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Israel’s top general has resigned, citing the security failures that allowed Hamas’ 7 October attack, as at least 10 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.
The Jenin raid also left at least 40 wounded, Palestinian health officials said, as Israel’s fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza entered its third dayChief of Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi became the most prominent Israeli official to step down over the militant group’s attack when he announced his resignation on Tuesday.
In Tel Aviv, four people were wounded in a stabbing attack on Tuesday evening, according to Israeli police, who said the attacker was killed by security forces at the scene.
Meanwhile, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu has said four female Israeli hostages will be released on Saturday in return for Palestinian prisoners in the second such exchange under the truce, according to AFP.
And US president Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to the UN, Elise Stefanik, has told a Senate confirmation hearing that Israel has a “biblical” right to dominion over the West Bank.
Israeli commanding officer’s resignation letter in full
Here is a translation of the letter from MG Yaron Finkelman, the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, to the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi:
“Commander,
Led by my moral compass and the values that guide me, I have decided to leave my role as the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command and end my service in the IDF.
On 7 October, I failed in defending the western Negev and its beloved and heroic residents.
This failure will be etched into me for the rest of my life.
Out of responsibility to the State of Israel, the cherished and dear residents of the communities of the Gaza Envelope, the IDF, and my soldiers, I have since worked to lead the war against Hamas and the terrorist organizations in Gaza.
I had the privilege to command, during this war, remarkable commanders, male and female combat soldiers – the Generation of Victory.
Their fighting is a chapter of great heroism and valor in the history of the IDF and the state.
With deep pain, I will forever carry in my heart the memory of the fallen. The finest of our sons and daughters, courageous in spirit, heart, and deed.
We will march forward with their legacy, and I will always stand with the bereaved families.
Our wounded also remain with me, sharing their pain and their inspiring struggle toward recovery and health.
In this war, we dealt Hamas a significant blow.
It is imperative to continue striking the enemy, to bring home all our hostages, and to return the communities to their lands in safety and prosperity.
I thank you, commander, for your true partnership during these ultimate tests and for your stable and moral leadership.
I will continue my mission for as long as required.
Major General Yaron Finkelman,
Commanding Officer of the Southern Command”
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew21 January 2025 19:00
Some 72 bodies taken to Gazan hospitals in past 24 hours
Some 72 bodies have been taken to Gazan hospitals in the past 24 hours, almost all of them recovered from attacks before the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said today.
An unknown number of bodies remain unreachable because they are in northern Gaza, where access remains restricted, or in buffer zones where Israeli forces are.
Israel's military campaign has killed over 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, who say women and children make up more than half of the fatalities but do not say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
After 15 months of war, Hamas still rules over what remains of Gaza
As a ceasefire brought calm to Gaza's ruined cities, Hamas was quick to emerge from hiding.
The militant group has not only survived Israel's 15-month military campaign — among the deadliest and most destructive in recent memory — but it remains firmly in control of the coastal territory that now resembles an apocalyptic wasteland.
For all the might it deployed in Gaza, Israel failed to remove Hamas from power, one of its central war aims. That makes a return to fighting more likely, but the results might be the same.
Qatar PM hopes Palestinian Authority will return to Gaza when war ends
Qatar's Prime Minister has said he hoped the Palestinian Authority would return to play a governing role in Gaza once the war with Israel comes to an end.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland on Tuesday, two days after the ceasefire Qatar helped broker came into effect in Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani cautioned that Gazans – and not any other country – should dictate the way the enclave will be governed.
"We hope to see the PA back in Gaza. We hope to see a government that will really address the issues of the people over there. And there is a long way to go with Gaza and the destruction," he said in Davos.
How Gaza will be governed after the war was not directly addressed in the deal between Israel and militant group Hamas that led to an immediate ceasefire and hostage releases after nearly 15 months of talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S.
Israel has rejected any governing role for Hamas, which ran Gaza before the war, but it has been almost equally opposed to rule by the Palestinian Authority, the body set up under the Oslo interim peace accords three decades ago that has limited governing power in the West Bank.
