Israel has given Hamas a proposal through Qatari and Egyptian mediators that includes up to two months of a pause in the fighting as part of a multi-phase deal that would include the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza.

Israel-Hamas War: Israel proposes two-month ceasefire deal for release of all hostages

Israel-Hamas War: Israel proposes two-month fighting pause in Gaza for release of all hostages

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Sunday (January 21) released a 16-page report justifying its October 7 on Israel as a 'necessary step' that was taken against Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. This is Hamas' first public report about the October 7 attacks which resulted in death of more than 1000 persons.

Though it justified its attack, the group admitted that "some faults happened... due to the rapid collapse of the Israeli security and military system, and the chaos caused along the border areas with Gaza".

Hamas has demanded that Israel stop it Gaza offensive and withdraw its forces if it wants hostages to be released.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically refused this.

"In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands an end to the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of all murderers.... If we accept this, our soldiers have fallen in vain. If we accept this, we won't be able to guarantee the safety of our citizens," Netanyahu said as quoted by AFP

<h2>US makes first estimate of Hamas death toll</h2>

The United States intelligence agencies have made first estimate of death toll among Hamas fighters, Wall Street Journal reported. The news outlet reported that the estimate, mentioned in classified documents say that Israel has been able to eliminate 20 to 30 per cent of Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip. But this falls way short of Israeli aim of completely eliminating the militant group in the ongoing war which has seen thousands of civilian deaths.

The news report has also said that Hamas still has enough firepower to continue attacking Israeli forces inside Gaza for months. Report of the estimate has come just when Israel has had to withdraw thousands of its soldiers from Gaza in the face of mounting international pressure over civilian deaths.

Watch | Red Sea Crisis: US central command confirms Saturday's strike on Houthi targets

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Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7 killing more than a thousand people. Israel then responded with overwhelming military response that included land assaults as well as air strikes. The conflict soon began claiming civilian lives and the death toll spiked. It has reached 25,000 now.

International pressure, particularly that from the United States has forced Israel to change it tactics. The US has pressured Israel to adopt a more surgical approach than an all-out war in order to minimise civilian casualties.

However, even after relentless military campaign and destruction of Hamas' network of underground tunnels at many places in Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have not been able to eliminate Hamas completely. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that complete destruction of Hamas is Israel's aim.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-soldiers-uncover-gaza-tunnel-that-once-held-hostages-681935">Israeli soldiers uncover Gaza tunnel that once held hostages</a>

But the classified US intelligence report says that Israel hasn't been able to fully achieve the stated aim, WSJ reports.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-israeli-strike-on-damascus-kills-guards-syria-spy-chief-along-with-4-others-681852">Iran says Israeli strike on Damascus killed Guards’ Syria spy chief along with 4 others</a>

Besides, Hamas has changed tactics. It is attacking Israeli forces in small groups.

Israeli estimate of Hamas deaths is a little higher. It reportedly says that its forces have eliminated at least 30 per cent of the fighters.

(With inputs from agencies)

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Sunday (January 21) released a 16-page report justifying its October 7 on Israel as a 'necessary step' that was taken against Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Sunday (January 21) released a 16-page report justifying its October 7 on Israel as a 'necessary step' that was taken against Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. This is Hamas' first public report about the October 7 attacks which resulted in death of more than 1000 persons. Though it justified its attack, the group admitted that "some faults happened... due to the rapid collapse of the Israeli security and military system, and the chaos caused along the border areas with Gaza". Hamas has demanded that Israel stop it Gaza offensive and withdraw its forces if it wants hostages to be released. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically refused this. "In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands an end to the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of all murderers.... If we accept this, our soldiers have fallen in vain. If we accept this, we won't be able to guarantee the safety of our citizens," Netanyahu said as quoted by AFP US makes first estimate of Hamas death toll The United States intelligence agencies have made first estimate of death toll among Hamas fighters, Wall Street Journal reported. The news outlet reported that the estimate, mentioned in classified documents say that Israel has been able to eliminate 20 to 30 per cent of Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip. But this falls way short of Israeli aim of completely eliminating the militant group in the ongoing war which has seen thousands of civilian deaths. The news report has also said that Hamas still has enough firepower to continue attacking Israeli forces inside Gaza for months. Report of the estimate has come just when Israel has had to withdraw thousands of its soldiers from Gaza in the face of mounting international pressure over civilian deaths. Watch | Red Sea Crisis: US central command confirms Saturday's strike on Houthi targets × Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7 killing more than a thousand people. Israel then responded with overwhelming military response that included land assaults as well as air strikes. The conflict soon began claiming civilian lives and the death toll spiked. It has reached 25,000 now. International pressure, particularly that from the United States has forced Israel to change it tactics. The US has pressured Israel to adopt a more surgical approach than an all-out war in order to minimise civilian casualties. However, even after relentless military campaign and destruction of Hamas' network of underground tunnels at many places in Gaza Strip, Israeli forces have not been able to eliminate Hamas completely. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that complete destruction of Hamas is Israel's aim. Also Read | Israeli soldiers uncover Gaza tunnel that once held hostages But the classified US intelligence report says that Israel hasn't been able to fully achieve the stated aim, WSJ reports. Also Read | Iran says Israeli strike on Damascus killed Guards’ Syria spy chief along with 4 others Besides, Hamas has changed tactics. It is attacking Israeli forces in small groups. Israeli estimate of Hamas deaths is a little higher. It reportedly says that its forces have eliminated at least 30 per cent of the fighters. (With inputs from agencies)

Hamas justifies October 7 attacks in report, Netanyahu rejects conditions for hostage release

Israel-Hamas war continues to expand beyond Gaza amid intensifying attacks by regional proxies, and consequent counterattacks as well as pre-emptive strikes by Israel and the United States.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-says-it-hit-another-houthi-anti-ship-missile-aimed-into-the-gulf-of-aden-681907">US hits another Houthi anti-ship missile aimed into the Gulf of Aden</a>

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-israeli-strike-on-damascus-kills-guards-syria-spy-chief-along-with-4-others-681852">Iran says Israeli strike on Damascus killed Guards’ Syria spy chief along with 4 others</a>

Besides, weeks after South Africa led by President Ramaphosa and foreign minister <a href="https://x.com/heatherbarr1/status/1746482842333245723?s=20">Naledi Pandor</a> filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for allegedly committing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza in the ongoing war, Indonesia has now filed a new case at the ICJ to purportedly hold Israel accountable for its "policies and practices" in the blockaded Palestinian enclaves.&nbsp;

The latest ICJ case comes after Israeli&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's purported denouncement of the creation of a future state of Palestine. On Saturday (Jan 20), Netanyahu repeated that there is 'no space' for a Palestinian state amid the prevailing security situation in the region.

But this has again put the spotlight on previously proposed permanent solutions for the Israel-Palestine conflict, the most prominent of which is a&nbsp;two-state solution. It&nbsp;envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, in the region west of the Jordan River.&nbsp;

Netanyahu's comment came as Israel's retaliatory state of war in the Gaza Strip entered its fifteenth week after the events of October 7 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel and&nbsp;killed about 1200 people and took over 240 hostages.&nbsp;

Hamas continues to hold most of the captives it abducted after its October 7 attack.&nbsp;

So far, 24,927 people have been killed in Gaza, according to data provided by the Hamas-run health ministry in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

<h2>Israel's military campaign beyond Gaza</h2>

Israel&nbsp;reportedly killed one top Hamas official, Saleh al Arouri by a drone strike in Beirut in early January. A senior Hezbollah leader was killed soon after.

