Thursday, November 30, 2023
On day 55 of the war, here are six key developments from the past 24 hours:
- Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend by one more day a truce under which hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and aid flows into Gaza.
- A Hamas source told AFP that 10 Israeli hostages would be released from Gaza on Thursday as part of a one-day truce extension.
- Visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli leaders that the truce in war with Hamas was "producing results" and should continue.
- Hamas claims Jerusalem shooting, in which the attackers were shot dead by two off-duty soldiers and a civilian, police said.
- Seventeen Thai hostages kidnapped and held for weeks by Hamas in Gaza landed in Bangkok, where overjoyed relatives waited to welcome them home.
- Israel's top diplomat said he was recalling the country's envoy to Madrid over "outrageous remarks" by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez questioning the legality of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
More updates 👇
15:00 GMT — Israel army says two Israeli hostages handed to Red Cross in Gaza
The Israeli military said that two Israeli hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza, after an extension to a truce in the enclave between Hamas and Israel.
The two women "are on their way to Israeli territory", it said in a statement. "In the next few hours, additional Israeli hostages are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross," it added.
13:40 GMT — Blinken says Gaza truce 'producing results', should continue
Visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli leaders that a temporary truce in their war with Hamas was "producing results" and should continue.
Blinken, on his third trip to the region since the conflict erupted nearly eight weeks ago, also stressed it was "imperative" to protect civilians in the besieged Gaza should fighting resume.
"We have seen over the last week the very positive development of hostages coming home, being reunited with their families," Blinken said in his meeting with Herzog.
08:40 GMT — Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas agreed to extend their ceasefire by another day, just minutes before it was set to expire. The truce in Gaza appeared increasingly tenuous as most women and children held by the Palestinian fighters have already been released in swaps for Palestinian prisoners.
International pressure has mounted for the ceasefire to continue as long as possible after nearly eight weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground campaign in Gaza that have killed thousands of Palestinians, uprooted three quarters of the population of 2.3 million and led to a humanitarian crisis.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on his third visit to the region since Israel began its war on the besieged Palestinian enclave, expected to press for further extensions of the truce and the release of more captives.
"This process is producing results. It's important, and we hope that it can continue," he said.
Qatar, which has played a key role in mediating with Hamas, said the truce was being extended under the same terms as in the past, with Hamas releasing 10 Israeli hostages per day in exchange for Israel's release of 30 Palestinian prisoners.
10:30 GMT — COP28 opens with moment of silence for civilians killed in Gaza war
The UN's COP28 climate summit in Dubai opened with a moment of silence for the victims of the conflict in Gaza.
Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian foreign minister who chaired the previous COP talks in Egypt last year, urged delegates to "stand for a moment of silence" in memory of two climate diplomats who recently died "as well as all civilians who have perished during the current conflict in Gaza."
10:24 GMT — Israeli army intercepts target from Lebanon, Israel says
The Israeli military said it intercepted an "aerial target" that crossed from Lebanon, in an incident that jolted the calm prevailing at the frontier since the Palestinian resistance group Hamas and Israel agreed a temporary truce.
Reuters witnesses heard blasts along the southeastern Lebanese frontier. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for any attacks from Lebanon.
Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah had been trading fire across the border for weeks. Other groups, including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, also launched attacks from Lebanon against Israel during the conflict.
10:20 GMT — 'My heart ached in extreme,' says Japan's crown prince on child victims in Gaza
In rare comments of concern, Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito has said he felt "extreme" pain seeing children victims during the conflict in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
"My heart ached in the extreme" after many children fell victim during the war in Gaza, the Japanese crown prince said.
Fumihito made the comments during a conversation with journalists earlier this week but was publicised on Thursday when he marked his 58th birthday. According to Tokyo-based Kyodo News, reporters asked Fumihito about "notable" events of the past year.
09:45 GMT — Hamas is far from falling apart in southern Gaza: Former Israeli premier
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak stated that the Hamas movement is far from falling apart in the southern Gaza and retains its capabilities in the north.
In an article published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Tuesday, Barak wrote, "About two months into the war, Israel is nearing a decisive junction. Israeli forces have made considerable gains in the northern Gaza, but Hamas is far from falling apart in Gaza's south and maintains capabilities in the north as well."
He added, "If we wish to survive in our tough environment, completing the mission of dismantling Hamas' military and governmental capabilities is critical, even in the face of external pressure. But months and perhaps more will be required to achieve this."
08:09 GMT — 3 killed, 6 injured in Jerusalem shooting attack
Three people, including a woman, were killed and six others injured in a shooting attack in West Jerusalem, Israeli Channel 12 reported.
Police said two suspects "implicated in the shootings were neutralised on the spot" after the attack near a bus stop in West Jerusalem, where there are no checkpoints guarding entrance to the city.
Two of the injured are said to be in serious condition.
07:34 GMT — South Africa calls for permanent ceasefire in Gaza
South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) party called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Hundreds of people from political parties, NGOs, and government officials marched through the streets of Johannesburg to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People commemorated under the theme "Unite Against Genocide, Ceasefire Now."
"This march is important because it's a fight against the genocide," ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the right to self-determination for Palestinians.
