Israel's top general has resigned, citing the security failures that allowed Hamas' 7 October, 2023, attack as at least nine Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli raid in the West Bank.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has become the most prominent Israeli official to resign over the militant group’s attack when he announced his resignation today.
Meanwhile, the major operation launched by Israeli forces on the city of Jenin left at least six dead and dozens more wounded, Palestinian health officials said, just days into a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. It comes as Donald Trump said he is “not confident” that the temporary truce will hold.
The newly-inaugurated US President also rescinded Biden-era executive orders that sanctioned far-right Israeli settlers for undermining peace in the territory.
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 Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Guardian reported.
The devastated Strip continued to receive an influx of aid and goods on the second day of the ceasefire, with 915 trucks crossing into the coastal enclave, according to the UN, as shocked Palestinians began returning to what is left of their homes.
Yesterday, the relatives of the first three Israeli women freed from captivity in the Strip issued public statements, thanking those who made their release possible and pleading with the Israeli government to keep up the phased agreement that led to their loved ones’ release.
Key Points
- Israel’s top general resigns citing failures over Hamas attack that ignited war in Gaza
- Death toll from Israeli attack on Jenin rises to nine Palestinians
- Trump ‘not confident' ceasefire in Gaza will hold
- Trump rescinds sanctions on far-right Israeli settlers
- Hamas says four female Israeli hostages to be released on Saturday, according to reports
- Palestinians begin search for those buried under rubble as they return home
Settlers attack Palestinian villages hours after Trump rescinded Biden sanctions
03:30
,
Namita Singh
Violence has surged in the West Bank, with Israel launching a deadly raid on the Jenin refugee camp on Tuesday. It comes as settler leaders rushed to praise Donald Trump’s decision to reverse the sanctions imposed by the Biden administration aimed at punishing far-right settlers.
Late on Monday, dozens of masked men who are widely believed to be settlers marauded through at least two Palestinian villages and attacked homes and businesses, according to officials in Jinsafut and Al-Funduq, which are roughly 50km north of Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said it treated 12 people who were beaten by the men.
Jalal Bashir, the head of Jinsafut’s village council, said that the men attacked three houses, a nursery and a carpentry shop located on the village’s main road. Louay Tayem, head of the local council in Al-Funduq, said dozens of men had fired shots, thrown stones, burned cars, and attacked homes and shops.“The settlers were masked and had incendiary materials,” said Mr Bashir. “Their numbers were large and unprecedented.”
UN says it could take many years to rebuild widely devastated Gaza
03:00
,
Tara Cobham
A United Nations damage assessment released this month showed that clearing over 50 million tonnes of rubble left in the aftermath of Israel's bombardment of Gaza could take 21 years and cost up to $1.2 billion.
To make matters worse, some of the debris is believed to be contaminated with asbestos, as some of the coastal enclace’s devastated refugee camps, built up into cities since the 1940s, are known to have been constructed with the material.
Gaza health authorities say at least 47,000 people have been killed in the conflict, with the rubble likely holding the remains of thousands more.
A UN Development Programme reports says that development in the territory has been set back seven decades by the war.
"They [Gazans] are able to return home. ...It's a bit of a stretch of the imagination, I would say, to call it homes, because mostly, particularly in the north, it's mountains of rubble that they find. So they need help with that," Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs, told a Geneva press briefing on Tuesday.
Palestinians dig through rubble for bodies of loved ones
02:00
,
Tara Cobham
Palestinian rescue workers continued the search for remains of Gazans buried under the wreckage of their houses and along the roadsides, locating at least 150 bodies since the truce went into effect, according to the Gaza civil emergency service.
Shocking images of decayed bodies spread on social media. At Shejaia cemetery, which had been flattened by Israeli tanks and bulldozers in previous months, several men dug up the ground searching for the graves of their relatives.
"I have been searching and looking for my father’ grave, my brother’s grave and my brother’s wife’s grave, and I can’t find them," Atef Jundiya, said at the cemetery in Gaza City.
