Live blog: Israel, Hamas reach deal to deliver aid to Gaza: Qatar

1933 GMT — Qatar has said it mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas to allow the delivery of medication to the more than 100 Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry announced that additional quantities of humanitarian aid would be delivered to Palestinians in Gaza as part of the deal.

It marked the first agreement between the warring sides since a weeklong cease-fire collapsed in late November.

Hamas captured the hostages in its Oct. 7 cross-border attack that began the war.

The hostages have not been visited by the Red Cross, and many, including several elderly men, are believed to be in desperate need of medication.

Qatar said the deal was reached with French assistance. The medicines are expected to be delivered on Wednesday.

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1855 GMT — US 'not looking for war' with Houthis: White House

The US is not looking for a war with the Houthis, the White House has said.

"We're not looking to expand this. The Houthis have a choice to make and they still have time to make the right choice, which is to stop these reckless attacks," White House spokesperson John Kirby said.

Attacks by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea have affected companies and alarmed major world powers. The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians.

1855 GMT — Israeli mayor calls for wiping out Gaza neighbourhoods

The mayor of the southern Israeli town of Sderot has called for wiping out neighbourhoods in Gaza in case rockets are fired towards Israel.

“If they launch rockets from a certain area, the entire neighbourhood must be wiped out,” Alon Davidi told Israeli Army Radio.

“The entire area must be exterminated, and we must work systematically,” he added.

1854 GMT — White House says top aide was in Doha discussing Gaza hostages

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that McGurk was involved in "very serious and intensive discussions" with the Qataris about another hostage deal.

The United States is "hopeful" that talks brokered by Qatar could lead to a new deal between Israel and Hamas to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire in Gaza, the White House has said.

"I don't want to say too much publicly here as we have these talks, but we are hopeful that it can bear fruit, and bear fruit soon," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a briefing.

1854 GMT — US prepared to increase humanitarian assistance in Gaza: White House

The US is prepared to increase humanitarian aid in war-torn Gaza as Israel has shifted to a lower intensity phase, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has said.

1840 GMT — Norway, allies work on concept for Palestinian-chosen govt to attract funds

Several European states, "concerned" Arab countries and the United States are working on a concept for a unified Palestinian government that could attract reconstruction funds, Norway's foreign minister has said in an interview in Davos.

"A number of countries are working with us, trying to build a broad unity government," Espen Barth Eide said, without naming the specific countries. Norway was of the view that a unified Palestinian territory should be run by the Palestinian Authority, but "prefacing everything, it has to be what the Palestinians want," he added.

1819 GMT — Germany considers delivery of tank ammunition to Israel: report

Germany's government is considering the delivery of tank ammunition to Israel to support it in its war on Gaza fight, according to German magazine Der Spiegel.

The departments involved have already agreed in principle to fulfil a request from the Israeli government, the report said.

The request to supply around 10,000 rounds of 120mm precision ammunition for the Israeli army was received by Berlin in November.

Since the industry cannot deliver the desired precision ammunition immediately, the option to first release ammunition from German army stocks is being considered, in order to respond to the request promptly, according to the report.

1750 GMT — US launches fresh strikes against Houthis in Yemen

American forces carried out strikes in Yemen targeting four missiles that threatened civilian and military ships, a US official has said.

"The US conducted self-defence strikes against four Houthi ballistic missiles that posed an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships," the official said on condition of anonymity, referring to Houthis.

The latest strike is at least the third such strikes in less than a week.

1713 GMT — Malaysian leader slams West for turning blind eye to Israel 'atrocities' in Palestine

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has criticized Western countries on for their continued silence about the situation in the Gaza and said Israel is committing the "ruthless massacre" of Palestinians.

Ibrahim said Israel has murdered more than 24,100 innocent lives with utter impunity on the 100th day of the attacks.

He said the vast majority of the international community has condemned its "vile and genocidal acts."