Also watch |&nbsp;Iran blames Israel for Syria attack, says 4 of its officers killed in Damascus

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On Saturday, a strike in the Syrian capital, Damascus, also killed five Iranian military advisers. A second attack in southern Lebanon killed two people, local media reported.

<h2>Netanyahu's response to ICJ cases</h2>

As for the cases in the ICJ, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said: "Nobody will stop us — not The Hague, not the Axis of Evil, and not anybody else."

The "axis of evil" is a term that Netanyahu first used in October 2023 during the initial weeks of the war in Gaza to assert that Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran are colluding to wage war against Israel.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-and-hezbollah-commanders-help-direct-houthi-attacks-in-yemen-report-681909">Iranian and Hezbollah commanders help direct Houthi attacks in Yemen: Report</a>

But since then, Yemen-based and Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked the Red Sea maritime route in purported solidarity with Palestinians, threatening global trade. Consequently, the United States has used its maritime assets to target Houthi bases in an attempt to minimise the threat to global trade.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war continues to expand beyond Gaza amid intensifying attacks by regional proxies, and consequent counterattacks as well as pre-emptive strikes by Israel and the United States.

Israel-Hamas war continues to expand beyond Gaza amid intensifying attacks by regional proxies, and consequent counterattacks as well as pre-emptive strikes by Israel and the United States. Also read | US hits another Houthi anti-ship missile aimed into the Gulf of Aden Also read | Iran says Israeli strike on Damascus killed Guards’ Syria spy chief along with 4 others Besides, weeks after South Africa led by President Ramaphosa and foreign minister Naledi Pandor filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for allegedly committing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza in the ongoing war, Indonesia has now filed a new case at the ICJ to purportedly hold Israel accountable for its "policies and practices" in the blockaded Palestinian enclaves. The latest ICJ case comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's purported denouncement of the creation of a future state of Palestine. On Saturday (Jan 20), Netanyahu repeated that there is 'no space' for a Palestinian state amid the prevailing security situation in the region. But this has again put the spotlight on previously proposed permanent solutions for the Israel-Palestine conflict, the most prominent of which is a two-state solution. It envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, in the region west of the Jordan River. Netanyahu's comment came as Israel's retaliatory state of war in the Gaza Strip entered its fifteenth week after the events of October 7 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel and killed about 1200 people and took over 240 hostages. Hamas continues to hold most of the captives it abducted after its October 7 attack. So far, 24,927 people have been killed in Gaza, according to data provided by the Hamas-run health ministry in the blockaded Palestinian enclave. Israel's military campaign beyond Gaza Israel reportedly killed one top Hamas official, Saleh al Arouri by a drone strike in Beirut in early January. A senior Hezbollah leader was killed soon after. Also watch | Iran blames Israel for Syria attack, says 4 of its officers killed in Damascus × On Saturday, a strike in the Syrian capital, Damascus, also killed five Iranian military advisers. A second attack in southern Lebanon killed two people, local media reported. Netanyahu's response to ICJ cases As for the cases in the ICJ, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said: "Nobody will stop us — not The Hague, not the Axis of Evil, and not anybody else." The "axis of evil" is a term that Netanyahu first used in October 2023 during the initial weeks of the war in Gaza to assert that Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran are colluding to wage war against Israel. Also read | Iranian and Hezbollah commanders help direct Houthi attacks in Yemen: Report But since then, Yemen-based and Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked the Red Sea maritime route in purported solidarity with Palestinians, threatening global trade. Consequently, the United States has used its maritime assets to target Houthi bases in an attempt to minimise the threat to global trade. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war continues to expand beyond Gaza with conflict against regional proxies

An anti-government protest spotlighting the speeches from family members of hostages is underway in Tel Aviv. The demonstrators are calling for new elections and release of hostages held by Hamas and other militants.

Israel-Hamas War: Anti-Netanyahu protests demand hostages' release

A member of Israel's War Cabinet has cast doubt on the country's strategy for releasing captives held in besieged Gaza, saying only a ceasefire can free them, as the prime minister rejected calls to scale back its brutal war on the blockaded enclave.

Disunity surfaces in Israeli war cabinet

An Israeli strike on Damascus killed five people in a building where “Iran-aligned leaders” were meeting on Saturday, a war monitor said, as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Gaza war.

“An Israeli missile strike targeted a four-storey building, killing five people … and destroying the whole building where Iran-aligned leaders were meeting,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The British-based monitor with a network of sources inside Syria said the targeted neighbourhood is known to be a high-security zone home to leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and pro-Iran Palestinian factions.

“They were for sure targeting senior members” of those groups, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

The mid-morning strike, which caused a large plume of smoke to billow into the sky, was also reported by Syrian state media.

“An attack targeted a residential building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood in Damascus, resulting from an Israeli aggression,” the official SANA news agency reported. It did not say if there were any casualties.

“I heard the explosion clearly in the western Mazzeh area, and I saw a large cloud of smoke,” a resident told Agence France-Presse.

“The sound was similar to a missile explosion, and minutes later I heard the sound of ambulances,” he added.

During more than a decade of civil war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces as well as Syrian army positions.

But it has intensified attacks since the war between Israel and Hamas, which like Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement is an ally of Iran, began on October 7.

In December, an Israeli air strike killed Razi Moussavi, a senior general with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the military force said.

Razi Moussavi was the most senior commander of the Guards’ foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, to be killed outside Iran since a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020 killed the Force’s commander, Qassem Soleimani.

In the same month, air strikes in eastern Syria, “likely” carried out by Israel, killed at least 23 pro-Iran fighters, the Observatory said at the time, reporting four more dead in the country’s north.

Recent months have also seen regular cross-border exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Israel rarely comments on individual strikes targeting Syria, but it has repeatedly said it will not allow arch-foe Iran, which backs President Bashar al-Assad’s government, to expand its presence there.

Since 2011, Syria has endured a bloody conflict that has claimed over half a million lives and displaced several million people.

An Israeli strike on Damascus killed five people in a building where “Iran-aligned leaders” were meeting on Saturday, a war monitor said, as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Gaza war.

An Israeli strike on Damascus killed five people in a building where “Iran-aligned leaders” were meeting on Saturday, a war monitor said, as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Gaza war. “An Israeli missile strike targeted a four-storey building, killing five people … and destroying the whole building where Iran-aligned leaders were meeting,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The British-based monitor with a network of sources inside Syria said the targeted neighbourhood is known to be a high-security zone home to leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and pro-Iran Palestinian factions. “They were for sure targeting senior members” of those groups, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. The mid-morning strike, which caused a large plume of smoke to billow into the sky, was also reported by Syrian state media. “An attack targeted a residential building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood in Damascus, resulting from an Israeli aggression,” the official SANA news agency reported. It did not say if there were any casualties. “I heard the explosion clearly in the western Mazzeh area, and I saw a large cloud of smoke,” a resident told Agence France-Presse. “The sound was similar to a missile explosion, and minutes later I heard the sound of ambulances,” he added. During more than a decade of civil war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces as well as Syrian army positions. But it has intensified attacks since the war between Israel and Hamas, which like Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement is an ally of Iran, began on October 7. In December, an Israeli air strike killed Razi Moussavi, a senior general with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the military force said. Razi Moussavi was the most senior commander of the Guards’ foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, to be killed outside Iran since a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020 killed the Force’s commander, Qassem Soleimani. In the same month, air strikes in eastern Syria, “likely” carried out by Israel, killed at least 23 pro-Iran fighters, the Observatory said at the time, reporting four more dead in the country’s north. Recent months have also seen regular cross-border exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Israel rarely comments on individual strikes targeting Syria, but it has repeatedly said it will not allow arch-foe Iran, which backs President Bashar al-Assad’s government, to expand its presence there. Since 2011, Syria has endured a bloody conflict that has claimed over half a million lives and displaced several million people.

