Month After War on Gaza: Palestinian Deaths Top Russia-Ukraine War Toll

A damaged road after Israeli forces stormed the Jenin camp in the West Bank on Sunday (Reuters)
A damaged road after Israeli forces stormed the Jenin camp in the West Bank on Sunday (Reuters)
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Month After War on Gaza: Palestinian Deaths Top Russia-Ukraine War Toll

A damaged road after Israeli forces stormed the Jenin camp in the West Bank on Sunday (Reuters)
A damaged road after Israeli forces stormed the Jenin camp in the West Bank on Sunday (Reuters)

The number of deaths one month since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza reached frightening numbers as the situation becomes increasingly horrifying, portending more victims.

Israel announced the war could be extended for several months, perhaps even a year.

Palestinian sources confirmed that the number of Palestinians killed in one month exceeded the number of deaths in the Ukraine war, which reached 9,806 victims over nearly two years.

Palestinian health authorities said the death toll from Israeli strikes had exceeded 10,328, while Israel estimates their number at more than 20,000, including 4,237 children and 2,716 women, in addition to 25,956 injuries.

More than 120,000 homes were destroyed and about 1.2 million citizens were displaced.

In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israel killed 220 people, arrested 2,215 others, and demolished 120 homes.

According to Israeli reports, the number of deaths is more than that of the 1967 war that Israel fought against three Arab armies, with 779 deaths, including 850 civilians and 5,500 injuries.

The Israeli government evacuated 115,000 residents, while about 109,000 decided to leave from 29 settlements surrounding the Gaza Strip and 22 others on the Lebanese border.

According to the Israelis, the war began in response to Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, and the capturing of 240 Israelis and foreigners as hostages.

Israel officially declared war on Hamas to “annihilate” the movement and terminate its ability to rule and its military capabilities.

Tel Aviv admitted it had taken a new form of warfare, bombing Gaza without mercy from afar, using the air force, navy, artillery, and tanks to destroy any place where Hamas leaders or any of its armed members were located, even if it was crowded among civilians.

It claims Hamas leaders are using civilians as human shields. As a result of these claims, Israel has bombed hospitals and schools.

Three weeks into this terrible bombing, the Israeli army began a ground operation searching for Hamas leaders and kidnapped Israelis.

Israel insists that the attack has nothing to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and that the movement is pursuing a brutal path in its war against Jewish civilians and even Muslim Arabs.

In response, Palestinians say Israel has been insisting on besieging the Gaza Strip for 16 years, and from time to time, launched a military operation in which it destroys the enclave, killing thousands of Palestinians and exacerbating the economic and social situation there.

They said Israel continues its occupation of the West Bank and Judaization of Jerusalem with massive settlement projects, violating the sanctity of al-Aqsa Mosque. It carries out widespread arrests and degrades prisoners.

Moreover, Tel Aviv allows settlers to carry out bloody criminal attacks on Palestinians and denies their rights.

- The hysteric Israeli response

Palestinians said the Hamas attack came within the framework of resistance to the occupation’s projects, describing the Israeli response as hysterical because Tel Aviv did not imagine Palestinians were capable of penetrating their fortified defenses and carry out a successful military attack.

They added that Israel wants to implement its old plans to destroy Gaza and deport its people to Egypt, with the hope of expelling the Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan later.

Palestinians called the war the second Nakba, saying the Israeli army drops a thousand tons of explosives every day to implement those goals, with the support of the US administration and Western governments.

The US and the West are not fulfilling their moral and humanitarian duty to deter the Israeli war of annihilation, they stressed.



Israel, Hamas Due to Release More People amid Efforts to Extend Truce

Palestinians walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City on the northern Gaza strip following weeks of Israeli bombardment, as a four-day ceasefire took effect on November 24, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
Palestinians walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City on the northern Gaza strip following weeks of Israeli bombardment, as a four-day ceasefire took effect on November 24, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
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Israel, Hamas Due to Release More People amid Efforts to Extend Truce

Palestinians walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City on the northern Gaza strip following weeks of Israeli bombardment, as a four-day ceasefire took effect on November 24, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
Palestinians walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City on the northern Gaza strip following weeks of Israeli bombardment, as a four-day ceasefire took effect on November 24, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

