Hamas seeks ceasefire guarantees as scores more killed
Israeli officials on Thursday said prospects for reaching a ceasefire deal and hostage deal appeared high, nearly 21 months since the war between Israel and Hamas began.
Efforts for a Gaza truce have gathered steam after the US secured a ceasefire to end a 12-day aerial conflict between Israel and Iran, but on the ground in Gaza intensified Israeli strikes continued unabated, killing at least 59 people on Thursday, according to health authorities in the territory.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties will work to end the war.
Hamas is seeking clear guarantees that the ceasefire will eventually lead to the war's end, the source close to the group said. Two Israeli officials said those details were still being worked out.
Ending the war has been the main sticking point in repeated rounds of failed negotiations.
Egyptian security sources said Egyptian and Qatari mediators were working to secure US and international guarantees that talks on ending the war would continue as a way of convincing Hamas to accept the two-month truce proposal.
A separate source familiar with the matter said that Israel was expecting Hamas' response by Friday and that if it was positive, an Israeli delegation would join indirect talks to cement the deal.
The proposal includes the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the return of the bodies of 18 more in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, sources say. Of the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 are believed to still be alive.
A senior Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said preparations were in place to approve a ceasefire deal even as the premier heads to Washington to meet Trump on Monday.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who sits on Netanyahu's security cabinet, told news website Ynet that there was "definitely readiness to advance a deal."
In Gaza, however, there was little sign of relief. According to medics at Nasser hospital, at least 20 people were killed by Israeli fire en route to an aid distribution site.
Further north, at least 17 people were killed in an Israeli strike at a school in Gaza City, according to medics. The Israeli military said it targeted a key Hamas gunman operating there and that it took precautions to reduce risk to civilians.
"Suddenly, we found the tent collapsing over us and a fire burning. We don't know what happened," one witness, Wafaa Al-Arqan, who was among the people sheltering there, told Reuters.
"What can we do? Is it fair that all these children burned?"
The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins.
Israel says it won't end the war while Hamas is still armed and ruling Gaza. Hamas, severely weakened, says it won't lay down its weapons but is willing to release all the hostages still in Gaza if Israel ends the war.
Hamas is seeking guarantees that a new US ceasefire proposal for Gaza would lead to the war's end, a source close to the militant group says, as medics say Israeli strikes across the territory have killed scores more people.
Israeli officials on Thursday said prospects for reaching a ceasefire deal and hostage deal appeared high, nearly 21 months since the war between Israel and Hamas began.
Efforts for a Gaza truce have gathered steam after the US secured a ceasefire to end a 12-day aerial conflict between Israel and Iran, but on the ground in Gaza intensified Israeli strikes continued unabated, killing at least 59 people on Thursday, according to health authorities in the territory.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties will work to end the war.
Hamas is seeking clear guarantees that the ceasefire will eventually lead to the war's end, the source close to the group said. Two Israeli officials said those details were still being worked out.
Ending the war has been the main sticking point in repeated rounds of failed negotiations.
Egyptian security sources said Egyptian and Qatari mediators were working to secure US and international guarantees that talks on ending the war would continue as a way of convincing Hamas to accept the two-month truce proposal.
A separate source familiar with the matter said that Israel was expecting Hamas' response by Friday and that if it was positive, an Israeli delegation would join indirect talks to cement the deal.
The proposal includes the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the return of the bodies of 18 more in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, sources say. Of the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 are believed to still be alive.
A senior Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said preparations were in place to approve a ceasefire deal even as the premier heads to Washington to meet Trump on Monday.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who sits on Netanyahu's security cabinet, told news website Ynet that there was "definitely readiness to advance a deal."
In Gaza, however, there was little sign of relief. According to medics at Nasser hospital, at least 20 people were killed by Israeli fire en route to an aid distribution site.
Further north, at least 17 people were killed in an Israeli strike at a school in Gaza City, according to medics. The Israeli military said it targeted a key Hamas gunman operating there and that it took precautions to reduce risk to civilians.
"Suddenly, we found the tent collapsing over us and a fire burning. We don't know what happened," one witness, Wafaa Al-Arqan, who was among the people sheltering there, told Reuters.
"What can we do? Is it fair that all these children burned?"
The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins.
Israel says it won't end the war while Hamas is still armed and ruling Gaza. Hamas, severely weakened, says it won't lay down its weapons but is willing to release all the hostages still in Gaza if Israel ends the war.
