This is Beirut

Heavy Gunfire And Explosions On The Second Day Of The Israeli Operation In The West Bank

This is Beirut, 04:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks West Bank Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas

The town of Jenin in the occupied West Bank was under heavy fire and explosions on Wednesday, the second day of Israel's ‘Iron Wall’ operation, launched just after the start of the truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. ‘The situation is very difficult. The occupying army has bulldozed all the roads leading to Jenin camp and the ...

Fragile Gaza Ceasefire Fraught with Risks

This is Beirut, 22/01 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Palestine Ceasefire Donald Trump Hamas

After months of negotiations, a ceasefire has paused the devastating war in Gaza, but it risks collapsing as a result of deep distrust between Israel and Hamas and the multi-phased nature of the deal. Qatar, which mediated the talks along with the United States and Egypt, has expressed hope the six-week truce and hostage-prisoner exchange will ...

Israeli Chief Of Staff Resigns After ‘Failure Of 7 October'

This is Beirut, 22/01 04:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas Israel Chief of staff

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi resigned on Tuesday, acknowledging his responsibility for the ‘failure’ to prevent a Palestinian Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, on the third day of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. Following the entry into force on Sunday of the first phase of the truce, which led to the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 ...

Qatar PM: Lasting Gaza Peace Requires "Good Faith" by Israel and Hamas

This is Beirut, 21/01 18:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Qatar Israel Hamas Gaza

Qatar's prime minister said Tuesday that a lasting peace in Gaza would depend on Israel and Hamas acting in "good faith", days into a fragile truce in the Palestinian territory mediated by the Gulf state. "If they are embarking in this in good faith, this will last and hopefully will lead to phase two, will lead to a permanent ceasefire," Prime ...

Qatar Says 'Confident' in Deal for Ceasefire in Gaza

This is Beirut, 21/01 14:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Palestine Ceasefire Donald Trump Hamas Qatar

Qatar is confident that the deal it helped mediate for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas addressed all the major issues at stake in the war, the foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday. "We are confident in the deal when it comes to the language of the deal, when it comes to the fact that we hashed out all the major issues on the table", Majed ...

Hamas Official says Four Women Hostages to be Freed Saturday

This is Beirut, 21/01 13:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Hamas Israel Palestine

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP on Tuesday that four Israeli women hostages will be freed in return for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, in the second such release under a ceasefire deal. Nunu said the Palestinian Islamist group would release "four Israeli female detainees in exchange" for a second group of Palestinian prisoners. Three ...

Israel-Hamas Truce Holding Though Trump Doubts it will Last

This is Beirut, 21/01 09:39 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Palestine Hamas Israel

US President Donald Trump said Monday he was not confident a ceasefire deal in Gaza would hold, despite trumpeting his diplomacy to secure it ahead of his inauguration. Asked by a reporter as he returned to the White House whether the two sides would maintain the truce and move on in the agreement, Trump said, "I'm not ...

Hamas Claims Gaza Will 'Rise Again' and Rebuild After Israeli Destruction

This is Beirut, 20/01 16:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hamas Gaza Israel

Palestinian militant group Hamas said Monday that Gaza and its people "will rise again" and rebuild the territory battered by more than 15 months of Israeli bombardment. "Gaza, with its great people and its resilience, will rise again to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed and continue on the path of steadfastness until the ...

Israel and Hamas Swap Hostages as Ceasefire Agreement Takes Effect

This is Beirut, 20/01 13:20 - Reading : less than a minute

Ceasefire Hamas Israel

Palestinians and Israelis celebrated the release of hostages as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement took effect on Sunday.

Iran Says Hopes Trump Will Take 'realistic' Approach to Region

This is Beirut, 20/01 11:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Hamas Israel Tehran United Nations

Iran said Monday it hoped the incoming US administration under Donald Trump would adopt a "realistic" approach and show "respect" for the interests of countries in the region. Trump will be sworn in for a second term as US president on Monday. "We hope that the approaches and policies of the (new) US government will be realistic and based on ...

Israeli Hostages, Palestinian Detainees Freed on first Gaza Truce Exchange

This is Beirut, 20/01 09:08 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Hamas Israel Palestine Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners on Monday after Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages, completing the first exchange under a long-awaited truce aimed at ending more than 15 months of war in Gaza. The three hostages released Sunday, all women, were reunited with their families and taken to hospital in central Israel where a doctor said ...

Restoring The Health System In Gaza ‘Will Be a Complex And Difficult Task’, Warns The WHO

This is Beirut, 20/01 03:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hamas Palestine

Restoring the health system in the Gaza Strip will be ‘a complex and difficult task’ after more than 15 months of war, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned on Sunday. ‘Meeting the enormous health needs and restoring the health system in Gaza will be a complex and ...

Hamas