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Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant, West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon and Syria to the north, the West Bank and Jordan to the east, Egypt, the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Tel Aviv is the country's financial, economic, and technological center.
Pezeshkian sworn in as Iran's new president
Reuters Videos45 minutes agoSTORY: :: Masoud Pezeshkian is sworn in as Iran's new president :: July 30, 2024 :: Tehran, Iran :: The victory of the relative moderate has boosted hopes of a thaw in Iran's relations with the West :: Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran President "We call on Western countries to understand realities and establish relationships based on mutual respect and equal footing. We are prepared to manage tensions and engage in dialogue with governments that have not yet understood Iran's dignity and position." "We will pursue constructive and effective interaction with the world based on dignity, wisdom, and expediency," Pezeshkian, a relative moderate, told a parliament session attended by foreign dignitaries and broadcast live on state television. His victory has lifted hopes of a thaw in Iran's antagonistic relations with the West that might create openings for defusing its nuclear standoff with world powers. But Pezeshkian takes office at a time of escalating Middle East tensions over Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza and cross-border fighting with Iran's ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran, which backs the groups that describe themselves as the "Axis of Resistance" to Israel and U.S. influence in the Middle East, has accused the United States of supporting what it calls Israeli crimes in Gaza. "Those who supply weapons that kill children cannot teach Muslims about humanity," Pezeshkian said to chants of "Death to America," and "Death to Israel." Pezeshkian, who is expected to name his cabinet within two weeks, replaces hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in May.
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- 0:39Pezeshkian sworn in as Iran's new presidentReuters VideosSTORY: :: Masoud Pezeshkian is sworn in as Iran's new president :: July 30, 2024 :: Tehran, Iran :: The victory of the relative moderate has boosted hopes of a thaw in Iran's relations with the West :: Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran President "We call on Western countries to understand realities and establish relationships based on mutual respect and equal footing. We are prepared to manage tensions and engage in dialogue with governments that have not yet understood Iran's dignity and position." "We will pursue constructive and effective interaction with the world based on dignity, wisdom, and expediency," Pezeshkian, a relative moderate, told a parliament session attended by foreign dignitaries and broadcast live on state television. His victory has lifted hopes of a thaw in Iran's antagonistic relations with the West that might create openings for defusing its nuclear standoff with world powers. But Pezeshkian takes office at a time of escalating Middle East tensions over Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza and cross-border fighting with Iran's ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran, which backs the groups that describe themselves as the "Axis of Resistance" to Israel and U.S. influence in the Middle East, has accused the United States of supporting what it calls Israeli crimes in Gaza. "Those who supply weapons that kill children cannot teach Muslims about humanity," Pezeshkian said to chants of "Death to America," and "Death to Israel." Pezeshkian, who is expected to name his cabinet within two weeks, replaces hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in May.45 minutes ago
- 1:54Some Arab American voters in Michigan express cautious optimism about Harris’ presidential campaignAssociated Press VideosSome Arab American voters in Michigan are expressing cautious optimism about Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign after months of outrage over President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war (AP video: Mike Householder, Tassanee Vejpongsa)4 hours ago
- 2:21Israel pledges to hit Hezbollah hard after rocket kills 12Reuters VideosSTORY: Thousands of mourners joined a funeral procession on Sunday for 12 children who were killed in a rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It marks the single deadliest attack in Israel or Israeli-annexed territory since Hamas' assault sparked the Gaza war on Oct. 7. And is fueling fears of significant escalation between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said he visited the town of Majdal Sham early on Sunday, describing the site of the attack as (quote) "a place where innocent girls and boys were murdered during a soccer game." He vowed to retaliate against Hezbollah for the strike. Hezbollah initially had announced it fired rockets at Israeli military sites in the Golan Heights, but denied involvement in the attack on Majdal Shams. ANTONY BLINKEN: "There is no justification for terrorism, period. And every indication is that indeed the rockets were from, or the rocket was from Hezbollah." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tokyo said Israel had the right to defend itself. But, he said, Washington also did not want to see a further escalation in violence. "We don't want to see it spread. That has been one of our goals from day one, from October 7th on." Majdal Shams is a Druze village. The Druze are an Arab minority who practice a form of Islam and make up more than half the 40,000-strong population of the Golan Heights... territory captured from Syria by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move not recognized by most countries. Here's one resident who called himself Haitham. He says, "We need to strive now to sign a deal and stop this dammed war. We want to live, we don’t want to die.” Israeli and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon have been exchanging fire for months but appeared to be avoiding an escalation that could lead all-out war. Saturday's strike threatened to tip the standoff into a more dangerous phase and United Nations officials urged maximum restraint from both sides. The conflict has forced tens of thousands of people in both Lebanon and Israel to leave their homes.2 days ago
- 2:47Israel orders new evacuations in Khan YounisCBS News VideosOvernight, Israel ordered a new wave of evacuations in Gaza. The military said it will "forcefully operate" against Hamas militants it says are hiding in designated humanitarian zones in the southern neighborhood of Khan Younis. The U.N. says the orders will "significantly destabilize aid operations" in the desperate region.3 days ago
- 3:23Can we trust the Gaza death toll?Reuters VideosSTORY: Israel's ground and air campaign in Gaza has killed more than 39,000 people, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities. :: October 7, 2023 :: Ashkelon, Israel The war began on October 7 when Hamas militants stormed across the border into Israeli communities. :: October 31, 2023 :: Beit Guvrin, Israel They killed more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 253 hostages into Gaza, Israel says. :: How credible is the official toll? So how do Gaza health authorities count the Palestinian dead, and is that toll reliable? :: October 25, 2023 U.S. President Joe Biden cast doubt on Gaza's casualty figures in the first weeks of the war. BIDEN: "I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using." :: WHO But the United Nations regularly cites them and the World Health Organization has voiced its full confidence. :: File Pre-war Gaza had robust population statistics and health information systems, public health experts say. :: October 9, 2023 London-based non-profit Airwars compiled a list of Gaza deaths in the first weeks of the war using open-source monitoring and cross-checked it with the Health Ministry toll. In a July study, it found a correlation of at least 75%. Airwars head of investigations, Joe Dyke: "That tells you that it's, at least at the beginning of the war, that the Ministry of Health process was rigorous and reliable." :: How do they count the dead? At first, Gaza health authorities calculated death tolls by counting bodies that arrived in hospitals and recorded names and identity numbers for most of them. But fewer hospitals and morgues now operate. From early May, unidentified Gazans were included, and they now account for nearly a third of the toll. Deaths reported online by family members - who have to input data such as identity numbers - are also now added. JOE DYKE: "We would say that beyond that initial period, definitely the information quality coming out of Gaza has declined, partly because there's been a number of Internet blackouts, partly because a large number of people who were reporting or working at the beginning of the war have either left or been killed or injured." :: Are all the dead counted? As many as 10,000 people were missing under the rubble as of May, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. If indirect deaths, caused by factors like disease were included, the death toll could be more than 186,000, according to a letter from three academics in The Lancet medical journal in early July. The U.N. also believes the true death toll to be higher than the official one. :: Does Hamas control the figures? Hamas has run Gaza since 2007. But the enclave's Health Ministry also answers to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. :: June 25, 2024 :: Gaza City, Gaza And the extent of Hamas control in Gaza now is difficult to assess because Israeli forces occupy most of the Gaza Strip and fighting continues. Israeli officials have cast doubt on the figures because of Hamas' control over government. But at other times, Israel's military has credited the toll with being broadly reliable. Gaza Health Ministry figures do not differentiate between civilians and Hamas combatants, who do not wear uniform or carry special ID. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in May the Gazan official toll included 14,000 Hamas fighters. Hamas says Israel exaggerates its losses but has not said how many of its fighters have been killed. Airwars found at least "some militants" were included in the Health Ministry's list.4 days ago
