the situation in the State of Palestine" for alleged war crimes which they have committed since June 13, 2014.<br />
<br />
In a statement, Khan said that an investigation into events in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, which started in March 2021, now "extends to the escalation of hostilities and violence since the attacks that took place in October 2023."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-us-will-not-share-intel-on-hamas-using-al-shifa-as-command-centre-659884">Israel-Hamas war: US will not share intel on Hamas using Al-Shifa as command centre</a></p>

<p>Recently Khan, who went to the main crossing point between Egypt and Gaza, stated that his team had gathered a "significant volume " of evidence on "relevant incidents" in the war.</p>

<h2><strong>Khan calls for submission of more evidence</strong></h2>

<p>Last month, Khan stated that his office had jurisdiction both over the attack carried out by Hamas on Israel on October 7 and any kind of war crimes committed by Israel as part of its response which includes bombings in the Gaza Strip.<br />
<br />
Since an investigation over the war was already ongoing, the request made on Friday will have limited practical impact.<br />
<br />
The prosecutor's office in a statement stated that it had so far "collected a significant volume of information and evidence" on crimes which took place in the Palestinian territories and also those committed by Palestinians.<br />
<br />
He called for submission of more evidence to be submitted and, stated, "I will also continue my efforts to visit the state of Palestine and Israel in order to meet with survivors, hear from civil society organisations and engage with relevant national counterparts."</p>

<p>"I call upon all relevant actors to provide full co-operation with my office,” Khan added.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;How the war against Hamas is shaping Israel's economy?</strong></p>

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<p>Israel is not the International Criminal Court's member and does not accept its jurisdiction.<br />
<br />
In certain circumstances, the ICC has the right to investigate nationals of non-member states which include when crimes are allegedly committed in the territories of member states. Palestine has been listed as a member of the ICC since 2015.<br />
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The ICC, which is seen as a court of last resort, prosecutes individuals for allegedly committing crimes when its 124 member states are not able to prosecute themselves or are unwilling to take steps in that direction.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


The International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutor on Friday (Nov 17) stated that a joint request was submitted to him by five countries to carry out an investigation of the current situation in the Palestinian territories.

The International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutor on Friday (Nov 17) stated that a joint request was submitted to him by five countries to carry out an investigation of the current situation in the Palestinian territories. As international concern continues to swell over the increasing toll, the demand was made as a few families of the Israelis who were taken as hostage by Hamas on October 7, also sought the involvement of the ICC. Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the request was submitted by South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros and Djibouti. South Africa stated that the request was made "to ensure that the ICC pays urgent attention to the grave situation in Palestine". An investigation is already being carried out by the ICC into "the situation in the State of Palestine" for alleged war crimes which they have committed since June 13, 2014. In a statement, Khan said that an investigation into events in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, which started in March 2021, now "extends to the escalation of hostilities and violence since the attacks that took place in October 2023." Also read: Israel-Hamas war: US will not share intel on Hamas using Al-Shifa as command centre Recently Khan, who went to the main crossing point between Egypt and Gaza, stated that his team had gathered a "significant volume " of evidence on "relevant incidents" in the war. Khan calls for submission of more evidence Last month, Khan stated that his office had jurisdiction both over the attack carried out by Hamas on Israel on October 7 and any kind of war crimes committed by Israel as part of its response which includes bombings in the Gaza Strip. Since an investigation over the war was already ongoing, the request made on Friday will have limited practical impact. The prosecutor's office in a statement stated that it had so far "collected a significant volume of information and evidence" on crimes which took place in the Palestinian territories and also those committed by Palestinians. He called for submission of more evidence to be submitted and, stated, "I will also continue my efforts to visit the state of Palestine and Israel in order to meet with survivors, hear from civil society organisations and engage with relevant national counterparts." "I call upon all relevant actors to provide full co-operation with my office,” Khan added. Watch: How the war against Hamas is shaping Israel's economy? Israel is not the International Criminal Court's member and does not accept its jurisdiction. In certain circumstances, the ICC has the right to investigate nationals of non-member states which include when crimes are allegedly committed in the territories of member states. Palestine has been listed as a member of the ICC since 2015. The ICC, which is seen as a court of last resort, prosecutes individuals for allegedly committing crimes when its 124 member states are not able to prosecute themselves or are unwilling to take steps in that direction. (With inputs from agencies)

Five countries request for war crimes investigation in Palestinian territories

<p>Israel has agreed for a 140,000 litres of fuel supply to Gaza every two days following a request from the US. The development came on the same day first fuel trucks entered Gaza from Rafah border in accordance with the previous agreement. Since the outbreak of Israel-Hamas war, there has been extreme shortage of fuel in the Gaza Strip owing to Israeli blockade. The shortage threatened to derail aid deliveries and caused 'communication blackout' in the Palestinian enclave.</p>

<p>Reuters cited a US State Department official who said that Israel had agreed to allow supply of 120,000 litres of fuel every 48 hours for United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) aid trucks and also for sewage pumping, desalination of water, running bakeries and hospitals.</p>

<p>An additional 20,000 litres will be allowed every two days for generators of telecom company Paltel which is working to restore telecommunication.</p>

<p>The decision to allow fuel into Gaza is unpopular among some members of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition but there has been intense international pressure following rising civilian death toll and worsening conditions in Gaza Strip.</p>

<p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli war cabinet members on phone on Wednesday and warned them about humanitarian catastrophe stemming from acute shortage of fuel.</p>

<p>In the wake of recent decisions, there have been comments from within Netanyahu government expressing displeasure. Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister deemed&nbsp;the&nbsp; decision to allow fuel into Gaza a serious mistake.</p>

<p>"It conveys weakness, it gives oxygen into the enemy," he said in a statement.</p>

<p>Israel has been resisting calls to allow fuel into Gaza Strip saying that there was chance that Hamas fighters will seize it and use it for military purposes.</p>

<p>Hamas terrorists had crossed border into southern Israel and launched an attack on October 7 killing 1200 people and abducting more than 200. Israel has since then responded with overwhelming military response with thousands of air raids. Ground attacks were initiated inside Gaza Strip by Israeli tank and troops.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/idf-finds-body-of-19-year-old-israeli-woman-soldier-near-al-shifa-hospital-659816">IDF finds body of 19-year-old Israeli woman soldier near Al-Shifa hospital</a></strong></p>

<p>Earlier this week, Israeli troops entered Al-Shifa hospital, the biggest hospital in Gaza City. Israel has been alleging that Hamas has a command centre inside the hospital, a charge Hamas denies. But after US substantiated Israel's claims by endorsing them citing US intelligence, Israeli troops entered the hospital.</p>

<p>The Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip has said that Israeli military campaign has so far killed at least 12,000 people which include 5000 children.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Israel has agreed for a 140,000 litres of fuel supply to Gaza every two days following a request from the US. The development came on the same day first fuel trucks entered Gaza from Rafah border in accordance with the previous agreement.

Israel has agreed for a 140,000 litres of fuel supply to Gaza every two days following a request from the US. The development came on the same day first fuel trucks entered Gaza from Rafah border in accordance with the previous agreement. Since the outbreak of Israel-Hamas war, there has been extreme shortage of fuel in the Gaza Strip owing to Israeli blockade. The shortage threatened to derail aid deliveries and caused 'communication blackout' in the Palestinian enclave. Reuters cited a US State Department official who said that Israel had agreed to allow supply of 120,000 litres of fuel every 48 hours for United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) aid trucks and also for sewage pumping, desalination of water, running bakeries and hospitals. An additional 20,000 litres will be allowed every two days for generators of telecom company Paltel which is working to restore telecommunication. The decision to allow fuel into Gaza is unpopular among some members of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition but there has been intense international pressure following rising civilian death toll and worsening conditions in Gaza Strip. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli war cabinet members on phone on Wednesday and warned them about humanitarian catastrophe stemming from acute shortage of fuel. In the wake of recent decisions, there have been comments from within Netanyahu government expressing displeasure. Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister deemed the decision to allow fuel into Gaza a serious mistake. "It conveys weakness, it gives oxygen into the enemy," he said in a statement. Israel has been resisting calls to allow fuel into Gaza Strip saying that there was chance that Hamas fighters will seize it and use it for military purposes. Hamas terrorists had crossed border into southern Israel and launched an attack on October 7 killing 1200 people and abducting more than 200. Israel has since then responded with overwhelming military response with thousands of air raids. Ground attacks were initiated inside Gaza Strip by Israeli tank and troops. Also Read | IDF finds body of 19-year-old Israeli woman soldier near Al-Shifa hospital Earlier this week, Israeli troops entered Al-Shifa hospital, the biggest hospital in Gaza City. Israel has been alleging that Hamas has a command centre inside the hospital, a charge Hamas denies. But after US substantiated Israel's claims by endorsing them citing US intelligence, Israeli troops entered the hospital. The Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip has said that Israeli military campaign has so far killed at least 12,000 people which include 5000 children. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel decides to allow more fuel into Gaza than initially agreed

<p>The chief of the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near&nbsp;East (UNRWA) said on Thursday (November 16) that there was a 'deliberate attempt' to 'strangle' and 'paralyse' the agency's work in Gaza. He warned that the UNRWA may be forced to fully suspend its work because of lack of fuel.</p>

<p>UNRWA supports more than 800,000 displaced people in the Gaza Strip. It said that many of the services it supported have shut down. These include dozens of water wells, two water plants and sewage pumping stations.</p>

<p>"I do believe there is a deliberate attempt to strangle our operation and paralyse the operation," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told journalists in Geneva.</p>

<p>"We run the risk of having to suspend the entire humanitarian operation," he said. "I do believe that it is outrageous that humanitarian agencies have been reduced to begging for fuel."</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Israel-Hamas war: Israel's opposition asks Netanyahu to resign</strong></p>

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<p>Lazzarini said that for weeks, the agency has made pleas for fuel, which was carried into Gaza for the first time on Wednesday since the war began.</p>

<p>Lazzarini said that the 24,000 litres of diesel fuel meant for UN aid trucks is inadequate compared to what Gazans need to survive.</p>

<p>"Because of the lack of fuel, we will not be able to send our trucks across the south of the Gaza Strip where we have people waiting for humanitarian deliveries," he said.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-israel-demolishes-gaza-home-of-hamas-leader-ismail-haniyeh-in-overnight-airstrikes-659331">Israel demolishes Gaza home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in overnight airstrikes</a></strong></p>

<p>Israel has blockaded the Gaza Strip and even opposes fuel imports in the Palestinian enclave saying it can be used by Hamas.</p>

<p>"Today what we are saying is if the fuel does not come in, people will start to die because of the lack of fuel. Exactly as from when, I don’t know. But it will be sooner rather than later," he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-khamenei-tell-hamas-chief-that-iran-would-not-directly-enter-war-against-israel-659208">Did Supreme Leader Khamenei tell Hamas chief that Iran would not directly enter war against Israel?</a></strong></p>

<p>Paltel and Jawwal, the main telecommunication companies in Gaza have said that all telecom services in the strip have now stopped because of the depletion of all energy sources.</p>

<p>"It can provoke or accelerate (the breakdown of) the last remaining civil order we have in the Gaza Strip," Lazzarini said of the blackout, calling the scale of loss and destruction in Gaza "just staggering."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The chief of the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Thursday (November 16) that there was a 'deliberate attempt' to 'strangle' and 'paralyse' the agency's work in Gaza.

The chief of the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Thursday (November 16) that there was a 'deliberate attempt' to 'strangle' and 'paralyse' the agency's work in Gaza. He warned that the UNRWA may be forced to fully suspend its work because of lack of fuel. UNRWA supports more than 800,000 displaced people in the Gaza Strip. It said that many of the services it supported have shut down. These include dozens of water wells, two water plants and sewage pumping stations. "I do believe there is a deliberate attempt to strangle our operation and paralyse the operation," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told journalists in Geneva. "We run the risk of having to suspend the entire humanitarian operation," he said. "I do believe that it is outrageous that humanitarian agencies have been reduced to begging for fuel." Watch | Israel-Hamas war: Israel's opposition asks Netanyahu to resign × Lazzarini said that for weeks, the agency has made pleas for fuel, which was carried into Gaza for the first time on Wednesday since the war began. Lazzarini said that the 24,000 litres of diesel fuel meant for UN aid trucks is inadequate compared to what Gazans need to survive. "Because of the lack of fuel, we will not be able to send our trucks across the south of the Gaza Strip where we have people waiting for humanitarian deliveries," he said. WATCH | Israel demolishes Gaza home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in overnight airstrikes Israel has blockaded the Gaza Strip and even opposes fuel imports in the Palestinian enclave saying it can be used by Hamas. "Today what we are saying is if the fuel does not come in, people will start to die because of the lack of fuel. Exactly as from when, I don’t know. But it will be sooner rather than later," he said. Also Read | Did Supreme Leader Khamenei tell Hamas chief that Iran would not directly enter war against Israel? Paltel and Jawwal, the main telecommunication companies in Gaza have said that all telecom services in the strip have now stopped because of the depletion of all energy sources. "It can provoke or accelerate (the breakdown of) the last remaining civil order we have in the Gaza Strip," Lazzarini said of the blackout, calling the scale of loss and destruction in Gaza "just staggering." (With inputs from agencies)

There is 'deliberate attempt' to 'paralyse' our work in Gaza, says UN agency

<p>“Letter to America”, a two-decade-old letter written by the late&nbsp;terrorist Osama bin Laden,&nbsp;is going viral online after some TikTok influencers claimed that the missive provides clues to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and that it can be read to make sense of the current world order.</p>

<p>Many TikTok influencers started sharing the text from the British news outlet ‘The Guardian’, which had published the two-page document in 2002 containing his ideological standing and explanation over what led him to engineer the 9/11 terror attacks.</p>

