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Best of Jordan & Israel 13 Day Tour

Many departure dates year round.

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Price per person double occupancy.

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Price Includes: Amman Airport Greet & Assist Service (eliminates $60 visa fee normally required on arrival), 4 star lodging, expert Biblical guides, admissions, baggage handling, sightseeing, breakfast & dinner daily, 1 lunch, border taxes.

Please Note: Jordan and Israel gratuities will be paid in advance ($170 per person will be added to your final invoice for gratuities to be paid to drivers, guides and hotel staff).

Not Included: Flight departures (low cost fares available nationwide), most lunches & gratuities.

Airport transfers are included only when airfare is purchased from Pilgrim Tours. Taxi service is available for those purchasing their airfare elsewhere.

Deposit Required: A $300 per person US Dollar deposit (which includes a $100 non-refundable service fee) is required to secure a reservation.

"Come, let us rejoice in the God of our salvation. For He is gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find great peace and joy for your soul".

Day 1: Departure

Our life-changing journey begins this evening as we board our overnight flight to Jordan.

Day 2: Arrival Jordan

We arrive in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and transfer to our lodging for the evening in Amman.

Day 3: Jerash, Petra

This morning we travel to Jerash, one of the best preserved and most complete provincial Roman cities. Jerash, Gerasa of Roman Times, was one of the cities of the Decapolis, a confederation of 10 Graeco-Roman cities dating from the 1st century BC situated in Jordan, Syria and Israel. Known as the Pompeii of the East for its extraordinary state of preservation, the ruins indicate human occupations at this location for more than 2,500 years. From here, we continue on to our lodging for the evening in Petra.

Day 4: Petra

This morning we visit the amazing mountain fortress of Petra, known to be inhabited by the Edomites - the descendants of Esau. Begin the tour with a walk through the "Siq," an immense crack in the Nabatean sandstone, to the city of Petra carved out of the rose red rock. The Treasury, El Khazneh, is one of the most elegant remains of antiquity. Beyond El Khazneh we are surrounded on both sides by hundreds of Petra's carved and built structures. Departing Petra, we travel northward on the King's Highway where to the west we view the hills bordering the Dead Sea. This is the area of the hilltop palace/fortress of Machaerus, where John the Baptist was beheaded. We overnight in Amman this evening.

Day 5: Mt Nebo, Madaba, Tel Aviv

Our morning tour begins in the town of Madaba, the biblical Medeba, 30 kilometers south of Amman. Madaba is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George we view the earliest surviving mosaic map of the Holy land. Mt. Nebo, believed to be the site of the tomb of Moses, commands a spectacular view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Study the panorama as we read the scripture of God showing Moses the "Promised Land" before He brought him home to heaven. As we travel west toward the Allenby Bridge, we view to the north the Plains of Moab, the area where the tribes of Israel camped before crossing the Jordan and picture the place where Jesus was baptized. Crossing the Jordan River into Israel, we drive to Tel Aviv area with the remainder of the afternoon free. You may wish to take a devotional time with the sunset over the “Great Sea,” a time of prayer and thanks for the special blessings ahead, a prayer for the people of this land, and then enjoy a good night’s rest.

Day 6: Caesarea, Megiddo, & Nazareth

After breakfast, we travel by private motor coach along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea, where Gentiles first heard the Good News from Peter and were baptized. We’ll see the Roman Amphitheatre, hippodrome, a film on history and the remains of this famous port city, an aqueduct, and then journey through the Mt. Carmel range, where Elijah challenged King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. Next we travel through the Jezreel Valley to Megiddo, the Armageddon battlefield, where archaeologists have unearthed 20 levels of civilization. We drive through the area of Cana and Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, where we visit the Nazareth Village, a wonderful recreation of Biblical times with costumed guides. We will have dinner and overnight lodging for the next three nights along the Sea of Galilee.

Day 7: Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Jesus Boat, Sea of Galilee Boat Ride, Magdala

Following breakfast, our morning travels take us to two valuable northern sites. Dan is where the children of Israel fell to the depths of alternative sacrifice and Caesarea Philippi, the site of Peter’s confession and pagan worship. We pass the possible site of the multiplication of loaves and fishes in Bethsaida and the Mount of the Beatitudes. Returning to Galilee for a St. Peter’s fish lunch (other selections available), we then visit the ancient fisherman boat followed by a relaxing cruise on the Sea of Galilee. A brief scripture reading and devotional on board brings to life the experiences of Jesus and the fishermen disciples. We conclude our day with a visit to Magdala, hometown of Mary Magdalene. The recent excavation of the first century synagogue and well-preserved village makes Magdala one of the most interesting Biblical sites in Israel.

Day 8: Capernaum, Corazin, Mt. Arbel, Jordan River Baptism Site

Today we visit the Biblical towns of Capernaum and Corazin. Capernaum is located along the Sea of Galilee and was the hometown of Peter. It is likely where Jesus and the disciples lived during much of His ministry while in Galilee. Next, we visit Corazin which offers another example of a Jewish synagogue and a replica of the “Seat of Moses” which was carved out of the local basalt block and from which the scribes and Pharisees would have read the Torah. We enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Galilee region atop Mt. Arbel. Mt. Arbel could likely be the location that Jesus would get away from the crowds to take time in prayer with His heavenly Father. Here our guide will point out the various towns listed in scripture during the time of Jesus. We conclude our day with an opportunity to be baptized at the Jordan River Baptismal Site.

Day 9: Beit Shean, Bethany Beyond Jordan, Abraham's Tent, Mt. of Olives & Garden of Gethsemane

We travel southward this morning to Beit-Shean/Scythopolis, the most magnificent archeological site in Israel, located at the strategic juncture of the Jezreel and Jordan valleys. Like Jericho, it has been almost continuously occupied throughout history. After defeating Saul and his sons on Mt. Gilboa, the Philistines hanged their bodies on the walls of Beit-Shean. During the time of Jesus, Scythopolis was one of the chief cities of the Decapolis - a league of ten cities sharing Greek culture and government. Following the fertile Jordan Valley southward, your guide will point out the agricultural restoration of the “Land of Milk and Honey” and Israel’s intricate irrigation development. We pass ancient Jericho and view from a distance this city famed as the oldest in the world. To the east of Jericho along the Jordan River Valley (Queser El Yehud) is the Israeli side of Bethany Beyond the Jordan. In this area Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist; Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan; and the children of Israel, led by Joshua, entered the Promised Land. This afternoon we will take part in the Genesis Land/Dinner in Abraham's Tent, where we enjoy a trip back in time to relive life in the time of the Patriarchs, complete with costume, dramatic presentation, camel ride and authentic food. Arriving in Jerusalem we’ll enjoy a beautiful view of the Old City atop the Mt. of Olives and then the Garden of Gethsemane. How many have wished to be whisked back in time to get a glimpse of our Lord or hear His voice if only for a moment? To walk between the ancient olive trees, read the scriptures of Jesus' prayer and take time for personal reflection is important here. We will have dinner and overnight lodging for the next four nights in Jerusalem.

Day 10: Masada, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea Scrolls, Dead Sea Swim

Our day begins with a cable car ride to the mountain top fortress of Masada. Here our guide will treat us to the history of the famous zealot stand. Afterwards we proceed to Ein Gedi, "Spring of the Goat," an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea. Because of its warm climate and abundant supply of water, the site developed a reputation for its fragrant plants and date palm groves. This is where King David hid from Saul and where God defeated the enemies of the Israelites by praise and worship led by King Jehoshaphat. Next, we visit the Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. This afternoon we have an opportunity to enjoy a relaxing float in the Dead Sea.

Day 11: Jesus’ Steps, Western Walls, Southern Steps, Way of Suffering, Garden Tomb

Today we walk where Jesus walked, beginning the day with a visit to the Wailing Wall and then the fascinating Rabbinical Tunnels leading us through the Second Temple era. The tunnel and exhibit give a clear understanding of the amazing construction of the Temple Mount, giant stones, water supply and Roman street where our Lord was led to judgment. Before exiting the tunnel, we see the immense cornerstone rejected by the builders. Next, we visit the Southern Wall Excavations. This southern side of The Temple was the main entrance for the common folk, whereas the Priests and Levites had their own entrance from the higher eastern side. Parts of the giant stairs, which led to the Temple Mount from the courtyard have been unearthed along with the purification pools. From here Jesus entered the Temple Mount and drove out the vendors and money exchangers who were exploiting the people. It is also likely that this is the place where Peter stood and preached and where thousands were saved and baptized on the Day of Pentecost. This afternoon we move on to the Judgment Hall of Pilate, hear of those who conspired against Him and are reminded of His brutal beating and humiliation. From here we will also be able to see the Pool of Bethesda, Stephen's Gate, and St. Anne’s Church. While walking along the Via Dolorosa, we are reminded of His way of suffering along with a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Our guide will explain the differing opinions on the route where Christ was led. (The actual place of crucifixion and burial is a very interesting study!) The climax of the day is the area of Golgotha (place of the skull) and the Garden Tomb, where we celebrate the resurrection with communion and a time of praise.

