Israel-Palestine Escalation
Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, with Hamas movement's troops infiltrating border areas. On October 8, the Israeli government announced that it had invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law, which means the country was officially in a state of war.
Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli strike on the Gaza Strip in Rafah on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2023.  - Sputnik Africa

Live Updates: Hamas, Israel to Discuss Releasing 50 More Palestinians Detainees, Extend Truce

Subscribe
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Late on Monday, Qatar said that an agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas on the two-day extension of the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip on the same terms as the previous one.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that he hopes the ceasefire reached between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas will enable the United Nations to increase humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip.
"I strongly hope that this will enable us to increase even more the humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza that are suffering so much, knowing that even with that additional amount of time, it will be impossible to satisfy all the dramatic needs of the population as shown here," Guterres said.
On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting soldiers and civilians. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel. On October 27, Israel launched a large-scale ground incursion into the Gaza Strip.
On Friday morning, the sides launched a four-day truce to exchange some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as allow the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a home to over 2.5 million people. The conflict has so far killed an estimated 1,200 people in Israel and more than 15,000 in Gaza, including more than 6,000 children.
Table of contents
New firstOld first
17:59 28.11.2023
Palestine Wants Truce Between Israel, Hamas to Turn Into Permanent Ceasefire - Envoy to UN
UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The truce between Hamas and Israel should be expanded into a permanent ceasefire in order to save lives, Ambassador of the Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine Riyad Mansour said on Tuesday.
“This truce must turn into a permanent ceasefire. The massacres of Palestinian children, women and men cannot resume, should not resume, you should not allow it to resume,” Mansour told a session of the UN General Assembly where members were discussing the issue of Palestine.
International law prohibits such massacres and sides with the norms of humanity, he added.
Last week, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a four-day truce to allow for an exchange of prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The first group of Israeli and foreign hostages were released from the enclave on Friday. On Monday, Qatar announced that an agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas to extend the truce for two days.
16:50 28.11.2023
Russian Senior Diplomat, Iranian Ambassador Discuss Palestinian-Israeli Conflict - Moscow
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Iranian Ambassador in Moscow Kazem Jalali discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
"During the conversation, the parties thoroughly exchanged of views on the current situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone. Special attention was paid to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," the statement said.
The meeting took place at the request of the Iranian Ambassador, the ministry added.
15:11 28.11.2023
IDF Says Pause in Gaza Strip Violated, Some Israeli Soldiers Injured
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The operation pause in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas was violated on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, adding that several soldiers were lightly injured during armed incidents.
"Over the last hour, three explosive devices were detonated adjacent to IDF troops in two different locations in the northern Gaza Strip, violating the framework of the operational pause. In one of the locations, terrorists also opened fire at the troops, who responded with fire. A number of soldiers were lightly injured during the incidents," the IDF wrote on its Telegram channel.
14:06 28.11.2023
Hamas, Israel to Discuss Possibility of Releasing 50 More Palestinians from Prison, Extend Truce for 2 Days - Statement
DOHA (Sputnik) - Palestinian movement Hamas said on Tuesday that it will discuss the possibility to extend the ongoing truce with Israel for two days and release of 50 more Palestinian prisoners.
“The occupation administration [Israel] announced today that it has added 50 Palestinian women prisoners [to the list for exchange] … for its approval in the coming hours with the extension of the agreement on a humanitarian truce for another two days,” the movement said in its Telegram channel.
12:43 28.11.2023
CIA Head Arrives in Qatar for Secret Talks With Israeli Counterpart on Hostages - Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US Central Intelligence Agency Head William Burns has arrived in Qatar for secret meetings with his Israeli counterpart Aharon Haliva to broke an agreement between the Palestinian movement Hamas and Israel on hostage swap expansion, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Burns is seeking to expand the hostage swap to encompass the release of men and servicepeople, the newspaper reported.
The CIA head is also pushing another extension of the humanitarian truce, as well as an immediate release of all US citizens held hostage in the Gaza Strip, according to the report.
12:43 28.11.2023
Qatar Can't Disclose Number of Israeli Hostages Still Being Held in Gaza - Foreign Ministry
12:39 28.11.2023
Hamas to Release 20 Israeli Hostages During 2-Day Extension of Humanitarian Pause - Doha
DOHA (Sputnik) - Palestinian movement Hamas will release 20 Israeli hostages during the two-day extension of the humanitarian pause, and the lists of those to be released on Tuesday have already been handed over to the parties, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari said.