1712 GMT — Arab countries not keen to rebuild Gaza if it will be 'levelled' again: Blinken

Arab countries are not keen to get involved in the rebuilding of Gaza if the Palestinian enclave will be "levelled" again in a few years and stress the importance of Palestinian statehood for any regional settlement, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

Speaking to CNBC in an interview in Davos, Switzerland, Blinken said there was a "new equation" in the Middle East in which Israel's Arab and Muslim neighbours were prepared to integrate Israel into the region but they were equally committed to a pathway to a Palestinian state.

He said both the Arab states and Washington believe that until that issue is addressed, neither Israel nor the region will have peace, stability and security.

"You have to resolve the Palestinian question," Blinken said. "Arab countries are saying this. Look, we're not going to get into the business, for example, of rebuilding Gaza only to have it levelled again in a year or five years and then be asked to rebuild it again."

1645 GMT — Peace with Israel threatened by Palestinian mass displacement: Jordan

Jordan's prime minister Bisher al Khasawneh has said peace with Israel is a strategic choice but mass displacement of Palestinians would pose an "existentialist threat".

Jordan, which shares a border with the occupied West Bank, fears that the Gaza conflict could spread with wider violence by extremist armed settlers encouraged by the army triggering a large-scale Palestinian exodus to the other side of the Jordan River.

1645 GMT — No sign Israel making progress on achieving its goals in Gaza: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has said that there is no sign Israel is making progress towards achieving its goals in the Gaza.“

We do not see signs that the Israeli goals in Gaza are close to being achieved,” Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos.​​​​​​​

“Our priority is to find a path to calm through real interaction in the region,” he said.

“We must focus on reducing tensions through reaching a ceasefire in Gaza."

1631 GMT — Houthis target Zografia ship heading to Israel — official

Yemen's Houthis have targeted the Zografia ship that was heading to Israel with naval missiles which resulted in a "direct hit", the group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement.

The Malta-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier sustained material damage but no injuries after it was hit in the Red Sea near the Yemeni port of Saleef, a security firm and two Greek shipping ministry sources said.

1622 GMT — US wants Mideast 'de-escalation': White House

The United States is seeking a "de-escalation" in the Middle East despite its strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said.

"We seek to stop the spread of conflict and to create the conditions for de-escalation," Sullivan said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

1619 GMT — UK advocacy group files war crimes complaint against senior British politicians over Gaza

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has lodged a criminal complaint against senior UK politicians, including ministers, accusing them of complicity in war crimes committed in the Gaza.

The ICJP announced that it had submitted hard drives and evidence dossiers to the Metropolitan Police's War Crimes Unit last week.

"On the 12th of January, the particular 78-page dossier replete with eyewitness accounts, and video and photographic evidence was presented to the unit, detailing purported crimes within the UK jurisdiction under universal jurisdiction principles, as well as directly under UK law," Tayab Ali, the director of the ICJP, told a press conference.

1404 GMT — Army withdrawal from northern Gaza 'grave mistake': Israel's Ben-Gvir

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has sharply criticized a military decision to withdraw an army division from northern Gaza.

The army withdrew its 36th Division from Gaza on Monday for rest and training, while three other divisions remained in the Palestinian territory.

The move was seen as part of the Israeli army’s plans for a long war in Gaza.

"The decision to withdraw the Israeli army from Hamas strongholds in Gaza is a grave and dangerous mistake that will cost human lives," Ben-Gvir said on X.

1336 GMT — 26 Israeli soldiers injured in Gaza fighting in last 24 hours

The Israeli army has said that 26 soldiers have been injured in Gaza in the last 24 hours.

Figures released by the army showed that 1,135 soldiers had been injured since Israel expanded its ground offensive in Gaza on Oct. 27.

According to the figures, 524 soldiers have been killed and 2,567 others injured since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on Oct.7.

1329 GMT — Shell suspends all Red Sea shipments

British oil major Shell suspended all shipments through the Red Sea indefinitely after US and UK strikes on Yemen's Houthis triggered fears of further escalation, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the decision.

Attacks on ships by the Houthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, have disrupted global commerce.

Last week, the company took the step to halt all crossings over concerns that a successful attack could trigger a massive spill in the region, as well as present risks to the safety of crews on the ships, the report added. Shell declined to comment.