<h2><strong>Osama's statement on 9/11 attacks gaining traction</strong></h2>

<p>Among the major takeaways of the 21-year incendiary document, bin Laden’s statement that the 9/11 attacks happened because of America’s support of Israel caught everyone’s attention.</p>

<p>“They threw hundreds of thousands of soldiers against us and have formed an alliance with the Israelis to oppress us and occupy our land; that was the reason for our response on the eleventh,” the letter, which can easily be found elsewhere online, reads in part.</p>

<h2><strong>Letter read by millions of users</strong></h2>

<p>The TikTok trend gained traction after an influencer, Lynnette Adkins, posted a short video on the social media platform in which she can be heard telling her nearly 12 million followers, “I need everyone to stop doing what they’re doing right now and go read ‘Letter to America,’ I feel like I’m going through an existential crisis right now.”</p>

<p>The responses to her videos ranged from a user saying that their “eyes have been opened,” to another user claiming, “We’ve been lied to our entire lives, I remember watching people cheer when Osama was found and killed.”</p>

<h2><strong>Guardian removes article&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>After the letter went viral, The Guardian removed the original letter from its site.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-eam-jaishankar-discusses-pro-khalistani-extremism-with-uk-leaders-659411">India's EAM Jaishankar discusses pro-Khalistani extremism with UK leaders</a></p>

<p>Now, when a user opens the particular link, they are greeted with a message which reads, “This page previously displayed a document containing, in translation, the full text of Osama bin Laden’s ‘Letter to the American people’, as reported in the Observer on Sunday 24 November 2002. The document, which was published here on the same day, was removed on 15 November 2023.”</p>

<h2><strong>Netizens question move&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Many netizens shared the screenshot of the website on social media X and questioned the British daily’s decision to take down the article.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/us-hikers-loyal-dog-found-by-his-dead-body-weeks-after-death-on-hiking-trail-659345">US: Hiker's loyal dog found alive near his body weeks after death on trail</a></p>

<p>A user wrote, “It's incredibly odd for to me that ‘A Letter to America’ penned by bin Laden was removed from The Guardian today. This letter was printed on their site in 2002 and removed after TikTokers started to examine it due to his mention of Israel and Palestine.”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's incredibly odd to me that 'A Letter to America' penned by bin Laden was removed from The Guardian today. This letter was printed on their site in 2002 and removed after TikTokers started examine it due to his mention of Israel and Palestine. <a href="https://t.co/68bMWIpkYI">pic.twitter.com/68bMWIpkYI</a></p>
— Denisse Takes (@denissetakes) <a href="https://twitter.com/denissetakes/status/1724911082790338656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another user asked why the letter was removed from the site and wrote, “Letter to America is trending, so I went to pull it up. The guardian just removed the document. Osama bin Laden’s letter to America starts trending on Twitter, and The Guardian immediately removes it from their archive?”</p>

<p>Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the UK outlet told TheWrap, “The transcript published on our website 20 years ago has been widely shared on social media without the full context. Therefore we have decided to take it down and direct readers to the&nbsp;news article that originally contextualised it instead.”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


“Letter to America”, a two-decade-old letter written by the late terrorist Osama bin Laden, is going viral online after some TikTok influencers claimed that the missive provides clues to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and that it can be read to make sense of the current world order.

“Letter to America”, a two-decade-old letter written by the late terrorist Osama bin Laden, is going viral online after some TikTok influencers claimed that the missive provides clues to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and that it can be read to make sense of the current world order. Many TikTok influencers started sharing the text from the British news outlet ‘The Guardian’, which had published the two-page document in 2002 containing his ideological standing and explanation over what led him to engineer the 9/11 terror attacks. Osama's statement on 9/11 attacks gaining traction Among the major takeaways of the 21-year incendiary document, bin Laden’s statement that the 9/11 attacks happened because of America’s support of Israel caught everyone’s attention. “They threw hundreds of thousands of soldiers against us and have formed an alliance with the Israelis to oppress us and occupy our land; that was the reason for our response on the eleventh,” the letter, which can easily be found elsewhere online, reads in part. Letter read by millions of users The TikTok trend gained traction after an influencer, Lynnette Adkins, posted a short video on the social media platform in which she can be heard telling her nearly 12 million followers, “I need everyone to stop doing what they’re doing right now and go read ‘Letter to America,’ I feel like I’m going through an existential crisis right now.” The responses to her videos ranged from a user saying that their “eyes have been opened,” to another user claiming, “We’ve been lied to our entire lives, I remember watching people cheer when Osama was found and killed.” Guardian removes article After the letter went viral, The Guardian removed the original letter from its site. Also read | India's EAM Jaishankar discusses pro-Khalistani extremism with UK leaders Now, when a user opens the particular link, they are greeted with a message which reads, “This page previously displayed a document containing, in translation, the full text of Osama bin Laden’s ‘Letter to the American people’, as reported in the Observer on Sunday 24 November 2002. The document, which was published here on the same day, was removed on 15 November 2023.” Netizens question move Many netizens shared the screenshot of the website on social media X and questioned the British daily’s decision to take down the article. Also read | US: Hiker's loyal dog found alive near his body weeks after death on trail A user wrote, “It's incredibly odd for to me that ‘A Letter to America’ penned by bin Laden was removed from The Guardian today. This letter was printed on their site in 2002 and removed after TikTokers started to examine it due to his mention of Israel and Palestine.” It's incredibly odd to me that 'A Letter to America' penned by bin Laden was removed from The Guardian today. This letter was printed on their site in 2002 and removed after TikTokers started examine it due to his mention of Israel and Palestine. pic.twitter.com/68bMWIpkYI — Denisse Takes (@denissetakes) November 15, 2023 × Another user asked why the letter was removed from the site and wrote, “Letter to America is trending, so I went to pull it up. The guardian just removed the document. Osama bin Laden’s letter to America starts trending on Twitter, and The Guardian immediately removes it from their archive?” Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the UK outlet told TheWrap, “The transcript published on our website 20 years ago has been widely shared on social media without the full context. Therefore we have decided to take it down and direct readers to the news article that originally contextualised it instead.” (With inputs from agencies)

Osama bin Laden’s 21-yr-old letter goes viral after TikTok influencers promote it, netizens say 'eyes opened'

<p>UK opposition politician and Labour party leader Keir Starmer faced a setback in the House of Commons after prominent Labour leaders resigned from his frontbench on Wednesday night (Nov 15) over his refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A vote calling for the ceasefire in Gaza was defeated with 293 votes against 168. But soon after the vote, eight of Starmer's frontbenchers resigned from the frontbench after supporting the vote in favour of the ceasefire.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unsc-adopts-resolution-for-humanitarian-pauses-in-gaza-659066">UNSC adopts resolution for 'humanitarian pauses' in Gaza</a></strong></p>

<p>According to reports in the British media, the Labour MPs were ordered to abstain on the vote and were told instead to back Starmer’s position calling for longer "humanitarian pauses", a call later on Nov 15 made in a UN Security Council resolution as well — rather than a ceasefire. The vote was initiated by the Scottish National Party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But all the Labour MPs did not abstain. A total of 56 Labour MPs voted for the ceasefire going against the whip issued.</p>

<h2><strong>Who all quit their frontbench roles?</strong></h2>

<p>Phillips, Afzal Khan, Yasmin Qureshi and Paula Barker quit their frontbench roles on Wednesday night after voting for the amendment and defying the whip.</p>

<p>Mary Foy, Angela Rayner’s parliamentary private secretary (PPS), and Dan Carden, another PPS, have also left the frontbench.</p>

<p>Rachel Hopkins, Sarah Owen, Naz Shah, and Andy Slaughter were sacked by the Labour leader after the vote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As votes closed, Starmer said he regretted that party colleagues had not backed his position.</p>

<p>"Alongside leaders around the world, I have called throughout for adherence to international law, for humanitarian pauses to allow access for aid, food, water, utilities and medicine, and have expressed our concerns at the scale of civilian casualties."</p>

<p>He added: "Leadership is about doing the right thing. That is the least the public deserves. And the least that leadership demands."</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;UN general assembly adopts resolution calling for 'humanitarian truce' in Gaza</strong></p>

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<p>The initial calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza raised in the immediate aftermath of Israel's retaliatory action after the attack by Hamas on October 7 have now been replaced by the steps to ensure "humanitarian pauses".</p>

<p>That is, the fighting in Gaza is now routinely stopped at unannounced schedules to ensure the passage of food, fuel and medicines to the civilian population living in the line of fire in one of the world's most densely populated regions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Hamas conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


UK opposition politician and Labour party leader Keir Starmer faced a setback in the House of Commons after prominent Labour leaders resigned from his frontbench on Wednesday night (Nov 15) over his refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza.

UK opposition politician and Labour party leader Keir Starmer faced a setback in the House of Commons after prominent Labour leaders resigned from his frontbench on Wednesday night (Nov 15) over his refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza. A vote calling for the ceasefire in Gaza was defeated with 293 votes against 168. But soon after the vote, eight of Starmer's frontbenchers resigned from the frontbench after supporting the vote in favour of the ceasefire. Also read | UNSC adopts resolution for 'humanitarian pauses' in Gaza According to reports in the British media, the Labour MPs were ordered to abstain on the vote and were told instead to back Starmer’s position calling for longer "humanitarian pauses", a call later on Nov 15 made in a UN Security Council resolution as well — rather than a ceasefire. The vote was initiated by the Scottish National Party. But all the Labour MPs did not abstain. A total of 56 Labour MPs voted for the ceasefire going against the whip issued. Who all quit their frontbench roles? Phillips, Afzal Khan, Yasmin Qureshi and Paula Barker quit their frontbench roles on Wednesday night after voting for the amendment and defying the whip. Mary Foy, Angela Rayner’s parliamentary private secretary (PPS), and Dan Carden, another PPS, have also left the frontbench. Rachel Hopkins, Sarah Owen, Naz Shah, and Andy Slaughter were sacked by the Labour leader after the vote. As votes closed, Starmer said he regretted that party colleagues had not backed his position. "Alongside leaders around the world, I have called throughout for adherence to international law, for humanitarian pauses to allow access for aid, food, water, utilities and medicine, and have expressed our concerns at the scale of civilian casualties." He added: "Leadership is about doing the right thing. That is the least the public deserves. And the least that leadership demands." Also watch | UN general assembly adopts resolution calling for 'humanitarian truce' in Gaza × The initial calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza raised in the immediate aftermath of Israel's retaliatory action after the attack by Hamas on October 7 have now been replaced by the steps to ensure "humanitarian pauses". That is, the fighting in Gaza is now routinely stopped at unannounced schedules to ensure the passage of food, fuel and medicines to the civilian population living in the line of fire in one of the world's most densely populated regions. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Hamas conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

UK Labour Party loses big in Gaza's humanitarian pause vs ceasefire bout as MPs quit front bench

<p>In the latest,&nbsp;the White House validated a significant Israeli assertion, affirming that there is a command centre&nbsp;for Palestinian militants situated at Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest healthcare facility in Gaza City.&nbsp;On November 14, during his much-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Joe Biden conveyed a positive outlook, emphasizing the United States' intention to foster an enhanced relationship with China rather than creating distance. In other news,&nbsp;Suella Braverman, the former British interior minister who was recently ousted, expressed strong disapproval of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his leadership in a letter.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read more.</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hamas-runs-command-and-control-centre-from-al-shifa-hospital-white-house-658602">Hamas runs 'command and control' centre from Al-Shifa hospital: White House</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/10/27/389287-untitled-design-2023-10-27t093614042.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>The White House on Tuesday (November 14) substantiated a major Israeli claim and said that Palestinian militants have a command centre at Al-Shifa Hospital, the biggest hospital in Gaza City. Israel has repeatedly made this claim and Hamas has consistently denied it. Al-Shifa Hospital complex is currently witnessing clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-biden-xi-jinping-meet-approaches-us-prez-says-not-trying-to-decouple-from-china-658594">As Biden-Xi Jinping meet approaches, US prez says 'not trying to decouple from China'</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/11/14/310809-biden-xi-jinping.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (November 14) appeared to sound positive ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and said that the US didn't want to distance itself from China but wanted an improved relationship. The two leaders are expected to meet each other on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Summit in San Francisco.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sacked-uk-interior-minister-braverman-launches-scathing-attack-on-sunak-someone-needs-to-be-honest-658627">Sacked UK interior minister Braverman launches scathing attack on Sunak: 'Someone needs to be honest'</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/11/15/393106-suella-braverman.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Former British interior minister Suella Braverman, who was recently sacked, slammed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his leadership on Tuesday (Nov 14) in a letter, which also urged the prime minister to change course to avoid election defeat. She also criticised Sunak's record on immigration and antisemitism.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sahara-group-founder-subrata-roy-dies-at-the-age-of-75-658563">Sahara Group founder Subrata Roy dies at the age of 75</a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2018/09/11/28946-subrata%25252520roy-20170911052226.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p>Sahara Group founder businessman Subrata Roy has died aged 75. Subrata Roy was a major name in the Indian business fraternity. Born on June 10, 1948, Subrata Roy established a huge business empire with companies in a number of sectors&nbsp;ranging from media, real estate,&nbsp;hospitality, and more.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Illegal mines of South Africa</strong></p>

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In the latest, the White House validated a significant Israeli assertion, affirming that there is a command centre for Palestinian militants situated at Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest healthcare facility in Gaza City.

