18:17 GMT - ‘Israel destroyed Central Archives of Gaza City’: Head of Gaza municipality
The head of Gaza municipality said Wednesday that Israel destroyed the “Central Archives” which contained thousands of historical documents dating more than 150 years.
“Targeting the Central Archives poses a great danger to the city, as it contains thousands of historically valuable documents for the community,” Yahya Al-Sarraj told Anadolu.
He point ed out that “these documents … represent an integral part of our history and culture.”
“The Central Archives contains plans for ancient buildings of historical value and documents in the handwriting of well-known national figures,” he said. “These documents, dating back a long time, were burned, turning them into ashes, erasing a large part of our Palestinian memory,” he noted.
17:25 GMT - US says Israeli settlements undermine possibility of 'contiguous Palestinian state'
The US said Wednesday that Israel's advancement of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank threatens the formation of a viable Palestinian state.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the American UN envoy, said the Biden administration "strongly" opposes Israel's ongoing expansion of settlements, which she said, "undermines the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state."
The settlements are widely regarded as illegal under international law and are being built in defiance of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Article 49 of the landmark accord prohibits occupying powers from transferring "parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies," and the "individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of" the occupied territory's inhabitants.
17:25 GMT - 200 aid trucks enter Gaza Strip via Rafah border crossing
Seven additional trucks with fuel and cooking gas entered the Gaza Strip on Wednesday through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a Palestinian official told Anadolu.
They were part of a batch of aid consisting of 200 relief trucks that brought the number of trucks to 1,200 that have entered the enclave since the start of a temporary humanitarian pause.
Wael Abu Mohsen, the media director on the Palestinian side of the crossing, said: “The aid includes four trucks loaded with gas, three trucks carrying fuel containing a total of 150,000 liters of diesel, along with trucks delivering water, food supplies, and medical supplies.”
Since the initiation of a humanitarian cease-fire, a total of 1,000 aid trucks have effectively entered Gaza, with a consistent daily entry of 200 trucks, encompassing seven trucks specifically designated for fuel and cooking gas, according to an Anadolu correspondent.
16:40 GMT - Aid to Palestinians in Gaza 'completely inadequate': UN chief
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted Wednesday that more than 2 million residents can not get sufficient aid in the Gaza Strip as he demanded a full cease-fire.
"The level of aid to Palestinians in Gaza remains completely inadeq uate to meet the huge needs of more than two million people, and although the total volume of fuel allowed into Gaza has also increased, it remains utterly insufficient to sustain basic operations,” Guterres told UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.
"Civilians in Gaza need a continuous flow of life-saving humanitarian aid and fuel into and across the area. Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need is critical," he said.
Guterres welcomed the recent humanitarian pause between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, but said n owhere is safe in Gaza.
15:18 GMT - Türkiye sends another ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza
Türkiye sent another ship carrying humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, the country’s interior minister said on Wednesday.
The ship, named Bestekar, set sail from the port of Mersin.
It is carrying a large number of food parcels, hygiene kits, clean drinking water, tents, medical supplies, generators and ambulances and is scheduled to arrive at the Al Arish port on Thu rsday, Ali Yerilkaya, the minister, said on X.
“We will continue to say stop to the #Gaza occupation, which bleeds consciences and went down in history as a genocide and a great atrocity, and we will continue to help the people of (Palestine),” he added.
14:27 GMT - Gaza authorities seek global help to trace, rescue over 6,500 missing people
The head of the Gaza media office called on the international community to assist local authorities in tracing and rescuing thousands of Palestinians missing since Oct. 7 as a result of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
Ismail al-Thawabta told Anadolu: “Civil defense teams are still recovering dozens of martyrs from under the rubble, and roads from the south to the north of the Gaza Strip.”
“There are about 6,500 missing individuals, including more than 4,700 children and women, either under the rubble or their fate is still unknown,” he pointed out.
He said they needed equipment, machinery, and fuel to reach those under the rubble.
13:45 GMT - Hostages killed in Gaza
Three hostages in Gaza have been killed due to Israeli airstrike, Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades announces
13:19 GMT - US pushing for extension of Hamas-Israel truce - Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration would like to see a new extension of the ceasefire agreement in Israel’s war on Gaza after the current one expires to secure the release of additional hostages held by Hamas and to ramp up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza.
