Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will take full control of Gaza under "Operation Gideon’s Chariots" and prevent Hamas from looting humanitarian aid. His statement followed Israel’s decision to ease its aid blockade and allow limited food supplies into Gaza. Palestinian and Israeli media reported incoming trucks with essential supplies, including baby food. Hamas denied looting claims. Amid growing international pressure and famine fears, Israel has intensified ground operations, with Palestinian officials reporting hundreds of deaths in recent attacks.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the war would resume if Hamas does not release hostages by Saturday, February 15. He stated the renewed fighting would be even more intense, aligning with US President Trump's vision for Gaza, which includes a proposal for the US to potentially take over the region after the conflict. Trump’s plan also denies Palestinians the right of return, contradicting earlier statements from his officials who suggested temporary relocation. Tensions have risen, as Israeli military vehicles were spotted near the Gaza border. Israel has mobilized reservists in anticipation of potential hostilities. Under the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas had agreed to release three hostages on February 15. However, Hamas suspended the handover, citing alleged Israeli violations of the terms. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that intense fighting would resume if Hamas does not meet the deadline, though he didn’t specify the number of hostages to be freed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on December 14, discussing developments in Syria and efforts to secure the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Netanyahu emphasized that Israel has no interest in conflict with Syria but seeks to prevent threats from terrorist elements near its border. On the same day, Netanyahu announced plans to double the Israeli population in the Golan Heights, a region captured from Syria in 1967. Israel's government approved an $11 million plan to encourage demographic growth in the area. Amid ongoing instability in Syria, Israel sent troops into a long-standing buffer zone and conducted airstrikes on hundreds of military sites. The Israeli incursion was condemned by neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan. Syria's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, rejected Israeli claims and focused on rebuilding his country after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is taking necessary security measures in response to the changes in Syria following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. Israel sees both opportunities and risks in the upheaval, with concerns about rising Islamist rebel forces, including those with Al-Qaeda links. Netanyahu instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to secure strategic areas, including the Syrian Hermon summit. The collapse of Assad's regime has led to Hamas's increasing isolation, potentially opening doors for a hostage deal, though it remains uncertain. Israel informed the U.N. Security Council about its temporary measures along the Syrian border, emphasizing that its actions focus solely on security, not intervening in Syria's civil conflict. The U.K. and the U.N. also expressed concerns about Syria’s future, while U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi called for patience as millions of refugees assess the safety of returning to Syria after 13 years of civil war.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on November 27, 2024, following an agreement brokered by the U.S. and France. U.S. President Joe Biden announced the deal, emphasizing that it aims for a permanent cessation of hostilities. The ceasefire includes a 60-day drawdown period during which Israel will gradually withdraw its forces, and Lebanon’s army will deploy in the south to take control of the region, ensuring Hezbollah does not rebuild its infrastructure along the border. Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib confirmed that 5,000 Lebanese troops will be stationed in southern Lebanon during this time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the ceasefire, stressing that Israel would respond decisively to any violations by Hezbollah, including strikes if the group attempts to rearm or rebuild its fortifications. The agreement also allows Israel to focus on the threat posed by Iran, replenish its depleted arms supplies, and give its military a rest. Despite the ceasefire in Lebanon, there was no indication it would immediately lead to a truce with Hamas in Gaza. The conflict, which has killed thousands since its eruption following a Hamas attack last year, continues to fuel tensions in the region. The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is seen as a step towards stabilizing the border and isolating Hezbollah.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for death sentences, rather than arrest warrants, for Israeli leaders following the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ex-Defence Chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri. The ICC accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of war crimes, including murder, persecution, and using starvation as a weapon in Gaza. Israel rejected the court's jurisdiction and denied committing war crimes. Khamenei, who supports Hamas and Hezbollah, further escalated tensions by backing their fight against Israel. Gaza residents welcomed the ICC decision, hoping it would lead to justice for war crimes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, calling it a "heinous antisemitic terrorist act." Kogan, who managed a kosher supermarket in Dubai and worked for the Orthodox Jewish group Chabad, was reported missing on November 21. His body was later found in Al Ain, UAE, though the exact location of his death remains unclear. Netanyahu vowed to take all necessary actions to ensure justice for Kogan's murder. The incident comes amid rising tensions in the region, with Israeli military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Hezbollah launched over 200 rockets into Israel, while Israeli airstrikes killed at least 84 people in Lebanon. Former Israeli Druze politician Ayoob Kara speculated that Iran may have been involved in the murder due to its support for terrorism. The UAE-Israel relationship, strengthened by the 2020 Abraham Accords, remains intact despite the ongoing conflict and global protests sparked by the October 7 Hamas attack.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed by Israeli troops, according to Israel on Thursday. Sinwar was the mastermind of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that triggered the Gaza war. His killing is a huge success for Israel and a pivotal event in the year-long conflict. There are a number of possible scenarios for what happens next but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war will go on. The Israeli military said it had killed Sinwar in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. There was no immediate comment from Hamas. Families of the Israeli and foreign hostages still held in Gaza welcomed the news about Sinwar but repeated their call for a deal to bring the hostages home. Sinwar was named as Hamas' overall leader following the assassination of political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. There were reactions coming from global leaders from around the world. Here are a few reactions on elimination of Yahya Sinwar.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the October 7 Gaza attack, was killed by Israeli forces in a southern Gaza operation. Israel confirmed Sinwar’s death, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant calling it the resolution of a "years-long score," labeling Sinwar a key terrorist behind the attack that killed many innocent Israelis. Western leaders expressed hope that his death could provide a chance to end the war, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the conflict would continue until hostages were returned. While Hamas has not officially commented, families of hostages remain fearful, and Gaza residents cling to hopes of self-determination.

India and Israel will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas such as agriculture, technology and security, Modi said at a joint media event with Netanyahu.

Under the deal, sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union and United Nations will be lifted in return for Iran agreeing long-term curbs on a nuclear programme that the West has suspected was aimed at creating a nuclear bomb.