Summary of the day
It’s 9pm in Gaza and Tel Aviv, and 1pm in Washington. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
Egyptian and Qatari mediators are intensifying efforts to salvage the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, after Hamas announced on Monday it would delay the next planned release of three Israeli hostages scheduled for Saturday. The two sides were close to an agreement, Associated Press reports, adding that Hamas official said there were “positive signs” that the Israeli hostages will be released on Saturday as planned.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, warned that the country would resume its war in Gaza if Hamas fails to uphold the ceasefire agreement and release Israeli hostages by Saturday. Katz said “all hell would break loose” if Hamas stops freeing hostages, echoing a threat by Donald Trump who has said that there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages are not freed. The White House said Trump told the Jordanian King Abdullah to ensure Hamas understands the “severity of the situation” if hostages are not released by Saturday’s deadline.
Israel’s military has called up reservists in preparation for a possible resumption of fighting in Gaza, Reuters reports. Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that he had directed the Israeli army to increase reinforcements in the Gaza area “in preparation for various scenarios”, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced it was deploying additional forces to Israel’s south, including mobilising reservists.
Hamas is facing hard choices as the Israeli military bolsters troop numbers in and around Gaza. Although the Palestinian militant group has accused Israel of violating the truce, it has also stressed that it wants the ceasefire to continue. Trump’s proposal for the US to take over Gaza has essentially already torpedoed the next two phases of the ceasefire agreement – an end to the war, and talks on future governance of the strip – leaving Hamas with dwindling options. A Hamas spokesperson said on Wednesday that it will not “accept the language of American and Israeli threats.”
Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah said Gaza should be rebuilt without displacing Palestinians, according to a readout of a call between the two leaders by the Egyptian presidency. The pair stressed the “unity” of their countries’ positions on Gaza as well as the “necessity of the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Israel and Hamas to “maintain the ceasefire”. The ICRC, which is facilitating hostage-prisoner exchanges under the truce, also warned that people in Gaza “need respite from violence and access to lifesaving humanitarian aid.”
The US has authorised a “long term” Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli reports, while Israel has reportedly requested to keep its troops in multiple posts in southern Lebanon until 28 February. Under a ceasefire deal agreed in November which brought an end to the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli troops were supposed to have completed their withdrawal by from southern Lebanon by 26 January. The deal has been extended until 18 February.
The Israeli military said it struck two people in the southern Gaza Strip who were flying a drone. Gaza’s health ministry said a 44-year-old man was killed in an Israeli strike near the southern city of Rafah on Wednesday, without providing further details. Munir al-Bursh, director general of the ministry, said on Tuesday that at least 92 Palestinians have been killed and more than 800 injured by Israeli fire since the fragile ceasefire took hold last month.
Updated
US supports 'long term' Israeli troop presence in Lebanon beyond ceasefire deadline - report
The US has authorised a “long term” Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon, Reuters reports, citing Israel’s public broadcaster.
Under a ceasefire deal agreed in November which brought an end to the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli troops were supposed to have completed their withdrawal by from southern Lebanon by 26 January.
Benjamin Netanyahu announced last month that his troops would not comply with the deadline, and the deal has been extended until 18 February.
But as we reported earlier, Israel has reportedly requested to keep its troops in multiple posts in southern Lebanon for a further 10 days, until 28 February.
Citing senior officials in Israel’s security cabinet, public broadcaster Kan reports that the US had granted Israeli troops permission to stay “in several locations” in Lebanon beyond 18 February. It did not specify a new deadline.
