An Israeli strike on a built-up refugee camp in the occupied West Bank has killed two people, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday, as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip entered a third day. The Israeli military said in a statement that “forces have initiated a counterterrorism operation” in the area. The identity of those killed in the Jenin refugee camp, where militants are active, was not immediately clear, AP reports. Gaza ceasefire won't begin until Hamas provides hostage list: Netanyahu Throughout the 15-month Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Jenin has been a focus of Israeli raids into the occupied territory. The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, launched its own raid into the area late last year, hoping to position itself as a serious player in governing postwar Gaza. Violence in the West Bank has surged during the war in Gaza, with Israel saying it is operating to stamp out militancy. The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 800 people have been killed in Israeli raids since the war began after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Sunday that the ceasefire in Gaza will not begin until Israel has received a list of the hostages set to be released from Hamas. He reiterated the warning in a statement barely an hour before the ceasefire was set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time. Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on “technical field reasons.” It said in a statement that it is committed to the ceasefire deal announced last week. Read: Israel's Netanyahu says Gaza ceasefire deal still incomplete The exchange raised doubts about whether the ceasefire would begin as planned. Hamas is expected to release three hostages later on Sunday in exchange for scores of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, the first step in a long process aimed at winding down the 15-month war. The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire should see a total of 33 hostages returned from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released. Israeli forces should pull back into a buffer zone inside Gaza, and many displaced Palestinians should be able to return home. The devastated territory should also see a surge in humanitarian aid. This is just the second ceasefire in the war, longer and more consequential than the weeklong pause over a year ago, with the potential to end the fighting for good. Read: 'Last-minute crisis' delays Gaza truce, hostage deal: Netanyahu Negotiations on the far more difficult second phase of this ceasefire should begin in just over two weeks. Major questions remain, including whether the war will resume after the six-week first phase and how the rest of the nearly 100 hostages in Gaza will be freed. Israel’s Cabinet approved the ceasefire early Saturday in a rare session during the Jewish Sabbath, more than two days after mediators announced the deal. The warring sides were under pressure from both the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump to achieve a deal before the U.S. presidential inauguration on Monday. The toll of the war has been immense, and new details on its scope will now emerge. Over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that sparked the war killed over 1,200. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died. Some 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced. The United Nations says the health system, road network and other vital infrastructure have been badly damaged. Rebuilding – if the ceasefire reaches its final phase – will take several years at least. Major questions about Gaza’s future, political and otherwise, remain unresolved.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a "last-minute crisis" with Hamas is delaying Israeli approval of a proposed Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the Gaza Strip, reports AP. Netanyahu's remarks came shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced the deal as finalised, creating conflicting signals: while Palestinians, hostages' families, and global leaders welcomed the agreement, Netanyahu indicated it was not yet resolved. Jordan, Denmark voice support for ending Gaza conflict, boosting humanitarian aid The Israeli Cabinet was set to vote on the deal Thursday but delayed the meeting, with Netanyahu's office accusing Hamas of reneging on certain parts of the agreement without specifying details. Hamas, through senior official Izzat al-Rishq, insisted it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by mediators. The deal proposes a phased release of hostages held in Gaza and a temporary halt to fighting, aiming to eventually end a 15-month conflict. The war began with Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken. Israel’s response has led to over 46,000 deaths in Gaza, according to local officials, with widespread displacement and humanitarian crises. Hamas accepts draft agreement for Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages Netanyahu faces intense internal pressure from his far-right coalition partners, who have threatened his government over perceived concessions. Ministers like Itamar Ben Gvir oppose the deal, while Bezalel Smotrich demanded assurances of resumed military operations if necessary. These tensions risk destabilising the government and could lead to early elections. Heavy Israeli strikes continued overnight, reportedly killing dozens despite the ceasefire announcement. The agreement envisions a staged withdrawal of Israeli forces, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and facilitating increased humanitarian aid. Future phases of the deal involve further hostage releases and negotiations for a lasting truce, though these remain fraught with challenges. Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza, including women and children The ceasefire raises unresolved questions about Gaza’s governance and reconstruction post-conflict, with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. meeting in Cairo to discuss implementation. International criticism of civilian casualties in Gaza persists, as Israel blames Hamas for using civilian infrastructure for military purposes. Despite Hamas suffering significant losses in leadership and territory, the potential for prolonged insurgency looms if the conflict continues.