Israel strikes in Syrian capital Damascus leave five ‘Iran-aligned leaders’ dead

Israel-Hamas War: Rift among Israeli officials over Gaza war & hostage release plan

From rumblings of conflict in the Korean peninsula to the raging war in Gaza, the day remains full of developments from the frontlines. In India, the devotees have got the first look of the soon-to-be-revered&nbsp;Ram Lalla idol ahead of the much-awaited Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Jan 22.&nbsp;

Click here to read more:

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Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has informed the United States that he does not support the establishment of a state of Palestine after the end of the ongoing war in Gaza. Netanyahu's comments came amid the ongoing maritime confrontation between the US and Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, with the latter consistently ramping up their attacks on international merchant ships in purported solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.&nbsp;

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The first pictures of&nbsp;the Ram Lalla idol, which was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Ayodhya temple, have also emerged, giving devotees a chance to look at the Lord before the big inauguration day, even as the face was covered with a veil. The 51-inch sculpture, specially carved by Mysuru-based artist Arun Yogiraj for the huge event in the temple city, is in the form of a five-year-old child in a standing posture.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/economic-crisis-deepen-in-west-bank-amid-gaza-turmoil-681411">Economic crisis deepen in West Bank amid Gaza turmoil</a>

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&nbsp;

From rumblings of conflict in the Korean peninsula to the raging war in Gaza, the day remains full of developments from the frontlines. In India, the devotees have got the first look of the soon-to-be-revered Ram Lalla idol ahead of the much-awaited Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Jan 22.

From rumblings of conflict in the Korean peninsula to the raging war in Gaza, the day remains full of developments from the frontlines. In India, the devotees have got the first look of the soon-to-be-revered Ram Lalla idol ahead of the much-awaited Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Jan 22. Click here to read more: North Korea tests 'Haeil-5-23' underwater nuke arsenal, roars back at joint naval drills In a show of its military capabilities, North Korea conducted a test of its underwater nuclear arsenal 'Haeil-5-23'. This move came after a three-day combined naval drill by the United States, Japan, and South Korea, which included an American aircraft carrier. Houthis go 'ballistic' in Red Sea after Netanyahu's rejection of Palestinian state Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has informed the United States that he does not support the establishment of a state of Palestine after the end of the ongoing war in Gaza. Netanyahu's comments came amid the ongoing maritime confrontation between the US and Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, with the latter consistently ramping up their attacks on international merchant ships in purported solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Ram Mandir consecration updates: Devotees get 1st picture of Ram Lalla placed inside Ayodhya temple's sanctum sanctorum The first pictures of the Ram Lalla idol, which was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Ayodhya temple, have also emerged, giving devotees a chance to look at the Lord before the big inauguration day, even as the face was covered with a veil. The 51-inch sculpture, specially carved by Mysuru-based artist Arun Yogiraj for the huge event in the temple city, is in the form of a five-year-old child in a standing posture. Economic crisis deepen in West Bank amid Gaza turmoil × Exclusive: First look of Air India A350 that breathes luxury and comfort Air India showcased its first A350 to the world on Thursday (Jan 18) at the Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad as part of the ongoing air show Wings 2024. Australian Open 2024: Daniil Medvedev produces champion's comeback in second round win over Emil Ruusuvuori Russia’s Daniil Medvedev battled past Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in a marathon contest at the Australian Open 2024 after producing a remarkable comeback on Thursday (Jan 18). Playing at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, the two-time runner-up came from two sets down to beat Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-0 to book his place in the third round. The Russian is bidding to win his maiden Australian Open title having finished runner-up in 2021 and 2022. Gisele Bündchen talks about parenting struggles post divorce: Sometimes, I get pushback Supermodel Gisele Bündchen has opened up about instilling life lessons and independence in her children, Benjamin and Vivian, amid co-parenting with ex-husband Tom Brady. In a recent interview, the 43-year-old emphasised providing essential tools for her kids as they navigate a world different from her own upbringing.

Morning brief: Houthis go 'ballistic' in Red Sea, Ram Lalla placed inside Ayodhya Ram Temple, and more

In West Bank, the echoes of the Israel-Hamas conflict reverberate through once-bustling markets and silent streets. Businesses, once thriving, now face an unprecedented economic downturn.

West Bank economy plunges amid Gaza war fallout

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed US aspirations for the establishment of a Palestinian state, vowing that the offensive in Gaza will continue for many months.

Israel-hamas war: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he rejects creation of a Palestinian state

Israeli forces severely damaged a cemetery in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, during operations earlier this week. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later clarified that the actions were part of a mission to search for hostages seized by Hamas during the October 7 attack in southern Israel.

Footage revealed the burial ground bulldozed, graves damaged, and human remains exposed after the IDF's operations.&nbsp;

Responding to concerns about damaged graves, the IDF said that rescuing hostages and locating their bodies is a key mission, with an assurance of a respectful identification process.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/houthis-go-ballistic-in-red-sea-after-netanyahus-rejection-of-palestinian-state-681403">Houthis go 'ballistic' in Red Sea after Netanyahu rejects Palestinian state</a>

"The hostage identification process, conducted at a secure and alternative location, ensures optimal professional conditions and respect for the deceased," an IDF spokesperson was quoted as saying by CNN, adding that bodies that are determined not to be of hostages are "returned with dignity and respect".

<h2>Reactions on social media</h2>

The IDF's admission to exhuming bodies has sparked outrage on social media, with reports circulating widely. Israel claims 253 people were taken hostage during the Hamas attack, with 132 believed to be still in Gaza.

<h2>How exactly were cemeteries in Khan Younis damaged?</h2>

An image from Maxar on January 15 showed the cemetery undisturbed, indicating the damage occurred between then and the IDF's operation on January 17.&nbsp;

The military operation took place in the cemetery area, including Al Nasser Hospital and a Jordanian field hospital, a CNN report said while citing&nbsp;witness accounts.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he rejects creation of a Palestinian state

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Nearly 7,000 people are seeking refuge at the Al Nasser compound, according to the World Health Organization.&nbsp;

The IDF, citing a recent Hamas launch from the hospital compound, stated its forces were operating to locate and dismantle terror infrastructure.

The Jordanian Armed Forces reported severe material damage to their field hospital near the cemetery due to continuous Israeli bombardment.&nbsp;

The United Nations says the war has displaced roughly 85 per cent of Gaza's 2.4 million people.

Israel has vowed to "annihilate" Hamas and its offensive has killed at least 24,620 Palestinians, around 70 per cent of them women, children, and adolescents, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israeli forces severely damaged a cemetery in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, during operations earlier this week. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later clarified that the actions were part of a mission to search for hostages seized by Hamas during the October 7 attack in southern Israel.