Hamas is seeking guarantees that a new US ceasefire proposal for Gaza would lead to the war's end, a source close to the militant group says, as medics say Israeli strikes across the territory have killed scores more people.
Israeli officials on Thursday said prospects for reaching a ceasefire deal and hostage deal appeared high, nearly 21 months since the war between Israel and Hamas began.
Efforts for a Gaza truce have gathered steam after the US secured a ceasefire to end a 12-day aerial conflict between Israel and Iran, but on the ground in Gaza intensified Israeli strikes continued unabated, killing at least 59 people on Thursday, according to health authorities in the territory.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties will work to end the war.
Hamas is seeking clear guarantees that the ceasefire will eventually lead to the war's end, the source close to the group said. Two Israeli officials said those details were still being worked out.
Ending the war has been the main sticking point in repeated rounds of failed negotiations.
Egyptian security sources said Egyptian and Qatari mediators were working to secure US and international guarantees that talks on ending the war would continue as a way of convincing Hamas to accept the two-month truce proposal.
A separate source familiar with the matter said that Israel was expecting Hamas' response by Friday and that if it was positive, an Israeli delegation would join indirect talks to cement the deal.
The proposal includes the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the return of the bodies of 18 more in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, sources say. Of the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 are believed to still be alive.
A senior Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said preparations were in place to approve a ceasefire deal even as the premier heads to Washington to meet Trump on Monday.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who sits on Netanyahu's security cabinet, told news website Ynet that there was "definitely readiness to advance a deal."
In Gaza, however, there was little sign of relief. According to medics at Nasser hospital, at least 20 people were killed by Israeli fire en route to an aid distribution site.
Further north, at least 17 people were killed in an Israeli strike at a school in Gaza City, according to medics. The Israeli military said it targeted a key Hamas gunman operating there and that it took precautions to reduce risk to civilians.
"Suddenly, we found the tent collapsing over us and a fire burning. We don't know what happened," one witness, Wafaa Al-Arqan, who was among the people sheltering there, told Reuters.
"What can we do? Is it fair that all these children burned?"
The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins.
Israel says it won't end the war while Hamas is still armed and ruling Gaza. Hamas, severely weakened, says it won't lay down its weapons but is willing to release all the hostages still in Gaza if Israel ends the war.
Hamas is seeking guarantees that a new US ceasefire proposal for Gaza would lead to the war's end, a source close to the militant group says, as medics say Israeli strikes across the territory have killed scores more people.
Israeli officials on Thursday said prospects for reaching a ceasefire deal and hostage deal appeared high, nearly 21 months since the war between Israel and Hamas began.
Efforts for a Gaza truce have gathered steam after the US secured a ceasefire to end a 12-day aerial conflict between Israel and Iran, but on the ground in Gaza intensified Israeli strikes continued unabated, killing at least 59 people on Thursday, according to health authorities in the territory.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties will work to end the war.
Hamas is seeking clear guarantees that the ceasefire will eventually lead to the war's end, the source close to the group said. Two Israeli officials said those details were still being worked out.
Ending the war has been the main sticking point in repeated rounds of failed negotiations.
Egyptian security sources said Egyptian and Qatari mediators were working to secure US and international guarantees that talks on ending the war would continue as a way of convincing Hamas to accept the two-month truce proposal.
A separate source familiar with the matter said that Israel was expecting Hamas' response by Friday and that if it was positive, an Israeli delegation would join indirect talks to cement the deal.
The proposal includes the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the return of the bodies of 18 more in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, sources say. Of the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 are believed to still be alive.
A senior Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said preparations were in place to approve a ceasefire deal even as the premier heads to Washington to meet Trump on Monday.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who sits on Netanyahu's security cabinet, told news website Ynet that there was "definitely readiness to advance a deal."
In Gaza, however, there was little sign of relief. According to medics at Nasser hospital, at least 20 people were killed by Israeli fire en route to an aid distribution site.
Further north, at least 17 people were killed in an Israeli strike at a school in Gaza City, according to medics. The Israeli military said it targeted a key Hamas gunman operating there and that it took precautions to reduce risk to civilians.
"Suddenly, we found the tent collapsing over us and a fire burning. We don't know what happened," one witness, Wafaa Al-Arqan, who was among the people sheltering there, told Reuters.
"What can we do? Is it fair that all these children burned?"
The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins.
