November 17, 2023, 10:16 p.m
“Hamas knew nothing about the rave on October 7th”
Contrary to what was previously believed, Hamas knew nothing about the “Nova Festival” rave that took place near the Reim Kibbutz when planning the attack on October 7th. Channel 12 reports on this, citing details of the ongoing investigation: The police – it is explained – came to this conclusion based on the interrogations of the captured militiamen, and also because no cards pointing to the event were found on the bodies of those killed , while there were those related to the other targets of the massacre. According to the reconstruction, the terrorists realized that a major event was taking place in the Reim area when the Israeli police dispersed the party participants. Only then did they make their way to the rave area. There were 364 deaths among Nova Festival participants.
November 17, 2023, 9:48 p.m
CNN: “Hamas has called for a stop to drones over Gaza”
As part of negotiations to release the hostages, Hamas has called on Israel to stop drone surveillance flights over Gaza. This is reported by CNN, citing two Israeli officials. The network says it is unclear whether the request is still on the table or whether it has already been officially rejected by Israel. The Israeli Army (IDF) constantly flies drones over Gaza during its military operations and uses them as a primary surveillance tool to monitor the battlefield
November 17, 2023, 9:47 p.m
Doctors Without Borders: “Our staff were stuck in Gaza City and ran out of food”
Heavy fighting in Gaza City continues to prevent thousands of people from safely leaving the area. This was reported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which has been trying for the last six days to evacuate some of its staff who were trapped along with their families in some of the humanitarian organization’s premises near Al Shifa Hospital. In total there are 137 people, including 65 children, who have not gone out since last Saturday. “Our colleagues hear the constant noise of gunfire, grenades and drones,” said Ann Taylor, Médecins Sans Frontières’ head of operations in the region. “We can feel it when we talk to them on the phone. The evacuation route to the southern Gaza Strip remains dangerous. They are very scared, they have run out of food for a few days and the children are starting to get sick from drinking salt water. They must be evacuated now.” Médecins Sans Frontières is calling for an urgent ceasefire, the only way to create safe evacuation corridors for thousands of civilians.
November 17, 2023, 9:41 p.m
Borrell sees Abu Mazen: “Support the PNA return to Gaza”
European Union High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell met with Palestinian Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) in Ramallah. There has been talk, Borrell writes in a tweet, about how to “end the war”: “Immediate practical solutions are needed, starting with immediate humanitarian breaks, access to aid and the release of hostages.” In the medium term, we must support the Palestinian Borrell also met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, to whom he expressed his “solidarity for the tragic loss of civilian lives in Gaza and the terrible humanitarian situation.”
Discussed with President Abbas options for ending the war
Practical solutions are needed in the short term, starting with immediate humanitarian pauses, access for assistance and the release of hostages
In the medium term, we must support the Palestinian Authority in returning to Gaza. pic.twitter.com/loZMHtdQrM
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) November 17, 2023
November 17, 2023, 9:32 p.m
Pope Francis will meet the families of the hostages
On Wednesday morning, November 22, “on the sidelines of the general audience, Pope Francis will meet at different times a group of relatives of Israelis held hostage in Gaza and a group of relatives of Palestinians suffering from the conflict in Gaza.” This was announced by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. “With these meetings, which are exclusively humanitarian in nature, Pope Francis wants to demonstrate his spiritual closeness to the suffering of all people,” he reports.
November 17, 2023, 9:27 p.m
“17,000 liters of diesel came into the strip”
Two security sources at the Rafah border crossing revealed that ten aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt, one of them carrying around 17,000 liters of diesel. According to the same sources, fuel delivery will continue tomorrow. The diesel is destined for the Palestinian Telecommunications Company, a private sector company. Today the Israeli war cabinet approved the US request to authorize the daily entry of two diesel tankers into the southern strip.
November 17, 2023, 9:21 p.m
Meeting between Biden and Emir Qatar: “It is urgent to release the hostages”
US President Joe Biden had a telephone conversation with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. According to the White House, the two leaders discussed the “urgent need to release all hostages held by Hamas without further delay.” Biden and Al-Thani also spoke about ongoing efforts to increase the flow of “urgently needed” humanitarian aid to Gaza and Israel’s decision to resume shipments of fuel for life-saving aid.
November 17, 2023 9:19 p.m
The number of Hamas victims in the rave rises to 364
The number of people who lost their lives in the attack by Hamas militants on the Nova Festival, the rave event held last October 7 in the Negev desert near the Gaza border, has risen to 364. Israeli police said this was a third of all victims of the attack. The previous count stopped at 270 deaths. However, around forty participants were taken hostage and are still prisoners of the Islamist group.
November 17, 2023, 9:13 p.m
Idf: “More underground infrastructure found in Shifa Hospital”
“Our forces continue to intensify operational activities at Shifa Hospital in Gaza. “Today we found another underground infrastructure,” Israeli Army (IDF) military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at a press conference. “We continue to investigate the operating openings found underground,” he added.