Israel-Hamas War Day 82: Biden and Qatari Emir discuss hostage release, 83 trucks of aid enter Gaza | Top 10 updates

27 Dec 2023, 00:57 by Livemint · Mint Business News - Official Channel · Join

US President Joe Biden and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday discussed the need to release hostages held in Gaza and efforts to boost humanitarian aid, the White House said. Qatar and Egypt were mediators between Israel and the militant group Hamas in the late November truce.

"The two leaders discussed the urgent effort to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens," the White House readout said, adding they also talked about increasing access to aid.

Here are top 10 updates on Israel-Hamas war,

1) On Tuesday, 83 humanitarian aid trucks and seven ambulances were inspected at the Nitzana checkpoint and transferred to Gaza via the Rafah Crossing from Egypt, ANI reported.

2) The United Nations also named a coordinator to oversee humanitarian relief shipments into Gaza as part of a UN Security Council resolution adopted on Friday to boost humanitarian aid.

3) Sigrid Kaag, the Netherlands' outgoing finance minister, will be the senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza starting on January 8, the UN said in a statement as quoted by Reuters.

4) Palestinian health authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza say nearly 21,000 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, with more feared buried under rubble. Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes, many several times.

5) After Hamas killed 1,200 people and captured 240 hostages on October 7, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with an assault that has laid much of Gaza to waste.

6) Israel's war on Hamas will last months, Israel's military chief said, as a string of incidents outside the Gaza Strip highlighted the risk of the conflict spreading, as per Reuters reports.

7) “There are no magic solutions, there are no shortcuts in dismantling a terrorist organization, only determined and persistent fighting. We will reach Hamas' leadership too, whether it takes a week or if it takes months," said Israel's Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.

8) Israeli actions intensified around Christmas, particularly in a central area just south of the seasonal waterway that bisects the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army told civilians to leave the area, though many said there was no safe place left to go.

9) Gaza authorities buried 80 unidentified Palestinians on Tuesday whose bodies were handed over by Israel through the Kerem Shalom border crossing, the health ministry said.

10) The United States has openly pressed Israel in recent weeks to scale down its war to a more targeted operation of raids on Hamas leaders. But Washington is still seen in the region as a supporter of Israel and US forces have been attacked by Iran-backed militants in the Middle East.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Israel-Hamas War Day 82: Biden and Qatari Emir discuss hostage release, 83 trucks of aid enter Gaza | Top 10 updates

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