Israel’s top general has resigned, citing the security failures that allowed Hamas’ 7 October attack, as at least 10 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.
The Jenin raid also left at least 40 wounded, Palestinian health officials said, as Israel’s fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza entered its third dayChief of Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi became the most prominent Israeli official to step down over the militant group’s attack when he announced his resignation on Tuesday.
In Tel Aviv, four people were wounded in a stabbing attack on Tuesday evening, according to Israeli police, who said the attacker was killed by security forces at the scene.
Meanwhile, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu has said four female Israeli hostages will be released on Saturday in return for Palestinian prisoners in the second such exchange under the truce, according to AFP.
And US president Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to the UN, Elise Stefanik, has told a Senate confirmation hearing that Israel has a “biblical” right to dominion over the West Bank.
Key Points
- Israel’s top general resigns citing failures over Hamas attack that ignited war in Gaza
- At least ten Palestinians killed from Israeli attack on Jenin
- Four injured in a Tel Aviv knife attack
- Settlers attack Palestinian villages hours after Trump rescinded Biden sanctions
In pictures: Palestinians look through damage after West Bank settler attacks
10:22 , Alex Croft
‘They beat us every day’: Freed Palestinian prisoners allege abuse in Israeli jails
09:42 , Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent
‘They beat us every day’: Freed Palestinian prisoners allege abuse in Israeli jails
More details on settler attack in West Bank that injured 12
09:13 , Alex CroftEarlier, we reported that dozens of masked men believed to be Israeli settlers had marauded through at least two Palestinian villages in the Israeli-occupied West Bank late on Monday, attacking residents and terrorising neighbourhoods.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said it had treated 12 people who had been beaten by the men in the northern West Bank villages. The Israeli military said the men threw rocks at soldiers who arrived to disperse them and that an investigation had been launched.
Jalal Bashir, the head of Jinsafut’s village council, said three houses, a nursery and a carpentry shop had been attacked.
"The settlers were masked and had incendiary materials," said Bashir. "Their numbers were large and unprecedented."
Louay Tayem, head of the local council in Al-Funduq, said dozens of men had fired shots, thrown stones, burned cars, and attacked homes and shops, the Associated Press reported.
Charred shells of cars littered the side of the road in Jinsafut on Tuesday, and residents were seen surveying the damage to a burned storage space.
Southeast Asian ASEAN bloc welcomes Gaza ceasefire
08:52 , Alex CroftThe southeast Asian bloc ASEAN has welcomed a ceasefire in Gaza and called for its full implentation along with the release of all hostages, its chair Malaysia said.
“We also call for a full, safe, rapid, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians,” the bloc said in a statement released on Wednesday.
France issues arrest warrants against Syria’s Assad
08:42 , Alex CroftFrench investigating magistrates have issued an arrest warrant against deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, on accusations of complicity in war crimes, a legal source said on Tuesday.
The mandate was issued on 20 January as part of an investigation into the case of Salah Abou Nabour, a Franco-Syrian national who was killed in a bombing raid in June 2017.
It is the second arrest warrant Assad faces in French courts, after he was charged in November 2023 for complicity in crimes against humanity and complicity in war crimes.
A French investigation into chemical attacks in Douma and Eastern Ghouta which killed more than 1,000 people in August 2013.
Assad’s government has denied using chemical weapons against its opponents in the civil war, which broke out in March 2011.
The former Syrian leader was overthrown in early December 2024 by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
In pictures: Israeli vehicles in Jenin, West Bank, as 10 Palestinians killed
08:27 , Alex Croft
Who in Israel has resigned over the Hamas attack?
08:03 , Namita SinghIsrael‘s top general on Tuesday became the highest-ranking official to resign over Hamas‘ 7 October 2023 attack, the worst security failure in the country’s history.
Like much of Israel’s top brass, Lt General Herzi Halevi remained in his post through the 15-month war in the Gaza Strip, the related conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon and tensions with Iran that led the two countries to exchange fire twice last year.
But days into a ceasefire with Hamas, and with the other conflicts having wound down, he and the head of Israel’s Southern Command, which oversees operations in Gaza, announced they would step down.
Their resignations are likely to fuel longstanding calls in Israel for a public inquiry into the security and intelligence failures.
Here’s a look at who has taken the fall for 7 October and who hasn’t.
Who in Israel has resigned over the Oct. 7 security breakdown, and who hasn't?
At least 10 killed in Jenin, says Palestinian health ministry
07:32 , Namita SinghAt least 10 have been killed in Israeli military raids on Tuesday, while 40 have been injured, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
It comes after the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the launching of a “large-scale and significant military operation to eradicate terrorism” in the territory, which he dubbed operation “Iron Wall”.
He said that Israel is “acting systematically and resolutely against the Iranian axis wherever it extends its arms – in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Judea and Samaria – and with our hands still outstretched”.
Israel has 'biblical' dominion over West Bank, says Trump’s UN nominee
07:16 , Namita SinghPresident Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to the UN has said that Israel has a “biblical” right to dominion over the occupied West Bank.