Hamas and Israel were expected to release more hostages and prisoners on Wednesday, the last day of a prolonged six-day truce in the Gaza Strip conflict, as attention focused on whether mediator Qatar could negotiate another extension.
Israeli media, citing the prime minister's office, reported that Israel received a list of hostages expected to be released by Hamas on Wednesday. The prime minister's office had no immediate comment, Reuters said.
Israel has said the truce could be prolonged further, provided Hamas continues to free at least 10 Israeli hostages per day. But with fewer women and children still in captivity, keeping the guns quiet beyond Wednesday may require negotiating to free at least some Israeli men for the first time.
The Palestinian group Hamas and allied group Islamic Jihad freed 12 hostages on Tuesday, bringing the total released since the truce began on Friday to 81. Those have been mostly Israeli women and children along with foreign citizens.
The hostages - 10 Israeli women and two Thai citizens - were aged 17 to 84 and included a mother-daughter pair. All were given initial medical checks then moved to Israeli hospitals where they were to meet their families.
A short time later, Israel released 30 Palestinians from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank and a Jerusalem detention center. The Palestinian Prisoner's Club, a semi-official organization, said half were women and the remainder were teenage males. That brought the total number of Palestinians released under the truce to 180.
The hostages were among some 240 people seized by Hamas gunmen during a rampage into southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed. Israel's bombardment of Hamas-ruled Gaza in retaliation has killed more than 15,000 Gazans, health authorities there said.
Qatar, which mediated indirect talks between Hamas and Israel that resulted in the ceasefire, on Tuesday hosted the spy chiefs from Israel's Mossad and the United States' CIA.
The officials discussed possible parameters of a new phase of the truce deal including Hamas releasing hostages who are men or military personnel, not just women and children, a source briefed on the matter said. They also considered what might be needed to reach a ceasefire lasting more than a handful of days.
Qatar spoke to Hamas before the meeting to get a sense of what the group might agree to. The Israelis and Hamas are now internally discussing the ideas explored at the meeting, the source added.
Separately, foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations on Tuesday called in a joint statement for an extension of the ceasefire and more humanitarian aid.
About 159 hostages remain in Gaza. The White House said on Tuesday this includes eight to nine Americans. US national security spokesperson John Kirby said the US was hopeful Hamas would release more Americans, and the US government would work with Qatar to extend the pause in fighting.
"We want to see all the hostages out. The way to do that is these pauses," Kirby told reporters traveling on the president's plane on Tuesday.
WARNING OF MORE DEATHS DUE TO DISEASE IN GAZA
The truce has brought Gaza its first respite after seven weeks of fighting and bombardment that has reduced much of the seaside enclave to rubble. It had been due to expire overnight into Tuesday, but both sides agreed to extend the pause to allow for the release of more people.
Israel's siege has led to the collapse of Gaza's health care system, especially in the north where no hospitals remain functioning. The World Health Organization said more Gazans could soon be dying of disease than from bombing and many had no access to medicines, vaccines, safe water and hygiene and no food.
More than two-thirds of Gaza's 2.3 million people have lost their homes to Israeli bombardments, with thousands of families sleeping rough in makeshift shelters with only the belongings they could carry. They are desperately short of food, fuel and clean water.
"We have a dramatic humanitarian situation. At the same time, we want to have the full release of all hostages, that we believe should be unconditional and immediate. But we need a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza now," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Tuesday.
The temporary ceasefire has allowed about 800 aid trucks to enter Gaza, and the first of three US planes with humanitarian supplies for Gaza landed in Egypt on Tuesday.
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths was to travel to the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday to discuss opening the Kerem Shalom crossing to allow for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza from Israel.
Located at the intersection of Israel, the Gaza Strip and Egypt, the Kerem Shalom crossing transported more than 60% of the aid going into Gaza before the current conflict.
Aid for Gaza now comes through the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border, which was designed for pedestrian crossings and not trucks.


Arab Countries Congratulate Saudi Arabia on Winning Bid to Host Expo 2030 in Riyadh 

A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
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Arab Countries Congratulate Saudi Arabia on Winning Bid to Host Expo 2030 in Riyadh 

A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)

Arab countries congratulated on Tuesday Saudi Arabia on winning its bid to host Expo 2030 in the capital Riyadh. 