- 2:38Netanyahu meets Trump, says working on cease-fireReuters VideosSTORY: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday (July 26) traveled to Florida where he met with Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump. Asked by a reporter if he and Netanyahu had repaired their ties, Trump said relations had always been good. "It was never bad. I would say it was always good. No president has done what I've done for Israel and we've always had a very good relationship." :: November 8, 2020 Netanyahu had angered Trump when he congratulated Joe Biden on the Democratic candidate's victory over the Republican president in the 2020 election. Trump continues to falsely claim the election was stolen from him by voter fraud. :: October 11, 2023 Trump more recently slammed Netanyahu for Israeli security failures that enabled Hamas to carry out an Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and triggered the Israeli offensive in Gaza. :: July 25, 2024 Netanyahu's visit to Mar-a-Lago comes a day after the Israeli leader was hosted at the White House by President Joe Biden and met with Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. HARRIS: "It is time to get this deal done." Both the president and vice president pressed Netanyahu to reach a cease-fire deal with Hamas that would pause fighting in the Gaza Strip and provide for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups. HARRIS: "Israel has a right to defend itself." Harris reiterated her commitment to Israel's security but said she would not be silent about the catastrophe afflicting Palestinians. HARRIS: "I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there." Gaza health officials say more than 39,000 people have been killed in the ten months since Israel began its operation in the coastal enclave. TRUMP: "And I think her remarks were disrespectful." Trump criticized Harris and repeated his claim that Jews should not vote for Democrats. Harris's husband and stepchildren are Jewish. Netanyahu was asked by a reporter how Harris' remarks following their meeting may have impacted negotiations for a ceasefire deal. NETANYAHU: "Well, we're trying to get one. And I think to the extent that Hamas understands that there's no daylight between Israel and the United States, that it expedites the deal. And I hope that those comments don't change that." It is unclear how the upcoming U.S. election could add or relieve pressure on the prime minister. Opinion polls put Harris and Trump in a close race for the White House, prompting world leaders like Netanyahu to strike a balance in dealings with the U.S.4 days ago
- 2:29Harris strikes tougher tone on Gaza ceasefire dealReuters VideosSTORY: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday said she pressured Israel's leader to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden: "The first phase of the deal would bring about a full ceasefire, including a withdrawal of the Israeli military from population centers in Gaza. In the second phase, the Israeli military would withdraw from Gaza entirely. And it will lead to a permanent end to the hostilities. It is time for this war to end." It was part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington D.C. - he'd earlier addressed lawmakers in Congress and met with the U.S. President. A ceasefire has been the subject of negotiations for months. U.S. officials believe the parties are closer than ever before to a deal for a six-week ceasefire in exchange for Hamas releasing some hostages. A White House readout said Biden met with Netanyahu earlier and told him that he needed to close gaps to reach a ceasefire and remove obstacles in the flow of aid. While Harris, who is now the likely Democratic presidential nominee, mostly echoed Biden in firmly backing Israel's right to defend itself but she made clear on Thursday that she was losing patience with Israel's military approach. "I also expressed with the Prime Minister my serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians. And I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent." Palestinian health authorities say Israel's retaliatory attack killed more than 39,000 people in the Gaza Strip. The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. The Gaza conflict has splintered the Democratic Party. Protesters, pouring fake blood near the White House ahead of Biden's meeting with Netanyahu, were just some of many over the months who had appeared at Biden events, angered at U.S. weapons shipments to Israel. Meanwhile, Netanyahu will meet Harris' Republican rival, Donald Trump, on Friday at Mar-a-Lago.5 days ago
- 1:40'I will not be silent': Harris on humanitarian situation in GazaReuters VideosSTORY: :: Harris says she pressed Israel's Netanyahu about the humanitarian situation in Gaza :: Kamala Harris U.S. Vice President :: July 25, 2024 :: Washington D.C. "Israel has a right to defend itself. And how it does so matters," Harris told reporters after the meeting. She said she raised her serious concerns about the scale of human suffering in Gaza. "I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there," she said. "I will not be silent." Harris' remarks, which were sharp and serious in tone, reflected what could be a shift from President Joe Biden in how she deals with Netanyahu. Hours earlier, Biden pressed for a ceasefire to the 9-month-old war in Gaza in his first face-to-face talks with Netanyahu since the president traveled to Israel days after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and pledged American support.5 days ago