As he prepared to make his third visit to the Middle East since the war began, Blinken said on Wednesday that in addition to discussing short-term logistical and operational planning, the Biden administration believes it is imperative to discuss ideas about the future governance of Gaza if Israel achieves its stated goal of eradicating Hamas.
“Looking at the next couple of days, we’ll be focused on doing what we can to extend the pause so we can continue to get more hostages out and more humanitarian assistance in,” Blinken told reporters in Brussels, where he was attending a NATO foreign ministers meeting.
12:29 GMT - Reaffirming solidarity with Palestine 'must start' with humanitarian ceasefire: UN chief
Marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the UN has underscored that reaffirming international solidarity with Palestine "must start" with a humanitarian ceasefire.
Speaking at an event organized in the United Nations’ Geneva office, UN Geneva Director-General Tatiana Valovaya read out a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"This international day of solidarity comes during one of the darkest chapters in the history of the Palestinian people," Guterres said in the message, adding that he is horrified by the death and destruction that have engulfed the region, as well as by the "humanitarian catastrophe" that people in Gaza are facing.
11:47 GMT - UN human rights chief pushes for 'extended Gaza ceasefire'
UN human rights chief Volker Turk has called "on all those with influence (to push) for extended Gaza cease-fire on humanitarian and human rights grounds."
“I hope this can open the way for a permanent end to the violence and support concrete efforts to achieve a lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis,” Turk said during an online session dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“The current temporary ceasefire provides some relief for civilians and for some families long-awaited reunions with their loved ones. But access to humanitarian assistance must be ensured and sustained throughout Gaza and all hostages must be released,” he said.
10:32 GMT - Maldives seeks war crimes probe against Israel over attacks on Gaza
Maldives has called on the International Criminal Court to probe accusations of war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinians.
“The deliberate actions by the Israeli Defence Force are tantamount to war crimes and in complete violation of international humanitarian law," Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said in a statement to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People.
Condemning Israel’s war on Gaza, Muizzu described it as “the brutal occupation and collective punishment being committed by Israel against the innocent civilians of Palestine.”
10:03 GMT - Hamas-Israel truce may be extended
The Gaza humanitarian pause and prisoner swap agreement between Hamas and Israel, which is set to expire on Thursday morning, may be extended for another day or two, Israeli media said.
A summit in Doha, attended by officials from Qatar, Egypt, Israel, and the US, discussed the possibility of extending the humanitarian pause, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported, citing a statement issued by Israeli authorities following the meeting on Tuesday.
However, the main obstacle is Hamas's demand for a complete cessation of hostilities, which Israel opposes, according to the broadcaster.
09:31 GMT - Source close to Hamas says group willing to extend truce by four more days
A source close to Hamas said the resistance movement was willing to extend by an additional four days a Gaza truce that has seen Israeli captives exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.
"Hamas has informed the mediators that it is willing to extend the truce for four days," the source told AFP.
"The movement would be able to release Israeli prisoners that it, other resistance movements and other parties hold during this period, according to the terms of the existing truce," it added.
08:50 GMT - Gaza at risk of famine: World Food Programme
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of the possibility of a famine in Gaza, stressing that supplies are woefully insufficient to address the hunger levels observed by WFP staff in UN shelters.
"It is highly likely that the population of Gaza, especially women and children are at high risk of famine if WFP is not able to provide continued access to food," the WFP said in a statement.
"The WFP delivered desperately needed food to more than 120,000 people in Gaza during the initial pause," the statement added.
08:20 GMT - Turkish military plane with 8 tonnes of medical aid for Palestinians departs
A Turkish military plane loaded with eight tonnes of medicines and medical supplies destined for Gaza departed from Türkiye's central Kayseri province to Egypt's El Arish Airport in the Sinai Peninsula.
A group of nine health care professionals are also on board the plane that took off from Kayseri Airport at 08:00 AM local time (0500 GMT).
The medical team will provide treatment to injured people in cooperation with the Egyptian Health Ministry.
07:55 GMT - Israel arrested over 3,200 Palestinians since Oct 7
The Palestinian Prisoners Society said that the number of Palestinians arrested by Israel in the occupied West Bank since the Israeli war on Gaza began on October 7 has risen to more than 3,290.
The list includes 125 women and 145 children, the group said. At least 168 Palestinians have been detained in the five days during the ongoing humanitarian pause in Gaza.
Six Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli prisons since the conflict started, it added.