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to organize this important international event.  

In a statement, the ministry stressed that the Kingdom’s organizing of this international event embodies the amount of appreciation for the bid it submitted and confidence in its ability to successfully organize the event. It wished the Saudi people further success and progress.  

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the occasion.  

In his cable to King Salman, he expressed the pride of his country and all Arabs in this great win, which came as a result of the effort and excellence of the wise leadership in the Kingdom, competent authorities and Saudi people.  

Abbas underscored his best wishes of constant good health and happiness to King Salman and further progress and prosperity for the Saudi people.  

In a similar cable, the Palestinian President also congratulated Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the well-deserved win.  

He underlined his confidence that this important international event will be a success. 

Jordan expressed its sincere congratulations to Saudi Arabia on its successful bid. 

The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday the victory is a culmination of the successes and achievements reached by the Kingdom in various fields. 

It is a testimony to its distinguished ability to host such important global events, which have been admired across the globe, it added. 


Jordan’s King Says Israeli Actions in Gaza and West Bank ‘Negate Human Values’

Crowds of locals and displaced Palestinians walk past destroyed buildings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
Crowds of locals and displaced Palestinians walk past destroyed buildings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
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Jordan’s King Says Israeli Actions in Gaza and West Bank ‘Negate Human Values’

Crowds of locals and displaced Palestinians walk past destroyed buildings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
Crowds of locals and displaced Palestinians walk past destroyed buildings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis on November 28, 2023. (AFP)

Jordan's King Abdullah said on Tuesday Israel's military campaigns in Gaza and army operations in the West Bank "negate human values and the right of life."

In remarks carried on state media, the monarch who again called for an end to the war, said the Israeli siege on the enclave that prevented for weeks the entry of medicine, food and fuel and cut electricity supplies, amounted to war crimes.

"These are war crimes.. we cannot stay silent," the monarch said.


UN Aid Chief Heads to Jordan for Talks to Open Second Crossing into Gaza

 Palestinians visit their houses destroyed in the Israeli bombings southeast of the Gaza City on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 on the fifth day of the temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. (AP)
Palestinians visit their houses destroyed in the Israeli bombings southeast of the Gaza City on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 on the fifth day of the temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. (AP)
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UN Aid Chief Heads to Jordan for Talks to Open Second Crossing into Gaza

 Palestinians visit their houses destroyed in the Israeli bombings southeast of the Gaza City on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 on the fifth day of the temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. (AP)
Palestinians visit their houses destroyed in the Israeli bombings southeast of the Gaza City on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 on the fifth day of the temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. (AP)

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths will travel to the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday for talks on the possibility of opening the Kerem Shalom crossing to allow for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza from Israel.

Located at the intersection of Israel, the Gaza Strip and Egypt, the Kerem Shalom crossing was used to carry more than 60% of the truckloads going into Gaza before the current conflict.

Aid currently being allowed into Gaza comes through the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border, which was designed for pedestrian crossings and not trucks.

"We have said from start we need more than one crossing," Griffiths told a briefing of member states at the United Nations in Geneva on Tuesday.

"The opportunity to use Kerem Shalom should be explored, and that will be topic in Amman. It would hugely add scope (to the response)."

A Western diplomat said there was no prospect of opening the Kerem Shalom crossing for the moment. The diplomat said that Israel does not want to open the crossing because their troops are located in the area.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

Since a fragile truce came into force last week, some 200 trucks have carried aid into Gaza on a daily basis, but the amount of aid is nowhere near enough to meet the needs of its population.

"We know that more humanitarian aid should be delivered in Gaza. We know how we could increase it, but there are constraints beyond our control," Griffiths said.

"We know that the people of Gaza need much more from us."

Since the truce, the United Nations has scaled up the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and sent aid to some northern areas that had been largely cut off for weeks due to Israeli bombing.

"We need to have reliable and scalable aid delivery mechanisms, that include all humanitarian partners - including NGOs," Griffiths said.

"We are refining prioritization, advocating for more entry points and the resumption of (the) private sector."