- 0:32'A lot to talk about': Harris meets with Israel's NetanyahuReuters VideosSTORY: The meeting will be closely watched for signs of how Harris, who was the first top U.S. official to call for a ceasefire, could shift U.S. policy towards Israel if she becomes President. Harris was expected to closely track the administration line in the meeting, a U.S. official said, focusing on the plight of Palestinians while also supporting Israel's right to self-defense. Harris joined Democratic and Republican leaders in condemning protesters who burned American flags and sprayed pro-Hamas graffiti outside Washington's Union Station on Wednesday, describing the acts as unpatriotic and abhorrent. The protests coincided with a speech to Congress by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Before he spoke, protesters marched near the U.S. Capitol building, condemning U.S. military aid to Israel during its war with Hamas militants in Gaza. Earlier on Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden held a separate meeting with Netanyahu.5 days ago
- 1:55Biden presses Netanyahu on Gaza ceasefireReuters VideosSTORY: U.S. President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Thursday. And Biden pressed for a ceasefire to the 9-month-old war in Gaza. JOHN KIRBY: "There are gaps that remain." White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the administration was working to get both Israel and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire proposed by Biden that would halt fighting and see the release of Israeli hostages taken captive during Hamas's surprise attack on Oct. 7 "We want to get all the hostages home, the Americans in particular. And that's why this deal is so important, Peter. And we are close. We are closer now, we believe, than we've been before." NETANYAHU: "Mr President, we're known each other for 40 years..." The meeting marks the first face-to-face talks for the two men since Biden traveled to Israel days after Hamas' October attack, hugged Netanyahu and pledged American support. Netanyahu thanked Biden for his longstanding commitment to Israeli security. But relations between the two leaders have been strained for months over Israel's Gaza offensive in which more than 39,000 people have been killed, according to health officials in Gaza. The Gaza conflict has caused cracks in the Democratic Party. Dozens of Democrats boycotted a speech by Netanyahu to Congress on Wednesday. Representative Rashida Tlaib sat in the gallery with a sign calling Netanyahu a war criminal. The U.S. is a major arms supplier to Israel. Biden took the rare step earlier this year of pausing the transfer of certain munitions it deemed inappropriate for warfare in the densely-populated Gaza Strip. Netanyahu meets with Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, and then on Friday travels to Florida to meet Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.5 days ago
- 2:20World reacts to Netanyahu's address to CongressCBS News VideosU.S. lawmakers heard from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they prepare for summer recess. Some Democrats boycotted the address, while others across the aisle celebrated Netanyahu's firm stance on the war against Hamas. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane reports on reactions to Netanyahu's speech.5 days ago
- 0:53Biden meets Netanyahu to discuss Gaza ceasefireReuters VideosSTORY: :: Netanyahu thanks Biden for 50 years of support for the state of Israel :: July 25, 2024 :: Washington, D.C. It was the first face-to-face talks for the two men since Biden traveled to Israel days after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, hugged Netanyahu and pledged American support. Vice President Kamala Harris is due to meet the Israeli leader later in the day. The visit coincides with a shift in American politics. On Sunday, Biden stepped aside from the U.S. presidential race under pressure from fellow Democrats and endorsed Harris for the party's 2024 presidential nomination.5 days ago
- 3:26Israel's Netanyahu to meet with Biden, Harris in Washington, D.C.CBS News VideosIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet separately Thursday with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris following his speech to Congress on Wednesday in which he promised victory against Hamas. Outside of the U.S. Capitol, demonstrators upset with the visit and the war in Gaza clashed with police.5 days ago
- 1:19Displaced Gazans hold a soccer tournament at an UNRWA schoolReuters VideosSTORY: :: Displaced Palestinians organize a two-day soccer tournament at an UNRWA school :: as the world gears up for the 2024 Paris Olympics :: Jabalia, Gaza :: July 24, 2024 :: Ahmed Abu Seif, Displaced Palestinian “All our stadiums were destroyed, all our clubs were destroyed. You see the football that we are playing with, a very old ball in the shelter. The shelters have been destroyed. The occupation left nothing, but destroyed it. The trees, the stones, the birds. The occupation left nothing but destroyed it.” “We succeeded in bringing about these games because the Olympics take place all over the world, and are taking place now in France, and the whole world is watching them and excited about it. And I wish the world would look at us, in the Gaza Strip, which has been oppressed. They should look at us and realize that our most basic rights in sports, which is football, we love it and we practice it and it is our hobby, and we are a people who love peace.” Standing outside their tents and balconies, displaced families and their children watched and cheered as the teams competed. The Israel-Gaza war began when Hamas-led Palestinian Islamist militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing more than 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel retaliated by vowing to eradicate Hamas in Gaza in a nine-month war that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians, Gaza health officials say, and reduced most of the tiny besieged enclave to wasteland.5 days ago
