Monday, November 27, 2023
17:52 GMT — Gaza truce extension a 'glimpse of hope' — UN chief
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the extension of a humanitarian pause in Gaza for two more days, saying: "It's glimpse of hope, humanity in middle of darkness of war."
Guterres also said that he was "very hopeful' that another crossing could be opened to allow aid deliveries to Gaza.
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17:36 GMT — French navy ship arrives in Egypt to treat Gaza wounded: port source
A French warship arrived in the Egyptian town of El Arish near the border with the conflict-torn Gaza to serve as a hospital for wounded civilians, a port source said.
The Dixmude is expected to have two operating rooms and 40 beds.
Hundreds of critically wounded Palestinians have crossed into Egypt in recent weeks with special exit permits, after the majority of hospitals in Gaza were forced out of service due to Israeli attacks, according to the United Nations.
17:22 GMT — White House welcomes Israel-Hamas truce extension
The White House welcomed an agreement to extend a truce between Israel and Hamas by two days, saying it was hopeful the humanitarian pause would continue for longer still.
"Of course we welcome the announcement," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. "We would of course hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages."
16:21 GMT — Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza extended for two days — Qatar
The spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced that an agreement has been reached to extend the Israel-Hamas truce for another two days.
Majed al Ansari confirmed in a statement that "an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in Gaza."
Qatar, along with Egypt, has been the key mediator in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The announcement comes on the final day of a four-day truce between the warring sides.
The two-day extended ceasefire is expected to result in the release of 20 Israeli hostages and 60 Palestinian prisoners, according to Egypt.
16:20 GMT – Hamas confirms agreement to extend Gaza humanitarian pause by two days
Hamas has confirmed an agreement with Qatar and Egypt to extend humanitarian pause in Gaza for two more days under same terms as previous deal.
Qatar had earlier said that a deal to extend humanitarian pause in Gaza for two more days had been struck.
Tens of hostages have been released by both Israel and Hamas since the start of a four-day humanitarian pause last weekend.
14:24 GMT — Egyptian-Qatari efforts close to extending Gaza truce by two days
Egypt has announced that Egyptian-Qatari efforts are on the verge of extending the Gaza truce by an additional two days.
According to Egypt, a two-day truce extension would include the release of 20 Israeli hostages and 60 Palestinian detainees.
14:11 GMT — UN chief urges continued dialogue to turn 'pause' into 'full humanitarian' ceasefire in Gaza
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the dialogue that led to the current four-day "humanitarian pause" in Gaza should be continued and transformed into a "full humanitarian" ceasefire.
He said that the aid "barely registers against the huge needs of 1.7 million displaced people," warning that "the humanitarian catastrophe" is growing worse by the day.
"The dialogue that led to the agreement must continue, resulting in a full humanitarian ceasefire, for the benefit of the people of Gaza, Israel and the wider region," according to the statement.
He reiterated his call for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.
13:02 GMT — 150 trucks with aid enter Gaza via Rafah border crossing
About 150 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, cooking gas and fuel entered Gaza during the humanitarian pause between Israel and Hamas.
Wael Abu Mohsen, media director on the Palestinian side of the Rafah border, said the entry of other humanitarian aid is expected to continue in the coming hours.
12:32 GMT — Negotiators close to resolve differences on Gaza truce extension
Egyptian, Qatari and US negotiators are close to agreeing on an extension to the truce set to expire in Gaza but were still discussing the length of an extension and which prisoners would be freed under it, three Egyptian security sources said.
Palestinian group Hamas was seeking a four-day extension while Israel wanted day-by-day extensions, with negotiations continuing over which Palestinian prisoners would be freed, the sources said.
11:45 GMT — Israeli army detains 60 more Palestinians in West Bank
The Israeli army arrested 60 more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoners Club said, bringing the total number of Palestinians detained since October 7 to 3,260.
The arrests were made between Sunday night and Monday dawn in the towns of Bani Na'im near Hebron, Kafr Nima in the Ramallah governorate, Jenin, Nablus, and Bethlehem, it said.
