Israeli forces have launched new airstrikes across multiple areas of the Gaza Strip, despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement leading to multiple casualties.
Israel’s government has approved the creation of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that analysts say further undermines the prospects for a viable Palestinian state.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 21st of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A mass wedding brought together 203 grooms and 203 brides in the Zawayda area of the central Gaza Strip on 18 December. The ceremony was organised by the Turkish Ribat Association.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has greenlit a landmark energy agreement that will see Israel export natural gas valued at approximately $35 billion to Egypt.
A fresh humanitarian emergency is unfolding across the Gaza Strip as torrential winter rains batter fragile encampments, leaving thousands of civilians vulnerable just months after the October ceasefire.
Austria’s public broadcaster ORF, which is hosting the Eurovision Song Contest next year, has said it will not block Palestinian flags in the audience or suppress crowd reactions during Israel’s performance.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration is examining whether Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement by conducting an airstrike on Saturday (13 December) that killed Hamas leader Raad Saad.
World leaders have expressed condolences and solidarity after 15 people were killed in a mass shooting during Hanukkah celebrations at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday (14 December).
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Australia’s policies had encouraged antisemitism after a shooting at a Jewish celebration in Sydney’s Bondi Beach that killed at least 11 people.
The Israeli military said Raed Saed, described as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, was killed on Saturday when a vehicle was hit in Gaza City.
Hundreds of people gathered for a second consecutive week at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, on Friday (12 December), to support the family of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining Israeli hostage whose body is believed to be held in Gaza.
Torrential rain has swept across Gaza, flooding hundreds of tents and homes sheltering families displaced by years of conflict, raising concerns that the fragile ceasefire may be cracking as authorities struggle to manage the growing humanitarian crisis.
Israel’s position that phase two of the Gaza ceasefire cannot begin without the final hostage being returned is intended to pressure Hamas rather than halt the U.S. plan, analyst Nuno Wahnon Martins tells AnewZ.
Israel and U.S. are set to discuss the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire plan on 29 December according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, saying discussions will focus on the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, regional peace prospects and the future governance of the Strip.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that Hamas can only disarm once a credible Palestinian civil administration and a properly vetted, trained police force are in place.
Greek lawmakers approved the purchase of 36 PULS rocket artillery systems from Israel, valued at approximately 650 million euros ($757.84 million), according to two officials familiar with the matter on Thursday.
Israel was cleared on Thursday to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, a decision made by the organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which sparked a major controversy.
The head of an armed Palestinian faction that opposes Hamas in Gaza died while mediating a family dispute, the group said on Thursday.
Israel was given the green light to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday, after the organising body decided not to hold a vote on its inclusion, despite threats of boycotts from some countries over the Gaza conflict.
Israel’s participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be discussed on Thursday (4 December), as the organising body, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) meet in Geneva to consider whether the country can compete amid threats from some nations to withdraw over the ongoing Gaza war.
Israel received a body that Hamas said was one of the last two deceased hostages in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, as Israel said it would allow Gaza's gateway to Egypt to open once all hostages were returned.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic has closed its security gaps after Israel and U.S. repeatedly bombed the country in June.
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