Israeli forces severely damaged a cemetery in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, during operations earlier this week. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later clarified that the actions were part of a mission to search for hostages seized by Hamas during the October 7 attack in southern Israel. Footage revealed the burial ground bulldozed, graves damaged, and human remains exposed after the IDF's operations. Responding to concerns about damaged graves, the IDF said that rescuing hostages and locating their bodies is a key mission, with an assurance of a respectful identification process. Also read | Houthis go 'ballistic' in Red Sea after Netanyahu rejects Palestinian state "The hostage identification process, conducted at a secure and alternative location, ensures optimal professional conditions and respect for the deceased," an IDF spokesperson was quoted as saying by CNN, adding that bodies that are determined not to be of hostages are "returned with dignity and respect". Reactions on social media The IDF's admission to exhuming bodies has sparked outrage on social media, with reports circulating widely. Israel claims 253 people were taken hostage during the Hamas attack, with 132 believed to be still in Gaza. How exactly were cemeteries in Khan Younis damaged? An image from Maxar on January 15 showed the cemetery undisturbed, indicating the damage occurred between then and the IDF's operation on January 17. The military operation took place in the cemetery area, including Al Nasser Hospital and a Jordanian field hospital, a CNN report said while citing witness accounts. Also watch | Israel-Hamas war: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he rejects creation of a Palestinian state × Nearly 7,000 people are seeking refuge at the Al Nasser compound, according to the World Health Organization. The IDF, citing a recent Hamas launch from the hospital compound, stated its forces were operating to locate and dismantle terror infrastructure. The Jordanian Armed Forces reported severe material damage to their field hospital near the cemetery due to continuous Israeli bombardment. The United Nations says the war has displaced roughly 85 per cent of Gaza's 2.4 million people. Israel has vowed to "annihilate" Hamas and its offensive has killed at least 24,620 Palestinians, around 70 per cent of them women, children, and adolescents, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel digs Palestinian graves while searching for hostages held in Gaza

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has informed the United States that he does not support the establishment of a state of Palestine after the end of the ongoing war in Gaza. Netanyahu's comments came amid the ongoing maritime confrontation between the US and Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, with the latter consistently ramping up&nbsp;attacks on international merchant ships in purported solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.&nbsp;

Netanyahu on Thursday (Jan 18) vowed in a press conference that the war in Gaza will continue "until complete victory", and added that it could take "many more months".

The establishment of a state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel has been a widely accepted solution to the territorial dispute between Israelis and Palestinians in West Asia.&nbsp;

It forms an essential part of the two-state solution, the proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by establishing two states for two peoples: Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for the Palestinian people.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he rejects creation of a Palestinian state

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Israel's allies, such as the United States under President Joe Biden, have urged the revival of a "two-state solution" after the eruption of war in Gaza on October 7 when Hamas militants launched an offensive in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking&nbsp;some 240 hostages.&nbsp;

<h2>Houthis launch anti-ship ballistic missiles amid Netanyahu's denouncement of Palestine</h2>

With the Israel-Hamas war well beyond its 100th day, nearly 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, as per the Hamas-run health ministry.&nbsp;The tensions have spread well beyond the shores of the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels jumping into the conflict by attacking the international merchant ships in the Red Sea. The US is now directly attacking Houthi targets in Yemen and the maritime region around Bab-al Mandeb, a strategic chokepoint.

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/12/25/401386-untitled-design-2023-12-25t002340471.png?imwidth=3840" />

On Friday (Jan 19), the United States said that Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a US-owned tanker ship that hit the water near the vessel but caused no injuries or damage.

An official readout said that two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched by Houthis on Jan 18 (at 9 PM, local time) at M/V Chem Ranger, a Marshall Island-flagged, US-owned and Greek-operated ship.&nbsp;

"The crew observed the missiles impact the water near the ship. There were no reported injuries or damage to the ship. The ship has continued underway."

On Thursday (Jan 18), Netanyahu also said that Israel must have security control over all land west of the River Jordan which is supposed to include the territory of a future Palestinian state.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/red-sea-ship-attacks-inside-disrupted-shipping-route-over-west-asias-gate-of-tears-673216">Red Sea ship attacks: Inside disrupted shipping route through West Asia's 'gate of tears'</a>

"This is a necessary condition, and it conflicts with the idea of (Palestinian) sovereignty. What to do? I tell this truth to our American friends, and I also stopped the attempt to impose a reality on us that would harm Israel's security," he said.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said his government would not stop working towards a two-state solution, adding there would be "no reoccupation of Gaza".

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has informed the United States that he does not support the establishment of a state of Palestine after the end of the ongoing war in Gaza.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has informed the United States that he does not support the establishment of a state of Palestine after the end of the ongoing war in Gaza. Netanyahu's comments came amid the ongoing maritime confrontation between the US and Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, with the latter consistently ramping up attacks on international merchant ships in purported solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Netanyahu on Thursday (Jan 18) vowed in a press conference that the war in Gaza will continue "until complete victory", and added that it could take "many more months". The establishment of a state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel has been a widely accepted solution to the territorial dispute between Israelis and Palestinians in West Asia. It forms an essential part of the two-state solution, the proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by establishing two states for two peoples: Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for the Palestinian people. Also watch | Israel-Hamas war: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he rejects creation of a Palestinian state × Israel's allies, such as the United States under President Joe Biden, have urged the revival of a "two-state solution" after the eruption of war in Gaza on October 7 when Hamas militants launched an offensive in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. Houthis launch anti-ship ballistic missiles amid Netanyahu's denouncement of Palestine With the Israel-Hamas war well beyond its 100th day, nearly 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, as per the Hamas-run health ministry. The tensions have spread well beyond the shores of the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels jumping into the conflict by attacking the international merchant ships in the Red Sea. The US is now directly attacking Houthi targets in Yemen and the maritime region around Bab-al Mandeb, a strategic chokepoint. On Friday (Jan 19), the United States said that Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a US-owned tanker ship that hit the water near the vessel but caused no injuries or damage. An official readout said that two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched by Houthis on Jan 18 (at 9 PM, local time) at M/V Chem Ranger, a Marshall Island-flagged, US-owned and Greek-operated ship. "The crew observed the missiles impact the water near the ship. There were no reported injuries or damage to the ship. The ship has continued underway." On Thursday (Jan 18), Netanyahu also said that Israel must have security control over all land west of the River Jordan which is supposed to include the territory of a future Palestinian state. Also read | Red Sea ship attacks: Inside disrupted shipping route through West Asia's 'gate of tears' "This is a necessary condition, and it conflicts with the idea of (Palestinian) sovereignty. What to do? I tell this truth to our American friends, and I also stopped the attempt to impose a reality on us that would harm Israel's security," he said. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said his government would not stop working towards a two-state solution, adding there would be "no reoccupation of Gaza". (With inputs from agencies)

Houthis go 'ballistic' in Red Sea after Netanyahu rejects Palestinian state

The United States on Wednesday (Jan 17) re-listed Yemen's Houthis, an Iran-backed group comprising individuals of the Zaydi sect within Shi'ite Islam, as a specially designated global terrorist group.&nbsp;The White House cited "unprecedented attacks against United States military forces and international maritime vessels operating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden", one of the world's most crucial shipping routes for global trade.&nbsp;