1322 GMT — Israeli army says 2 more soldiers killed in Gaza battles

The Israeli army has said that two soldiers had been killed in battles in the southern Gaza.

A military statement said that two other soldiers were seriously injured. According to military figures, at least 190 soldiers have been killed since Israel expanded its ground offensive in the Gaza on Oct. 27.

The army said that the military death toll reached 524 since the outbreak of war on Gaza on Oct. 7.

1308 GMT — Israel launches 'wave of attacks' in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army has launched a wave of air strikes and artillery shelling in southern Lebanon’s Wadi Saluki, according to Israeli media.

Israeli fighter jets and artillery units struck dozens of targets 'belonging to Hezbollah' in the area, including observation posts, military buildings, and other Hezbollah infrastructure, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israeli airstrikes targeted Wadi Saluki, Houla, Wadi al Hujeir, Rab El Thalathine, Kfarkela, and Meiss al-Jabal.

Hezbollah, for its part, said its fighters targeted with missiles a gathering of Israeli soldiers east of the Even Menahem settlement in northern Israel.

1252 GMT — EU adds Hamas' political leader to sanctions list

European Union member states have added Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of Hamas, to their sanctions list.

Sinwar served 22 years in prison until he was released along with more than 1,000 other Palestinian prisoners in exchange for an Israeli soldier in 2011.

The sanctions, effective immediately, freezes Sinwar's alleged funds and other financial assets in EU member states, and prohibits EU operators from making economic resources available to him.

1211 GMT — Palestine calls for sanctions on Israel to dismantle violent settler groups

Palestine has called for imposing sanctions on Israel to compel Tel Aviv to dismantle violent far-right settler groups in the occupied West Bank.

"An international action is urgently needed to pressure the Israeli government to dismantle the settler groups, disarm them, dry up their source of funding, and end their political cover," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It also called for “placing all terrorist settler organizations and associations on international terror lists.”

"It’s not sufficient to only ban some settlers from entering the US or European countries but to list these settler groups on international terror list," the ministry said.

1209 GMT — Red Sea attacks linked to Gaza, ceasefire needed — Saudi FM

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has said that Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea are connected to the Israeli war on Gaza and there is a need for an immediate ceasefire there.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said during the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos that the kingdom's priority is finding a path to de-escalation through a ceasefire in Gaza.

1208 GMT — Israel launches new incursions in northern Gaza after end of ‘high-intensity’ offensive

The Israeli army has carried out new incursions into several areas in northern Gaza, hours after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced an end to the "high-intensity" ground operation in the area.

According to an Anadolu reporter, Israeli forces advanced into the northern part of Gaza City and areas east of Jabalia town and west of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia.

Fierce clashes were reported between Israeli forces and Palestinian resistance fighters in these areas. There was no comment from the Israeli military on the report.

1204 GMT — Cargo ship hit by missile off Yemen: maritime risk company

A Greek-owned cargo ship was hit by a missile off Yemen, a maritime risk management company has said following a string of attacks in the Red Sea.

"A Malta-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier was reportedly targeted and impacted with a missile while transiting the southern Red Sea northbound," Ambrey said.

1144 GMT — Israel pounds Gaza as fears grow of widening war

Israel has pummelled southern Gaza, killing dozens, even as authorities announced the winding down of the intense phase of the war that has inflamed tensions across the Middle East.

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under mounting international pressure to end its offensive in Gaza.

But fears are mounting the war could be widening, with Iran and others stepping up attacks across the region in solidarity with Hamas.

Overnight, a wave of Israeli strikes killed at least 78 people in the Gaza, Palestinian press office in the besieged enclave said. An AFP correspondent said the southern city of Khan Yunis was hit hard.

The Israeli army said a barrage of 50 rockets was fired toward Netivot in southern Israel, without causing any casualties. Hamas's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack.

1133 GMT — 350,000 patients deprived of medication amid ongoing Israeli war: Gaza Health Ministry

At least 350,000 chronically ill patients are not receiving their medications due to the ongoing Israeli war since Oct. 7, the Gaza-based Palestinian Health Ministry has said.

