At least 236 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Three Israeli soldiers have been killed by Palestinian fighters in the same period, according to the Israeli military.
The Presidency held Hamas fully responsible for these crimes that harm the supreme interests of the Palestinian people, as they seek to entrench Hamas’s control over the Gaza Strip, provide pretexts to the occupation, obstruct reconstruction, deepen division, and hinder the establishment of a free and independent State of Palestine.
A disturbing video from Gaza shows Hamas fighters executing seven men accused of collaborating with Israel. Reuters verified the footage’s location in Gaza City and confirmed it was filmed Monday. Hamas sources admitted responsibility, vowing zero tolerance for “traitors” as fighters reemerge on Gaza’s streets following the ceasefire.
The recognition of Palestine would only be formalized if Hamas releases all remaining Israeli hostages kidnapped in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack and the militant group “no longer has any role in managing Palestine,” Prévot said.
In the meantime, Belgium will also impose “firm sanctions” on the Israeli government, Prévot said. The measures include a ban on importing products from illegal settlements, a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies and restrictions on consular assistance to Belgians living in illegal settlements.
Die Sanktionen umfassen ein Verbot der Einfuhr von Produkten aus israelischen Siedlungen, eine Überprüfung der öffentlichen Beschaffungspolitik mit israelischen Unternehmen und Einschränkungen der konsularischen Unterstützung für belgische Staatsangehörige, die in den illegalen Siedlungen leben.
Sie werden auch mögliche gerichtliche Verfolgungen, Überflug- und Transitverbote sowie die Einstufung von zwei extremistischen israelischen Ministern, Hamas-Führern und mehreren gewalttätigen Siedlern als „Persona non grata“ in Belgien umfassen.
Following a big gathering at Hostages Square, hostages’ families begin a march around the army headquarters in protest of the Gaza occupation plan, joining protesters and other hostages’ families from the anti-government protest outside the Begin Street entrance to the army headquarters.
During that protest, speakers urged soldiers to refuse to serve in Gaza and called on opposition heads as well as business, labor and academic leaders to bring the country to a general strike. At the same time, dozens of activists split from the main march in Tel Aviv and are blocking the central Ayalon highway in both directions in several points. The activists burned tires in one of their blocking points and three were arrested by police.
Tel Aviv’s Ayalon highway shut down as protesters light bonfires in the road; relatives of hostages bewail ‘eternal war-mongers’ for choosing to ‘sacrifice’ their loved ones
(…)
Nearby, at the anti-government, pro-hostage deal protest in front of the Begin Street entrance to the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, speakers urged soldiers to refuse to serve in the expanded fighting, and called on opposition heads as well as business, labor and academic leaders to bring the country to a standstill.
“An entire county is held hostage by Hamas and the government of Israel,” said Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker. “What needs to be done? The country needs to grind to a halt, now.”
(August 9, 2025)
The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, strongly reject the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet on 8th August to launch an additional large-scale military operation in Gaza. It will aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages, and further risk the mass displacement of civilians. The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law. Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.
We urge the parties and the international community to make all efforts to finally bring this terrible conflict to an end now, through an immediate and permanent ceasefire that enables the provision of a massive, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, as the worst-case scenario of a famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hamas must release all hostages without further delay or precondition and must ensure they are humanely treated and not subject to cruelty and humiliation.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. We call on the Government of Israel to urgently find solutions to amend its recent registration system of international humanitarian organisations, to ensure these vital actors of humanitarian aid can continue their essential work again in line with humanitarian principles to reach the civilians in need in Gaza. Their exclusion would be an egregious signal.
We are united in our commitment to the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to guarantee that both Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security, and dignity. A political resolution based on a negotiated two-state solution requires the total demilitarisation of Hamas and its complete exclusion from any form of governance in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.
(August 9, 2025)
Joint statement warns Netanyahu’s new ground offensive will worsen ‘catastrophic humanitarian situation’ as international outrage grows
“The decision has been made,” Amit Sega, chief political analyst with Channel 12, quoted an unnamed senior official in Netanyahu’s office as saying.
