Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit that underscores the rapid expansion of India&ndash;Israel ties, according to The Times of Israel, even as his planned address to parliament faces a boycott by sections of the Israeli opposition and criticism from within India.&nbsp;Modi landed at Ben Gurion Airport and is scheduled to hold a private meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Jerusalem.&nbsp;The visit, billed by New Delhi as an effort to strengthen relations with a key trade and defence partner, comes at a time when both governments face sustained international criticism over human rights and democratic backsliding.&nbsp;Modi is set to become the first Indian prime minister to address the Knesset, a move Israeli officials have described as a &ldquo;strategic leap&rdquo; in bilateral relations.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our nations share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership,&rdquo; Modi said in a departure statement before leaving India.&nbsp;&ldquo;Ties have significantly strengthened in the last few years,&rdquo; he added, confirming he would meet Netanyahu and address the Knesset.&nbsp;However, the address is expected to be partially boycotted by Israel&rsquo;s opposition. According to Israeli media reports cited in the draft, opposition leader Yair Lapid is locked in a standoff with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana over the decision not to invite Supreme Court President Isaac Amit to the special parliamentary session.&nbsp;Lapid has urged Netanyahu to reverse the decision, calling the exclusion a break from parliamentary custom.&nbsp;Growing cooperationIndia has steadily expanded cooperation with Israel across defense, agriculture, technology, and cybersecurity, while publicly maintaining that it balances its interests across the Middle East.&nbsp;This week, Indian and Israeli technical teams opened talks in New Delhi on a proposed free trade agreement. India&rsquo;s government has said total merchandise trade between the two countries stood at $3.62 billion in 2024&ndash;25.&nbsp;Defense cooperation is expected to feature prominently during Modi&rsquo;s meetings. Israeli officials have signaled that discussions will include deeper defense integration, with media reports citing proposals for a multi-billion-dollar package covering advanced air defense and missile systems.&nbsp;For Netanyahu, the visit is being framed as part of a broader regional security vision that links Israel more closely with India and select European partners.&nbsp;Political backlashInside India, the visit has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures, who say Modi is abandoning India&rsquo;s long-standing position on Palestine.&nbsp;Senior Congress Party leader Priyanka Gandhi wrote on social media that she hoped Modi would mention the killing of &ldquo;thousands of innocent men, women, and children in Gaza&rdquo; during his Knesset address.&nbsp;The criticism reflects wider unease over India&rsquo;s increasingly close alignment with Israel during the war in Gaza, which has drawn global condemnation.&nbsp;India has also faced scrutiny for its growing military ties with Israel. New Delhi used Israeli military drone technology during its May 2025 clash with Pakistan, while Indian arms firms supplied military equipment to Israel during its 2024 Gaza offensive.&nbsp;Wider regional stakesThe visit unfolds amid heightened regional tensions involving Iran and the United States, and as India seeks to maintain parallel relationships with Israel, Gulf Arab states, and Tehran.&nbsp;India, home to around 1.4 billion people, includes an estimated 220 million Muslims. Critics argue that Modi&rsquo;s embrace of Israel under Netanyahu sends a stark signal about India&rsquo;s shifting foreign policy priorities.&nbsp;Full diplomatic relations between India and Israel were established in 1992, but ties accelerated sharply after Modi, a Hindu nationalist leader, took office in 2014. Modi last visited Israel in 2017, with Netanyahu returning the visit in 2018. Both leaders have publicly referred to each other as a &ldquo;friend.&rdquo;&nbsp;As Modi prepares to address Israel&rsquo;s parliament, observers say the visit will be judged as much by what is left unsaid, particularly on Gaza, as by the promises of deeper strategic cooperation.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel for a two-day visit as Israeli opposition parties plan to boycott his Knesset address, highlighting political divisions amid deepening India–Israel strategic ties

Modi’s Israel visit spotlights deepening alliance amid Gaza, democracy concerns

JERUSALEM: India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel on Wednesday, his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu said.&nbsp;&quot;The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, will arrive here; he will deliver a speech in the Knesset, and I&#39;m sure you will all be there,&quot; Netanyahu said Sunday at the opening of a cabinet meeting, referring to Israel&#39;s parliament.&nbsp;Netanyahu hailed growing ties between the two countries.&nbsp;&quot;The fabric of relations has grown tighter, and (Modi) is coming here so that we can tighten it even more,&quot; he said, mentioning cooperation in the economic, diplomatic and security spheres.&nbsp;Modi previously visited Israel as prime minister in 2017, before Netanyahu made a reciprocal visit to India the following year.

