US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made his eighth visit to Israel on Monday, aiming to rally support for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is scheduled to meet with former war cabinet minister Benny Gantz.
The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Monday supporting the US proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release, a move welcomed by Hamas.
Latest Updates:
Freed Hostages:
Two of the four hostages freed on Saturday have been discharged from the hospital. Shlomi Ziv and Andrey Kozlov are now staying in a hotel. Video footage of the hostages' rescue in Gaza was released by Israeli authorities.
Palestinian Casualties:
Doctors Without Borders reported treating numerous severely injured patients, including children, following an Israeli operation in the Nuseirat camp. The incident resulted in the death of at least 270 Palestinians and left around 700 wounded.
Aid Operations Paused:
The World Food Programme halted its operations at the US military's floating pier in Gaza pending a security assessment after the IDF's hostage rescue mission. The Pentagon confirmed Israeli military activity near the pier but denied its direct involvement in the operation.
Middle East Tensions:
An Israeli drone flying over southern Lebanon was shot down by a surface-to-air missile, with Hezbollah claiming responsibility for the attack in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