The spokesperson for the ministry on Tuesday, Ashraf al Qudra, warned of serious health complications that may worsen the patients' conditions, calling on international organisations to urgently provide medications.

Al Qudra had previously announced the depletion of the anaesthesia nitrous oxide gas in operating rooms along with a severe shortage of other medical gases.

Palestinian and international health and human rights organizations had warned of the collapse of the faltering healthcare system in Gaza due to the ongoing war.

1101 GMT — Qatari premier warns of massive destruction, says 'Gaza is not there anymore'

Qatar’s prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani warned of the massive destruction inflicted by Israel’s offensive on Gaza and criticised the Israeli defence minister’s rejection of a ceasefire in the battered Palestinian enclave.

"Gaza is not there anymore," he said.

1033 GMT — No alternative to Hamas rule in Gaza: Israeli minister

The continued stronghold of Hamas in Gaza despite Israeli attacks is a sign that there is no alternative to its rule in the enclave, according to an Israeli minister.

"Hamas is far from being defeated, and if anyone thinks that there will be an alternative to its rule in Gaza, it simply won't happen," Israel's War Cabinet Minister Gideon Saar told the Army Radio.

Last week, opposition leader Yair Lapid called on the ministers of the National Unity party, including Gantz and Saar, to withdraw from Netanyahu's government in protest against his policies in the ongoing battle.

However, Saar, a prominent member of the party, who opposed the war, said that it is important to keep the emergency government because they are still in a state of war.

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1021 GMT — Norway, allies working on concept for unified Palestinian government

Several European states, "concerned" Arab countries and the United States are working on a concept for a unified Palestinian government that could attract reconstruction funds, Norway's foreign minister said in an interview in Davos.

"A number of countries are working with us... trying to build a broad unity government," Espen Barth Eide said, without naming the specific countries.

Norway was of the view that a unified Palestinian territory should be run by the Palestinian Authority, but "prefacing everything, it has to be what the Palestinians want", he added.

1016 GMT — Rockets fired from Gaza, reportedly one of strongest: Israel

Israel says a barrage of 15 rockets has been launched toward southern Israel, damaging a store.

Israeli media said it was one of the strongest bombardments from Gaza in more than a week.

Israeli Channel 12 TV reported that the rockets were launched from the central Gaza town of Bureij.

It came a day after Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the Israeli army was expanding military control from northern Gaza towards other parts of the enclave.

0913 GMT — Death toll in Israel's attacks in Gaza swells, reaching 24,285

The Health Ministry in Palestine's besieged Gaza has said at least 24,285 people have been killed in Israel's attacks since October 7, 2023.

A ministry statement said some 61,154 people have also been wounded in the Palestinian territory during the war.

0910 GMT — Qatar underlines mandatory two-state solution for stability

Requiring Israel to agree to a time-bound, mandatory path to a two-state solution is key to future stability in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Qatar's prime minister has said during the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said the Palestinians must be the ones to decide if Hamas will continue to play a political role in the future.

0802 GMT — Israel strikes Lebanon border area 'to remove threat': army

The Israeli military has said that its special forces had carried out a strike in the area of Ayta ash Shab in Lebanon.

"IDF special forces struck in order to remove a threat in the area of Ayta ash Shab in Lebanon," the military said.

It did not say what kind of forces had struck nor where specifically they had operated.

The military also said its aircraft struck an anti-tank missile launcher in southern Lebanon that belonged to the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah.

0702 GMT — Israeli military says it killed dozens of Palestinian fighters in north Gaza

Israeli military has said its troops killed dozens of Palestinian fighters around the town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza and also uncovered about 100 rocket launchers.

"During IDF activity in the area of Beit Lahia, the troops located approximately 100 rocket set installations and 60 ready-to-use rockets. The troops killed dozens of terrorists during the activity," it said.

0623 GMT — Casualties reported after deadly exchange of fire at Israel-Egypt border

Israel has said one of its troops was “slightly injured” in an exchange of fire along the country’s border with Egypt, which Cairo attributed to drug smuggling.

