Live
By Farah Najjar
Published On 28 Nov 2023

This live page is now closed. Follow the latest on the Israeli war on Gaza on our new live page, here.

29 Nov 2023 - 00:02
 (00:02 GMT)

Thanks for joining us

This live page is now closed. Follow the latest on the Israeli war on Gaza, and the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict, on our new live page, here.

For the latest on the truce extension and talks between US and Israeli spy agencies in Qatar, read our story here.

To learn more about what is behind billionaire Elon Musk’s visit to Israel, read our explainer here.

The truce in Gaza has been more painful than the 50 days that preceded it, writes journalist Afaf Al-Najjar. Read about why she believes so in this opinion piece.

28 Nov 2023 - 23:50
 (23:50 GMT)

Here’s what happened today

We will soon be closing this live page. Here’s a recap of today’s key events.

  • Israeli authorities have freed 30 Palestinian prisoners after 10 Israelis and two foreigners were handed over by Hamas in Gaza.
  • The heads of the US and Israeli intelligence agencies have travelled to Doha for talks with Qatari officials, along with the Egyptian spy chief.
  • Rights group Defense for Children International-Palestine said Israeli forces have killed two children in the occupied West Bank.
  • Israeli forces have raided the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank and prevented Red Crescent ambulances from reaching hospitals in the city.
  • The government media office in Gaza said that 160 bodies have been recovered from the rubble in 24 hours and confirmed that the death toll since October 7 has risen above 15,000.
28 Nov 2023 - 23:45
 (23:45 GMT)

Israeli forces launch one of the ‘largest raids on Jenin in recent years’

By Charles Stratford

Reporting from Ramallah, occupied West Bank

This has been described as one of the largest raids on Jenin in recent years.

Usually these raids on Jenin focus on the refugee camp and we’ve seen repeated raids – since the beginning of the war – in Jenin.

But this is different because it seems to involve a far wider area.

We’ve heard this evening from multiple sources. They are saying that the Israeli military have surrounded hospitals and we understand they are interested in getting to injured people inside the hospitals, some of whom, we understand, may well be injured members of the armed resistance groups.

Jenin, for many years, has been a centre for Palestinian armed resistance groups and that’s why it’s been such a focus of attention by the Israeli military in recent weeks, even months. But there has been this escalation since the war started on October 7.

Already since October 7, 3,290 people have been arrested [in the occupied West Bank] and 168 arrested alone since [the Gaza] ceasefire began and this exchange of prisoners and captives started.

28 Nov 2023 - 23:40
 (23:40 GMT)

UNICEF renews call for Gaza ceasefire

The head of the UN agency, Catherine Russell, also says “aid workers and the children and families they serve” must be protected.

“UNICEF and partners have scaled-up our humanitarian response” during the Gaza truce, she said, “but much more is needed”.

28 Nov 2023 - 23:35
 (23:35 GMT)

Thailand’s deputy prime minister greets freed captives

Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, who is also Thailand’s minister of foreign affairs, met the two latest Thai captives released from Gaza when they arrived at Shamir Medical Center near Tel Aviv.

In a post on X, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the pair released on Tuesday also met with 17 other Thai captives who were released in the first three days of the temporary truce.

The two most recently released Thai citizens were then taken for further medical treatment, the ministry added.

28 Nov 2023 - 23:30
 (23:30 GMT)

More from Kirby, White House spokesman

Kirby has stressed once more that the US supports Israel.

He said one of the goals of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s upcoming visit to the region is to ensure that “Israel knows that they continue to have the support of the United States, that they continue to get the tools and capabilities and weapon systems that they need”.

Asked whether Washington still thinks that destroying Hamas is a realistic objective for Israel, Kirby told reporters, “We believe they have a right and a responsibility to eliminate this terrorist threat.

“And Hamas showed its colours pretty well on October 7, and it’s still a viable threat to the Israeli people.”

28 Nov 2023 - 23:20
 (23:20 GMT)

White House backs extending pause to release captives

Spokesman John Kirby says the US is working “hour by hour” with its partners in the region to free more captives held by Hamas.

“We want to see all the hostages released and so, if there would be extended pauses beyond these two days’ extension, then we’re in favour of that,” Kirby told reporters.

