Israel says it won’t complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by Sunday

The ceasefire deal for Lebanon gave both sides 60 days to remove their forces from southern Lebanon and for the Lebanese army to move in and secure the area.

Jerusalem: Israel’s military says it won’t complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday as outlined in its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah militants.

The confirmation came Saturday while another fragile ceasefire — between Israel and the Hamas militant group — saw a second release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody.

The ceasefire deal for Lebanon gave both sides 60 days to remove their forces from southern Lebanon and for the Lebanese army to move in and secure the area. Israel says Hezbollah and the Lebanese army haven’t met their obligations, while Lebanon accuses the Israeli army of hindering the Lebanese military from taking over.

Hyderabad Institute of Excellence

Hamas release 4 Israeli soldiers

The truce for Gaza continued as Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers held captive during the 15-month-long war in Gaza in return for 200 Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The next exchange is expected on Feb. 1. The truce also halted the fighting in Gaza for at least six weeks.

But Israel says it won’t allow displaced Palestinians to begin returning to northern Gaza as expected by Sunday, because a civilian hostage who was supposed to be released by Hamas hadn’t been freed on Saturday. Mediators are trying to resolve the dispute.

The war was sparked by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023 that killed around 1,200 people. The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 47,000 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities, which don’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.

MS Creative School

Trump wants Jordan and Egypt to accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza

President Donald Trump said he’d like to see Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations increase the number of Palestinian refugees they are accepting from the Gaza Strip — potentially moving out enough of the population to “just clean out” the war-torn area to create virtual clean slate.

During a 20-minute question-and-answer session with reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said he discussed his vision on a call earlier in the day with King Abdullah II of Jordan and would speak Sunday with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt.

“I’d like him to take people. I’d like Egypt to take people,” said Trump. “You’re talking about, probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, You know it’s, over.’”

Trump compliments Jordan for accepting Palestinian refugees

Speaking about the effects of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, Trump said he complimented Jordan for having successfully accepted Palestinian refugees.

He said of such a mass movement of Palestinians, “it could be temporary or long term,” adding that the area of the world that encompasses Gaza, “over centuries” has “had many, many conflicts.”

2-year-old shot dead by Israeli forces in West Bank, Palestinian officials say

2 yr old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces

A 2-year-old Palestinian girl was shot and killed by Israeli forces Saturday in the West Bank, Palestinian health officials said, the latest death to rock the territory as Israel stages an offensive there.

The Palestinian health ministry said Laila Al-Khatib, was shot in the head by Israeli forces in the area of Jenin, a city in the northern West Bank where Israeli forces have been operating in recent days.

Israel’s military said it was reviewing the incident. It said its forces had fired at militants who had barricaded themselves behind a structure, and it was aware of reports that an uninvolved civilian had been hurt.

The death comes as Israel has launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank and suspected Jewish settlers have rampaged through two Palestinian towns. At least 11 Palestinians were killed in Jenin in the latest raid.

Palestinian health officials said another Palestinian man was killed Saturday in Balata, a refugee camp in the Central West Bank.

Released prisoners enter Gaza to joyous crowds

Palestinian prisoners return to joyous crowds

Khan Younis — Some of the Palestinian prisoners released as part of the ceasefire in Gaza returned to the territory on Saturday to joyous crowds. They were taken to a hospital for assessment and treatment.

Rana Raef al-Farra, the daughter of one released prisoner, said she was 7 when her father was sentenced 21 years ago. “I am afraid that I will not know him when he gets out, or that he will not know me,” she said.

Some of the released prisoners praised the “resistance” and urged it to continue.

Hamas sending delegation to Cairo to receive released Hamas-affiliated prisoners

Beirut — Hamas said in a statement Saturday that a delegation of the group’s officials, led by Mohammad Darwish, the head of its Shura Council, would head to Cairo.

They plan to meet with Egyptian officials and receive Hamas-affiliated Palestinian prisoners who were released in exchange for Israelis held in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine also announced they were sending delegations to Cairo for the same purpose.

Families of Israeli hostages appeal to Trump

Families of hostages appeal to Trump to pressure Netanyahu to end war, bring home loved ones

Tel Aviv – Families of hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza are appealing to President Donald Trump to pressure Israel’s prime minister into ending the war and bringing their loved-ones home.

Under the deal, about one third of the hostages are to be released during the six-week first phase. The release of the remaining hostages, along with an end to the war, are to be negotiated during a second phase.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled readiness to return to the war after the first phase is complete, and hard-liners in his coalition have threatened to bring down the government if he does not resume the war.

Back to top button