“Hamas won’t release more hostages without total surrender, and we won’t surrender. If we don’t act now, the hostages will starve to death and Gaza will remain under Hamas’s control.”
(August 4, 2025)
“The horror videos by Hamas stem from one goal – their attempt to pressure the State of Israel,” said Itmar Ben Gvir, the right-wing firebrand, in remarks made during a controversial visit to the Temple Mount, sacred for both Jews and Muslims, at the weekend.
“It is from here that a message must be sent: to conquer the entire Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty over all of Gaza, eliminate every Hamas member, and encourage voluntary emigration. Only in this way will we bring back the hostages and win the war,” Ben Gvir added.
He is seen sitting in what appears to be a tunnel, documenting his daily food intake in a handwritten chart. On several days, the chart reads “no food,” while on others it lists only “lentils.”
Later Saturday, the family also cleared for publication a second video dated July 27, in which David, visibly weakened and gaunt, says he has been without proper food or water for an extended period and claims he was forced by his captors to dig his own grave.
(March 27, 2025)
Most protests have been small, but they represent the boldest challenge to the group’s authority by Palestinians since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the ensuing war.
They also embody the frustration of Palestinians who are again living through deadly and ear-shattering bombing after Israel and Hamas failed to reach an agreement to extend the cease-fire. They make clear that at least some Palestinians have put aside their fears about potential retribution by Hamas, which has governed Gaza with a heavy hand.
(March 26, 2025)
Protesters shouted ‚Hamas out‘ as they walked toward the Indonesia hospital in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza.
The fate of captives held by Hamas is in the balance until they are finally swapped for Palestinian prisoners
Ever since the war on Gaza started following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, around 11,200 people have gone missing according to the Gaza government media office.
They did not arrive at Gaza’s hospitals and they were not buried and are therefore not counted in the Gaza government’s official death toll, which now stands at 46,899.
His statement came almost three hours after Israel had expected to receive the names, which Hamas was to give to mediator Qatar. There was no immediate response from Hamas or Qatar.
The prime minister, speaking to the nation about 12 hours before the ceasefire is set to start, also said Israel is treating the ceasefire with Gaza as temporary and retains the right to continue fighting if necessary. He claimed that he had the support of President-elect Donald Trump, who he said he spoke with Wednesday.
(December 23, 2024)
From the beginning it was clear that the only feasible post-Hamas arrangement would be a return of the Palestinian Authority, which now runs the West Bank autonomy zones, back to Gaza, from which Hamas expelled it in 2007 by force. Israel itself once yearned for this, back when rational people governed the country. The proposals pushed by President Joe Biden for more than a year now envision versions of this, with the PA rejuvenated and assisted by Arab and perhaps other forces.
An Israel that wanted this would have ensured that Hamas is out of the way, publicly and persistently offering its remaining troops exile. Arab pressure on the group would have been overpowering. Israel would possibly get peace with Saudi Arabia as part of the bargain.
Instead, Netanyahu’s goons flooded the airwaves arguing that Israel cannot pull out of Gaza and end the war because Hamas would regain power.
Today, our collective mind and focus should be on the victims of international crimes in Israel and in the State of Palestine. In my own meetings with the victims and families of hostages taken from kibbutzim, and with victims from Gaza who have lost so many loved ones, I have underlined that the law is there for all, that its role is to vindicate the rights of all persons.
Today, on 21 November 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (‘Court’), in its composition for the Situation in the State of Palestine, unanimously issued a warrant of arrest for Mr Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commonly known as ‘Deif’, for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed on the territory of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine from at least 7 October 2023.
The Prosecution had initially filed applications for warrants of arrest for two other senior leaders of Hamas, namely Mr Ismail Haniyeh and Mr Yahya Sinwar. Following confirmation of their deaths, the Chamber granted the withdrawal of the applications on 9 August 2024 and 25 October 2024, respectively. With respect to Mr Deif, the Prosecution indicated that it would continue to gather information with respect to his reported death.
