- About 1.9 million displaced Palestinians fear a new Israeli military onslaught after the defence minister pledged to attack an area once described as a “safe zone”.
- Israeli officials dismiss concerns over settler violence against Palestinians in occupied West Bank after US sanctions four Israeli settlers for their role in undermining “peace, security, and stability”.
- Qatar says Hamas responded positively to receiving a proposal to halt the war in Gaza, but a final deal is “weeks” away.
- At least 27,019 people have been killed and 66,139 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.
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Syrian military says Israel targeted southern Damascus: State media
The Syrian military has said that it downed a number of Israeli missiles launched from the Golan Heights, according to state news agency Sana citing a military source.
The missiles were targeting a southern area in the capital Damascus, the report said.
US approves plan for strikes on Iran-linked targets in Iraq, Syria: Report
The United States reportedly approved a plan to attack Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the killing of three soldiers.
US broadcaster CBS News reports the White House approved the targeting of Iranian personnel and facilities inside the two countries in response to the drone attack on Sunday at the Tower 22 base near the border between Syria and Jordan.
Read the full story here.
Footage shows destruction of at-Twam district in northern Gaza
Palestinian journalists and activists shared footage on social media depicting the destruction of the at-Twam area in northern Gaza from Israeli shelling.
The videos showed the impact of the attacks on neighbourhoods and residential squares. Palestinian residents returned to inspect their homes after they were targeted by Israeli forces.
Palestinian activist Karam Naji, a resident, said in a video clip on his Instagram account he returned to the neighbourhood to check on his home following a brief cessation of fighting there.
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Jordan arrests 4 Israelis for illegally crossing the border
The Jordanian army arrested four Israelis, soldiers among them, for illegally crossing the border, Israeli television station Channel 14 reports.
The Israelis, who were detained near the city of Aqaba in Jordan, were released after several hours with the help of “political intervention”.
They “accidentally entered the Aqaba area on Thursday during an ATV [all-terrain vehicle] trip”, the news report said.
“Because of Jordan’s desire not to inflame the situation, the four young men were released at 1am after it was discovered they crossed by mistake.”
Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/2/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-downplays-settler-violence-in-west-bank