Live blog: Death toll in Gaza tops 46,700 as Israeli attacks intensify

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

1115 GMT — At least 62 more Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll since October 2023 to 46,707, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave has said.

A ministry statement added that some 110,265 others have been wounded in the ongoing assault.

"Israeli forces killed 62 people and wounded 253 others in six massacres of families in the last 24 hours," the ministry said.

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1128 GMT — Israeli army arrests 12 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank raids

The Israeli army has rounded up at least 12 more Palestinians in fresh military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.

Former prisoners were among the detainees in the raids that targeted Bethlehem, Nablus, Tulkarem, Qalqilya, and Ramallah, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement.

The new arrests brought the number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank since October 2023 to over 14,300, including those who were released after being arrested, according to Palestinian figures.

1121 GMT — Israeli prisons prepare to release hundreds of Palestinians under anticipated Gaza deal

Israel's prison authorities are preparing to release hundreds of Palestinians from its jails under an anticipated Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, Israeli media has said.

Public broadcaster KAN said discussions were held in recent weeks to update executive orders and procedures related to the release of Palestinian detainees.

“This move builds on lessons learned from previous deals, particularly the swap agreement of November 2023,” it added.

0955 GMT — Kremlin watching Gaza truce progress with 'cautious optimism'

The Kremlin said it was watching progress towards a ceasefire in Gaza with "cautious optimism", adding that a truce between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian enclave was "extremely" necessary.

"It can only be viewed with cautious optimism," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of steps towards a ceasefire deal. "A ceasefire is something that is extremely necessary for the people of Gaza."

0950 GMT — Palestine urges international community to reject Israeli laws against UNRWA

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa urged the international community to reject all Israeli laws against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

“The Israeli laws against UNRWA undermine Palestinian rights and the two-state solution, and destroy any hope for peace,” Mustafa told an international conference in Oslo, Norway, on advancing the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The premier said Gaza needs a responsible government that is "capable of healing the wounds of the Palestinians" and reintegrating the enclave under the Palestinian government's authority.

0944 GMT — 3 Israeli soldiers injured in bomb explosion in occupied West Bank

Three Israeli soldiers were injured in a roadside bomb explosion in the occupied West Bank, the military said.

A military statement said that two soldiers were in serious condition after an explosive device exploded at an army vehicle during “an operational activity” in Qabatiya, near Jenin in the northern West Bank. A third soldier sustained light injuries in the blast.

0934 GMT — Israeli army blows up homes in southern Lebanon amid ceasefire violations

Lebanese media reported home demolitions by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon in violation of a ceasefire agreement between the two countries.

The state news agency NNA said that the Israeli army blew up several homes and destroyed roads after midnight in the towns of Aita al-Shaab, Hanine, and Maroun al-Ras.

Israeli army forces also carried out an explosion in Markaba town, the broadcaster said, without giving details about the nature of the explosion.

0920 GMT — Only 2-state solution can bring real peace to longstanding Israeli-Palestine conflict, says Norway

Only a two-state solution can bring real peace to the longstanding Israeli-Palestine conflict, said Norway’s foreign minister.

In opening remarks at a meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, Espen Barth Eide stressed that a Gaza ceasefire, currently expected to be finalised and officially announced soon, is only the beginning.

The international community must determine “how do we go from there to something that can bring real peace to the people of Palestine, that their inalienable right of self-determination and of choosing and running the truth in government and running their own countries will become to fruition, but also the quest of the people of Israel ... to be able to be live with peace with their Palestinian neighbors, and also, finally, to be embedded in the region through normalisation with important neighboring and regional actors,” he said.

0750 GMT — Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 40 Palestinians as truce deal nears

At least 40 Palestinians were killed in less than 24 hours in Israeli air strikes across Gaza as the Israeli genocidal war continues despite efforts to reach a ceasefire.

Quoting local sources, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that 13 people were killed and several others injured in an Israeli air strike on a home in the southern area of Deir al-Balah city in central Gaza.

Seven Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike on a home in the Nuseirat refugee camp, and another Palestinian was killed in another Israeli strike on the camp in central Gaza.

Five more Palestinians were killed in two Israeli air strikes on two homes in the Bureij refugee camp.

0737 GMT — US military releases footage of attacks on Houthi targets

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage of its attacks carried out at the end of last year on what it said were military targets of the Houthi group in Yemen.

"On December 30 and 31, the US Central Command conducted strikes against Iranian-backed Houthi targets," CENTCOM posted on X, alongside t he video.

It added that it attacked the Houthi group's "command and control centers, advanced weapons production and storage sites, and a coastal radar facility."

0700 GMT — Israel prepares for 'complex operation' to facilitate release of hostages

Israeli security agencies are preparing for a “complex operation” to release hostages from Gaza, as negotiations for a deal between Israel and Hamas reach their final stages, Channel 12 reported.

The operation will involve coordination between the Israeli military, Shin Bet (Israel's internal security service), police, the Health Ministry, Red Cross, and Egypt.

The operation to facilitate the release will include specific details on the number of prisoners, their identities, and their health conditions.

One of the main challenges in the process is ensuring the safety of the released prisoners during their transit within Gaza.

0444 GMT — UK will supply F-35 parts to Israel despite rights concerns: NGOs

The UK government is facing intense criticism after legal submissions revealed its continued sale of F-35 fighter jet components to Israel, despite acknowledging the risk that they could be used in potential violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes in Gaza.

The legal challenge, brought by the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Al-Haq and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), argues that the UK has effectively determined that no human rights concerns can override its commitment to supplying the parts.

The groups said the government prioritises international defence obligations over the potential misuse of the jets by Israel in Gaza bombings.

According to the NGOs, the government’s position hinges on the broader geopolitical importance of the F-35 programme.

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0328 GMT — Netanyahu says prisoner swap deal could be finalised within ‘days or hours’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a prisoner swap deal with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas could be finalised in a matter of “days or hours.”

His remarks were reported by Israeli outlets including Channel 12 and Yedioth Ahronoth.

Speaking during a meeting with families of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, Netanyahu said he is “ready for a prolonged ceasefire on condition that all the abductees are returned.”

“It is a matter of days or hours. We are waiting for Hamas's response, and then we can start immediately,” he added.

0200 GMT — Israel bombards Gaza as mediators make final push for truce deal

Mediators are making a final push to seal a Gaza truce and hostage release deal, after a Qatari official involved in the talks expressed hope an agreement could be reached "very soon".

Qatar, Egypt and the United States have intensified efforts to broker a ceasefire to enable the release of hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

US President Joe Biden and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al Sisi said in a phone call that both sides needed to show "flexibility" to get a deal over the line, according to a statement from Sisi's office.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went into a meeting with top security officials late Tuesday to discuss the deal, his office said, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the "ball is now in Hamas's court".

0155 GMT — Islamic Jihad delegation to arrive in Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement said that a high-level delegation will arrive in the Qatari capital Doha to take part in finalising the details of a potential ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Earlier, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas said a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal is in “its final stages.”

In a statement, it stressed the need “to continue consultations with Palestinian faction leaders until the agreement is finalised.”

0019 GMT — Footage reveals use of US weapons in Gaza genocide: Report

Footage broadcast by a major US television network revealed the extensive presence of US-supplied weapons in Gaza, drawing widespread criticism on social media.

The video, which aired Sunday on CBS’s long-running 60 Minutes programme, captured scenes of children sitting on rubble and playing with ammunition casings printed with DOD for the Department of Defense.

According to the report, such casings are commonly found throughout Gaza.

2309 GMT — US says Gaza casualties 'not acceptable'

The US said that the civilian death toll in Gaza is "not acceptable" while expressing optimism about a potential ceasefire agreement before the Biden administration leaves office.

During a press briefing at the State Department's Foreign Press Center, White House National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby responded to a question from Anadolu Agency about President Joe Biden's Middle East legacy and whether his administration could have done more to save lives.

2229 GMT — Trump's pick for Pentagon chief says he 'robustly supports' Israel in Gaza carnage

US President-elect Donald Trump's choice for defence secretary said that he backed Israel in its carnage in besieged Gaza.

Pete Hegseth was testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing. His opening remarks were interrupted many times by protestors, one of whom called him a "misogynist" and a "Christian Zionist" before being removed from the room by the Capitol Police.

Senator Tom Cotton said he was not really sure why being a Christian Zionist was a bad thing.

"I'm a Christian, I'm a Zionist. Zionism is that the Jewish people deserve a homeland in the ancient holy land where they lived since the dawn of history. Do you consider yourself a Christian Zionist?" Cotton asked Hegseth.

"I am a Christian, and I robustly support the state of Israel and its existential defence and the way America comes alongside them as their great ally," Hegseth said.

2121 GMT — Israel prepares to withdraw from Philadelphi Corridor — report

The Israeli army has begun preparing for a withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border while awaiting the completion of a much-anticipated hostage-prisoner swap deal, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

"Meetings and situation assessments were held in the Southern Command of the Israeli army over the past 24 hours in preparation for a gradual withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as the ceasefire agreement begins to take effect," the broadcaster stated.

Citing an unnamed security source, KAN said, "The Israeli army is preparing to withdraw from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing shortly after the agreement is signed."

2107 GMT — Israel kills 6 Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The Palestinian Health Ministry said that an Israeli air strike on the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank killed six people, with the Israeli military confirming it carried out an attack in the area.

"There are six martyrs and several injured as a result of the Israeli bombing of Jenin refugee camp," the Ramallah-based ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli military did not offer details but said it had carried out "an attack in the Jenin area".

For our live updates from Tuesday, January 14, 2025, click here.