- 2:27Israel adds new demands to cease-fire talks with Hamas, source saysCBS News VideosA diplomat familiar with the Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks says new Israeli demands have been submitted as negotiations continue. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane has more as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the U.S. continues.5 days ago
- 2:58Fallout after Netanyahu speaks to Congress amid protestsABC News VideosIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to a joint meeting of Congress, urging American leaders to provide more bipartisan support to Israel amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.6 days ago
- 2:29Netanyahu gives tense address to CongressCBS News VideosWith thousands of protesters rallying near the Capitol Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress, urging it to continue financially backing Israel in its war with Hamas despite growing criticism that Israeli leadership has been unable to reach a cease-fire deal that would free the remaining hostages. Dozens of congressional Democrats boycotted the address. Scott MacFarlane has the latest.6 days ago
- 1:56Benjamin Netanyahu berates protesters, defends Israel's position in Congressional speechUSA TODAYIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel's position against Hamas and Iran during speech to Congress.6 days ago
- 2:27Protests trail Netanyahu from Tel Aviv to WashingtonReuters VideosSTORY: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was met with standing ovations at his address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday. While outside, Capitol police deployed pepper spray on protesters opposed to the visit by the foreign leader. "America and Israel must stand together." Netanyahu described the U.S. and Israel as allies in a joint fight against the threat posed by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East. And he thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his support of Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip. "And he came to Israel to stand with us during our darkest hour, a visit that will never be forgotten." But ten months after that attack, in which the Palestinian militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 200 hostages, fighting rages on in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian health officials say Israel's retaliatory operation has so far killed more than 39,000. Dozens of U.S. lawmakers boycotted his speech. Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib, who is Palestinian, sat in the gallery holding a sign declaring Netanyahu a war criminal. And the protests outside echoed the pressure the Israeli leader faces at home. Israelis for months have been demanding that he resign. Others are urging him to secure the release of more than 100 captives still believed held in Gaza. Ahead of his visit to Washington, families of the hostages pressed the prime minister to stay and work toward a potential cease-fire that would see their release. Netanyahu told U.S. lawmakers talks were underway at the moment that could lead to a breakthrough... As we speak, we're actively engaged in intensive efforts to secure their release, and I'm confident that these efforts can succeed. Some of them are taking place right now." And he also described his endgame after fighting had concluded. "Gaza should have a civilian administration run by Palestinians who do not seek to destroy Israel. That's not too much to ask." A senior Hamas official said Netanyahu's speech showed the prime minister did not intend to clinch a ceasefire deal. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Biden this trip, as well as with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.6 days ago
- 0:58Netanyahu sees 'demilitarized' Gaza, Palestinian civilian controlReuters VideosSTORY: :: Netanyahu says Gaza should have a 'civilian administration run by Palestinians' ::Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister of Israel "My vision for that day is of a de-militarized and de-radicalized Gaza. Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza. But for the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror, to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel." :: July 24, 2024 :: Washington, D.C. Netanyahu told the U.S. Congress he was confident that efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers skipped his speech to Congress, expressing dismay over the thousands of civilian deaths and the humanitarian crisis from Israel's campaign in the Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave of Gaza. Hamas-led fighters triggered the war on Oct. 7 by storming into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 captives, according to Israeli tallies. Some 120 hostages are still being held though Israel believes one in three are dead.6 days ago