Elise Stefanik made the remarks during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, when she was confronted over her backing of a position that aligns with the Israeli far-right.
She was asked if she agreed with those like Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and former national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir who believe that Israel has a “biblical right” to the entire West Bank.
“Yes!” Ms Stefanik replied.
Mr Trump’s plan for peace and stability in the region would be “very difficult to achieve ... if you continue to hold the view that you just expressed,” shot back senator Chris Van Hollen, who was at her confirmation hearing.
Ms Stefanik repeatedly refused to say if Palestinians have the right to self-determination.
“I think President Trump is uniquely positioned at this very challenging moment to bring peace to the region, to eradicate terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah, to protect Israel’s national security. If you look at the failures, we’ve given billions of dollars, and this is just the bilateral aid to the Palestinians, and it has been abused by Hamas,” Ms Stefanik said.
More than 2,400 aid trucks enter Gaza under truce, UN says no big looting issues
06:10 , Namita SinghNearly 900 humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the third day of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas, as a senior UN official said so far there had been no apparent law-and-order issues.
The latest arrivals bring the three-day total to more than 2,400 trucks entering the enclave.
Throughout the 15-month war, the UN has described its humanitarian operation as opportunistic - facing problems with Israel’s military operation, access restrictions by Israel into and throughout Gaza and more recently looting by armed gangs.
Muhannad Hadi, the top UN aid official for Gaza and the West Bank, said there had been minor incidents of looting in the past three days, but “not like before”.
It’s not organised crime. Kids jumped on some trucks trying to take food baskets. There were some other people (who) tried to take some bottled water. Hopefully within few days this will all disappear once the people of Gaza realise that we will have aid enough for everybody.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 897 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, citing information it received from Israel and the guarantors for the ceasefire agreement - the United States, Egypt and Qatar.
The truce deal requires at least 600 truckloads of aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the initial six-week ceasefire, including 50 carrying fuel. Half of those trucks are supposed to go to Gaza’s north, where experts have warned famine is imminent.
ICYMI: Israel's top general resigns over failure to stop Hamas attack as he calls for public inquiry
05:55 , Namita SinghIsrael’s top general has resigned, citing the security failures that allowed Hamas’ 7 October 2023, attack. Lt General Herzi Halevi is the most prominent Israeli official to resign over the attack.
He announced his resignation on Tuesday, just days into a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of Israel’s Southern Command, which oversees operations in Gaza, also tendered his resignation.
Their resignations will likely add to calls for a public inquiry into the 7 October failures, something prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said must wait until the war is over.
Lt General Halevi’s resignation letter noted that the military’s investigations into those failures were “currently in their final stages”.And he made his most explicit call yet for a public inquiry in comments to journalists, saying it would be “granted full transparency” by the military.
Israel’s former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, was fired by Mr Netanyahu in November after the two clashed on a number of issues, including Mr Gallant’s pushing for a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician who resigned as Public Security Minister on Sunday over his opposition to the ceasefire, welcomed Lt General Halevi’s announcement and called on Mr Netanyahu to appoint a new chief of staff who will be “strong and on the offensive” in order to demolish Hamas.
Four wounded in Tel Aviv stabbing attack
05:06 , Namita SinghFour people were wounded in a stabbing attack in central Tel Aviv yesterday evening, according to Israeli police, who said the attacker was killed by security forces at the scene.
Two people were in moderate condition and two had light wounds, according to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency rescue service. Ichilov Hospital said one person was in moderate-severe condition with a stab wound to the neck.
Authorities only identified the attacker as a 28-year-old “foreign national” but believe the stabbings were a terrorist act. The attack took place in a bustling area filled with restaurants and cafes.
Another stabbing attack in Tel Aviv over the weekend left one person seriously wounded, and the attacker was also shot and wounded, police said at the time.
We found nothing’: Palestinians return to destroyed homes and businesses in Gaza
05:03 , Namita SinghMany Palestinians from the southern Gaza city of Rafah who returned to the area on Tuesday were shocked to find nothing left of their homes and businesses.
Manal Selim, a single mother of six, worked as a hairdresser and owned a shop that rented wedding and evening dresses. Her family lived upstairs.“We thought we’d find some place to live in or stay,” she said. “The destruction is scary. It’s like an apocalypse.”
She broke down in tears seeing it all destroyed, pulling a few ripped dresses from under the rubble.“This is my house. I built it brick by brick for 25 years,” she said.
Elsewhere, Murad Miqdad found his home and electric appliance store in a three-story building completely destroyed.“We found nothing,” he said. “There’s nothing to pull out of the house, and if you were able to pull anything out, you still wouldn’t be able to use it.”
UN says aid is flowing smoothly into Gaza
05:00 , Namita SinghThe UN humanitarian coordinator in Gaza says trucks from the UN, aid groups, governments and the private sector are arriving and no major looting has been reported beyond a few minor incidents.