06:40 GMT - Islamic Jihad announces release of Israeli women, children held in Gaza
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group issued a statement confirming the release of Israeli women and children it had been holding in Gaza.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Muhammad al Hindi, confirmed that the group's armed wing, the Al Quds Brigades, handed over the civilian hostages.
"We can accept the all-for-all equation regarding the detainees. If Israel is ready to release all our prisoners, then we are ready," Al Hindi said in an interview with Al Jazeera.
05:23 GMT - Hamas calls on media outlets to view extent of destruction in Gaza
Hamas has called on media outlets to increase their presence in Gaza and view the extent of destruction caused by Israel in the Palestinian enclave.
"We call on journalists and international media agencies to intensify their presence in Gaza to see the extent of the destruction and signs of genocide committed by the (Israeli) occupation and its Nazi army against children, defenseless civilians and all infrastructure," it said.
The statement pointed to "the discovery of dozens of bodies of Palestinian civilians under the rubble in the Sabra area and other areas of Gaza City and the extent of the destruction that occurred to the Islamic University, which is one of the most important scientific institutions."
04:43 GMT - Talks get underway in Qatar for long-term pause
Talks have been under way in Qatar on a new agreement for a long-term humanitarian pause in Israel's war on besieged Gaza, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation [KAN] has said.
KAN said the pause would include the release of all Israeli captives in besieged Gaza, including soldiers, and Israel's release of Palestinians languishing in jails, including some who had been "convicted" of killing Israelis. Palestinians have always disputed charges against them by occupational government and its courts.
KAN said the Palestinian resistance group Hamas expressed its approval of the broad outlines of the new agreement but added that it demanded a "complete ceasefire," which Israel still rejects.
04:40 GMT — Israel receives list of next captives to be released from Gaza
Israeli news outlets are reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has received the list of names of captives in besieged Gaza.
A sixth group of captives is expected to be freed on Wednesday in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Citing Netanyahu’s office, Israel’s KAN public broadcaster also said notices were sent to the families of the captives expected to be released.
04:15 GMT - Spain politician slams international community for silence over Israel's 'genocide'
The general secretary of Spain's left-wing Podemos party has criticised the international community for its silence in the face of Israel's "attempt to exterminate" the Palestinian people.
Speaking at an event for the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People organised by Podemos in the capital Madrid, Ione Belarra, who previously served as minister of social rights, said a Europe that does not exert social, political, economic, diplomatic and legal pressure against Israel cannot lecture anyone about human rights.
She rejected Israel's "colonial" policy towards Palestinians. "Why does Israel continue to commit genocide against Palestine with impunity?" she said.
04:00 GMT - Activists gather near US Capitol to demand Gaza ceasefire
A dozen pro-Palestinian activists have gathered near the US Capitol building to demand a ceasefire in besieged Gaza. They held inflatable letters spelling out the words "ceasefire now."
Robert McCaw, director of government affairs for the Council on American-Islamic Relations [CAIR], told Anadolu Agency the US should not support Israel with taxpayer funds and weapons.
"We are here with community members to remind Congress, while they are lighting up their Christmas tree, that we are demanding a ceasefire now," said McCaw.
03:43 GMT - US senator calls for 'indefinite ceasefire' in Gaza
A Democratic US senator has called for an "indefinite" ceasefire in besieged Gaza to "prevent further loss of civilian life."
In a statement, Peter Welch, from the state of Vermont, said although he supports Israel's right to pursue those who carried out the October 7 attacks, he said Israel "must not do so in a way that leads to massive civilian casualties and the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza."
"This will only incite more enemies against Israel and the US," he said. "For this reason, the ceasefire must be extended indefinitely."
03:20 GMT - Ben-Gvir warns of dissolving Israeli govt if war stops
Israel's extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has threatened that stopping the war on besieged Gaza would dissolve the Israeli government.
"Stopping the war = dissolution of the government," Ben-Gvir said on X.
His remarks coincided with reports of efforts to extend the humanitarian pause in fighting between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in besieged Gaza.
03:00 GMT - G7 foreign ministers support extension of pause in fighting
Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries have supported the further extension of the pause and future pauses in Gaza to increase assistance and facilitate the release of all hostages, they said in a joint statement.
"Every effort must be made to ensure humanitarian support for civilians, including food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. We support the further extension of this pause and future pauses as needed to enable assistance to be scaled up, and to facilitate the release of all hostages," the joint statement added.
For our live updates from Tuesday (November 28), click here.
