Israel-Hamas war top developments: Israeli Cabinet to okay deal for Hamas release of hostages

The Hamas-run Gaza government says the number of people who've been killed in the territory since the war began has reached 14,128.

It says that 5,840 children are among the dead.

Hamas group gas agreed to release over 50 hostages in exchange for a four-day pause in the fighting and the release of some Palestinian prisoners, Hebrew media reported citing a senior Israeli diplomat.

The current deal is focused on releasing Israeli hostages, of which 40 children and 13 women, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday (Nov 21).

An official confirmation from the Israeli government is awaited.

The leaders of the BRICS group of nations on Tuesday called for an "immediate" humanitarian truce in Gaza  during a summit aimed at drawing up a common response to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

"We called for an immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities," the group of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa said in a statement.

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday cleared continuing development aid to Palestinians after a review found out that no funds had gone to Hamas.

"The review found no indications of EU money having directly or indirectly benefited the terrorist organisation Hamas," European Commission vice president Valdis Dombrovskis said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict. 

"All parties in the conflicts should immediately cease fire and hostilities, stop all violence and attacks targeting civilians, and release civilian detainees to avoid more loss of lives and suffering," Xi said.

South Africa on Monday accused Israel of war crimes and genocide at the BRICS Summit. 

Lebanese media said on Tuesday that Israel's bombardment of south Lebanon on Tuesday killed four civilians, two of them journalists.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported "the deaths of three citizens -- two journalists and another civilian -- in enemy bombing" of the Tair Harfa area.

Babies, children and adults alike, who were wounded in Israeli airstrike on Jabaliya refugee camp are being taken to hospital. Reuters reported that Kamal Edwan Hospital in northern Gaza is crowded with those injured and many are waiting for medical attention.

Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has urged Muslim groups in the country to condemn Hamas' October 7 attack in explicit terms and express solidarity with Israel.

"I expect the Muslim organisations to clearly position themselves and uphold their responsibilities in society," she said in an interview with German broadcaster ARD.

"It must be very clear. We stand by Israel's side," added Faeser.

The current updates about hostage release talks say the following:

- Talks are going on to free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.

- Hamas has indicated earlier in the day that talks were showing good progress. Israel did not comment on this assertion.

- Qatar, which has been mediating between the warring sides has said that hostage talk are in 'critical' and 'final' stage.

- Till Monday, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu maintained his firm position that there will be no stoppage in the Israeli military operation till all 240 hostages are freed by Hamas.

- AFP has reported citing sources that it is possible that 50-100 Israeli civilian hostages will be released in exchange for the release of 300 Palestinian prisoners from Israel's custody.

- Israel is insisting that military hostages in Hamas custody should also be released. Hamas is not ready for this.

The United Nations has said that two of the 31 premature babies from Gaza City's Al-Shifa hospital died before they were evacuated to Egypt. The agency added that most of the babies who were evacuated to Egypt were 'unaccompanied'. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that all of the 28 babies who were shifted to Egypt were "fighting serious infections and continue needing health care".

Qatar, the mediator between Israel and Hamas, has said that talks to release hostages are in 'final stage', reported Al-Jazeera. Qatar, though a supporter of Palestinian side, has been involved along with the US in mediating between the two warring sides.

The United Nations has underlined that sanitation situation in Gaza is in bad shape. The situation is 'perfect storm for tragedy', said the UN.

In a statement on the Telegram messaging app, IDF said fire is again being exchanged between Israel and Lebanon over the UN-drawn blue line boundary.  

The statement read: "A short while ago, IDF aircraft identified and struck three armed terrorist cells in the area of the border with Lebanon. In addition, IDF fighter jets struck a number of Hezbollah terror targets, including military infrastructure and structures used for directing terrorist activity. A short while ago, terrorists fired mortar shells at an IDF post in northern Israel. No injuries were reported. IDF artillery is currently striking the source of the fire." 

Early morning today, plumes of smoke rose in the sky and explosions were heard at the Israeli border with Gaza. 
 
This came amid the chief of Hamas said that the Palestinian militant group was near a truce agreement with Israel. 

A newly formed group consists of senior officials from several Muslim countries will visit the United Nations Security Council's five permanent members. As reported by the mews agency Reuters, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Tuesday that they will urge an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. 
 
The group was formed earlier this month at a summit of the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Riyadh. It includes foreign ministers and representatives from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the Palestinian Authority, as well as the OIC Secretary General. 

The source said the group had started talking with the permanent UN Security Council members - the United States, China, Russia, Britain, and France - with a visit to Beijing on Monday, and would also visit other countries. 

-Reuters

The head of the nursing department at the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza was quoted as saying by a Washington Post correspondent in Beirut that the facility has "transformed into a mass grave". 

"There are corpses in all departments," the hospital official said, adding that "60 bodies in front of the mortuaries, and we will bury them in any courtyard inside the hospital". 

