Israel says truce with Hamas begins, after delay

Israel on Sunday said a truce with Hamas began in Gaza at 0915 GMT, nearly three hours after initially scheduled, following a last-minute delay on the orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.During the delay, Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli strikes killed eight people. A statement from Netanyahu’s office, issued less than an hour before the truce had been set to start at 8:30 am (0630 GMT), said he had “instructed the IDF (military) that the ceasefire… will not begin until Israel has received the list” of hostages to be freed.Hamas attributed the delay to “technical reasons”, as well as the “complexities of the field situation and the continued bombing”, ultimately publishing at around 10:30 am the names of three Israeli women to be released on Sunday.Israel confirmed it had received the list and was “checking the details”, before confirming shortly afterwards that the truce would begin at 11:15 am local time.AFPTV live images from northeastern Gaza showed a plume of grey smoke about 30 minutes after the truce was earlier to take effect, and again around 30 minutes later.The Israeli military confirmed it was continuing “to strike within the Gaza area” following Netanyahu’s directive.Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said three people were killed in the north of the territory and five in Gaza City, with 25 wounded.AFP images showed displaced Gazans streaming northwards from areas around Gaza City where they had been sheltering, some flashing the victory sign.But others saw their plans to return home thwarted by the delay of the ceasefire.”I was on my way home with my family when we heard the sound of bombing,” said Mohammed Baraka, 36. “We can’t reach our house; the situation is dangerous. I don’t know what to do. I feel frustrated and devastated.”The initial exchange was to see three Israeli hostages released from captivity in return for a first group of Palestinian prisoners.A total of 33 hostages taken by militants during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel will be returned from Gaza during an initial 42-day truce.Under the deal, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails.The truce is intended to pave the way for an end to more than 15 months of war sparked by Hamas’s attack, the deadliest in Israeli history.It follows a deal struck by mediators Qatar, the United States and Egypt after months of negotiations, and takes effect on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president.In a televised address on Saturday, Netanyahu called the  42-day first phase a “temporary ceasefire” and said Israel had US support to return to war if necessary.- ‘Playing with our emotions’ -In Gaza City, shortly after the deal was initially meant to go into effect, people were already celebrating, waving Palestinian flags in the street.But as it became clear the hostilities were continuing, the joy gave way to desperation for some.”I’m dying of despair,” said Maha Abed, a 27-year-old displaced from Rafah who had been waiting since dawn for her husband to pick her up and take her home. “He called to tell me we won’t be returning today. The drones are firing at civilians.””Enough playing with our emotions — we’re exhausted,” she added. “I don’t want to spend another night in this tent.”In Deir al-Balah, an AFP journalist observed dozens of Palestinians gathered in front of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital seeking information about the unfolding events, particularly whether or not they would be able to return to their homes.The Israeli army warned Gaza residents early Sunday not to approach its forces or Israeli territory.”We urge you not to head towards the buffer zone or IDF forces for your safety,” military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Telegram. “At this stage, heading towards the buffer zone or moving from south to north via Gaza Valley puts you at risk.”At a rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv the night before, attendees were guarded ahead of the scheduled exchanges.”I’m really stressed because I don’t know about the situation of Ofer, my cousin,” said Ifat Kaldron, whose cousin is among the hostages.”I’m just going to be happy whenever I see the last hostage crossing the border.”- Long ordeal -Israel has prepared reception centres to provide medical treatment and counselling to the freed hostages before they return to their families after their long ordeal.Israel’s justice ministry had previously said 737 Palestinian prisoners and detainees would be freed during the deal’s first phase, starting from 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday.Egypt on Saturday said more than 1,890 Palestinian prisoners would be freed in the initial phase.Hundreds of trucks waited at the Gaza border, poised to enter from Egypt as soon as they get the all-clear to deliver desperately needed aid.Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said 600 trucks a day would enter Gaza after the ceasefire takes effect, including 50 carrying fuel.There has been only one previous truce in the war, lasting for one week in November 2023.That ceasefire also saw the release of hostages held by militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.- ‘We want it to end’ -Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.Of the 251 people taken hostage, 94 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel’s retaliatory campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing at least 46,899 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.The truce was to take effect on the eve of Trump’s inauguration for a second term as president of the United States.Trump, who claimed credit for the ceasefire deal, after months of effort by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, told US network NBC on Saturday that he had told Netanyahu that the war “has to end”.”We want it to end, but to keep doing what has to be done,” he said.Brett McGurk, the pointman for outgoing President Joe Biden, was joined in the region by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff in an unusual pairing to finalise the agreement, US officials said.Under the deal, Israeli forces will withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza and allow displaced Palestinians to return “to their residences”, the Qatari prime minister said.Biden said an unfinalised second phase of the agreement would bring a “permanent end to the war”.burs-smw/it

