(Bloomberg) — Israel has released a video it says proves the existence of a Hamas tunnel beneath Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital. Last week, the military raided the hospital amid widespread international criticism. The video shows a shaft leading to a reinforced tunnel, which the military says is 10 meters. Meters (33 feet) deep and 55 meters long, leading to blast doors.
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U.S. deputy national security adviser Jon Feiner said a deal to release hostages taken by Hamas during an Oct. 7 attack on Israel may be the closest deal yet and would require a pause in fighting for several days.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have hijacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea, endangering a vital global shipping lane, the Israeli government said on Sunday. Hamas says the death toll among Palestinians in Gaza has exceeded 13,000.
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(All times are Israel time)
Biden says ‘I’ll tell you’ as hostages are released (11:57 p.m.)
President Biden said Sunday he could not comment on Hamas talks to release hostages, then added: “I want to make sure they’re out and then I’ll tell you.” Biden made brief comments as he arrived in Virginia Meet with U.S. military personnel at a military base in Norfolk, Asia.
Ynet says Israeli cabinet is expected to discuss hostage deal (10:28 p.m.)
According to Ynet, the Israeli cabinet is expected to discuss negotiations to release hostages held by Hamas. Ahead of Sunday night’s meeting, Defense Minister Yov Galante’s office released photos of him surrounded by officials involved in the negotiations, including the head of the Mossad intelligence agency, with an Israeli official saying, Ynet reported. No deal is expected today.
Hamas chief returns to hostage talks, Axios reports (9:42 p.m.)
Axios reports that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has resumed negotiations on the release of the hostages. Axios cited three unnamed sources as saying he agreed in principle to increase the number of women and children released to more than 50. In return, Sinwar wants the release of all Palestinian women and children in Israeli jails and a halt to Israeli aerial surveillance of Gaza for six hours a day during a lull in fighting.
Axios quoted two sources as saying that Qatari mediators had narrowed the differences but not enough to reach a deal.
Israel says hostage killed at Shifa hospital complex (9:10 p.m.)
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari told a news conference that the body of an Israeli hostage found in Gaza a few days ago was captured alive by Hamas and taken to Shifa Hospital where he was killed. Hagari also showed camera footage showing two unarmed men as gunmen brought Israeli hostages, a Nepali and a Thai, to Shifa hospital on October 7. Another photo shows an Israeli military vehicle stolen during the attack being taken to Shifa hospital.
“These findings provide further evidence of Hamas’s systematic and ongoing use of the hospital area as an infrastructure for its terrorist activities,” the IDF said.
Hamas says Palestinian death toll exceeds 13,000 (8:30 p.m.)
The Hamas government media office said the death toll among Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 13,000.
More than 5,500 children died and more than 6,000 people were reported missing or trapped under the rubble. The number of injured exceeded 30,000.
Israel says it has arrested more than 100 Hamas members in Gaza (8 p.m.)
Israeli forces arrested more than 100 Hamas members in Gaza and transferred them to Israel for interrogation, the military said. Three of them participated in the massacre on October 7. Hamas militants also revealed the location of underground tunnels, storage depots and weapons. As a method of operation for use by organizations.
Israel says Iran-backed rebels seize cargo ship (7:57 p.m.)
Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels have hijacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea, endangering a vital global shipping route, the Israeli government said on Sunday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office condemned the seizure of a ship said to be owned by a British company and operated by a Japanese company, without naming either company.
According to people familiar with the matter, the ship, named Galaxy Leader, is owned by Israeli businessman Rami Ungar and registered in the United Kingdom.
Israeli Army says solid tunnel found under Al-Shifa Hospital (7 p.m.)
Israel said it had exposed a reinforced tunnel 10 meters deep and 55 meters long under the Shifa hospital building.
An IDF video showed a deep staircase leading to the entrance to the tunnel shaft. The tunnel leads to a blast door with a firing hole. Hamas uses such doors to prevent Israeli troops from entering command centers and underground assets belonging to Hamas, the military said. Troops are continuing to explore the tunnel’s route.
The IDF said the tunnel shaft was found under a shed in the hospital area, along with a vehicle containing a large number of weapons, including rockets, explosives and Kalashnikov rifles.
Biden aide says hostage deal close (4 p.m.)
U.S. deputy national security adviser Jon Feiner said a deal to release hostages taken by Hamas during an Oct. 7 attack on Israel could be the closest deal yet and would require a pause in fighting in Gaza for several days.
READ MORE: Biden aide says deal to release Hamas hostages is close
UNRWA estimates Gaza needs 160,000 liters of fuel per day (2pm)
Adnan Abu Hasna, an ally of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, said Gaza needs 160,000 liters (42,000 gallons) of fuel per day to maintain “a reasonable level of humanitarian services.”
The fuel is used in desalination, sewage treatment plants, wells and hospitals, as well as hundreds of vehicles operated by UNRWA. Israel said it would allow nearly 70,000 liters of fuel in every day, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Hundreds of Gaza cancer patients to travel to Türkiye (1:35 p.m.)
Hamas’ health ministry said some 351 cancer patients in Gaza will go to Turkey to resume treatment.
The patients had been receiving treatment at the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza’s only oncology hospital, which closed shortly after the Israeli ground attack began.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent said it evacuated 31 premature infants from Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital in coordination with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and that they will be transferred to a UAE-run hospital. The border city of Rafah, Egypt.
Iran’s Khamenei renews call for isolation of Israel (12:35 p.m.)
Iran’s supreme leader has urged Muslim countries to cut diplomatic ties with Israel “at least for a limited time.”
“Some Muslim countries ostensibly condemn Israel at the General Assembly and some do not, but this is unacceptable,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday, according to his Telegram account. “The main task is to cut off Israel’s lifeline , Muslim governments must stop doing this.” Supplying energy and goods to this regime. “
Qatar makes ‘good progress’ towards hostage deal (11:36 AM)
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said Israel and Hamas had reached “good progress” on the release of hostages over the past few days.
Al-Thani, who is also foreign minister, said he was “more confident” that a deal could be reached because the remaining challenges were “practical and logistical.” He spoke at a joint news conference with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.
Israel says it attacked senior Hamas official’s home in Gaza (11 a.m.)
In the latest operation, the IDF said Israeli paratroopers and other combat troops were in the Sheikh Yijirin and Rimal areas of northern Gaza “to identify and destroy Hamas infrastructure and assets”.
The latest news stated that “soldiers found approximately 35 tunnel shafts and a large number of weapons and eliminated the terrorists.” “The residence of senior Hamas officials was buried in the Rimal area.”
Israeli forces also discovered a military base belonging to Hamas military intelligence, as well as ammunition depots and seven rocket launchers. Israel’s claims could not be independently verified.
Israeli troops engage enemies in north and south (9 a.m.)
The military said the Israeli air force, navy and army fought the enemy on two fronts early Sunday, destroying the infrastructure of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
Air raid sirens sounded in southern and northern Israeli towns, and mortar shells fired from Lebanon fell into open areas. Hezbollah said it attacked two locations in Israel, according to a report by the Iran-backed militant group Al Manar TV.
OCHA says about 2,500 people evacuated Al Shifa Hospital (3:11 a.m.)
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that approximately 2,500 internally displaced persons, as well as patients and staff, evacuated Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital on November 18. This follows an order from the Israeli military, which continues operations inside the compound for the fourth time. for several days, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
According to the United Nations agency, some 123,000 liters of fuel entered Gaza from Egypt on November 18. Israel said it would allow nearly 70,000 liters of fuel into Gaza per day, which was “well below the minimum requirements for basic humanitarian operations”. Go to OCHA.
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