More People at Risk of Death from Disease Than Bombings in Gaza, Warns WHO 

Palestinians eat outside amid the destruction caused by Israeli strikes in the village of Khuzaa, east of Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (AFP) 
Palestinians eat outside amid the destruction caused by Israeli strikes in the village of Khuzaa, east of Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (AFP) 
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More People at Risk of Death from Disease Than Bombings in Gaza, Warns WHO 

Palestinians eat outside amid the destruction caused by Israeli strikes in the village of Khuzaa, east of Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (AFP) 
Palestinians eat outside amid the destruction caused by Israeli strikes in the village of Khuzaa, east of Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (AFP) 

More people could die from disease than from bombings in the Gaza Strip if its health system is not repaired, a World Health Organization spokesperson said on Tuesday. 

Gaza health authorities deemed reliable by the United Nations say more than 15,000 people have been confirmed killed in Israel's bombardment of Gaza, around 40% of them children, with many more dead feared to be lost under rubble. 

Israel has sworn to annihilate Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, after its gunmen burst across the fence and killed around 1,200 people and seized 240 captives on Oct. 7. 

"Eventually we will see more people dying from disease than we are even seeing from the bombardment if we are not able to put back (together) this health system," said the WHO's Margaret Harris at a UN briefing in Geneva. 

She repeated concerns about a rise in outbreaks of infectious diseases, particularly diarrheal diseases. 

Citing a UN report on the living conditions of displaced residents in northern Gaza, she said: "(There are) no medicines, no vaccination activities, no access to safe water and hygiene and no food. We saw a very high number of cases of diarrhea among infants," she said. 

She described the collapse of Al Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza as a "tragedy" and voiced concern about the detention of some of its medical staff by Israeli forces during a WHO evacuation convoy. 

James Elder, a spokesperson from the UN Children's Agency in Gaza, told reporters by videolink that hospitals in Gaza were full of children with war wounds and gastroenteritis from drinking dirty water. 

"I met a lot of parents... They know exactly what their children need. They don't have access to safe water and it's crippling them," he said. 

He described seeing one child with part of his leg missing lying on the hospital floor for several hours, without receiving treatment for lack of medical staff. 


US Asking Israel to Avoid Civilian Displacements in Any South Gaza Offensive 

Displaced Palestinians gather next to tents sheltering people in Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
Displaced Palestinians gather next to tents sheltering people in Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
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US Asking Israel to Avoid Civilian Displacements in Any South Gaza Offensive 

Displaced Palestinians gather next to tents sheltering people in Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)
Displaced Palestinians gather next to tents sheltering people in Khan Yunis near the border fence between Israel and the southern Gaza Strip on November 27, 2023, amid a truce in battles between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)

The US is asking Israel to take greater care to protect civilians and limit damage to infrastructure if it launches an offensive in southern Gaza to avoid further displacements that would overwhelm humanitarian efforts, senior US officials said.

The Israeli offensive in northern Gaza has proven devastating, with thousands of Palestinians killed and vast numbers of survivors left homeless and forced to flee south by a relentless bombing campaign and a lack of essentials such as food, power and water.

As Israel begins to look toward south Gaza to continue battling Hamas militants after a pause in fighting to release hostages, US officials said they have been talking to the Israelis about taking greater care in the south, where there were now about 2 million people.

The message has been delivered from President Joe Biden on down, the officials told reporters on a conference call.

"We have reinforced this in very clear language with the government of Israel - very important that the conduct of the Israeli campaign when it moves to the south must be done in a way that is to a maximum extent not designed to produce significant further displacement of persons," one official said.

"You cannot have the sort of scale of displacement that took place in the north, replicated in the south. It will be beyond disruptive, it will be beyond the capacity of any humanitarian support network," the official said, adding: "It can't happen."

The official said the campaign needed to be "deconflicted" from power, water, humanitarian sites and hospitals in south and central Gaza, meaning avoid attacks on those types of infrastructure sites.

He said the Israelis had been receptive to the notion "that a different type of campaign has to be conducted in the south."

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday described an extended truce between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas as "a glimpse of hope and humanity," but warned it was not enough time to meet the aid needs of the Gaza Strip.

Mediator Qatar said on Monday the initial four-day truce had been extended by two days, continuing a pause in seven weeks of warfare that has killed thousands and laid waste to the Palestinian enclave.

A second US official said Washington would like to see the humanitarian pause extended as long as possible.