(October 20, 2023)
Former head of Saudi Arabia‘s General Intelligence Presidency and former Saudi ambassador to the US Turki al-Faisal condemned both Hamas and Israel in a speech on Tuesday, saying Hamas committed acts forbidden by Islam and Israel was ‚indiscriminately‘ bombing civilians in Gaza.
„There are no heroes in this conflict, only victims,“ said Faisal in a speech at a conference hosted by Rice University‘s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
(September 5, 2024)
“You cannot allow an attack on the court,” Khan said. “Then you have no rules-based system.”*
https://aje.io/7u2xai?update=3158140
* Which is exactly what Russia Israel & US want; hence the „Hague Invasion Act“
#US #Russia #Israel #ICC ..
(20 May 2024)
On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Yahya SINWAR (Head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (“Hamas”) in the Gaza Strip), Mohammed Diab Ibrahim AL-MASRI, more commonly known as DEIF (Commander-in-Chief of the military wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades), and Ismail HANIYEH (Head of Hamas Political Bureau) bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 7 October 2023:
(…)
“You cannot allow an attack on the court,” Khan said. “Then you have no rules-based system.”*
https://aje.io/7u2xai?update=3158140
* Which is exactly what Russia Israel & US want; hence the „Hague Invasion Act“
#US #Russia #Israel #ICC ..
Though several months have passed since Khan‘s application, ICC judges have not issued any arrest warrants.
Speaking to the BBC, Khan said it was important to show the court would hold all nations to the same standard in relation to alleged war crimes. He also welcomed the new UK government‘s recent decision to drop its opposition to the arrest warrants.
Khan pointed out that the same political leaders who had applauded the court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin had condemned the same being done for the Israeli leadership.
“We need to apply the law in a way that is equal, because if we don’t, and importantly if we’re not seen to, we’re going to lose all the architecture, not just the ICC, that has been built on human suffering since Nuremberg.”
Der Chefankläger des Internationalen Strafgerichtshofs (IStGH) hat die beantragten Haftbefehle gegen Israels Regierungschef Benjamin Netanjahu und Verteidigungsminister Joav Galant verteidigt. Ihm sei von mehreren führenden Politikern und anderen von dem Schritt abgeraten worden, sagte Karim Khan in einem BBC-Interview. Es sei aber wichtig zu zeigen, dass für alle Länder die gleichen Maßstäbe gälten, wenn es um mutmaßliche Kriegsverbrechen gehe.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department announced criminal charges Tuesday against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the Oct. 7, 2023, rampage in Israel, marking the first effort by American law enforcement to formally call out the masterminds of the attack.
The seven-count criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York City includes charges such as conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals and conspiracy to finance terrorism.
“Netanyahu‘s insistence to free prisoners through military pressure, instead of sealing a deal, means they will be returned to their families in shrouds. Their families must choose whether they want them dead or alive,” he said
On Sunday, the Israeli military reported the recovery of the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, claiming that Hamas was responsible for their deaths. Obaida said his group holds Israel responsible for the deaths.
He said the new instructions, which he did not detail, were given to guards of hostages after a rescue operation by Israel in June.
Unlike Palestinians in Gaza, Israelis can rise up to challenge their leadership. Late-night skirmishes between protesters and the authorities Sunday on Tel Aviv’s usually hyper-busy eight-lane Ayalon Highway were a manifestation of that.
As flames and dense smoke engulfed wooden pallets and tires on the roads, I watched a young man, blue paint spray in hand, scrawl his message to the prime minister in foot-high letters on the roadside wall: “Hostages or revolt.”
The group also blamed Netanyahu for the deaths of Israeli captives, saying they „were killed by his army‘s bullets„.
(…)
Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas‘ political bureau, said the six captives found dead by the Israeli army „were only killed by Zionist bombing„.
Their bodies were found with gunshot wounds to the head and other parts of their bodies, the Ynet news site reported. An autopsy found they were murdered in the 48 hours prior to the discovery of their bodies, the report said.