6:56 p.m
Hamas has freed two American hostages, a mother and a daughter
Hamas said it had released two hostages, a mother and a daughter, also with American citizenship. This – according to Hamas – should “show the American people how false the statements of Biden and his fascist government are.” Hamas then thanked Qatar for its mediation. This was reported on Israeli television.
The two Americans were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross. Israel’s Kan public television learned that it was possible that they would be released through the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. This information follows the announcement by Hamas’ military wing, the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades, about the release of a mother and daughter with US citizenship.
6:55 p.m
Biden: “Israel-Egypt deal, Rafah opens in 24-48 hours”
President Joe Biden has reached an agreement with Israel and Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing in the next 24 to 48 hours, when the first 12 aid trucks will arrive in Gaza. That’s what the American president said.
6:14 p.m
Erdogan’s appeal to Israel: “Stop operations in Gaza, it is genocide”
“I reiterate our call on the Israeli government not to increase the scope of its attacks on civilians and to immediately stop operations that are on the verge of genocide,” said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Anadolu reported, when discussing Israeli operations spoke in Gaza. “Instead of correcting its mistakes and acting with the wisdom of a state, Israel behaves like an organization that is often egged on by actors outside the region,” the Turkish president added.
6:06 p.m
In Paris, the number of French people killed in the Hamas attack rises to 30
The number of people with French passports killed in the Middle East since Hamas’ aggression against Israel began on October 7 has risen to thirty: this is according to the latest figure announced by French diplomatic sources. However, seven French people are missing. Today, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke via video conference with the families of French hostages held by Hamas, while Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna will leave for Cairo this evening to attend the peace summit scheduled for tomorrow in the Egyptian capital.
5:07 p.m
UN chief Guterres at the Rafah border crossing: “My heart is broken”
“It is impossible to be at the Rafah border crossing and not be heartbroken. Behind these walls, two million people in Gaza live without water, food, medicine and fuel. On this side, these trucks have what they need. We must move them, as quickly as possible, as many as necessary.” This is the call made by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, on X at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt.
4:57 p.m
The Israeli army struck a wall near the church in Gaza
The Israeli army admitted an airstrike hit “a wall near” the church. The Israeli Air Force carried out raids against a command and control center of the terrorist organization Hamas, which was used to fire rockets and mortars,” said military spokesman Daniel Hagari. “We know there were casualties and we are investigating the incident,” he added, reiterating that “Hamas is deliberately placing its positions in civilian areas used by Gaza residents.”
4:34 p.m
Massive pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Egyptian cities
At the end of weekly Friday prayers, mass demonstrations in support of Palestine and against the expulsion of Palestinians took place in several Egyptian cities. The rallies were organized particularly in Giza, where demonstrators repeated slogans in favor of the Palestinian cause, including “With soul and blood we defend Al Aqsa,” in reference to the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and “Strike against Tel Aviv.” Other protests were organized in Nasr City, Cairo and in the governorates of Sohag, Charkeya, Dakahleya, Assiut, Alexandria, Port Sai and Minya. Thousands of people also demonstrated at the Al-Azhar Mosque, repeating anti-Israel slogans and demanding the opening of the Rafah crossing.
4:32 p.m
Israeli army spokesman, 30 rockets from Lebanon towards northern Israel
About 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon at Mount Dov in northern Israel, near the border. This was reported by Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari, citing Israeli media. The IDF responded with artillery fire on Lebanon and “killed a terrorist unit that fired mortars into Israeli territory.”
3:24 p.m
Moscow “contacts Hamas to secure hostage release”
Russia maintains contacts with Hamas to secure the release of the hostages kidnapped in Israel. This was stated by the Russian ambassador in Tel Aviv, Anatoly Viktorov. “Of course,” the diplomat said in an interview with Izvestia, reported by the Tass agency, “we have contacts with representatives of Hamas, the main aim of which is to secure the release of the hostages.”
3:25 p.m
Thousands in Cairo’s Tahrir Square at a pro-Palestinian rally
Several thousand people in support of the Palestinian cause gathered in Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak. Other rallies involving tens of thousands of people are taking place in other Egyptian cities.
2:49 p.m
Iran, attack on the church of San Porfirio, another crime of the regime
“The bombing of the historic St. Porphyry Church in Gaza, where women and children sought refuge, is the latest crime of the apartheid regime.” This is what Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian writes on X. “The brutal behavior of this hateful regime in “The desecration of religions and the attack on the historical and cultural heritage of humanity,” he continues, “is similar to the behavior of terrorist groups and ISIS.”
2:35 p.m
Israeli bombs on Shebaa Farms, an area disputed with Syria and Lebanon
Israeli artillery shells Shebaa Farms, a disputed area between Israel, Syria and Lebanon in the eastern part of the Blue Line that separates Lebanon and Israel. This was reported by Lebanese media and local sources on site.
2:16 p.m
Abu Mazen travels to Cairo for the peace conference
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas left Ramallah in the West Bank and traveled to Cairo, where he will attend the peace conference organized by Egypt. This was reported by the Palestinian Maan Agency.
1:52 p.m
Israel: Brave, 3 Phases to Overthrow Hamas
There are three phases through which Israel wants to eliminate Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told the Knesset that the first phase would be “a prolonged firefight in Gaza with a ground maneuver to eliminate Hamas members and the faction’s structures.” The second is “an intermediate phase to eliminate pockets of resistance.” The third point, according to Gallant, is “the creation of a new reality of security in the Gaza Strip for both the citizens of Israel and the residents of the Gaza Strip itself.”
