Latest News & Developments
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Hamas calls on Israel to start talks for next phase of truce
Hamas has transferred four Israeli hostage bodies to Israel, securing the release of nearly 600 Palestinian prisoners.
Gaza ceasefire talks advance amid funeral mourning for Israeli hostages
As US officials confirm progress in Gaza ceasefire negotiations, a poignant development unfolds with Hamas agreeing to exchange Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostage remains.
Israel launches major West Bank crackdown following bus bombing
In an immediate response to three bus explosions in central Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered extensive counterterrorism operations across the West Bank.
Palestinians accuse Israel of 'ethnic cleansing' as 70 killed in West Bank
Amid escalating tensions, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas condemns Israeli military actions as 'ethnic cleansing', revealing a death toll of 70 this year during Netanyahu's crucial Washington visit.
Israeli prime minister in Washington for Gaza ceasefire talks
In a pivotal diplomatic move, Netanyahu heads to Washington for crucial ceasefire negotiations with Trump's administration, marking their first meeting since Trump's return to office. The talks aim to broker a second phase of the Gaza ceasefire while addressing Iran tensions and hostage releases, potentially reshaping Middle East dynamics.
Hamas top officials arrive in Cairo to discuss implementation of Gaza ceasefire deal
Hamas leadership arrives in Cairo for pivotal negotiations on the Gaza ceasefire deal, with discussions focussing on hostage releases and implementation of the 42-day truce agreement.
Palestinians say two killed in Israeli West Bank strike
An Israeli air strike has claimed two Palestinian lives and wounded three others in a targeted vehicle attack at the Nur Shams refugee camp, marking another deadly episode in escalating West Bank violence. This latest military action, jointly conducted by Israeli forces and Shin Bet, underscores the growing tensions in the region since October 2023, with casualties mounting on both sides.
Israeli forces kill two Palestinians in deadly Jenin raid
In a night-time raid near Jenin, Israeli forces cornered and killed two Palestinian militants accused of a deadly January bus attack that killed three Israelis. The operation, part of an ongoing large-scale military campaign in the West Bank, resulted in one Israeli soldier being injured during the firefight.
UN chief praises Trump's 'large contribution' to Gaza ceasefire
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has acknowledged Donald Trump's pivotal diplomatic role in achieving the Gaza ceasefire, praising his 'robust diplomacy' alongside efforts from Qatar and Turkey, in an address at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Israeli parliament votes to ban UN’s Palestine aid agency, UNRWA
The organisation protects Palestinian refugees’ right to return home, something Israel has long resisted for the six million refugees registered with UNRWA.
Bürgenstock summit outcomes ‘redundant’ without Russia
By Reneva FourieA “high-level Summit on Peace for Ukraine” took place at the Bürgenstock resort on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland from June 15 to 16. The South African delegation was led by Professor Sydney Mufamadi, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s national security adviser. Although South Africa did not sign the adopted Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework, the attendance by our most senior officials is a reflection of political developments within the country.
‘The despicable desperation of the persecution of Paul Mashatile’
News24's approach to covering Paul Mashatile has been marked by petty sensationalism and malicious bias, focusing on negative portrayals of this well respected South African political leader.
US military conducts emergency aid air-drop over Gaza amid humanitarian crisis
The emergency aid drop follows the tragic deaths of over 100 Palestinians during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops while attempting to access aid.
Thousands of Nigerians protest soaring costs
With inflation going through the roof, Nigerians protested against the excessive cost of living they’ve had to endure with many struggling to afford basic food items.
Israel's war cabinet plotting hostage deal with Hamas as Gaza desperation deepens
Israel's war cabinet has discussed the next steps for negotiations towards a hostage deal and ceasefire in its war with Hamas, as concern deepens over the increasingly desperate situation faced by civilians in the devastated Gaza Strip.
Death toll soars to 25,105 as fighting rages across Gaza, Israel raids West Bank
Alongside fierce fighting in southern Gaza and across the besieged territory, strikes in Syria and Iraq raised fears of a wider conflagration.
LIVE BLOG: ICJ hears Israel’s defence against South Africa’s genocide claims
Follow IOL’s coverage as Israel presents its defence against claims of genocide in Palestine brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Israel accuses South Africa of being ‘legal arm of Hamas’ at ICJ
Israel has lashed out at South Africa over its sound argument against the Middle Eastern country before the International Court of Justice, where South Africa accused Israel of genocidal acts.
LIVE BLOG: ICJ hears South Africa’s case against Israel
South Africa has presented a sound case against Israel at the International Court of Justice relating to alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
US diplomat Antony Blinken due in Israel as Gaza death toll nears 23,000
More journalists are among the more than 22,000 people killed by Israel in Gaza, as fears mount that the war will engulf the wider region.
LOOK: First hostages released as part of Israel and Hamas four-day truce over Gaza
Hostages captured by Hamas in Israel on October 7 had been set free on Friday, and Israeli media reported that a group of women and children were being handed over to the Red Cross, the first hostages to go free under a temporary truce.
China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin to join special online BRICS Summit on Israel’s war on Palestine
The leaders of the bloc's current member countries, newly-invited countries and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will participate in the meeting, to discuss the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
Editor’s View: Only drastic action, not words, can save Palestinians from being wiped from existence
Israel continues to break international law, violate the Geneva Conventions, carry out war crimes with impunity, and will continue to do so until stopped, writes IOL Editor-in-Chief Lance Witten.
Palestinian detainees report Israeli beatings, mistreatment as West Bank arrests surge
Hamza al-Qawasmi was at home in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron last month when Israeli forces stormed in after midnight and told him he was under arrest.
Gaza hospitals struggling to provide basic healthcare for pregnant women, warns UN
Many Palestinian pregnant women are suffering gravely in the besieged Gaza Strip amid the ongoing deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas.