Israel-Hamas war live: Israel to pull thousands of troops from Gaza battle
Military spokesman says army is ‘adjusting the fighting methods’ as war grinds on and death toll rises.
- The Israeli military says it will withdraw five combat brigades taking part in the ground invasion of Gaza so troops can “gain strength” for future battles.
- At least 100 people were killed and 286 wounded in Israeli attacks on homes in central Gaza in the past 24 hours, the health ministry says.
- The Israeli military says it will withdraw five combat brigades taking part in the ground invasion of Gaza so troops can “gain strength” for future battles.
- At least 100 people were killed and 286 wounded in Israeli attacks on homes in central Gaza in the past 24 hours, the health ministry says.
- The Israeli war cabinet meets to discuss captive-prisoner exchanges as PM Benjamin Netanyahu vows to continue the war.
- At least 21,822 people have been killed and 56,451 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll from the October 7 attack in Israel stands at 1,139.
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Here’s what happened today
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- Al Jazeera’s Wael al-Dahdouh reports there are fierce ground battles taking place in the centre of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.
- Israeli reservists returning to their families “will allow a significant relief for the economy”, says Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari.
- Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says Palestinians should leave Gaza, making way for Israelis who could “make the desert bloom”.
- Israeli attacks resulted in 28,822 people killed or missing, including 9,100 children, in the past 85 days, according to the Gaza government’s media office.
- Pro-Palestine campaigners call for Gaza ceasefire on New Year’s Eve.
What’s the Philadelphi Corridor border zone Israel wants to control?
Israeli control over the corridor between Gaza and Egypt – as its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought – would mean the de facto full reoccupation of the Gaza Strip.
Egypt became the main player in the control of the corridor, which signifies the only link with the outside world not controlled by Israel – as Tel Aviv maintains a land, sea and air blockade of the strip from all other sides.
Read the full story here.
‘Gaza has been destroyed… we have nowhere to live’
Displaced Palestinians found little to celebrate on New Year’s Eve in Muwasi, a makeshift camp in the mostly undeveloped area of southern Gaza’s Mediterranean coast designated by Israel as “a safe zone”.
“From the intensity of the pain we live, we do not feel that there is a new year,” said Kamal al-Zeinaty, huddled with his family around a fire inside a tent. “All the days are the same.”
Another relative, Zeyad al-Zeinaty, who fled with his family from the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, said his wife, brother and grandchildren are among many relatives he lost in the war.
A video published by the Red Crescent showed the chaotic aftermath of strikes in central Gaza as rescuers worked in the dark to carry an injured child from smoking rubble.
As the year drew to a close, Palestinians in Gaza were praying for a ceasefire, but had little optimism that 2024 would be better.
“Gaza has been destroyed and we have nowhere to live. But we just want to stop hearing the sounds of planes and drones, for children to stop being afraid, and for us and our loved ones, those who are left, to meet again,” said Suzan Khader in Rafah.
Barrage of rockets fired towards Israeli cities
With the new year beginning, Palestinian armed groups have launched a salvo of long-range missiles towards Israeli cities.
Sirens sounded throughout Israel warning of rockets flying over Tel Aviv, Gush Dan and the Gaza periphery.
More than 20 missiles were fired towards Tel Aviv, 10 of which were intercepted, according to Israeli news sites.
A missile fragment fell on the Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot, causing no casualties.
تغطية صحفية: في الدقائق الأولى من بداية العام الجديد.. رشـقـات ضخمة على "تل أبيب" وضواحيها. pic.twitter.com/7Vmhk5GN0l
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) December 31, 2023
WATCH: Genocide in Gaza – the information war
Israel’s war on Gaza has been a turning point for the world order and its media ecosystem.
The extent of the brutality – a genocide unfolding in plain sight – and the sheer volume of disinformation designed to defend the indefensible.
Also the complicity of so many Western news outlets – repeatedly exposed for failing to question Israeli propaganda, then spreading it.
Fierce ground battles in Khan Younis
Al Jazeera’s Wael al-Dahdouh reports that fierce fighting is now taking place between Palestinian armed groups and the Israeli army in the centre of Khan Younis.
The ground battles are accompanied by repeated Israeli air and artillery bombardment.
For more than a month, Israeli forces have tried to advance towards Khan Younis’s city centre from several points, but have been met by strong pushback from Palestinian armed groups.
LISTEN: Could Israel’s war on Gaza trigger a wider conflict?
Nearly 22,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israel, armed and backed by the US and European allies.
There’s more fighting nearby too: Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen are among the groups involved.
So, could Israel’s war on Gaza trigger a wider conflict?
Violations against Red Crescent increase 310%
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) says it recorded 193 violations against its medical teams in the first six months of 2023, or a 310 percent increase compared with the same period last year.
The figure even surpasses the total number of Israeli violations that PRCS recorded for the whole of 2022.
Since October 7, the organisation recorded 315 “unprecedented violations” among its staff in the occupied West Bank.
“We have not been able to count or document the violations against our teams in the Gaza Strip, but the killing of the team members and the targeting of these ambulances are known,” PRCS said in a statement.
“We also recorded violations related to the use of Palestinian Red Crescent crews as human shields. The Israeli occupation authorities deliberately left ambulance crews in dangerous areas, preventing them from advancing to transport the sick and wounded, and also preventing them from withdrawing from the place.”
Israeli raids across Salfit in West Bank
Israeli forces stormed several areas in the Salfit governorate in the occupied West Bank.
Local sources report the Israeli army raided the villages of Bruqin and al-Zawiya, west of Salfit, and Marda in the north, firing sound bombs and intimidating Palestinians.
The Israeli army also set up military checkpoints in the villages and obstructed the movement of residents by searching their vehicles and checking identification cards.
‘Make the desert bloom’: Hamas blasts call to displace 2 million in Gaza
Hamas says Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s call to displace 2 million Palestinians and keep about 200,000 in Gaza is “a war crime accompanied by criminal aggression”.
In a statement, Hamas added the international community and the United Nations must take action to stop Israel’s crimes and hold it accountable for what it’s done to the Palestinian people.
Earlier, Smotrich called for Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip and to make way for Israelis who could “make the desert bloom”.
Read the full story here.
‘Sadness and pain’: 2023 year of impunity for war perpetrators
Ibrahim Melhem, a spokesman for the Palestinian government, has told Al Jazeera that the year 2023 has been one of “sadness and pain”.
“This year is the year of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and shameful international silence over the victims… children, women, and the elderly who were killed, displaced, and are dying of hunger and pain,” he said.
This year, he went on to say, the lifeline of 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza was cut off.
“2023 is a year of impunity for perpetrators, but hope remains the weapon that the Palestinian uses to rise again,” Melhem said.
‘It’s on the edge, we don’t know how far it will go’
Paul Rogers, a professor emeritus at the University of Bradford, says the war in Gaza is increasingly threatening to spread throughout the Middle East.
“The case of the Americans sinking Houthi boats and killing the Houthis is clearly an escalation down there. The indication is the Houthis will not be deterred by this. The reality is the Houthis do see it as their right to support the Palestinians,” Rogers told Al Jazeera.
“As far as southern Lebanon is concerned, it seems both sides are willing to escalate slightly but not get completely out of control. We’ve also seen the Israelis increase their attacks on Syria and the killing of the Iranian general recently.
“So far it’s on the edge, we don’t know how far it will go. As long as the war – with its extraordinary intensity – goes on in Gaza, then there is the risk of a sudden, untoward escalation, possibly where we least expect it.”
Blair spokesperson denies Israeli report on role in Gaza ‘relocation’
A spokesperson for Tony Blair has denied an Israeli news report that the former UK prime minister will take on a leading role in “the voluntary evacuation” of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
The report said Blair was going to be the point person to find European countries that would take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza.
A spokesperson for Tony Blair: "Reports that Mr Blair has anything to do with the voluntary evacuation of Gazans is simply not true, there has been no such discussion nor would he consider it"
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) December 31, 2023
We targeted occupied Golan Heights with drone: Islamic Resistance in Iraq
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted the occupied Golan Heights with a drone, the umbrella group of Iran-backed militias said in a statement.
The Israeli army confirmed an aerial target crossed into Israeli territory from Syria and was shot down.
US forces have repeatedly targeted sites used by Iran and its proxy forces in Iraq and Syria in response to dozens of attacks on US and allied forces in the region since the October 7 outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian war.
Israel, meanwhile, has for years carried out attacks against what it describes as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran’s influence has grown since it backed President Bashar al-Assad in the war that erupted in Syria in 2011.
Northern towns to remain evacuated for 3 months: Israel
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation says the government agreed to continue the evacuation of the northern areas for another three months.
Since October 8, Hezbollah and Palestinian factions have been exchanging fire with the Israeli army on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Israeli forces withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon in 2000 after nearly 20 years of deadly fighting, prompting Hezbollah to proclaim itself the first Arab army ever to force Israel to cede control of territory.
Walkout over weapons: British students battle Gaza protest curbs
Luton, United Kingdom – Since the start of the war, the United Kingdom has seen unrelenting demonstrations urging the government to call for a ceasefire.
Yet as students in schools, colleges and universities across the UK also joined the chorus condemning the war, they have also been reprimanded, subtly or explicitly, for their pro-Palestine advocacy in several instances, igniting concerns over freedom of speech.