Late on Monday, Qatar said that an agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas on the two-day extension of the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip on the same terms as the previous one.
"It has been confirmed that 20 Israeli hostages will be released within two additional days of the humanitarian pause, and the list of those who will be released on Tuesday, has already been handed over to the parties to the conflict. We do not have the information about the number of the hostages who continue to be held in the Gaza Strip," the spokesman told reporters.
A total of 69 hostages captured by Hamas, as well as 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel have been released within the four-day humanitarian pause, the diplomat added.
12:37 28.11.2023
Humanitarian Truce in Gaza Strip Generally Respected, Minor Violations Present - Doha
DOHA (Sputnik) - The humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip is being generally respected apart from some minor violations, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday.
Late on Monday, Qatar said that an agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas on the two-day extension of the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip on the same terms as the previous one.
"There is information about some minor violations but the truce is generally being observed, the escalation has been halted in the past four days of the truce," the spokesman said, adding that another extension is possible if Hamas is ready to release more hostages.
11:17 28.11.2023
Israel's Operation in Southern Gaza Must Avoid Mass Displacement of People - US Official
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Israel military operation in southern Gaza must avoid another mass displacement of citizens as seen in the north of the strip at the beginning of its campaign, a senior US administration official told reporters.
"It is extremely important, and from the president [Joe Biden] down we have reinforced this in very clear language with government of Israel: it's very important that the conduct of the Israeli campaign when it moves to the south must be done in a way that is to a maximum extent not designed to produce significant further displacement of persons," the official said during a conference call.
Israel, during its upcoming military operations in southern Gaza, cannot replicate the level of displacement that took place in northern Gaza last month, the official said.
According to the official, a further displacement of Gaza residents in the south would be beyond disruptive and beyond the capacity of any humanitarian network to support.
On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation in the Gaza Strip will be more intense after the end of the ceasefire with Hamas and will take place throughout the Palestinian enclave.
The minister added that Hamas will use the ceasefire to regroup and rest its forces, so the IDF will initially use air forces and artillery before resuming ground operations.
The conflict has so far resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,300 people in Israel and over 16,000 in the Gaza Strip.
11:16 28.11.2023
Israeli Central Bank Downgrades GDP Forecast for 2023, 2024 to 2% Amid Gaza Conflict
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Bank of Israel has downgraded its forecast for the country's economic growth in 2023 and 2024 to 2% against the backdrop of the conflict with Palestinian movement Hamas.
In October, the Israeli central bank downgraded its forecast for GDP growth in 2023 to 2.3% from the July estimate of 3% amid the escalation of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, while the losses caused by the conflict were estimated at 0.5–1 percentage point of the country's GDP for 2023 and 2024.
"According to the forecast, GDP is expected to grow by 2 percent in 2023 and in 2024 (compared with growth assessments of 2.3 percent in 2023 and 2.8 percent in 2024 in the October forecast)," the bank's macroeconomic forecast read.
At the same time, the Israeli economy is likely to lose 3% of GDP by the end of 2024 due to the Gaza conflict, according to the report.
11:15 28.11.2023
West Ignores Israel’s Nuclear Rhetoric Due to Double-Standard Policy - Moscow
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Western leaders ignore Israel’s nuclear rhetoric due to the double-standard policy they have been pursuing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.
"The West manifests double standards, just today we mentioned the West’s position, under which it condemns, denies and tries to outlaw at all costs the terrorist acts in Middle Eastern countries, while the West ignores similar terrorist acts committed, for instance, by Kiev against Russia’s civil cities. If you believe it is solely the problem of the current US administration, I would like to say that this is not the case," Zakharova said in an interview with RT.
09:33 28.11.2023
Biden's Words About Two-State Approach to Middle East Crisis Should Be Followed by Concrete Actions - Moscow
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The words of US President Joe Biden on a two-state approach to the crisis in the Middle East should be followed by specific actions, but no such steps have been seen, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.
Earlier this month, Biden said that when the conflict between Israel and Hamas is over the US believes that the situation will have a "two-state solution" with the creation of sovereign Palestinian state.
