Live: Trump hosts Netanyahu for critical talks on Middle East agenda

Two Israeli soldiers killed in northern West Bank

Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the Menashe Brigade area in the northern West Bank, the Israeli army said in a statement.

The two soldiers were killed and eight wounded when a gunman opened fire on troops, setting off a gunfight in which the shooter was killed by Israeli soldiers, the military said.

Jenin camp going in ‘catastrophic direction’ warns UNRWA

“The camp is going into a catastrophic direction,” UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma told reporters in Geneva, saying large parts of the camp had been “completely destroyed in a series of detonations by the Israeli forces” after a new military operation levelled several buildings.

Some Palestinian prisoners freed in ceasefire arrive in Turkey

Fifteen Palestinian prisoners among dozens freed by Israel under the Gaza ceasefire deal arrived in Turkey following deportation to Egypt, the Hamas prisoners media office said.

They are the first to be taken in by a third country apart from Egypt under the ceasefire terms, which bar prisoners convicted by Israel of violent attacks from returning to the Palestinian territories.

Palestinians view those jailed for fighting Israel as resistance heroes.

Hamas has released 18 hostages so far under the first phase of the ceasefire deal. Israel has released of 583 jailed Palestinians, of whom at least 79 were sent to Egypt. In addition to those going to Turkey, some may go to Algeria or Qatar, Hamas sources told Reuters.

Families meet freed Thai hostages at Israeli hospital

Family members of Thai hostages released by Hamas last week after over 15 months of captivity in Gaza have visited them at the Israeli hospital where they are recuperating.

The Thai Embassy in Israel said the family members flew in on Tuesday and met with the freed hostages at the Shamir Medical Center.

Hamas released five Thai hostages last week along with three Israeli captives who were freed as part of a ceasefire agreement in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas militants kidnapped 31 Thai nationals along with scores of Israelis and a few other foreigners during the October 7, 2023, attack.

Tens of thousands of Thai farmers work in Israel, where they can earn higher wages than they can at home. 

Israeli troops kill gunman in West Bank

Israeli soldiers killed a person who opened fire on them at a post near the village of Tayasir in the occupied West Bank, the military said.

“A terrorist fired at soldiers at a military post in Taysir. The soldiers exchanged fire with the terrorist and killed him,” the military said in a statement. Israeli army radio reported two soldiers were in critical condition. 

Netanyahu and Trump set for pivotal talks on Middle East agenda

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday, as Israel and Hamas say they are ready for negotiations on a new phase in their fragile Gaza ceasefire.

Netanyahu, the first foreign leader to visit the White House since Trump returned to power last month, will discuss the truce’s future and efforts to end the Gaza war.

The visit is Netanyahu’s first overseas travel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November for him, his former defense minister and Hamas’ slain military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity during the war in Gaza. The US does not recognise the ICC’s authority over its citizens or territory.

Before leaving for Washington, Netanyahu said Israel’s wars with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and its confrontations with Iran had “redrawn the map” in the Middle East.

Israel to send delegation to Qatar for ceasefire talks, says PM’s office

Israel will send a delegation to Doha this week for talks on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Tuesday.

“Israel is preparing for the working-level delegation to leave for Doha at the end of this week in order to discuss technical details related to the continued implementation of the agreement,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.