Luton Sixth Form College suspended its student council after a walkout over scrutiny of links to an arms major that supplies critical weapons to Israel.
Read the full story here.
WHO representatives visit Nasser Medical Complex
World Health Organization staff visited the hospital in Khan Younis to assess the needs of the overwhelmed health facility, WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus says.
In a post on X, Tedros added that the Nasser Medical Complex is one of only two key functioning hospitals in southern Gaza able to provide medical care for wounded and other patients.
Today in #Gaza, @WHOoPT colleagues Dr Husam Abuolwan and Dr Ayadil Saparbekov were working to support the health conditions of people affected by the conflict.
They visited the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis to assess the needs of the overwhelmed health facility, one of… pic.twitter.com/PVpJQYnSpY
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) December 31, 2023
Israeli military: Some reserve soldiers to return home soon
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari has addressed the war in Gaza in a press conference.
“Some reservists will return to their families and their jobs already this week,” he said. “This will allow a significant relief for the economy and will allow them to gather strength ahead of the coming activities in the next year, and the fighting will continue and we will need them.”
Hagari added that:
- Israel continues to deal with the tunnels and is working to mitigate the intensity of rocket fire from Gaza towards Israel.
- Israel continues to qualify the forces in various regions and then return them to work in the field.
- Hezbollah does not care about the interests of the residents of southern Lebanon as it treats them as human shields.
- Air defences intercepted two drones over Tiberias, and a third drone is being searched.
White House 2023 ‘accomplishments’ include supporting Israel
In a post on X, the White House laid out a series of actions it says the United States accomplished in 2023, including strengthening “democracy at home and abroad”.
Under that category, it lists standing up for “our allies and partners in Israel and Ukraine”.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has come under criticism from Arab and Muslim countries as well as pro-Palestine activists, United Nations agencies, and human rights advocates for supporting Israel at the UN and providing it with weapons and ammunition as the death toll in Gaza rises.
It was a big year at the White House. pic.twitter.com/uNYGyNUkGM
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 31, 2023
Two Israelis wounded in stabbing attack in occupied East Jerusalem
Two Israelis have been injured in a stabbing attack near the Mishor Adumim settlement in occupied East Jerusalem, news reports say.
Local sources said Israeli forces opened fire on the attacker after two security guards stationed at the entrance of the settlement were wounded.
The attacker was “neutralized”, police said, without providing any further details.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said the two guards sustained minor injuries. The attack comes during rising tensions across the occupied West Bank.
Ahead of 2024, two million in Gaza struggling to survive
The Palestine Red Crescent Society released a message ahead of the New Year in which its spokeswoman implored people to keep Gaza residents in mind as they “grapple with the daily struggle for survival”.
“Let’s make 2024 a year of compassion, empathy, and positive change,” Nebal Farsakh wrote in a post on X.
🎉While ushering in the new year, keep in mind that over two million individuals in #Gaza find it challenging to contemplate the coming year as they grapple with the daily struggle for survival.💔@FarsakhNebal, the PRCS, Spokesperson
🙏Let’s make 2024 a year of compassion,… pic.twitter.com/s1v6rlsFxy
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) December 31, 2023
Israel postpones municipal elections until February 27
The Israeli government voted to postpone municipal elections to February 27.
Military data shows 688 candidates for 144 cities and towns are currently serving in army reserves and could not be spared for elections.
“We usually do not hold elections in wartime, but these elections were set in advance,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting.
“My recommendation is clear: to do this at the end of February to enable as many reservists as possible to participate in the elections. This is an elementary and important right.”
It is the second time for the local polls to be postponed. They were originally supposed to be held at the end of last October.
‘No peace without end of Israeli occupation’
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, says there can be no peace or stability without a complete end to the Israeli occupation in all Palestinian territories.
“The United States bears the responsibility for implementing international legitimacy resolutions and obliging Israel to cease its aggression,” he said.
“Instead of arming Israel, the US administration should take responsibility for achieving security and stability, not only in Palestine but also to prevent the escalation of tensions in the region,” Abu Rudeineh added.
Houthis: US forces ‘bear consequences of targeting our boats’
The military spokesman for the Houthis in Yemen, Brigadier-General Yahya Saree, gave a press conference. Here are his main talking points:
- US forces attacked three boats and 10 Houthi forces were killed.
- The Americans bear the consequences of targeting Houthi forces’ boats in the Red Sea.
- The Houthis succeeded in carrying out a military operation targeting a ship that was heading to the ports of occupied Palestine.
- The movements of US forces in the Red Sea to protect Israeli ships will not prevent the Houthis from supporting their people in Gaza.
- The Houthis call on other countries not to engage in “dangerous” US behaviour because of its negative repercussions that may affect everyone.