The PA, dominated by the Fatah faction created by former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, faces opposition from rival faction Hamas, which drove the PA out of Gaza in 2007 after a brief civil war.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani speaking at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland on Tuesday (REUTERS)
UN welcomes ‘surge’ in aid into Gaza on day three of ceasefire – but warns massive needs remain
The UN has welcomed the “surge” in lifesaving humanitarian aid into Gaza on day three of the ceasefire – but warned that massive needs remain across the devastated enclave.
The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Tuesday that aid is entering the terriroty “at scale” in line with the ceasefire agreement.
Aid trucks began entering Gaza “a few minutes after the deal entered into force on Sunday,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke. “Up to now – these two first days of entry - there [have] been no reports of looting or attacks against aid workers.”
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew21 January 2025 17:03
Islamic Jihad also condemns Israeli operation in Jenin
Islamic Jihad has also condemned the Israeli operation in Jenin.
The militant group, which is smaller and more radical than Hamas, said it reflected Israel's "failure to achieve its goals in Gaza". It said it was also a "desperate attempt" by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to save his governing coalition.
Full story: Israel’s top general resigns over 7 October Hamas attack – as military launches major West Bank offensive
Israel‘s top general has announced his resignation over the security failures that allowed Hamas to attack southern Israel on 7 October 2023 – saying he will stand down in March.
Lt General Herzi Halevi, the Israeli armed forces chief of staff, is the most prominent Israeli official to resign over the attack. The move comes just days into a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza war that was triggered by the attack, during which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 people taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed 47,000 Palestinians according to the enclave’s health ministry and forced 90 per cent of its 2.3 million residents from their homes.
As part of a the first, six-week, phase of the Gaza ceasefire, 33 of the hostages still held in the territory are due to be released, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails. The first three hostages were released over the weekend, alongside 90 prisoners. A Hamas official told AFP that four women will be released this coming weekend, without naming them.
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew, in Jerusalem, and international editor Chris Stevenson report:
Starmer speaks with Netanyahu on third day of Israel-Hamas ceasefire
Sir Keir Starmer has spoken with Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as a ceasefire between his country and Hamas enters its third day.
Giving a readout of their phone call, a Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu today.
"The Prime Minister began by offering the UK's support for the hard-fought and long-awaited ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which has now entered its third day.
"He offered his personal thanks for the work done by the Israeli government to secure the release of the hostages, including British hostage Emily Damari. To see the pictures of Emily finally back in her family's arms was a wonderful moment but a reminder of the human cost of the conflict, he added.
"The leaders moved on to discuss the need to see the next stages of the ceasefire deal implemented in full and on schedule, including the release of the remaining hostages. The Prime Minister reiterated that it was vital to ensure humanitarian aid can now flow uninterrupted into Gaza, to support the Palestinians who desperately need it.
"Both agreed that we must work towards a permanent and peaceful solution that guarantees Israel's security and stability. The Prime Minister added that the UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a political process, which should also lead to a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
"They agreed to continue their close co-operation on defence and security matters in support of wider stability in the region - particularly in the face of the ongoing threat posed by Iran."
Sir Keir Starmer has spoken with Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as a ceasefire between his country and Hamas enters its third day (PA Wire)
UN ‘alarmed’ by renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli forces in West Bank
The UN has said it is “alarmed” by renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli forces in the West Bank.
The UN Human Rights Office for Palestine said today: “OHCHR Palestine is alarmed by a wave of renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli security forces in the Occupied West Bank, coinciding with the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages and detainees.
“This has been accompanied by increased restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement across the West Bank, including complete closure of some checkpoints and installation of new gates, effectively confining entire communities.”
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew21 January 2025 15:30
Saudi foreign minister tells Davos Iran-Israel war should be avoided
A war between Israel and Iran should be avoided, Saudi Foreign Minister said in Davos on Tuesday, adding that he did not see the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump contributing to the risk of such conflict.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, who spoke during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland, also said he would visit Lebanon later this week, the first such trip in more than a decade.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud spoke during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland on Tuesday (REUTERS)
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