In the latest, the White House validated a significant Israeli assertion, affirming that there is a command centre for Palestinian militants situated at Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest healthcare facility in Gaza City. On November 14, during his much-anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Joe Biden conveyed a positive outlook, emphasizing the United States' intention to foster an enhanced relationship with China rather than creating distance. In other news, Suella Braverman, the former British interior minister who was recently ousted, expressed strong disapproval of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his leadership in a letter. Click on the headlines to read more. Hamas runs 'command and control' centre from Al-Shifa hospital: White House The White House on Tuesday (November 14) substantiated a major Israeli claim and said that Palestinian militants have a command centre at Al-Shifa Hospital, the biggest hospital in Gaza City. Israel has repeatedly made this claim and Hamas has consistently denied it. Al-Shifa Hospital complex is currently witnessing clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters. As Biden-Xi Jinping meet approaches, US prez says 'not trying to decouple from China' US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (November 14) appeared to sound positive ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and said that the US didn't want to distance itself from China but wanted an improved relationship. The two leaders are expected to meet each other on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Summit in San Francisco. Sacked UK interior minister Braverman launches scathing attack on Sunak: 'Someone needs to be honest' Former British interior minister Suella Braverman, who was recently sacked, slammed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his leadership on Tuesday (Nov 14) in a letter, which also urged the prime minister to change course to avoid election defeat. She also criticised Sunak's record on immigration and antisemitism. Sahara Group founder Subrata Roy dies at the age of 75 Sahara Group founder businessman Subrata Roy has died aged 75. Subrata Roy was a major name in the Indian business fraternity. Born on June 10, 1948, Subrata Roy established a huge business empire with companies in a number of sectors ranging from media, real estate, hospitality, and more. Watch | Illegal mines of South Africa

Morning brief: White House says Hamas runs command centre from Al-Shifa, Xi-Biden meet, and more

<p>Pop sensation Halsey recently took to Instagram to address critics who labelled her a 'coward' for not speaking out earlier on the Israel-Palestine conflict. In a candid and heartfelt post, the singer opened up about the challenges she faced during her tour, revealing that past threats, including instances of violence and swatting at her home, influenced her decision to stay silent initially.</p>

<p>Halsey acknowledged the criticism, admitting, "A few people have suggested that it's cowardice. And to be completely honest, it is." She elaborated on the security measures taken during her tour, including the presence of snipers in the sky, highlighting the genuine fear she experienced. The singer expressed regret for not voicing her support sooner but affirmed her commitment to the liberation of the Palestinian people.</p>

<p>Despite the personal concerns for her family's safety, Halsey talked about the dissonance in allowing those concerns to hinder her from advocating for families enduring far worse violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict. She condemned violence, antisemitism, and Islamophobia while expressing her unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom and safety for all.</p>

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<p>The response to Halsey's Instagram stories was mixed, with some fans expressing support and understanding while others were not satisfied with her explanation. Halsey's openness shed light on the complexities artists confront when addressing politically charged issues, especially in the context of ongoing conflicts like the Israel-Palestine situation.</p>

<p>The Israel-Palestine conflict, which erupted on October 7, 2023, has garnered attention from various public figures, including Hollywood stars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The conflict, now in its fifth iteration, has resulted in a devastating toll, with over 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and more than 11,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, losing their lives. The ongoing hostilities have sparked accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas, with the United Nations reporting widespread civilian displacement, shortages of essential resources, and failing healthcare systems in Gaza.</p>

<p>Global protests have erupted, demanding a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Pro-Palestinian anti-war protests have been described as the largest since those against the Iraq War. The United States' veto of a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire has further fuelled international discussions on the complex and sensitive nature of the Israel-Palestine conflict.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Pop sensation Halsey recently took to Instagram to address critics who labelled her a 'coward' for not speaking out earlier on the Israel-Palestine conflict. In a candid and heartfelt post, the singer opened up about the challenges she faced during her tour, revealing that past threats, including instances of violence and swatting at her home, influenced her decision to stay silent initially.

Pop sensation Halsey recently took to Instagram to address critics who labelled her a 'coward' for not speaking out earlier on the Israel-Palestine conflict. In a candid and heartfelt post, the singer opened up about the challenges she faced during her tour, revealing that past threats, including instances of violence and swatting at her home, influenced her decision to stay silent initially. Halsey acknowledged the criticism, admitting, "A few people have suggested that it's cowardice. And to be completely honest, it is." She elaborated on the security measures taken during her tour, including the presence of snipers in the sky, highlighting the genuine fear she experienced. The singer expressed regret for not voicing her support sooner but affirmed her commitment to the liberation of the Palestinian people. Despite the personal concerns for her family's safety, Halsey talked about the dissonance in allowing those concerns to hinder her from advocating for families enduring far worse violence in the Israel-Palestine conflict. She condemned violence, antisemitism, and Islamophobia while expressing her unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom and safety for all. The response to Halsey's Instagram stories was mixed, with some fans expressing support and understanding while others were not satisfied with her explanation. Halsey's openness shed light on the complexities artists confront when addressing politically charged issues, especially in the context of ongoing conflicts like the Israel-Palestine situation. The Israel-Palestine conflict, which erupted on October 7, 2023, has garnered attention from various public figures, including Hollywood stars. The conflict, now in its fifth iteration, has resulted in a devastating toll, with over 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and more than 11,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, losing their lives. The ongoing hostilities have sparked accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas, with the United Nations reporting widespread civilian displacement, shortages of essential resources, and failing healthcare systems in Gaza. Global protests have erupted, demanding a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Pro-Palestinian anti-war protests have been described as the largest since those against the Iraq War. The United States' veto of a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire has further fuelled international discussions on the complex and sensitive nature of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Halsey admits 'cowardice' criticism for silence on Israel-Hamas war, reveals the reason

<p>Al-Shifa Hospital, targeted by Israel on Wednesday (Nov 15),&nbsp;stands as the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip. Both Israel and the United States allege that Hamas militants exploit Gaza's hospitals, including Al-Shifa, to hide&nbsp;command posts and hostages using a network of underground tunnels.</p>

<p>Controlling the coastal enclave since 2007, Hamas has reportedly constructed an extensive tunnel city beneath Gaza, spanning hundreds of kilometres&nbsp;and reaching depths of up to 80 metres&nbsp;in some areas.</p>

<p>Despite these claims, Hamas, health authorities, and Al-Shifa directors deny the stashing of military infrastructure within or beneath the hospital complex. They express a willingness to undergo international inspection to verify these assertions.</p>

<h2><b>Where is the hospital&nbsp;located?</b></h2>

<p>Situated a few hundred metres&nbsp;from Gaza City's small fishing port, Al-Shifa is a sprawling complex bordered by the Beach refugee camp and the Rimal neighbourhood.</p>

<p>The name "Shifa" is derived from the Arabic word for "healing," a common term for hospitals in the Middle East.</p>

<p>As of Tuesday (Nov 14), the hospital was caring for 36 babies, with medical staff noting a lack of a clear mechanism for their relocation despite Israeli efforts to provide incubators for evacuation.</p>

<p>Three premature babies have already succumbed to the challenges arising from the hospital's fuel shortage, which occurred over the weekend and affected the generators powering their incubators.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-says-troops-have-entered-al-shifa-hospital-for-precise-operation-658616">Also read |&nbsp;Israel says troops have entered Al-Shifa hospital for 'precise' operation</a></p>

<h2><strong>Historical background</strong></h2>

<p>Constructed in 1946 during British rule, two years before Britain withdrew from Palestine, Al-Shifa survived the Egyptian invasion in 1948 and subsequent decades of Egyptian military rule.</p>

<p>Following Israel's capture and occupation of the Gaza Strip in 1967, Shifa remained a focal point for Palestinians during clashes with Israeli troops.</p>

<p>Throughout its history, Shifa witnessed incidents, including a reported gun battle in 1971 between a Palestinian militant and an Israeli army patrol within the hospital premises.</p>

<p>In 1987, during the First Intifada against Israeli occupation, confrontations occurred outside Shifa between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers.</p>

<p>During the 1980s, the hospital complex underwent a redesign by Israeli architects, reportedly with American support. Claims by Zvi Elhyani, founder of the Israel Architecture Archive, suggest that an underground area created during the revamping was later appropriated by Hamas. However, evidence supporting this assertion is not provided.</p>

<p>In 1994, control of Shifa shifted from the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority to Hamas following the latter's surprise election victory in 2006 and subsequent military takeover of Gaza in 2007.</p>

<p>During the power struggle between Fatah and Hamas leading up to the takeover, fighters from both sides received treatment at Shifa under a truce agreement that neither side would harm the other's wounded.</p>

<h2><strong>Previous allegations and verification challenges</strong></h2>

<p>Israel had previously claimed that Hamas used underground areas in Shifa to hide during the 2008-2009 war, where over 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis lost their lives. However, verifying such claims has proven challenging.</p>

<p>The recent events surrounding Shifa Hospital show&nbsp;the complexities and longstanding historical context surrounding this vital medical facility in the Gaza Strip.</p>

<h2><strong>White House says Hamas using Al-Shifa for military operations</strong></h2>

<p>The White House announced on Tuesday (Nov 14) that it has&nbsp;intelligence indicating that Hamas is using&nbsp;&nbsp;Al-Shifa for military operations, potentially storing weapons, and characterised these actions as war crimes.</p>

<p>National security spokesperson John Kirby stated that the information confirms Hamas is using the hospital for command and control purposes, emphasising that such actions violate international law.</p>

<p>According to Kirby, the United States obtained this information through various intelligence methods. He said that the Biden administration downgraded the classification level of some data on Tuesday to share its conclusions with reporters.</p>

<p>Kirby specified that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad were allegedly using several hospitals in Gaza, including Al-Shifa, to hide&nbsp;or support their military operations and to hold hostages. He noted that these groups were prepared to respond to Israeli military operations against these facilities.</p>

<p>Kirby stressed that while Hamas' actions complicate Israel's efforts to root out the group, it does not diminish Israel's responsibility to protect civilians. He made it clear that the US&nbsp;government does not endorse airstrikes on hospitals and stressed the need to avoid endangering innocent and vulnerable people seeking medical care.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;&nbsp;Hostages held in Gaza hospitals?</strong></p>

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<p>In the latest, Israeli forces have surrounded Al-Shifa hospital, claiming it serves as an underground headquarters for Hamas militants.</p>

<p>In response, Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, denies the presence of fighters in the hospital, alleging that hundreds of patients and thousands of civilians are trapped on the premises, facing sniper fire and drone attacks.</p>

<p>The situation at Al-Shifa, particularly the reported siege, has raised international concern, including from the United States, Israel's closest ally. Israel denies the hospital is under siege, asserting that exit routes are provided for those inside. However, conflicting accounts make it challenging to independently verify the situation.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Al-Shifa Hospital, targeted by Israel on Wednesday (Nov 15), stands as the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip. Both Israel and the United States allege that Hamas militants exploit Gaza's hospitals, including Al-Shifa, to hide command posts and hostages using a network of underground tunnels.

Al-Shifa Hospital, targeted by Israel on Wednesday (Nov 15), stands as the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip. Both Israel and the United States allege that Hamas militants exploit Gaza's hospitals, including Al-Shifa, to hide command posts and hostages using a network of underground tunnels. Controlling the coastal enclave since 2007, Hamas has reportedly constructed an extensive tunnel city beneath Gaza, spanning hundreds of kilometres and reaching depths of up to 80 metres in some areas. Despite these claims, Hamas, health authorities, and Al-Shifa directors deny the stashing of military infrastructure within or beneath the hospital complex. They express a willingness to undergo international inspection to verify these assertions. Where is the hospital located? Situated a few hundred metres from Gaza City's small fishing port, Al-Shifa is a sprawling complex bordered by the Beach refugee camp and the Rimal neighbourhood. The name "Shifa" is derived from the Arabic word for "healing," a common term for hospitals in the Middle East. As of Tuesday (Nov 14), the hospital was caring for 36 babies, with medical staff noting a lack of a clear mechanism for their relocation despite Israeli efforts to provide incubators for evacuation. Three premature babies have already succumbed to the challenges arising from the hospital's fuel shortage, which occurred over the weekend and affected the generators powering their incubators. Also read | Israel says troops have entered Al-Shifa hospital for 'precise' operation Historical background Constructed in 1946 during British rule, two years before Britain withdrew from Palestine, Al-Shifa survived the Egyptian invasion in 1948 and subsequent decades of Egyptian military rule. Following Israel's capture and occupation of the Gaza Strip in 1967, Shifa remained a focal point for Palestinians during clashes with Israeli troops. Throughout its history, Shifa witnessed incidents, including a reported gun battle in 1971 between a Palestinian militant and an Israeli army patrol within the hospital premises. In 1987, during the First Intifada against Israeli occupation, confrontations occurred outside Shifa between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. During the 1980s, the hospital complex underwent a redesign by Israeli architects, reportedly with American support. Claims by Zvi Elhyani, founder of the Israel Architecture Archive, suggest that an underground area created during the revamping was later appropriated by Hamas. However, evidence supporting this assertion is not provided. In 1994, control of Shifa shifted from the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority to Hamas following the latter's surprise election victory in 2006 and subsequent military takeover of Gaza in 2007. During the power struggle between Fatah and Hamas leading up to the takeover, fighters from both sides received treatment at Shifa under a truce agreement that neither side would harm the other's wounded. Previous allegations and verification challenges Israel had previously claimed that Hamas used underground areas in Shifa to hide during the 2008-2009 war, where over 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis lost their lives. However, verifying such claims has proven challenging. The recent events surrounding Shifa Hospital show the complexities and longstanding historical context surrounding this vital medical facility in the Gaza Strip. White House says Hamas using Al-Shifa for military operations The White House announced on Tuesday (Nov 14) that it has intelligence indicating that Hamas is using Al-Shifa for military operations, potentially storing weapons, and characterised these actions as war crimes. National security spokesperson John Kirby stated that the information confirms Hamas is using the hospital for command and control purposes, emphasising that such actions violate international law. According to Kirby, the United States obtained this information through various intelligence methods. He said that the Biden administration downgraded the classification level of some data on Tuesday to share its conclusions with reporters. Kirby specified that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad were allegedly using several hospitals in Gaza, including Al-Shifa, to hide or support their military operations and to hold hostages. He noted that these groups were prepared to respond to Israeli military operations against these facilities. Kirby stressed that while Hamas' actions complicate Israel's efforts to root out the group, it does not diminish Israel's responsibility to protect civilians. He made it clear that the US government does not endorse airstrikes on hospitals and stressed the need to avoid endangering innocent and vulnerable people seeking medical care. Also watch | Hostages held in Gaza hospitals? In the latest, Israeli forces have surrounded Al-Shifa hospital, claiming it serves as an underground headquarters for Hamas militants. In response, Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, denies the presence of fighters in the hospital, alleging that hundreds of patients and thousands of civilians are trapped on the premises, facing sniper fire and drone attacks. The situation at Al-Shifa, particularly the reported siege, has raised international concern, including from the United States, Israel's closest ally. Israel denies the hospital is under siege, asserting that exit routes are provided for those inside. However, conflicting accounts make it challenging to independently verify the situation. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | How Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital got enmeshed in the Israel-Hamas war