Israel says it won't end the war while Hamas is still armed and ruling Gaza. Hamas, severely weakened, says it won't lay down its weapons but is willing to release all the hostages still in Gaza if Israel ends the war.
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Hunt continues for culprits behind anti-Semitic attacks
Australia's political leaders are under renewed pressure to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism as police continue to probe a spate of fresh attacks. There were at least four anti-Semitic attacks in Melbourne at the weekend, including the alleged firebombing of a synagogue on Friday night. Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old man from Sydney's west, faced court on Sunday, accused of setting the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation's front doors alight while 20 people were inside. Israeli restaurant Miznon was targeted by masked pro-Palestinian protesters not long after the alleged arson, with a window smashed, tables flipped and chairs thrown as the group chanted "death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)". Three cars were set alight and a wall spray-painted with anti-Semitic "inferences" at a Greensborough business in the city's northeast in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police said overnight they were releasing CCTV of five people they want to speak to in relation to the incident, with detectives saying the group's members - who all wore black hooded jumpers, backpacks and gloves - left the business via a back fence and fled on e-bikes. A link has not been found between the attacks, nor a fourth incident in which stencils were used to spray paint offensive images on pillars and walls near a holocaust museum in Elsternwick. A 28-year-old from Footscray remains the only other arrest for allegedly hindering police at Miznon but was released. Police are still working on identifying other protesters involved. The incidents have thrown down the gauntlet to the federal and Victorian governments, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding action against the "rioters". Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus visited the East Melbourne synagogue on Sunday and described the alleged firebombing as an "attack on Australia". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said those responsible for the "shocking acts" must face the full force of the law, as police continue to investigate whether it constitutes terrorism. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who condemned the attack as an "act of hate", is expected to attend the site on Monday. She promised state bans on protests outside places of worship and demonstrators wearing face coverings after a blaze destroyed two buildings at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south in December. The legislation is yet to be introduced to parliament, although the state has previously strengthened anti-vilification laws and banned the public display of the Nazi salute and symbols. Federal opposition frontbencher Melissa McIntosh has called for the prime minister to convene an urgent meeting of national cabinet to deal with the issue. But Victoria's opposition police spokesman David Southwick, who is Jewish, said there was no need for another "talkfest". "The time for talk is over. We need action," the Caulfield MP said. Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who presented a documentary on anti-Semitism in Australia following Hamas' October 7 terror attacks, called the wave of Melbourne incidents a "hate crime". "Violent anti-Semitism is a threat to us all and until it's called out for what it really is, it will continue," he wrote on social media. Australia's political leaders are under renewed pressure to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism as police continue to probe a spate of fresh attacks. There were at least four anti-Semitic attacks in Melbourne at the weekend, including the alleged firebombing of a synagogue on Friday night. Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old man from Sydney's west, faced court on Sunday, accused of setting the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation's front doors alight while 20 people were inside. Israeli restaurant Miznon was targeted by masked pro-Palestinian protesters not long after the alleged arson, with a window smashed, tables flipped and chairs thrown as the group chanted "death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)". Three cars were set alight and a wall spray-painted with anti-Semitic "inferences" at a Greensborough business in the city's northeast in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police said overnight they were releasing CCTV of five people they want to speak to in relation to the incident, with detectives saying the group's members - who all wore black hooded jumpers, backpacks and gloves - left the business via a back fence and fled on e-bikes. A link has not been found between the attacks, nor a fourth incident in which stencils were used to spray paint offensive images on pillars and walls near a holocaust museum in Elsternwick. A 28-year-old from Footscray remains the only other arrest for allegedly hindering police at Miznon but was released. Police are still working on identifying other protesters involved. The incidents have thrown down the gauntlet to the federal and Victorian governments, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding action against the "rioters". Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus visited the East Melbourne synagogue on Sunday and described the alleged firebombing as an "attack on Australia". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said those responsible for the "shocking acts" must face the full force of the law, as police continue to investigate whether it constitutes terrorism. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who condemned the attack as an "act of hate", is expected to attend the site on Monday. She promised state bans on protests outside places of worship and demonstrators wearing face coverings after a blaze destroyed two buildings at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south in December. The legislation is yet to be introduced to parliament, although the state has previously strengthened anti-vilification laws and banned the public display of the Nazi salute and symbols. Federal opposition frontbencher Melissa McIntosh has called for the prime minister to convene an urgent meeting of national cabinet to deal with the issue. But Victoria's opposition police spokesman David Southwick, who is Jewish, said there was no need for another "talkfest". "The time for talk is over. We need action," the Caulfield MP said. Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who presented a documentary on anti-Semitism in Australia following Hamas' October 7 terror attacks, called the wave of Melbourne incidents a "hate crime". "Violent anti-Semitism is a threat to us all and until it's called out for what it really is, it will continue," he wrote on social media. Australia's political leaders are under renewed pressure to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism as police continue to probe a spate of fresh attacks. There were at least four anti-Semitic attacks in Melbourne at the weekend, including the alleged firebombing of a synagogue on Friday night. Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old man from Sydney's west, faced court on Sunday, accused of setting the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation's front doors alight while 20 people were inside. Israeli restaurant Miznon was targeted by masked pro-Palestinian protesters not long after the alleged arson, with a window smashed, tables flipped and chairs thrown as the group chanted "death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)". Three cars were set alight and a wall spray-painted with anti-Semitic "inferences" at a Greensborough business in the city's northeast in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police said overnight they were releasing CCTV of five people they want to speak to in relation to the incident, with detectives saying the group's members - who all wore black hooded jumpers, backpacks and gloves - left the business via a back fence and fled on e-bikes. A link has not been found between the attacks, nor a fourth incident in which stencils were used to spray paint offensive images on pillars and walls near a holocaust museum in Elsternwick. A 28-year-old from Footscray remains the only other arrest for allegedly hindering police at Miznon but was released. Police are still working on identifying other protesters involved. The incidents have thrown down the gauntlet to the federal and Victorian governments, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding action against the "rioters". Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus visited the East Melbourne synagogue on Sunday and described the alleged firebombing as an "attack on Australia". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said those responsible for the "shocking acts" must face the full force of the law, as police continue to investigate whether it constitutes terrorism. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who condemned the attack as an "act of hate", is expected to attend the site on Monday. She promised state bans on protests outside places of worship and demonstrators wearing face coverings after a blaze destroyed two buildings at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south in December. The legislation is yet to be introduced to parliament, although the state has previously strengthened anti-vilification laws and banned the public display of the Nazi salute and symbols. Federal opposition frontbencher Melissa McIntosh has called for the prime minister to convene an urgent meeting of national cabinet to deal with the issue. But Victoria's opposition police spokesman David Southwick, who is Jewish, said there was no need for another "talkfest". "The time for talk is over. We need action," the Caulfield MP said. Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who presented a documentary on anti-Semitism in Australia following Hamas' October 7 terror attacks, called the wave of Melbourne incidents a "hate crime". "Violent anti-Semitism is a threat to us all and until it's called out for what it really is, it will continue," he wrote on social media. Australia's political leaders are under renewed pressure to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism as police continue to probe a spate of fresh attacks. There were at least four anti-Semitic attacks in Melbourne at the weekend, including the alleged firebombing of a synagogue on Friday night. Angelo Loras, a 34-year-old man from Sydney's west, faced court on Sunday, accused of setting the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation's front doors alight while 20 people were inside. Israeli restaurant Miznon was targeted by masked pro-Palestinian protesters not long after the alleged arson, with a window smashed, tables flipped and chairs thrown as the group chanted "death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)". Three cars were set alight and a wall spray-painted with anti-Semitic "inferences" at a Greensborough business in the city's northeast in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police said overnight they were releasing CCTV of five people they want to speak to in relation to the incident, with detectives saying the group's members - who all wore black hooded jumpers, backpacks and gloves - left the business via a back fence and fled on e-bikes. A link has not been found between the attacks, nor a fourth incident in which stencils were used to spray paint offensive images on pillars and walls near a holocaust museum in Elsternwick. A 28-year-old from Footscray remains the only other arrest for allegedly hindering police at Miznon but was released. Police are still working on identifying other protesters involved. The incidents have thrown down the gauntlet to the federal and Victorian governments, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding action against the "rioters". Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus visited the East Melbourne synagogue on Sunday and described the alleged firebombing as an "attack on Australia". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said those responsible for the "shocking acts" must face the full force of the law, as police continue to investigate whether it constitutes terrorism. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who condemned the attack as an "act of hate", is expected to attend the site on Monday. She promised state bans on protests outside places of worship and demonstrators wearing face coverings after a blaze destroyed two buildings at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the city's south in December. The legislation is yet to be introduced to parliament, although the state has previously strengthened anti-vilification laws and banned the public display of the Nazi salute and symbols. Federal opposition frontbencher Melissa McIntosh has called for the prime minister to convene an urgent meeting of national cabinet to deal with the issue. But Victoria's opposition police spokesman David Southwick, who is Jewish, said there was no need for another "talkfest". "The time for talk is over. We need action," the Caulfield MP said. Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who presented a documentary on anti-Semitism in Australia following Hamas' October 7 terror attacks, called the wave of Melbourne incidents a "hate crime". "Violent anti-Semitism is a threat to us all and until it's called out for what it really is, it will continue," he wrote on social media.