"I mean, we are relieved by the ceasefire, but at the same time, we are still searching for our martyrs and searching for our graves and can’t find them," Jundiya told Reuters.
The civil emergency service estimates that 10,000 bodies remain under the rubble, calling for heavy machinery and earth-moving vehicles to help in the extraction process, which officials expect to last for several months.
Palestinians head back home to destruction after truce deal with Israel
01:00
,
Tara Cobham
Some Gazans have not been able to even recognise where they once lived and have consequently turned their back on shattered neighbourhoods to return to tents where they have sheltered for the past several months. Others have begun to clear debris to try to move back to the wreckage of their homes.
"We are cleaning the house, and removing the rubble, so we are able to return home. Those are the quilts, pillows, nothing was left at the house," said Palestinian woman Walaa El-Err, pointing to her destroyed belongings at her bombed-out home in Nuseirat, a decades-old refugee camp in central Gaza.
She said the feeling of returning to her neighbourhood was "indescribable". She said she'd stayed up all night on Saturday waiting for the truce to take effect the next day. But the optimism surrounding news of a ceasefire has faded.
"When I went into the camp, I teared up, as our camp was not like that, it was the best. When we left all the towers (and) homes were still untouched, and none of the neighbours had been killed," she lamented.
In Gaza City in the enclave's north, Abla, a mother of three children, waited for a few hours to make sure the truce held on Sunday before heading to her home in the Tel Al-Hawa suburb, demolished by Israeli bombardments and ground offensives.
The scene was "horrific" she said, as the seven-floor building had been levelled, "smashed like a piece of biscuit".
"I heard the area was hit hard and the house could have been gone, but I was driven by both doubt and hope that it could have been saved," she told Reuters via a chat app.
"What I found wasn't just a house, it is the box of memories, where I had my children, celebrated their birthday parties, made them food, and taught them their first words and moves," she said.
Yemen vice-president says Trump return pivotal in fight against Iran backed-Houthis
00:00
,
Tara Cobham
The vice president of Yemen's UN-recognised government on Tuesday welcomed Donald Trump's return as US president, saying it was a decisive turning point to curb the Iran-backed Houthis, who he said threaten regional stability and maritime security.
Aidarous al-Zubaidi told Reuters that Trump's strong leadership and willingness to employ military strength were in sharp contrast to the Biden administration, which he said had allowed the Houthis to consolidate power, bolster their military capabilities and extend their reach beyond Yemen.
"Trump knows what he wants. He is a strong decision-maker," Zubaidi said in an interview on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos.
"We are fans, admirers and supporters of Trump's policy .... because he has a personality that has enough decision-making power to rule America and the world," he said, adding that he expected talks with the incoming administration to begin soon.
Airlines cautiously return to Middle East
Tuesday 21 January 2025 23:00
,
Tara Cobham
Concerns about conflict in the Middle East have prompted airlines to suspend flights to the region, but with the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in place, some are cautiously resuming their services.
Air France, Transavia France, EasyJet and Ita Airways are among the airlines to have recently announced planned resumptions to travel.
Harvard settles lawsuits over antisemitism on campus
Tuesday 21 January 2025 22:00
,
Tara Cobham
Harvard University has agreed to provide additional protections for Jewish students to settle two lawsuits accusing the Ivy League school of becoming a hotbed of rampant antisemitism.
Under a settlement announced on Tuesday, Harvard will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism when evaluating whether alleged discrimination or harassment violates the university's non-discrimination and anti-bullying policies.
Harvard will also post online a Frequently Asked Questions document related to those policies, report annually for five years on its responses to discrimination or harassment, and provide expert training on combating antisemitism to staff who review discrimination complaints.
Both lawsuits accused Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars federal funds recipients from allowing discrimination based on race, religion and national origin.
The lawsuits were among many accusing major universities of encouraging antisemitism after war broke out in Gaza in October 2023 between Israel and Hamas.
Both settlements include unspecified monetary terms. Harvard did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.