Yemen's Houthi rebels, who control most of the country's north as well as the strategically valuable Bab al-Mandeb Strait, vowed in November 2023 that they would target Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea in response to Israeli military operations in Gaza.<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/12/25/401386-untitled-design-2023-12-25t002340471.png?imwidth=3840" />

However, the United States claims that ships linked to 55 states worldwide have been attacked as of Jan 15, 2024.&nbsp;

<h2>Situation in Yemen: Between January 2021 and April 2022</h2>

Originally known as Ansar Allah (Partisans of God), the US <a href="https://2017-2021.state.gov/terrorist-designation-of-ansarallah-in-yemen/">designated</a> Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on January 10, 2021, during the last few days of the Trump administration. The group had been in a years-long civil war with the internationally recognised Saudi-backed Yemeni government that led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the region.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/red-sea-ship-attacks-inside-disrupted-shipping-route-over-west-asias-gate-of-tears-673216">Red Sea ship attacks: Inside disrupted shipping route through West Asia's 'gate of tears'</a>

A little more than a month later in February 2021, the US State Department under President Joe Biden, citing the need to facilitate aid delivery into Yemen, <a href="https://www.state.gov/revocation-of-the-terrorist-designations-of-ansarallah/">removed</a> the SDGT designation and also de-listed Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) status for the Houthis.

Between February 2021 and April 2022, the Houthis continued to expand their territorial hold in Yemen amid failed efforts by the UN and US envoys to engineer a truce.&nbsp;

<img alt="A Satellite view of West Asia | GoogleEarth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0f9cc9c4-9564-4912-8604-306dbb5384d7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202024-01-18T071512.173.png" />

A Satellite view of West Asia | GoogleEarth

The de-listing of Houthis as "terrorists" in February 2021 occurred owing to the pressure the Biden administration faced as Houthis disallowed any aid from reaching Yemen's people, said Kabir Taneja, Fellow, Strategic Studies Programme at Observer Research Foundation.&nbsp;

"This also helped Saudis, who are in open negotiations with the Houthis after being at war with them since 2015," Taneja added.&nbsp;

In April 2022, the internationally-recognised Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi ceded power to a presidential council, and a truce was agreed upon.&nbsp;

This truce, although fragile, continues to hold to date amid signs of its sustenance with successful prisoner exchange&nbsp;efforts&nbsp;between the two warring sides.&nbsp;

<h2>Israel-Hamas war: Why Houthis have been re-listed as 'terrorists' by the US?</h2>

On January 17, 2024, the White House designated Houthis as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' (SDGT) entity.&nbsp;

Hours before the above development, Taneja described such occurrence as a "direct consequence of the campaign of Houthis against international shipping in the Red Sea".

The attack by Houthis on merchant shipping vessels&nbsp;on the Red Sea shipping route&nbsp;— the passage to 12 per cent of the world's ship-borne trade&nbsp;— has increased shipping costs by up to 60 per cent for the goods destined for Europe from Asia, according to Container xChange, an online container logistics platform for container trading and container leasing.&nbsp;

<h2>Implications for the region</h2>

The truce brokered in April 2022 between warring parties in the Yemeni civil war was engineered following years of Saudi-led negotiations.

"The Houthis have been involved in substantive negotiations with Saudi Arabia, a US ally, over a Saudi withdrawal from Yemen, which the US supports. That wouldn't be a good time to make such a designation," said Joost R. Hiltermann, Program Director, Middle East and North Africa at International Crisis Group.&nbsp;

"From our perspective, such designations are counter-productive, also because there is no commonly accepted definition of 'terrorist organisation', a highly politicised term," Hiltermann added.&nbsp;

Houthis have grown into the most powerful war machine in Yemen whose threat to the shipping lanes in the Red Sea has forced the United States to form a multinational naval task force to counter them.&nbsp;

"The Biden administration had no intention of making such a designation lightly against any group, without a provocation,"&nbsp;Hiltermann said.

<h2>How powerful are Houthis: Challenges and Asymmetry</h2>

Weeks before the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel that pushed the region to the worst state of war in decades, the Houthis on September 21 held a parade in Yemeni capital Sana'a. The parade showed weapon systems in the hands of an irregular army.&nbsp;

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Thread: 1/ Geolocation of the Houthis' SEP 21, 2023 military parade in As Sabain, Sanaa, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yemen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yemen</a>. 
Coords: 15.324805, 44.205419 
This thread will ID arms &amp; vehicles at the event &amp; discuss notable trends. <a href="https://t.co/j0luwfYWFt">pic.twitter.com/j0luwfYWFt</a>
— Joshua Koontz (@JoshuaKoontz__) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaKoontz__/status/1704842511473049769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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There were Mi-8 transportation helicopters as well as the Malah boats, often deployed to lay mines in the sea.

Houthis are now attacking these shipping lanes with the naval mines and airpower they have acquired over the years.

Some other weapons systems the Houthis have&nbsp;include the Fledermaus Radar, surface-to-air missiles, improvised armour, and T-55 tanks.

The Houthis also have Tochka ballistic missiles and F-5 supersonic light fighter aircraft. There also are Iranian-origin Hatem/Khaybar Shekan and Badr-4 ballistic missiles.&nbsp;

They also have passive infrared tracking systems, drones, loitering munitions, and Iran-origin Shahab 3/Ghadr missiles, besides an unspecified but large number of Raqeeb UAVs, which can have a range of up to 1,400 km.

Such vast expansion of Houthis' capacities, as shown by their arsenal,&nbsp;characterises&nbsp;Iran's support for the movement. Tehran looks at the Houthis, a revivalist Shia movement, as a wider part of its resistance against the US and Israel.&nbsp;

"Houthis have benefited from structural and institutional support from Iran. This has allowed them to gain capacities ranging from ballistic and anti-ship missiles to underwater weapons and drones. Without Iranian help, all this would not be possible," Taneja said.&nbsp;

Note: The story has been updated to reflect the asymmetric security challenge posed by Houthis in West Asia.

The United States on Wednesday (Jan 17) re-listed Yemen's Houthis, an Iran-backed group comprising individuals of the Zaydi sect within Shi'ite Islam, as a specially designated global terrorist group.

