Live Blog Update| Israel's genocide in Gaza
This is an entry from: Live: Israel delays release of 602 Palestinian prisoners

Morning update

17 February 2025 05:22 GMT

Good morning Middle East Eye readers,

Here are some of the latest updates on Israel's war on Gaza:

  • Steve Witkoff, an envoy for Donald Trump, claimed that the second phase of the truce deal “will absolutely begin” and insisted that the US president wants it to proceed if it leads to hostage releases and lives being spared.

  • A Palestinian man succumbed to his injuries four days after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, according to the Wafa news agency, as mourners buried three policemen killed in a separate Israeli attack on Sunday.

  • Growing Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including fatal assaults and the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, have left Palestinians in Gaza increasingly anxious about the future of the truce.

  • The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed a joint statement from the African Union, which called for an end to all cooperation with Israel until it ceases its occupation of Palestinian land.