Middle East

Asia

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, saying Modi will address the Knesset. Netanyahu hinted at strengthening bilateral ties, highlighting deeper economic, diplomatic, and security cooperation between the two countries.

Netanyahu says India's Modi to visit Israel Wednesday

BEIRUT: Attacks carried out by Israel on Friday in eastern Lebanon killed eight members of Hezbollah, an official from the group told AFP on Saturday. Lebanon&#39;s health ministry said Friday that a total of 10 people were killed in strikes that hit the eastern Bekaa region. The Israeli military said it targeted &quot;several terrorists of Hezbollah&#39;s missile array in three different command centres in the Baalbek area&quot;.

Israel killed eight members of Hezbollah in a strike on Lebanon's Baalbek area on Friday

Eight Hezbollah members killed in Israel's Friday strikes: Official to AFP

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Sunday rejected what it described as Israel&rsquo;s &ldquo;illegal measures&rdquo; in the Occupied West Bank, strongly condemning attempts by the Israeli occupying power to convert areas of the territory into so-called state property and expand settlement activities. &quot;Such steps are in clear violation of international law as well as relevant United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and must be rejected by the international community,&quot; the Foreign Ministry said. MoFA said the occupying power&rsquo;s continued disregard for international law and its &ldquo;provocative actions&rdquo; undermined prospects for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the region. Calling for accountability, Pakistan urged the international community to take concrete measures to end Israeli impunity and ensure respect for international law. Reaffirming Islamabad&#39;s longstanding position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Pakistan reiterated full support for Palestinian self-determination and statehood. The statement backed the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The European Union called on Israel to reverse its approval of a process to register land in the West Bank, warning it was a &quot;new escalation&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;This constitutes a new escalation after recent measures already aimed at extending Israeli control&quot; in the occupied West Bank, EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said. &quot;We reiterate that annexation is illegal under international law. We call on Israel to reverse this decision,&quot; he added.

Palestinian children and journalists disperse as Israeli tanks enter the Jenin camp for Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)

Foreign Affairs

Islamabad denounces Israel’s move to convert West Bank land into “state property”; says Israel's action breaches international law and UN resolutions; urges global measures while reaffirming support for Palestinian statehood.

Pakistan condemns Israeli West Bank land seizures, demands international action

GENEVA:&nbsp;Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Geneva ahead of a second round of negotiations with the United States, Iranian state television said Monday, as Washington keeps up pressure on the Islamic republic. According to Tehran, &quot;indirect&quot;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-says-ready-for-nuclear-compromise-if-us-lifts-sanctions" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>&ndash;US nuclear talks mediated by Oman will be held on Tuesday. Tehran and Washington restarted negotiations this month after previous talks collapsed when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-fm-heads-to-geneva-for-second-round-of-nuclear-talks-with-us" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>&nbsp;last June. &quot;The foreign minister has arrived in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-iran-government-change-best-thing-that-could-happen" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Geneva</a>&nbsp;at the head of a diplomatic and expert delegation to take part in the second round of nuclear negotiation,&quot; Iran&#39;s state-run IRIB wrote on its Telegram channel. &lsquo;Deep technical discussion&rsquo;The top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, later wrote on X that he would meet in Geneva with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, &quot;for deep technical discussion&quot;.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2023273878340989182&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=c529a19e8829c3da039522b882158fce05ff872f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>He is also set to hold talks with his Swiss and Omani counterparts as well as other international officials, Iran&#39;s foreign ministry said. &quot;I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal. What is not on the table: submission before threats,&quot; Araghchi added on X. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Anti-govt protests</h2>Washington has dispatched Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump&#39;s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House confirmed on Sunday. The latest talks follow repeated threats from Trump of military action against Tehran, first over Iran&#39;s crackdown on anti-government protests, and then more recently over the country&#39;s nuclear program. The West fears the program is aimed at making a bomb, which Tehran denies. On Friday, Trump said a change of government in Iran would be the &quot;best thing that could happen&quot;, as he sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to ratchet up military pressure. Iran&#39;s deputy foreign minister told the BBC that Tehran would consider compromises on its uranium stockpile if Washington lifts sanctions that have crippled the Islamic republic&#39;s economy. &quot;If we see the sincerity on their (American) part, I am sure we will be on a road to have an agreement,&quot; said Majid Takht-Ravanchi. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that any deal must involve the removal of all enriched uranium from Iran as well as Tehran&#39;s ability to enrich more. &quot;There should be no enrichment capability... dismantle the equipment and the infrastructure that allows you to enrich in the first place,&quot; he said during a speech in Jerusalem. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Viable&#39; deal&nbsp;</h2>On Feb. 6, Araghchi led the Iranian delegation in indirect talks with Witkoff and Kushner in Muscat. Switzerland has played a key role in Tehran-Washington diplomacy, representing US interests in Iran since Washington broke off relations after the 1980 hostage crisis, a year after the Iranian revolution. Iranian deputy foreign minister for economic diplomacy Hamid Ghanbari said Tehran was seeking a deal with the United States that would generate economic benefits for both countries, particularly in sectors such as aviation, mining and oil and gas, the Fars news agency reported. &quot;For the agreement to be viable, it is essential that the United States also be able to benefit from it in areas with strong and rapid economic return potential,&quot; he was quoted as saying.