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, a delegation of Arab Islamic Foreign Ministers is set to visit Delhi this week. The delegation is expected to include Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki. 

The hostage situation continues to be the flashpoint of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war with the world urging warring nations to come up with a truce. The families of hostages are frustrated and demand answers from the Benjamin Netanyahu government. 

Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's latest announcement came as a ray of hope as he said on Tuesday (Nov 21) that his militant movement was nearing a truce agreement with Israel. A statement sent by his office to the news agency AFP stated: "We are close to reaching a deal on a truce." 

Read more here.

The IDF says its 162nd Division has completed the encirclement of northern Gaza’s Jabaliya, and is ready to deepen the fighting.

It says the 215th Artillery Regiment and the Air Force carried out heavy strikes in Jabaliya to “prepare the ground for battle.”

On the outskirts of Jabaliya, three tunnel entrances, with Hamas operatives inside, were struck, the IDF says.
 

The Embassy of Israel in India earlier released the following message:

To symbolise the marking of the 15th year of commemoration of the Mumbai terror attacks, the state of Israel has listed Lashkar -e- Taiba as a terror organisation.

Despite not being requested by the Government of India to do so, the state of Israel has formally completed all necessary procedures and has satisfied all required checks and regulations to the result of introducing Lashkar -e- Taiba into the Israeli list of illegal terror organizations.

While Israel only lists terror organizations who are actively operating against it from within or around its borders, or in a similar manner to India - those globally recognized by UNSC or the US state department; the Israeli ministries of Defense and Foreign affairs, have jointly worked in the last few months towards an expediated and extraordinary listing of the Lashkar -e- Taiba organization on this date, to highlight the importance of a Unified Global Front in combating terrorism.

Lashkar -e- Taiba is a deadly and reprehensible terror organization, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others. Its heinous actions on November 26, 2008 still reverberate in force, through all peace seeking nations and societies.

The state of Israel offers its sincere condolences to all victims of terrorism and to the survivors and bereaved families of the Mumbai attacks, including those in Israel. We stand with you united in the hope for a better peaceful future.

FIFA has been called out for maintaining silence over the Israel-Hamas war, with experts highlighting its double standards.

FIFA was quick to ban Russia following its invasion of Ukraine last year. However, FIFA and UEFA have not uttered any word against Palestine or Israel.

India at the UN has welcomed efforts being made for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas war. Speaking in the Informal meeting of the plenary in the UN General Assembly on a briefing on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj on Monday stressed that the message from the Indian leadership has been “clear and consistent". 

Qatar issues a strong condemnation, asserting its disapproval of the lethal Israeli assault on the hospital, resulting in a minimum of 12 fatalities and sevaral injuries. The statement deems the attack a clear breach of international laws, notably the fourth Geneva Convention.

Two more casualties in the Gaza Strip conflict have been identified by the Israeli military: Captain Arnon Moshe Avraham Benvenisti Vaspi, 26, and Staff Sergeant Ilya Senkin, 20. Five soldiers are reported as seriously injured. The total Israeli military casualties now stand at 68 since the commencement of ground operations in Gaza.

Over 1,200 Americans, along with legal permanent residents and their families, are seeking assistance to evacuate Gaza, according to the latest update from the State Department. This figure has surged from under 900 in recent days, coinciding with Israel's indications of expanding military actions in the southern region, where a majority of Palestinian civilians have sought refuge.

“We continue to identify either additional American citizens, or American citizens or permanent residents that have additional family members that they’re reporting to us, that we then try and get on the list to get out of Gaza,” State Department spokesperson Matt Miller told reporters. 

A report by news agency AFP, citing two sources familiar with the talks said that the tentative deal includes a five-day truce, comprised of a ceasefire on the ground and limits to Israeli air operations over southern Gaza.

In exchange for the return of between 50 and 100 prisoners held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which would include Israeli civilians and captives of other nationalities, but not military personnel. 

If agreed upon, some 300 Palestinians would also be released from Israeli jails, among them women and children.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh took to Telegram and said "We are close to reaching a deal on a truce," as quoted by AFP.

This comes as Qatar has been mediating with Hamas as it negotiates with Israel and the United States for the release of hostages held by the Palestinian militant group in Gaza. 

Hamas leader also met with Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Qatar on Monday to "advance humanitarian issues" related to the conflict, the Geneva-based ICRC said in a statement. 

A report by Palestinian news agency, Wafa said at least 17 people were killed after an Israeli strike on Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp, women and children were among those killed. 

The strike, which is said to have taken place after midnight, also left several people injured in the strike on the camp, located in the central part of Gaza.

In a video meeting on Monday, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says the establishment of a Palestinian state would be the best way of ensuring Israel's security.

This comes as Borrell held a meeting with EU’s 27 countries after touring the Middle East and said he has drawn “a fundamental political conclusion” from his discussions. 