Nearly 900 aid trucks entered Gaza on the third day of the ceasefire on Tuesday, the United Nations said. That’s significantly higher than the 600 trucks called for in the deal.
Muhannad Hadi, who returned to Jerusalem from Gaza on Tuesday afternoon, told UN reporters by video that it was one of the happiest days of his 35-year humanitarian career to see Palestinians in the streets looking ahead with hope, some heading home and some starting to clean up the roads.
In his talks with families at a communal kitchen run by the UN World Food Program and elsewhere, he said, they all told him they need humanitarian assistance but want to go home, to work and earn money.
“They don’t like the fact that they have been depending on humanitarian aid,” Mr Hadi said. Palestinians talked about resuming education for their children and about the need for shelter, blankets and new clothes.
Mr Hadi, who is also the deputy UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said the UN hopes to start “early recovery” programmes, beginning with cash-for-work removing the tons of rubble in Gaza. But he said the UN must make sure the banking system is operating and electricity is back, stressing the critical role of UN member states and the private sector in early recovery.
Israel launches major operation in West Bank
04:19 , Namita SinghIsrael launched a major military operation Tuesday in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin that killed at least nine Palestinians and left at least 40 more people wounded, Palestinian health officials said, as Israel’s fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza entered its third day.
In Tel Aviv, four people were wounded in a stabbing attack and the suspect was killed by security forces, according to Israeli police.
Authorities only identified the attacker as a 28-year-old “foreign national” but believe the stabbings were a terrorist act.
Settlers attack Palestinian villages hours after Trump rescinded Biden sanctions
03:30 , Namita SinghViolence has surged in the West Bank, with Israel launching a deadly raid on the Jenin refugee camp on Tuesday. It comes as settler leaders rushed to praise Donald Trump’s decision to reverse the sanctions imposed by the Biden administration aimed at punishing far-right settlers.
Late on Monday, dozens of masked men who are widely believed to be settlers marauded through at least two Palestinian villages and attacked homes and businesses, according to officials in Jinsafut and Al-Funduq, which are roughly 50km north of Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said it treated 12 people who were beaten by the men.
Jalal Bashir, the head of Jinsafut’s village council, said that the men attacked three houses, a nursery and a carpentry shop located on the village’s main road. Louay Tayem, head of the local council in Al-Funduq, said dozens of men had fired shots, thrown stones, burned cars, and attacked homes and shops.“The settlers were masked and had incendiary materials,” said Mr Bashir. “Their numbers were large and unprecedented.”
UN says it could take many years to rebuild widely devastated Gaza
03:00 , Tara CobhamA United Nations damage assessment released this month showed that clearing over 50 million tonnes of rubble left in the aftermath of Israel's bombardment of Gaza could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion.
To make matters worse, some of the debris is believed to be contaminated with asbestos, as some of the coastal enclace’s devastated refugee camps, built up into cities since the 1940s, are known to have been constructed with the material.
Gaza health authorities say at least 47,000 people have been killed in the conflict, with the rubble likely holding the remains of thousands more.
A UN Development Programme reports says that development in the territory has been set back seven decades by the war.
"They [Gazans] are able to return home. ...It's a bit of a stretch of the imagination, I would say, to call it homes, because mostly, particularly in the north, it's mountains of rubble that they find. So they need help with that," Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs, told a Geneva press briefing on Tuesday.
Palestinians dig through rubble for bodies of loved ones
02:00 , Tara CobhamPalestinian rescue workers continued the search for remains of Gazans buried under the wreckage of their houses and along the roadsides, locating at least 150 bodies since the truce went into effect, according to the Gaza civil emergency service.
Shocking images of decayed bodies spread on social media. At Shejaia cemetery, which had been flattened by Israeli tanks and bulldozers in previous months, several men dug up the ground searching for the graves of their relatives.
"I have been searching and looking for my father’ grave, my brother’s grave and my brother’s wife’s grave, and I can’t find them," Atef Jundiya, said at the cemetery in Gaza City.
"I mean, we are relieved by the ceasefire, but at the same time, we are still searching for our martyrs and searching for our graves and can’t find them," Jundiya told Reuters.
The civil emergency service estimates that 10,000 bodies remain under the rubble, calling for heavy machinery and earth-moving vehicles to help in the extraction process, which officials expect to last for several months.
Palestinians head back home to destruction after truce deal with Israel
01:00 , Tara CobhamSome Gazans have not been able to even recognise where they once lived and have consequently turned their back on shattered neighbourhoods to return to tents where they have sheltered for the past several months. Others have begun to clear debris to try to move back to the wreckage of their homes.
"We are cleaning the house, and removing the rubble, so we are able to return home. Those are the quilts, pillows, nothing was left at the house," said Palestinian woman Walaa El-Err, pointing to her destroyed belongings at her bombed-out home in Nuseirat, a decades-old refugee camp in central Gaza.
