Israel approves a UN mission to northern Gaza citing “significant gaps” in the hostage agreement | Key issues

Following discussions with the US, Qatar, and Egypt on Israel’s halt in military operations against Hamas in Gaza and obtaining the release of the remaining captives, Israel claimed on Sunday (local time) that there were “significant gaps”.

But Israel described the talks as “constructive” and said that they will carry on this coming week, which might be a sign of progress if Israel decides to stop its attack in Gaza in return for the release of the remaining prisoners, according to the news agency Associated Press.

The nature of the “significant gaps” was not stated in a statement released by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the ceasefire talks. Other participants in the negotiations did not respond or make any statements.

HAMAS-ISRAEL WAR: THE LATEST
The New York Times had stated that US negotiators were thought to have developed a draft deal that included requests from both Hamas and Israel that would result in the release of the remaining hostages. This led to the development. According to the article, the agreement would also call for a two-month break in hostilities.

In November of last year, over 150 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails and over 100 Israeli hostages were let free as part of a prior ceasefire agreement mediated by Qatar between Israel and Hamas. The agreement also caused the fighting to stop. Two cease-fire extensions followed before Israel started up its armed campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

As the world court delivered its decision in the genocide case against the Jewish nation on Sunday (local time), Israel’s President Isaac Herzog expressed his “disgust” at how the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s main judicial body, “twisted” his remarks. This was reported by Associated Press.

According to the ICJ, Herzog discussed the Palestinians in Gaza at a news conference on October 12 of last year, claiming that “an entire nation” was to blame for the Hamas assaults on Israel on October 7.

On Sunday, Japan became the latest nation to halt financing for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees, after reports that many employees had aided Hamas in their October 7 strikes on Israel. A number of nations, including the US, the UK, Germany, and Canada, have stopped providing financing to UNRWA.

According to The Times of Israel, which cited a new Ynet website, Israel agreed permitting a UN mission to visit northern Gaza in order to evaluate the situation there and map the needs of the locals.

In the course of a nighttime drone strike on a US outpost in northeast Jordan, close to the Syrian border, three American troops lost their lives and scores more were wounded. Following the first fatal attack on US soldiers since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, US President Joe Biden promised to take action.