Latest news with #ynet
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tel Aviv protesters call for hostage release after 600 days in Gaza
Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to demand an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages still held by Palestinian militant group Hamas, marking 600 days since their abduction. Crowds assembled at Hostages Square in the centre of the city to draw attention to the fate of the hostages. "Tonight we count 600 days without you. And you are counting the seconds – nearly 52 million seconds," said the mother of hostage Alon Ohel in a speech. Former hostages shared accounts of their time in captivity. "In the tunnels, you don't know if a terrorist will get up one morning and shoot you, or if a bomb will destroy the tunnel where you're sleeping," said Yair Horn, who was freed in February. His brother Eitan is still held captive. Ahead of the demonstration, chaotic scenes unfolded between protesters and police. According to Israeli news portal ynet, about 20 people were detained after occupying the headquarters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and blocking nearby streets. The war in Gaza was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by militants from Hamas and other groups on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. There are still 58 hostages in the Gaza Strip, the majority of whom are no longer alive.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Israeli media report storming of Gaza food distribution centre
Palestinians have stormed a new food distribution centre in the southern Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media reports on Tuesday. The Israeli news portal ynet reported that the chaos forced employees of a US group to withdraw and that shots were fired from Israeli helicopters. There were initially no reports of possible injuries in the incident in the city of Rafah. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reports. Many people in the embattled coastal strip are in a desperate situation after a months-long blockade of aid supplies by Israel, which has only recently been eased slightly. The newly established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by Israel and the United States, previously reported that it had distributed the first aid supplies to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government wants the GHF, established a few months ago, to be responsible for distributing aid supplies in the future. It has said the mechanism is designed to prevent the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from intercepting supplies and profiting from them. Israel plans to use the four GHF distribution centres in the south and centre of the Gaza Strip to bypass UN aid organizations and other international aid agencies. The Interior Ministry in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, has called on the population to boycott the new distribution mechanism.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reports: Israel rejects latest Gaza ceasefire proposal
The Israeli government has rejected the latest proposal for a ceasefire and release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, local media reported on Monday. "The proposal received by Israel cannot be accepted by any responsible government," the Times of Israel quoted an unnamed senior official as saying, who didn't give any further details. According to the ynet news website, the proposal was made by a Palestinian-American businessman who has reportedly been involved in direct negotiations with Palestinian extremist group Hamas for some time. According to Hezbollah-affiliated Arab broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, the proposal involves a 70-day ceasefire to allow both sides to conduct negotiations on an end to the war, while Hamas is to release five living hostages and the bodies of a further five from Gaza. The draft is far removed from the proposal drawn up by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, ynet quoted an Israeli official as saying. Witkoff's recently submitted draft provides for the release of 10 living hostages in exchange for 45 to 60 days of ceasefire. According to Israeli sources, at least 20 hostages are still being held alive in the Gaza Strip, with the fate of three further abductees unclear. In addition, the Islamists are still holding the bodies of 35 hostages abducted from Israel during the attacks it launched on October 7, 2023.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Two Israelis arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran
Two men have been arrested in Israel on suspicion of spying for Iran. According to a joint statement by the security authorities issued on Tuesday, the two 24-year-old Israelis carried out intelligence missions for Iran within Israel. The men are accused of shadowing Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz in the community of Kfar Ahim in southern Israel. The news site ynet reported that the two young men had been instructed by Iranian agents to purchase a camera for live video transmission and install it in the area where Katz lives. The security authorities say the two men from near Haifa were arrested at the end of April. In a statement, Katz thanked the security authorities for "foiling an Iranian plot to harm [him] as minister of defence of the state of Israel." In recent days, there have been reports of the arrest of other Israeli citizens who are said to have been recruited by Iran for intelligence missions. Israel is considered Iran's arch-enemy.
Miami Herald
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
At least 55 killed in Israeli strikes, Palestinian authorities report
TEL AVIV, Israel - At least 55 bodies have been recovered by rescue teams in Gaza, following the latest Israeli airstrikes, Palestinian authorities reported on Friday. Dozens remain trapped under rubble, a spokesman for the Hamas-controlled civil defence said. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that more than 10 houses were hit in the city of Beit Lahia and the Jabalia refugee district. It said that Israel used war planes, helicopters, drones and naval vessels in the attack. Ambulances are currently unable to reach the area due to destroyed roads, it added. On social media footage circulated purportedly showing images of the attacks' victims. The information could not initially be independently verified. Israel's military stated, upon request, that it was investigating the report. The Israeli news site ynet, citing security officials, reported that the massive attacks in recent days were a preparation for the deployment of additional troops. The Israeli government recently announced plans to expand its operations in the Gaza Strip. On Thursday, Palestinian reports indicated that dozens of people were killed in Israeli attacks. Many relatives of hostages still held by Islamist groups in the blockaded coastal territory fear that the military action could also endanger the lives of the captives. The Hostage Families Forum once again called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to enable an agreement with Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. "We are in dramatic hours that will decide the future of our loved ones, the future of Israeli society and the future of the Middle East," it said. --------- Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