Bangladesh medics arrested over death during 2024 revolution

Five Bangladeshi health workers have been arrested on murder charges after a social media post accused them of failing to provide aid to a man who died during last year’s revolution, a prosecutor said Sunday.The case, which has generated widespread attention after the Facebook post resulted in criticism online of the medics, concerns the death of a rickshaw puller, Mohammed Ismail.Hospital workers say the five are innocent and that they risked their lives repeatedly to help wounded protesters.More than 800 people died in the student-led demonstrations that culminated in the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, according to the interim authorities who subsequently took power.Ismail was shot in the head on July 19, 2024 during a police crackdown in the Rampura suburb of the capital Dhaka, local media reported at the time.A Facebook post showed his bloodied body on the entrance steps of the Delta Health Care Hospital.”We saw a post on social media,” chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam, from Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), told AFP.The five — doctor Sadi Bin Shams and four others including nurses — were arrested late on Friday.”These individuals allegedly denied Ismail access to treatment, leaving him unattended for four hours,” Islam said.But hospital director Saiful Islam Selim described how the medics had repeatedly defied police orders not to help wounded protesters.The area around the hospital was “a battleground” during the revolution, he said, and police and members of the then-ruling party, the Awami League, “ordered us not to treat any protesters”, he said.”Despite these orders, we defied them multiple times and helped as much as we could,” Selim told AFP.He said hospital staff had tried to drag Ismail’s body inside the hospital, but retreated after police fired shots.”We had no choice but to leave the body there,” he said, accusing the court of misdirected investigations.”The ICT failed to identify the police officer who shot Mohammed Ismail,” he said.AFP could not independently confirm who shot Ismail.”Instead, they arrested a doctor and other hospital staff who had tried to save lives.” Ismail’s widow, Lucky Begum, said she wanted “justice”, but added: “I don’t want innocent people to go to prison”.

Mexican authorities to seal secret tunnel on US border

A clandestine tunnel discovered on the US-Mexico border allowing entry from Ciudad Juarez into the Texan city of El Paso will be sealed by Mexican authorities, an army official said Saturday, adding that its construction was under investigation.Discovered on January 10 by US and Mexican security agencies, the tunnel measures approximately 300 meters (1,000 feet) in length on the Mexican side and is equipped with lighting, ventilation and is reinforced to prevent collapses.Hidden in a storm sewer system operating between both cities, its access is about 1.8 meters high and 1.2 meters wide (6 feet high and 4 feet wide), making for easy passage of people or contraband, said General Jose Lemus, commander of Ciudad Juarez’s military garrison, which is guarding the tunnel.The tunnel’s construction “must have taken a long time… it could have been one or two years,” Lemus told reporters, declining to give details about how long it had been operating as well as its possible builders and operators.He said the Mexican Attorney General’s Office was responsible for the investigation and would be in charge of determining if there was complicity by the authorities due to the fact that it was built without them noticing.Lemus also said clues about the tunnel’s existence and location were discussed by human traffickers on social media platforms like TikTok.Ahead of the US presidential inauguration of Donald Trump on Monday, both sides of the US-Mexico border have reinforced security measures, as the returning Republican has vowed a massive deportation of migrants soon after he takes office. In the state of Chihuahua, which includes Ciudad Juarez, authorities reported a fire in a temporary camp for undocumented migrants, which led to the evacuation of 39 adults and 17 minors, according to the state police.According to the Mexican newspaper Reforma, the fire was started by some of the migrants who were camping there to resist attempts by immigration authorities to detain them and transfer them to Mexico City for later deportation.The National Institute of Migration did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment. 