<p>The Hamas government in Gaza said&nbsp;on Monday (Nov 13) that the death toll from the ongoing conflict has reached 11,240 after over five weeks of hostilities between Israel and Hamas militants. The casualties include 4,630 children, 3,130 women, and an additional 29,000 people have been wounded. We are tracking live updates from the Israel-Gaza war on WION's website.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA-Novosti on Monday said Russia was withdrawing its troops from Dnipro River, but the reports were retracted within minutes.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read more.</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-israel-troops-take-over-gaza-parliament-building-reports-658199"><strong>Israel-Hamas war LIVE | Hamas ready to release 70 hostages in exchange for 5-day truce</strong></a><br />
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/11/14/392885-untitled-design-73.png?imwidth=1920" />The military wing&nbsp;of the Palestinian terrorist group&nbsp;Hamas informed Qatari mediators that they are prepared to release around 70 women and children currently held in Gaza. This offer is contingent on the condition that a five-day truce is established.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-9-month-old-now-the-youngest-hostage-among-240-held-by-hamas-658233"><strong>Israel-Hamas war: 9-month-old now the youngest hostage among 240 held by Hamas</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/11/14/392887-untitled-design-74.png?imwidth=1920" />At just nine months old, Kfir Bibas, a cheerful red-haired baby who had recently mastered the art of crawling, lived a peaceful life with his parents and four-year-old brother in a kibbutz in southern Israel.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russiann-media-announces-retreat-of-forces-from-dnipro-river-only-to-retract-within-minutes-658238"><strong>Russian media announces retreat of forces from Dnipro River, only to retract within minutes</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/11/14/392890-54d2ca55-b6e5-46f3-bff9-dee1686070accx0cy6cw0w1200r1.jpg?imwidth=1920" />Russian media on Monday (Nov 13) reported that the Russian military was withdrawing its troops from the eastern bank of the Dnipro River to “more favourable positions,” only to withdraw the information minutes later.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/al-shifa-hospital-must-be-protected-says-president-biden-658212"><strong>Al-Shifa hospital 'must be protected', says President Biden</strong></a></p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/10/25/388815-succession-2023-10-25t030934248.png?imwidth=1920" />US President Joe Biden on Monday (November 13) called on Israel to protect Al-Shifa Hospital, which is the biggest hospital in Gaza City. The hospital complex is currently witnessing heavy fighting around it. T</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas | Is Prigozhin's son running the Wagner group?</strong></p>

<p>Is Prigozhin's son running the Wagner group? Reports say 25-year-old Pavel Prigozhin has taken over the Wagner group. What does he plan to do with the mercenary outfit? Priyanka Sharma brings you a report.</p>

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The Hamas government in Gaza said on Monday (Nov 13) that the death toll from the ongoing conflict has reached 11,240 after over five weeks of hostilities between Israel and Hamas militants.

The Hamas government in Gaza said on Monday (Nov 13) that the death toll from the ongoing conflict has reached 11,240 after over five weeks of hostilities between Israel and Hamas militants. The casualties include 4,630 children, 3,130 women, and an additional 29,000 people have been wounded. We are tracking live updates from the Israel-Gaza war on WION's website. Meanwhile, Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA-Novosti on Monday said Russia was withdrawing its troops from Dnipro River, but the reports were retracted within minutes. Click on the headlines to read more. Israel-Hamas war LIVE | Hamas ready to release 70 hostages in exchange for 5-day truce The military wing of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas informed Qatari mediators that they are prepared to release around 70 women and children currently held in Gaza. This offer is contingent on the condition that a five-day truce is established. Israel-Hamas war: 9-month-old now the youngest hostage among 240 held by Hamas At just nine months old, Kfir Bibas, a cheerful red-haired baby who had recently mastered the art of crawling, lived a peaceful life with his parents and four-year-old brother in a kibbutz in southern Israel. Russian media announces retreat of forces from Dnipro River, only to retract within minutes Russian media on Monday (Nov 13) reported that the Russian military was withdrawing its troops from the eastern bank of the Dnipro River to “more favourable positions,” only to withdraw the information minutes later. Al-Shifa hospital 'must be protected', says President Biden US President Joe Biden on Monday (November 13) called on Israel to protect Al-Shifa Hospital, which is the biggest hospital in Gaza City. The hospital complex is currently witnessing heavy fighting around it. T Watch: Gravitas | Is Prigozhin's son running the Wagner group? Is Prigozhin's son running the Wagner group? Reports say 25-year-old Pavel Prigozhin has taken over the Wagner group. What does he plan to do with the mercenary outfit? Priyanka Sharma brings you a report. ×

Morning brief: Hamas 'ready' to release hostages for truce, latest from Russia-Ukraine war, and more

<p>The Israeli TV action series "Fauda" has won Netflix fans worldwide for its gritty take on the exploits of an undercover unit that fights Palestinian militants.</p>

<p>But the grim reality of the October 7 attacks by Hamas and the Gaza war it sparked have surpassed the darkest plots its writers could have imagined, said co-creator Avi Issacharoff.</p>

<p>In recent days, the production team learnt that one of their own, Matan Meir, 38, was killed last Friday during combat as an army reservist inside the besieged coastal territory ruled by Hamas.</p>

<p>Meir, a producer, was one of five soldiers killed in the northern Gaza Strip, the army said. He was buried on Monday.</p>

<p>Fauda, which means "chaos" in Arabic, was co-created by journalist Issacharoff and lead actor Lior Raz, based on their experiences in the Mista'arvim counterterrorism unit.</p>

<p>"With all the respect due to our TV show, we're not even close to reality because reality is way more complicated than everything we have written," Issacharoff told AFP.</p>

<p>He recalled the morning when Hamas militants, under cover of a rocket barrage, broke through the militarised Gaza border and launched their attack on southern Israel that officials say claimed around 1,200 lives and saw 240 hostages taken back into Gaza.</p>

<p>The surprise onslaught sparked an intense retaliatory campaign of air strikes and a ground invasion that have claimed more than 11,240 lives, according to Hamas authorities.</p>

<p>Global concern has flared over the high death toll among Palestinian civilians, many of them children, as fierce combat rages around embattled Gaza City hospitals, and regional tensions boil.</p>

<h2><strong>Not Fauda,'real life'</strong></h2>

<p>Issacharoff remembered the day it all started and missile alarm sirens blared: "I didn't behave like the creator of the show, or a journalist -- at that time I am just a human being."</p>

<p>"When you see the (news of) atrocities coming from the south, first dozens of people killed, then it's hundreds, you realise it's the biggest number of Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust."</p>

<p><strong>Watch | IDF: United and committed to bring back civilian hostages</strong></p>

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<p>On the day after the attacks, Issacharoff said he and Raz, who plays the unit's main character Doron, rushed to the&nbsp;<br />
Hamas-hit southern city of Sderot to help evacuate survivors "out of the fire zone".</p>

<p>He said he had also volunteered with the group Brothers in Arms, which before the war had protested against right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and which now helps affected communities in the south.</p>

<p>On October 12, amid a call-up of more than 300,000 reservists, another series actor, Idan Amedi, posted a video on X, formerly Twitter, in military fatigues and the message "it's not a scene from Fauda, it's real life".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Issacharoff bemoaned his dead production team member Meir as someone who was "very positive" and "always ready to help".</p>

<p>The former undercover operator pointed to the hell of urban combat and "the 24/7 threat of getting killed".</p>

<p>"When you fight in an open-air urban area, the threat can come from a window, from a door, from a tunnel, from everywhere," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Imagine that most of the time the enemy is not wearing uniforms. They can look like me. But when they take the AK-47 and shoot you, that's the only thing -- that you cannot tell the difference between an enemy and a civilian."</p>

<h2><strong>No 'good explanation'</strong></h2>

<p>The third season of Fauda was set inside a fictional Gaza and centred on a hostage rescue operation by the unit whose members speak Arabic and wear disguise to assimilate among local populations.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-hospitals-in-north-gaza-out-of-service-amid-intense-fighting-658119">Israel-Hamas war: Hospitals in north Gaza out of service amid intense fighting</a></strong></p>

<p>Issacharoff again stressed the chasm between a TV show and the worst war yet in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</p>

<p>"The undercover agents are more for times of no war, times of tension. They need to work very secretly, very hush-hush," he said. "When there is a war, you don't need undercover teams. You need a full division of tanks."<br />
Amid the ongoing battles, he voiced grave fears for the hostages.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-other-arab-nations-block-proposal-to-cut-all-ties-with-israel-report-658093">Saudi Arabia, other Arab nations block proposal to cut all ties with Israel: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>"Unfortunately I don't think we will see a kind of rescue operation like the kinds we see in our show, to bring back alive all the hostages," he told AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A newspaper writer who specialises in the Middle East conflict, Issacharoff said he was baffled by the Hamas attack that blindsided and shocked Israel.</p>

<p>"I don't have a good explanation," he said, adding that he believed Hamas had "changed over the years" and had become "more radical and more indoctrinated".</p>


The Israeli TV action series "Fauda" has won Netflix fans worldwide for its gritty take on the exploits of an undercover unit that fights Palestinian militants. But the grim reality of the October 7 attacks by Hamas and the Gaza war it sparked have surpassed the darkest plots its writers could have imagined, said co-creator Avi Issacharoff.

The Israeli TV action series "Fauda" has won Netflix fans worldwide for its gritty take on the exploits of an undercover unit that fights Palestinian militants. But the grim reality of the October 7 attacks by Hamas and the Gaza war it sparked have surpassed the darkest plots its writers could have imagined, said co-creator Avi Issacharoff. In recent days, the production team learnt that one of their own, Matan Meir, 38, was killed last Friday during combat as an army reservist inside the besieged coastal territory ruled by Hamas. Meir, a producer, was one of five soldiers killed in the northern Gaza Strip, the army said. He was buried on Monday. Fauda, which means "chaos" in Arabic, was co-created by journalist Issacharoff and lead actor Lior Raz, based on their experiences in the Mista'arvim counterterrorism unit. "With all the respect due to our TV show, we're not even close to reality because reality is way more complicated than everything we have written," Issacharoff told AFP. He recalled the morning when Hamas militants, under cover of a rocket barrage, broke through the militarised Gaza border and launched their attack on southern Israel that officials say claimed around 1,200 lives and saw 240 hostages taken back into Gaza. The surprise onslaught sparked an intense retaliatory campaign of air strikes and a ground invasion that have claimed more than 11,240 lives, according to Hamas authorities. Global concern has flared over the high death toll among Palestinian civilians, many of them children, as fierce combat rages around embattled Gaza City hospitals, and regional tensions boil. Not Fauda,'real life' Issacharoff remembered the day it all started and missile alarm sirens blared: "I didn't behave like the creator of the show, or a journalist -- at that time I am just a human being." "When you see the (news of) atrocities coming from the south, first dozens of people killed, then it's hundreds, you realise it's the biggest number of Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust." Watch | IDF: United and committed to bring back civilian hostages × On the day after the attacks, Issacharoff said he and Raz, who plays the unit's main character Doron, rushed to the Hamas-hit southern city of Sderot to help evacuate survivors "out of the fire zone". He said he had also volunteered with the group Brothers in Arms, which before the war had protested against right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and which now helps affected communities in the south. On October 12, amid a call-up of more than 300,000 reservists, another series actor, Idan Amedi, posted a video on X, formerly Twitter, in military fatigues and the message "it's not a scene from Fauda, it's real life". Issacharoff bemoaned his dead production team member Meir as someone who was "very positive" and "always ready to help". The former undercover operator pointed to the hell of urban combat and "the 24/7 threat of getting killed". "When you fight in an open-air urban area, the threat can come from a window, from a door, from a tunnel, from everywhere," he said. "Imagine that most of the time the enemy is not wearing uniforms. They can look like me. But when they take the AK-47 and shoot you, that's the only thing -- that you cannot tell the difference between an enemy and a civilian." No 'good explanation' The third season of Fauda was set inside a fictional Gaza and centred on a hostage rescue operation by the unit whose members speak Arabic and wear disguise to assimilate among local populations. Also Read | Israel-Hamas war: Hospitals in north Gaza out of service amid intense fighting Issacharoff again stressed the chasm between a TV show and the worst war yet in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "The undercover agents are more for times of no war, times of tension. They need to work very secretly, very hush-hush," he said. "When there is a war, you don't need undercover teams. You need a full division of tanks." Amid the ongoing battles, he voiced grave fears for the hostages. Also Read | Saudi Arabia, other Arab nations block proposal to cut all ties with Israel: Report "Unfortunately I don't think we will see a kind of rescue operation like the kinds we see in our show, to bring back alive all the hostages," he told AFP. A newspaper writer who specialises in the Middle East conflict, Issacharoff said he was baffled by the Hamas attack that blindsided and shocked Israel. "I don't have a good explanation," he said, adding that he believed Hamas had "changed over the years" and had become "more radical and more indoctrinated".