Day 12: Israel Museum, Friends of Zion Museum, Bethlehem

An interesting and educational time awaits us today at the Israeli Museum. Walk through collections of century’s old Israeli artifacts including the Dead Sea Scrolls, and then a guided walk through an accurately detailed model of Biblical Jerusalem. This model will help put into perspective all that you have seen over the previous days’ touring. We then visit the Friends of Zion Museum to learn of the 19th and 20th century heroes of the Jewish people. We spend the remainder of the day surrounding the birth of Christ with a visit to Bethlehem. This evening we enjoy a special lecture by a local believer prior to dinner, giving us a perspective of Messianic life in Israel.

Day 13: Home

A very early morning departure for the Tel Aviv Airport for our flight homeward will allow for arrival home by early afternoon.

Important Note: Although the itinerary above obviously emphasizes the spiritual aspect of this marvelous country, our guides are also experts in and passionate about the miracle of the return of the Jews and the restoration of the state of Israel. This fact, along with many modern day topics (military, politics, education, and other cultural aspects), will be woven into the commentary in order to give you well rounded information.

*The tour itinerary is subject to change or be slightly modified in order to best meet the interests of the group.

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Egypt, Jordan and Israel Tours & Trips

Egypt , the gateway to the Middle East , carries centuries of history along the Nile River past Egyptian pyramids and temples. Once you reach Cairo, you can easily get to Israel 's holy land in Jerusalem. You'll notice that despite their proximity, Tel Aviv has an entirely different vibe and just a few kilometres over the border, Jordan hides another ancient treasure, a valley of magnificent temples and tombs, known as Petra .

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My wife and I went on a 17-day tour of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. The tour was well orchestrated. All the details of getting into and out of countries were handled professionally and with little cause of concern to us. Hand-offs between countries went well. We were guided by knowledgable people who had our best interests at heart (with possibly one exception).The only real complaint I have is that TourRadar turned out to be more of a facilitator than a tour agency with its own guides. I was confused when we got to Israel and found that neither TourRadar nor Click Tours (which answered my online questions) was the agency actually leading the tours. Not knowing that we would be connecting with Consolidated Tour Operators (CTO) led to some initial confusion in the Tel Aviv airport. Expecting to be linked up with Click Tours and knowing nothing about CTO, we missed connecting with the airport facilitator in Tel Aviv for nearly an hour while each of tried to find the other. If I had been told to look for a CTO representative, our stressful introduction to the tour would have gone much more smoothly. In Israel and Jordan, CTO handled our tour. In Egypt, the agency was Sylvia. I had expected to be part of a group that held together for the entire 17 days, but that wasn't the case. Groups formed and disbanded based on what individuals planned to visit. In Israel there were 11 of us, and we bonded quickly. In Jordan I was surprised that our group dwindled to five. And in Egypt there was only my wife and me. That left us vulnerable in Egypt to the care of our guide, who, because there was just the two of us, managed to fleece us of $150. I would never have signed up with TourRadar if I had understood that my wife and I would be left alone at one point without the safety of a group and unprepared to deal with a guide we didn't fully trust.

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Arrival at Tel Aviv was not as expected. I have to wait more than 30 min for the guide showing my name. They didn´t answer phne, but after 35 min I received a call. Transfer to Jordan and Egypt borders was well organized.

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What people love about egypt, jordan and israel tours.

My wife and I went on a 17-day tour of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. The tour was well orchestrated. All the details of getting into and out of countries were handled professionally and with little cause of concern to us. Hand-offs between countries went well. We were guided by knowledgable people who had our best interests at heart (with possibly one exception).The only real complaint I have is that TourRadar turned out to be more of a facilitator than a tour agency with its own guides. I was confused when we got to Israel and found that neither TourRadar nor Click Tours (which answered my online questions) was the agency actually leading the tours. Not knowing that we would be connecting with Consolidated Tour Operators (CTO) led to some initial confusion in the Tel Aviv airport. Expecting to be linked up with Click Tours and knowing nothing about CTO, we missed connecting with the airport facilitator in Tel Aviv for nearly an hour while each of tried to find the other. If I had been told to look for a CTO representative, our stressful introduction to the tour would have gone much more smoothly. In Israel and Jordan, CTO handled our tour. In Egypt, the agency was Sylvia. I had expected to be part of a group that held together for the entire 17 days, but that wasn't the case. Groups formed and disbanded based on what individuals planned to visit. In Israel there were 11 of us, and we bonded quickly. In Jordan I was surprised that our group dwindled to five. And in Egypt there was only my wife and me. That left us vulnerable in Egypt to the care of our guide, who, because there was just the two of us, managed to fleece us of $150. I would never have signed up with TourRadar if I had understood that my wife and I would be left alone at one point without the safety of a group and unprepared to deal with a guide we didn't fully trust.

What a great trip every thing went brilliant, thank you

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844.947.7235 or 844.9ISRAEL

Israel & Jordan

Thursday departures.

Tour Departs on:   Thursdays Number of Nights:   11 Starting:   May 9th, 2024   |   Through:   May 15th, 2025

An Isram Israel Exclusive Tour Limited to 28 participants

• Tour Overview
• Detailed Itinerary

Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, Petra, Amman

Tour includes, deluxe hotels.

• All Transfers as indicated
• All Touring with Professional Isram Guide Services
• All Entrance Fees to sites as indicated
• VIP Assistance for Crossing at Allenby Bridge
• Permit for entry to Jordan (USA or Canadian passports only)
• Buffet Breakfast Daily

Thursday: En Route

Depart the U.S.A. on your flight to Israel.

Friday: Tel Aviv

Welcome to Israel! Arrive Ben Gurion Airport; special meeting, assistance and transfer to your hotel in trendy Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean beach. Balance of the afternoon at leisure. Tonight, Get Together Dinner. (D)

Saturday: Tel Aviv

Morning walking tour through the city’s well known streets including Dizengoff Square ending at Ben Gurion House, former residence of the First Prime Minister. Early afternoon optional visit to Machon Ayalon, the fascinating underground Ammunitions Factory (must be pre-booked with minimum 2 persons; $120 per person including roundtrip transfers). Remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy all of the delights of this Mediterranean paradise. (B)

Sunday: Tel Aviv/Haifa

Depart Tel Aviv and drive to the extraordinary Israeli Museum at the Yitzhak Rabin Center. Continue to ancient Caesarea; explore the Roman and Crusader ruins including the impressive 2,000-year-old theater and aqueduct. Arrive in Nazareth, the sacred town where Jesus spent part of his youth; visit the Church and view Mary’s Well. On to the sparkling port city of Haifa; check into your hotel atop Mt. Carmel. Evening: Enjoy Dinner and a special cultural presentation (subject to min. 10 participants). (B.D)

Monday: Haifa

View the golden-domed Baha’i Shrine and visit the breathtaking “Hanging Gardens”, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Drive along the coast to Rosh Hanikra; descend by cable car to see the magnificent underwater grottoes. Continue through the picturesque seaside town of Nahariya to the timeless Crusader city of Acre; walk through the subterranean city and bazaars that recall the colorful middle Ages. Then, to Safed, one of Judaism’s holiest cities; visit the ancient synagogues and the charming Artists’ Quarter. Return to your hotel for overnight. (B)

Tuesday: Haifa/Jerusalem

Depart Haifa en route Capernaum to see the fantastic ruins of the ancient synagogue dating back to the 5th-century. Ascend the strategic Golan Heights and learn about the 20th century battles. Continue to Katzrin, capital of the Golan and to the Monument of the 7th Brigade. In the magnificent strip of the Golan known for producing the finest wines in the world, enjoy wine tasting and a tour of the wine making process. Continue for a visit to a former Syrian army bunker at Kibbutz Kfar Charuv, settled by Americans and Israelis together. Enjoy a late lunch in the communal dining room. Then drive south to Jerusalem, stopping first for a blessing and a toast to our arrival in the eternal city. Overnight in Israel’s capital. (B.L)