Tehran and Washington restarted negotiations this month after previous talks collapsed when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran last June.

Iranian FM Araghchi in Geneva for second round of US talks

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday to &quot;discuss with him the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-fm-looks-to-more-nuclear-talks-but-warns-us" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">negotiations with Iran</a>,&quot; the premier&#39;s office said.&nbsp;Netanyahu &quot;believes any negotiations must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis,&quot; his office said in a statement on Saturday, referring to Iran&#39;s allies in the region.&nbsp;Iran and the US held&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-talks-with-iran-very-good-more-negotiations-expected" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">negotiations in Oman</a> on Friday, and Trump later said the talks would resume early next week.

Americas

Europe

Set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss Iran talks, pushing missile limits and curbs on Tehran’s regional allies after US-Iran negotiations resume momentum this week

Netanyahu to discuss Iran talks with Trump in Washington Wednesday

SYDNEY: Australia has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-fraud-networks-target-australian-immigration-through-fake-marriages-forged-degrees" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">canceled</a>&nbsp;the visa of an Israeli influencer who campaigns against Islam, saying it will not accept visitors who come to spread hatred. Sammy Yahood, who has commented on social media against the religion, said Monday his visa was canceled three hours before his flight departed from Israel. Yahood flew to Abu Dhabi anyway, but was blocked from getting his connecting flight. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement sent to AFP on Tuesday that people who want to visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/arts-festival-faces-exodus-after-dropping-palestinian-australian-author" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Australia</a>&nbsp;should apply for the right visa and come for the right reasons. &quot;Spreading hatred is not a good reason to come,&quot; he said. Australia tightened its hate crime laws this month in response to a Dec. 14 mass shooting on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that killed 15 people. Yahood&#39;s visa was reportedly canceled under the same legislation that has been used in the past to reject people&#39;s visas on hatred grounds. The conservative Australian Jewish Association, which had invited Yahood to speak, said it condemned the government&#39;s visa decision. It criticized visa cancellations for other Jewish visitors, including far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who was blocked last year.

Australasia

Sammy Yahood says his visa was canceled three hours before his flight departed from Israel; Home Affairs Minister Burke says people who want to visit Australia should apply for the right visa and come for the right reasons.