She said the feeling of returning to her neighbourhood was "indescribable". She said she'd stayed up all night on Saturday waiting for the truce to take effect the next day. But the optimism surrounding news of a ceasefire has faded.
"When I went into the camp, I teared up, as our camp was not like that, it was the best. When we left all the towers (and) homes were still untouched, and none of the neighbours had been killed," she lamented.
In Gaza City in the enclave's north, Abla, a mother of three children, waited for a few hours to make sure the truce held on Sunday before heading to her home in the Tel Al-Hawa suburb, demolished by Israeli bombardments and ground offensives.
The scene was "horrific" she said, as the seven-floor building had been levelled, "smashed like a piece of biscuit".
"I heard the area was hit hard and the house could have been gone, but I was driven by both doubt and hope that it could have been saved," she told Reuters via a chat app.
"What I found wasn't just a house, it is the box of memories, where I had my children, celebrated their birthday parties, made them food, and taught them their first words and moves," she said.
Yemen vice-president says Trump return pivotal in fight against Iran backed-Houthis
00:00 , Tara CobhamThe vice president of Yemen's UN-recognised government on Tuesday welcomed Donald Trump's return as US president, saying it was a decisive turning point to curb the Iran-backed Houthis, who he said threaten regional stability and maritime security.
Aidarous al-Zubaidi told Reuters that Trump's strong leadership and willingness to employ military strength were in sharp contrast to the Biden administration, which he said had allowed the Houthis to consolidate power, bolster their military capabilities and extend their reach beyond Yemen.
"Trump knows what he wants. He is a strong decision-maker," Zubaidi said in an interview on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos.
"We are fans, admirers and supporters of Trump's policy .... because he has a personality that has enough decision-making power to rule America and the world," he said, adding that he expected talks with the incoming administration to begin soon.
Airlines cautiously return to Middle East
Tuesday 21 January 2025 23:00 , Tara CobhamConcerns about conflict in the Middle East have prompted airlines to suspend flights to the region, but with the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in place, some are cautiously resuming their services.
Air France, Transavia France, EasyJet and Ita Airways are among the airlines to have recently announced planned resumptions to travel.
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Harvard settles lawsuits over antisemitism on campus
Tuesday 21 January 2025 22:00 , Tara CobhamHarvard University has agreed to provide additional protections for Jewish students to settle two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.
Under a settlement announced on Tuesday, Harvard will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism when evaluating whether alleged discrimination or harassment violates the university's non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies.
Harvard will also post online a Frequently Asked Questions document related to those policies, report annually for five years on its responses to discrimination or harassment, and provide expert training on combating antisemitism to staff who review discrimination complaints.
Both lawsuits accused Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars federal funds recipients from allowing discrimination based on race, religion and national origin.
The lawsuits were among many accusing major universities of encouraging antisemitism after war broke out in Gaza in October 2023 between Israel and Hamas.
Both settlements include unspecified monetary terms. Harvard did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.
Palestinians confront a landscape of destruction in Gaza's 'ghost towns'
Tuesday 21 January 2025 21:00 , Tara CobhamPalestinians in Gaza are confronting an apocalyptic landscape of devastation after a ceasefire paused more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Across the tiny coastal enclave, where built-up refugee camps are interspersed between cities, drone footage captured by The Associated Press shows mounds of rubble stretching as far as the eye can see — remnants of the longest and deadliest war between Israel and Hamas in their blood-ridden history.
“As you can see, it became a ghost town,” said Hussein Barakat, 38, whose home in the southern city of Rafah was flattened. “There is nothing,” he said, as he sat drinking coffee on a brown armchair perched on the rubble of his three-story home, in a surreal scene.
Read the full report here:
Palestinians confront a landscape of destruction in Gaza's 'ghost towns'
Netanyahu ‘pressed Starmer about Britain’s freeze on arms exports to Israel'
Tuesday 21 January 2025 20:30 , Tara CobhamBenjamin Netanyahu pressed Sir Keir Starmer about Britain's freeze on arms exports to Israel, Israel's readout of Tuesday's discussion between the two prime ministers said.
A statement published by Israel's ministry of foreign affairs said: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this afternoon (Tuesday January 21 2025), spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer who thanked him for the release of British citizen Emily Damari and congratulated him on his actions for the release of the other hostages.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu raised the issue of the weapons export licences to Israel that have been frozen in the UK.
"Prime Minister Starmer said that an evaluation of the issue is being carried out."
The Government suspended 30 arms export licences for items used in Gaza by the Israeli defence forces in September last year, over concerns about Israel's compliance with human rights during the conflict.
Trump rescinds sanctions on far-right Israeli settlers
Tuesday 21 January 2025 20:00 , Tara CobhamAmong other Biden-era executive orders that US President Donald Trump rescinded Monday is one that authorises sanctions on people who undermine peace in the occupied West Bank.
The Biden administration used the executive order to impose a handful of sanctions on extremist settlers accused of using violence against Palestinians who live in the West Bank after violence erupted after Hamas' 7 October, 2023 attacks on Israel.
