Israel Hamas war: Number of hostages held in Gaza rises as Rafah crossing reopens

US president Joe Biden mentioned there’s a want for a humanitarian “pause” within the Israel-Hamas battle after he was interrupted by a protester calling for ceasefire in Gaza.

Mr Biden was talking to a crowd of supporters in Minneapolis about his causes for working for president in 2020 when a lady bought up and yelled: “Mr President, if you happen to care about Jewish folks, as a rabbi, I want you to name for a cease-fire.”

“I believe we want a pause,” Mr Biden mentioned.

Mr Biden’s newest comment was a delicate departure for the president and prime White Home aides, who all through the Mideast disaster have been steadfast in stating they won’t dictate how the Israelis perform their army operations in response to the 7 October assault by Hamas.

The White Home has refused to name for a cease-fire however has signaled that the Israelis ought to take into account humanitarian pauses to permit civilians to obtain assist and for international nationals trapped on the strip to go away Gaza.

“That is extremely sophisticated for the Israelis,” Mr Biden added. “It’s extremely sophisticated for the Muslim world as properly. … I supported a two-state answer, I’ve from the very starting.”

A Christmas advert from Marks and Spencer’s has obtained backlash after it confirmed hats within the colors of the Palestinian flag burning in a fireplace.

Replying to the unique put up, one commenter wrote: “That is completely vile, you have to be ashamed of yourselves.”

One other agreed: “Completely disgusting. Even when it was recorded in August you need to have reshot this picture or used expertise to make modifications. Disgrace on you!!!”

One consumer on X, previously Twitter, mentioned: “How come you may have that a lot hate to ship disguised as “Christmas celebration”?”

However different customers defended M&S and mentioned the chain mustn’t have needed to apologise for the picture.

One mentioned: “Why are you apologising when it was recorded in August? If some silly particular person thinks you may have purposely simply made it up because the seventh Oct then that’s right down to them. Deary me..”

One other wrote: “Oh for heaven’s sake. I don’t usually use the phrase snowflake however that is ridiculous. You’re apologising as a result of folks bought ‘offended’ by a photograph of Christmas hats in a fireplace grate?”

Marks and Spencer’s has apologised after posting an outtake from its Christmas advert that confirmed hats within the colors of the Palestinian flag burning in a fireplace, which has divided opinion on social media.

M&S mentioned the intent was to “playfully present that some folks don’t get pleasure from carrying paper Christmas hats” with the picture posted to the retailer’s social media of festive pink, inexperienced and silver paper hats burning in a hearth.

The picture was captioned: “This Christmas, do what you like… like saying no to paper hats” alongside “#LoveThismasNotThatmas.”

M&S mentioned the outtake from the advert it shared on Instagram was recorded in August, months earlier than Hamas launched a shock assault on Israel on October 7.

However some social media customers claimed there was a similarity between the colors of the hats and the Palestinian flag, with one consumer describing the photograph as “distasteful”.

The United Arab Emirates has mentioned it plans to deal with 1,000 Palestinian kids from Gaza, with out saying how they would depart the Israeli-besieged enclave for the Gulf state.

UAE state information company WAM reported President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had directed hospitals to deal with 1,000 Palestinian kids “accompanied by their households”.

Qatar succeeded in brokering a deal to permit some folks to go away Gaza by means of the Rafah crossing into Egypt, with some 7,500 international passport holders anticipating to go away over the course of about two weeks.

The Emirati international ministry has not offered additional particulars on their plans to offer therapy and host the Palestinians.

The variety of Hezbollah fighters killed since 7 October has risen to 50, the group has mentioned.

The Iran-backed militants final put the loss of life toll at 47, following weeks of clashes with Israel throughout the Lebanese border. Rising tensions have resulted in over 20,000 fleeding south Leabonon and transferring to the coastal border or inland.

Most of their fighters have been killed in drone strikes, however Hezbollah unveiled its first surface-to-air missile functionality on Sunday.

Germany will from Wednesday ban the actions of Hamas, already a chosen terrorist organisation within the nation, in addition to pro-Palestinian group Samidoun, the inside minister introduced on Thursday.

“With Hamas, I’ve at this time fully banned the actions of a terrorist organisation whose goal is to destroy the state of Israel,” Nancy Faeser mentioned in a press release.

Samidoun’s German wing may even be disbanded, it added. Faeser mentioned the worldwide community works beneath the guise of a solidarity group for prisoners to unfold anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda.

Using white phosphorous has been verified by Amnesty Worldwide in Gaza and Lebanon, its senior disaster adviser has advised Sky Information.

Donatella Rovera mentioned that Amnesty has geolocated footage of shells carrying the chemical being deployed over Gaza and Lebanon, and had spoken to docs who had handled 9 folks in Lebanon with accidents.

“The proof is kind of incontrovertible,” she mentioned.

White phosphorus is a chemical that ignites on contact with oxygen, sticks to surfaces, is able to reigniting and might penetrate pores and skin and bone

Rishi Sunak has thanked Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his efforts to get the primary British nationals to go away by means of the Rafah border, the one gateway to Gaza not managed by Israel.

Downing Road confirmed that two UK assist employees had been amongst these to make it to Egypt, the place Border Drive officers are positioned to help them.

The International Workplace mentioned it has agreed an inventory of British nationals that wish to depart Gaza with Egyptian and Israeli authorities.

The UK has a Border Drive workforce in Cairo, with consular officers in Arish, close to Rafah, to offer assist for Britons who depart Gaza.

Shadow cupboard minister Liz Kendall has instructed that Labour MPs who defy social gathering chief Sir Keir Starmer by calling for a ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas battle is not going to face motion.

The shadow work and pension secretary advised Sky Information the management will proceed to pay attention and have interaction with critics of Sir Keir’s stance.

Requested if they are going to face disciplinary motion, she mentioned: “That’s not been the method… that’s not the method we’ve taken.

“Keir’s place is the correct one, and I really assume, if you happen to look throughout our social gathering, our need to finish the killing, to ensure we get that assist in and the hostages out, and that long-term objective of a two-state answer, is one thing that all of us agree on.”

The variety of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza has been confirmed as 242.

Efforts are ongoing to safe their launch, with 5 hostages launched to date. 4 of these had been secured by means of negotiations with Qatar and Egypt, whereas a fifth was launched after a floor raid by Israeli forces inside Gaza.