Middle East Conflict: Efforts Reportedly Underway For Ramadan Month Ceasefire, Hamas Reviewing Proposal

Israeli minister calls out 'reckless' ceasefire-hostage proposal

Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Tuesday said a "reckless" truce-hostage deal with Hamas means the Israeli government will be dismantled.

He was criticized in the last few weeks after he called for the voluntary emigration of Gaza residents.

Kerem Shalom protests continue for 7th straight day

Demonstrators calling for the immediate release of hostages still in Hamas captivity have gathered at the Kerem Shalom border crossing for the seventh consecutive day. They are specifically calling for a full stop of humanitarian aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip until all remaining hostages in the enclave are freed.

Houthis launch drones across Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea: Arab media

The Yemeni Houthi rebel militia has launched reconnaissance drones across the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea for the purpose of monitoring new naval targets, Arab media reported Tuesday, citing Yemeni sources.

The report comes after the Iranian-backed militant group claimed it attacked the USS Lewis B. Puller, a U.S. Navy frigate. The rebel army has also been attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea since Nov. 19.

Ceasefire proposal includes release of 30 hostages, 100 prisoners: Arab media

Efforts are ongoing to conclude a truce agreement that includes the release of 30 Israeli hostages in exchange for 100 Palestinian prisoners, Sky News Arabia reported, citing unidentified sources.

The ceasefire is expected to take place during the "month of Ramadan," and will also include the entry of more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, as per the report. Ramadan 2024 is scheduled for March 9 through April 8.

Blinken says Oct. 7 allegations 'highly credible'

Israel provided evidence that accused 12 UNRWA employees of participating in Hamas' Oct. 7 atrocities, and the evidence presented are "highly, highly credible," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference late Monday.

He then called on the agency to address and investigate the accusations "as thoroughly as possible."

Israeli undercover agents carry out assassinations in West Bank hospital

Israeli agents went undercover Tuesday at the Ibn Sina hospital in the West Bank, assassinating three individuals Israel said were Hamas operatives. The agents disguised themselves as medical staff in the raid, marking the first such operation that the country conducted in eight years.

Read the full story here.

Netanyahu 'at the end' of his political career: Iranian FM

Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Tuesday said Netanyahu is "at the end" of his political life as the U.S. supposedly "knows very well" that to end the war in Gaza, a political route should be taken, not a military one.

His comments come as more countries call for a two-state solution to the never-ending Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hamas studying ceasefire proposal: Local media

Hamas is currently studying a proposal for a possible ceasefire-hostage deal, Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported Tuesday. The Palestinian terror group's leader, Ismail Haniyeh, did not reject the outline but instead said Hamas has accepted it for review.

Haniyeh said Hamas was open to discussing any proposals as long as it leads to the ultimate end of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

There are still more than 130 hostages in Hamas captivity.

Israel retaliates after rockets fired at central communities

Israeli warplanes struck rocket launchers in Gaza after a barrage of rockets were fired at central Israel Monday, the IDF said Tuesday.

Ground operations continue in Khan Yunis, with "multiple terrorists" eliminated in ground combat and an Israeli airstrike.

Britain to consider recognizing Palestinian state: Cameron

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Monday night that the United Kingdom will consider recognizing a Palestinian state as part of the efforts to deliver an "irreversible" settlement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"We should be starting to set out what a Palestinian state would look like – what it would comprise, how it would work," he said at a reception in London. Cameron previously pressed the Israeli government over a two-state solution to put an end to decades of fighting.

Hamas combatants back in northern Gaza

Hamas fighters have returned to northern Gaza and have started rebuilding the region's governance system after Israeli ground troops drove them out in a weeks-long campaign, multiple outlets reported, citing Israeli officials and analysts.

The resurgence of Hamas combatants in the area became apparent in recent days as Israeli tanks returned to some parts of northern Gaza that they left just a week prior.

Confusion led to delayed US response in Jordan drone attack: Report

An American drone was returning to the base in Jordan when another drone was on its way to the area, creating confusion about whether the second drone was hostile or not, CNN reported Monday, citing two U.S. officials. The confusion then led to a delayed response.

The drone attack killed Sgt. William Rivers, 46, Specialist Kennedy Sanders, 24, and Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23.

Gallant told US he will block Israeli resettlement in Gaza: Report

Israel's defense minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. officials last week that he will not allow Israelis to resettle inside the Gaza Strip, Axios reported Monday, citing four U.S. and Israeli officials.

The report comes after nearly one-third of the Biden government's cabinet members attended a conference Sunday night that aimed to encourage the rebuilding of Israeli settlements inside the enclave.

Around 10% of UNRWA staff have Hamas, PIJ links: Intelligence reports

Around 10% of 12,000 staffers at UNRWA have connections to Hamas and its ally, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), The Wall Street Journal reported, citing intelligence reports submitted by Israel to the U.S. that the outlet reviewed.

The report added that around 50% of the agency's staff in Gaza had at least one close relative with links to the mentioned terror groups.

More than a dozen countries have already suspended funding to UNRWA due to the allegations that some employees of the agency were involved in Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

2 killed, others wounded in strike off Damascus: Syrian and Iranian media

Syrian and Iranian media reported Monday that an "Israeli strike" killed two people and wounded several others south of Damascus, Syria's capital. Syrian media reported that the strike came from the Israel-annexed Golan Heights.

The reports came after an explosion was heard around the Sayyidah Zeinab area, which is located in the outskirts of Damascus.

New Zealand halts UNRWA funding

New Zealand has joined the expanding list of countries that are halting funding to UNRWA amid Oct. 7 allegations.

The country will not be making "any further contributions" to the agency until "it's good to do so," Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said. "The allegations are incredibly serious. It's important they are properly understood and investigated," Luxon told reporters.

IDF responds to launches from Lebanon

The Israeli army has responded with fire to "a number of launches" from Lebanese territory Monday toward northern Israel, the IDF said.

As part of its retaliatory fire, Israeli fighter jets attacked several Hezbollah targets and destroyed an observation post belonging to the Iranian-backed terror group in southern Lebanon.

Qatar hopes US retaliation won't affect hostage deal talks

Qatar's prime minister in an appearance at a Washington think tank event Monday, said he hopes "nothing would undermine the efforts that we are doing or jeopardize the process" of negotiating for a possible ceasefire-hostage deal, Reuters reported.

He was responding to a question regarding the possible impact on talks for a new truce agreement if the U.S. responds to the killing of its three servicemen in Jordan.

Qatar, along with Egypt, played mediating roles in the seven-week truce in November that led to the release of more than a hundred hostages from Gaza.

US considering possible strike on Iranian Navy assets: Report

Amid growing pressure to take a decisive action over the killings of three U.S. servicemen in Jordan Sunday, Biden has instructed his team to draw up military options, Politico reported late Monday, citing two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly about the discussions.

There are two options on the table, the first being a strike on Iranian personnel stationed either in Iraq or Syria. The second option is to strike Iranian naval assets in the Persian Gulf, as per the report.

The officials indicated that once Biden agrees to any of the options, Washington's retaliation will likely kick off in the coming days and will be carried out in several stages.

The report comes after a host of Republican senators called on the Biden government to take military steps and not allow Iran, which the U.S. blames the drone attack on, to continue targeting American troops.