Gaza Strip

The EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell late Friday accused Israel of having "created" and "financed" the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which launched unprecedented attacks on Israel on Oct. 7.

Israel ratcheted up its attacks in the south of the Gaza Strip on Saturday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed differences over a post-war future for Palestinians that have suggested a rift between the two allies.

Israel bombarded southern Gaza on Friday after it publicly sparred with its main ally the United States over the possibility of a Palestinian state, the creation of which Washington sees as the only pathway to a lasting peace.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, marked a historic precedent on 11 January 2024, as the highest judicial body of the United Nations began considering the claims of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) in its lawsuit against Israel alleging the commission of "the crime of genocide" against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli strikes killed dozens more people overnight, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Thursday, including in the territory's south where Israel has intensified operations.

The renewed strikes came as medicine for hostages held by the militants and fresh aid for civilians entered the Palestinian territory under a newly brokered deal, mediator Qatar said.

In the occupied West Bank, Hafeth Ghazawneh waits in quiet frustration for customers to visit his falafel stall, which has been deserted since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel.

His breakfast and lunch offerings were popular with craftsmen from workshops near Al-Bireh, the twin city of Ramallah, before the Israel-Hamas war broke out.

In a groundbreaking development aimed at alleviating the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israel and Hamas have come to an agreement, facilitated through the mediation efforts of Qatar and France. This pivotal accord includes provisions for the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to the beleaguered Gaza Strip.

A deal to allow the delivery of medicines to hostages in Gaza and aid into the territory has been agreed following mediation by Doha and Paris, Qatar and Israel announced on Tuesday.

Israel pummelled southern Gaza on Tuesday, killing dozens, even as authorities announced the winding down of the intense phase of the war that has inflamed tensions across the Middle East.

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under mounting international pressure to end its offensive in Gaza launched in response to Hamas's unprecedented Oct. 7 attacks.

Officials in Hamas-run Gaza said on Monday dozens were killed overnight in "intense" Israeli bombardment, as the war which has sent shockwaves across the region passed the grim 100-day milestone.