Gaza Conflict
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RPT-Google to help fund Israeli AI firms, Palestinian businesses
Google is investing $8 million to support Israeli tech firms and Palestinian businesses, citing the need for small companies to secure financing during the Israel-Hamas fighting, Reuters reports.
Google said its $4m support fund would be provided to AI startups in Israel and another $4m would go to early-stage Palestinian startups and businesses to help them continue operating.
In partnership with local and global non-profit organisations, it will provide loans and grants to 1,000 Palestinian small businesses.
It will also provide seed grants to 50 tech startups in Palestinian areas. In total it hopes to help safeguard 4,500 jobs and create new ones for Palestinians.
Italy to treat 100 Palestinian children in its hospitals
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said the country will provide hospital treatment for 100 Palestinian children from Gaza after transporting them by plane and ship in an operation to be launched in the next few days, Reuters reports.
The first 30 children will fly from Egypt, Crosetto said, where they sought refuge and medical assistance after escaping the Israeli bombardment of the neighbouring Gaza enclave.
Another 30 will reach Italy with their families at the end of January aboard the military vessel Vulcano which will depart from the Egyptian port of al-Arish.
“One cannot remain indifferent in the face of the serious humanitarian crisis,” Crosetto said in a statement, adding that Italy’s move was “a moral duty more than a political one.”
Aid groups say stop sending arms to Israel, Palestinian groups
Sixteen international humanitarian and rights organisations have called for a halt to weapons transfers to Israel and Palestinian armed groups in a bid to end the Gaza conflict, AFP reports.
In a joint statement, they urged United Nations member states to stop sending weapons, parts and ammunition to “stop the crisis in Gaza and avert further humanitarian catastrophe and loss of civilian life”.
“Israel’s bombardment and siege are depriving the civilian population of the basics to survive and rendering Gaza uninhabitable,” the statement added.
“The civilian population in Gaza faces a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented severity and scale.”
Following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel “armed groups in Gaza have continued to indiscriminately fire rockets toward population centres in Israel”, the statement added.
'Mass casualties' at UN complex as Israel advances through Khan Younis
A UN training centre sheltering tens of thousands of displaced people was hit on Wednesday, causing "mass casualties" as buildings blazed, a senior UN relief official said as Israeli forces advanced through southern Gaza's main city.
Israeli forces also cut off southern Gaza's main hospitals in their assault on Khan Younis, Palestinian officials said, and closed the main escape route for hundreds of thousands of residents and people who have sought refuge there.
Houthis order US, British nationals to leave Yemen
Yemen's Houthi authorities have ordered US and British staff of the United Nations and Sanaa-based humanitarian organisations to leave the country within a month, a document and a Houthi official said on Wednesday.
The decision follows strikes by the United States and Britain, with support from other nations, against military targets of the Iran-aligned group, which has been launching attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea that is says are linked to Israel.
Rifts within Israel resurface as war in Gaza drags as some want elections now
Ever since Israel was attacked on Oct 7, a main Israeli highway has been flanked by billboards preaching national unity and a ubiquitous wartime slogan: “Together we will win.”
But lately those billboards have been replaced with a starkly different message: a call for immediate elections.
Gaza florist selling red roses aims to spread smiles, joy amid devastation
Hussam Abdulhadi walks around tent camps and outside hospitals in Rafah, southern Gaza, selling freshly picked red roses to try to comfort Palestinians displaced by an Israeli offensive that has pummelled much of the enclave to rubble, Reuters reports.
“I am here selling flowers to spread joy among people during the war in the hope that this changes their mood, makes them happy and puts a smile on their faces,” said Abdulhadi, who like most Gazans has himself been displaced by the conflict.
He said many of his customers bought the flowers for injured family members, for relatives in hospital or for those who have lost their homes during the Israeli military offensive.
Iran’s president in Turkiye for talks on how to ‘contain the conflict’ in Gaza
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi flew to Turkiye for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on how to prevent the escalation of Israel’s bombardment on Gaza, Al Jazeera reports.
“Iran and Turkiye have a common position in supporting the Palestinian people and the resistance of the oppressed but powerful Palestinian people,” Raisi said before boarding his plane.
Israeli tanks, drones shoot dead civilians at Nasser Hospital
People fleeing the vicinity of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis have been shot at by Israeli tanks as well as attack drones. Civil defence crews are trying to collect the bodies and identify the dead. The number of killed is expected to grow in the coming hours.