Settlers in the territory have celebrated the incoming Trump administration, believing it will take a more favorable approach to illegal settlements. During his first term, Trump took unprecedented steps to support Israel's territorial claims, including recognizing Jerusalem as its capital and moving the US Embassy there, and recognizing Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.
Watch: Netanyahu thanks Trump for ‘helping free’ Israeli hostages
Tuesday 21 January 2025 19:30 , Tara CobhamIsraeli commanding officer’s resignation letter in full
Tuesday 21 January 2025 19:00 , Chief international correspondent Bel TrewHere is a translation of the letter from MG Yaron Finkelman, the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, to the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi:
“Commander,
Led by my moral compass and the values that guide me, I have decided to leave my role as the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command and end my service in the IDF.
On 7 October, I failed in defending the western Negev and its beloved and heroic residents.
This failure will be etched into me for the rest of my life.
Out of responsibility to the State of Israel, the cherished and dear residents of the communities of the Gaza Envelope, the IDF, and my soldiers, I have since worked to lead the war against Hamas and the terrorist organizations in Gaza.
I had the privilege to command, during this war, remarkable commanders, male and female combat soldiers – the Generation of Victory.
Their fighting is a chapter of great heroism and valor in the history of the IDF and the state.
With deep pain, I will forever carry in my heart the memory of the fallen. The finest of our sons and daughters, courageous in spirit, heart, and deed.
We will march forward with their legacy, and I will always stand with the bereaved families.
Our wounded also remain with me, sharing their pain and their inspiring struggle toward recovery and health.
In this war, we dealt Hamas a significant blow.
It is imperative to continue striking the enemy, to bring home all our hostages, and to return the communities to their lands in safety and prosperity.
I thank you, commander, for your true partnership during these ultimate tests and for your stable and moral leadership.
I will continue my mission for as long as required.
Major General Yaron Finkelman,
Commanding Officer of the Southern Command”
Some 72 bodies taken to Gazan hospitals in past 24 hours
Tuesday 21 January 2025 18:30 , Tara CobhamSome 72 bodies have been taken to Gazan hospitals in the past 24 hours, almost all of them recovered from attacks before the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said today.
An unknown number of bodies remain unreachable because they are in northern Gaza, where access remains restricted, or in buffer zones where Israeli forces are.
Israel's military campaign has killed over 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, who say women and children make up more than half of the fatalities but do not say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
After 15 months of war, Hamas still rules over what remains of Gaza
Tuesday 21 January 2025 18:00 , Tara CobhamAs a ceasefire brought calm to Gaza's ruined cities, Hamas was quick to emerge from hiding.
The militant group has not only survived Israel's 15-month military campaign — among the deadliest and most destructive in recent memory — but it remains firmly in control of the coastal territory that now resembles an apocalyptic wasteland.
For all the might it deployed in Gaza, Israel failed to remove Hamas from power, one of its central war aims. That makes a return to fighting more likely, but the results might be the same.
Qatar PM hopes Palestinian Authority will return to Gaza when war ends
Tuesday 21 January 2025 17:30 , Tara CobhamQatar's Prime Minister has said he hoped the Palestinian Authority would return to play a governing role in Gaza once the war with Israel comes to an end.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland on Tuesday, two days after the ceasefire Qatar helped broker came into effect in Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani cautioned that Gazans – and not any other country – should dictate the way the enclave will be governed.
"We hope to see the PA back in Gaza. We hope to see a government that will really address the issues of the people over there. And there is a long way to go with Gaza and the destruction," he said in Davos.
How Gaza will be governed after the war was not directly addressed in the deal between Israel and militant group Hamas that led to an immediate ceasefire and hostage releases after nearly 15 months of talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S.
Israel has rejected any governing role for Hamas, which ran Gaza before the war, but it has been almost equally opposed to rule by the Palestinian Authority, the body set up under the Oslo interim peace accords three decades ago that has limited governing power in the West Bank.
The PA, dominated by the Fatah faction created by former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, faces opposition from rival faction Hamas, which drove the PA out of Gaza in 2007 after a brief civil war.
UN welcomes ‘surge’ in aid into Gaza on day three of ceasefire – but warns massive needs remain
Tuesday 21 January 2025 17:03 , Chief international correspondent Bel TrewThe UN has welcomed the “surge” in lifesaving humanitarian aid into Gaza on day three of the ceasefire – but warned that massive needs remain across the devastated enclave.
The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Tuesday that aid is entering the terriroty “at scale” in line with the ceasefire agreement.
Aid trucks began entering Gaza “a few minutes after the deal entered into force on Sunday,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke. “Up to now – these two first days of entry - there [have] been no reports of looting or attacks against aid workers.”
