The information treated here is about the war in Israel and the fighting against Hamas in the Gaza StripThey come from local and international media and news agencies. Much of the information cannot be independently verified.
Update from January 18 at 7:30 a.m.: With Qatari-French mediation, an agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas regarding the delivery of medicines. Red Crescent officials said that two Qatari planes carrying relief supplies landed yesterday in the border city of Al-Arish. Some of the drugs are also said to be intended for Israeli hostages.
It is an agreement built on trust: Qatar has guaranteed the distribution of supplies to hostages in the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials admitted that they had no idea about the deal. the Information from the Minister of Foreign Affairs From Qatar Dr. Majed Al-Ansari, the medicines have already been transferred to the Gaza Strip. It is not known whether the shipments actually reached the hostages. The relatives demanded proof of delivery.
The United States attacks the Houthi rebels in Yemen again
Update from January 18, 5:00 a.m.: US forces once again attacked Houthi rebel positions in Yemen. The responsible US regional command, Central Command, said on Thursday night that the attacks targeted 14 Houthi missiles that were prepared to be launched by the militia.
“These launched missiles posed an imminent threat to commercial and US Navy ships and could have been launched at any time,” the Regional Command said. The US Armed Forces exercised their “right and obligation” to defend themselves.
The media in the United States of America and Yemen had previously published news of renewed attacks. This is the fourth attack launched by American forces on the positions of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia in less than a week. Al-Masirah TV channel, run by the Houthis, spoke of the renewed “American-British aggression.” The targets included the coastal city of Hodeidah and the city of Tess.
Israel News: Two gunmen were killed in the southern Gaza Strip
Update from January 17 at 11:15 p.m.: The Israeli army says it killed a large number of activists in the southern Gaza Strip. Army spokesman Daniel Hajary said in a televised statement that the armed forces killed more than 30 militants in an operation in the city of Khan Yunis during the past 24 hours. The army expanded its activities to include the Hamas regiment in the southern part of the city. “The fighting there was difficult, but unfortunately there were casualties as well.”
Update from January 17 at 8:00 p.m.: Herzi Halevy, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, said that the chances of war in Lebanon are higher than ever. The Times of Israel. Halevy said during a training for the forces that the Israeli army “will increase its combat readiness in Lebanon.”
The Chief of General Staff does not know when war will break out in Lebanon. However, Israeli forces learned “many lessons” from the war in the Gaza Strip that will be “very relevant to the fighting in Lebanon.” “We want to achieve a very clear goal in Lebanon, which is the return of the population to the north, and all communities in the north,” Halevy said.
According to Netanyahu, the Israeli war may continue until 2025
Update from January 17, 2:10 p.m.: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, during his talks with the heads of municipal authorities bordering the Gaza Strip, that the war between Israel and Hamas may continue until 2025. The Times of Israel.
At the beginning of the month, Netanyahu and other ministers had already discussed possible solutions to end the Israeli war. The idea was put forward that Palestinian forces that are not hostile to Israel should control the Gaza Strip.
War between Israel and Hamas: Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip
Update from January 17 at 10:30 a.m.: The Israeli occupation army announced that two Israeli soldiers were killed during clashes that took place yesterday in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army said that both were killed during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip. In addition, two soldiers were seriously wounded yesterday – one during fighting in the Gaza Strip and the other in communities inside Israel adjacent to the Gaza Strip. This was reported by the haaretz.com portal – the information cannot be independently verified.
Update from January 17, 9:40 a.m.: According to Palestinian reports, three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike in Balata refugee camp (see: 1). Report from 8:40 a.m).
According to the Al-Aqsa Brigades, which is close to the Fatah movement led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the three dead were members of the armed group. They released three names, but Challis was not among them. His family reportedly denied his death. It was not initially possible to independently verify the information.
War in Israel: Israel announces the killing of a prominent terrorist
Update from January 17 at 8:40 a.m.: The Israeli army announced that it had killed a prominent leader in the West Bank. The man is Imad Abdullah Abu Shalal. The leader of a terrorist cell is said to have been responsible for several attacks on Israeli soldiers in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Abu Shalal was killed in a drone airstrike on a terrorist cell site near the city of Nablus. According to Israel, the terrorist leader is said to have received his orders directly from Iran.
War in Israel: The United States returns the Houthi rebels to the terrorist list
First report dated January 17, 2024: GAZA/TEL AVIV – After a series of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea, the US government wants to put the Shiite group back on the list of global terrorists, according to media reports. CNN and the Wall Street Journal reported this on Tuesday evening (local time), citing people familiar with the matter. When it comes to terrorism designations, the United States differentiates between global terrorists and foreign terrorist organizations. Discrimination plays a role in the penalties associated with each category.