To the western part of Khan Younis, we have seen a surge in aerial attacks as well as artillery shelling.
Entire families are being surrounded by Israeli military tanks and armoured vehicles. They are ordered to evacuate from their homes and to get outside. Women are separated from the men with their hands on top of their heads.
The compound of Al-Aqsa University, where thousands have been sheltering, is effectively under military siege. No one can get out of that area. Anyone who tries to leave risks losing their life as there is constant shelling and attacks by land and by air.
Palestinian NGOs: The threat of famine threatens residents of the Gaza Strip
The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) says that the risk of death from starvation threatens about half a million citizens in Gaza City and northern Gaza, who remained and refused to leave their homes despite the destruction and devastation caused by the Israeli bombing.
In a press statement today, the PNGO said that Palestinians, especially in the northern Gaza Strip, are living in catastrophic and inhumane conditions after they ran out of basic food supplies.
“The network holds the international community fully responsible for this crisis resulting from the occupation war and its siege imposed on our people,” the statement said.
It added that the siege imposed by Israel as well as the prevention of the entry of humanitarian relief is part of a deliberate war crime committed within the framework of starvation policies against defenceless civilians, and an attempt to force citizens to leave their homes.
Partial restoration of communications in Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip is seeing a partial return of communications in various areas after a three-day interruption, amid the continued interruption of Internet services, the Palestinian Telecommunications Company said on X.
“Our crews are working hard to restore all communications services to what they were before the recent outage during the day,” the company said in a post.
This is the tenth time communications have been cut off in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7th.
Undeterred by Gaza war, thousands of Indians turn up for jobs in Israel
A labour crisis has emerged in Israel after its decision to block tens of thousands of Palestinians from working there.
In October, Israeli construction companies reportedly requested their government in Tel Aviv to allow them to hire up to 100,000 Indian workers to replace Palestinians whose work licences were suspended after the Gaza offensive began.
Thousands of Indian men have applied for those jobs, responding to more than 20,000 positions advertised by the state governments of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in India.
US air strikes ‘treated as acts of aggression’ against Iraq: Military
Iraq’s army issued a stern warning to the US after another deadly attack, calling it “a clear determination to harm security and stability” in the country.
“This unacceptable act undermines years of cooperation, blatantly violates Iraq’s sovereignty, and leads to an irresponsible escalation at a time when the region faces the danger of expanding conflict over the immoral war of extermination that the Palestinian people are facing,” Major-General Yahya Rasool was quoted by the Iraqi News Agency as saying.
Two people were reportedly killed and two wounded in the overnight US bombardment. US defence chief Lloyd Austin said “necessary and proportionate strikes” were launched against three facilities used by Iran-backed armed groups.
Biden calls Gaza protesters Trump-supporting ‘MAGA Republicans’
President Joe Biden felt the wrath of pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Early into a Virginia state political rally, a man carrying a Palestinian flag shouted out, “Genocide Joe: how many kids have you killed today?” Seconds later another demonstrator yelled, “Israel kills two mothers every hour.”
After the initial outburst Biden said, “they feel deeply”. But the protests over US support for Israel’s bloody war continued. After the sixth time challenged on Gaza he noted, “This is gonna go on for a while – they’ve got this planned.”
Biden became irritated and accused his seventh heckler of being a “MAGA Republican” – even though ex-President Donald Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Eight critically injured in Israel army attack on school
Israeli forces targeted a school in Khan Younis that was sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians, critically injuring at least eight people, according to Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud.
“We heard from paramedics and first responders that it was difficult to transfer those injured inside the school to Nasser Hospital … despite the fact it was a very short distance,” said Mahmoud, reporting from Rafah.
“The intensity of the bombing prevented the ambulance and paramedics from getting to the school … this is what we have been seeing since the early hours of this morning.”
Netanyahu recorded saying Qatar mediation ‘problematic’
Israel’s Channel 12 aired recordings of the embattled prime minister telling relatives of captives held in Gaza that Doha acting as a mediator in the conflict is “problematic”.
Benjamin Netanyahu also appeared to express disappointment with the United States for “not applying more pressure on the Gulf state, which hosts Hamas leaders”, the Times of Israel reported.
