Live blog: Israeli military approves plans to continue ground operation

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

1850 GMT — Israel’s military chief has approved evening operational plans to continue the ground operation in Gaza.

“Herzi Halevi, the chief of staff, held a session today (Wednesday) to approve plans for the subsequent stages of the fighting at the Southern Command headquarters,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

Halevi “approved the operational plan s for the subsequent stages of the ground maneuver,” the army said, without providing further details.

“We know what needs to be done, and we are ready for the next step,” the statement quoted Halevi as saying.

On the other hand, local daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as saying: “The forces of the army in the air, on land, and at sea are ready to resume fighting immediately.”

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1927 GMT — China's foreign minister demands 'comprehensive and lasting ceasefire' in Gaza

China's foreign minister has demanded a "comprehensive and lasting ceasefire" in Gaza, and shared hopes that the current humanitarian pause will not be a "hiatus before a new round of offensive"

"We should work for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire with the greatest urgency –– there is no safe area under gunfire and letting the fighting drag on would only bring more deaths and damage," Wang Yi told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

Wang noted that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has led to an enormous loss of innocent lives, an unprecedented humanitarian disaster and the "spillover effects" are still emerging.

"China strongly hopes that the past days of pause will not be a hiatus before a new round of offensive but rather the beginning of further diplomatic efforts for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire," he said.

1801 GMT — UN Security Council unable to call for cease-fire on Gaza with one voice: Turkish foreign minister

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that the UN Security Council was unable to call for an effective ceasefire in Gaza with one voice.

Fidan said strong global institutions are needed in such dire times to enforce international law and protect the moral compass of humanity.

"Unfortunately, the Security Council which was entrusted by the UN Charter to do so, time and again failed to fulfill its responsibility to maintain international peace and security.

"This paralysis will surely reverberate in coping with other global crises and further erode the Council’s credibility in the eyes of humanity. It also wrecks the rule-based international system that the United Nations was established upon", he added.

1754 GMT — Germany urges further extension of Gaza pause

Germany has called for another extension of the humanitarian pause in Gaza to get additional humanitarian aid into the besieged Palestinian enclave.

“In our view, it must last as long as possible so that we can bring the urgently needed help to the people in Gaza,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said at a press briefing in Berlin.

He also announced plans to increase humanitarian aid by an additional €18M ($19.8M) due to the catastrophic situation in Gaza.

1720 GMT — 200 aid trucks enter Gaza via Rafah border crossing

Seven additional trucks with fuel and cooking gas entered Gaza on Wednesday through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a Palestinian official has told Anadolu news agency.

They were part of a batch of aid consisting of 200 relief trucks that brought the number of trucks to 1,200 that have entered the enclave since the start of a temporary humanitarian pause.

Wael Abu Mohsen, the media director on the Palestinian side of the crossing, said: “The aid includes four trucks loaded with gas, three trucks carrying fuel containing a total of 150,000 liters of diesel, along with trucks delivering water, food supplies, and medical supplies.”

1219 GMT — Reaffirming solidarity with Palestine 'must start' with humanitarian ceasefire: UN chief

Marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the UN has underscored that reaffirming international solidarity with Palestine "must start" with a humanitarian ceasefire.

Speaking at an event organized in the United Nations’ Geneva office, UN Geneva Director-General Tatiana Valovaya read out a message from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"This international day of solidarity comes during one of the darkest chapters in the history of the Palestinian people," Guterres said in the message, adding that he is horrified by the death and destruction that have engulfed the region, as well as by the "humanitarian catastrophe" that people in Gaza are facing.

"This is a day for reaffirming international solidarity with the Palestinian people, who have the right to live in peace and dignity," he said. "That must start with a long-term humanitarian cease-fire, unrestricted access for life-saving aid, the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and an end to violations of international humanitarian law."

1219 GMT — Blinken says seeks extension of Gaza truce, heads to Israel

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration would like to see a new extension of the ceasefire agreement in Israel’s war on Gaza after the current one expires to secure the release of additional hostages held by Hamas and to ramp up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza.

As he prepared to make his third visit to the Middle East since the war began, Blinken said on Wednesday that in addition to discussing short-term logistical and operational planning, the Biden administration believes it is imperative to discuss ideas about the future governance of Gaza if Israel achieves its stated goal of eradicating Hamas.

The extension of the current deal expires later Wednesday.

“Looking at the next couple of days, we’ll be focused on doing what we can to extend the pause so we can continue to get more hostages out and more humanitarian assistance in,” Blinken told reporters in Brussels, where he was attending a NATO foreign ministers meeting.