Kirby says Washington wants to see all captives held in Gaza released [File: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]
28 Nov 2023 - 23:10
 (23:10 GMT)

WATCH: Young Palestinian reunited with family after release

Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Jamjoom was reporting live in occupied East Jerusalem from the home of a Palestinian boy released this evening from Israeli prison.

Watch the emotional moment 14-year-old Ahmad Salayme was reunited with his family:

28 Nov 2023 - 23:05
 (23:05 GMT)

Biden slams Hamas, cautions against continuing down ‘path of terror, violence, killing, and war’

It is unclear if Biden – who has resisted widespread calls in the US to pressure Israel to agree to a long-term ceasefire in Gaza – was commenting on prospects of the fighting resuming, as Israeli leaders have promised it will.

28 Nov 2023 - 22:55
 (22:55 GMT)

G7 foreign ministers welcome captive release, support truce extension

A statement issued on behalf of the foreign ministers of the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US and the High Representative of the EU) has backed ongoing international efforts to release captives being held in Gaza, saying that the current pause was “a crucial step towards bringing all remaining hostages home and addressing the full scope of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza”.

“Every effort must be made to ensure humanitarian support for civilians, including food, water, fuel, and medical supplies,” the statement added. “We support the further extension of this pause and future pauses as needed to enable assistance to be scaled up, and to facilitate the release of all hostages.”

The foreign ministers also called on Yemen’s Houthi rebels to stop attacks on civilians “and threats to international shipping lanes” after they reportedly recently seized a ship in the Red Sea.

28 Nov 2023 - 22:40
 (22:40 GMT)

Palestinians sell goods on the streets amid widespread destruction in Gaza

Palestinians sell clothes in front of their destroyed store on the main road in Beit Lahiya [Mohammed Hajjar/AP Photo]
Children sell cigarettes in a main square in Khan Younis [Mohammed Abed/AFP]
Children sell sweets in Jabaliya refugee camp [Mohammed Hajjar/AP Photo]

28 Nov 2023 - 22:30
 (22:30 GMT)

Israeli forces continue to raid Jenin

At least five Palestinians have been wounded in ongoing Israeli raids on the refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

Al Jazeera has learned that Israeli forces are blocking the entrances to Khalil Suliman and Ibn Sina hospitals, and are inching closer to al-Razi Hospital. These are the main hospitals in Jenin.

At least five Palestinians have been arrested so far, local sources told us.

More than 50 armoured vehicles accompanied by at least four bulldozers raided neighbourhoods adjacent to the Jenin refugee camp this evening and locals told Al Jazeera that they’ve seen dozens of soldiers on foot, a rare sight in the area, which has been viewed for months as a hub of armed resistance in the occupied West Bank.

28 Nov 2023 - 22:20
 (22:20 GMT)

Prisoners describe ‘horrific’ conditions in Israeli jails

By Charles Stratford

Reporting from Ramallah, occupied West Bank

There are celebrations here for some of those released prisoners. We’ve spoken to two female prisoners [and] they’re describing – in their words – horrific conditions that they’ve experienced during their incarceration in Israeli jails.

One told us that she was beaten during her arrest, sleepless nights in crowded cells [and] prison staff apparently banging on the doors preventing prisoners from sleeping.

One of the freed prisoners said that a room that was supposed to have two beds in it had 13 prisoners in it.

They spoke about not only sleep deprivation but there also being not enough food. Those that needed medical attention were deprived of that.

Of course, you can see a lot of joy felt by friends and family, who have their loved ones back – but speaking to the prisoners and the families, they say that their joy – as we keep hearing – is incomplete, because everybody is well aware that the war in Gaza is seemingly a long way from being over and there are thousands upon thousands of prisoners still in Israeli jails.

28 Nov 2023 - 22:10
 (22:10 GMT)

One-star ratings and threats: How review-bombing is shaping the Gaza war

By Emily Wilson

Reporting from San Francisco

Every morning, when the coffee shop and art space Fayes opens its doors in San Francisco’s Mission District, an employee writes a message on the chalkboard perched outside.