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Gunfire hits ship off Yemen: UK maritime agency
A ship has come under attack in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen by armed men firing guns and launching rocket-propelled grenades, a group overseen by the UK military says. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and after the Iran-Israel air war and air strikes by the United States targeting Iranian nuclear sites. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said that an armed security team on the ship had returned fire and that the "situation is ongoing". It described the attack as happening 100km southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, which is held by the country's Houthi rebels. "Authorities are investigating," it said. Ambrey, a maritime security firm, issued a warning saying that a merchant ship had been "attacked by eight skiffs while transiting northbound in the Red Sea". It said it believed the attack was ongoing. The US navy's Middle East-based 5th Fleet referred questions to the military's Central Command, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The group's al-Masirah satellite news channel acknowledged the attack occurred but offered no other comment on it as it aired a speech by its secretive leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically has $US1 trillion ($A1.5 trillion) worth of goods move through it annually. The Houthi rebels paused attacks in a self-imposed ceasefire until the US launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. That ended weeks later and the Houthis have not attacked a vessel although they have continued occasional missile attacks targeting Israel. On Sunday, the group claimed launching a missile at Israel which the Israeli military said it intercepted. Pirates from Somalia also have operated in the region although typically they have sought to capture vessels either to rob or ransom their crews. A ship has come under attack in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen by armed men firing guns and launching rocket-propelled grenades, a group overseen by the UK military says. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and after the Iran-Israel air war and air strikes by the United States targeting Iranian nuclear sites. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said that an armed security team on the ship had returned fire and that the "situation is ongoing". It described the attack as happening 100km southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, which is held by the country's Houthi rebels. "Authorities are investigating," it said. Ambrey, a maritime security firm, issued a warning saying that a merchant ship had been "attacked by eight skiffs while transiting northbound in the Red Sea". It said it believed the attack was ongoing. The US navy's Middle East-based 5th Fleet referred questions to the military's Central Command, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The group's al-Masirah satellite news channel acknowledged the attack occurred but offered no other comment on it as it aired a speech by its secretive leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically has $US1 trillion ($A1.5 trillion) worth of goods move through it annually. The Houthi rebels paused attacks in a self-imposed ceasefire until the US launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. That ended weeks later and the Houthis have not attacked a vessel although they have continued occasional missile attacks targeting Israel. On Sunday, the group claimed launching a missile at Israel which the Israeli military said it intercepted. Pirates from Somalia also have operated in the region although typically they have sought to capture vessels either to rob or ransom their crews. A ship has come under attack in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen by armed men firing guns and launching rocket-propelled grenades, a group overseen by the UK military says. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and after the Iran-Israel air war and air strikes by the United States targeting Iranian nuclear sites. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said that an armed security team on the ship had returned fire and that the "situation is ongoing". It described the attack as happening 100km southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, which is held by the country's Houthi rebels. "Authorities are investigating," it said. Ambrey, a maritime security firm, issued a warning saying that a merchant ship had been "attacked by eight skiffs while transiting northbound in the Red Sea". It said it believed the attack was ongoing. The US navy's Middle East-based 5th Fleet referred questions to the military's Central Command, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The group's al-Masirah satellite news channel acknowledged the attack occurred but offered no other comment on it as it aired a speech by its secretive leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically has $US1 trillion ($A1.5 trillion) worth of goods move through it annually. The Houthi rebels paused attacks in a self-imposed ceasefire until the US launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. That ended weeks later and the Houthis have not attacked a vessel although they have continued occasional missile attacks targeting Israel. On Sunday, the group claimed launching a missile at Israel which the Israeli military said it intercepted. Pirates from Somalia also have operated in the region although typically they have sought to capture vessels either to rob or ransom their crews. A ship has come under attack in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen by armed men firing guns and launching rocket-propelled grenades, a group overseen by the UK military says. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and after the Iran-Israel air war and air strikes by the United States targeting Iranian nuclear sites. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said that an armed security team on the ship had returned fire and that the "situation is ongoing". It described the attack as happening 100km southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, which is held by the country's Houthi rebels. "Authorities are investigating," it said. Ambrey, a maritime security firm, issued a warning saying that a merchant ship had been "attacked by eight skiffs while transiting northbound in the Red Sea". It said it believed the attack was ongoing. The US navy's Middle East-based 5th Fleet referred questions to the military's Central Command, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The group's al-Masirah satellite news channel acknowledged the attack occurred but offered no other comment on it as it aired a speech by its secretive leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. That has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically has $US1 trillion ($A1.5 trillion) worth of goods move through it annually. The Houthi rebels paused attacks in a self-imposed ceasefire until the US launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. That ended weeks later and the Houthis have not attacked a vessel although they have continued occasional missile attacks targeting Israel. On Sunday, the group claimed launching a missile at Israel which the Israeli military said it intercepted. Pirates from Somalia also have operated in the region although typically they have sought to capture vessels either to rob or ransom their crews.