- 1:32'October 7 will live in infamy': Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu addresses CongressUSA TODAYIsrael's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress, vying for support against Hamas and Iranian threats.6 days ago
- 4:34Johnson reassures Netanyahu on U.S. commitment during Capitol Hill visitCBS News VideosHouse Speaker Mike Johnson spoke on Capitol Hill alongside Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday, reassuring the prime minister of the U.S. commitment to its ally in the Middle East as the war against Hamas in Gaza continues. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane has more on Netanyahu's visit.6 days ago
- 3:02Netanyahu addressing Congress about war in Gaza, Israel's road aheadCBS News VideosIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will face Congress Wednesday to provide an update on the war against Hamas in Gaza. Several Democratic lawmakers will not attend the address, according to CBS News' Scott MacFarlane, including Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Nancy Pelosi.6 days ago
- 2:41Netanyahu in U.S. says hostage deal may come soonReuters VideosSTORY: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, a day before he's set to speak to a joint session of the U.S. Congress. But even abroad, he could not escape pressing challenges back home. Video and images released by his office showed him meeting with families of Israeli hostages believed held by Hamas in Gaza. He told family members that "the conditions are ripening," for a cease-fire that would bring some of the captives home. But senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters there was nothing new in Netanyahu's stance. He said, "Netanyahu is still stalling and he is sending delegations only to calm the anger of Israeli captives' families." That anger was on full display in the days before Netanyahu left for Washington. UPSOUND: "Mr. Netanyahu, this is not the time for a show trip." Danielle Alony was held captive in Gaza along with her five-year old daughter before they were freed in a November cease-fire. Adına Moshe is another former hostage "I call on you, prime minister, don't go before you sign the deal. Save those you can. There are living hostages, there is no time." Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 people and took more than 200 captive in an Oct. 7 rampage through Israeli communities, according to Israeli tallies. In a week-long truce in November, more than 100 hostages were freed in return for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas and other militants are still holding 120 captives, around a third of whom have been declared dead by Israeli authorities. Israel's devastating retaliatory air and ground operation has so far killed more than 39,000 people in ten months of fighting, according Palestinian health officials. Netanyahu's visit comes amid a renewed push by Israeli forces in Khan Younis. Israel called on civilians to again evacuate the city. Those forced out include Ibtithal al-Breim, along with her family. She told Reuters they had to leave without food, water, or essentials. She said missiles were falling, and she saw aircraft and tanks moving into her neighborhood. Months of efforts mediated by Egypt and Qatar to reach a new ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas gained momentum in recent weeks under a proposal outlined by U.S. President Joe Biden in May. An Israeli negotiation team was due on Thursday to resume talks that would include hostages being released in return for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.1 week ago
- 1:27Palestinian faction deal and Netanyahu US visit: AP ExplainsAssociated Press VideosIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting the U.S., sparking hopes of a U.S.-led effort to mediate an end to the nine-month Israel-Hamas war. However, it's come at a time when Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah agreed in Beijing to form a government together - a move Israel has denounced. The AP's Joe Federman explains.1 week ago
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Israel, country in the Middle East, located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bounded to the north by Lebanon, to the northeast by Syria, to the east and southeast by Jordan, to the southwest by Egypt, and to the west by the Mediterranean Sea. Jerusalem is the seat of government and the proclaimed capital, although the latter status has not received wide international recognition.
Israel is a small country with a relatively diverse topography, consisting of a lengthy coastal plain, highlands in the north and central regions, and the Negev desert in the south. Running the length of the country from north to south along its eastern border is the northern terminus of the Great Rift Valley.
The State of Israel is the only Jewish nation in the modern period, and the region that now falls within its borders has a lengthy and rich history that dates from prebiblical times. The area was a part of the Roman Empire and, later, the Byzantine Empire before falling under the control of the fledgling Islamic caliphate in the 7th century ce. Although the object of dispute during the Crusades, the region, then generally known as Palestine, remained under the sway of successive Islamic dynasties until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, when it was placed under British mandate from the League of Nations.