Australia cancels visa of Israeli influencer

ISLAMABAD: Israeli military operations across the occupied West Bank have intensified in recent days, as the United Nations Human Rights Office said on Friday it was &ldquo;horrified&rdquo; by continued civilian killings in Gaza, reporting at least 11 Palestinians killed on Jan. 21 alone despite a second phase of the Gaza ceasefire taking effect on Jan. 14. UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) said the deaths were part of a broader pattern of post-ceasefire violence. Since the first phase of the ceasefire entered into force on Oct. 11, 2025, at least 477 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, many far from the so-called &ldquo;yellow line&rdquo; military deployment zone. The Jan. 21 attacks included an Israeli strike on a vehicle in central Gaza that killed three Palestinian journalists near the Netzarim area<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, bringing the total number of journalists killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, 2023, to 292.&nbsp;UN officials said Israeli forces opened fire and carried out artillery shelling in several incidents near the deployment line, killing a 13-year-old boy, three family members in central Gaza, and three brothers near Al-Bureij camp.&nbsp; The agency said at least nine children have also died of hypothermia amid worsening humanitarian conditions. &ldquo;The crisis in Gaza is nowhere near over,&rdquo; said Ajith Sunghay, head of UN Human Rights in the oPt.&nbsp; Gaza ceasefire phase two<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Jan. 14 that phase two of the ceasefire had entered into force, with the framework formally signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos. However, Gaza&#39;s Government Media Office reported nearly 1,300 ceasefire violations since Oct. 10, 2025.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2011478211075391845&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a1b88823706da82b6fabe724b0c5d8a325f7c335&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 393px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Continued operationsIn the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have expanded large-scale operations, displacing thousands of Palestinians and destroying civilian infrastructure, according to the UN. On Jan. 20, Israeli forces stormed the UNRWA headquarters compound in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem and demolished buildings with bulldozers, according to UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the state owns the compound and that the seizure was carried out in accordance with Israeli and international law, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the demolition and urged Israel to immediately cease and restore the compound to the UN. Lazzarini described the move as &ldquo;a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law,&rdquo; warning that it undermined the privileges and immunities of the UN.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2013546502388342823&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a1b88823706da82b6fabe724b0c5d8a325f7c335&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 393px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Wall in the northern West Bank on Jan. 21, 2025, deploying large numbers of troops following drone strikes in Jenin, according to a joint IDF&ndash;Shin Bet statement. At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 35 wounded in the operation&rsquo;s opening hours, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said. Between the launch of Operation Iron Wall on Jan. 21, 2025, and February 2025, UNRWA reported that more than 40,000 Palestinians have been forced from their homes, describing the displacement as the highest since 1967.&nbsp; As of January 2026, UNRWA&rsquo;s Flash Appeal indicates that while the total displacement initially hit 40,000&ndash;45,000, roughly 32,400 people remain in a state of permanent displacement because their homes and camp infrastructure were completely reduced to rubble. Lazzarini said the operation was the longest and most destructive Israeli campaign in the West Bank since the second intifada in the early 2000s. In Nablus governorate, Israeli forces shot four Palestinians on Dec. 30, 2025, near Urif and Einabus, killing one, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). On Jan. 1, Israeli troops shot Palestinians in Al Lubban ash Sharqiya, killing one detainee. Israel said troops were responding to stone-throwing and attempted attacks. Infrastructure and humanitarian impactOver the past two weeks, Israeli authorities demolished 50 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem for lacking building permits, OCHA said. Severe winter weather also damaged or destroyed dozens of tents and makeshift shelters in Bedouin and herding communities. OCHA said that between Oct. 7, 2023, and Jan. 10, 2026, at least 1,059 Palestinians, including 228 children, were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In 2025 alone, 240 Palestinians, including 55 children, were killed by Israeli forces or settlers.UNRWA said at least 851 people sheltering in its buildings have been killed and at least 2,584 injured since the start of the war. International agencies warned that continued military operations, displacement, and restrictions on aid access are undermining ceasefire efforts and deepening the humanitarian crisis across the oPt. &ldquo;This is a time for the international community to intensify pressure to stop the bloodshed and advance a rights-based approach to recovery and reconstruction,&rdquo; Sunghay said.

Palestinians in Gaza City inspect the damage following an Israeli airstrike, 9 October 2023, photo by Mahmud HAMS / AFP (Photo taken from OCHA)

Israeli operations continue across Gaza and the West Bank, despite a second phase of ceasefire in effect since Jan.14, with the UN warning on Friday of ongoing civilian deaths, mass displacement, and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Violence against Palestinians continues across Gaza, West Bank despite ceasefire