Scenes from Nuseirat refugee camp in #Gaza show people returning to what was once home. With such widespread devastation, the path to recovery will be long.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 21, 2025
Many homes across the Gaza Strip have been destroyed. The needs for immediate aid and long-term support are critical. pic.twitter.com/c0Yvt4dpgp
Islamic Jihad also condemns Israeli operation in Jenin
Tuesday 21 January 2025 17:00 , Tara CobhamIslamic Jihad has also condemned the Israeli operation in Jenin.
The militant group, which is smaller and more radical than Hamas, said it reflected Israel's "failure to achieve its goals in Gaza". It said it was also a "desperate attempt" by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to save his governing coalition.
Full story: Israel’s top general resigns over 7 October Hamas attack – as military launches major West Bank offensive
Tuesday 21 January 2025 16:30 , Tara CobhamIsrael‘s top general has announced his resignation over the security failures that allowed Hamas to attack southern Israel on 7 October 2023 – saying he will stand down in March.
Lt General Herzi Halevi, the Israeli armed forces chief of staff, is the most prominent Israeli official to resign over the attack. The move comes just days into a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza war that was triggered by the attack, during which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 people taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed 47,000 Palestinians according to the enclave’s health ministry and forced 90 per cent of its 2.3 million residents from their homes.
As part of a the first, six-week, phase of the Gaza ceasefire, 33 of the hostages still held in the territory are due to be released, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails. The first three hostages were released over the weekend, alongside 90 prisoners. A Hamas official told AFP that four women will be released this coming weekend, without naming them.
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew, in Jerusalem, and international editor Chris Stevenson report:
Israel’s top general resigns over Hamas attack – as military launches West Bank raid
Starmer speaks with Netanyahu on third day of Israel-Hamas ceasefire
Tuesday 21 January 2025 16:00 , Tara CobhamSir Keir Starmer has spoken with Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as a ceasefire between his country and Hamas enters its third day.
Giving a readout of their phone call, a Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu today.
"The Prime Minister began by offering the UK's support for the hard-fought and long-awaited ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which has now entered its third day.
"He offered his personal thanks for the work done by the Israeli government to secure the release of the hostages, including British hostage Emily Damari. To see the pictures of Emily finally back in her family's arms was a wonderful moment but a reminder of the human cost of the conflict, he added.
"The leaders moved on to discuss the need to see the next stages of the ceasefire deal implemented in full and on schedule, including the release of the remaining hostages. The Prime Minister reiterated that it was vital to ensure humanitarian aid can now flow uninterrupted into Gaza, to support the Palestinians who desperately need it.
"Both agreed that we must work towards a permanent and peaceful solution that guarantees Israel's security and stability. The Prime Minister added that the UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a political process, which should also lead to a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
"They agreed to continue their close co-operation on defence and security matters in support of wider stability in the region - particularly in the face of the ongoing threat posed by Iran."
UN ‘alarmed’ by renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli forces in West Bank
Tuesday 21 January 2025 15:30 , Chief international correspondent Bel TrewThe UN has said it is “alarmed” by renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli forces in the West Bank.
The UN Human Rights Office for Palestine said today: “OHCHR Palestine is alarmed by a wave of renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli security forces in the Occupied West Bank, coinciding with the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages and detainees.
“This has been accompanied by increased restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement across the West Bank, including complete closure of some checkpoints and installation of new gates, effectively confining entire communities.”
.@OHCHR_Palestine is alarmed by a wave of renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli security forces in the Occupied #WestBank, coinciding with the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages and detainees. This has been accompanied by…
— UN Human Rights Palestine (@OHCHR_Palestine) January 20, 2025
Saudi foreign minister tells Davos Iran-Israel war should be avoided
Tuesday 21 January 2025 15:17 , Tara CobhamA war between Israel and Iran should be avoided, Saudi Foreign Minister said in Davos on Tuesday, adding that he did not see the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump contributing to the risk of such conflict.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, who spoke during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland, also said he would visit Lebanon later this week, the first such trip in more than a decade.
UPDATE: Death toll from Israeli attack on Jenin rises to eight Palestinians
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:48 , Tara CobhamIsraeli security forces backed by helicopters raided the volatile West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, killing at least eight Palestinians in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a "large-scale and significant military operation".
The action, launched a day after US President Donald Trump declared he was lifting sanctions on ultranationalist Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian villages, was announced by Netanyahu as a new offensive against Iranian-backed militants.
"We are acting systematically and resolutely against the Iranian axis wherever it extends its arms in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Judea and Samaria," Netanyahu said. Judea and Samaria are terms Israel uses for the occupied West Bank.
The military said soldiers, police and intelligence services had begun a counter-terrorism operation in Jenin. It follows a weeks-long operation by Palestinian security forces in self-rule areas of the West Bank to reassert control in the adjacent refugee camp, a major centre of armed militant groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which get support from Iran.
As the operation began, Palestinian security forces withdrew from the refugee camp and the sound of heavy gunfire could be heard in mobile phone footage shared on social media.