"I think that the best guarantee for Israel’s security is the creation of a Palestinian state," said Borrell as per a written summary of the EU meeting, as quoted by AFP.

He also said that Israel should not occupy Gaza after the war ends and should hand over the control to the Palestinian Authority.

A report by Al Jazeera, said three bodies were pulled out of the rubble and several people are also believed to be still trapped under the collapsed building, after Israeli forces struck a residential building in Jabalia. 

Israel on Monday released security camera footage from Oct. 7, which shows Hamas gunmen who crossed into Israel chase people from an outdoor music festival, with one seen executing a woman at point-blank range.

The United States believes a deal to release hostages held by Hamas amid the conflict with Israel is getting closer, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday (November 20).

Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Monday (November 20) that Israeli forces discovered a factory that produced weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) under a mosque in Gaza City.

Hagari added that soldiers also found a tunnel shaft after searching the mosque in the Zaytun neighbourhood.

There are a little more than 1,200 Americans, legal permanent residents and family members still in Gaza and at least six U.S. citizens have been killed since the Oct. 7 rampage into Israel by Hamas, the U.S. State Department said on Monday (November 20).

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told a briefing that around 800 Americans, legal permanent residents and family members had left Gaza via the Rafah crossing to Egypt and "there are a little over 1,200 left."

Palestinians searched on Monday (November 20) through the debris of a house destroyed by an air strike in Khan Younis. According to witnesses, many children were killed and injured in the airstrike and some people were still trapped under rubble. Nearby homes were also damaged by the air strike. Israel launched its campaign to annihilate Hamas, the Islamist militant group which controls Gaza, after fighters crossed into Israel on Oct. 7, rampaging through towns, killing civilians and dragging hostages back into Gaza. Israel says 1,200 people were killed and some 240 captives taken in the deadliest day in its 75-year history.

Sirens wailed across Tel Aviv, in Israel, sending people for cover on Monday (November 20) night as the country's defence system intercepted rockets. Meanwhile in the Gaza Strip, there were multiple blasts over the enclave and large plumes of smoke around sundown as Israel continues to pound the area 6 weeks into the war on Hamas. Israeli forces have seized wide areas of the north, northwest and east of Gaza City, the Israeli military says. 

The Israeli army releases video showing what it says are ground operations and air strikes in the Gaza Strip, including a mosque as fighting rages on in Gaza, more than six weeks after an unprecedented Hamas attack sparked an air and ground offensive by Israel, which has vowed to destroy the Palestinian militants.

Injured Palestinians arrive at Al-Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip after a strike, as fighting rages on in Gaza, more than six weeks after a shock Hamas attack sparked an air and ground offensive by Israel, which has vowed to destroy the Palestinian militant group. 

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said Monday that 200 patients were evacuated from a hospital there with the help of the Red Cross just hours after it was hit by a deadly Israeli strike. "100 patients were evacuated from the Indonesian hospital with the help of the ICRC," health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP, saying another 100 would be taken out overnight to another facility in the southern town of Khan Yunis.

The Red Cross said Monday that its president had travelled to Qatar to meet with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh "to advance humanitarian issues related to the armed conflict in Israel and Gaza".

"President Mirjana Spoljaric met with Ismael Haniyeh, Chair of Hamas' Political Bureau, and separately with authorities of the state of Qatar," the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday (November 20) that the killing of civilians in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip is "unparalleled and unprecedented" in any conflict since he took office. He also urged all parties, the Palestinian Authority in particular, to plan for the future of Gaza, based on a two-state solution, once Israel's assault on Gaza in retaliation for the Oct.7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants is over. 

"I think it's also important to be able to transform this tragedy into an opportunity. And for that to be possible, it is essential that after the war we move in a determined and irreversible way to a two-state solution," Guterres said.

France on Monday (November 20) sent more medical supplies and a second hospital ship to Gaza, French armed forces footage released on the same day showed. France sent a military Airbus A400 with more than 10 tonnes of medical supplies and will contribute to European Union medical aid flights on Nov. 23 and 30. France also dispatched a second hospital ship, the helicopter-carrier Dixmude, which will arrive in Egypt in the coming days. A first French helicopter carrier - the Tonnerre, which has about 60 beds and two operating blocs - has already been deployed in the region. France will also deploy civil and military planes to evacuate sick or injured children from Gaza, A French presidency statement released on Sunday (November 19) said. Earlier this month, French planes delivered 54 tonnes of aid for Gaza via Egypt.

Israel's foreign ministry said Monday it had recalled its ambassador from Pretoria, one day before South Africa is due to host a virtual BRICS summit on the war in Gaza.

"Following the latest South African statements, the Ambassador of Israel to Pretoria has been recalled to Jerusalem for consultations," said ministry spokesman Lior Haiat on social media site X, formerly Twitter, without giving specifics.