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an hour ago
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Israeli air strikes kill 38 Palestinians in Gaza
Israeli air strikes have killed at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say, as Israel's military says it has struck more than 100 targets in the embattled enclave in the past day. The strikes came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing to fly to Washington for talks at the White House aimed at pushing forward ceasefire efforts. Separately, an Israeli official said the Israeli security Cabinet on Saturday night approved sending aid into the northern part of Gaza, where civilians are suffering from acute food shortages. The official, who declined to offer more details, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the decision. In Yemen, a spokesperson for the Houthi rebel group announced on Sunday in a prerecorded message that the group had launched ballistic missiles targeting Ben Gurion airport overnight. The Israeli military said these had been intercepted. President Donald Trump has floated a plan for an initial 60-day ceasefire that would include a partial release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for an increase in humanitarian supplies allowed into Gaza. The proposed truce calls for talks on ending the 21-month war altogether. Twenty people were killed and 25 wounded after Israeli strikes hit two houses in Gaza City, according to Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Shifa Hospital. Two families were among the dead, according to the hospital. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the individual strikes, but said it struck 130 targets across the Gaza Strip in 24 hours. It said the strikes targeted Hamas command and control structures, storage facilities, weapons and launchers, and that they killed a number of militants in northern Gaza. The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which is under Gaza's Hamas government, does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The United Nations and other international organisations consider the ministry's figures the most reliable statistics on war casualties. The strikes occurred as efforts to reach a ceasefire deal appeared to gain momentum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said his government would send a negotiating team to talks in Qatar on Sunday, adding that Hamas was seeking "unacceptable" changes to the proposal. The planned talks in Qatar come ahead of Netanyahu's planned visit to Washington on Monday to meet US President Donald Trump to discuss the deal. It is unclear whether a deal will be reached ahead of Netanyahu's meeting at the White House. Hamas has sought guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas' demands for guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the war's end, while Netanyahu has insisted Israel would resume fighting to ensure the militant group's destruction. Israeli air strikes have killed at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say, as Israel's military says it has struck more than 100 targets in the embattled enclave in the past day. The strikes came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing to fly to Washington for talks at the White House aimed at pushing forward ceasefire efforts. Separately, an Israeli official said the Israeli security Cabinet on Saturday night approved sending aid into the northern part of Gaza, where civilians are suffering from acute food shortages. The official, who declined to offer more details, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the decision. In Yemen, a spokesperson for the Houthi rebel group announced on Sunday in a prerecorded message that the group had launched ballistic missiles targeting Ben Gurion airport overnight. The Israeli military said these had been intercepted. President Donald Trump has floated a plan for an initial 60-day ceasefire that would include a partial release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for an increase in humanitarian supplies allowed into Gaza. The proposed truce calls for talks on ending the 21-month war altogether. Twenty people were killed and 25 wounded after Israeli strikes hit two houses in Gaza City, according to Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Shifa Hospital. Two families were among the dead, according to the hospital. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the individual strikes, but said it struck 130 targets across the Gaza Strip in 24 hours. It said the strikes targeted Hamas command and control structures, storage facilities, weapons and launchers, and that they killed a number of militants in northern Gaza. The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which is under Gaza's Hamas government, does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The United Nations and other international organisations consider the ministry's figures the most reliable statistics on war casualties. The strikes occurred as efforts to reach a ceasefire deal appeared to gain momentum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said his government would send a negotiating team to talks in Qatar on Sunday, adding that Hamas was seeking "unacceptable" changes to the proposal. The planned talks in Qatar come ahead of Netanyahu's planned visit to Washington on Monday to meet US President Donald Trump to discuss the deal. It is unclear whether a deal will be reached ahead of Netanyahu's meeting at the White House. Hamas has sought guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas' demands for guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the war's end, while Netanyahu has