Deadly strikes on Gaza after Israel says ceasefire delayed

Gaza’s civil defence rescuers said Israeli strikes killed eight people on Sunday after Israel said a ceasefire in its war with Hamas was delayed at the last minute on orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.A statement from Netanyahu’s office, issued less than an hour before the truce was set to start at 8:30 am (0630 GMT), said he had “instructed the IDF (military) that the ceasefire… will not begin until Israel has received the list” of hostages to be freed.Hamas, while “affirming its commitment” to the terms of the ceasefire, said: “The delay in providing the names of those to be released in the first batch is due to technical reasons,” later adding that the list would be given “at any moment.” The Israeli military confirmed shortly after 8:30 am that it was continuing “to strike within the Gaza area at this time” following Netanyahu’s directive.AFPTV live images from northeastern Gaza showed a plume of grey smoke about 30 minutes after the truce was to take effect, and again around 30 minutes later.Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said three people were killed in northern Gaza and five in Gaza City, with 25 wounded.The initial exchange was to see three Israeli hostages released from captivity in return for a first group of Palestinian prisoners.If the ceasefire goes ahead, a total of 33 hostages taken by militants during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel will be returned from Gaza during an initial 42-day truce.Under the deal, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails.The truce is intended to pave the way for an end to more than 15 months of war sparked by Hamas’s 7 attack, the deadliest in Israeli history.It follows a deal struck by mediators Qatar, the United States and Egypt after months of negotiations, and takes effect on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president.In a televised address on Saturday, Netanyahu said Israel had US support to return to war if necessary.Calling the 42-day first phase a “temporary ceasefire”, he said: “If we are forced to resume the war, we will do so with force.”- ‘War needed to end’ -Even ahead of the truce, Gazans displaced by the war to other parts of the devastated territory were preparing to return home.In Gaza City, shortly after the deal was initially expected to go into effect, they were already celebrating, waving Palestinian flags in the street.The Israeli army warned Gaza residents early Sunday not to approach its forces or Israeli territory.”We urge you not to head towards the buffer zone or IDF forces for your safety,” military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Telegram. “At this stage, heading towards the buffer zone or moving from south to north via Gaza Valley puts you at risk.”Jerusalem residents said the deal had been a long time coming.”Maybe this is the beginning of (the) end of suffering for both sides, hopefully,” said Beeri Yemeni, a university student, adding that “the war needed to end like a long, long time ago”.- Long ordeal -Israel has prepared reception centres to provide medical treatment and counselling to the freed hostages before they return to their families after their long ordeal.Israel’s justice ministry had previously said 737 Palestinian prisoners and detainees would be freed during the deal’s first phase, starting from 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday.Egypt on Saturday said more than 1,890 Palestinian prisoners would be freed in the initial phase.Two sources close to Hamas told AFP that the first group of hostages to be released would be three Israeli women soldiers.However, as the group uses the term soldier to describe any Israeli of military age who has completed mandatory military service, the women could be civilians abducted during the October 7 attack.Hundreds of trucks waited at the Gaza border, poised to enter from Egypt as soon as they get the all-clear to deliver desperately needed aid.Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said 600 trucks a day would enter Gaza after the ceasefire takes effect, including 50 carrying fuel.There has been only one previous truce in the war, lasting for one week in November 2023.That ceasefire also saw the release of hostages held by militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.- Trump -Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.Of the 251 people taken hostage, 94 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel’s retaliatory campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing at least 46,899 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.The truce was to take effect on the eve of Trump’s inauguration for a second term as president of the United States.Trump, who claimed credit for the ceasefire deal, after months of effort by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, told US network NBC on Saturday that he had told Netanyahu that the war “has to end”.”We want it to end, but to keep doing what has to be done,” he said.Brett McGurk, the pointman for outgoing President Joe Biden, was joined in the region by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff in an unusual pairing to finalise the agreement, US officials said.Under the deal, Israeli forces will withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza and allow displaced Palestinians to return “to their residences”, the Qatari prime minister said.Biden said an unfinalised second phase of the agreement would bring a “permanent end to the war”.burs-smw/it