Israel-Hamas war beyond darkest 'Fauda' plot, says co-creator

<p>Israel’s air strikes on Gaza in retaliation to the Oct 7 Hamas attack have been wiping out generations of families. A Palestinian man, while talking to BBC, showed a photo with several kids sitting at a table, claiming that most of them have now been killed in the Israeli offensive.</p>

<p>Ahmed al-Naouq, a Palestinian NGO worker who moved to London four years back, took out at an old selfie with his nieces and nephews and said that most of the children in the photo are now dead. In total, Ahmed lost 21 of his family members, including his father, three sisters, two brothers and 14 of their children.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-other-arab-nations-block-proposal-to-cut-all-ties-with-israel-report-658093">Saudi Arabia, other Arab nations block proposal to cut all ties with Israel: Report</a></p>

<h2><strong>Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza</strong></h2>

<p>Since Israel Defence Forces (IDF) started air strikes in Gaza, more than 11,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, including children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The air strikes began after the Oct 7 attack by Hamas, in which about 1200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Israel says that it is bombarding Gaza with the intention of rooting out Hamas completely. IDF has accused Hamas of deliberately operating from the heart of densely populated Gaza and using civilians as human shields.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Cost of war</strong></h2>

<p>Ahmed’s story is one of those many unknown stories of innocent civilians killed in the Israel-Hamas war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahmed, as he now looks at the photo with the children of his brother and sister at his father’s home, is reminded of the good times that might never come back.&nbsp;</p>
<img alt="Gazans who lost their lives " data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dd8a5d44-fed7-454c-830f-d458dfb93e70" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-11-13T174040.519.png" />
<p>Ahmed’s brothers built their family homes above their father’s, like many Palestinians. Bombing a home like theirs would mean wiping out a series of generations in one fell swoop.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/south-asia-has-highest-number-of-children-struggling-with-severe-water-scarcity-un-658078">South Asia has highest number of children struggling with severe water scarcity: UN</a></p>

<p>His sister Aya had gone there to take shelter with her children after her own apartment was damaged by an air strike. His other sisters, Walaa and Alaa, were there too with their children. The house was in the centre of Gaza in the town of Deir al-Balah, an area that had never been targeted before. They thought it was safe.</p>

<p>Ahmed moved to London four years ago to work for an NGO and hasn't been home since. The last time he saw the children together was over a video call.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahmed knew 13-year-old Eslam the best, who was the eldest among the lot. He was killed alongside his little sisters - Dima (10), Tala (9), Nour (5) and Nasma (2), as well as his cousins Raghdad (13), Bakr (11), Sarah (9), Mohamed and Basema who were eight and Abdullah and Tamim who were six.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dp-world-australia-resumes-its-operations-in-gradual-manner-after-the-cyber-attack-658052">DP World Australia resumes its operations in gradual manner after cyber attack</a></p>

<p>A week after the bomb struck the home on Oct 22, communications from Gaza were almost entirely cut off as Israel escalated its attack, and Ahmed couldn't contact anyone.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When the signal was reconnected two days later, he learned that another one of his nieces, Malak (11) had also died. She was found alive under the rubble but succumbed to her injuries later in the hospital.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


Israel’s air strikes on Gaza in retaliation to the Oct 7 Hamas attack have been wiping out generations of families. A Palestinian man, while talking to BBC, showed a photo with several kids sitting at a table, claiming that most of them have now been killed in the Israeli offensive.

Israel’s air strikes on Gaza in retaliation to the Oct 7 Hamas attack have been wiping out generations of families. A Palestinian man, while talking to BBC, showed a photo with several kids sitting at a table, claiming that most of them have now been killed in the Israeli offensive. Ahmed al-Naouq, a Palestinian NGO worker who moved to London four years back, took out at an old selfie with his nieces and nephews and said that most of the children in the photo are now dead. In total, Ahmed lost 21 of his family members, including his father, three sisters, two brothers and 14 of their children. Also Read | Saudi Arabia, other Arab nations block proposal to cut all ties with Israel: Report Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza Since Israel Defence Forces (IDF) started air strikes in Gaza, more than 11,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, including children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The air strikes began after the Oct 7 attack by Hamas, in which about 1200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage. Israel says that it is bombarding Gaza with the intention of rooting out Hamas completely. IDF has accused Hamas of deliberately operating from the heart of densely populated Gaza and using civilians as human shields. Cost of war Ahmed’s story is one of those many unknown stories of innocent civilians killed in the Israel-Hamas war. Ahmed, as he now looks at the photo with the children of his brother and sister at his father’s home, is reminded of the good times that might never come back. Ahmed’s brothers built their family homes above their father’s, like many Palestinians. Bombing a home like theirs would mean wiping out a series of generations in one fell swoop. Also Read | South Asia has highest number of children struggling with severe water scarcity: UN His sister Aya had gone there to take shelter with her children after her own apartment was damaged by an air strike. His other sisters, Walaa and Alaa, were there too with their children. The house was in the centre of Gaza in the town of Deir al-Balah, an area that had never been targeted before. They thought it was safe. Ahmed moved to London four years ago to work for an NGO and hasn't been home since. The last time he saw the children together was over a video call. Ahmed knew 13-year-old Eslam the best, who was the eldest among the lot. He was killed alongside his little sisters - Dima (10), Tala (9), Nour (5) and Nasma (2), as well as his cousins Raghdad (13), Bakr (11), Sarah (9), Mohamed and Basema who were eight and Abdullah and Tamim who were six. Also Read | DP World Australia resumes its operations in gradual manner after cyber attack A week after the bomb struck the home on Oct 22, communications from Gaza were almost entirely cut off as Israel escalated its attack, and Ahmed couldn't contact anyone. When the signal was reconnected two days later, he learned that another one of his nieces, Malak (11) had also died. She was found alive under the rubble but succumbed to her injuries later in the hospital. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Israel-Hamas war: In a family photo of 11, most of the children are killed in strikes now

<p>Israel on Saturday (Nov 11) said that it had killed a Hamas commander who had held nearly 1,000 Gazan residents hostage and was blocking their evacuation.</p>

<p>"IDF aircraft just struck Ahmed Siam, responsible for holding approximately 1,000 Gazan residents and patients hostage at the Rantisi Hospital, and preventing their evacuation southward," the Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement.</p>

<p>It further said that Siam along with other militants was hiding at "al Buraq" school.</p>

<p>The Palestinian officials on Friday (Nov 10) told news agency Reuters that at least 25 Palestinians lost their lives in an Israeli strike at the school, which was packed with evacuees.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">IDF aircraft just struck Ahmed Siam, responsible for holding approximately 1,000 Gazan residents and patients hostage at the Rantisi Hospital, and preventing their evacuation southward.<br />
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Siam was a commander in Hamas' Naser Radwan Company, and is another example of Hamas using… <a href="https://t.co/RGJAISFjxL">pic.twitter.com/RGJAISFjxL</a></p>
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1723303967197724958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>IDF in a posting on its official account stated that Siam was a commander in Hamas' Naser Radwan Company adding that this was another example of Hamas using civilians as "human shields" in Gaza for its own military operations.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/microsoft-chief-brad-smith-says-russia-spreading-disinformation-about-israel-hamas-war-657561">Microsoft chief says Russia spreading 'disinformation' about Israel-Hamas war</a></p>

<h2><strong>'Patients at risk'</strong></h2>

<p>Palestinian Health Minister Mai al Kaila said that the Al Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip, which is the war-torn region's biggest hospital, is under threat as it lacks oxygen, electricity, and fuel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While addressing a press conference, al Kaila said, "Last night,&nbsp;Al Shifa hospital was air struck by, according to what they told us, white phosphorus and as you might know that this is a type of weapon that is not permitted on an international level, and last night it was air struck with phosphorus, the hospital of Al Shifa."</p>

<p>She further said that the Israeli forces were threatening the hospital's medical staff to leave, as well as threatening to airstrike now and then. In a separate statement, the Palestinian health minister said that 39 babies were at risk in the hospital and one baby had died.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Israeli military called for an immediate evacuation of hospitals in Gaza stating that the Hamas gunmen were systematically exploiting hospitals as part of their assault.</p>

<p>"The hospitals need to be evacuated in order to deal with Hamas. We intend on dealing with Hamas who have turned hospitals into fortified positions," the Israeli military said when asked if it planned to enter Gaza hospitals at some point.</p>

<p>Hamas has repeatedly rebuffed these claims by Israel and has asked the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to send missions to Shifa to probe the allegations.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


Israel on Saturday (Nov 11) said that it had killed a Hamas commander who had held nearly 1,000 Gazan residents hostage and was blocking their evacuation. "IDF aircraft just struck Ahmed Siam, responsible for holding approximately 1,000 Gazan residents and patients hostage at the Rantisi Hospital, and preventing their evacuation southward," the Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement.

Israel on Saturday (Nov 11) said that it had killed a Hamas commander who had held nearly 1,000 Gazan residents hostage and was blocking their evacuation. "IDF aircraft just struck Ahmed Siam, responsible for holding approximately 1,000 Gazan residents and patients hostage at the Rantisi Hospital, and preventing their evacuation southward," the Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement. It further said that Siam along with other militants was hiding at "al Buraq" school. The Palestinian officials on Friday (Nov 10) told news agency Reuters that at least 25 Palestinians lost their lives in an Israeli strike at the school, which was packed with evacuees. IDF aircraft just struck Ahmed Siam, responsible for holding approximately 1,000 Gazan residents and patients hostage at the Rantisi Hospital, and preventing their evacuation southward. Siam was a commander in Hamas' Naser Radwan Company, and is another example of Hamas using… pic.twitter.com/RGJAISFjxL — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 11, 2023 × IDF in a posting on its official account stated that Siam was a commander in Hamas' Naser Radwan Company adding that this was another example of Hamas using civilians as "human shields" in Gaza for its own military operations. Also read: Microsoft chief says Russia spreading 'disinformation' about Israel-Hamas war 'Patients at risk' Palestinian Health Minister Mai al Kaila said that the Al Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip, which is the war-torn region's biggest hospital, is under threat as it lacks oxygen, electricity, and fuel. While addressing a press conference, al Kaila said, "Last night, Al Shifa hospital was air struck by, according to what they told us, white phosphorus and as you might know that this is a type of weapon that is not permitted on an international level, and last night it was air struck with phosphorus, the hospital of Al Shifa." She further said that the Israeli forces were threatening the hospital's medical staff to leave, as well as threatening to airstrike now and then. In a separate statement, the Palestinian health minister said that 39 babies were at risk in the hospital and one baby had died. The Israeli military called for an immediate evacuation of hospitals in Gaza stating that the Hamas gunmen were systematically exploiting hospitals as part of their assault. "The hospitals need to be evacuated in order to deal with Hamas. We intend on dealing with Hamas who have turned hospitals into fortified positions," the Israeli military said when asked if it planned to enter Gaza hospitals at some point. Hamas has repeatedly rebuffed these claims by Israel and has asked the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to send missions to Shifa to probe the allegations. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Israeli Army says it killed Hamas commander who 'held 1,000 Gazan residents hostage'

<p>Israel has revised the death toll from the October 7 Hamas terror attack in southern Israel. The foreign ministry has now said that the death toll is 'around 1200' while earlier estimates from Israeli government said that the death toll was 1400.</p>

<p>"Around 1,200 is the official number of victims of the October 7 massacre," said Lior Haiat, spokesman of Israel's foreign ministry in a statement cited by Reuters. He said that the figure was revised on Thursday (November 9).</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Gravitas: Israel's PM Netanyahu reveals long-term plan for Gaza</strong></p>

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<p>"This is the updated number," he said. "It is due to the fact that there were lot of corpses that were not identified and now we think those belong to terrorists...not Israeli casualties."</p>

<p>This quote was reported by AFP, but the agency shortly&nbsp;said that the spokesperson withdrew the latter part of the quote.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-emmanuel-macron-asks-israel-to-stop-bombing-gaza-657464">French President Emmanuel Macron asks Israel to stop bombing Gaza</a></strong></p>

<p>Hamas fighters crossed the border from Gaza Strip and mounted an attack inside Israel on October 7. In addition to killing people, Hamas fighters also took more than 200 hostages most of whom still remain in their custody.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-will-kill-hamas-militants-if-seen-firing-from-hospitals-in-gaza-says-israeli-army-657443">Israel-Hamas war: Will kill Hamas militants if seen firing from hospitals in Gaza, says Israeli military</a></strong></p>

<p>Israel has responded with an overwhelming military action and has pounded Gaza Strip with hundreds of air raids. Israel has also initiated ground attacks with deployment of tanks and troops. According to Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the death toll in the enclave has crossed 11,000. There is a growing demand from different countries in the world for a ceasefire but Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly refused saying that ceasefire was not possible unless all hostages are freed.</p>

<h2><strong>Fighting around hospitals raises concerns</strong></h2>

<p>Hospitals in Gaza, already battling shortage of medicines and other resources are facing fresh challenge as fighting is taking place around them. Israel has alleged that Hamas has placed its fighters around hospitals and has warned that if Hamas uses hospitals to stage attacks on Israeli troops, Israel would eliminate them.</p>

<p>There are reports of fighting raging around number of hospitals in the enclave including the Al-Shifa hospital.</p>

<p>World Health Organization chief has told United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that health system in Gaza is 'on its knees'</p>

<p>"Hospital corridors crammed with the injured, the sick, the dying; morgues overflowing; surgery without anesthesia; tens of thousands of displaced people sheltering at hospitals," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Israel has revised the death toll from the October 7 Hamas terror attack in southern Israel. The foreign ministry has now said that the death toll is 'around 1200' while earlier estimates from Israeli government said that the death toll was 1400.