The United States on Wednesday (Jan 17) re-listed Yemen's Houthis, an Iran-backed group comprising individuals of the Zaydi sect within Shi'ite Islam, as a specially designated global terrorist group. The White House cited "unprecedented attacks against United States military forces and international maritime vessels operating in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden", one of the world's most crucial shipping routes for global trade. Yemen's Houthi rebels, who control most of the country's north as well as the strategically valuable Bab al-Mandeb Strait, vowed in November 2023 that they would target Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea in response to Israeli military operations in Gaza. However, the United States claims that ships linked to 55 states worldwide have been attacked as of Jan 15, 2024. Situation in Yemen: Between January 2021 and April 2022 Originally known as Ansar Allah (Partisans of God), the US designated Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) on January 10, 2021, during the last few days of the Trump administration. The group had been in a years-long civil war with the internationally recognised Saudi-backed Yemeni government that led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the region. Also read | Red Sea ship attacks: Inside disrupted shipping route through West Asia's 'gate of tears' A little more than a month later in February 2021, the US State Department under President Joe Biden, citing the need to facilitate aid delivery into Yemen, removed the SDGT designation and also de-listed Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) status for the Houthis. Between February 2021 and April 2022, the Houthis continued to expand their territorial hold in Yemen amid failed efforts by the UN and US envoys to engineer a truce. A Satellite view of West Asia | GoogleEarth The de-listing of Houthis as "terrorists" in February 2021 occurred owing to the pressure the Biden administration faced as Houthis disallowed any aid from reaching Yemen's people, said Kabir Taneja, Fellow, Strategic Studies Programme at Observer Research Foundation. "This also helped Saudis, who are in open negotiations with the Houthis after being at war with them since 2015," Taneja added. In April 2022, the internationally-recognised Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi ceded power to a presidential council, and a truce was agreed upon. This truce, although fragile, continues to hold to date amid signs of its sustenance with successful prisoner exchange efforts between the two warring sides. Israel-Hamas war: Why Houthis have been re-listed as 'terrorists' by the US? On January 17, 2024, the White House designated Houthis as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' (SDGT) entity. Hours before the above development, Taneja described such occurrence as a "direct consequence of the campaign of Houthis against international shipping in the Red Sea". The attack by Houthis on merchant shipping vessels on the Red Sea shipping route — the passage to 12 per cent of the world's ship-borne trade — has increased shipping costs by up to 60 per cent for the goods destined for Europe from Asia, according to Container xChange, an online container logistics platform for container trading and container leasing. Implications for the region The truce brokered in April 2022 between warring parties in the Yemeni civil war was engineered following years of Saudi-led negotiations. "The Houthis have been involved in substantive negotiations with Saudi Arabia, a US ally, over a Saudi withdrawal from Yemen, which the US supports. That wouldn't be a good time to make such a designation," said Joost R. Hiltermann, Program Director, Middle East and North Africa at International Crisis Group. "From our perspective, such designations are counter-productive, also because there is no commonly accepted definition of 'terrorist organisation', a highly politicised term," Hiltermann added. Houthis have grown into the most powerful war machine in Yemen whose threat to the shipping lanes in the Red Sea has forced the United States to form a multinational naval task force to counter them. "The Biden administration had no intention of making such a designation lightly against any group, without a provocation," Hiltermann said. How powerful are Houthis: Challenges and Asymmetry Weeks before the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel that pushed the region to the worst state of war in decades, the Houthis on September 21 held a parade in Yemeni capital Sana'a. The parade showed weapon systems in the hands of an irregular army. Thread: 1/ Geolocation of the Houthis' SEP 21, 2023 military parade in As Sabain, Sanaa, #Yemen. Coords: 15.324805, 44.205419 This thread will ID arms & vehicles at the event & discuss notable trends. pic.twitter.com/j0luwfYWFt — Joshua Koontz (@JoshuaKoontz__) September 21, 2023 × There were Mi-8 transportation helicopters as well as the Malah boats, often deployed to lay mines in the sea. Houthis are now attacking these shipping lanes with the naval mines and airpower they have acquired over the years. Some other weapons systems the Houthis have include the Fledermaus Radar, surface-to-air missiles, improvised armour, and T-55 tanks. The Houthis also have Tochka ballistic missiles and F-5 supersonic light fighter aircraft. There also are Iranian-origin Hatem/Khaybar Shekan and Badr-4 ballistic missiles. They also have passive infrared tracking systems, drones, loitering munitions, and Iran-origin Shahab 3/Ghadr missiles, besides an unspecified but large number of Raqeeb UAVs, which can have a range of up to 1,400 km. Such vast expansion of Houthis' capacities, as shown by their arsenal, characterises Iran's support for the movement. Tehran looks at the Houthis, a revivalist Shia movement, as a wider part of its resistance against the US and Israel. "Houthis have benefited from structural and institutional support from Iran. This has allowed them to gain capacities ranging from ballistic and anti-ship missiles to underwater weapons and drones. Without Iranian help, all this would not be possible," Taneja said. Note: The story has been updated to reflect the asymmetric security challenge posed by Houthis in West Asia.

Explained : How Yemen's Houthi rebels became America's 'terrorists' once again

A top Hamas official announced new conditions Wednesday for delivering medicines to hostages held by the group in Gaza, insisting trucks carrying the drugs must not be inspected by Israel.

Hamas sets new conditions in hostage medicines deal

The crisis in West Asia is spiralling out of control. On one hand, Iran has launched 'revenge strikes' on targets in Iraqi Kurdistan and Syria. On the other hand, Yemeni Houthis have vowed to escalate their fight against Israel, and the U.S. Meanwhile, a leaked document from the German foreign ministry reveals NATO's doomsday plan in case Russia plans to escalate the Ukraine war. In light of these developments, one can't help but wonder, is the world heading towards World War 3?

Gravitas | Russia, Ukraine, to West Asia Crisis: Is this the beginning of World War III?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating potential crimes against journalists since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, where dozens of reporters have been killed.

Israel-Gaza War: International Criminal Court to conduct probe on journalists' death

Here we get you all the trending stories around the world.

India condemns rising civilian deaths in war | Baby Yoda gets 'Star Wars' movie

Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad on Monday (Jan 8) released video footage which it claimed showed an Israeli hostage alive in its custody in Gaza after being held hostage during Hamas' Oct 7 assault against Israel.

The man in the video, who spoke in English and Hebrew languages, pleaded for his release and also paid tribute to another hostage Tamir Adar, who was announced dead in early January by his kibbutz community in southern Israel, according to news agency AFP reports.

The location, from where the video was shot, is not yet known.

The family of the hostage, who hails from Nir Oz kibbutz, reportedly urged the media to not broadcast the footage.

The hostage is one out of the 75 people seized by Palestinian militants from Nir Oz during the unprecedented Oct 7 attack launched by Hamas against Israel, as per the Israeli community near the border with the Gaza Strip.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-hamas-war-strike-on-lebanon-kills-senior-commander-in-elite-hezbollah-unit-677882">Israeli-Hamas war: Strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit</a>

Earlier in December, the Al Quds Brigades, which is the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, released a video of two male Israeli hostages on its Telegram account, pleading for their release.

The two men, who identified themselves as Gadi Moses and Elad Katzir, in the video called for the efforts to be intensified so that they could reunite with their families.

"We are dying every moment. We are in an unbearable situation," said Moses, looking at the camera against a plain background. The two men were both unshaven and appeared to have lost weight.

Hamas had also released a short video which showed three other elderly Israeli hostages whom the Islamist group had held during the rampage when it took around 240 people hostage.&nbsp;

Israel denounced the footage as a "criminal, terrorist video."

Hamas, during its rampage, seized nearly 253 hostages from southern Israel, out of which 132 still remain in captivity, according to Israeli officials.

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.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad on Monday (Jan 8) released video footage which it claimed showed an Israeli hostage alive in its custody in Gaza after being held hostage during Hamas' Oct 7 assault against Israel.

Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad on Monday (Jan 8) released video footage which it claimed showed an Israeli hostage alive in its custody in Gaza after being held hostage during Hamas' Oct 7 assault against Israel. The man in the video, who spoke in English and Hebrew languages, pleaded for his release and also paid tribute to another hostage Tamir Adar, who was announced dead in early January by his kibbutz community in southern Israel, according to news agency AFP reports. The location, from where the video was shot, is not yet known. The family of the hostage, who hails from Nir Oz kibbutz, reportedly urged the media to not broadcast the footage. The hostage is one out of the 75 people seized by Palestinian militants from Nir Oz during the unprecedented Oct 7 attack launched by Hamas against Israel, as per the Israeli community near the border with the Gaza Strip. Also read: Israeli-Hamas war: Strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit Earlier in December, the Al Quds Brigades, which is the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, released a video of two male Israeli hostages on its Telegram account, pleading for their release. The two men, who identified themselves as Gadi Moses and Elad Katzir, in the video called for the efforts to be intensified so that they could reunite with their families. "We are dying every moment. We are in an unbearable situation," said Moses, looking at the camera against a plain background. The two men were both unshaven and appeared to have lost weight. Hamas had also released a short video which showed three other elderly Israeli hostages whom the Islamist group had held during the rampage when it took around 240 people hostage. Israel denounced the footage as a "criminal, terrorist video." Hamas, during its rampage, seized nearly 253 hostages from southern Israel, out of which 132 still remain in captivity, according to Israeli officials. 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. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Islamic Jihad releases video showing Gaza hostage alive

Top U.S and European diplomats sought ways on Sunday to keep the Gaza war from spreading in the Middle East, but three months after the conflict erupted, more bloodshed underlined the challenge and Israel was set on pressing its campaign.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, were on separate trips to the region to try to quell spillover from the war into Lebanon, the West Bank and Red Sea shipping lanes, where Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have vowed to keep up attacks until Israel halts its campaign in the Palestinian enclave.

"We have an intense focus on preventing this conflict from spreading," said Blinken, who was in Jordan on Sunday and will also travel to Israel, the West Bank, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt during his fourth trip to the region.

Jordan's King Abdullah urged Blinken to use Washington's influence over Israel to press it for an immediate ceasefire, a palace statement said, warning him of the "catastrophic repercussions" of Israel's continued military campaign.

Despite global concern over the death and destruction in Gaza and international pressure for a ceasefire, Israeli public opinion remains firmly behind the operation aimed at wiping out the Hamas group that rules Gaza, although there has been a big drop in support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He has not taken responsibility for the security failures that allowed Hamas to attack southern Israel on Oct. 7. But he has vowed to press on with the retaliatory action.

"The war must not be stopped until we achieve all the goals - the elimination of Hamas, the return of all our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel. I say this to both our enemies and our friends," Netanyahu said at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Some 1,200 people were killed and 240 were taken hostage on Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas. For Israelis, the deadliest day in the country's history and the accounts of atrocities that later emerged left a sense that the survival of the country is at stake.

Israel's offensive has so far killed 22,835 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials on Sunday. Some 113 Palestinians were killed and 250 others were wounded in separate Israeli strikes on Gaza in the past 24 hours, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said.

An Israeli air strike on a car near Rafah in southern Gaza on Sunday killed two Palestinian journalists who were out reporting, according to health officials in Gaza and the journalists' union there.

The fighting has displaced most of the enclave's 2.3 million population, with many homes and civilian infrastructure left in ruins amid acute shortages of food, water and medicine.

“We hope that ... Blinken looks at us with an eye of mercy, ends the war, ends the misery we are living in. We are a people that must live a free and dignified life," said one woman, Um Mohamad Al-Arqan, standing by the tent where she is living.

Blinken, who visited Turkey and Greece at the start of his trip, will aim to press hesitant Muslim nations in the region to prepare to play a role in the reconstruction, governance and security of Gaza if and when Israel achieves its goal of eliminating Hamas, said a senior State Department official.

<h2>Focus on Central, Southern Gaza</h2>

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari summarised the offensive on Saturday, saying Israeli forces had completely&nbsp;dismantled Hamas' "military framework" in northern Gaza and had killed around 8,000 militants in that area.

"We are now focused on dismantling Hamas in the centre of and south of the (Gaza) strip," he said in an online briefing.

Palestinian health ministry casualty figures do not differentiate between fighters and civilians, but the ministry claims that 70% of Gaza's dead are women and people under 18.

Gun battles intensified in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis as well as in districts in the centre of the densely populated Palestinian enclave.

Smoke rose from the sites of Israeli bombing on Sunday morning east and north of Khan Younis. Israeli strikes on houses in Khan Younis killed 50 people, health officials in Nasser Hospital said on Sunday.

Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip killed gunmen loading weapons into a vehicle and dismantled a launch site that fired rockets towards Israel, the Israeli military said.

Hamas' armed wing said its fighters destroyed a troop carrier in Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Outside Gaza, there was fresh violence in the occupied West Bank. Israeli aircraft fired on Palestinian militants who had attacked troops in the West Bank, the military said, and Palestinian health officials said seven Palestinians were killed in the strike.

An Israeli border police officer was killed and others wounded when their vehicle was hit by an explosive device during operations in the West Bank city of Jenin, the military and police said.

The West Bank had already seen its highest levels of unrest in decades during the 18 months before the Gaza war, and confrontations have since risen sharply. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers and settlers over the past weeks in the West Bank and security forces have made thousands of arrests.

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. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Top U.S and European diplomats sought ways on Sunday to keep the Gaza war from spreading in the Middle East, but three months after the conflict erupted, more bloodshed underlined the challenge and Israel was set on pressing its campaign.

Top U.S and European diplomats sought ways on Sunday to keep the Gaza war from spreading in the Middle East, but three months after the conflict erupted, more bloodshed underlined the challenge and Israel was set on pressing its campaign. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, were on separate trips to the region to try to quell spillover from the war into Lebanon, the West Bank and Red Sea shipping lanes, where Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have vowed to keep up attacks until Israel halts its campaign in the Palestinian enclave. "We have an intense focus on preventing this conflict from spreading," said Blinken, who was in Jordan on Sunday and will also travel to Israel, the West Bank, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt during his fourth trip to the region. Jordan's King Abdullah urged Blinken to use Washington's influence over Israel to press it for an immediate ceasefire, a palace statement said, warning him of the "catastrophic repercussions" of Israel's continued military campaign. Despite global concern over the death and destruction in Gaza and international pressure for a ceasefire, Israeli public opinion remains firmly behind the operation aimed at wiping out the Hamas group that rules Gaza, although there has been a big drop in support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has not taken responsibility for the security failures that allowed Hamas to attack southern Israel on Oct. 7. But he has vowed to press on with the retaliatory action. "The war must not be stopped until we achieve all the goals - the elimination of Hamas, the return of all our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel. I say this to both our enemies and our friends," Netanyahu said at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. Some 1,200 people were killed and 240 were taken hostage on Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas. For Israelis, the deadliest day in the country's history and the accounts of atrocities that later emerged left a sense that the survival of the country is at stake. Israel's offensive has so far killed 22,835 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials on Sunday. Some 113 Palestinians were killed and 250 others were wounded in separate Israeli strikes on Gaza in the past 24 hours, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said. An Israeli air strike on a car near Rafah in southern Gaza on Sunday killed two Palestinian journalists who were out reporting, according to health officials in Gaza and the journalists' union there. The fighting has displaced most of the enclave's 2.3 million population, with many homes and civilian infrastructure left in ruins amid acute shortages of food, water and medicine. “We hope that ... Blinken looks at us with an eye of mercy, ends the war, ends the misery we are living in. We are a people that must live a free and dignified life," said one woman, Um Mohamad Al-Arqan, standing by the tent where she is living. Blinken, who visited Turkey and Greece at the start of his trip, will aim to press hesitant Muslim nations in the region to prepare to play a role in the reconstruction, governance and security of Gaza if and when Israel achieves its goal of eliminating Hamas, said a senior State Department official. Focus on Central, Southern Gaza Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari summarised the offensive on Saturday, saying Israeli forces had completely dismantled Hamas' "military framework" in northern Gaza and had killed around 8,000 militants in that area. "We are now focused on dismantling Hamas in the centre of and south of the (Gaza) strip," he said in an online briefing. Palestinian health ministry casualty figures do not differentiate between fighters and civilians, but the ministry claims that 70% of Gaza's dead are women and people under 18. Gun battles intensified in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis as well as in districts in the centre of the densely populated Palestinian enclave. Smoke rose from the sites of Israeli bombing on Sunday morning east and north of Khan Younis. Israeli strikes on houses in Khan Younis killed 50 people, health officials in Nasser Hospital said on Sunday. Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip killed gunmen loading weapons into a vehicle and dismantled a launch site that fired rockets towards Israel, the Israeli military said. Hamas' armed wing said its fighters destroyed a troop carrier in Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Outside Gaza, there was fresh violence in the occupied West Bank. Israeli aircraft fired on Palestinian militants who had attacked troops in the West Bank, the military said, and Palestinian health officials said seven Palestinians were killed in the strike. An Israeli border police officer was killed and others wounded when their vehicle was hit by an explosive device during operations in the West Bank city of Jenin, the military and police said. The West Bank had already seen its highest levels of unrest in decades during the 18 months before the Gaza war, and confrontations have since risen sharply. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers and settlers over the past weeks in the West Bank and security forces have made thousands of arrests. 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. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: Western diplomats aim to prevent Gaza spillover after three months of conflict