Palestinians confront a landscape of destruction in Gaza's 'ghost towns'
Tuesday 21 January 2025 21:00
,
Tara Cobham
Palestinians in Gaza are confronting an apocalyptic landscape of devastation after a ceasefire paused more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Across the tiny coastal enclave, where built-up refugee camps are interspersed between cities, drone footage captured by The Associated Press shows mounds of rubble stretching as far as the eye can see — remnants of the longest and deadliest war between Israel and Hamas in their blood-ridden history.
“As you can see, it became a ghost town,” said Hussein Barakat, 38, whose home in the southern city of Rafah was flattened. “There is nothing,” he said, as he sat drinking coffee on a brown armchair perched on the rubble of his three-story home, in a surreal scene.
Read the full report here:
Netanyahu ‘pressed Starmer about Britain’s freeze on arms exports to Israel'
Tuesday 21 January 2025 20:30
,
Tara Cobham
Benjamin Netanyahu pressed Sir Keir Starmer about Britain's freeze on arms exports to Israel, Israel's readout of Tuesday's discussion between the two prime ministers said.
A statement published by Israel's ministry of foreign affairs said: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this afternoon (Tuesday January 21 2025), spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer who thanked him for the release of British citizen Emily Damari and congratulated him on his actions for the release of the other hostages.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu raised the issue of the weapons export licences to Israel that have been frozen in the UK.
"Prime Minister Starmer said that an evaluation of the issue is being carried out."
The Government suspended 30 arms export licences for items used in Gaza by the Israeli defence forces in September last year, over concerns about Israel's compliance with human rights during the conflict.
Trump rescinds sanctions on far-right Israeli settlers
Tuesday 21 January 2025 20:00
,
Tara Cobham
Among other Biden-era executive orders that US President Donald Trump rescinded Monday is one that authorises sanctions on people who undermine peace in the occupied West Bank.
The Biden administration used the executive order to impose a handful of sanctions on extremist settlers accused of using violence against Palestinians who live in the West Bank after violence erupted after Hamas' 7 October, 2023 attacks on Israel.
Settlers in the territory have celebrated the incoming Trump administration, believing it will take a more favorable approach to illegal settlements. During his first term, Trump took unprecedented steps to support Israel's territorial claims, including recognizing Jerusalem as its capital and moving the US Embassy there, and recognizing Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.
Watch: Netanyahu thanks Trump for ‘helping free’ Israeli hostages
Tuesday 21 January 2025 19:30
,
Tara Cobham
Israeli commanding officer’s resignation letter in full
Tuesday 21 January 2025 19:00
,
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew
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”
Some 72 bodies taken to Gazan hospitals in past 24 hours
Tuesday 21 January 2025 18:30
,
Tara Cobham
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
Tuesday 21 January 2025 18:00
,
Tara Cobham
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
Tuesday 21 January 2025 17:30
,
Tara Cobham
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.
UN welcomes ‘surge’ in aid into Gaza on day three of ceasefire – but warns massive needs remain
Tuesday 21 January 2025 17:03
,
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew
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.”
Scenes from Nuseirat refugee camp in #Gaza show people returning to what was once home. With such widespread devastation, the path to recovery will be long.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 21, 2025
Many homes across the Gaza Strip have been destroyed. The needs for immediate aid and long-term support are critical. pic.twitter.com/c0Yvt4dpgp
Islamic Jihad also condemns Israeli operation in Jenin
Tuesday 21 January 2025 17:00
,
Tara Cobham
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
Tuesday 21 January 2025 16:30
,
Tara Cobham
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
Tuesday 21 January 2025 16:00
,
Tara Cobham
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."
UN ‘alarmed’ by renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli forces in West Bank
Tuesday 21 January 2025 15:30
,
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew
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.”
.@OHCHR_Palestine is alarmed by a wave of renewed violence perpetrated by settlers and Israeli security forces in the Occupied #WestBank, coinciding with the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages and detainees. This has been accompanied by…
— UN Human Rights Palestine (@OHCHR_Palestine) January 20, 2025
Saudi foreign minister tells Davos Iran-Israel war should be avoided
Tuesday 21 January 2025 15:17
,
Tara Cobham
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.