Israel has revised the death toll from the October 7 Hamas terror attack in southern Israel. The foreign ministry has now said that the death toll is 'around 1200' while earlier estimates from Israeli government said that the death toll was 1400. "Around 1,200 is the official number of victims of the October 7 massacre," said Lior Haiat, spokesman of Israel's foreign ministry in a statement cited by Reuters. He said that the figure was revised on Thursday (November 9). Watch | Gravitas: Israel's PM Netanyahu reveals long-term plan for Gaza × "This is the updated number," he said. "It is due to the fact that there were lot of corpses that were not identified and now we think those belong to terrorists...not Israeli casualties." This quote was reported by AFP, but the agency shortly said that the spokesperson withdrew the latter part of the quote. Also Read | French President Emmanuel Macron asks Israel to stop bombing Gaza Hamas fighters crossed the border from Gaza Strip and mounted an attack inside Israel on October 7. In addition to killing people, Hamas fighters also took more than 200 hostages most of whom still remain in their custody. Also Read | Israel-Hamas war: Will kill Hamas militants if seen firing from hospitals in Gaza, says Israeli military Israel has responded with an overwhelming military action and has pounded Gaza Strip with hundreds of air raids. Israel has also initiated ground attacks with deployment of tanks and troops. According to Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the death toll in the enclave has crossed 11,000. There is a growing demand from different countries in the world for a ceasefire but Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly refused saying that ceasefire was not possible unless all hostages are freed. Fighting around hospitals raises concerns Hospitals in Gaza, already battling shortage of medicines and other resources are facing fresh challenge as fighting is taking place around them. Israel has alleged that Hamas has placed its fighters around hospitals and has warned that if Hamas uses hospitals to stage attacks on Israeli troops, Israel would eliminate them. There are reports of fighting raging around number of hospitals in the enclave including the Al-Shifa hospital. World Health Organization chief has told United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that health system in Gaza is 'on its knees' "Hospital corridors crammed with the injured, the sick, the dying; morgues overflowing; surgery without anesthesia; tens of thousands of displaced people sheltering at hospitals," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel revises estimate of October 7 Hamas attack death toll from 1,400 to ‘around 1,200’

<p>When Saudi Arabia and Iran restored their diplomatic ties in Beijing in March 2023, the successful rapprochement had come after seven years of estrangement between the Sunni and Shia powerhouses of West Asia. WION had reported the development as a mark of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-saudi-arabia-restore-ties-as-china-brokered-deal-outfoxes-west-570766">shifting of sands in a region</a> where Washington has spent&nbsp;hundreds of billions of dollars in providing security for its Arab allies amid its animosity with Tehran's regime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The sands have shifted to the point that Riyadh was successful, at least symbolically, to put together a show of Islamic unity in Riyadh this week during the joint summit of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But Washington's decades of geopolitical investments in the region ensured that&nbsp;adoption of proposals that carried concrete measures against Israel were not adopted. Instead, the four unnamed Arab states who reportedly prevented this,&nbsp;proposed more vague and non-committal clauses, <em>The New Arab</em>'s Arabic language sister site <em>Al-Araby Al-Jadeed</em> reported.</p>

<p>The extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Saturday called for an embargo on weapons and ammunition exports to Israel, urging the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people.</p>

<p>A middle-ground between immediate ceasefire and ongoing state of war between Israel and Hamas&nbsp;was reached in principle;&nbsp;call for an embargo on weapons and ammunition exports to Israel, and a plea to the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel’s alleged crimes against the Palestinian people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The final statement of the summit rejected describing the retaliatory war on Gaza as "self-defense" and condemned any attempts to displace Palestinians from the northern to the southern part of Gaza or outside the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Jerusalem.</p>

<p>The statement also slammed&nbsp;double standards that the countries said undermine the credibility of countries placing Israel above international law.</p>

<p>That's all for The Capitals this weekend. See you next week.&nbsp;</p>


When Saudi Arabia and Iran restored their diplomatic ties in Beijing in March 2023, the successful rapprochement had come after seven years of estrangement between the Sunni and Shia powerhouses of West Asia.

When Saudi Arabia and Iran restored their diplomatic ties in Beijing in March 2023, the successful rapprochement had come after seven years of estrangement between the Sunni and Shia powerhouses of West Asia. WION had reported the development as a mark of shifting of sands in a region where Washington has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in providing security for its Arab allies amid its animosity with Tehran's regime. The sands have shifted to the point that Riyadh was successful, at least symbolically, to put together a show of Islamic unity in Riyadh this week during the joint summit of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. But Washington's decades of geopolitical investments in the region ensured that adoption of proposals that carried concrete measures against Israel were not adopted. Instead, the four unnamed Arab states who reportedly prevented this, proposed more vague and non-committal clauses, The New Arab's Arabic language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported. The extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Saturday called for an embargo on weapons and ammunition exports to Israel, urging the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people. A middle-ground between immediate ceasefire and ongoing state of war between Israel and Hamas was reached in principle; call for an embargo on weapons and ammunition exports to Israel, and a plea to the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel’s alleged crimes against the Palestinian people. The final statement of the summit rejected describing the retaliatory war on Gaza as "self-defense" and condemned any attempts to displace Palestinians from the northern to the southern part of Gaza or outside the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Jerusalem. The statement also slammed double standards that the countries said undermine the credibility of countries placing Israel above international law. That's all for The Capitals this weekend. See you next week.

The Capitals: Riyadh's show of Islamic unity for Palestine amid Israel-Hamas war

<p>India on Saturday (Nov 11) voted in the favour of a United Nations resolution that called out Israel's settlement activities in "the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan". The resolution was passed two days after its draft was approved on Thursday, November 9.</p>

<p>The UN draft resolution titled "Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan" was passed by overwhelming majority.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Only seven countries, including the United States and Canada, voted against the resolution. Other five countries that voted against the resolution were Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: 100,000 Indians to work in Israel; govt to hire Indian workforce? | WION</strong></p>

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<p>A total of 18 countries abstained from voting, including Cote D'Ivore, Czechia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Malawi, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Togo, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.</p>

<h2><strong>What does it mean?</strong></h2>

<p>India's vote reflects New Delhi's principled stance in relation to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas after the latter attacked Israel on October 7 and killed about 1200 people.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-pm-modi-talks-with-iranian-president-ebrahim-raisi-discusses-israel-hamas-conflict-655813">Iran asks India to 'use all its capacities' to end Israel's attack on Gaza</a></strong></p>

<p>New Delhi advocates "the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel". While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has slammed Hamas for its brutal acts of terror committed in Israel on Oct 7, the Ministry of External Affairs has made it clear that while India stands against terrorist strikes, its stand on Israel-Palestine remained unchanged.</p>

<p>Last month, India abstained in the UN General Assembly from voting on a draft resolution submitted by Jordan, that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution did not make any mention of Hamas and its barbaric attack on Israel. Since then, the western discourse over Israel-Hamas war has evolved from humanitarian ceasefire to humanitarian pauses, the latter a wartime practice to stop fighting during designated hours to ensure the supplies of essentials to the civilians.</p>

<p>The resolution titled "Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations" was overwhelmingly adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it and 45 abstaining.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


India on Saturday (Nov 11) voted in the favour of a United Nations resolution that called out Israel's settlement activities in "the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan".

India on Saturday (Nov 11) voted in the favour of a United Nations resolution that called out Israel's settlement activities in "the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan". The resolution was passed two days after its draft was approved on Thursday, November 9. The UN draft resolution titled "Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan" was passed by overwhelming majority. Only seven countries, including the United States and Canada, voted against the resolution. Other five countries that voted against the resolution were Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru. Also watch | Israel-Hamas war: 100,000 Indians to work in Israel; govt to hire Indian workforce? | WION × A total of 18 countries abstained from voting, including Cote D'Ivore, Czechia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Malawi, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Togo, Uruguay, and Vanuatu. What does it mean? India's vote reflects New Delhi's principled stance in relation to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas after the latter attacked Israel on October 7 and killed about 1200 people. Also read | Iran asks India to 'use all its capacities' to end Israel's attack on Gaza New Delhi advocates "the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel". While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has slammed Hamas for its brutal acts of terror committed in Israel on Oct 7, the Ministry of External Affairs has made it clear that while India stands against terrorist strikes, its stand on Israel-Palestine remained unchanged. Last month, India abstained in the UN General Assembly from voting on a draft resolution submitted by Jordan, that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution did not make any mention of Hamas and its barbaric attack on Israel. Since then, the western discourse over Israel-Hamas war has evolved from humanitarian ceasefire to humanitarian pauses, the latter a wartime practice to stop fighting during designated hours to ensure the supplies of essentials to the civilians. The resolution titled "Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations" was overwhelmingly adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it and 45 abstaining. (With inputs from agencies)

India votes in favour of UN resolution against Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories

<p>As calls for ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war get stronger, a prominent political voice in global politics has called on Israel to stop bombing in Gaza. In an interview to BBC, French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Israel to stop its bombing campaign in Gaza Strip.</p>

<p>While Macron agreed that Israel has the&nbsp;right to defend itself after the October 7 Hamas terror attack, he added, "These babies, these ladies, these old people are bombed and killed."</p>

<p>"So there is no reason for that and no legitimacy. So we do urge Israel to stop."</p>

<p><strong>Watch&nbsp;| Israel-Hamas war: Israeli forces encircle Al Shifa hospital</strong></p>

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<p>Israel on Friday revised the&nbsp;death toll estimate from the Hamas terror&nbsp;attack from 1400 to 1200.</p>

<p>Macron said during the interview that France "clearly condemns" the October 7 Hamas terror attack.</p>

<p>On October 7, Hamas terrorists had crossed border from Gaza Strip and launched a barbaric attack inside Israel. In addition to killing 1200 people, Hamas terrorists&nbsp;also took away 240 people, including women, elderly and children, as&nbsp;hostages.</p>

<p>Israel since then has given an overwhelming military response. Israeli planes have bombarded Hamas establishments in Gaza Strip with hundreds of air-raids. A ground assault into Gaza has also been launched with deployment of troops and tanks.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-will-kill-hamas-militants-if-seen-firing-from-hospitals-in-gaza-says-israeli-army-657443">Israel-Hamas war: Will kill Hamas militants if seen firing from hospitals in Gaza, says Israeli military</a></strong></p>

<p>The Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip claims&nbsp;that the death toll in the enclave has crossed 11,000 mark.</p>

<p>"We do share [Israel's] pain. And we do share their willingness to get rid of terrorism," Macron told BBC. He gave the interview on the fringes of a peace forum in Paris.</p>

<p>"We know what terrorism means in France," he said. But added that bombing of civilians had no justification.</p>

<p>"It's extremely important for all of us because of our principles, because we are democracies. It's important for the mid-to-long run as well for the security of Israel itself, to recognise that all lives matter," he said further.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-revises-estimate-of-october-7-hamas-attack-death-toll-from-1400-to-around-1200-657459">Israel revises estimate of October 7 Hamas attack death toll from 1400 to 'around 1200'</a></strong></p>

<p>When Macron was asked whether he thought Israel breached international law, Macron said, "I'm not a judge. I'm a head of state."</p>

<p>He further said that France sought to be "a partner and a friend" to Israel.</p>

<p>He said during the interview that he did not agree that the ideal way for Israel to "protect [itself] is having a large bombing of Gaza". He said such an approach was creating "resentment and bad feelings" in the Middle East.</p>

<p>Within hours of Macron's statement, Israel PM's office shot back at him.</p>

<p>Office of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted his reaction on French President Emmanuel Macron's statement.</p>

<p>"Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron: "The responsibility for any harm to civilians in Gaza lies with Hamas - ISIS and not with Israel."</p>

<p>The post was made on social media platform X (Formerly Twitter)</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


As calls for ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war get stronger, a prominent political voice in global politics has called on Israel to stop bombing in Gaza.

