Netanyahu claims Israel will ‘resign Hamas to the dustbin of history’
Up to 500 foreign passport holders will pass the Rafah border crossing from Gaza to Egypt after Qatar mediated an agreement between Cairo, Israel and Hamas in coordination with the US to allow for the movement of foreign passport holders and Palestinians severely injured in Gaza.
The country will also take in 81 wounded people from the besieged Gaza Strip and treat them in its hospitals, Gaza’s General Authority for Crossings and Borders told the New York Times.
It is not clear how long the Rafah border crossing will remain open for evacuation. Earlier, the Israeli military admitted to launching a wide-scale airstrike on the densely inhabited Jabalia refugee camp where potentially “dozens” of civilians have been killed.
During a briefing attended by The Independent, Israeli officials defended the attack and claimed the operation led to the killing of Ibrahim Biari, the commander of Hamas’s Central Jabalia Battalion. However, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem denied any senior commander was in the camp at the time of the strike.
At least 11 Israeli soldiers died in Gaza fighting yesterday, the biggest one-day loss for the IDF since the Hamas attack on 7 October.
Meanwhile, Gaza again plunged into a communication blackout today after two providers Paltel and Jawwal reported a “complete disruption” of services in the region.
Breaking: Qatar brokers deal between Egypt, Hamas and Israel for limited Gaza evacuations, say sources
Qatar has mediated an agreement between Egypt, Israel and Hamas, in coordination with the US, to allow for the movement of foreign passport holders and some critically injured people out of besieged Gaza, a source briefed on deal told Reuters today.
Namita Singh1 November 2023 07:02
Netanyahu says Israel will press agead to victory in a ‘tough and long war’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel’s war in Gaza would be long but victorious, in a statement in which he also mourned mounting military losses.
“We are in a tough war. It will be a long war,” he said. “I promise to all citizens of Israel: We will get the job done. We will press ahead until victory.”
It came after Israeli airstrikes hit a densely populated refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing at least 50 Palestinians and a Hamas commander.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem denied any senior commander was there and called the claim an Israeli pretext for killing civilians.
Barney Davis1 November 2023 08:55
Live: View of Gaza’s Rafah crossing as injured expected to enter Egypt
This is a live stream of the Rafah crossing after after the Palestinian border authority said injured Gazans are to enter Egypt.
Palestinians who were injured in Gaza will complete their treatment in Egyptian hospitals, with the country taking in 81 seriously wounded people, according to reports.
The Israeli military has admitted to launching a wide-scale airstrike on the densely inhabited Jabalia refugee camp, where potentially “dozens” of civilians have been killed.
Barney Davis1 November 2023 08:50
Around 500 foreign passport holders should cross into Egypt today after deal struck
Up to 500 foreign passport holders will pass the Rafah border crossing from Gaza to Egypt on Wednesday, an Egyptian security source said, after a deal was reached to open the crossing.
About 200 people were waiting at the Palestinian side of the border on Wednesday morning, the source told Reuters.
A second source with knowledge of the deal and evacuations said there was a list of up to 500 who would leave the Gaza strip but that not all were expected to make it out on Wednesday
Barney Davis1 November 2023 08:45
First ambulances being allowed through Rafah crossing
We are now seeing the first images of a convoy of ambulances attempting to leave the Gaza Strip as the Rafah crossing opens for the first time since October 7.
But Al Jazeera are reporting from the scene that ambulances are still waiting and nobody has been allowed to leave Gaza just yet.
(Reuters)
Aid trucks looking to carry life-saving supplies into Gaza are also waiting on the Egyptian side of the crossing.
(Reuters)
Barney Davis1 November 2023 08:43
First images of families and children in wheelchairs crossing from Gaza into Egypt
Dozens of foreign passport holders could be seen entering the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt on Wednesday. It appeared to be the first time foreign passport holders have been allowed to leave the besieged territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war more than three weeks ago.
A man pushes a child on a wheelchair as people enter the Rafah border crossing
(AFP via Getty Images)
An Associated Press journalist filming the crossing saw a stream of dozens of people move through the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. They dragged suitcases and carried backpacks.
A few cars drove through the gates as well, some with luggage pouring out of their open trunks. One group used a donkey pulling a cart with their possessions to enter the border crossing.
People walk through a gate to enter the Rafah border crossing to Egypt
(AFP via Getty Images)
It wasn’t clear if they’d be immediately allowed through the Egyptian side of the crossing.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Other families waiting to cross flashed peace signs at cameras as they were briefly held in a waiting room.
Barney Davis1 November 2023 08:23
Breaking: People start to walk Rafah crossing as it opens for first time since conflict started
The Rafah crossing has opened from Gaza to Egypt for the first time since the war began on October 7.
AFP images show long lines of ambulances and people in wheelchairs waiting at the Rafah border crossing.
Dozens of foreign passport holders could be seen entering the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt on Wednesday. It appeared to be the first time foreign passport holders have been allowed to leave the besieged territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war more than three weeks ago.
The video stream of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt shows people and cars beginning to move through on Wednesday morning.
Egypt has said it would let in 81 of the most seriously injured and announced foreigners could finally leave Gaza.
Barney Davis1 November 2023 08:07
Deputy PM defends strike on refugee camp targeting Hamas commander
Israel’s air strikes on the Jabalia refugee camp, targeting a Hamas commander, are part of the “terrible nature” of the conflict in the Middle East, Oliver Dowden said.
Asked by Sky News whether Israel had broken international law with the strikes, the Deputy Prime Minister said: “This is the reality of the conflict with an organisation like Hamas.
“Hamas is a terrorist organisation that has murdered in cold blood over 1,000 innocent Israeli men, women and children, and now seeks to hide amongst the civilian population. This is a very difficult conflict.
“We continue to urge the Israeli government to abide by international law. I believe that the Israeli government is continuing to do so against an enemy that hides among civilians.
“It is the terrible nature of this appalling conflict.”
Archie Mitchell1 November 2023 07:55
Foreign Secretary expects Rafah crossing to open today
British foreign secretary James Cleverly has said that the Rafah crossing is expected to open today for limited travel by foreign nationals.
Mr Cleverly said opening the crossing was vital to allow lifesaving humanitarian aid into Gaza as quickly as possible, Reuters is reporting.
It came after Qatar brokered an agreement between Egypt, Israel, and Hamas to facilitate movement of foreign passport holders and some severely injured people out of war-tornGaza, Reuters reported citing a source aware of the agreement.
The deal has been mediated in coordination with the US.
It is not immediately clear how long the vital Rafah border crossing will remain open for evacuation, the person aware of the agreement said.
Barney Davis1 November 2023 07:50
Republicans’ Israel bill would strip money from IRS ability to crack down on tax cheats
House Republicans are proposing paying for an aid package to Israel by slashing money from the Internal Revenue Service from Democrats’ signature climate, taxation and health care law passed last year.
The proposal will come after Hamas engaged in a deadly attack on Israel on 7 October that left 1,400 people dead with another 230 taken hostage.
Congress hopes to pass an aid package to assist Israel. Republicans’ proposed aid package would provide $14.3m in assistance to Israel. But it would come at the expense of slashing money from the IRS that’s included in the Inflation Reduction Act, the climate and health care law that Democrats passed last Congress along party lines.
Namita Singh1 November 2023 07:31