Earlier, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson praised positive mediation efforts.
“We are engaging in serious discussions with both sides. We have presented ideas to both sides. We are getting a constant stream of replies from both sides, and that in its own right is a cause for optimism,” Majed Al Ansari told a news conference.
‘Pile on pressure’ on Israel instead of bombing Iraq: Official
A senior Iraqi official says American air strikes targeting sites used by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq “do not help bring calm” and are a “flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty”.
“The US side should pile on pressure for a halt to the [Israeli] offensive in Gaza rather than targeting and bombing the bases of an Iraqi national body,” National Security Adviser Qassem al-Aaraji said in a post on X.
He was referring to the Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilisation Forces, an alliance of Iran-aligned former paramilitary groups now integrated with Iraq’s regular armed forces.
The US military said it targeted three facilities overnight in Iraq. Multiple ballistic missiles and rockets were launched at an American base in the west of the country on Saturday, slighting wounding troops.
‘Consider the horrendous costs’ of wider war: UN chief
The rejection of a two-state solution will indefinitely prolong the war on Gaza, which is threatening global peace and emboldening anti-Western armed groups everywhere, the UN chief says.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Security Council, “The right of the Palestinian people to build their own fully independent state must be recognised by all – and a refusal to accept the two-state solution by any party must be firmly rejected.”
The alternative of a one-state solution “with such a large number of Palestinians inside without any real sense of freedom, rights and dignity … will be inconceivable”.
Risks of regional escalation “are now becoming a reality”. Guterres urged all parties “to step back from the brink and consider the horrendous costs” of a wider war.
Norwegian FM calls for ‘radical step-up of humanitarian efforts’ in Gaza
Speaking at the UNSC meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Espen Barth Eide reiterated Norway’s call for a “sustained and enduring humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza.
Regarding humanitarian efforts, the Norwegian foreign minister said, “We cannot only count trucks.”
“We call for a radical step-up of humanitarian efforts, not only volumes,” he said. “We also must look at the content, the efficiency, the access [of humanitarian aid] throughout the whole territory of Gaza. And we must improve coordination.”
Eide also called for a “political track” towards Palestinian statehood.
“Norway recognises the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to have their own state. Not only in theory, but also in practice,” he said.
Hamas refuses to expel six senior leaders from Gaza but agrees to one-month truce
DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel and Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides' differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war, three sources said.
Intense mediation efforts led by Qatar, Washington and Egypt in recent weeks have focused on a phased approach to release different categories of Israeli hostages ?– ?starting with civilians and ending with soldiers ?– ?in return for a break in hostilities, the release of Palestinian prisoners and more aid to Gaza.
The latest round of shuttle diplomacy started on Dec. 28 and has narrowed disagreements about the length of an initial ceasefire to around 30 days, after Hamas had first proposed a pause of several months, said one of the sources, an official briefed on the negotiations.
Nine arrested in Salfit; man shot and killed near Tulkarem
Israeli forces have arrested nine Palestinians in the towns of Haris and Kafil Haris in the Salfit Governorate in the occupied West Bank, according to the Wafa news agency.
Four men were also arrested tonight during raids on the city of Hebron and the town of Bani Naim, east of Hebron. Local sources said Israeli soldiers ransacked homes, vandalised their contents and seized vehicles during the raids.
Israeli forces have shot and killed a Palestinian man at the Enab checkpoint near the city of Tulkarem. Medical teams say they were prevented from reaching him, with the Israeli military claiming he shot at them.
Raids and arrests have been reported in the following locations in the occupied West Bank:
A man was arrested in the Al-Ain camp, west of the city of Nablus
A woman and her son were arrested during a raid on the Jalazoun camp, north of Ramallah
A man was shot during a raid on the town of Ya’bad, southwest of Jenin
A child and a man were injured by Israeli fire during a raid on the city of Nablus
One-month Gaza truce focus of intensive talks, sources say
DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel and Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides' differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war, three sources said.
Intense mediation efforts led by Qatar, Washington and Egypt in recent weeks have focused on a phased approach to release different categories of Israeli hostages ?– ?starting with civilians and ending with soldiers ?– ?in return for a break in hostilities, the release of Palestinian prisoners and more aid to Gaza.