Raids israéliens meurtriers à Gaza, la trêve avec le Hamas retardée

L’armée israélienne a mené dimanche de nouvelles frappes meurtrières à Gaza, où l’entrée en vigueur du cessez-le-feu a été retardée, le Hamas palestinien n’ayant pas encore remis la liste d’otages devant être libérés dans la journée réclamée par Israël.L’armée israélienne a mené des frappes sur le nord du territoire palestinien, où huit personnes ont été tuées selon la Défense civile locale.Plusieurs explosions ont été entendues et des panaches de fumée noire se sont élevés dans le secteur de Beit Hanoun, après 07H00 GMT, a constaté un journaliste de l’AFP présent à Sdérot, ville israélienne à la lisière nord de Gaza. L’accord de cessez-le-feu était censé entrer en vigueur à 06H00 GMT mais l’armée israélienne a annoncé qu’il avait été retardé.”Contrairement à l’accord, les noms des (premiers) otages (devant être libérés) n’ont pas été transmis à Israël à cette heure-ci”, a déclaré le contre-amiral Daniel Hagari, porte-parole de l’armée.”Selon les directives du Premier ministre (Benjamin Netanyahu), le cessez-le feu n’entrera pas en vigueur tant que le Hamas ne tient pas ses engagements”, a-t-il dit. Le Hamas a reconnu dans un communiqué un retard “dans la fourniture des noms des otages devant être libérés”, et ce “pour des raisons techniques sur le terrain”.L’accord de trêve négocié par le Qatar avec l’aide des Etats-Unis et de l’Egypte devait ouvrir la voie à de premières libérations dans la journée d’otages israéliens retenus à Gaza en échange de prisonniers palestiniens détenus par Israël.- “Cessez-le-feu provisoire? ” -Arraché par les médiateurs mercredi, sous fortes pressions internationales quelques jours avant l’investiture du nouveau président américain Donald Trump, l’accord a nourri les espoirs de paix durable malgré un autre avertissement de Benjamin Netanyahu.Ce dernier a prévenu samedi qu’il s’agissait “d’un cessez-le-feu provisoire” et que son pays se gardait “le droit de reprendre la guerre si besoin et avec le soutien des Etats-Unis”.Selon les termes de l’accord, les hostilités doivent cesser et 33 otages israéliens doivent être libérés, dans une première phase étalée sur six semaines.En échange, Israël doit libérer 737 prisonniers palestiniens, selon le ministère israélien de la Justice, l’Egypte faisant état de son côté de “plus de 1.890” d’entre eux devant être libérés durant cette première phase.Trois points d’accueil ont été installés à la frontière sud d’Israël avec Gaza, aux passages de Kerem Shalom, Eretz et à celui proche du kibboutz Réïm, a précisé un responsable militaire. Les captifs seront pris en charge par des médecins.Des otages seront libérés dès dimanche, a annoncé le gouvernement israélien, sans préciser leur nombre ou à quelle heure.- “Respirer de nouveau” -Selon des sources proches du Hamas, le premier groupe d’otages libérés doit comprendre trois Israéliennes.Israël a désigné 95 détenus palestiniens libérables dimanche, des femmes et mineurs en majorité, la plupart arrêtés après le 7-Octobre. Leur libération interviendra après 14H00 GMT, avaient indiqué les autorités.Parmi les prisonniers appelés à être libérés figure Zakaria al-Zoubeidi, responsable d’attentats anti-israéliens et ex-leader local de la branche armée du Fatah, arrêté, écroué en 2019.Deux Franco-Israéliens, Ofer Kalderon, 54 ans, et Ohad Yahalomi, 50 ans, font partie des 33 otages libérables, selon Paris. Ils ont été enlevés au kibboutz Nir Oz avec plusieurs de leurs enfants, relâchés lors d’une première trêve d’une semaine en novembre 2023.”Quand ils franchiront la frontière (de Gaza) et qu’ils seront réunis avec leurs familles, alors peut-être que nous pourrons respirer de nouveau”, a dit à l’AFP samedi soir Shahar Mor Zahiro, neveu d’un otage décédé.- 600 camions d’aide -D’après le président américain Joe Biden, la première phase de l’accord comprend aussi un retrait israélien des zones densément peuplées à Gaza et une augmentation de l’aide humanitaire dans le territoire menacé par la famine selon l’ONU.Les autorités égyptiennes ont précisé que l’accord prévoyait “l’entrée de 600 camions d’aide par jour”, incluant 50 camions de carburant.Pendant la première phase seront négociées les modalités de la deuxième, qui doit permettre la libération des derniers otages, avant la troisième et dernière étape consacrée à la reconstruction de Gaza et à la restitution des corps des otages morts en captivité.Dans la bande de Gaza, ravagée par le conflit, de nombreux Palestiniens déplacés se sont dits pressés de rentrer chez eux.”Nous attendons ce moment avec impatience. Nous voulons être en sécurité”, a dit à l’AFP Ahmed Hamouda, un déplacé palestinien, à Deir el-Balah (centre).La guerre à Gaza a été déclenchée par l’attaque sanglante du mouvement islamiste palestinien Hamas en Israël le 7 octobre 2023.L’attaque a entraîné la mort de 1.210 personnes côté israélien, en majorité des civils, selon un décompte de l’AFP basé sur des données officielles. Sur 251 personnes enlevées ce jour-là, 94 sont toujours otages à Gaza, dont 34 sont mortes selon l’armée israélienne.Au moins 46.899 personnes, en majorité des civils, ont été tuées dans l’offensive israélienne de représailles à Gaza, selon les données du ministère de la Santé du Hamas jugées fiables par l’ONU.Considérablement affaibli, le Hamas, qui a pris le pouvoir à Gaza en 2007, est toutefois encore loin d’être anéanti, contrairement à l’objectif qu’avait fixé Benjamin Netanyahu, selon des experts.