The official said the first of three relief aid flights conducted by the US military would land in northern Sinai on Tuesday carrying badly needed supplies for Gaza, with two more planned in coming days.

The flights would bring medical items, food aid and winter items that would be delivered by the United Nations.

The officials said aid deliveries to Gaza were currently running at about 240 truckloads a day, but this was nowhere near enough to meet needs.

They said the effort would need to turn to commercial contracts to get deliveries up to 400 trucks a day and the US side had been discussing this with Israel.

"To get that volume of assistance, inspection procedures will need to be increased and enhanced and you're going to need to resort to commercial contracting within Gaza to meet the trucks coming in from Egypt," the first official said.

"We hope that after this pause concludes that can be phase two of the humanitarian program," he said.


Israeli Shell Hits Southern Lebanon Following Truce Extension 

US peacekeepers patrol next to a damage house in the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Marwahin, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (AP)
US peacekeepers patrol next to a damage house in the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Marwahin, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (AP)
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Israeli Shell Hits Southern Lebanon Following Truce Extension 

US peacekeepers patrol next to a damage house in the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Marwahin, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (AP)
US peacekeepers patrol next to a damage house in the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Marwahin, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (AP)

Lebanese media reported that an Israeli shell struck the outskirts of a town in south Lebanon on Tuesday, hours after a temporary truce between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel was extended for two days. 

A spokesperson for the Israeli army said it was "currently not aware of such an incident". 

Lebanon's state-owned National News Agency and the Lebanese broadcaster al-Jadeed reported an Israeli shell had struck the outskirts of the town of Aita al-Shaab on Tuesday morning. Both outlets cited their correspondents as the source. 

Weeks of cross-border shelling between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah came to a halt on Friday when the Palestinian group Hamas - a Hezbollah ally - and Israel agreed the temporary truce in their conflict which erupted on Oct. 7. 

A spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon UNIFIL said it was looking into the reports. 


Algeria: Foreign Interventions Fueled Internal Division in Libya

Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and the UN Secretary-General Envoy Abdullah Bathily(Algerian Foreign Ministry)
Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and the UN Secretary-General Envoy Abdullah Bathily(Algerian Foreign Ministry)
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Algeria: Foreign Interventions Fueled Internal Division in Libya

Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and the UN Secretary-General Envoy Abdullah Bathily(Algerian Foreign Ministry)
Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and the UN Secretary-General Envoy Abdullah Bathily(Algerian Foreign Ministry)

Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf indicated that foreign military interventions exacerbated the Libyan crisis.

In press statements following his meeting with UN Envoy Abdullah Bathily, Attaf explained that it would not have lasted without these continuous interventions that fueled the division among Libyans and complicated the efforts to reach political agreements to resolve the conflict.

Algeria believes external interference in Libyan internal affairs is at the center of the national crisis and the heart of the conflict said the FM.

Attaf stressed that Algeria “completely rejects these interventions,” calling for an end to all their political or military forms. He indicated that the interventions have further complicated the efforts to help parties formulate the necessary political agreements to resolve the issues.

It is crucial to address this issue by resorting to the resolutions adopted by the Security Council and by upholding the pledges that resulted from the various international forums, including the First and Second Berlin Conferences.

Bathily’s visit comes within the framework of his mission to contain internal disputes and bring about rapprochement between the parties.

Political sources said Enovy’s discussions with Attaf addressed the upcoming elections and reconciliation efforts between the disputing parties.

According to the Algerian Foreign Ministry, Attaf stated that his country will continue its full support and involvement in the UN and the African Union efforts.

He noted that the UN and AU tracks are interconnected in their endeavor and complementary in their purpose, adding that they support each other in achieving the ultimate goal of ending the crisis, turning the page on divisions, and restoring cohesion in Libya.

The UN seeks to provide the legal and political conditions for the elections’ success, said Attaf, asserting that it is a permanent and sustainable solution to the crisis in Libya, requiring a path for national reconciliation that the AU can promote as a consensus platform that brings all Libyans together.

He asserted that Libya needs real support from the international community to overcome the challenges imposed by the current stage and strive hard to end the crisis that has afflicted the nation.