Palestinian health services said at least eight Palestinians were killed and 35 wounded as the Israeli raid began, a week after an Israeli air strike in the Jenin refugee camp killed at least three Palestinians and wounded scores more.
Palestinian prisoners freed in Gaza ceasefire allege abuse in jail – and fear re-arrest by Israel
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:45 , Tara CobhamPalestinian prisoners released during Gaza’s ceasefire deal have alleged abuse inside Israel’s jails – saying they feel “mixed” emotions about being freed as they fear the fragile truce will not hold, and they may be arrested again.
Ecstatic crowds waving flags greeted the buses that left the sprawling Ofer prison complex in the occupied West Bank early on Monday. Inside were 90 Palestinian prisoners, all women, teenagers, and children, many of whom say they were abused and tortured inside Israel’s detention system – allegations that Israel has repeatedly denied.
They were freed as part of a long-fought-for ceasefire brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt. Split into three phases, the initial six-week period will see Hamas release 33 hostages it seized during its bloody attacks on 7 October. In exchange, almost 2,000 Palestinians in Israeli detention would also be freed.
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports from Jerusalem:
Palestinian prisoners freed in Gaza deal allege abuse in jail – and fear re-arrest
‘7 October failure will burn my heart for all my life’: Israeli commanding officer reveals reason for resignation
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:18 , Chief international correspondent Bel TrewThe Israeli Commanding Officer has revealed his reason for resigning is similarly the “failure” over Hamas’ 7 October, 2023, attack, which “”will burn my heart for all my life”.
In a handwritten note released today, MG Yaron Finkelman said: “I decided to end my role as the commander of the South forces and my service in the IDF.
“On 7 October, I failed to defend the western negev and its residents and beloved Heroes… this failure will burn my heart for all my life.”
Footage captures large number of Israeli military bulldozers arriving in Jenin
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:10 , Chief international correspondent Bel TrewFootage has captured a large number of Israeli military bulldozers arriving in the West Bank.
A large scale operation was launched on the city of Jenin today.
عدد كبير من جرافات الاحتلال تقتحم جنين للمشاركة في العدوان الواسع على المدينة ومخيمها. pic.twitter.com/JxG8ERdn6N
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) January 21, 2025
Netanyahu issues statement on West Bank raids
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:05 , Chief international correspondent Bel TrewIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a statement on the West Bank raids.
Today, he said: “On the directive of the Security Cabinet, the IDF, the ISA and the Israel Police have today begun an extensive and significant military operation to defeat terrorism in Jenin – ‘Iron Wall’.
“This is an additional step in achieving the objective that we have set – bolstering security in Judea and Samaria.
“We are acting methodically and with determination against the Iranian axis wherever it reaches – in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and] Judea and Samaria – and we are still active.”
Top Israeli general issues statement taking ‘responsiblity for terrible failure’ over Hamas attack
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:54 , Tara CobhamThe top Israeli general who has resigned has said “the IDF failed in its mission to protect Israel’s citizens” when Hamas attacked the country on 7 October 2023, citing his “responsibility for this terrible failure” in his reasons for ending his tenure.
In a statement issued today, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said: On the morning of 7 October, under my command, the IDF failed in its mission to protect Israel’s citizens. The State of Israel paid a heavy and painful price – in lives lost, in hostages taken, and in those wounded both physically and emotionally. The courageous acts of many – security forces personnel, IDF soldiers and commanders, and brave civilians – were not enough to prevent this great disaster. My responsibility for this terrible failure accompanies me every day, every hour, and will remain with me for the rest of my life.”
He continued: “In recognition of my responsibility for the IDF’s failure on 7 October, and at a time when the IDF has recorded extraordinary achievements and restored Israel’s deterrence and strength, I request to conclude my tenure on 6 March, 2025.”
He added: “In the time remaining, I will finalise the investigations and continue strengthening the IDF’s readiness for the challenges ahead. This will ensure a smooth and structured transition of command to my successor.
“I will always be a soldier of the State of Israel.”
Israeli defence minister responds to top general’s resignation
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:47 , Tara CobhamIsrael’s defence minister has responded to the resignation of a top Israeli general over Hamas’ 7 October attack.
A spokesperson for Israel Katz said in a statement issued today: “The Chief of Staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, informed me today of his desire to terminate his position for the reasons he detailed in his letter.
“I would like to express my appreciation to the Chief of Staff and thank him for his contribution to the IDF throughout his years of service as a fighter and as a commander, and for his part in the great achievements of the IDF in the difficult war that was forced upon us.
“The Chief of Staff will continue to fulfill his duties and will carry out an orderly overlap procedure until the end of his duties.”
Israeli Commanding Officer also resigns
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:44 , Tara CobhamAn Israeli Commanding Officer has also resigned.
The Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, MG Yaron Finkelman, informed the Chief of the General Staff today of his decision to end his service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Hamas urges Palestinians to escalate fighting against Israel in West Bank amid Jenin raid
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:20 , Tara CobhamHamas has called upon Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to escalate fighting against Israeli forces in response to a military offensive in the city of Jenin, the militant group said in a statement.