Usually, the message is funny or a plug for coffee and art. But last month, as the war in Gaza erupted, a different message appeared: “Solidarity with Gaza. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

Fayes co-owner Michael McConnell was out of town at the time the message went up. But when his phone started buzzing with notifications, he knew something was wrong.

One-star reviews were pouring in on popular websites like Yelp. Some complained about “dirty looks” from staff, others about bad table service.

But McConnell was suspicious. Fayes does not have tables at all. And a lot of the commenters appeared to be posting from other parts of the United States, as far away as New York and Michigan.

That’s when it dawned on him: Fayes was in the middle of a review-bombing.

Read more here.

The coffee shop Fayes in San Francisco’s Mission District faced a review-bombing after an employee wrote a pro-Palestinian message on a chalkboard [Emily Wilson/Al Jazeera]
28 Nov 2023 - 21:55
 (21:55 GMT)

US sends aid to Gaza

The US says it airlifted more than 54,000 pounds (about 24,494kg) of aid items intended for Gaza today.

The delivery, which was sent to Egypt, included medical supplies and food, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

This is the first of three planned airlifts in the coming days.

 

28 Nov 2023 - 21:50
 (21:50 GMT)

Gaza Palestinians hope for truce extension amid destruction, lack of supplies

By Tareq Abu Azzoum

Reporting from Khan Younis in Gaza

Only 24 hours remain for them [Palestinians] in order to get prepared to face the new situation if the ceasefire is not extended.

Generally, Palestinians are concentrating on getting much-needed supplies, including food, water, fuel [and] gas.

And they’re also trying to take what remains from their destroyed houses, in terms of clothes, as well.

It’s also important to mention that the telecommunication companies inside the Gaza Strip are working on fixing all the damaged networks that had been attacked by Israeli forces.

Many Palestinians have hope that there [are] going to be renewed diplomatic efforts that might be made in the coming hours, which may lead to an extension of the ceasefire.

28 Nov 2023 - 21:40
 (21:40 GMT)

PRCS says Israeli forces arrest injured person inside its ambulance

The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) says Israeli forces arrested an injured person inside one of its ambulances at the entrance of Jenin Governmental Hospital.

The arrest took place shortly after the PRCS said that its ambulance, which was carrying the injured individual, was prevented from reaching the hospital by Israeli soldiers raiding Jenin.

The injured person had sustained a gunshot wound in the leg, the PRCS earlier said.

28 Nov 2023 - 21:35
 (21:35 GMT)

French UN rep says truce is not enough to address humanitarian needs in Gaza

The French ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere, told Al Jazeera that the “protection of civilians and humanitarian relief should be prioritised” in Gaza.

“We need more. We need the release of all hostages, we need to move to a permanent humanitarian truce and we need to move to a ceasefire,” he said.

When asked if there is momentum in the UN Security Council for a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire, de Riviere said: “I hope that at some stage we’ll be able to do that.”

He also said that he has seen some “progress” in trying to convince the US to support a ceasefire in Gaza.

28 Nov 2023 - 21:20
 (21:20 GMT)

Photos: Palestinians released from Israeli prisons are welcomed home

A Palestinian woman gives the peace sign from inside a Red Cross bus [Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP]
A crowd surrounds a Red Cross bus carrying Palestinians released from Israeli prisons [Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP]
Ahmad Salayme, 14, centre, hugs his father as he arrives home in East Jerusalem [Mahmoud Illean/AP Photo]

28 Nov 2023 - 21:10
 (21:10 GMT)

Father of released Palestinian prisoner says he was warned not to celebrate

By Hoda Abdel-Hamid

Reporting from Ramallah, occupied West Bank

Al Jazeera’s Hoda Abdel-Hamid spoke to the father of a boy who was recently released from an Israeli prison.

Nooman Abu Naim said that he received a call on Friday from someone introducing themselves as an Israeli army captain.

“Make sure that your son is cautious, make sure he doesn’t do anything, make sure you don’t celebrate, make sure you don’t show any enthusiasm,” Abu Naim said he was instructed. “I told him there will be nothing of the sort,” he said.

Abu Naim added that since October 7, life in Israeli prison had become increasingly difficult. His son told him that his blankets, dishes, cutlery and even window curtains were taken away.

“The pressure is being exerted on all Palestinian people, not just our youth,” Abu Naim said.