One person in Egypt was killed.

The statement from the Israeli military said the fighting happened near the Nitzana border crossing with Egypt on the Sinai Peninsula, and that there were 20 armed suspects.

The Israelis and the suspects exchanged fire, with Israel saying “hits were identified” among the suspects, without elaborating.

The Israeli soldier who was hit “was evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment and her family has been informed,” the military said.

The Israeli military did not identify the suspects. An Egyptian military statement on Tuesday described the suspects involved as trying to smuggle drugs. It said one person was killed and six people were arrested afterwards.

0521 GMT — Israel says war to wind down in southern Gaza as toll tops 24,000

Israel has said its war in southern Gaza will soon enter a less intensive phase, after the health ministry in Gaza reported the death toll in the territory had surpassed 24,000.

More than 100 days into Israel's carnage, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under intense international pressure to end the fighting as civilian deaths soar and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens.

At the same time, deadly violence in the occupied West Bank, exchanges of fire over Israel's border with Lebanon, and strikes by US forces on Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis acting in solidarity with Hamas have all raised fears of an escalation beyond Gaza.

0133 GMT — UKMTO reports incident offshore Eritrea's Assab

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations [UKMTO] organisation has received a report of a small craft circling a vessel in the Red Sea about 105 kilometres northwest of Eritrea's Assab.

The vessel and crew were reported safe and are proceeding to their next port after security personnel on the ship "fired warning shots and small craft departed," UKMTO said in an advisory note.

Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthis have stepped up attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea in protest against Israel's brutal war on besieged Gaza.

Various shipping lines have suspended operations, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.

0119 GMT — Israeli 'colonists' attack Palestinian properties in West Bank

Scores of armed "Israeli colonists" have attacked the vehicles of Palestinian civilians in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, WAFA news agency reported, citing local sources.

A group of "armed colonists" attacked Palestinian vehicles in the town of the town of Sinjil and smashed the windows of several cars.

WAFA said "colonists attacked citizens' vehicles on Monday evening at the junction of Ayun Haramiya, north of Ramallah."

Earlier on Monday evening, "colonists" also attacked Palestinian vehicles at the Oyoun al Haramiyeh crossroad, north of Ramallah, WAFA added.

0054 GMT — Jewish activists storm Austrian Parliament to condemn Gaza genocide

A group of Jewish activists who oppose Israeli carnage have stormed the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna to voice their rejection of the "massacre" and "genocide" committed by Israel in besieged Gaza.

Russia Today, citing eyewitnesses, stated that a group of young Jewish activists belonging to an organisation called "Don't Speak for Us", which opposes the positions of the Israeli government, interrupted a session of the Austrian parliament on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, shouting "Stop the genocide" and denouncing the Israeli crimes of ethnic cleansing in besieged Gaza.

The activists raised Palestinian flags and threw leaflets inside the Parliament Building while chanting slogans demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza before police intervened and forced them out.

2210 GMT — Israel kills 25 civilians in new Gaza carnage: Palestine

Israel has killed 25 Palestinians and wounded dozens of others during its ongoing bombardment of different areas in besieged Gaza, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Citing medical sources at the European Gaza Hospital, WAFA reported that 11 people from the al Saiban and Ben Jermi families, most of whom are children and women, were killed and many others wounded in an Israeli air strike that targeted a house in the Mirage area, north of Rafah in besieged Gaza.

Israel also killed eight people and wounded dozens, including members of the Civil Defence, following an Israeli bombing of a site near the Civil Defence headquarters in Khan Younis City, said WAFA.

Israel also killed four people and wounded several others in air strike on the al Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, the news agency said, adding the Israeli bombardment of the Tel al Hawa neighbourhood in Gaza City resulted in the killing of two people and the wounding of several others.

"In the meantime, the Israeli warships fired several missiles targeting Tel al Hawa and Sheikh Ajlin neighbourhoods, west of Gaza City, while Israeli artillery shelling targeted the eastern parts of the city," WAFA news agency said.

For our live updates from Monday, January 15, click here.