Just before the end of then-US President Donald Trump's term, his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo classified the Houthis into both categories in 2021. But Pompeo's successor, Anthony Blinken, reversed that shortly after to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen. The civil war has been raging in this poor country since 2014. A large portion of the population lives in areas controlled by the Houthis. According to the United Nations, millions of people suffer from hunger.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas, the Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked commercial ships with alleged Israeli connections in the Red Sea. The United States and Great Britain responded with a comprehensive military strike on Houthi positions in Yemen. Major shipping companies are increasingly avoiding the Red Sea route, through which about 10% of global trade usually passes. The Houthi militia in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon belong to the “axis of resistance” against Israel.
This could mean the possibility of more far-reaching sanctions being imposed on the organization, which is backed by Iran and has recently repeatedly fired missiles at southern Israel.
Medicine for Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that medicines purchased in France for Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip will be flown to Egypt on Wednesday on two Qatari military planes. From there they will be transferred to the Gaza Strip.
In the October 7 attack and massacre committed by the Islamist movement Hamas and other Palestinian organizations on Israel, some 250 people were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip. There are currently 136 people detained in the coastal sector. Israel estimates that about twenty of them are no longer alive.
German military weapons worth 20 million euros to Israel in 2023
Last year, the federal government approved the export of military weapons worth 20.1 million euros to Israel. These weapons included 3,000 portable anti-tank weapons and 500,000 rounds of ammunition for machine guns, machine guns or other fully or semi-automatic firearms. This came in the Ministry of Economy's response to a request by Bundestag member Sevim Dagdelen from the Sahra-Wagenknecht coalition, which was submitted to the German News Agency. In total, the Traffic Light government approved arms deliveries to Israel worth €326.5 million – ten times more than the previous year. (with agency materials)
Update from April 29 at 10:42 p.m.: After the serious attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, the governor of the region spoke out and accused Russia of launching a deliberate attack on civilians. “The Russians fired a ballistic missile with cluster munitions at one of the most popular places for residents and visitors of Odessa, where people were walking with their children or dogs or exercising,” said Oleh Kiper from the center. Ukrainian Pravda Quoted.
Transparency Notice
The information processed here comes from international media and news agencies, but also from the warring parties Ukraine and Russia. Information related to the war in Ukraine cannot be independently verified.
Such munitions “primarily pose a threat to people, not equipment and buildings,” Kiper continued. These allegations have not yet been independently verified. Among other things, the Odessa Law Academy was bombed. The number of deaths has now risen to five; A dog was also killed. According to Ukrainian information, the number of wounded now reaches dozens.
Germany supplies Ukraine with armored personnel carriers and ammunition
Update from April 29 at 10pm: Germany has delivered ten more Marder armored personnel carriers and other defense means to Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. The federal government in Berlin announced on Monday that a second Skynex anti-aircraft system is also part of the package, along with approximately 30,000 rounds of ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank and ammunition for the Iris-T system. The third Patriot anti-aircraft system, promised in mid-April, was not included in the updated list of German military aid. Russia has recently intensified its air strikes with missiles, cruise missiles, drones and glide bombs.
7,500 155 mm artillery shells and ammunition for the Leopard 2 main battle tank and 3,000 hand-held anti-tank weapons were also delivered. The Ukrainian Army's engineering and transport capabilities were enhanced with another Biber bridge-laying tank, an engineering tank, nine mine-clearing plows, and nine M1070 Oshkosh heavy semi-trailers. Ukraine confronted a Russian invasion more than two years ago. In terms of size, Germany is the second most important supporter after the United States of America. However, according to studies, in terms of population and economic power, Poland, the Baltic states and the Nordic EU member states do more than Germany.
Russia Attack: Destructive Missile impact in Odessa
Update from April 29, 8:57 p.m.: At least two people were killed in the Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa. Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said via Telegram on Monday that at least 17 other people were injured. Many residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged. According to authorities, the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, just over 30 kilometers from the Russian border, had previously been attacked by slide bombs. Two civilians were injured. A multi-storey residential building was damaged.
Update from April 29, 6:57 p.m.: At least eight people were injured in a Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Odessa, according to local authorities. Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were bombed, a staff member says. Shortly before the collision, the Ukrainian Air Force warned of a ballistic missile attack. These are relatively difficult to intercept. There is currently no Russian statement available.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence: more than 18,000 Russian soldiers fled
Update from April 29, 4:15 p.m.: More and more soldiers of Russia's Southern Military District, whose units are stationed in Ukraine, are abandoning their positions. This was announced by the Military Intelligence Service of Ukraine (HUR). According to many observers, low morale among Russian forces fighting in Ukraine is a recurring problem.
