News blog about the war in the Middle East
Israel: Enough hostages to extend ceasefire
Updated on November 29th, 2023 – 8:35 p.m. Reading time: 25 min.
The agreed ceasefire is due to end tomorrow morning. According to Israeli statements, Hamas still has enough hostages in its control for an extension. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
Hamas terrorists crossed the border into Israel on October 7 and carried out massacres. Since then, Israel has been attacking targets in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. This live blog informs you about the current developments:
Hamas: Five premature babies found dead in Gaza hospital
7:14 p.m.: According to the radical Islamic terrorist organization Hamas, five premature babies were found dead in a hospital in the city of Gaza. The bodies of the premature babies were discovered on Tuesday evening in the intensive care unit of the Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital, the spokesman for the Hamas-run health ministry told the AFP news agency. Israeli soldiers had blocked access to the intensive care unit for doctors and families until this point.
When asked, the Israeli army was initially unable to comment on the statements. Before the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday, Israeli soldiers searched for Hamas positions in several hospitals in the north of the Gaza Strip.
According to Hamas, eight premature babies died in the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, Al-Shifa Hospital, due to a lack of electricity for their incubators. About 30 others were evacuated and taken to Egypt for treatment.
Islamic Jihad: Handed hostages over to Israel
6:50 p.m.: Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip says it has handed over several civilian hostages to Israel. This is part of an agreement with Israel, the jihad says. This information could not initially be confirmed independently.
Jordan announces Gaza aid coordination conference
6:15 p.m.: Jordan is hosting an international conference to coordinate humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to state media. The most important UN bodies and UN aid coordinator Martin Griffiths as well as regional and international aid organizations are to take part. According to reports, representatives from Western and Arab countries are also expected.
USA: Hamas threat does not release Israel from protecting civilians
6:00 p.m.: The United States has urged Israel to protect civilians in the Gaza war. “We know that Hamas continues to use civilians as human shields to deliberately and cruelly endanger Palestinian civilians,” said American UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the UN Security Council in New York. “However, this does not diminish Israel’s responsibility to protect civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law.” The diplomat emphasized that Israel was defending itself against the terror of Hamas, which triggered the war in the first place.
Thomas-Greenfield also expressed “deep concern” about the sharp increase in violence by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank and an expansion of the conflict. “The United States does not want to see conflict in Lebanon, as escalation would have serious implications for regional peace and security as well as the well-being of the Lebanese people.” The ambassador emphasized that only a two-state solution can bring peace to the region.
UN chief: Number of dead children in the Gaza Strip during his term is unprecedented
4:56 p.m.: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has once again called for a permanent end to the fighting between Israel and the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “Intense negotiations are taking place to extend the ceasefire, which we very much welcome. But we believe that we need a real humanitarian ceasefire,” Guterres said at a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York. “The people of Gaza are in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe before the eyes of the world. We cannot look away.”
“In just a few weeks, Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed far more children than the total number of children killed by any party to the conflict in the years since my term as Secretary General,” Guterres continued. Four out of five people in Gaza have been driven from their homes. 111 UN employees were also killed by Israeli attacks – the highest number of UN casualties ever.