UPDATE: Death toll from Israeli attack on Jenin rises to eight Palestinians
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:48
,
Tara Cobham
Israeli security forces backed by helicopters raided the volatile West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, killing at least eight Palestinians in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a "large-scale and significant military operation".
The action, launched a day after US President Donald Trump declared he was lifting sanctions on ultranationalist Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian villages, was announced by Netanyahu as a new offensive against Iranian-backed militants.
"We are acting systematically and resolutely against the Iranian axis wherever it extends its arms in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Judea and Samaria," Netanyahu said. Judea and Samaria are terms Israel uses for the occupied West Bank.
The military said soldiers, police and intelligence services had begun a counter-terrorism operation in Jenin. It follows a weeks-long operation by Palestinian security forces in self-rule areas of the West Bank to reassert control in the adjacent refugee camp, a major centre of armed militant groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which get support from Iran.
As the operation began, Palestinian security forces withdrew from the refugee camp and the sound of heavy gunfire could be heard in mobile phone footage shared on social media.
Palestinian health services said at least eight Palestinians were killed and 35 wounded as the Israeli raid began, a week after an Israeli air strike in the Jenin refugee camp killed at least three Palestinians and wounded scores more.
Palestinian prisoners freed in Gaza ceasefire allege abuse in jail – and fear re-arrest by Israel
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:45
,
Tara Cobham
Palestinian prisoners released during Gaza’s ceasefire deal have alleged abuse inside Israel’s jails – saying they feel “mixed” emotions about being freed as they fear the fragile truce will not hold, and they may be arrested again.
Ecstatic crowds waving flags greeted the buses that left the sprawling Ofer prison complex in the occupied West Bank early on Monday. Inside were 90 Palestinian prisoners, all women, teenagers, and children, many of whom say they were abused and tortured inside Israel’s detention system – allegations that Israel has repeatedly denied.
They were freed as part of a long-fought-for ceasefire brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt. Split into three phases, the initial six-week period will see Hamas release 33 hostages it seized during its bloody attacks on 7 October. In exchange, almost 2,000 Palestinians in Israeli detention would also be freed.
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports from Jerusalem:
‘7 October failure will burn my heart for all my life’: Israeli commanding officer reveals reason for resignation
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:18
,
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew
The Israeli Commanding Officer has revealed his reason for resigning is similarly the “failure” over Hamas’ 7 October, 2023, attack, which “”will burn my heart for all my life”.
In a handwritten note released today, MG Yaron Finkelman said: “I decided to end my role as the commander of the South forces and my service in the IDF.
“On 7 October, I failed to defend the western negev and its residents and beloved Heroes… this failure will burn my heart for all my life.”
Footage captures large number of Israeli military bulldozers arriving in Jenin
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:10
,
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew
Footage has captured a large number of Israeli military bulldozers arriving in the West Bank.
A large scale operation was launched on the city of Jenin today.
عدد كبير من جرافات الاحتلال تقتحم جنين للمشاركة في العدوان الواسع على المدينة ومخيمها. pic.twitter.com/JxG8ERdn6N
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) January 21, 2025
Netanyahu issues statement on West Bank raids
Tuesday 21 January 2025 14:05
,
Chief international correspondent Bel Trew
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a statement on the West Bank raids.
Today, he said: “On the directive of the Security Cabinet, the IDF, the ISA and the Israel Police have today begun an extensive and significant military operation to defeat terrorism in Jenin – ‘Iron Wall’.
“This is an additional step in achieving the objective that we have set – bolstering security in Judea and Samaria.
“We are acting methodically and with determination against the Iranian axis wherever it reaches – in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and] Judea and Samaria – and we are still active.”
Top Israeli general issues statement taking ‘responsiblity for terrible failure’ over Hamas attack
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:54
,
Tara Cobham
The top Israeli general who has resigned has said “the IDF failed in its mission to protect Israel’s citizens” when Hamas attacked the country on 7 October 2023, citing his “responsibility for this terrible failure” in his reasons for ending his tenure.