"Certain elements related to the statement on the two-state approach are certainly important, but I would like to emphasize that these statements by Biden... should still be followed by concrete actions aimed at implementing what literally every US administration signed up for," Zakharova said in an interview with RT.
The two-state approach is stipulated in international legal documents, and therefore "it would be a challenge for even US presidents to renounce this formula," the diplomat said.
09:29 28.11.2023
Shooting Heard in Gaza Strip Despite Extension of Truce - Eyewitnesses
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Intense gunfire is heard in the eastern and northern part of Gaza City on Tuesday morning despite the extension of the truce, eyewitnesses told Sputnik.
"Intense shooting is taking place in the east and north of Gaza [City], in the Sheikh Radwan district, and on the coast," one of the eyewitnesses said.
Israeli Air Force planes appeared in the skies over the northern Gaza Strip, they said.
09:28 28.11.2023
Israel's Central Bank Estimates Cost of Gaza Conflict at $53Bln
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Bank of Israel has estimated the cost of the country's conflict with Palestinian armed group Hamas at 198 billion shekels ($53 billion), with 107 billion shekels earmarked for defense spending.
"Total gross effect of the war [stands at] 198 [billion shekels]," the bank's report on the expected fiscal impact of the "Swords of Iron" operation read.
The financial report showed that 107 billion shekels of the total 198 billion shekels accounted for defense costs, while the rest of the sum is related to compensation for direct or indirect damages, civilian expenses, public debt payments and loss of tax revenues.
09:12 28.11.2023
Senseless to Give Food to Gazans If They Are 'Killed the Next Day,' Borrell Says
A Palestinian walks in Gaza City on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023. on the fourth day of the temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 28.11.2023
Israel-Palestine Escalation
Senseless to Give Food to Gazans If They Are 'Killed the Next Day,' Borrell Says
08:21 28.11.2023
Israel Releases 33 Palestinian Detainees - Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israel has released the fourth group of Palestinian prisoners, consisting of 33 people, as part of the hostage exchange deal with Hamas, Al Jazeera broadcaster reported on Tuesday.
On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that 11 Israeli hostages freed by Hamas entered Israeli territory.
The broadcaster added that as part of the deal, a total of 150 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons.
08:20 28.11.2023
Erdogan, Spanish Prime Minister Discuss Efforts to Resolve Gaza Conflict - Office
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held phone talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, during which the parties discussed efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Turkish presidential office said on Monday.
"President Erdogan spoke by phone with President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castejon. The call addressed the Israel’s attacks on Palestinians, the necessary steps to uninterruptedly deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and the efforts for a permanent ceasefire as well as a lasting peace," the office said in a statement.
Erdogan added that the Spanish government's position on Palestine and Israel's actions against Palestinians is "valuable," the statement read.
"President Erdogan stated that Turkiye stands ready to assume any responsibility, including guarantorship, for a lasting peace in the region, and to work with Spain for the regional peace," the office added.
08:20 28.11.2023
Eleven Hostages Freed by Hamas Already on Israeli Territory - IDF
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Eleven hostages, from the Gaza Strip by Hamas on Monday, entered Israeli territory, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
The IDF reported about “the return of the hostages to Israeli territory” on its Telegram channel.
08:19 28.11.2023
Israelis Released by Hamas on Monday Include Citizens of France, Germany, Argentina - Doha
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - There are citizens of France, Germany and Argentina among Israelis released by Hamas and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari said, adding that Israel released 33 Palestinians from prisons.
“Those released from Israeli prisons include 30 minors and 3 women, while the Israelis released from Gaza include 3 French citizens, 2 German citizens, and 6 Argentinian citizens, were handed over to the ICRC,” the spokesman wrote on X.
08:18 28.11.2023
Clean Water Delivered to Northern Gaza Strip for 1st Time Since October 7 - UNRWA
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - United Nations agencies and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) managed to deliver clean water to the population of the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday for the first time since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Monday.
"Yesterday, our aid convoys reached areas in the north of Gaza Strip. UN agencies & PRCS delivered ready-to-eat food, tents, water & urgent medical supplies. This was the first delivery of clean water that reached people sheltering in the north since the war began," UNRWA said on X.
Newsfeed
0