Israel-Palestine live: Israel says 39 more Palestinians freed under truce deal

US President Joe Biden told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in a phone call on Wednesday that Washington would not permit the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza or the occupied West Bank, or the besiegement of Gaza, or the redrawing of Gaza's borders, according to a readout from the White House.

"He also affirmed that under no circumstances can Gaza remain a sanctuary for Hamas where they can threaten Israel and Palestinians alike and  imperil any pathway to a durable peace," the White House said in a statement.

American Evangelical leader Franklin Graham, during his meeting with Netanyahu, emphasised Israel as ‘God’s people’.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he ordered the Mossad to take action against Hamas leaders wherever they are, according to US based journalist, Barak Ravid.

Hamas leaders are based amongst other places in Qatar, Lebanon and Turkey - could become targets but might also cause severe reaction from these states.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud received a phone call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, the Saudi state news agency reported.

The two ministers discussed against “dangerous military escalation in Gaza and its surroundings, and to adhere to any humanitarian truce and ceasefire agreement” in addition to the need to prevent a growing humanitarian crisis.

The Saudi foreign minister "stressed the Kingdom's categorical rejection of the forced displacement of the residents of Gaza, and the importance of the international community moving seriously and effectively to confront all the ongoing violations of the Israeli occupation forces and their repeated violations of international law and international humanitarian law," it added.

US President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of Qatar and Egypt on Wednesday in the aftermath of a deal to secure the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, the White House said.

No further details of the conversations were provided.

Qatar and Egypt were integral to the deal announced late Tuesday for Hamas to release 50 Israeli women and children in exchange for Palestinian captives held in Israeli jails.

During a press conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it's been agreed that humanitarian workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will be allowed to visit the remaining hostages in Gaza.

"I expect the Red Cross to do its job, and to visit them all and to bring them the medication that they need," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just spoken at a press conference, following the approval of a temporary ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Netanyahu started by thanking the Israeli army for its work in Gaza. Netanyahu said that he would like to "truly salute the IDF" (the Israeli military) for its work, and role in the war so far.

Responding to internal right-wing critics who fear that the war may be coming to an end, Netanyahu said: “The war continues.”

“We will continue this war until all our objectives have been met, including the return of our captives and the elimination of Hamas and ensuring that the day after Hamas, Gaza will not be under the control of any party that engages in terrorism or teaches terrorism,” Netanyahu said.

Ambulances seeking to evacuate patients from al-Shifa Hospital are still stranded at the checkpoint separating northern Gaza from its south for more than five hours, said The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS).

Israeli forces are obstructing its passage, putting lives at risk, the PRCS added.

A donor offered a Michigan politician $20m to mount a primary challenge against Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, underscoring the fierce blowback the Palestinian-American lawmaker is facing over her position on Israel.

Michigan businessman Linden Nelson, with ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), offered Democratic Senate candidate Hill Harper $10m in direct contributions to his potential campaign and another $10m in independent expenditures to challenge Tlaib for her seat.
Harper, who is running for a senate seat being vacated by Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow, turned down the offer, according to Politico.

Tlaib the only Palestinian-American member of Congress and an outspoken critic of Israel has become one of the most prominent lawmakers to call for a ceasefire to the Israel-Palestine war.

Read more: Donor offered $20m to mount primary challenge against Rashida Tlaib, report says 

The International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for an international gathering to ensure compliance with the Geneva Conventions.

“In light of credible allegations of ongoing violations of international humanitarian law arising from the protracted armed conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular in the Gaza Strip,” the human rights organisations called on Switzerland to call for such a gathering.

The call was made for governments “to fulfil their obligations to ensure respect for the Fourth Geneva Convention by acting collectively to prevent further violations of International Humanitarian Law in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel,” the statement said.

The Fourth Geneva Convention was adopted in 1949 and protects civilians in areas of armed conflict and occupied territories.

Pope Francis on Wednesday met separately with Palestinians, and Israeli relatives of captives in Gaza.

Shireen Awwad Hilal said the religious leader used the term genocide during a meeting with a delegation of Palestinians with relatives in Gaza, Reuters reported.

“When we shared the stories of the families that have been killed [in Gaza] he mentioned ‘I see the genocide’,” said Hilal, who teaches at the Bethlehem Bible College.

“It was very clear, the word genocide did not come from us. It came from His Holiness, Pope Francis,” she said.

But a statement sent by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, in response to a question texted by a reporter, said the opposite.

“I am not aware that he [the Pope] used such a word. He used terms that he expressed during the general audience and words that in any case represent the terrible situation that is being lived out in Gaza,” Bruni’s statement said.

Other participants at the news conference for Palestinians concurred that they had heard the Pope use the word genocide.

The bodies of Palestinians previously held at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City by Israeli forces were finally buried in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.

Mexican actress Melissa Barrera has been fired from the forthcoming Scream film sequel due to her recent pro-Palestinian social media posts, which the production company said were “antisemitic”.

The star had posted regularly about Israel’s war on Gaza. In one instance, she shared a post accusing Israel of “genocide and ethnic cleansing”.

Spyglass Media Group, which is behind the highly successful Scream franchise, said: “We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing.”

David Barnea, head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, has arrived in Qatar to meet Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani to discuss details of the hostage deal.

According to the US news outlet Axios, there are still details of the agreement to be ironed out, including when the ceasefire should start and the sequencing of the release of captives held by Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli military has claimed that it intercepted a cruise missile near the southern port city of Eilat. It didn't give any details about the origin of the missile, but groups in Gaza and Yemen have targeted the city.

The Israeli military said: “Following the report regarding an infiltration of a hostile aircraft in the area of the city of Eilat, an IAF fighter jet successfully intercepted a cruise missile that was launched toward Israel. No infiltration into Israeli territory was identified.”