JERUSALEM: Israel&#39;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted an invitation to join US President Donald Trump&#39;s &quot;Board of Peace&quot; aimed at resolving conflicts, Netanyahu&#39;s office said Wednesday. &quot;Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he has accepted US President Donald Trump&#39;s invitation and will join as a member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/uae-president-accepts-us-invitation-to-join-board-of-peace" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Board of Peace</a>, which will be composed of leaders of the world,&quot; the office said in a statement. The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of post-war Gaza, but its charter, as seen by AFP, does not appear to limit its role to the Palestinian territory, and members have to pay up to $1 billion for a permanent spot on it. The board &quot;seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict&quot;, reads the preamble of the charter sent to countries invited to participate. It will be chaired by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/muted-anniversary-trump-marks-first-year-back-with-familiar-grievances" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trump</a>&nbsp;himself, who will also &quot;separately serve&quot; as the representative of the United States. Dozens of countries and leaders have said they have received an invitation, including close US allies but also adversaries. Longtime US ally France, however, has indicated it will not join. While announcing the creation of the board last week, Trump also unveiled plans to establish a &quot;Gaza Executive Board&quot; operating under the body. The executive board would include Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi. Netanyahu has strongly objected to their inclusion. Ties between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/10-countries-warn-of-catastrophic-gaza-situation" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Israel attacked Gaza</a>&nbsp;in October 2023. A separate committee of 15 Palestinian technocrats has also been formed to oversee the day-to-day administration of Gaza as part of the second phase of a truce plan announced by Trump in October. The committee, led by Gaza native and former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath, commenced its initial work in Cairo this week.

Trump and Netanyahu speak at a press conference

Israel's Netanyahu accepts US President Donald Trump's invitation to join the 'Board of Peace', according to a statement. 

Israel's Netanyahu accepts Trump invitation to join 'Board of Peace'

JERUSALEM: Israeli bulldozers began demolitions at the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem on Tuesday, in what the organization called an &quot;unprecedented attack&quot;. UNRWA spokesman Jonathan Fowler said in a statement to AFP that Israeli forces &quot;stormed into&quot; the compound shortly after 7 am (0500 GMT) and ousted security guards from the site, before bulldozers entered and began demolishing buildings. &quot;This is an unprecedented attack against UNRWA and its premises. And it also constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations,&quot; Fowler said. &quot;This should be a wake-up call,&quot; he added. &quot;What happens today to UNRWA can happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission around the world.&quot; AFP photos showed heavy machinery demolishing structures at the compound, where an Israeli flag fluttered overhead. An AFP photographer reported that far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had made a brief visit to the site. &quot;This is a historic day, a day of celebration, and a very important day for governance in Jerusalem,&quot; Ben Gvir was quoted as saying in a statement. &quot;For years, these supporters of terrorism were here, and today they are being removed from here along with everything they built in this place. This is what will happen to every supporter of terrorism,&quot; he added. Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of providing cover for Hamas militants, claiming that some of its employees took part in the group&#39;s Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza. A series of investigations, including one led by France&#39;s former foreign minister Catherine Colonna, found some &quot;neutrality-related issues&quot; at UNRWA but stressed Israel had not provided conclusive evidence for its headline allegation. &#39;No immunity&#39;In a statement, the Israeli foreign ministry defended the demolitions and said &quot;the state of Israel owns the Jerusalem compound&quot;. &quot;Today&#39;s move does not constitute a new policy, but rather the implementation of existing Israeli legislation concerning UNRWA-Hamas.&quot; The compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem has been empty of UNRWA staff since January 2025, when a law banning its operations took effect after a months-long battle over its work in the Gaza Strip. &quot;UNRWA-Hamas had already ceased its operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or UN activity there,&quot; the foreign ministry said. &quot;The compound does not enjoy any immunity and the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law,&quot; it added. Though the UNRWA ban applies in east Jerusalem due to its annexation by Israel, the agency still operates in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. In early December, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini denounced the seizure by Israeli authorities of assets from the compound, which police told AFP was part of a debt-collection operation. In a post on X, Lazzarini said authorities took &quot;furniture, IT equipment and other property&quot;, while the compound&#39;s UN flag was replaced with an Israeli one. At the time, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement strongly condemning the &quot;unauthorised entry&quot;, saying the compound remained &quot;United Nations premises and is inviolable and immune from any other form of interference&quot;. Months after the war in Gaza began in October 2023, Israeli authorities declared Guterres and Lazzarini as persona non grata in Israel.

A photograph shows heavy machinery demolishing a structure inside the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem on January 20, 2026. (Photo by ILIA YEFIMOVICH / 

Forces entered the compound at dawn, expelled guards, and used bulldozers to raze buildings, prompting UN accusations of unprecedented violations of international law. Israeli officials said the site lacked immunity under national legislation.

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