A news anchor in Israel has taken the internet by storm by proudly flashing a gun tucked in her waistband while reporting live sitting at her&nbsp;desk. The anchor, Lital Shemesh, works with Israeli news broadcaster Channel 14 and also serves as a reservist for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

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News reporters in Israel don’t mess around. <a href="https://t.co/gGKxtArfvL">pic.twitter.com/gGKxtArfvL</a>
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarinaMedvin/status/1742578462978642042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Amidst increased security threats in the wake of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, thousands of people across the Jewish nation are resorting to arming themselves up.&nbsp;

<h2>Who is&nbsp;Lital Shemesh</h2>

Previously, Lital Shemesh made headlines by posting pictures on social media showing herself practising shooting skills at a gun range, where she called for people to "go arm yourself." Her timeline also features photos of her reporting from the frontlines wearing her&nbsp;soldier&nbsp;uniform.

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לכו תתחמשו. <a href="https://t.co/xWRTDho425">pic.twitter.com/xWRTDho425</a>
— ליטל שמש - Lital Shemesh (@Litalsun) <a href="https://twitter.com/Litalsun/status/1740332926548517277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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From 2002 to 2005, she served as a full combat soldier in the IDF Border Police division during the second intifada. In a unit of around 100 men, she was one among the only five women, initially assigned to Intelligence but opting for a combat role at checkpoints across the country.&nbsp;

Her public and military roles mirror a strong stance on Israel's security, emphasising the need to confront Hamas.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;US education official resigns over Biden's Israel-Gaza war response

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In an October Fox News interview, she equated the Oct 7 surprise terror attack to a "second holocaust" for Israel. She said, “The entire country is being recruited to fight this war against terrorism, to fight this war against Hamas. We haven't seen a slaughter like this in Israel in the 75 years of Israel's existence. This is a second holocaust for us."&nbsp;

<h2>Israelis resorting to lifting guns</h2>

She advocates for Israelis to arm themselves, a perspective that gained traction after the October 7 Hamas attack, resulting in 1,139 deaths, 240 hostages, and widespread incidents of sexual violence.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-focus-on-ending-israeli-aggression-hamas-chief-tells-antony-blinken-677218">Also read:&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: Focus on ending Israeli aggression, Hamas chief tells Antony Blinken</a>

In November, reports emerged that a rising number of women in Israel were arming themselves with guns and learning martial arts in the wake of the deadly Hamas attack. In addition to seeking guns and training, a rising number of Israelis are also attending krav maga self-defense classes to learn martial arts.

(With inputs from agencies)

A news anchor in Israel has taken the internet by storm by proudly flashing a gun tucked in her waistband while reporting live sitting at her desk. The anchor, Lital Shemesh, works with Israeli news broadcaster Channel 14 and also serves as a reservist for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

A news anchor in Israel has taken the internet by storm by proudly flashing a gun tucked in her waistband while reporting live sitting at her desk. The anchor, Lital Shemesh, works with Israeli news broadcaster Channel 14 and also serves as a reservist for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). News reporters in Israel don’t mess around. pic.twitter.com/gGKxtArfvL — Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) January 3, 2024 × Amidst increased security threats in the wake of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, thousands of people across the Jewish nation are resorting to arming themselves up. Who is Lital Shemesh Previously, Lital Shemesh made headlines by posting pictures on social media showing herself practising shooting skills at a gun range, where she called for people to "go arm yourself." Her timeline also features photos of her reporting from the frontlines wearing her soldier uniform. לכו תתחמשו. pic.twitter.com/xWRTDho425 — ליטל שמש - Lital Shemesh (@Litalsun) December 28, 2023 × From 2002 to 2005, she served as a full combat soldier in the IDF Border Police division during the second intifada. In a unit of around 100 men, she was one among the only five women, initially assigned to Intelligence but opting for a combat role at checkpoints across the country. Her public and military roles mirror a strong stance on Israel's security, emphasising the need to confront Hamas. Watch: US education official resigns over Biden's Israel-Gaza war response × In an October Fox News interview, she equated the Oct 7 surprise terror attack to a "second holocaust" for Israel. She said, “The entire country is being recruited to fight this war against terrorism, to fight this war against Hamas. We haven't seen a slaughter like this in Israel in the 75 years of Israel's existence. This is a second holocaust for us." Israelis resorting to lifting guns She advocates for Israelis to arm themselves, a perspective that gained traction after the October 7 Hamas attack, resulting in 1,139 deaths, 240 hostages, and widespread incidents of sexual violence. Also read: Israel-Hamas war: Focus on ending Israeli aggression, Hamas chief tells Antony Blinken In November, reports emerged that a rising number of women in Israel were arming themselves with guns and learning martial arts in the wake of the deadly Hamas attack. In addition to seeking guns and training, a rising number of Israelis are also attending krav maga self-defense classes to learn martial arts. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: News anchor shocks internet by carrying gun on live broadcast

The French and Jordanian air forces have dropped seven tonnes of urgent humanitarian and medical aid for a field hospital set up in Gaza’s second city. Watch the video to know more!

Israel-Gaza War: French-Jordanian aid air-dropped into Gaza by military cargo plane

McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski has blamed 'misinformation' for its losses, as the boycott movement against western brands continues amid the Israel-Hamas war. Kempczinski revealed that West Asia sales have been hit by 'misinformation' about the fast-food giant's position on the Israel-Hamas war. He called such 'misinformation' disheartening and ill-founded.

McDonald's CEO blames 'misinformation' for West Asia sales hit

Protests erupted in the occupied West Bank after top Hamas official Saleh Al-Arouri and six other members of the militant group were killed by a drone strike in Beirut.

Israel-Gaza War: Protests in West Bank over the killing of Hamas leader Saleh Al-Arouri

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