The latest round of shuttle diplomacy started on Dec. 28 and has narrowed disagreements about the length of an initial ceasefire to around 30 days, after Hamas had first proposed a pause of several months, said one of the sources, an official briefed on the negotiations.
International law should ‘uniformly applied’, South Africa tell UN Security Council
South Africa has welcomed support for its International Court of Justice (ICJ) genocide case against Israel in a speech to the UN Security Council.
“South Africa welcomes expressions of support for the case before the ICJ and encourages states to intervene should they wish in the later stage of the proceedings”, South Africa’s UN representative Masotsha Mnguni said.
“For international law to be credible, it should be uniformly applied and not selective,” Mnguni said.
“The events of the past few months in Gaza have illustrated that Israel is acting contrary to its obligations in terms of the Genocide Convention,” he added.
“Owing to South Africa’s painful past experience of the system of apartheid, this impresses on us as member states to take action in accordance with international law,” Mnguni said.
Israel orders massive area in Khan Younis emptied of people; city’s hospitals surrounded: UN
Heavy Israeli bombardments are reported in close proximity to three hospitals in Gaza’s Khan Younis – Nasser, Al Amal, and Al Aqsa hospitals – as fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters rages across much of the Palestinian enclave.
The latest UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) situation report also notes:
Almost 200 Palestinians were killed and 354 injured by Israeli attacks in the 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday afternoon.
The killing of 21 Israeli soldiers in a single attack brings the total number of Israel’s forces killed in Gaza to 219 with a further 1,232 injured, according to Israeli military figures.
Almost 90,000 residents and 425,000 displaced people have been ordered by the Israeli military to leave more than 4sq km (1.4sq miles) residential areas in Khan Younis.
The massive clearance order in Khan Younis affects 24 UN shelters for people displaced by Israel’s war, three hospitals, which represent 20 percent of all partially, still-functioning medical centres in Gaza, and three other health clinics.
On Monday Israeli troops raided the Al Kheir Hospital in the west of Khan Younis, arrested staff and ordered civilians at the hospital to move further south.
US destroys two Houthi anti-ship missiles: CENTCOM
US forces have destroyed two Houthi anti-ship missiles, US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said in a post on X.
The missiles “were aimed into the southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch”, CENTCOM added.
US forces determined that the missiles in “Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen … presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region,” the post added.
Hamas said to ‘absolutely’ reject Israeli proposal to remove leaders from Gaza: Report
Israel and Hamas agree in principle on the exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners during an initial month-long ceasefire, but differences remain in how to bring about a permanent end to the conflict, Reuters news agency reports.
Egypt, Qatar and the US have led intense mediation efforts in recent weeks. Talks are said to focus on a phased release of captives in Gaza in exchange for a pause in fighting, the return of Palestinian prisoners, and increased aid to Gaza.
Reuters, citing unnamed sources, reports that Hamas has “absolutely” rejected an proposal by Israel to end the conflict if the Palestinian group removes six of its senior leaders from Gaza.
The list of six Hamas leaders includes Yahya Sinwar and Mohamed al-Deif, who are both high on Israel’s list of people to kill or capture in Gaza.
Hamas has also previously said that it wants an end to all Israeli aggression against Gaza and not just a pause in fighting.
Palestinians face harrowing hunt for safety as war intensifies
With bandages covering burns on both feet and hands, Asmaa Abu Khudar tells Al Jazeera how Israeli bombing forced her from a home to a makeshift tent in Rafah with her husband, children and other family members.
Then their tents came under attack by Israel’s military in what Asmaa describes as “balls of fire” falling from the sky.
“I don’t know what they were. The whole area was in flames, fire everywhere,” she says.
Asmaa was able to save one daughter, but not another.
“My other daughter, I couldn’t find her,” she recounts, fighting back tears.
Asmaa’s husband was also killed by the flames.
Israeli tanks, snipers encircle Khan Younis, shooting anyone who moves
(Web Desk) - With Israeli snipers and tanks positioned to fire on any signs of life, Palestinians across Khan Younis are under siege with nowhere to go.
"The situation in Khan Younis is catastrophic,” Said Wujdan, 24, told Middle East Eye on Tuesday from the encircled city in southern Gaza.
“Tanks are less than 500 metres from al-Amal neighbourhood, and snipers have taken over the roofs of the high residential buildings there, ready to shoot anyone who moves.”