In a statement issued today, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said: On the morning of 7 October, under my command, the IDF failed in its mission to protect Israel’s citizens. The State of Israel paid a heavy and painful price – in lives lost, in hostages taken, and in those wounded both physically and emotionally. The courageous acts of many – security forces personnel, IDF soldiers and commanders, and brave civilians – were not enough to prevent this great disaster. My responsibility for this terrible failure accompanies me every day, every hour, and will remain with me for the rest of my life.”
He continued: “In recognition of my responsibility for the IDF’s failure on 7 October, and at a time when the IDF has recorded extraordinary achievements and restored Israel’s deterrence and strength, I request to conclude my tenure on 6 March, 2025.”
He added: “In the time remaining, I will finalise the investigations and continue strengthening the IDF’s readiness for the challenges ahead. This will ensure a smooth and structured transition of command to my successor.
“I will always be a soldier of the State of Israel.”
Israeli defence minister responds to top general’s resignation
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:47
,
Tara Cobham
Israel’s defence minister has responded to the resignation of a top Israeli general over Hamas’ 7 October attack.
A spokesperson for Israel Katz said in a statement issued today: “The Chief of Staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, informed me today of his desire to terminate his position for the reasons he detailed in his letter.
“I would like to express my appreciation to the Chief of Staff and thank him for his contribution to the IDF throughout his years of service as a fighter and as a commander, and for his part in the great achievements of the IDF in the difficult war that was forced upon us.
“The Chief of Staff will continue to fulfill his duties and will carry out an orderly overlap procedure until the end of his duties.”
Israeli Commanding Officer also resigns
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:44
,
Tara Cobham
An Israeli Commanding Officer has also resigned.
The Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, MG Yaron Finkelman, informed the Chief of the General Staff today of his decision to end his service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Hamas urges Palestinians to escalate fighting against Israel in West Bank amid Jenin raid
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:20
,
Tara Cobham
Hamas has called upon Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to escalate fighting against Israeli forces in response to a military offensive in the city of Jenin, the militant group said in a statement.
Israel’s top general resigns citing failures over Hamas attack that ignited war in Gaza
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:19
,
Tara Cobham
Israel's top general has resigned, citing the security failures that allowed Hamas' 7 October, 2023, attack.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi is the most prominent Israeli official to resign over the attack.
He announced his resignation Tuesday, just days into a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, notifying Defense Minister Israel Katz that he intends to resign on 6 March.
In a statement, Halevi said he is leaving the military after “recognizing my responsibility for the failure of the IDF on 7 October, and at the point in time in which the IDF has recorded significant achievements, and is in the process of implementing an agreement to release hostages.”
Until 6 March, Halevi said, he will complete the investigations into the 7 October Hamas onslaught and prepare the IDF for future challenges.
“I will transfer command of the IDF in a high-quality and thorough manner to my replacement,” he adds.
UPDATE: Major Israeli operation in West Bank leaves six dead and dozens wounded
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:15
,
Tara Cobham
A major Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank has left at least six dead and dozens wounded, Palestinian health officials have said, as a fragile ceasefire in Gaza entered its third day.
The operation on Tuesday was centered in the city of Jenin, which has seen repeated Israeli incursions and gunbattles with militants in recent years, even before Hamas' 7 October, 2023, attack ignited the war in Gaza.
The Israeli military announced a "significant and broad military operation" in the West Bank, just days into a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza that is supposed to last for six weeks and see 33 militant-held hostages released in return for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 800 people have been killed in Israeli raids in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war.
UN highlights need for specialised care for 30,000 Palestinians with life-changing injuries
Tuesday 21 January 2025 13:00
,
Tara Cobham
The UN has said 30,000 Palestinians have life-changing injuries and highlighted their need for specialised care.
The World Health Organization currently has a 60-day plan to increase beds and deploy overseas health workers to Gaza hospitals, said UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.
Around one million children depend on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, says UN