Even before the mandate, the desire for a Jewish homeland prompted a small number of Jews to immigrate to Palestine, a migration that grew dramatically during the second quarter of the 20th century with the increased persecution of Jews worldwide and subsequent Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany. This vast influx of Jewish immigrants into the region, however, caused tension with the native Palestinian Arabs, and violence flared between the two groups leading up to the United Nations plan to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab sectors and Israel’s ensuing declaration of statehood on May 14, 1948.
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Despite its small size, about 290 miles (470 km) north-to-south and 85 miles (135 km) east-to-west at its widest point, Israel has four geographic regions—the Mediterranean coastal plain, the hill regions of northern and central Israel, the Great Rift Valley, and the Negev—and a wide range of unique physical features and microclimates.
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The coastal plain is a narrow strip about 115 miles (185 km) long that widens to about 25 miles (40 km) in the south. A sandy shoreline with many beaches borders the Mediterranean coast. Inland to the east, fertile farmland is giving way to growing agricultural settlements and the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa and their suburbs.
In the north of the country, the mountains of Galilee constitute the highest part of Israel, reaching an elevation of 3,963 feet (1,208 metres) at Mount Meron (Arabic: Jebel Jarmaq). These mountains terminate to the east in an escarpment overlooking the Great Rift Valley. The mountains of Galilee are separated from the hills of the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the south by the fertile Plain of Esdraelon (Hebrew: ʿEmeq Yizreʿel), which, running approximately northwest to southeast, connects the coastal plain with the Great Rift Valley. The Mount Carmel range, which culminates in a peak 1,791 feet (546 metres) high, forms a spur reaching northwest from the highlands of the West Bank, cutting almost to the coast of Haifa.
The Great Rift Valley, a long fissure in Earth’s crust, begins beyond the northern frontier of Israel and forms a series of valleys running generally south, the length of the country, to the Gulf of Aqaba. The Jordan River, which marks part of the frontier between Israel and Jordan, flows southward through the rift from Dan on Israel’s northern frontier, where it is 500 feet (152 metres) above sea level, first into the Ḥula Valley (Hebrew: ʿEmeq HaḤula), then into the freshwater Lake Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee (Hebrew: Yam Kinneret), which lies 686 feet (209 metres) below sea level. The Jordan continues south along the eastern edge of the West Bank—now through the Jordan Valley (Hebrew: ʿEmeq HaYarden)—and finally into the highly saline Dead Sea, which, at 1,312 feet (400 metres) below sea level, is the lowest point of a natural landscape feature on the Earth’s surface. South of the Dead Sea, the Jordan continues through the rift, where it now forms the ʿArava Valley (Hebrew: “savannah”), an arid plain that extends to the Red Sea port of Eilat.
The principal drainage system comprises Lake Tiberias and the Jordan River. Other rivers in Israel are the Yarqon, which empties into the Mediterranean near Tel Aviv; the Qishon, which runs through the western part of the Plain of Esdraelon to drain into the Mediterranean at Haifa; and a small section of the Yarmūk, a tributary of the Jordan that f...
The coastal plain is covered mainly by alluvial soils. Parts of the arid northern Negev, where soil development would not be expected, have windblown loess soils because of proximity to the coastal plain. The soils of Galilee change from calcareous rock in the coastal plain, to Cenomanian and Turonian limestone (deposited from about 99 to 89 millio...
1 hour ago · Opinion Columnist. The world will soon know the shape and scale of Israel’s response to Hezbollah for Saturday’s rocket attack on a Druze town in the Golan Heights, which killed 12 children ...
1 day ago · Israel is weighing its response after a weekend rocket attack in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights killed 12 children and teens. Israel blamed Hezbollah, which in a rare move denied having a role. — Abby Sewell. Israeli military detains soldiers after allegations of abuse at center
Israel, officially State of Israel, Country, Middle East, at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Area (excludes the West Bank and Gaza Strip): 8,522 sq mi (22,072 sq km). Population (2024 est.) 9,177,000 (excludes Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip).
Oct 13, 2023 · A country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is the only state in the world with a majority Jewish population. It has been locked in conflict with the Palestinians and its Arab...