As calls for ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war get stronger, a prominent political voice in global politics has called on Israel to stop bombing in Gaza. In an interview to BBC, French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Israel to stop its bombing campaign in Gaza Strip. While Macron agreed that Israel has the right to defend itself after the October 7 Hamas terror attack, he added, "These babies, these ladies, these old people are bombed and killed." "So there is no reason for that and no legitimacy. So we do urge Israel to stop." Watch | Israel-Hamas war: Israeli forces encircle Al Shifa hospital × Israel on Friday revised the death toll estimate from the Hamas terror attack from 1400 to 1200. Macron said during the interview that France "clearly condemns" the October 7 Hamas terror attack. On October 7, Hamas terrorists had crossed border from Gaza Strip and launched a barbaric attack inside Israel. In addition to killing 1200 people, Hamas terrorists also took away 240 people, including women, elderly and children, as hostages. Israel since then has given an overwhelming military response. Israeli planes have bombarded Hamas establishments in Gaza Strip with hundreds of air-raids. A ground assault into Gaza has also been launched with deployment of troops and tanks. Also Read | Israel-Hamas war: Will kill Hamas militants if seen firing from hospitals in Gaza, says Israeli military The Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip claims that the death toll in the enclave has crossed 11,000 mark. "We do share [Israel's] pain. And we do share their willingness to get rid of terrorism," Macron told BBC. He gave the interview on the fringes of a peace forum in Paris. "We know what terrorism means in France," he said. But added that bombing of civilians had no justification. "It's extremely important for all of us because of our principles, because we are democracies. It's important for the mid-to-long run as well for the security of Israel itself, to recognise that all lives matter," he said further. Also Read | Israel revises estimate of October 7 Hamas attack death toll from 1400 to 'around 1200' When Macron was asked whether he thought Israel breached international law, Macron said, "I'm not a judge. I'm a head of state." He further said that France sought to be "a partner and a friend" to Israel. He said during the interview that he did not agree that the ideal way for Israel to "protect [itself] is having a large bombing of Gaza". He said such an approach was creating "resentment and bad feelings" in the Middle East. Within hours of Macron's statement, Israel PM's office shot back at him. Office of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted his reaction on French President Emmanuel Macron's statement. "Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron: "The responsibility for any harm to civilians in Gaza lies with Hamas - ISIS and not with Israel." The post was made on social media platform X (Formerly Twitter) (With inputs from agencies)

French President Emmanuel Macron asks Israel to stop bombing Gaza

<p>Turkish citizens are increasingly cancelling their Visa and Mastercards in a nationwide boycott against companies or nations they deem to be supporting&nbsp;Israel, country's Yeni Safak publication reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Banks are reportedly struggling with the surge in demand for Troy cards, Turkey's domestic payment system established by the Interbank Card Center in 2015. This shift is a protest against the West's support for Israel's purported 'right to defence' after it was attacked by Hamas on October 7 that killed about 1200 Israelis.</p>

<p>On social media, the hashtag campaign #TroyKartaGeçiyoruz (#WeGoToTroyKarta) has gained momentum, in a reference to the country's own payment system Troy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-massacre-in-gaza-product-of-west-turkeys-erdogan-addresses-huge-pro-palestinian-rally-652379">Israel-Hamas war: Erdogan addresses huge pro-Palestine rally, blames West for massacre in Gaza</a></strong></p>

<p>Since targeting Visa and Mastercard, approximately 19 million new Troy cards have been issued, Yeni Safak report added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Troy, Turkey's sole domestic payment card, was launched officially in April 2016, providing financial services such as credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Turkey: Erdogan defends Hamas and lashes out on Israel</strong></p>

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<p>Notably, Troy cards have been accepted in the US on the Discover Card network since 2017.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The development coincides with a related move when the Turkish parliament removed Coca-Cola and Nestle products from its campus restaurants, accusing them of supporting Israel.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What does it mean?</strong></h2>

<p>This multifaceted protest reflects a growing pro-Palestine sentiment among the Turkish citizens.</p>

<p>Besides, the Turkish President Recep&nbsp;Tayyip Erdogan said recently that Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people, in contrast to the fact that the militant-political organisation that rules blockaded Gaza Strip has been designated as a terrorist group by the US and collective West.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Once all of this that is happening is finished, we want to see Gaza as a peaceful region that is a part of an independent Palestinian state, in line with 1967 borders, with territorial integrity, and with East Jerusalem as its capital," Erdogan said earlier this month.</p>

<p>More than 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory attack launched by Israel on Oct 7 as per the claims of Hamas-run ministry.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Turkish citizens are increasingly cancelling their Visa and Mastercards in a nationwide boycott against companies or nations they deem to be supporting Israel, country's Yeni Safak publication reported.

Turkish citizens are increasingly cancelling their Visa and Mastercards in a nationwide boycott against companies or nations they deem to be supporting Israel, country's Yeni Safak publication reported. Banks are reportedly struggling with the surge in demand for Troy cards, Turkey's domestic payment system established by the Interbank Card Center in 2015. This shift is a protest against the West's support for Israel's purported 'right to defence' after it was attacked by Hamas on October 7 that killed about 1200 Israelis. On social media, the hashtag campaign #TroyKartaGeçiyoruz (#WeGoToTroyKarta) has gained momentum, in a reference to the country's own payment system Troy. Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Erdogan addresses huge pro-Palestine rally, blames West for massacre in Gaza Since targeting Visa and Mastercard, approximately 19 million new Troy cards have been issued, Yeni Safak report added. Troy, Turkey's sole domestic payment card, was launched officially in April 2016, providing financial services such as credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards. Also watch | Turkey: Erdogan defends Hamas and lashes out on Israel × Notably, Troy cards have been accepted in the US on the Discover Card network since 2017. The development coincides with a related move when the Turkish parliament removed Coca-Cola and Nestle products from its campus restaurants, accusing them of supporting Israel. What does it mean? This multifaceted protest reflects a growing pro-Palestine sentiment among the Turkish citizens. Besides, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said recently that Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people, in contrast to the fact that the militant-political organisation that rules blockaded Gaza Strip has been designated as a terrorist group by the US and collective West. "Once all of this that is happening is finished, we want to see Gaza as a peaceful region that is a part of an independent Palestinian state, in line with 1967 borders, with territorial integrity, and with East Jerusalem as its capital," Erdogan said earlier this month. More than 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory attack launched by Israel on Oct 7 as per the claims of Hamas-run ministry. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Visa, Mastercard's loss becomes Troy's gain in Turkey

<p>Israel Defense Forces shared a video from inside Gaza to claim that Hamas used a school as its military base. Israeli forces said that they captured a base from Hamas after intense fighting, and found that one of the military sites was in fact, a school.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Israeli forces claimed that while inside the classrooms there was learning material for children but right outside it were hidden ammunition holds that contained missiles. They further added that the base was suspected to be used for training Hamas fighters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since the beginning of the war in Gaza after men owing allegiance to Hamas — designated a terrorist group by Israel and the collective West — attacked Israel on October 7, killing over 1200 Israelis, Israel has been accusing Hamas of establishing such military bases in schools, hospitals and residential areas.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-fighting-around-gaza-hospitals-stokes-fresh-concerns-657450">Israel-Hamas war updates | Israel revises October 7 death toll from 1400 to 1200</a></strong></p>

<p>This, Israel Defense Forces say, is done so that the Israeli army would not target such areas for fear of civilian casualties.</p>

<h2><strong>IDF video claims startling look inside a Gaza classroom</strong></h2>

<p>In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Israel Defense Forces claimed the existence of 'Hamas Intelligence Headquarters' next to schools.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is a lathe and a rocket and mortar storage facility," a person in the IDF video has been translated as saying while showing the purported Hamas military site inside a school in the later part of the video.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas War: Hamas tunnels being destroyed | Videos released by the Israeli Army</strong></p>

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<p>"Here you can see rocket launchers. Here are bags full of AK-47s, Hamas flags. And all of this is inside of a school," the person adds. "The weapons storage facility is right next to a classroom," it further adds in the video.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">While the world sees neighborhoods with<br />
schools,<br />
hospitals,<br />
scout groups,<br />
children’s playgrounds<br />
and mosques,<br />
Hamas sees an opportunity to exploit.<br />
<br />
1/2 <a href="https://t.co/smGAweDS7L">pic.twitter.com/smGAweDS7L</a></p>
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1722853497106829535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, 11,078 Gaza residents have been killed in air and artillery strikes since Oct&nbsp;7. Israeli tanks have been advancing through northern Gaza for almost two weeks, which Israel says are targeting Hamas' infrastructure in the region.</p>

<p>The international calls for ceasefire, given the high civilian casualty toll, are being replaced by assertions for humanitarian pause, a periodic stopping of the fighting so that humanitarian aid from the donor countries and multilateral organisations could reach the distressed civilian population.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


Israel Defense Forces shared a video from inside Gaza to claim that Hamas used a school as its military base. Israeli forces said that they captured a base from Hamas after intense fighting, and found that one of the military sites was in fact, a school.

Israel Defense Forces shared a video from inside Gaza to claim that Hamas used a school as its military base. Israeli forces said that they captured a base from Hamas after intense fighting, and found that one of the military sites was in fact, a school. The Israeli forces claimed that while inside the classrooms there was learning material for children but right outside it were hidden ammunition holds that contained missiles. They further added that the base was suspected to be used for training Hamas fighters. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza after men owing allegiance to Hamas — designated a terrorist group by Israel and the collective West — attacked Israel on October 7, killing over 1200 Israelis, Israel has been accusing Hamas of establishing such military bases in schools, hospitals and residential areas. Also read | Israel-Hamas war updates | Israel revises October 7 death toll from 1400 to 1200 This, Israel Defense Forces say, is done so that the Israeli army would not target such areas for fear of civilian casualties. IDF video claims startling look inside a Gaza classroom In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Israel Defense Forces claimed the existence of 'Hamas Intelligence Headquarters' next to schools. "This is a lathe and a rocket and mortar storage facility," a person in the IDF video has been translated as saying while showing the purported Hamas military site inside a school in the later part of the video. Also watch | Israel-Hamas War: Hamas tunnels being destroyed | Videos released by the Israeli Army × "Here you can see rocket launchers. Here are bags full of AK-47s, Hamas flags. And all of this is inside of a school," the person adds. "The weapons storage facility is right next to a classroom," it further adds in the video. While the world sees neighborhoods with schools, hospitals, scout groups, children’s playgrounds and mosques, Hamas sees an opportunity to exploit. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/smGAweDS7L — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 10, 2023 × According to Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, 11,078 Gaza residents have been killed in air and artillery strikes since Oct 7. Israeli tanks have been advancing through northern Gaza for almost two weeks, which Israel says are targeting Hamas' infrastructure in the region. The international calls for ceasefire, given the high civilian casualty toll, are being replaced by assertions for humanitarian pause, a periodic stopping of the fighting so that humanitarian aid from the donor countries and multilateral organisations could reach the distressed civilian population. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Video: Hamas used a school in Gaza as its military base, claims IDF

<p>The humanitarian situation in Gaza is extremely dire as the death toll in the besieged city is continuing to swell. A total of 50 people have reportedly been killed after an air strike hit a Gaza City school on Friday (Nov 10) morning, media reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The dead bodies of these dozens of individuals were brought&nbsp;to the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza. In the aftermath of the tragic killings, hospital director Mohammad Abu Salmiya said, "About 50 martyrs were recovered from inside Al-Buraq school... in the Al-Nasr neighbourhood in Gaza after missile and artillery strikes that targeted the school this morning."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-un-calls-for-probe-into-israels-use-of-high-impact-weapons-in-gaza-657366">Israel-Hamas war: UN calls for probe into Israel's use of 'high impact weapons' in Gaza</a></p>

<p>The Al-Buraq school which came under fire was housing displaced people whose homes had been destroyed in the ongoing&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war.</p>

<p>While AFP reported on the death toll citing the hospital director, the news agency was unable to verify it.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Attack on Gaza hospitals&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, Reuters reported that hospitals in Gaza are also witnessing air strikes leading to devastating conditions for patients and medical staff alike. About three Gaza hospitals came under attack with officials saying that the rockets struck the courtyard of Gaza's biggest hospital, Al-Shifa on Friday (Nov 10) morning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Among other hospitals which bore the brunt of Israeli airstrikes amid its onslaught on the Hamas militant group were the Indonesian Hospital and Nasser Rantissi Paediatric Cancer Hospital.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-asks-western-media-to-clarify-the-presence-of-photographers-during-hamas-attack-657246">Israel asks Western media to clarify the presence of photographers during Hamas attack</a></p>

<p>If medical staff in Gaza are to be believed, Israeli tanks are holding their positions around the Nasser Rantissi, Children's and Eye hospitals as well as the Al-Quds hospital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This has again spurred a debate if innocent civilians are being used as human shields.</p>

<p>The Israeli Defence Forces earlier released video footage showcasing how the Hamas militant group, with its reported underground tunnels beneath hospitals, is using these infrastructures to carry out its terrorist activities against the Jewish nation of Israel.</p>

<p>However, these claims have already been refuted by the Palestinian militant group.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-vs-palestine-how-india-is-preparing-for-a-hamas-style-attack-657380">How India is preparing for a Hamas style attack</a></strong></p>

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<p>Israeli forces has already given a warning to Hamas saying that it will take down its militants if they start fire from Gaza hospitals.&nbsp;"If we see Hamas terrorists firing from hospitals, we'll do what we need to do... If we see Hamas terrorists we'll kill them," military spokesman Richard Hecht reportedly said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos&nbsp;and&nbsp;videos.</em></strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The humanitarian situation in Gaza is extremely dire as the death toll in the besieged city is continuing to swell. A total of 50 people have reportedly been killed after an air strike hit a Gaza City school on Friday (Nov 10) morning, media reports said.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is extremely dire as the death toll in the besieged city is continuing to swell. A total of 50 people have reportedly been killed after an air strike hit a Gaza City school on Friday (Nov 10) morning, media reports said. The dead bodies of these dozens of individuals were brought to the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza. In the aftermath of the tragic killings, hospital director Mohammad Abu Salmiya said, "About 50 martyrs were recovered from inside Al-Buraq school... in the Al-Nasr neighbourhood in Gaza after missile and artillery strikes that targeted the school this morning." Also Read | Israel-Hamas war: UN calls for probe into Israel's use of 'high impact weapons' in Gaza The Al-Buraq school which came under fire was housing displaced people whose homes had been destroyed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. While AFP reported on the death toll citing the hospital director, the news agency was unable to verify it. Attack on Gaza hospitals Meanwhile, Reuters reported that hospitals in Gaza are also witnessing air strikes leading to devastating conditions for patients and medical staff alike. About three Gaza hospitals came under attack with officials saying that the rockets struck the courtyard of Gaza's biggest hospital, Al-Shifa on Friday (Nov 10) morning. Among other hospitals which bore the brunt of Israeli airstrikes amid its onslaught on the Hamas militant group were the Indonesian Hospital and Nasser Rantissi Paediatric Cancer Hospital. Also Read | Israel asks Western media to clarify the presence of photographers during Hamas attack If medical staff in Gaza are to be believed, Israeli tanks are holding their positions around the Nasser Rantissi, Children's and Eye hospitals as well as the Al-Quds hospital. This has again spurred a debate if innocent civilians are being used as human shields. The Israeli Defence Forces earlier released video footage showcasing how the Hamas militant group, with its reported underground tunnels beneath hospitals, is using these infrastructures to carry out its terrorist activities against the Jewish nation of Israel. However, these claims have already been refuted by the Palestinian militant group. Watch | How India is preparing for a Hamas style attack × Israeli forces has already given a warning to Hamas saying that it will take down its militants if they start fire from Gaza hospitals. "If we see Hamas terrorists firing from hospitals, we'll do what we need to do... If we see Hamas terrorists we'll kill them," military spokesman Richard Hecht reportedly said. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Gaza's Al-Buraq school takes hit as Israel moves to root out Hamas, 50 killed

