Israel’s government said on Sunday morning that its military was not halting the fighting in Gaza, despite a ceasefire with Hamas being scheduled to take effect, citing Hamas’s failure to provide a list of the first three hostages who were set to be freed later in the day
Peace eludes Palestine as the Israeli government said that its military was not halting the fighting in Gaza, despite a ceasefire with Hamas being scheduled to take effect, citing Hamas’s failure to provide a list of the first three hostages who were set to be freed later in the day.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Gaza ceasefire will not go ahead until Hamas provides the names of the first hostages it plans to release. In a statement, Hamas says the delay is due to “technical field reasons.”
According to the ceasefire agreement, names should be provided at least 24 hours before a planned exchange – the first swap of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners had been scheduled to take place on Sunday. The ceasefire was due to come into effect at 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT).
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory within the agreed timeframe.
“It is now essential to see the withdrawal of the Israel Defense forces from Lebanese territory and the simultaneous deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces across southern Lebanon in the agreed timeframe,” Guterres said at a press conference held in Beirut to conclude his two-day visit to the country.
“Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and the Lebanese state must have full control of weapons throughout Lebanese territory,” he added.
He emphasised the importance of implementing UN Resolution 1701 in all its dimensions.
“The United Nations — including through the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon and UNIFIL — is committed to supporting the parties uphold their obligations under resolution 1701 and ensuring that the cessation of hostilities holds,” he said.
“This would lay a platform for the full implementation of the resolution and its ultimate goal, a permanent ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel,” he noted.
Responding to a question about guarantees for maintaining the ceasefire in Lebanon, Guterres said he is convinced that the agreement that was established between Hezbollah and Israel will be respected.
He called on both parties to ensure commitments to the ceasefire are realized, adding that the newly established mechanism should be used to address outstanding issues. The UN chief also vowed to support Lebanon throughout its reconstruction process.
“Working hand-in-hand with Lebanese authorities and partners, the United Nations will intensify our support for recovery and reconstruction across Lebanon,” he said.
He also praised the missions conducted by UNIFIL troops in Lebanon, saying they carried out more than 730 missions in close cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, facilitating their redeployment to more than 50 positions.
He added that UNIFIL has also facilitated 39 humanitarian missions — in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Lebanese Red Cross, various UN entities, and NGOs.
Houthi Stance
Yemen’s Houthi group said it had launched two rocket attacks on the Israeli southern port city of Eilat on Saturday, claiming to have hit two “vital targets.”
“The first operation was carried out with a ballistic missile, while the other operation was carried out with a winged (cruise) missile,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, noting “both operations achieved their goals successfully.”
“We will stand by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, and we are in coordination with it to deal appropriately militarily with any violations or any military escalation committed by the Israeli enemy during the period of the ceasefire agreement,” Sarea added.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a missile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, and no casualties were reported. Sirens were activated in the southernmost Red Sea city of Eilat and the Arava Valley following the missile launch.
This marked the second attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthi group towards Israel in less than 24 hours, following an earlier launch aimed at central Israel, which was also intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems.
Earlier in the day, Sarea claimed that his group launched a “ballistic missile” targeting the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv. The IDF said the missile was also intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems.
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have been launching regular rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting “Israeli-linked” shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid their conflict with Israelis.
In response, Israel has launched retaliatory rounds of airstrikes on Houthi targets. In addition, the U.S.-led naval coalition stationed in the area has been conducting regular air raids and strikes on Houthi sites since January 2024 in a joint bid to deter the armed group, prompting the Houthis to expand attacks to include the U.S. warships.
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