1047 GMT — UN human rights chief pushes for 'extended Gaza ceasefire'

UN human rights chief Volker Turk has called "on all those with influence (to push) for extended Gaza cease-fire on humanitarian and human rights grounds."

“I hope this can open the way for a permanent end to the violence and support concrete efforts to achieve a lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis,” Turk said during an online session dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“The current temporary ceasefire provides some relief for civilians and for some families long-awaited reunions with their loved ones. But access to humanitarian assistance must be ensured and sustained throughout Gaza and all hostages must be released,” he said.

0932 GMT — Maldives seeks war crimes probe against Israel over attacks on Gaza

Maldives has called on the International Criminal Court to probe accusations of war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinians.

“The deliberate actions by the Israeli Defence Force are tantamount to war crimes and in complete violation of international humanitarian law," Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said in a statement to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People.

Condemning Israel’s war on Gaza, Muizzu described it as “the brutal occupation and collective punishment being committed by Israel against the innocent civilians of Palestine.”

He called "for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the provision of essential commodities including food, fuel, and medicine, and an end to mass forced displacement in the Occupied Palestine."

Maldives believes that an independent Palestinian state is the key to lasting peace, he stressed.

Meanwhile, Indonesia also called for an independent state of Palestine.

0811 GMT — Source close to Hamas says group willing to extend truce by four more days

A source close to Hamas said the resistance movement was willing to extend by an additional four days a Gaza truce that has seen Israeli captives exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

"Hamas has informed the mediators that it is willing to extend the truce for four days," the source told AFP.

"The movement would be able to release Israeli prisoners that it, other resistance movements and other parties hold during this period, according to the terms of the existing truce," it added.

0753 GMT — Gaza truce may be extended by day or two: Israeli media

The Gaza humanitarian pause and prisoner swap agreement between Hamas and Israel, which is set to expire on Thursday morning, may be extended for another day or two, Israeli media said.

A summit in Doha, attended by officials from Qatar, Egypt, Israel, and the US, discussed the possibility of extending the humanitarian pause, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported, citing a statement issued by Israeli authorities following the meeting on Tuesday.

However, the main obstacle is Hamas's demand for a complete cessation of hostilities, which Israel opposes, according to the broadcaster.

Participants in the Doha meeting discussed a new agreement between Israel and Hamas under which all the hostages in Gaza, including soldiers, would be released, the broadcaster said.

On the other hand, Israel will release a significant number of prisoners and commit to a long-term pause, it added.

0657 GMT — Gaza at risk of famine: World Food Programme

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of the possibility of a famine in Gaza, stressing that supplies are woefully insufficient to address the hunger levels observed by WFP staff in UN shelters.

"It is highly likely that the population of Gaza, especially women and children are at high risk of famine if WFP is not able to provide continued access to food," the WFP said in a statement.

"The WFP delivered desperately needed food to more than 120,000 people in Gaza during the initial pause," the statement added.

0640 GMT — Turkish military plane with 8 tonnes of medical aid for Palestinians departs

A Turkish military plane loaded with eight tonnes of medicines and medical supplies destined for Gaza departed from Türkiye's central Kayseri province to Egypt's El Arish Airport in the Sinai Peninsula.

A group of nine health care professionals are also on board the plane that took off from Kayseri Airport at 08:00 AM local time (0500 GMT).

The medical team will provide treatment to injured people in cooperation with the Egyptian Health Ministry.

0455 GMT — Israel arrested over 3,200 Palestinians since Oct 7

The Palestinian Prisoners Society said that the number of Palestinians arrested by Israel in the occupied West Bank since the Israeli war on Gaza began on October 7 has risen to more than 3,290.

The list includes 125 women and 145 children, the group said. At least 168 Palestinians have been detained in the five days during the ongoing humanitarian pause in Gaza.

Six Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli prisons since the conflict started, it added.

0440 GMT — Islamic Jihad announces release of Israeli women, children held in Gaza

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group issued a statement confirming the release of Israeli women and children it had been holding in Gaza.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Muhammad al Hindi, confirmed that the group's armed wing, the Al Quds Brigades, handed over the civilian hostages.

"We can accept the all-for-all equation regarding the detainees. If Israel is ready to release all our prisoners, then we are ready," Al Hindi said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

0423 GMT — Hamas calls on media outlets to view extent of destruction in Gaza

Hamas has called on media outlets to increase their presence in Gaza and view the extent of destruction caused by Israel in the Palestinian enclave.

"We call on journalists and international media agencies to intensify their presence in Gaza to see the extent of the destruction and signs of genocide committed by the (Israeli) occupation and its Nazi army against children, defenseless civilians and all infrastructure," it said.

The statement pointed to "the discovery of dozens of bodies of Palestinian civilians under the rubble in the Sabra area and other areas of Gaza City and the extent of the destruction that occurred to the Islamic University, which is one of the most important scientific institutions."

0320 GMT — Israel receives list of next captives to be released from Gaza

Israeli news outlets are reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has received the list of names of captives in besieged Gaza.

A sixth group of captives is expected to be freed on Wednesday in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Citing Netanyahu's office, Israel's KAN public broadcaster also said notices were sent to the families of the captives expected to be released.

0254 GMT — Spain politician slams international community for silence over Israel's 'genocide'

The general secretary of Spain's left-wing Podemos party has criticised the international community for its silence in the face of Israel's "attempt to exterminate" the Palestinian people.

Speaking at an event for the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People organised by Podemos in the capital Madrid, Ione Belarra, who previously served as minister of social rights, said a Europe that does not exert social, political, economic, diplomatic and legal pressure against Israel cannot lecture anyone about human rights.

She rejected Israel's "colonial" policy towards Palestinians. "Why does Israel continue to commit genocide against Palestine with impunity?" she said. Saying that Israel's systematic "genocide" of Palestinians started way earlier than October 7, she stressed that "this must end."

0039 GMT — Activists gather near US Capitol to demand Gaza ceasefire

A dozen pro-Palestinian activists have gathered near the US Capitol building to demand a ceasefire in besieged Gaza. They held inflatable letters spelling out the words "ceasefire now."

Robert McCaw, director of government affairs for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told Anadolu Agency the US should not support Israel with taxpayer funds and weapons.

"We are here with community members to remind Congress, while they are lighting up their Christmas tree, that we are demanding a ceasefire now," said McCaw.

0023 GMT — US senator calls for 'indefinite ceasefire' in Gaza

A Democratic US senator has called for an "indefinite" ceasefire in besieged Gaza to "prevent further loss of civilian life."

In a statement, Peter Welch, from the state of Vermont, said although he supports Israel's right to pursue those who carried out the October 7 attacks, he said Israel "must not do so in a way that leads to massive civilian casualties and the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza."

"This will only incite more enemies against Israel and the US," he said. "For this reason, the ceasefire must be extended indefinitely."

0007 GMT — No indication Hamas using US captives in Gaza as leverage: White House

The White House said there is no evidence to suggest that Hamas is attempting to use any form of leverage to hinder the departure of Americans from Gaza.

"There's no indication at all that Hamas is trying to use leverage or something to keep Americans from getting out," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Denver, Colorado.

He said the pool of Americans in the hands of Hamas is "pretty small," and the pool of Americans that qualify right now (for release), women and children, is smaller.

2400 GMT — US tells Israel any ground campaign in southern Gaza must limit further civilian displacement

The Biden administration has told Israel that it must work to avoid "significant further displacement" of Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza if it renews its ground campaign aimed at eradicating the Hamas militant group, senior US officials said.

Separately, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Israelis have been receptive when US officials have raised the issue.

The Democratic administration, seeking to avoid more large-scale civilian casualties or mass displacement like that seen before the current temporary pause in the fighting, underscored to the Israelis that they must operate with far greater precision in southern Gaza than they did in the north, said officials who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.

2150 GMT — Ben-Gvir warns of dissolving Israeli govt if war stops

Israel's extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has threatened that stopping the war on besieged Gaza would dissolve the Israeli government.

"Stopping the war = dissolution of the government," Ben-Gvir said on X.

His remarks coincided with reports of efforts to extend the humanitarian pause in fighting between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in besieged Gaza.

2252 GMT — G7 foreign ministers support extension of pause in fighting

Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries have supported the further extension of the pause and future pauses in Gaza to increase assistance and facilitate the release of all hostages, they said in a joint statement.

"Every effort must be made to ensure humanitarian support for civilians, including food, water, fuel, and medical supplies," the joint statement added.

"We support the further extension of this pause and future pauses as needed to enable assistance to be scaled up, and to facilitate the release of all hostages," the joint statement added.

2206 GMT — CIA, Mossad, Qatari PM holding talks for longer Gaza truce: Israeli media

Talks have been under way in Qatar on a new agreement for a long-term humanitarian pause in Israel's war on besieged Gaza, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) said.

KAN said the pause would include the release of all Israeli captives in besieged Gaza, including soldiers, and Israel's release of Palestinians languishing in jails, including some who had been "convicted" of killing Israelis. Palestinians have always disputed charges against them by occupational government and its courts.

KAN said the Palestinian resistance group Hamas expressed its approval of the broad outlines of the new agreement but added that it demanded a "complete ceasefire," which Israel still rejects.

For our live updates from Tuesday (November 28), click here.