insisted Israel would resume fighting to ensure the militant group's destruction. Israeli air strikes have killed at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say, as Israel's military says it has struck more than 100 targets in the embattled enclave in the past day. The strikes came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing to fly to Washington for talks at the White House aimed at pushing forward ceasefire efforts. Separately, an Israeli official said the Israeli security Cabinet on Saturday night approved sending aid into the northern part of Gaza, where civilians are suffering from acute food shortages. The official, who declined to offer more details, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the decision. In Yemen, a spokesperson for the Houthi rebel group announced on Sunday in a prerecorded message that the group had launched ballistic missiles targeting Ben Gurion airport overnight. The Israeli military said these had been intercepted. President Donald Trump has floated a plan for an initial 60-day ceasefire that would include a partial release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for an increase in humanitarian supplies allowed into Gaza. The proposed truce calls for talks on ending the 21-month war altogether. Twenty people were killed and 25 wounded after Israeli strikes hit two houses in Gaza City, according to Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Shifa Hospital. Two families were among the dead, according to the hospital. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the individual strikes, but said it struck 130 targets across the Gaza Strip in 24 hours. It said the strikes targeted Hamas command and control structures, storage facilities, weapons and launchers, and that they killed a number of militants in northern Gaza. The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which is under Gaza's Hamas government, does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The United Nations and other international organisations consider the ministry's figures the most reliable statistics on war casualties. The strikes occurred as efforts to reach a ceasefire deal appeared to gain momentum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said his government would send a negotiating team to talks in Qatar on Sunday, adding that Hamas was seeking "unacceptable" changes to the proposal. The planned talks in Qatar come ahead of Netanyahu's planned visit to Washington on Monday to meet US President Donald Trump to discuss the deal. It is unclear whether a deal will be reached ahead of Netanyahu's meeting at the White House. Hamas has sought guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas' demands for guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the war's end, while Netanyahu has insisted Israel would resume fighting to ensure the militant group's destruction. Israeli air strikes have killed at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say, as Israel's military says it has struck more than 100 targets in the embattled enclave in the past day. The strikes came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing to fly to Washington for talks at the White House aimed at pushing forward ceasefire efforts. Separately, an Israeli official said the Israeli security Cabinet on Saturday night approved sending aid into the northern part of Gaza, where civilians are suffering from acute food shortages. The official, who declined to offer more details, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the decision. In Yemen, a spokesperson for the Houthi rebel group announced on Sunday in a prerecorded message that the group had launched ballistic missiles targeting Ben Gurion airport overnight. The Israeli military said these had been intercepted. President Donald Trump has floated a plan for an initial 60-day ceasefire that would include a partial release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for an increase in humanitarian supplies allowed into Gaza. The proposed truce calls for talks on ending the 21-month war altogether. Twenty people were killed and 25 wounded after Israeli strikes hit two houses in Gaza City, according to Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Shifa Hospital. Two families were among the dead, according to the hospital. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the individual strikes, but said it struck 130 targets across the Gaza Strip in 24 hours. It said the strikes targeted Hamas command and control structures, storage facilities, weapons and launchers, and that they killed a number of militants in northern Gaza. The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which is under Gaza's Hamas government, does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The United Nations and other international organisations consider the ministry's figures the most reliable statistics on war casualties. The strikes occurred as efforts to reach a ceasefire deal appeared to gain momentum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said his government would send a negotiating team to talks in Qatar on Sunday, adding that Hamas was seeking "unacceptable" changes to the proposal. The planned talks in Qatar come ahead of Netanyahu's planned visit to Washington on Monday to meet US President Donald Trump to discuss the deal. It is unclear whether a deal will be reached ahead of Netanyahu's meeting at the White House. Hamas has sought guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas' demands for guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the war's end, while Netanyahu has insisted Israel would resume fighting to ensure the militant group's destruction.