1:51 p.m
Warning sirens in central Israel and the Jerusalem area
Anti-aircraft sirens sounded in central Israel and the Jerusalem area. The local media reported about it.
1:51 p.m
Israel, most of the approximately 200 hostages are alive
Most of the approximately 200 people kidnapped in Israel by Hamas terrorists and taken to the Gaza Strip are alive, the Israeli army said today. “Most of the hostages are alive. There are also “bodies in Gaza” of people killed in Israel and taken to the Gaza Strip,” the army said.
1:38 p.m
Israel, 3 Hezbollah terrorists attacked on border with Lebanon
Three Hezbollah terrorists were recently identified in the area bordering Lebanon by the Israeli army, which hit them with an airstrike. This was announced by the military spokesman. In addition, IDF snipers opened fire on gunmen who were also operating in the border area in northern Israel.
1:13 p.m
Israeli Ambassador to Russia: “The decision was made due to the ground invasion in Gaza”
“The decision to start the ground operation in the Gaza Strip has been made,” Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi told the Tass agency. “I would say that the decision has been made,” he said, “because the decision is related to the fulfillment of our tasks, which we have already talked about. We will destroy the Hamas terrorist organizations and free the hostages. “This cannot be done” without ground operations. Therefore we can say that the decision has been made.”
12:58 p.m
Hezbollah, a militant, has entered northern Israel
Hezbollah said on its al Manar television channel that a fighter had crossed from southern Lebanon into northern Israel in the Margaliot region, in the eastern part of the Blue Line between the two countries.
12:56 p.m
Israel: Air force deployment at a pace unprecedented in decades
“Over the past two weeks, the Israeli Air Force has been operating at a pace unprecedented in decades,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari said. “Among the reservists recalled to the units, the presence rate is over 100 percent.” “The Air Force’s war machine – he confirmed – works excellently.” C
12:26 p.m
Gaza, 4,137 dead and over 13,000 injured
In Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed 4,137 people and injured over 13,000. This was announced by the Hamas Ministry of Health, citing media.
12:17 p.m
Guterres at the Rafah border crossing to mark the arrival of aid for Gaza
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt to prepare for the transport of aid to Gaza.
11:09
Tajani: “We are committed to the departure of 15 Italians from Gaza via Rafah”
“Let’s see what the timing will be” for the opening of the Rafah border crossing. “We need an agreement between Israelis and Egyptians to get humanitarian aid, there are organizational problems and I hope that we can all work together to also get out our 12-15 Italians who are in the Gaza Strip, they could use the Rafah crossing happen.” together with other Westerners and at the same time provide humanitarian aid to the civilian population,” explained Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani upon landing in Tunis.
10:44 a.m
The Army: “We are preparing for the next phase of the war”
“Our armed forces continue to prepare for the next phase of the war, the ‘Timrun’ (the maneuver, editor’s note)”: This was stated by military spokesman Daniel Hagari with a view to the entry of ground troops into Gaza. “We are continuing our logistical efforts to enter the ‘Timrun’ in the best possible way.” Hagari added that Israel attacked over 100 Hamas targets in Gaza during the night, killing members of this organization who took part in the massacres in the border kibbutzim were involved. “The confirmed number of soldiers killed in combat is 306. The hostages – he specified – are 203 and over 100 are missing.”
10:30 a.m
Grandi (UN): “Catastrophic military escalation for Gaza”
Any escalation of the Israeli military operation in Gaza will be “catastrophic” for the population, said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. “I can tell you with certainty that any further escalation or even continuation of military activity will be simply disastrous for the people of Gaza,” he said.
10:29 a.m
The PNA: 13 dead in clashes in the West Bank
The death toll rose to 13, including five minors, in yesterday’s clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli army in the Nur al-Shams refugee camp near Tulkarem in the West Bank. This was reported by the PNA Ministry of Health, citing Israeli media. Five minors were among the victims. A border police officer, Haaretz adds, was killed when a bomb exploded during a firefight, and ten were slightly injured. The Israeli army announced yesterday that it had attacked a group of armed militiamen with a drone in the area.
Video Israel and Hezbollah targets attacked on border with Lebanon
10:13
The Rafah border crossing is still closed
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is currently closed and there has been no movement there. Local sources told ANSA that Israel’s humanitarian entry ban remains in place for now.
10:05 a.m
After an eleven-hour pause, rocket fire from Gaza resumed
After about 11 hours of relative calm, rocket fire from Gaza toward southern Israel resumed. Alarm sirens sounded several times in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, including Sderot.
Video Rocket launches between Israel and Hamas resume: Smoke rises over Gaza
07:44
Army: “Over 100 Hamas targets hit in Gaza”
More than 100 Hamas targets were attacked by Israel in Gaza overnight. Among them is a member of the Hamas naval command, Amjad Majed Muhammad Abu ‘Odeh, who is considered by Israel to be partly responsible for the October 7 attack and the massacre of Israeli civilians. According to the army, a tunnel, weapons depots and some command centers were also hit. A team of Hamas rocket launchers that attempted to hit a plane were also neutralized.
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ANSA agency The fight shifts to Gaza, Israel faces invasion – News – Ansa.it Netanyahu to the soldiers: “Fight like lions”. Escape from Lebanon (ANSA)
08:11
Biden: “Hamas and Putin want to destroy democracies”
Hamas like Russian President Vladimir Putin want to destroy “democracies” that are close to them. American President Joe Biden said this in the Oval Office.
Video Jihad drugs for attack on kibbutzim