This is Beirut

Israel Asks Unrwa To Leave Jerusalem by 30 January (Letter To The UN)

This is Beirut, 25/01 02:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) must cease its operations in Jerusalem and vacate all the buildings it uses by 30 January, the Israeli ambassador to the UN wrote in a letter to the Secretary-General on Friday. ‘In accordance with applicable Israeli law (...), Unrwa must cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate all the ...

Egypt And Israel Exempt From a Near-Total Freeze On US Foreign Aid

This is Beirut, 25/01 02:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel USA Donald Trump US Secretary of State Hamas

The United States has frozen its foreign aid, with the exception of that provided to Egypt and Israel, as well as emergency food aid, while it carries out a complete review to see whether it is in line with the policy that Donald Trump intends to pursue. ‘No new funds will be committed (...) until every proposed new allocation or extension has ...

Hamas to Free Four Israeli Female Soldiers on Saturday

This is Beirut, 24/01 21:14 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Hamas Gaza war

Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, has confirmed plans to release four Israeli female soldiers on Saturday, as part of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire agreement. The announcement came on Friday, with Israel quickly acknowledging the names of the hostages, all of whom are aged 19 to 20. The four women are identified as Karina Ariev, ...

West Bank: Hundreds Flee Jenin Amid Israeli Raid, Says Palestinian Official

This is Beirut, 24/01 09:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

West Bank Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas

A Palestinian official said hundreds of people began leaving their homes in a flashpoint area of the West Bank on Thursday as Israeli forces pressed a deadly operation there. The Israeli military this week launched a raid in the Jenin area, a hotbed of Palestinian militancy, days into a ceasefire in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israeli ...

Heavy Gunfire And Explosions On The Second Day Of The Israeli Operation In The West Bank

This is Beirut, 23/01 04:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks West Bank Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas

The town of Jenin in the occupied West Bank was under heavy fire and explosions on Wednesday, the second day of Israel's ‘Iron Wall’ operation, launched just after the start of the truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. ‘The situation is very difficult. The occupying army has bulldozed all the roads leading to Jenin camp and the ...

Fragile Gaza Ceasefire Fraught with Risks

This is Beirut, 22/01 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Palestine Ceasefire Donald Trump Hamas

After months of negotiations, a ceasefire has paused the devastating war in Gaza, but it risks collapsing as a result of deep distrust between Israel and Hamas and the multi-phased nature of the deal. Qatar, which mediated the talks along with the United States and Egypt, has expressed hope the six-week truce and hostage-prisoner exchange will ...

Israeli Chief Of Staff Resigns After ‘Failure Of 7 October'

This is Beirut, 22/01 04:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas Israel Chief of staff

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi resigned on Tuesday, acknowledging his responsibility for the ‘failure’ to prevent a Palestinian Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, on the third day of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. Following the entry into force on Sunday of the first phase of the truce, which led to the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 ...

Qatar PM: Lasting Gaza Peace Requires "Good Faith" by Israel and Hamas

This is Beirut, 21/01 18:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Qatar Israel Hamas Gaza

Qatar's prime minister said Tuesday that a lasting peace in Gaza would depend on Israel and Hamas acting in "good faith", days into a fragile truce in the Palestinian territory mediated by the Gulf state. "If they are embarking in this in good faith, this will last and hopefully will lead to phase two, will lead to a permanent ceasefire," Prime ...

Qatar Says 'Confident' in Deal for Ceasefire in Gaza

This is Beirut, 21/01 14:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Palestine Ceasefire Donald Trump Hamas Qatar

Qatar is confident that the deal it helped mediate for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas addressed all the major issues at stake in the war, the foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday. "We are confident in the deal when it comes to the language of the deal, when it comes to the fact that we hashed out all the major issues on the table", Majed ...

Hamas Official says Four Women Hostages to be Freed Saturday

This is Beirut, 21/01 13:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Hamas Israel Palestine

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP on Tuesday that four Israeli women hostages will be freed in return for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, in the second such release under a ceasefire deal. Nunu said the Palestinian Islamist group would release "four Israeli female detainees in exchange" for a second group of Palestinian prisoners. Three ...

Israel-Hamas Truce Holding Though Trump Doubts it will Last

This is Beirut, 21/01 09:39 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Palestine Hamas Israel

US President Donald Trump said Monday he was not confident a ceasefire deal in Gaza would hold, despite trumpeting his diplomacy to secure it ahead of his inauguration. Asked by a reporter as he returned to the White House whether the two sides would maintain the truce and move on in the agreement, Trump said, "I'm not ...

Hamas Claims Gaza Will 'Rise Again' and Rebuild After Israeli Destruction

This is Beirut, 20/01 16:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hamas Gaza Israel

Palestinian militant group Hamas said Monday that Gaza and its people "will rise again" and rebuild the territory battered by more than 15 months of Israeli bombardment. "Gaza, with its great people and its resilience, will rise again to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed and continue on the path of steadfastness until the ...

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