11:29 GMT - Two-state solution must start with end to aggression - Jordan
Jordan Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has said that the work for a two-state solution must begin with "ensuring an end to this brutal aggression."
He was participating in the Forum for the Union of the Mediterranean in Barcelona.
Forty-two delegations are scheduled to gather at the event hosted by the Union for the Mediterranean, with many represented by their foreign ministers.
The meeting is chaired by the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
10:18 GMT - Palestinian Authority is the only partner to seek peace: Spain's FM
The Palestinian Authority is the only possible and credible partner to seek peace in the Middle East, Spanish Foreign Ministry Jose Manuel Albares has said.
He was hosting the Forum for the Union of the Mediterranean in Barcelona.
Albares ruled out any Hamas governance in the enclave saying "Hamas cannot be ruling Gaza the day hostilities stop because it does not have an agenda for peace."
He also called for an international peace conference in the short term to solve the conflict.
09:34 GMT - Israel examining names of prisoners to be released by Hamas
Israel has announced that it was examining the names of the fourth batch of hostages to be released by Hamas later in the day as part of a prisoner swap deal.
"Discussions are being held on the list that was received overnight and which is now being evaluated in Israel," the country's prime minister's office said in a statement.
"Additional information will be issued when possible," the statement added.
Upon completing the procedure on Monday, Israel will have released 150 jailed Palestinians from its prisons in exchange for 50 Israelis held by the resistance group Hamas.
08:50 GMT - Israel, Musk agree not to provide internet to Gaza
Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced that they agreed in principle with US billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of satellite internet system Starlink, not to provide internet to blockaded Gaza without the approval of Tel Aviv.
Karhi said, "As a result of this significant agreement, Starlink satellite units can only be operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications, including Gaza."
08:16 GMT - China's top diplomat to visit UN for Israel-Hamas talks
China's top diplomat Wang Yi will visit New York this week to hold a United Nations Security Council meeting on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Beijing's foreign ministry has said.
"As it holds the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council this month, China will hold a high-level meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli issue on November 29," spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
Wang Yi will preside over the meeting, he added.
06:30 GMT - Qatar works with Israel, Hamas to resolve hostage issues
Israel and Hamas have raised concerns over the lists of Israeli and Palestinian hostages set to be released on Monday, a Qatari official briefed on the matter.
The official added that Qatari mediators are working with Israel and Hamas to resolve issues and avoid delays.
In the previous three days of the truce, Israel submitted the names of Palestinian women and teenagers it would release from jail and Hamas would submit the names of Israeli civilian hostages it would release at least 12 hours ahead of the release.
04:30 GMT - Hamas seeks truce extension
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has announced that it is seeking to extend four-day humanitarian pause with Israel in Gaza.
The group said in a statement that it is making serious efforts to secure the release of more Palestinians even after the pause ends.
A Palestinian source who preferred to remain anonymous as he is not authorised to speak to the media confirmed to Anadolu Agency that Hamas informed mediators Qatar and Egypt that the resistance movements were willing to extend the current truce by two to four days.
03:50 GMT - Three Thai hostages released from Gaza in good health - Thai PM
The latest three Thai hostages released from Gaza after being held by Hamas fighters were in good health, Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin posted on the social media platform X on Monday.
"I'm happy," Srettha said, adding the three were healthy and not in need of urgent medical attention.
So far, 17 Thai captives have been released after being taken hostages during Hamas raids into Israel in early October and would be brought back to Thailand as soon as possible, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
3:18 GMT - Palestine Red Crescent says 100 aid trucks entered northern Gaza
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that 100 aid trucks entered northern regions of Gaza.
PRCS said "100 aid trucks were brought into Gaza City and the northern part by the Palestine Red Crescent today containing food, water, baby milk and blankets."
It said that "for the first time, 50 Egyptian aid trucks arrived through the Rafah crossing and headed directly towards Gaza City and the northern side through the (Israeli) barrier that separates the north of the Strip from its south."
For our live updates from Sunday (November 26), click here.