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Wednesday that a ceasefire agreement with Hamas is still not complete and the final details are being worked out. Netanyahu's statement comes hours after the United States and Qatar announced the deal, which would pause the devastating 15-month war in Gaza and clear the way for dozens of hostages to go home. The conflict has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. However, he said that Hamas has backtracked on an earlier understanding of the ceasefire agreement. His statement could indicate that obstacles remain to implementing the deal. Under the three-phased deal, Hamas would release dozens of hostages in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. It would also allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. Israel, Hamas agree to ceasefire and hostage release: Mediators Netanyahu said that Hamas was objecting to a part of the agreement that gave Israel the ability to veto the release of certain Palestinian prisoners. Hamas was trying to dictate which Palestinian prisoners would be released, Netanyahu said. He said he told Israeli negotiators to stand firm on the earlier agreement. Hamas did not immediately respond to Netanyahu’s statement. The statement came soon after President Joe Biden wrapped up a final farewell address to the nation after earlier touting the role of American diplomacy in negotiating the ceasefire. The Israel Hamas-war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies. The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory. Three officials from the US and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while a senior Israeli official said details are still being ironed out. All three US officials requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha. Hamas accepts draft agreement for Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages President Joe Biden was preparing to address the breakthrough agreement later Thursday, officials said. Any agreement still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, but is expected to go into effect in the coming days. The deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether. Over six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their loved ones after months in in captivity with no contact with the outside world, though it’s unclear if all are alive. It remained unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians would be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement would lead to a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza — key Hamas demands for releasing the remaining captives. Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza, including women and children Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction. Still, the announcement offered the first sign of hope in months that Israel and Hamas may be winding down the most deadly and destructive war they’ve ever fought, a conflict that has destabilized the broader Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population and sparked a humanitarian crisis. More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.

Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said Tuesday. Mediators the United States and Qatar said Israel and the Palestinian militant group were at the closest point yet to sealing a deal to bring them a step closer to ending 15 months of war. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the proposed agreement, and an Egyptian official and a Hamas official confirmed its authenticity. An Israeli official said progress has been made, but the details are being finalized. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks. “I believe we will get a ceasefire,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a speech Tuesday, asserting it was up to Hamas. “It’s right on the brink. It’s closer than it’s ever been before,” and word could come within hours, or days. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent the past year trying to mediate an end to the war and secure the release of dozens of hostages captured in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered it. Nearly 100 people are still captive inside Gaza, and the military believes at least a third are dead. Any deal is expected to pause the fighting and bring hopes for winding down the most deadly and destructive war Israel and Hamas have ever fought, a conflict that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. It would bring relief to the hard-hit Gaza Strip, where Israel's offensive has reduced large areas to rubble and displaced around 90% of the population of 2.3 million, many at risk of famine. If a deal is reached, it would not go into effect immediately. The plan would need approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Security Cabinet and then his full Cabinet. Both are dominated by Netanyahu allies and are likely to approve any proposal he presents. Officials have have expressed optimism before, only for negotiations to stall while the warring sides blamed each other. But they now suggest they can conclude an agreement ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose Mideast envoy has joined the negotiations. Hamas said in a statement that negotiations had reached their “final stage." In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted another 250. Around half those hostages were freed during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Of those remaining, families say, two are children, 13 are women and 83 are men. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israeli strikes across Gaza overnight and into Tuesday killed at least 18 Palestinians, including two women and four children, according to local health officials, who said one woman was pregnant and the baby died as well. Read: Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza, including women and children There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel says it only targets militants and accuses them of hiding among civilians. A three-phase agreement The three-phase agreement — based on a framework laid out by U.S. President Joe Biden and endorsed by the U.N. Security Council — would begin with the release of 33 hostages over a six-week period, including women, children, older adults and wounded civilians in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children imprisoned by Israel. Among the 33 would be five female Israeli soldiers, each to be released in exchange for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 militants who are serving life sentences. The Israeli official said Israel assumes most of the 33 are alive. During this 42-day phase, Israeli forces would withdraw from population centers, Palestinians could start returning to what remains of their homes in northern Gaza and there would be a surge of humanitarian aid, with some 600 trucks entering each day. Details of the second phase still must be negotiated during the first. Those details remain difficult to resolve — and the deal does not include written guarantees that the ceasefire will continue until a deal is reached. That means Israel could resume its military campaign after the first phase ends. The Israeli official said “detailed negotiations” on the second phase will begin during the first. He said Israel will retain some “assets” throughout negotiations, referring to a military presence, and would not leave the Gaza Strip until all hostages are home. The three mediators have given Hamas verbal guarantees that negotiations will continue as planned and that they will press for a deal to implement the second and third phases before the end of the first, the Egyptian official said. Read more: A missile fired by Houthi rebels targets central Israel as airstrikes hit displaced area in Gaza The deal would allow Israel throughout the first phase to remain in control of the Philadelphi corridor, the band of territory along Gaza’s border with Egypt, which Hamas had initially demanded Israel withdraw from. Israel would withdraw from the Netzarim corridor, a belt across central Gaza where it had sought a mechanism for searching Palestinians for arms when they return to the territory's north. In the second phase, Hamas would release the remaining living captives, mainly male soldiers, in exchange for more prisoners and the “complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces from Gaza, according to the draft agreement. Hamas has said it will not free the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal, while Netanyahu has vowed in the past to resume fighting until Hamas’ military and governing capabilities are eliminated. Unless an alternative government for Gaza is worked out in those talks, it could leave Hamas in charge of the territory. In a third phase, the bodies of remaining hostages would be returned in exchange for a three- to five-year reconstruction plan for Gaza under international supervision. Blinken on Tuesday was making a last-minute case for a proposal for Gaza's postwar reconstruction and governance that outlines how it could be run without Hamas in charge. Growing pressure ahead of Trump's inauguration Israel and Hamas have come under renewed pressure to halt the war before Trump's inauguration. Trump said late Monday a ceasefire was “very close.” Dozens of protesters, including relatives of hostages, formed a human chain Tuesday outside Israel’s parliament, demanding the deal be sealed. “This is the chance, we can’t let it go until they are all here with us,” said Shay Dickmann, whose cousin in Gaza has been declared dead by the military. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, families of Palestinian prisoners gathered as well. “I tell the mothers of the prisoners to put their trust in the almighty and that relief is near, God willing,” said the mother of one prisoner, Intisar Bayoud. And inside Gaza, an exhausted Oday al-Halimy expressed hope from a tent camp for the displaced. “Certainly, Hamas will comply with the ceasefire, and Israel is not interested in opposing Trump or angering him,” he said. Read more: Netanyahu sends Mossad director to Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar A child born in Gaza on the first day of the war, Massa Zaqout, sat in pink pajamas in another tent camp, playing with toys. “We’re eagerly waiting for a truce to happen so we can live in safety and stability,” her mother, Rola Saqer, said.

Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 18 people overnight, including women and children, health officials said Tuesday, as Israel and Hamas appeared to be narrowing in on a ceasefire deal to end the 15-month war and release dozens of hostages. Officials have expressed mounting optimism that they can conclude an agreement in the coming days after more than a year of talks that have repeatedly stalled, AP reports. Two strikes in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah killed two women and their four children, who ranged in age from 1 month to 9 years old. One of the women was pregnant and the baby did not survive, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received the bodies. Another 12 people were killed in two strikes on the southern city of Khan Younis, according to the European Hospital. Rescuers attempt to free survivors from trapped South African miners There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel says it only targets militants and accuses them of hiding among civilians in shelters and tent camps for the displaced. Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead. The Israel Hamas-war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump has described a possible ceasefire as being “very close.” “I understand ... there’s been a handshake and they are getting it finished -- and maybe by the end of the week,” Trump told the American cable channel Newsmax Monday night. A missile fired by Houthi rebels targets central Israel as airstrikes hit displaced area in Gaza He added that part of the deal would see “bodies” brought out of the Gaza Strip, without elaborating. Israel and Hamas are under renewed pressure to halt the conflict in the lead-up to Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration. The phased deal would be based on a framework laid out by President Joe Biden in May and endorsed by the UN Security Council.

A missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted central Israel early Tuesday, causing sirens to blare and people to flee into bomb shelters. Several Israeli strikes also hit the Gaza Strip overnight and early on Tuesday, as Israel and Hamas appear to be inching closer to a phased ceasefire agreement.  The Israeli military reported multiple interception attempts, stating that the missile launched from Yemen was "likely intercepted." Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service confirmed no injuries from the missile or its debris but noted some people sustained injuries while rushing to shelters. An earlier missile was also intercepted before entering Israeli airspace. Netanyahu sends Mossad director to Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have controlled Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014, have intensified their attacks, targeting Israel and nearly 100 commercial vessels amid Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The rebels have not yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack, which they sometimes delay by hours or days. In central Gaza, Israeli strikes hit Deir al-Balah, killing six displaced individuals, including two women, their four children (aged 1 month to 9 years), and an unborn child. One woman was the mother of two of the boys, while the other was killed alongside her son and daughter. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill 5, including 2 infants Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah confirmed receiving the bodies.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is sending the director of the Mossad foreign intelligence agency to ceasefire negotiations in Qatar, his office said Saturday, in a sign of progress in talks on the war in Gaza. It was not immediately clear when David Barnea would travel to Qatar’s capital, Doha, for the latest round of indirect talks between Israel and the Hamas militant group, but there is U.S. pressure for a deal before the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20. Barnea's presence means high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved. Just one brief ceasefire has been achieved in 15 months of war, and that was in the earliest weeks of fighting. The talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar have repeatedly stalled since then. Under discussion is a phased ceasefire, with Netanyahu signaling he is committed only to the first phase, a partial hostage release in exchange for a weekslong halt in fighting. Hamas has insisted on a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the largely devastated territory, but Netanyahu has insisted on destroying Hamas’ ability to fight in Gaza. On Thursday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, the majority women and children, though it doesn't say how many were fighters or civilians. Also being sent to Qatar are the head of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency and military and political advisers. Netanyahu’s office said the decision followed a meeting with his defense minister, security chiefs and negotiators “on behalf of the outgoing and incoming U.S. administrations.” The office also released a photo showing Netanyahu with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who was in Qatar this week. Read: Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill 5, including 2 infants Families of the roughly 100 hostages still held in Gaza after being seized in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war are pressing Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring their loved ones home. Israelis rallied again on Saturday night in the city of Tel Aviv, with photos of hostages on display. “We join together in the hope that the talks in Doha succeed,” outgoing U.S. Ambassador Jack Lew said at the rally. “We’re encouraged by the news today, but we know we can’t stop.” The recovery of two hostages’ bodies in the past week renewed fears that time is running out. Hamas has said that after months of heavy fighting, it isn’t sure who is alive or dead. Read more: Gaza death toll surpasses 46,000 “Return with an agreement that ensures the return of all hostages, down to the last one — the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial in their homeland,” said a statement by a group representing some hostages' families. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week a deal is “very close” and he hoped to complete it before handing over diplomacy to the incoming Trump administration. But U.S. officials have expressed similar optimism on several occasions over the past year. Issues in the talks have included which hostages would be released in the first part of a phased ceasefire deal, which Palestinian prisoners would be released and the extent of any Israeli troop withdrawal from population centers in Gaza. The toll Hamas and other groups killed some 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages into Gaza in the attack that started the war. A truce in November 2023 freed more than 100 hostages, while others have been rescued or their remains have been recovered over the past year. Israel's military announced the deaths of four soldiers in northern Gaza on Saturday, without details. At least 400 soldiers have been killed in the war. Six others were killed this week in largely isolated northern Gaza, where Israel has been pressing an offensive against regrouping Hamas militants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants during the war, without providing evidence. Inside Gaza On Saturday, an airstrike killed a 5-year-old girl and two male relatives in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where an AP team saw them. Read more: Lebanese elects army commander Joseph Aoun as president The girl’s body, in a pink sweater, was wrapped in foil and placed on the floor of the morgue. Her father knelt and pressed his face to hers. “God!” he cried. Another Israeli airstrike killed at least eight Palestinians — including two children and two women — in a school-turned-shelter in northern Gaza, according to the Civil Defense, first responders affiliated with the Hamas-run government. It said the strike on the Halawa school that shelters displaced people in the Jabaliya area also wounded 30 others, including 19 children. Israel’s military said it struck a Hamas command center at a former school in Jabaliya, without giving evidence. And a strike killed four people on a street in Gaza City, said Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal. Overall, Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 32 bodies had arrived at hospitals in the past 24 hours. “I ask the world, do you hear us? Do we exist?” said Hamza Saleh, one of the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents who have been displaced. He spoke on Friday in the southern city of Khan Younis as children and others jostled for food aid, while hunger grows.

Lebanon's parliament elected army commander Joseph Aoun as president on Thursday, ending a presidential void that had lasted over two years, reports AP. This marked the 13th attempt by the legislature to choose a successor to former President Michel Aoun — who is unrelated to the army commander — following the end of his term in October 2022. Prioritise reconstruction of Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon: Prof Yunus The vote took place just weeks after a fragile ceasefire agreement brought a 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to a halt. It also came at a time when Lebanon's leaders are seeking international aid for reconstruction efforts. Migrant workers in Lebanon struggle to return home amid alleged abuse and war Aoun was widely considered the preferred choice of both the United States and Saudi Arabia, whose support Lebanon will require to ensure Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, as outlined in the agreement, and to secure funding for rebuilding after the war. 105 stranded Bangladeshis return from war-torn Lebanon