Algeria welcomed the efforts to adopt the necessary legal framework of the elections and the AU-sponsored meetings, with the participation of all Libyan political factions, in preparation for a national reconciliation conference.

Since the outbreak of the crisis in 2011, Algeria has been subject to armed infiltration and weapons smuggling across its border with Libya.

The Algerian army often published reports and pictures of arrests and weapons seizures, which prompted the authorities to launch efforts to help end the crisis, limit its threats, and oppose external interference to find a consensual solution that satisfies all parties in Libya.

Algiers proposed hosting Libyan parties for meetings several times, aiming to reach a consensus that would pave the way for general elections.


Iraq Court Sentences 4 ISIS Members to Death for Manufacturing Drones

Iraqi forces are seen by their military vehicles during an operation against ISIS remnants. (Reuters file photo)
Iraqi forces are seen by their military vehicles during an operation against ISIS remnants. (Reuters file photo)
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Iraq Court Sentences 4 ISIS Members to Death for Manufacturing Drones

Iraqi forces are seen by their military vehicles during an operation against ISIS remnants. (Reuters file photo)
Iraqi forces are seen by their military vehicles during an operation against ISIS remnants. (Reuters file photo)

Iraq's Central Criminal Court in Iraq issued four death sentences against ISIS terrorists on Monday for manufacturing drones and explosives to attack security forces.

Iraq is seeking to limit the use of weapons on its territory with the spread of many armed factions, some of which targeted US bases after the eruption of the war in Gaza on October 7.

The media center of the Supreme Judicial Council said that terrorists provided logistical support to ISIS to target the security forces.

Cooperation with International Criminal Court

Ahead of the convictions, Prime Minister Mohammad Shiaa al-Sudani met in Baghdad with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Ahmad Khan.

According to a statement from Sudani's office, the Prime Minister called on the ICC to assist Iraq in identifying supporters of terrorism.

The officials discussed cooperation mechanisms between the Iraqi government and the ICC to hold ISIS terrorists accountable in a way that helps bring justice to the thousands of victims who were killed by terrorism.

Sudani stressed the need to support Iraq in prosecuting and holding the terrorists accountable for the loss of Iraqi lives and brutal massacres of civilians.

"Iraq fought terrorism on behalf of the world, was able to defeat it, and made many sacrifices for that."

For his part, Khan stressed the ICC's keenness to prosecute and bring to justice members of terrorist organizations in Iraq.

He asserted that the Iraqis defeated the terrorist ISIS through their unity, cohesion, and determination to cleanse their land.

Harir Airport

Separately, the Kurdish Rudaw network reported on Sunday that a large explosion was heard at Harir Airport in Erbil, northern Iraq.

It did not immediately provide further details.

Iraqi armed factions have repeatedly targeted the base near Erbil Airport and another in western Iraq in response to the war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Karkh Criminal Court in Baghdad sentenced two persons to life in prison for illegal drug trafficking.

Under the complex litigation procedures in Iraq, these rulings are not final and can be appealed. Some cases can be put to a retrial because some convicts provide their statements under coercion or torture.


Israel, Hamas Extend Truce but It Seems Only Matter of Time Before War Resumes 

Palestinian prisoners freed from the Ofer Israeli military prison react as they get greeted by crowds awaiting their return in Beitunia, near Ramallah, West Bank, 28 November 2023. (EPA)
Palestinian prisoners freed from the Ofer Israeli military prison react as they get greeted by crowds awaiting their return in Beitunia, near Ramallah, West Bank, 28 November 2023. (EPA)
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Israel, Hamas Extend Truce but It Seems Only Matter of Time Before War Resumes 

Palestinian prisoners freed from the Ofer Israeli military prison react as they get greeted by crowds awaiting their return in Beitunia, near Ramallah, West Bank, 28 November 2023. (EPA)
Palestinian prisoners freed from the Ofer Israeli military prison react as they get greeted by crowds awaiting their return in Beitunia, near Ramallah, West Bank, 28 November 2023. (EPA)

A truce between Israel and Hamas entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with the militant group promising to release more hostages to delay the expected resumption of the war and Israel under growing pressure to spare Palestinian civilians when it renews its offensive. 