<p>Indicating a possible attack by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Israeli military said on Thursday (November 9) that the country's latest hypersonic ballistic missile interceptor Arrow-3 destroyed a 'target' for the first time. The army said that the 'target' was headed towards Israel from the Red Sea.</p>

<p>The landmark announcement about the Arrow 3&nbsp;interceptor came sometime after Iran-backed Houthi rebels said that "a barrage of ballistic missiles" had been fired at Israel.</p>

<p>Israeli Defence Ministry and Israel Defence Forces said in a statement that Israel "successfully launched an Arrow 3 interceptor operationally for the first time this evening."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The interceptor effectively intercepted a target launched towards Israel in the Red Sea region."</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Qatar negotiating release of 10-15 hostages</strong></p>

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<p>The statement mentioned that it was the "first operational interception" by the Arrow 3 interceptor. Israel has developed Arrow 3 jointly with the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This achievement follows the recent success of the first operational interception carried out by the Arrow 2 system last week," the statement added.</p>

<p>The development of Arrow 3 and previous generation missiles in the Arrow family was undertaken because of a perceived threat from Iran.</p>

<p>Hypersonic Arrow 3 moves faster and at a higher altitude than the older Arrow 2.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-banks-jenin-witnesses-deadliest-israeli-army-raid-israel-confirms-accelerating-exodus-of-northern-gaza-657088">West Bank’s Jenin witnesses deadliest Israeli army raid; Israel confirms accelerating exodus of northern Gaza</a></strong></p>

<p>On October 31, Israel said that the Arrow system intercepted a missile that was headed towards Israel. It was a 'surface-to-surface' missile.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mossad-statement-on-hezbollah-angers-brazil-657103">Israel-Hamas war: Mossad statement on Hezbollah angers Brazil</a></strong></p>

<p>At that time, the Houthi rebels had said that ballistic missiles and drones were fired towards Israel. The rebels have said that they would "continue to carry out qualitative strikes with missiles and drones" with an aim to make Israel stop its bombing in Gaza.</p>

<p>Hamas fighters crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7 and launched an attack that killed 1,400 people, as per Israeli estimates. The fighters took more than 200 hostages. Israel has responded with overwhelming military action that has seen it mount air raids and deploy troops and tanks for ground assault. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the death toll has crossed 11,000. There are no signs that the war will cease.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indicating a possible attack by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Israeli military said on Thursday (November 9) that the country's latest hypersonic ballistic missile interceptor Arrow-3 destroyed a 'target' for the first time.

Indicating a possible attack by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Israeli military said on Thursday (November 9) that the country's latest hypersonic ballistic missile interceptor Arrow-3 destroyed a 'target' for the first time. The army said that the 'target' was headed towards Israel from the Red Sea. The landmark announcement about the Arrow 3 interceptor came sometime after Iran-backed Houthi rebels said that "a barrage of ballistic missiles" had been fired at Israel. Israeli Defence Ministry and Israel Defence Forces said in a statement that Israel "successfully launched an Arrow 3 interceptor operationally for the first time this evening." "The interceptor effectively intercepted a target launched towards Israel in the Red Sea region." Watch | Qatar negotiating release of 10-15 hostages × The statement mentioned that it was the "first operational interception" by the Arrow 3 interceptor. Israel has developed Arrow 3 jointly with the United States. "This achievement follows the recent success of the first operational interception carried out by the Arrow 2 system last week," the statement added. The development of Arrow 3 and previous generation missiles in the Arrow family was undertaken because of a perceived threat from Iran. Hypersonic Arrow 3 moves faster and at a higher altitude than the older Arrow 2. Also Read | West Bank’s Jenin witnesses deadliest Israeli army raid; Israel confirms accelerating exodus of northern Gaza On October 31, Israel said that the Arrow system intercepted a missile that was headed towards Israel. It was a 'surface-to-surface' missile. Also Read | Israel-Hamas war: Mossad statement on Hezbollah angers Brazil At that time, the Houthi rebels had said that ballistic missiles and drones were fired towards Israel. The rebels have said that they would "continue to carry out qualitative strikes with missiles and drones" with an aim to make Israel stop its bombing in Gaza. Hamas fighters crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7 and launched an attack that killed 1,400 people, as per Israeli estimates. The fighters took more than 200 hostages. Israel has responded with overwhelming military action that has seen it mount air raids and deploy troops and tanks for ground assault. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the death toll has crossed 11,000. There are no signs that the war will cease. (With inputs from agencies)

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<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday (Nov&nbsp;9) that Israel is not looking to occupy and govern&nbsp;Gaza. However, he added that a 'credible force' was necessary to respond to militant threats emanating from Gaza.</p>

<p>Netanyahu's fresh comments come just days after his previous one when he said that Israel would assume responsibility for security in Gaza for an 'indefinite period'. These comments had attracted US displeasure. The US is the biggest backer of Israel globally.</p>

<p>"We don't seek to conquer Gaza, we don't seek to occupy Gaza, and we don't seek to govern Gaza," Netanyahu told US media outlet Fox News.</p>

<p>He added that a civilian government needs to look after affairs in Gaza and Israel would make sure that an attack like the one that took place on October 7 doesn't happen again. For this, he said a 'credible force' will have to be maintained.</p>

<p>"So, we have to have a credible force that, if necessary, will enter Gaza and kill the killers. Because that's what will prevent the reemergence of a Hamas-like entity," Netanyahu said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Qatar negotiating release of 10-15 hostages</strong></p>

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<p>Hamas fighters crossed from the Gaza Strip and launched an attack on Israel which saw the deaths of 1,400 people, by Israeli estimates. Hamas fighters also took more than 200 hostages. Israel has after that, responded with overwhelming military force with air raids and deployment of tank and troops for ground attacks. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the civilian death toll in the Gaza Strip has crossed the 11,000 mark.</p>

<p>Constant Israeli bombardment and blockade have meant that there is a severe shortage of food, fuel, medicines and other essentials needed by the civilians in Gaza.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mossad-statement-on-hezbollah-angers-brazil-657103">Israel-Hamas war: Mossad statement on Hezbollah angers Brazil</a></strong></p>

<p>US officials have said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) should rule Gaza again. The PA has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from PA in 2007.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-banks-jenin-witnesses-deadliest-israeli-army-raid-israel-confirms-accelerating-exodus-of-northern-gaza-657088">West Bank’s Jenin witnesses deadliest Israeli army raid; Israel confirms accelerating exodus of northern Gaza</a></strong></p>

<p>Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has said that the PA's return to Gaza should also be accompanied by a political solution, ending Isarel's control of regions it captured during the 1967 Middle East war.</p>

<p>During his conversation with Fox News, Netanyahu said that after the war, it needed to be ensured that Gaza is "demilitarised, deradicalised and rebuilt".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday (Nov 9) that Israel is not looking to occupy and govern Gaza. However, he added that a 'credible force' was necessary to respond to militant threats emanating from Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday (Nov 9) that Israel is not looking to occupy and govern Gaza. However, he added that a 'credible force' was necessary to respond to militant threats emanating from Gaza. Netanyahu's fresh comments come just days after his previous one when he said that Israel would assume responsibility for security in Gaza for an 'indefinite period'. These comments had attracted US displeasure. The US is the biggest backer of Israel globally. "We don't seek to conquer Gaza, we don't seek to occupy Gaza, and we don't seek to govern Gaza," Netanyahu told US media outlet Fox News. He added that a civilian government needs to look after affairs in Gaza and Israel would make sure that an attack like the one that took place on October 7 doesn't happen again. For this, he said a 'credible force' will have to be maintained. "So, we have to have a credible force that, if necessary, will enter Gaza and kill the killers. Because that's what will prevent the reemergence of a Hamas-like entity," Netanyahu said. Watch | Qatar negotiating release of 10-15 hostages × Hamas fighters crossed from the Gaza Strip and launched an attack on Israel which saw the deaths of 1,400 people, by Israeli estimates. Hamas fighters also took more than 200 hostages. Israel has after that, responded with overwhelming military force with air raids and deployment of tank and troops for ground attacks. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the civilian death toll in the Gaza Strip has crossed the 11,000 mark. Constant Israeli bombardment and blockade have meant that there is a severe shortage of food, fuel, medicines and other essentials needed by the civilians in Gaza. Also Read | Israel-Hamas war: Mossad statement on Hezbollah angers Brazil US officials have said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) should rule Gaza again. The PA has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from PA in 2007. Also Read | West Bank’s Jenin witnesses deadliest Israeli army raid; Israel confirms accelerating exodus of northern Gaza Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has said that the PA's return to Gaza should also be accompanied by a political solution, ending Isarel's control of regions it captured during the 1967 Middle East war. During his conversation with Fox News, Netanyahu said that after the war, it needed to be ensured that Gaza is "demilitarised, deradicalised and rebuilt". (With inputs from agencies)

We are not seeking to govern Gaza, Netanyahu tells media

<p>A statement by Mossad, Israel's spy agency, has angered Brazil. While thanking Brazil police for the arrest of people connected with Hezbollah, Mossad said it helped Brazilian authorities foil an attack in Brazil. The unusual public statement has put a strain on Israel-Brazil ties.</p>

<p>Two people were arrested in Brazil on Wednesday (November 8) and slapped with terrorism charges. Later in the day, Mossad chose to make a public statement and said "given the backdrop of the war in Gaza," Hezbollah was planning attacks on targets across the world.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Qatar negotiating release of 10-15 hostages</strong></p>

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<p>Though the Brazilian operation was indeed against a suspected Hezbollah cell, Mossad's public comments have angered Brazil.</p>

<p>Brazil's Justice Minister Flavio Dino on Thursday strongly rebuked Mossad. He said on social media that "Brazil is a sovereign country," and "no foreign force orders around the Brazilian Federal Police."</p>

<p>Although Dino did not appear to explicitly deny Israeli involvement, if there was any, he appeared angered due to the timing of Mossad's public statement and parallels drawn to the Israel-Hamas war.</p>

<p>"We appreciate appropriate international cooperation, but we reject any foreign authority that deems to direct Brazilian police bodies or use our investigations for the use of propaganda or its political interests," said Dino.</p>

<p>He added that Brazil's probe had "nothing to do with international conflicts".</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-banks-jenin-witnesses-deadliest-israeli-army-raid-israel-confirms-exodus-of-northern-gaza-657088">West Bank’s Jenin witnesses deadliest Israeli army raid; Israel confirms accelerating exodus of northern Gaza</a></strong></p>

<p>Reuters cited a source to say that Dino was angry as a statement from Mossad made it look like Brazilian authorities were being ordered by Israel and that it may suggest that Brazil was taking sides in the ongoing conflict.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-benjamin-netanyahu-refutes-white-house-statement-that-israel-agreed-to-daily-4-hour-humanitarian-pause-657026">PM Netanyahu refutes US claim that Israel agreed to daily 4-hour 'humanitarian pause' in war with Hamas</a></strong></p>

<p>There are about 30 Brazilians who are stuck in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict. There is an unease in the Brazilian camp over the slow pace of their release. Brazilian foreign ministry has reportedly even told Israel this week that diplomatic ties would become unsustainable if any harm was to come to the Brazilians.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A statement by Mossad, Israel's spy agency, has angered Brazil. While thanking Brazil police for the arrest of people connected with Hezbollah, Mossad said it helped Brazilian authorities foil an attack in Brazil.

A statement by Mossad, Israel's spy agency, has angered Brazil. While thanking Brazil police for the arrest of people connected with Hezbollah, Mossad said it helped Brazilian authorities foil an attack in Brazil. The unusual public statement has put a strain on Israel-Brazil ties. Two people were arrested in Brazil on Wednesday (November 8) and slapped with terrorism charges. Later in the day, Mossad chose to make a public statement and said "given the backdrop of the war in Gaza," Hezbollah was planning attacks on targets across the world. Watch | Qatar negotiating release of 10-15 hostages × Though the Brazilian operation was indeed against a suspected Hezbollah cell, Mossad's public comments have angered Brazil. Brazil's Justice Minister Flavio Dino on Thursday strongly rebuked Mossad. He said on social media that "Brazil is a sovereign country," and "no foreign force orders around the Brazilian Federal Police." Although Dino did not appear to explicitly deny Israeli involvement, if there was any, he appeared angered due to the timing of Mossad's public statement and parallels drawn to the Israel-Hamas war. "We appreciate appropriate international cooperation, but we reject any foreign authority that deems to direct Brazilian police bodies or use our investigations for the use of propaganda or its political interests," said Dino. He added that Brazil's probe had "nothing to do with international conflicts". Also Read | West Bank’s Jenin witnesses deadliest Israeli army raid; Israel confirms accelerating exodus of northern Gaza Reuters cited a source to say that Dino was angry as a statement from Mossad made it look like Brazilian authorities were being ordered by Israel and that it may suggest that Brazil was taking sides in the ongoing conflict. Also Read | PM Netanyahu refutes US claim that Israel agreed to daily 4-hour 'humanitarian pause' in war with Hamas There are about 30 Brazilians who are stuck in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict. There is an unease in the Brazilian camp over the slow pace of their release. Brazilian foreign ministry has reportedly even told Israel this week that diplomatic ties would become unsustainable if any harm was to come to the Brazilians. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Mossad statement on Hezbollah angers Brazil

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