06:24 GMT — Israel says it received new list of hostages to be released
The Israeli government said it received a new list of women and children hostages in Gaza to be released by Hamas in exchange for a one-day extension of the truce.
"A short time ago, Israel was given a list of women and children in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and therefore the truce will continue," said the statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, without specifying the number of hostages to be released.
The truce, initially agreed last Friday, has brought a temporary halt to fighting for an exchange of hostages and prisoners. The total number of freed hostages stands at 102 people, including 70 Israelis, from around 240 taken to Gaza after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack.
05:17 GMT Israel announces truce extension
Israeli army announces extension in temporary humanitarian pause in Gaza to continue releasing hostages.
Palestinian group Hamas also announces extension of the humanitarian pause for Thursday, Anadolu news agency reports.
04:20 GMT -No decision on extending truce, swap deals
International pressure is growing on Israel and Hamas to extend a truce on after another exchange of captives for Palestinians and humanitarian aid was delivered to besieged Gaza.
Israeli "War Council" meanwhile concluded its meeting with no decision on extending the pause, TRT World understands. Some Israeli media outlets citing source said "Hamas' list of the new batch of captives does not meet the agreed-upon standards."
The truce is set to expire at 7am [Gaza time / 0500 GMT].
"The Al-Qassam Brigades asks its active forces to maintain high combat readiness in the last hours of the truce," the resistance group said in a statement. Fighters should "remain on such footing unless an official statement is issued confirming the extension of the truce," the statement added.
03:49 GMT - China calls for two-state solution
China has called on the United Nations Security Council to formulate a timetable and roadmap for a two-state solution to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue.
The proposal was laid out in a position paper on the Gaza conflict released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and as China took over the rotating presidency of the Security Council for November.
The Security Council needs to intensify its diplomatic mediation, relaunch the two-state solution and convene a "more authoritative and effective" international peace conference as soon as possible, the paper said.
03:15 GMT - Activist Ahed Tamimi among Palestinians freed by Israel
Prominent Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi was among 30 Palestinians freed by Israel under a temporary truce between Israel and the resistance group Hamas, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Israeli troops earlier this month arrested Tamimi, regarded in the occupied West Bank as a hero since she was a teenager, on suspicion of inciting violence.
Her mother has denied the allegation and said it was based on a fake social media post.
03:00 GMT - Israeli soldiers convert Palestinian building in Gaza into synagogue: report
Israeli soldiers have converted a Palestinian building into a Jewish synagogue during their ground operation in northern Gaza, local media reported.
The Jerusalem Post said that "Israeli soldiers have established a synagogue in the heart of the Gaza Strip during the ground invasion."
The newspaper did not specify the location of the converted building but published photos of the entrance, which features a large sign that reads "Abraham Temple."
02:30 GMT - Hamas ready to exchange all Israeli soldiers for all Palestinians
A senior Hamas official has said the resistance group was ready to release all the Israeli soldiers it is holding captive in exchange for all Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israel, amid negotiations to extend a truce in Israel's war on Gaza.
"We are ready to release all soldiers in exchange for all our prisoners," Hamas official and former Gaza health minister Bassem Naim told a press conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
The offer came as Hamas released 16 captives from Gaza ahead of expiry of truce and swap deal. Palestinians freed from Israeli jails included 16 minors and 14 women, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
02:14 GMT - Israel frees 30 Palestinians; Hamas releases 10 Israeli captives and 4 Thais
A group of 10 Israeli captives and four Thais freed by Hamas in Gaza have arrived in Egypt, state-linked television showed, as negotiations intensified for an extension to a truce pausing fighting in the Palestinian territory.
In a statement, the Israeli military said the released captives were on their way to Israel through Egyptian territory.
"10 Israeli citizens are being released as part of the agreement, including five dual citizens: a Dutch dual citizen, who is also a minor - three German dual citizens - one American dual citizen," Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said, adding that two Russian citizens and four Thais were also released.
02:00 GMT - US top diplomat Blinken arrives in Israel to discuss truce
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Tel Aviv, his third trip to the region since the October 7 Hamas blitz on Israel. Blinken is set to meet with Israeli leaders to discuss extending the temporary truce.
During his trip, Blinken is also expected to visit the Israeli-occupied West Bank and will likely meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Palestinian official said.
01:15 GMT - Hamas unsatisfied with Israeli truce extension proposals: AFP
A Hamas source said, hours before a truce in Israel's war on Gaza was set to expire, that the Palestinian resistance group was not satisfied with Israel's proposals for another extension.
"What is being proposed in the discussions to extend the truce is not the best," the source told AFP news agency, adding that the talks were focused on an extension of "two days or more" of the pause which has seen daily exchanges of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and aid deliveries into besieged Gaza.
01:09 GMT - Biden urged to condemn Israeli killings of Palestinian children in West Bank
A Muslim American advocacy group has urged President Joe Biden to condemn Israel's killings of two Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank.
Adam Samer al Ghoul, 8, and Basil Suleiman Abu al Wafa, 15, were fatally shot by Israeli forces during an 18-hour raid in Jenin that also saw major destruction in the city and its refugee camp.
Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Biden "should condemn the killing of Palestinian children in the same way that he rightly condemns violence targeting others."
For our live updates from Wednesday (November 29), click here.
