Live: Israel kills at least 58 Palestinians in 24 hours

Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians near the town of Sofin, east of Qalqilya, in the northern occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The victims were identified as 32-year-old Mohammed Ashqar and 31-year-old Diaa Salmi. The Wafa news agency, citing the Palestine Red Crescent Society, reported that Ashqar was shot in the thigh and Salmi in the back.

The agency further stated that Israeli forces prevented anyone from approaching the wounded men, who were left bleeding for an extended period before being handed over to medical personnel.

Israel’s Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, has revealed plans to form five new reserve brigades, named Negev, Shephelah, Valleys, Jerusalem, and Galilee-Golan, as the military expands its forces amid ongoing conflict.

“In this war, we have learned that the [Israeli army] needs to be larger and broader to face difficult situations and prolonged wars,” Halevi stated, justifying the move.

He added that the new brigades will mainly consist of reservists, including those above the exemption age, who have volunteered to return to military service “recognising the urgency of the moment.”

The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks in Ankara to address the ongoing crises in Gaza and Syria, according to a statement from the emir's Diwan.

The two leaders focused on the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, as Israel's relentless bombardment continues to exacerbate civilian suffering. Discussions also touched on the broader consequences of Israel's actions in the occupied territories, which have drawn widespread condemnation.

In addition, Sheikh Tamim and Erdogan exchanged views on developments in Syria, underscoring the need for regional stability and solutions to end the prolonged conflict. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to supporting diplomatic efforts that prioritise humanitarian relief and justice for affected populations.

Switzerland has voted to ban the Lebanese group Hezbollah, a notable departure from the country’s longstanding tradition of neutrality.

Supporters of the ban argued that Hezbollah posed a significant threat to global security and that Switzerland could no longer afford to remain on the sidelines. The measure passed in the lower house with 126 votes in favour, 20 against, and 41 abstentions.

However, Justice Minister Beat Jans cautioned during the debate: “If Switzerland now moves to ban such organisations with special laws, we must ask ourselves where and how the boundaries are drawn.”

The decision comes just a week after Swiss lawmakers approved a ban on Hamas, following its 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. Critics argue that the ban reflects increasing pressure on Switzerland to align with Western powers, particularly regarding Middle East policies, and highlights a double standard in its approach to international conflicts.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated that fortifications and so-called defensive measures on Mount Hermon must be finalised, indicating that Israeli forces plan to occupy the newly aquired land for a long time.

Katz’s remarks reflect Israel’s continued militarisation of the area, raising concerns about the long-term implications of its occupation of Syrian territory. The strategic location has long been a flashpoint, and Israel’s control over Mount Hermon is a violation of international law.

Dr Saeed Joudeh, the only orthopaedic specialist in northern Gaza, was fatally shot in the head by an Israeli quadcopter last Thursday while travelling between Al Awda Hospital and Kamal Adwan Hospital.

According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, Joudeh was hit directly and died from the injury. He had previously been injured two weeks earlier. Joudeh regularly commuted between the two hospitals to address severe staff shortages.

His killing is not merely the loss of a single physician but a calculated act within a broader strategy to incapacitate Gaza's healthcare system - critical not only for treating injuries but for enabling the population to heal, recover, and sustain resilience.

With Joudeh's death, the number of medical sector staff killed has now reached 1,057, according to the Ministry of Health.

Read more: Why did Israel kill the last orthopaedic surgeon in northern Gaza?

Fresh clashes broke out between Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces and resistance fighters in Jenin refugee camp, located in the occupied West Bank, according to Al Jazeera Arabic sources.

The renewed violence highlights growing tensions as PA forces continue operations in the area, which has been a focal point for resistance against the Israeli occupation.

The Jenin camp has repeatedly faced raids, both from Israeli forces and PA security, further intensifying frustration among its residents who accuse the PA of working in tandem with occupation forces.

Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades, has said it detonated a booby-trapped house targeting Israeli forces in the middle of Jabalia refugee camp, killing and wounding 11 soldiers.

The attack occurred in central Jabalia, an area that has faced intensified Israeli military operations in recent days.

The statement from the Qassam Brigades comes amid ongoing Israeli assaults on Gaza, which have drawn widespread condemnation for targeting densely populated civilian areas and causing large-scale destruction.

Over 50 British MPs and peers have signed a letter urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to implement a medical evacuation programme for injured Palestinian children in Gaza. 

In May, Middle East Eye reported that the UK had denied medical treatment to critically injured children from Gaza by not issuing them visas - unlike several other wealthy countries.

The letter, organised by Labour MP Kim Johnson and sent to the prime minister on Tuesday, was supported by MPs and peers across several parties.

Johnson told MEE: "It is a moral outrage that the UK has failed to provide any support to a single Gazan child in need of medical attention, when so many other caring countries have provided this assistance."

She added that it is impossible to imagine the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, although "the ICJ has described it as a plausible genocide".

Read more: Over 50 British MPs urge UK to evacuate injured children from Gaza

Hamas said on Tuesday that in light of "serious and positive discussions" taking place in Doha with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, "reaching an agreement on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange is possible if the [Israeli] occupation stops adding new conditions". 

Haaretz has reported that two senior Israeli officials denied the report that Benjamin Netanyahu was traveling to Cairo on Tuesday for Gaza truce talks. 

An Egyptian source also told Cairo News that no such visit was expected to take place. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly heading to Cairo for talks on a truce in Gaza, sources have told Reuters. 

The sources said a Gaza ceasefire deal was expected to be agreed in the coming days.

There has been a shift on both Hamas and Israel's willingness to secure a truce in Gaza, according to a report in the Washington Post. 

Citing a Hamas official, the report stated that Hamas had indicated it would make concessions to secure a 60-day truce, which would also include an exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli captives. 

Through Egyptian intermediaries, Hamas provided Israel with a list of the names of captives who are still alive. 

A major point of contention however, according to the report, was Hamas' demand that Palestinians be allowed to return to northern Gaza. 

The Israeli army is planning to strike Yemen in response to recent Houthi missile and drone attacks, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation Kan reported on Monday.

The Houthi movement, known officially as Ansar Allah, claimed to have struck a "military target" near Tel Aviv on Monday with a hypersonic ballistic missile.

The group's military spokesman Yahya Saree declared in a televised address that the operation was a success, though Israeli media reported intercepting the missile before it entered its airspace.

The Houthis have been launching attacks against Israel since the outbreak of the war in Gaza last year. They say the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians.

The Yemeni group has also targeted shipping lanes in the Red Sea, describing these operations as part of their efforts to pressure Israel into halting the war on Gaza.

Read more: Israel planning offensive against Yemen, report says

Over 7,000 writers and book industry workers have joined forces for the largest boycott in history against Israeli literary institutions "complicit in the dispossession of the Palestinian people", according to the Palestine Festival of Literature, an annual event held throughout the occupied West Bank.

The signatories include winners of the Nobel Prize, Booker Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Giller Prize, MacArthur Fellowship, Miles Franklin Award, and National Book Award and editors at each of the “big five” publishing houses and many independent publishers.

The list of signatories includes Israeli authors who stand against Israel's genocidal actions.

The joint statement demands these institutions "denounce and distance themselves from Israel’s genocidal apartheid regime" and "affirm the full protected rights of the Palestinian people under international law, including the right of return".

7,000 authors and book workers have now joined the boycott of complicit Israeli literary institutions

Upon its release on October 28th, 2024, the public letter announcing the campaign already constituted the largest boycott against Israeli cultural institutions in history.… pic.twitter.com/fzL7NwmZht

— Palestine Festival of Literature (@PalFest) December 16, 2024