The sides agreed to extend their truce through Wednesday, with another two planned exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. But Israel has repeatedly vowed to resume the war with "full force" to destroy Hamas once it's clear that no more hostages will be freed under the current agreement's terms. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit the region later this week for the third time since the start of the war, and is expected to press for an extension of the truce and the release of more hostages. 

The Biden administration has told Israel it must avoid "significant further displacement" and mass casualties among Palestinian civilians if it resumes the offensive, and that it must operate with more precision in southern Gaza than it has in the north, according to US officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. 

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his call for a long-term ceasefire and the release of all hostages, reflecting broad international support for a halt to the deadliest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence in decades. 

Hamas and other militants are still holding about 160 people, out of the 240 seized in their Oct. 7 assault into southern Israel that ignited the war. That's enough to potentially extend the truce for another two weeks under the existing framework brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the US, but Hamas is expected to make much higher demands for the release of captive soldiers. 

Israel has vowed to end Hamas' 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities. That would almost certainly require expanding the ground offensive from northern Gaza — where entire residential areas have been pounded into rubble — to the south, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people have packed into overflowing United Nations shelters. 

Israel blames the soaring casualty toll on Hamas, accusing the militants of using civilians as human shields while operating in dense, residential areas. 

HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS RELEASED Monday’s release brought to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the initial four-day truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. Israel has said it would extend the ceasefire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. 

The Palestinian prisoners released so far have been mostly teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces. Some were convicted by Israeli courts of attempting to carry out deadly attacks. The prisoners are widely seen by Palestinians as heroes resisting occupation. 

Most of the freed hostages appeared to be physically well, but an 84-year-old woman released Sunday was hospitalized in critical condition because she had not had access to her medication in captivity. They have mostly stayed out of the public eye, but details of their captivity have started to emerge. 

In one of the first interviews with a freed hostage, 78-year-old Ruti Munder told Israel’s Channel 13 television that she was initially fed well in captivity but that conditions worsened as shortages took hold. She said she was kept in a "suffocating" room and slept on plastic chairs with a sheet for nearly 50 days. 

Israel imposed a total siege on Gaza at the start of the war and had only allowed a trickle of humanitarian aid to enter prior to the ceasefire, leading to widespread shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel to power generators amid a territory-wide power blackout. 

NORTHERN GAZA IN RUINS The ceasefire has allowed residents who remained in Gaza City and other parts of the north to venture out to survey the destruction and try to locate and bury relatives. Footage from northern Gaza, the focus of the Israeli ground offensive, shows nearly every building damaged or destroyed. 

A UN-led aid consortium estimates that over 234,000 homes have been damaged across Gaza and 46,000 have been completely destroyed, amounting to around 60% of the housing stock in the territory, which is home to some 2.3 million Palestinians. 

In the north, the destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure "severely compromises the ability to meet basic requirements to sustain life," it said. 

More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 people have been killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians killed in the initial attack. 

At least 77 soldiers have been killed in Israel’s ground offensive. Israel says it has killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence. 

The toll on the Palestinian side is likely much higher, as the Health Ministry has only been able to sporadically update its count since Nov. 11, due to the breakdown of the health sector in the north. It also says thousands of people are missing and feared trapped or dead under the rubble. 

FEARS FOR THE SOUTH Israel's bombardment and ground offensive have displaced more than 1.8 million people, nearly 80% of Gaza's population, with most having sought refuge in the south, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office. Israeli troops have barred people from returning to the north during the ceasefire. 

Hundreds of thousands of people have packed into UN-run schools and other facilities, with many forced to sleep on the streets outside because of overcrowding. It's unclear where they would go if Israel expands its ground operation, as Egypt has refused to accept refugees and Israel has sealed its border. 

The UN says the truce made it possible to scale up the delivery of food, water and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war, and to bring in desperately needed fuel for homes, hospitals and water treatment plants.  

But the 160 to 200 trucks a day is still less than half what Gaza was importing before the fighting, even as humanitarian needs have soared. Four days into the truce, residents were still waiting for hours to buy gas and cooking fuel. 

Juliette Toma, a spokesperson for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said people come to shelters asking for heavy clothes, mattresses and blankets, and that some are sleeping in damaged vehicles. 

"The needs are overwhelming," she told The Associated Press. "They lost everything, and they need everything."