More than 18,000 soldiers from the Southern Military District are said to have deserted, and about 12,000 of them belong to the 8th Unified Army – a unit that is often deployed in combat operations in eastern Ukraine. Military Intelligence said that among them were about 10,000 conscripts and 2,000 contract soldiers. The British Ministry of Defense said in early April that Russian forces in Ukraine mainly consist of contract soldiers and reservists who were mobilized at the end of 2022, but conscripts are often pressured to sign contracts.
Kiev has encouraged Russian army forces to flee or even defect to the Ukrainian side. Ukrainian military intelligence established a hotline in September 2022 to help Russian soldiers wishing to surrender.
Russia Takes cities in the east Ukraine a
Update from April 29, 1:25 p.m.: According to its own statements, Russia has captured another town in eastern Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday that it had “liberated” the village of Semenivka, located near the Russian-controlled city of Avdiivka. It was only on Sunday that the ministry announced the “liberation” of the village of Novopakhmutivka, located about ten kilometers northwest of Avdiivka.
Russia took complete control of the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine last February after long fighting. After that, the Russian army continued its rapid advance, while the Ukrainian army was on the defensive due to a lack of ammunition and soldiers.
The first report: KIEV – Ukraine says it has repelled serious Russian attacks in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military said on Monday (April 29) that “55 attacks were repelled” in several towns north and west of the village of Novopakhmutivka. Kiev said that Russian forces to the south, west of the city of Donetsk, attempted “with air force support to penetrate the defenses of our forces 15 times.”
Russia Begins Serious attacks in the east
According to Kiev, its soldiers were able to „continue repelling the enemy” in several towns west of Donetsk, including the city of Krasnogorivka. The city is located about 20 kilometers from the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, and is considered a Ukrainian fortress in the region. However, since Russian soldiers captured the neighboring towns of Marinka and Avdiivka, Krasnogorievka has become more vulnerable.
On Sunday, the Ukrainian army admitted that the situation on the front had deteriorated. Russian forces have been advancing in eastern Ukraine since February. At the end of the week, Moscow soldiers took control of the village of Novopakhmutivka. Kiev warned that Russia would seek success on the battlefield before Victory Day on May 9.
A difficult situation for Ukraine: Russia appears to be achieving “tactical successes”
The situation on the fronts in the east of the country became dangerous for the defenders of Ukraine. Army Commander Oleksandr Sirsky acknowledged the setbacks on Sunday. Russian units repelled Ukrainian units, especially west of the cities of Avdiivka and Marinka, which were abandoned after fierce fighting. The situation on site is “very dynamic”; Positions are frequently lost to the opposing side and then regained. “In general, the enemy achieved some tactical successes in these areas, but was unable to gain an operational advantage,” Sersky wrote on Telegram.
The Ukrainian leadership is adhering to the peace conference scheduled for June in Switzerland, and hopes to gain support from around the world. On Sunday, Zelensky called on the international community, above all, to encourage Russia to participate in the conference. “The path to a just peace can begin in June.”
Ukraine adheres to the peace summit: ideas differ greatly.
However, Moscow and Kiev have very different ideas about how to end the war. Russia annexed the occupied territories in Ukraine, including the Crimean Peninsula, and declared them its territory. The Kremlin also aims to install a Moscow-friendly government in Kiev.
Ukraine, in turn, demands the complete withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean Peninsula. The Kiev peace plan also stipulates the payment of Russian compensation and the establishment of an international tribunal to punish all those responsible in Russian politics and military leadership for the war of aggression.
Ukraine war: Interactive map from the front
From captured areas to the current path of the front: Our current maps of the front in Ukraine provide insight into the latest developments in Russia's war against Ukraine. (Editing with agencies)
Italy declares war on mass tourism. In order to regulate the rush of vacationers, Cinque Terre has come up with a new rule.
Monterosso – Millions of vacationers are drawn to the Italian coast every year. This is why Italy has taken measures against mass tourism for years. A day trip to Venice now costs five euros. Tourists don't stop at Cinque Terre either. Accordingly, the region issues a new rule for travelers.
Italy is once again taking action against mass tourism
The Cinque Terre region consists of five picturesque villages located on the Ligurian Riviera. Monterosso is the largest town with lemon trees and the only sandy beach. But due to the annual influx of travellers, the quality of life of the approximately 9,000 residents of the Cinque Terre is affected. how South Tyrol News It was reported that about 2.5 million people invaded small villages last year.
The region resists mass tourism and therefore takes certain measures to counter the rush of holidaymakers. This means, among other things, that train tickets are more expensive in high season. In summer, travelers pay twice as much for train trips between villages as before. On the other hand, residents should benefit from the cuts.