Israel’s top general resigns citing failures over Hamas attack that ignited war in Gaza
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:19 , Tara CobhamIsrael's top general has resigned, citing the security failures that allowed Hamas' 7 October, 2023, attack.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi is the most prominent Israeli official to resign over the attack.
He announced his resignation Tuesday, just days into a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, notifying Defense Minister Israel Katz that he intends to resign on 6 March.
In a statement, Halevi said he is leaving the military after “recognizing my responsibility for the failure of the IDF on 7 October, and at the point in time in which the IDF has recorded significant achievements, and is in the process of implementing an agreement to release hostages.”
Until 6 March, Halevi said, he will complete the investigations into the 7 October Hamas onslaught and prepare the IDF for future challenges.
“I will transfer command of the IDF in a high-quality and thorough manner to my replacement,” he adds.
UPDATE: Major Israeli operation in West Bank leaves six dead and dozens wounded
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:15 , Tara CobhamA major Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank has left at least six dead and dozens wounded, Palestinian health officials have said, as a fragile ceasefire in Gaza entered its third day.
The operation on Tuesday was centered in the city of Jenin, which has seen repeated Israeli incursions and gunbattles with militants in recent years, even before Hamas' 7 October, 2023, attack ignited the war in Gaza.
The Israeli military announced a "significant and broad military operation" in the West Bank, just days into a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza that is supposed to last for six weeks and see 33 militant-held hostages released in return for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 800 people have been killed in Israeli raids in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war.
UN highlights need for specialised care for 30,000 Palestinians with life-changing injuries
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:00 , Tara CobhamThe UN has said 30,000 Palestinians have life-changing injuries and highlighted their need for specialised care.
The World Health Organization currently has a 60-day plan to increase beds and deploy overseas health workers to Gaza hospitals, said UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.
Around one million children depend on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, says UN
Tuesday 21 January 2025 12:40 , Tara CobhamThe UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the more than two million people in Gaza, about half of them children, depend on humanitarian aid entering the Strip, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq has said.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said on Sunday that the needs in Gaza are staggering and his office said on Monday that aid workers are ramping up the delivery of food, clean water, shelter materials and other essential supplies.
UPDATED: Two killed in Israeli strike in West Bank, Palestinians say
Tuesday 21 January 2025 12:20 , Tara CobhamAn 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.
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' 7 October, 2023, attacks.
In pictures: Palestinian children chase aid trucks arriving in Gaza
Tuesday 21 January 2025 12:00 , Tara Cobham
UPDATE: One Palestinian reported killed in Israeli military raids in West Bank
Tuesday 21 January 2025 11:45 , Tara CobhamIsraeli security forces launched an operation in the volatile West Bank city of Jenin, killing at least one Palestinian, officials said on Tuesday.
The military said soldiers, police and intelligence services had begun a counter-terrorism action in the city, giving no further details.
Prior to the Israeli action, Palestinian security forces had been conducting a weeks-long operation to reassert control in the city and the adjacent refugee camp, a major centre of armed militant groups in the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian health services said at least one Palestinian was killed and four wounded as the Israeli raid began in Jenin, where an Israeli air strike last week in the refugee camp killed at least three Palestinians and wounded scores more.
The move into Jenin, where the Israeli army has carried out multiple raids and large-scale incursions over recent years, comes only days after the start of a ceasefire in Gaza and underscores the threat of more violence in the West Bank.
Late on Monday, bands of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians, smashing cars and burning property, just as newly installed US President Donald Trump announced he was lifting sanctions on violent settlers.
The attack near the village of al-Funduq, in an area where three Israelis were killed in a shooting earlier this month, was the latest in a long sequence of incidents that have accelerated strongly since the start of the war in Gaza.
The military said it had opened an investigation into the incident, which it said involved dozens of Israeli civilians, some in masks.
Palestinians searching for bodies under rubble reportedly found 66 in Gaza yesterday
Tuesday 21 January 2025 11:25 , Tara CobhamPalestinians searching for the thousands believed to be buried under rubble in Gaza found 66 bodies yesterday, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.
They were found in the south and north of the Strip, it reported Palestinian medical sources as saying.
Two people reportedly shot in Gaza despite ceasefire deal
Tuesday 21 January 2025 11:00 , Tara CobhamTwo people have reportedly been shot in Gaza despite the ceasefire deal that is in place, according to Palestinian reports.
The civilians were injured in Israeli gunfire in two separate incidents on Tuesday, one in the sea of Gaza City and the other in the Sabra neighborhood, reported Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Israeli military begins operation in West Bank city of Jenin
Tuesday 21 January 2025 10:46 , Tara CobhamIsraeli security forces have begun an operation in the volatile West Bank city of Jenin, the military said on Tuesday, without providing further details.
Prior to the Israeli action, Palestinian security forces had been conducting a weeks-long operation to reassert control over the city, a major centre of armed militant groups.