New restrictions on travelers to Italy in Cinque Terre
Entrance fees are also required for hiking trails. The national park is also taking countermeasures. A one-way system has now been introduced for a section of the most popular hiking trails. This applies to the “Sentiero Verde Azzurro”, also known as the Green and Blue Route, from April 25 to May 1 between 9am and 2pm. It was reported that the regulation was issued for safety reasons and to improve the use of the route Standard.
What does this mean for holidays in Italy? This restriction affects the second of the four stages of the route, which leads from Monterosso to Vernazza. high Bergwelten.com This stage, covering a distance of 3.7 km, can be completed in just under two hours.
Rule for travelers to „Cinque Terre”: You must check the entrance to the hiking trail
Access to the hiking trail at the entrance to Monterosso must be controlled. Among other things, it is checked whether visitors are wearing appropriate shoes. For the following reasons: Some parts of the road are narrow and steep. In order to avoid overloading the „Sentiero Verde Azzurro”, hikers should also be redirected to alternative routes.
Cheap air travel and large concentrations of hotel complexes are one of the reasons for mass tourism. That is why the residents of the Canary Islands are tired of the influx of tourists. while Amsterdam bans new hotels It wants to take action against tape crawls. (mg/cas)
Biden urges Netanyahu to provide more aid to Gaza – Hamas comments on the hostage deal
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Hostage deal and ceasefire – “hopes are relatively high”
It is possible that there will be a new hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. The release of up to 33 hostages is being discussed. WELT correspondent Max Hermes reports from Tel Aviv on the status of the negotiations.
You can listen to our WELT podcasts here
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Before negotiations on a possible ceasefire in Gaza, which began on Monday in Riyadh, US President Joe Biden telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for more aid to the Gaza Strip. Hamas also commented in advance on a possible hostage deal.
ShPresident Joe Biden called for expanding humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip before crisis talks resume. The White House said on Sunday that Biden stressed in a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that recent progress in aid delivery must continue and increase in full coordination with humanitarian organizations. Biden noted, among other things, preparations to open new border crossings in northern Israel starting this week.
Political observers rated the US President's choice of words in the conversation as less harsh than in a previous phone conversation. At the time, Biden made future US support for Israel in the Gaza war dependent on quick, measurable steps to protect civilians and aid workers.
Israel is under enormous international pressure to allow more aid into the closed area on the Mediterranean Sea, where the Israeli army has been fighting the Islamist Hamas movement since October. The country recently opened border crossings to deliver aid. The United Nations recently confirmed an increase in the number of trucks arriving, but is calling on Israel to take further steps to enable the delivery of more aid.
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At a meeting of a number of Western and Arab foreign ministers in Riyadh on Monday, there are new efforts for a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Among those expected are US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. In Cairo, a Hamas delegation also wants to deliver its response to the ceasefire proposal on Monday.
A senior Hamas representative on Sunday expressed a generally positive reaction to the latest Israeli proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release in the Gaza Strip. “The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles,” he told AFP on Sunday. Hamas did not identify “any major problems” in the text submitted by Israel and Egypt.
She added that Biden and Netanyahu also discussed the Rafah issue during the conversation. Biden reiterated his clear position. The United States, Israel's most important ally, has repeatedly warned Netanyahu's government against launching a large-scale attack on the city of Rafah. The city on the border with Egypt is currently crowded with hundreds of thousands of refugees, but it is also the last major stronghold of Hamas.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that Israel is ready to postpone military operations in Rafah if an agreement is reached regarding the hostages. However, hopes of reaching an agreement in indirect negotiations have been dashed repeatedly so far. In the conversation with Netanyahu, Biden referred to a statement in which he and 17 other heads of state and government called on Hamas to immediately release the hostages in order to achieve a ceasefire and provide relief to the residents of Gaza.
Pressure on Netanyahu is also increasing from within his ranks
Two Israeli ministers are pressuring Prime Minister Netanyahu about a possible ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for various reasons. If Netanyahu decides to “raise the white flag” and cancel the plan for a ground attack in Rafah, “the government you lead has no right to exist,” right-wing Finance Minister Belazil Smotrich wrote on the X online service on Sunday.
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He continued: “The Egyptian deal is a humiliating surrender… It sentences the hostages to death, and above all, it constitutes an immediate existential threat to the State of Israel.”
For his part, former army commander and former Defense Minister Gantz, a member of Netanyahu's war cabinet, said that the Rafah invasion was „important in the long battle against Hamas,” but the return of the hostages was „urgent and extremely important.” “Importance.” If government ministers prevent the implementation of “a responsible plan to return the hostages, supported by the entire defense apparatus and which does not mean the end of the war,” then “the government no longer has the right to continue to exist.”