Wednesday: Jerusalem

Drive to Hadassah Medical Center to the see the sublime Chagall Windows. On to Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Memorial and Museum of the Holocaust, visit the Children’s Pavilion and Avenue of the Righteous. Then, continue to Mount Herzl to pay respects to Israel’s founders and heroes. Pass the Supreme Court and the Knesset (Parliament) en route to the Shrine of the Book, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Walk through the Israel Museum and the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden; see the Scale Model of ancient Jerusalem. Evening: Night Tour of illuminated Jerusalem followed by a restaurant dinner and the “Night Spectacular” Sound & Light Show at the Citadel Museum (weather and schedule permitting). (B.D)

Thursday: Jerusalem

Drive to Mt. Zion to visit the Tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. Enter the Old City to the restored Jewish Quarter; walk along the Cardo – the main street of Byzantine Jerusalem. Continue to the Western Wall, the last remnant of the Second Temple and view the Dome of the Rock. Proceed through the Hasmonean Tunnel (tunnel schedule permitting) or tour the Herodian Mansions, a completely excavated residential quarter from 2000 years ago. Follow the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; stroll through the exotic bazaars. End today with a visit to the fabulous Friends of Zion Heritage Center before returning to your hotel; or, an optional visit to Bethlehem may be arranged. (B)

Friday: Jerusalem

Descend through the Judean desert to the Dead Sea, lowest point on Planet Earth. Ascend Masada by cable car and see this last stronghold of the Zealots in their struggle against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod the Great’s palace, synagogue and bathhouse. Then, opportunity to enjoy an “unsinkable” swim in the buoyant waters of the Dead Sea. Drive via the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, on your return to Jerusalem. Stop at the Western Wall, time permitting, beautifully illuminated on this Sabbath eve before arriving to the hotel. Tonight, home traditional dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B.D)

Saturday: Jerusalem

Enjoy a full day at leisure for relaxation and on your own exploration. For those still craving to see and do as much as possible, your tour manager will provide tickets to the Museum of the History of Jerusalem in the Old City, definitely worth a visit! Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)

Sunday: Jerusalem / Petra, Jordan

Morning transfer from Jerusalem to the Allenby/ King Hussein Bridge. Our representative will meet you at the Terminal Building on the Israeli side of the Border, attend to all required procedures at this crossing and escort you to the awaiting vehicle to begin your tour of Jordan; an Exclusive Isram Service with no waiting for shuttle buses! Meet your Jordanian guide and begin your drive through the dramatic desert scenery of the Kings Highway. First stop is the Byzantine Church of Mt. Nebo, highest point of the Moabite mountain range, offering a remarkable view of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Then proceed to Madaba, home to some of the finest Byzantine mosaics in the world. View the 6th century mosaic map of the Holyland. After lunch, visit the magnificent crusader castle of Kerak before continuing on to Petra. Dinner and overnight in Petra. (B.L.D.)

Monday: Petra / Amman

Today, discover a most unforgettable day in the “hidden” city of Petra. Travel on horseback or on foot into the “rose-red” city to the awesome “Siq”, a winding canyon road. Continue by foot to visit one of Petra’s most impressive monument, the Treasury, made famous in the movie “Indiana Jones”, carved out of solid rock from the side of the mountain. Beyond the Treasury, you’ll discover soaring temples, elaborate royal tombs, a theatre, burial chambers and water channels. After lunch, depart Petra and drive north to Amman. Check into your hotel for overnight. (B.L)

Tuesday: Amman / Jerash / Ajloun / Israel (Ben Gurion Airport) / En Route

Begin with a tour of Amman, the capital of Jordan. See the Roman Theatre and the Citadel containing the remains of the massive Temple of Hercules. Continue to Jerash, known as the “Pompeii of the East”, one of the world’s best-preserved Greco-Roman cities. Tour the Temples of Artemis and Zeus, the Roman Forum, Hadrian’s Arch, the massive Theatre and the mile-long Street of Columns. On to Saladin’s 12th-century mountain top castle, Ajloun Castle, one of the finest examples of military architecture. Enjoy a late afternoon lunch before continuing to the border between Jordan and Israel – Sheikh Hussein. Cross to Israel and transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your late evening flight home arriving U.S.A. the next day; special assistance is provided for check-in services. (B.L) Note: Passengers extending in Israel may be transferred to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv with an additional charge.

Scroll right for more prices.

May ’24 – May ’25

Prices Oct’24-May’25 are subject to change.  * Revised touring in Israel due to holidays.

Tour guaranteed on minimum of 4 passengers. Should the tour fall below 4 passengers, you’ll be offered the option of touring by Share-a-car in Israel at a supplement of $495 per person (3 persons minimum).

Border Crossing Fees are not included and must be paid locally (approximately $75 per person at printing).

ꝉ SINGLE TRAVELING ALONE, PLEASE INQUIRE as subject to confirmation of minimum participants required throughout this tour. Additional supplement applies.

THIS PROGRAM MAY OPERATE ENDING AT AMMAN AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE HOME.  Please inquire.

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Jordan and Israel Discovery

12 day escorted tour.

Home to a host of iconic sights such as Petra, Jerusalem and Nazareth the area is also blessed with stunning desert landscapes, the vibrant colours of the Dead Sea and picturesque Galilee.

• Sail the Sea of Galilee taking in the Mount of Beatitudes and ruins of Capernaum
• Explore Temple Mount, including the gleaming, golden Dome of the Rock
• Visit the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth
• Wander the archaeological ruins of Bet Shean
• Marvel at the ancient rock-cut tombs of Petra and Little Petra
• Tour Amman, visiting the Blue Mosque and the vast ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre
• Jeep safari through the dramatic dunes of Wadi Rum with a desert camp stay
• Relax on the Dead Sea coast

Depart on your scheduled flight to Tel Aviv. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in picturesque Galilee.

Breakfast & Dinner

The Sea of Galilee is home to some of Christianity and Judaism's most important sites; the area around this lake also offers rolling hills, valleys and quaint, small towns. Enjoy a day exploring the biblical sites of this region, set against this picturesque backdrop. Sail the Sea of Galilee as you cross these waters by boat to the ruins of the former fishing village of Capernaum, once home to the apostles Simon, Peter, Andrew, James and John. Continue onward to the secluded site of the feeding of the 5,000 before visiting the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Christ gave his Sermon on the Mount. Today, the site is a tranquil garden with a Byzantine church featuring stained glass depictions of the eight beatitudes and sweeping views over the lake and countryside. This afternoon a tour of a local kibbutz gives you a chance to witness this unique, communal style of living and learn more about the values of social equality and shared ownership that underpin these communities.

Depart Galilee for Jerusalem, stopping en route in Nazareth where you can wander the cavernous interior of the Church of Annunciation, believed to be the home of the Virgin Mary. Continue north to the extensive archaeological ruins of Bet Shean, best known as the site where King Saul was killed by the Philistines. Explore the fascinating excavations peppered throughout the area, which include amphitheatres, bathing houses and pagan temples. Continue to Jerusalem, passing through the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley, dotted with palm-filled date farms.

We start the day with a panoramic view from Mount of Olives, as you make your way to the centuries-old religious monuments of Temple Mount, including the gleaming, golden Dome of the Rock - an Islamic shrine and important pilgrimage site. Churches, mosques, and synagogues lie side by side in Jerusalem, a site of spiritual significance for three of the world's major religions. On today's tour, follow a part of the path Jesus took to his crucifixion as you walk the Via Dolorosa, a winding street that leads to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. A visit to this church gives you access to two of Christianity's holiest sites - the hill of crucifixion and the tomb where Christ was buried and resurrected. Continue onward and join the pilgrims fervently praying at the Wailing (or Western) Wall. In the afternoon visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum where you will gain insight into the experiences of the Jewish people during World War Two. The nine galleries of the museum display photograph, films, documents, letters, works of art, and personal items found in the camps and ghettos of Nazi Germany.

Drive to the Allenby Bridge where you will cross from Israel into Jordan.

A morning tour of Amman's historic downtown area takes in the cultural artefacts of the Archaeological and Folklore Museums, the hilltop ruins of the Citadel, the mosaic dome of the Blue Mosque and the vast ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre. Continue to the ancient city of Jerash which teems with well-preserved Roman ruins. Witness its longstanding theatres, soaring hilltop temples, and spacious public squares and plazas before returning to your hotel in Amman.

Set out for the city of Madaba, famous for its 6th century map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land as well as its spectacular Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics. Travel onward to Mount Nebo, renowned as the biblical city where Moses was granted a view of the 'Promised Land' that he would never enter. From here, journey south to explore Al Karak's imposing 12th-century crusader's castle before continuing to Petra for your overnight stay.

Today's exploration of the awe-inspiring city of Petra starts with a dramatic entry through a long, narrow gorge flanked by soaring cliffs. Pass dazzling rock formations before the final turn opens to a view of the iconic 2,000-year-old facade of the treasury. Believed to be a royal tomb, the impressive rock-hewn site may be recognised from the film 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'. Continuing deeper into the ancient city, you'll have a full day to explore its elaborate, rock-cut tombs, temples, sacrificial altars and Roman-style theatres.

After breakfast, visit Al Beidha, known as 'Little Petra' for the similarity of its rock-cut tombs and structures. Witness centuries-old dining halls, washrooms, fountains and rooms which are skilfully hewn into the stone. Next, travel further south to the undulating desert dunes of Wadi Rum where you'll embark on a scenic jeep safari. Described by T.E Lawrence as 'vast, Home to a host of iconic sights such as Petra, Jerusalem and Nazareth the area is also blessed with stunning desert landscapes, the vibrant colours of the Dead Sea and picturesque Galilee echoing and god-like', the locals refer to the untamed sea of red sand as the 'Valley of the Moon'. Soak in the breath-taking crimson mountains, canyons and dunes and overnight in a desert camp.

Transfer from Wadi Rum to the Dead Sea. A day at leisure provides the perfect opportunity for relaxation or a trip to the shores of Dead Sea where you can float on its salty waters and cover yourself in its rejuvenating, black mud.

Take another day to relax on the Dead Sea or explore this area of incredible colour and beauty.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

This tour can be booked by calling 0330 818 8907

Sorry we cannot book this tour online at the moment.

Accommodation

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Jordan and Israel Discovery with Dead Sea Beach Stay

Jordan and Israel Discovery with Aqaba Beach Stay

Important information.

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. Some road construction &/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

To enter Israel, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least one blank page.

Isreal visa requirements

A visa is not required for entry into Israel as a tourist. On entry, visitors are granted leave to enter for a period of up to 3 months. Visitors entering viaTel Aviv Ben Gurion airport are given an entry card instead of an entry stamp in their passport. You should keep your entry card with your passport until you leave. We recommend you check with your destination's tourist board or embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.

To enter Jordan, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least one blank page.

Jordan visa requirements

A visa is required for your trip to Jordan. For UK Nationals, the Jordanian Government has waived visa fees for travellers staying a minimum of two consecutive nights. Our representative in Jordan will apply for this visa on your behalf, therefore, please ensure that you have uploaded your passport information to 'My Booking' on the Mercury Holidays website at least 60 days prior to departure. Failure to receive this in the given time will mean that we are unable to apply for a visa on your behalf, and you will need to obtain your own visa. You can get a single-entry visa valid for 1 month on arrival at the airports or the Sheikh Hussein/North Border crossing at the Jordan/Israel border. We recommend you check with your destination's tourist board or embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding visas and passport validity.

Previous travel to Israel Evidence of a previous visit to Israel like an Israeli entry/exit stamp in your passport does not normally cause any difficulties when entering Jordan. It is, however, for the Jordanian authorities to determine the right of entry into the country. If you have any concerns, you should contact the Consulate of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in London.

IMPORTANT: Please note that final flight details, including terminal, airline and baggage allowance, will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk , http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/ , www.hpa.org.uk , your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of Jordan and Israel Discovery is rated “Intermediate”. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and may be getting on and off coaches, trains and boats and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.

The currency in Israel is the Israel Shekel (ILS/NIS). The local currency, USD ($) or Euro (€) are accepted. ATMs and exchange facilities are available. We advise that you request bank notes in smaller denominations, as it can sometimes be hard to get change from large notes and smaller notes are handy for smaller purchases. Credit cards are widely accepted but debit cards are not.

The currency in Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar, known as JOD, but US Dollars are also widely accepted in the major cities. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in the local currency.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any personal purchases, such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £350 - £450 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour.

In Israel tipping is at your discretion however it is customary. For the guide we suggest approximately $8-$10 per person per day and for the driver we suggest approximately $4-$5 per person per day. For porters we suggest $1 per person and for waiters it is generally 10% - 12% of the bill.

In Jordan tipping is at your discretion however it is also customary. For the airport representative we suggest approximately JOD 1 per person, for the local guide we suggest approximately JOD 2 per person per day and for the driver we suggest approximately JOD 2 per person per day. For porters we suggest JOD 1 per person and for waiters it is generally JOD 1 per person.

Tips are accepted in the local currency or USD ($), however it is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency that you only pay with notes, as coins cannot be exchanged.

There is a departure tax to be paid when crossing from Israel to Jordan. This must be paid locally in local currency and is approximately £45.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 15, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 15 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

In Israel you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of your time there. On Day 5 when you cross the border, your Israeli guide will take you to the border and then you will be met by a representative on the Jordanian side. In Jordan you will have a guide during the days you have activities, when you have days at leisure the guide will not accompany you.

For Private Tours or groups of 6 and lower, you will be accompanied by a qualified Driver/Guide.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Jordan. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where possible. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.

Desert Camp

During this tour you will have a night’s stay at the Wadi Rum Magic Camp. Your stay will be in a comfortable tent with en suite facilities, whilst this is a unique experience facilities in the desert are necessarily of a lower standard than those in hotels through the tour. Enjoy traditional Bedouin food, cooked authentically each night.

Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels.

Ramadan is the most important month in the Muslim Calendar, and it is a time for people to be with their loved ones, self-reflect and renew their faith. During this time Muslims fast from dawn until dusk and abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum. If you are a tourist visiting Israel, you will not be expected to fast. While eating, drinking and smoking is strictly prohibited in public places, hotels/cruises will offer meals and non-alcoholic drinks at many of their restaurants and bars. If you wish to consume alcohol during your trip, only 5* hotels serve alcoholic beverages. Your guide during your tour will be on hand to give you any additional information that you require.

Modest clothes are required while in Israel, this means covering of knees and no sleeveless shirts. A head covering is also required for visiting holy sites.

On your arrival in Tel Aviv you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Isram Israel, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Isram Israel representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. On arrival in Jordan, a Travco Representative will meet you at passport control and show you to your transfer vehicle.

If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

Isram Israel: Telephone: 00972 3 694 7777 Email: [email protected]

Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for Isram Israel 24-hour phone number: 00972 52 588 8760

Travco Jordan: Telephone: 00962 6 5666866 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for Travco Jordan Zaid Al-Kurdi: 00962 77 8464013 E-mail: [email protected]

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13 Day Israel and Jordan Tour from Jerusalem to Petra

13 days, 2 countries and 15 cities

Accommodation

12 Breakfasts, 2 Be My Guests, 1 Lunch, 5 Dinners, 1 Regional Dinner, 1 Farewell Dinner

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From the Wailing Wall to the rose-red façades of Petra, this historical interlude with Israel and Jordan will see you visit the tomb of King David, the Mount of Beatitudes and the Dead Sea, before following in the footsteps of spice traders across desert landscapes.

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Deals, savings and exclusive private touring options available plus if you need a different date or itinerary change we can create a custom trip. Contact us for more details

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13 days itinerary trip from Tel Aviv to Amman visiting 2 countries and 15 cities Select Your Group Type and Dead Sea Extension

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This tour includes two additional nights at the Dead Sea.

About this trip

Sightseeing highlights.

Explore Jerusalem and Amman with a Local Specialist

Visit the Fortress of Masada and the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the Church of Annunciation in Nazareth, Jesus Boat at the Sea of Galilee, the old Synagogue and the Mount of Beatitudes near Capernaum, the ancient Synagogue and artists' colony at Safed, the underground Crusader City of Acre, the Roman Amphitheater at Caesarea, the Greco-Roman city at Jerash, the unique ancient city at Petra, the Crusader Fortress at Shobak and Wadi Rum

View the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, the Baha'i Shrine from the summit of Mount Carmel in Haifa, the excavations of Solomon's Stables and the Roman Amphitheater, the aqueduct at Caesarea, the Roman Amphitheater and Citadel in Amman, Moses' Promised Land on Mount Nebo and the mosaic map of the Holy Land at Madaba

Scenic Cruise boat ride on the Sea of Galilee

Travel highlights

Specific transfer information can be found here:

Airport Transfers

An expert Travel Director and professional Driver

All porterage and restaurant gratuities

Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted

All hotel tips, charges and local taxes

Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals

Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras

Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing

Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)

Optional Experiences and free time

On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences

Every one of our tours includes at least one conscious travel experience that supports one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). Look out for yours within the day-by-day trip itinerary.

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Net-zero by 2050

Travel knowing our 4-point climate action plan will ensure net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Support Local

Your tour directly supports local communities by visiting family-run businesses, UNESCO sites and places of cultural significance.

Sustainable Practices

Every part of our business, from trip design to how we run our offices, aligns to our 5-year sustainability strategy which ensures a positive impact on people, the planet and wildlife.

Philanthropic Efforts

Our not-for-profit, the TreadRight Foundation, invests in nature-based solutions to address climate change.

You’ll make a positive impact to people, planet and wildlife on this tour

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LJETNO RADNO VRIJEME

U periodu 13.05. do 03.08.2024. radno vrijeme naše poslovnice na adresi Trg bana J.Jelačića 4, Zagreb je: PON – PET 08:00h – 19:00h SUB 09:00h - 13:00h

BLACK FRIDAY

Super popusti, ugrabite odlične ponude za zimovanje, putovanje ili ljetovanje, akcije i first minute popusti, ljetovanje jadran, izaberite odmor u hrvatskoj | all inclusive obiteljski paketi, first minute popusti, europska putovanja, naša će vas ponuda odvesti u sve kuteve europe – od sjajnih i razvikanih metropola do manje poznatih ali zanimljivih lokaliteta., cijeli svijet je vaš, daleka putovanja, najzanimljivija odredišta, svi kontinenti, s azur toursom vam je dostupan cijeli svijet., akcijske cijene, veliki izbor grupnih i individualnih krstarenja mediteranom, oko svijeta, krstarenja rijekama i jadranom., akcije zima 2022 i vikend skijanje, skijanje 2023/2024, austrija, italija, slovenija i francuska, odabrani hoteli, ljeto u planinama, planinarenje, vožnje brodovima i žičarama, vožnje biciklom, kupanje u planinskim jezerima., iskoristite posebne ponude.

Započeo je BLACK FRIDAY!

Advent i Nova godina

Naša preporuka

Hotel posejdon 3*, all inclusive, hotel adria 3*, all inclusive, hotel & annex alem 2*, hotel & annex val 3* (ex. jadran), obiteljski paket, hotel imperial 3*, vodice, apartmani medena 4*, polupansion, izdvojeno iz ponude, hotel adamello 3*, apartmani pra ste marie, hotel goldried 3*, apartmani regina 3* sup, hotel rogla 3*sup, apartmani les balcons de val cenis village, putovanje sicilija svibanjska tura - "autentična emocija mediterana", putovanje makedonija - tamo gdje vječno sunce sja, atena, delfi i meteora, putovanje kairo - city break, barcelona - grad sunca, svjetlosti i umjetnosti, švicarska čarolija, finska, velika tura - "zemlja 1000 jezera", putovanje helsinki i tallinn - ljetno osvježenje na sjeveru, putovanje portugal, putovanje portugal s fakultativnim izletom u evoru, armenija i gruzija, putovanje kuba, putovanje egipat – velika tura uz moguć posjet memfisu, sakari i dahsuru ili aleksandriji, putovanje new york s izletom u washington, putovanje japan - jesen, jadranom na drvenom jedrenjaku "moja maja", krstarenje msc sinfonia | hrvatska, italija, grčka | istočni mediteran | polasci iz splita i zadra | 8 dana, krstarenje msc armonia | krstarenje do grčkih otoka | istočni mediteran | polasci iz venecije | 8 dana, krstarenje msc splendida | italija, grčka, turska | istočni mediteran | polasci iz trsta | 10 dana, krstarenje msc world europe | italija, malta, španjolska, francuska | zapadni mediteran | polasci iz genove | 8 dana, krstarenje msc orchestra | krstarenje do portugala, baleara i sardinije | zapadni mediteran | polasci iz genove | 11 dana, egipat – velika tura uz moguć posjet memfisu, sakari i dahsuru ili aleksandriji, putovanje egipat - nova godina 2025., velika tura uz posjet aleksandriji, putovanje egipat – velika tura uz kraći odmor u hurgadi, putovanje egipat – velika tura uz posjet aleksandriji, putovanje odmor u egiptu | hurgada | siva grand beach 4*, kalendar putovanja, istanbul, 5 dana zrakoplovom, sicilija svibanjska tura - "autentična emocija mediterana", andaluzija, gibraltar i izlet tanger (maroko), atena, delfi i meteora 2024., makedonija - tamo gdje vječno sunce sja, barcelona - grad sunca, svjetlosti i umjetnosti 2024., putovanje pariz - "joie de vivre", 4 dana, putovanje avionom, dubai s izletom u abu dhabi, zanzibar - rajski otok, japan - jesen, egipat – velika tura uz posjet aleksandriji, new york s izletom u washington, krstarenje jadranom na drvenom jedrenjaku "moja maja", dragulj superskirame: pontedilegno-tonale.

Provjerite našu ponudu smještaja na skijalištu PontediLegno-Tonale: kliknite ovdje DVIJE REGIJE – JEDAN SKI DRAGULJ Proteže se kroz dvije regije Lombardija...

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Netanyahu vows to invade Rafah regardless of cease-fire deal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s position that its forces will launch an anticipated military operation in Rafah regardless of whether a cease-fire and hostage deal is reached with Hamas. He made the remark amid fresh optimism that new negotiations could lead to a halt in fighting. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his tour of the Middle East, arriving in Israel Tuesday to work toward getting more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

• U.S. lawmakers warn of backlash if ICC issues Israeli arrest warrants
• Netanyahu vows to invade Rafah ‘with or without’ a cease-fire deal
• Blinken continues Middle East tour with stops in Jordan and Israel

Here's what to know:

Here's what to know, live coverage contributors 16.

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Israel-Gaza war

The Israel-Gaza war has gone on for six months, and tensions have spilled into the surrounding region .

The war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel that included the taking of civilian hostages at a music festival . (See photos and videos of how the deadly assault unfolded ). Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel’s creation in 1948 .

Gaza crisis: In the Gaza Strip, Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars , killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “ famine-like conditions. ” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave .

U.S. involvement: Despite tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians , including President Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons , funds aid packages , and has vetoed or abstained from the United Nations’ cease-fire resolutions.

History: The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 . Read more on the history of the Gaza Strip .

Gaza latest: Israel's use of weapons provided by US likely violated international law, report by Biden govt finds

The Biden administration says Israel likely violated international law with US-provided weapons. Earlier, Israel's ambassador to the UN used a paper shredder to shred the UN charter on stage at the UN General Assembly.

Saturday 11 May 2024 04:47, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• US report says Israel's use of arms likely violated international law
• Israeli ambassador to United Nations shreds 'copy of UN charter'
• UN General Assembly backs Palestinian bid for full membership
• Mark Stone analysis: Who voted with Israel at the UN and why were most Pacific Island nations?
• Netanyahu says Israelis will fight with 'fingernails' after Biden weapons warning - but Rafah decision unclear
• Israeli war cabinet 'approves expanded Rafah operation'
• Alistair Bunkall analysis: Biden's reputation is on the line if Netanyahu defies him
• Listen to the Daily above and tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell and (earlier) Richard Williams

Firefighters are battling a large blaze in Kiryat Shmona, a city in northern Israel, after 35 rockets were fired by Lebanon's Hezbollah, according to The Times of Israel.

The news site cited the Israel Fire and Rescue Services as saying 10 firefighting teams were at the scene.

Video posted on social media appeared to show the fire on what looked like the side of a hill.

No casualties or injuries have been reported. 

A report by the US government has said that Israel's use of US-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law.

In the findings of a state department report - known as the national security memorandum - the Biden administration said it has found "reasonable" evidence to conclude that its ally had breached international law.

But it added it was unable to link specific US weapons to individual Israeli strikes. 

The report said: "Given Israel's significant reliance on US-made defence articles, it is reasonable to assess that defence articles have been used by Israeli security forces since 7 October in instances inconsistent with its international humanitarian law obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm."

It added that while Israel has the knowledge, experience and tools to implement the "best practices for mitigating civilian harm in its military operations" evidence from the ground - including high levels of civilian casualties - raise "substantial questions whether the IDF is using them effectively in all cases".

Turning to the issue of aid getting into Gaza, the US government report said it does not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or restricting the transport or delivery of aid. 

Crucially, the report stops short of saying that Israel has violated the terms under which it is able to use US weapons to carry out its offensive in Gaza.

By Mark Stone , US correspondent 

A huge majority of the world's nations voted with the Palestinians at the United Nations today.

But who were the nine countries that voted against the Palestinian quest for membership, rights and privileges at the UN, and why?

The current Israeli government is firmly against a Palestinian state in every sense.

Different iterations of Israeli governments over the years have oscillated on 'two states', but after the 7 October Hamas attacks the Israeli position cemented - no two states, no Palestinian state.

Broadly, they do not distinguish between the extremism of Hamas and the moderate nature of other Palestinian political factions like the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. It's the crux of deadlock.

So who else? 

The United States

They stand behind Israel despite significant tension now between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

America is committed to a two-state solution but argues that it begins with a ceasefire and that the formation of a Palestinian state comes much further down the line.

Speaking after the vote, White House spokesman John Kirby said: "We continue to believe in the promise of a two-state solution and an independent state for the Palestinian people. 

"That's something that President Biden remains fully and firmly committed to. We also believe that the best way to do that is through direct negotiations with the parties and not through a vote at the UN of this kind, so that's why we voted no."

As always with geopolitics, relationships are so often symbiotic; they are all about mutual benefit even when, ostensibly, the relationship might seem incongruous.

The eastern-European EU member voted with Israel and against the Palestinians.

Don't assume that hard-right Hungarian Prime Minister Orban's hatred of Hungarian-born Jewish-US billionaire George Soros is a reflection of his views on Israel despite the anti-Soros narrative often being seen as antisemitic.

Antisemitism has haunted the right of politics in Hungary since the Second World War when half a million Jewish Hungarians were murdered. Yet Orban and Netanyahu have a close, longstanding relationship.

Israel and Hungary are aligned by mutual interests. 

Orban admires the way Netanyahu's ethos of building strength out of a small nation-state and the two leaders found mutual interest in standing up to liberal democratic headwinds.

Orban's fallout with the EU has aligned with Netanyahu's assessment that Europe is increasingly anti-Israel.

The Soros-hatred also aligns with Netanyahu in that the conspiracy is that Soros is somehow seeking to 'Islamise' Judeo-Christian Europe with his pro-immigration stance.

Argentina's vote is driven by new populist President Javier Milei who has pledged unwavering support for Netanyahu and has vowed to move Argentina's embassy to Jerusalem. 

Milei has said he plans to convert to Judaism.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic also voted with Israel in line with a strongly pro-Israel stance underlined repeatedly since 7 October.

There is a strong historical bond between Czech leaders and the Zionist movement which helped cement the Jewish State which strengthened after the fall of Communism in 1989. 

As a new democracy, the Czech Republic bonded with a young democracy in Israel. In recent years, economic ties have flourished.

Pacific Island Nations

The rest, curiously maybe, are all Pacific Island nations: Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Palau.

The reason for their support is simple: straightforward soft power.

The small developing nations all enjoy generous Israeli aid from the government and from Israeli charities. 

The understanding is that, in return, they will always support Israel at international bodies of which they are members.

Israel insists that its motivation is predominantly humanitarian, but officials are up front to that it's also about positioning Israel in a better light.

Israel uses its considerable expertise in many arenas deftly.

At natural disasters, for example, Israeli rescue crews are often among the first on the ground. 

This targeted soft power diplomacy has helped Israel to secure votes, but also abstentions in its favour among many other nations too.

On this vote though, on Palestine, global opinion was overwhelmingly against Israel.

Israel's entry for Eurovision 2024, Eden Golan, has become one of the favourites among bookies to win this year's contest.

The 20-year-old singer climbed to second favourite from ninth after the semi-final, according to Eurovision World, a website that compiles betting odds from 15 of Europe's biggest bookmakers. 

It said Israel is seen as having a 22% chance of winning, behind Croatia's Baby Lasagna who was seen having a 41% chance.

It comes despite more than 10,000 people gathering in the host Swedish city of Malmo to stage a non-violent protest against Israel's participation in Saturday's final.

While the results of the two semi-finals are decided by viewers, in the final, audience votes will make up only half of the result, while juries of five music professionals in each participating country will make up the other half.

Earlier, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations appeared on stage at a meeting of the UN General Assembly.

Whilst on stage in New York he shredded "a copy of the UN charter" - which was, in reality, three pieces of paper.

His actions came moments before the 193-member world body approved a resolution, giving Palestine new "rights and privileges" within the agency. 

Watch the full moment below. 

A first of its kind report by the US government is expected to conclude that Israel has not violated the terms of its use of US weapons, according to sources cited by the Associated Press. 

The report - known as the national security memorandum - was pushed by President Joe Biden's Democrats in Congress.

When agreed to back in February, defence and state departments were tasked to conduct "an assessment of any credible reports or allegations that such defence articles and, defence services, have been used in a manner not consistent with international law, including international humanitarian law".

They were also obliged to tell Congress if they thought Israel has acted to "arbitrarily to deny, restrict, or otherwise impede, directly or indirectly," delivery of any US-supported humanitarian aid into Gaza for starving civilians there.

It follows the US pausing a shipment of 3,500 bombs heading for Israel over concern they would be used in an offensive on Rafah.

The conclusions of the memorandum are expected to be sharply critical of Israel, but will not state that Israel violated terms of weapons agreements between the two countries. 

A senior Biden administration official said the full report is expected to be released later today, but declined to comment on its conclusions.

Palestinians in Rafah are still preparing to evacuate the eastern parts of the city amid the threat of an Israeli ground offensive. 

The United Nations estimates around 110,000 Palestinians have already fled in search of safety. 

In the latest pictures from the city, a tent camp where people are currently living is seen. 

In one of the images, people appear to have started to make piles of their belongings as they get ready to evacuate. 

South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order additional emergency measures against Israel over its attacks on the city of Rafah, the United Nations top court has said. 

It is part of the ongoing case brought by South Africa in January which accuses Israel of acts of genocide against Palestinians . 

The court - which is located in The Hague in the Netherlands - ordered Israel at the beginning of the year to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide.

South Africa wanted the ICJ to implement provisional measures on Israel which would "immediately suspend military operations in and against Gaza" - but the ICJ stopped short of that.

Any decision to impose provisional measures will be "hugely problematic" for the Israeli offensive, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed.

Within the last few hours, the United Nations General Assembly has backed a bid put forward by Palestine for it to become a full agency member.

The vote passed by 143 votes to nine but 25 countries - including the UK - abstained.

In a post on X, the UK at the UN explained why it took the decision to abstain. 

"We are abstaining on this resolution because we believe that the first step towards achieving this goal is resolving the immediate crisis in Gaza," it said.

It said the fastest way to end the conflict is to secure a deal which releases all hostages and allows for a pause in fighting. 

The statement added that the UK remains firmly committed to a two-state solution and recognising a Palestinian state, including in the UN, and should be part of the process to achieving a sustainable ceasefire. 

The US ambassador to the UN Robert Wood gave similar reasons as to why America voted against the bid, saying its vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood.

"Instead, it is an acknowledgement that statehood will only come from a process that involves direct negotiations between the parties," he said.

What happens next?

For Palestine to become a full UN member, the 15-member UN Security Council will have to vote, and pass, the application.

At the last security council vote in March - which demanded a ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan - the US abstained.

The 14 other council members - including Russia, China and the UK - voted in favour.

For now, it remains unclear if or when the security council will vote on Palestine's membership bid.

Hamas has said it will hold talks with leaders of what it called "Palestinian resistance factions" to reconsider its negotiation strategy. 

It said the discussions need to be held due to Benjamin Netanyahu's behaviour, Israeli attacks on places in Rafah and the occupation of the city's border crossing with Egypt.

"Netanyahu and his government are using the negotiations as a cover to attack Rafah and occupy the crossing, and continue the war of extermination against our people, and they bear full responsibility for obstructing reaching an agreement," the statement said. 

Earlier this week, Hamas said they expressed agreement over a ceasefire deal following a phone call with Qatar's prime minister and Egypt's intelligence minister.

Israel later put an end to this, saying it would not accept the deal in its current form, a decision Hamas said today had brought things "back to square one". 

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Middle East Crisis Israel Appears to Soften Stance in Cease-Fire Talks

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• Destroyed buildings in Rafah on Monday. Associated Press
• Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages protest in Tel Aviv on Monday. Ohad Zwigenberg/Associated Press
• Palestinians flee after a strike in Nuseirat in central Gaza. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• Mourning relatives killed overnight in Rafah. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• Looking at a damaged building in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Hatem Khaled/Reuters
• Posters of kidnapped Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
• A Palm Sunday service at a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• Children at a makeshift movie theater set up among the tents in Rafah on Sunday. Haitham Imad/EPA, via Shutterstock
• Israeli soldiers resting outside the border with southern Gaza. Amir Cohen/Reuters

Israel is open to a truce involving an initial release of 33 hostages, officials say.

Israel’s latest offer would accept fewer hostages to be freed during the first phase of a new truce in Gaza, according to three Israeli officials, offering a hint of hope for cease-fire negotiations that could restart as soon as Tuesday.

For months, Israel had demanded that Hamas release at least 40 hostages — women, older people and those who are seriously ill — in order to secure a new truce. Now the Israeli government is prepared to settle for only 33, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the sensitive matter.

The change was prompted partly by the fact that Israel now believes that some of the 40 have died in captivity , according to one of the officials.

Antony J. Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday that Israel had made an “extraordinarily generous” offer and that Hamas alone stood in the way of a deal. David Cameron, the British foreign minister, said at the same conference that the offer included a sustained 40-day cease-fire and the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli hostages.

Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s foreign minister, said at the conference that he was “hopeful” about the latest cease-fire proposal, but did not say what it involved or who had proposed it.

“The proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides,” Mr. Shoukry said, adding that “we are waiting to have a final decision.”

The shift has raised expectations that Hamas and Israel might be edging closer to sealing their first truce since a weeklong cease-fire in November, when Hamas released 105 captives in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, said on social media on Monday that Hamas was studying a new Israeli proposal, but did not say what the proposal was.

Hamas and its allies captured roughly 240 Israelis and foreigners in their attack on Oct. 7, which prompted Israel to go to war in Gaza. More than 130 hostages are believed to still be held in Gaza, but some are thought to have died.

Negotiations over a new pause, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, have stalled for months over disagreements about the number of hostages and prisoners who should be exchanged in a future deal. Another obstacle has been whether Israel would allow civilians from northern Gaza who fled the Israeli invasion to return to their homes, and how many would be permitted to do so.

The length of a cease-fire has also been a key stumbling block. Hamas wants it to be permanent, while Israel wants another temporary pause so that it could still send troops into Rafah, the last major Gazan city under Hamas control, though one where more than a million displaced Palestinians have sought shelter. Far-right members of Israel’s governing coalition have threatened to bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government if the war ends without Hamas’s total defeat.

A mid-ranking Israeli delegation is planning to fly to Cairo on Tuesday to restart talks mediated by Egypt, but only if Hamas also agrees to attend, according to two of the Israeli officials. A senior Hamas official said that a delegation was already in Cairo on Monday.

At the economic forum in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Cameron, the British foreign secretary, said something else must happen for the conflict to end: “The people responsible for Oct. 7, the Hamas leadership, would have to leave Gaza.”

Vivian Nereim and Edward Wong contributed reporting from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

— Patrick Kingsley and Adam Rasgon reporting from Jerusalem

Biden speaks to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to press for Hamas’s agreement on a new cease-fire.

President Biden spoke on Monday with the leaders of Egypt and Qatar as he sought to increase pressure on Hamas to accept a deal that would result in a temporary cease-fire in the war in Gaza and the release of some of the hostages held there.

According to a statement from the office of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, he and Mr. Biden discussed the negotiations and Egypt’s efforts to broker a cease-fire. They also reiterated their support for a two-state solution, discussed the importance of containing the conflict to the region and emphasized their opposition to a military escalation in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, which Israel seems poised to invade.

Mr. Biden also spoke on Monday with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar. According to the White House, Mr. Biden urged the Qatari leader “to exert all efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas,” saying that “this is now the only obstacle” to an immediate cease-fire.

Mr. al-Sisi and Mr. al-Thani have been prime intermediaries with Hamas through months of fitful negotiations to reach a deal to halt the hostilities, and Mr. Biden hopes they will prod the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, to accept the U.S.-brokered proposal on the table. On Sunday, Mr. Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, expressed a hopeful view of the prospects for an agreement. “In recent days, there has been progress in talks,” she told reporters at the White House.

Like other American officials, Ms. Jean-Pierre said that Hamas, not Israel, was the obstacle to an agreement.

“The onus is indeed on Hamas,” she said. “There is a deal on the table, and they need to take it.”

— Peter Baker reporting from Washington

Blinken meets with Arab officials to discuss Gaza and postwar plans.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Arab officials on Monday in Saudi Arabia about the war between Israel and Hamas and the difficult issues it has created, from humanitarian aid to hostages. Mr. Blinken plans to travel to Jordan and Israel on Tuesday.

After landing in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, shortly after dawn, Mr. Blinken met with Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, and then with foreign ministers and a top foreign policy adviser from five other Arab nations in the Persian Gulf that, along with Saudi Arabia, form the Gulf Cooperation Council. Prince Faisal was also part of that second meeting. On Monday night Mr. Blinken met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

The State Department listed the cease-fire and hostage issues first in the summary it released of Mr. Blinken’s one-on-one meeting with the prince. The two “discussed ongoing efforts to reach an immediate cease-fire in Gaza that would secure the release of hostages held by Hamas,” the department said.

The two diplomats also talked about greater regional integration and “a pathway to a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel,” the summary said. That was a reference to negotiations over a broad deal that would involve the United States, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Palestinian representatives agreeing to terms that would result in the creation of a Palestinian state and greater diplomatic recognition for Israel in the region.

Mr. Blinken planned to meet with Arab and European officials in a group later on Monday to talk about plans for rebuilding Gaza, even though Israel is still carrying out its war there and has not stepped back from its difficult — and perhaps impossible — goal of fully eradicating Hamas.

Saudi Arabia is hosting a three-day meeting of the World Economic Forum, and top Arab officials, including Mr. Blinken’s diplomatic counterparts, are attending the event in Riyadh. The gathering includes senior ministers from Qatar and Egypt, the two Arab mediators in multiple rounds of talks over a potential cease-fire between Israel and Hamas .

“The quickest way to bring this to an end is to get to a cease-fire and the release of hostages,” Mr. Blinken said in an onstage talk with Borge Brende, president of the World Economic Forum. “Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel. And at the moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a cease-fire is Hamas.”

“I’m hopeful they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic,” he added.

Mr. Blinken and other top aides of President Biden have also been trying to push for a long-term political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is where the broader deal comes in. In a call meant to pave the way for Mr. Blinken’s trip, his seventh to the region since the war began, Mr. Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel spoke by phone on Sunday afternoon for nearly an hour.

The two leaders discussed “increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza,” according to a White House statement released after the call, and Mr. Biden repeated his warning against an Israeli ground assault on Rafah in southern Gaza. He also reviewed with Mr. Netanyahu the negotiations over a hostage release.

In their best-case scenario, the Biden administration envisions Saudi Arabia and perhaps a few other Arab nations agreeing to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel. In exchange, Saudi Arabia would receive advanced weapons and security guarantees, including a mutual defense treaty , from the United States and a commitment for U.S. cooperation on a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom .

For its part, Israel would have to commit to a concrete pathway to the founding of a Palestinian nation, with specific deadlines, U.S. and Saudi officials say.

“I think it’s clear that in the absence of a real political horizon for the Palestinians, it’s going to be much harder, if not impossible, to really have a coherent plan for Gaza itself,” Mr. Blinken said at the public talk on Monday.

Prince Faisal said Sunday that Saudi officials hoped to discuss concrete steps toward creating a Palestinian state during Mr. Blinken’s visit to Riyadh. Calling the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza “a complete failing of the existing political system,” he told a news conference that the kingdom’s government believes that the only solution is “a credible, irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state.”

Before the war started last October, U.S. and Saudi officials were in intense discussions to reach an agreement on the terms of such a proposal. For those negotiators, a big question at the time was what Israel would agree to. Since the war began, the Americans and the Saudis have publicly insisted that Israel must agree to the existence of a Palestinian state.

But Israeli leaders and ordinary citizens have become even more resistant to that idea since the Oct. 7 attacks, in which the Israeli authorities say that Hamas and allied gunmen killed about 1,200 people and took about 240 people as hostages. Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, including thousands of children, say officials from the Gaza health ministry.

Vivian Nereim and Zolan Kanno-Youngs contributed reporting.

— Edward Wong traveling with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken

Deadly Israeli strikes hit residential buildings in Rafah, Palestinian news media say.

Deadly Israeli airstrikes flattened concrete buildings overnight in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah, according to news agencies, which published video on Monday of rows of body bags containing what Palestinian officials said were victims of the strikes.

The Reuters news agency said the strikes in Rafah, which Israel seems poised to invade , killed 20 people. The Palestinian news media said the death toll was at least 24. The Gaza Ministry of Health said 34 people were killed in the Gaza Strip during the previous 24 hours, but it did not specify how many of them were killed by the strikes in Rafah.

Asked for comment on the strikes, the Israeli military issued a statement on Monday saying that its “fighter jets struck terror targets where terrorists were operating within a civilian area in southern Gaza.”

More than one million Gazans have been crowding into shelters and tents in Rafah to seek safety from almost seven months of Israel’s military offensive. Israeli officials have said they will soon send ground troops into Rafah, the last Gazan city Israel has not invaded, in order to eliminate Hamas battalions there, an operation that the Biden administration has warned against because of the risk to civilians.

Palestine TV — a channel backed by the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank — said the strikes had hit residential buildings in Rafah. One survivor, carrying a baby she said had been pulled from the rubble, spoke to a Reuters video journalist.

“The entire world is seeing what’s happening to us,” the woman, Umm Fayez Abu Taha, said. She said the child appeared to be uninjured, but that her parents had been killed.

“Look at us with some compassion, with some humanity,” Ms. Abu Taha continued. “This is all we ask for, we’re not asking for much just end the war, nothing more.”

— Liam Stack reporting from Jerusalem

Hamas fires a barrage of rockets into Israel from Lebanon.

Hamas’s military wing said on Monday that it had launched a salvo of rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel, an apparent attempt by the group to signal that it is still capable of striking within Israel’s borders even as it studies the latest proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza.

The Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, said in a statement that it had targeted an Israeli military position in Kiryat Shmona, the largest city in Israel’s far north, with a “concentrated rocket barrage” from southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said in a statement that most of the roughly 20 launches that crossed the border had been intercepted, and that it had responded by striking the source of fire. There were no injuries or damage, the military said.

Though Hamas is based in Gaza, many of its leaders are exiled in Lebanon , where the group has a sizable presence and operates largely out of Palestinian refugee camps. Since the Hamas-led terror attack on Oct. 7 prompted Israel to go to war in Gaza, Hamas has occasionally launched rocket attacks into northern Israel from within Lebanon’s borders, though its ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, has launched far more. Both groups are backed by Iran. Israel has also targeted Hamas figures in Lebanon in deadly strikes.

Walid al Kilani, Hamas’s spokesman in Lebanon, said the attack was “the minimum duty” given Israel’s continued attacks in Gaza. “We know that Hezbollah is doing its duty and more, but the battlefield requires everyone to participate,” Mr. Kilani said.

The launches on Monday, although muted in their impact, highlighted Hamas’s continuing ability to threaten Israel with rocket fire despite more than 200 days of a devastating Israeli air and ground offensive that has decimated the group’s military capabilities in Gaza.

Mohanad Hage Ali, a Beirut-based fellow with the Carnegie Middle East Center, said the attack was likely an attempt by Hamas to signal that it was “still part of the fight.” While it was largely symbolic, it could also be a means to apply pressure amid the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, he said.

Data compiled by the online website Rocket Alert — which tracks warnings of rocket launches using Israeli military figures — shows that there were just 37 alerts in April in response to detected rocket fire from Gaza, compared to around 7,300 in October at the onset of the war. More than six months into the conflict, the data shows a significant drop-off in the number of warnings of rockets from Gaza.

Alerts indicating rocket fire from Lebanon, however, have remained largely steady, the data shows. Most of those are launched by Hezbollah, but Hamas continues to launch attacks from Lebanon with Hezbollah’s blessing.

Amin Hoteit, a military analyst and former brigadier general in the Lebanese army, said the latest attack was a sign of the “integrated front of operations” among Hamas, Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups in the region .

Hwaida Saad and Jonathan Rosen contributed reporting.

— Euan Ward reporting from Beirut, Lebanon

Israeli officials believe the International Criminal Court is preparing arrest warrants over the war.

Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on charges related to the conflict with Hamas, according to five Israeli and foreign officials.

The Israeli and foreign officials also believe the court is weighing arrest warrants for leaders from Hamas.

If the court proceeds, the Israeli officials could potentially be accused of preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and pursuing an excessively harsh response to the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, according to two of the five officials, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

The Israeli officials, who are worried about the potential fallout from such a case, said they believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among those who might be named in a warrant. It is not clear who might be charged from Hamas or what crimes would be cited.

The Israeli officials did not disclose the nature of the information that led them to be concerned about potential I.C.C. action, and the court did not comment on the matter.

Arrest warrants from the court would probably be seen in much of the world as a humbling moral rebuke, particularly to Israel, which for months has faced international backlash over its conduct in Gaza, including from President Biden , who called it “over the top.”

It could also affect Israel’s policies as the country presses its military campaign against Hamas. One of the Israeli officials said that the possibility of the court issuing arrest warrants had informed Israeli decision-making in recent weeks.

The Israeli and foreign officials said they didn’t know what stage the process was in. Any warrants would require approval from a panel of judges and would not necessarily result in a trial or even the targets’ immediate arrest.

Karim Khan, the court’s chief prosecutor, has previously confirmed that his team is investigating incidents during the war, but his office declined to comment for this article, saying that it does not “respond to speculation in media reports.”

Mr. Netanyahu’s office also would not comment, but on Friday the prime minister said on social media that any intervention by the I.C.C. “would set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies fighting savage terrorism and wanton aggression.”

Mr. Netanyahu did not explain what prompted his statement, though he may have been responding to speculation about the arrest warrants in the Israeli press.

He also said: “Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense. The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East’s only democracy and the world’s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it.”

Based in The Hague, the I.C.C. is the world’s only permanent international court with the power to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The court has no police force of its own. Instead, it relies on its 124 members , which include most European countries but not Israel or the United States, to arrest those named in warrants. It cannot try defendants in absentia .

But warrants from the court can pose obstacles to travel for officials named in them.

The Hamas-led raid last October led to the killing of roughly 1,200 people in Israel and the abductions of some 250 others, according to Israeli officials. The subsequent war in Gaza, including heavy Israeli bombardment, has killed more than 34,000 people, according to Gazan officials, caused widespread damage to housing and infrastructure, and brought the territory to the brink of famine.

The Israeli assault in Gaza has led the International Court of Justice, a separate court in The Hague, to hear accusations of genocide against the Israeli state and has spurred a wave of protests on college campuses in the United States.

If the I.C.C. does issue arrest warrants, they would come with deep stigmatization, placing those named in them in the same category as foreign leaders like Omar al-Bashir, the deposed president of Sudan, and Vladimir V. Putin, the Russian president, who was the subject of a warrant last year tied to his war against Ukraine.

The I.C.C.’s focus on individuals rather than states differentiates it from the International Court of Justice, which settles disputes between states.

The I.C.C. judges have ruled that the court has jurisdiction over Gaza and the West Bank because the Palestinians have joined the court as the State of Palestine.

Mr. Khan has said that his team will be investigating incidents that have occurred since Oct. 7 and that he will be “impartially looking at the evidence and vindicating the rights of victims whether they are in Israel or Palestine.”

Mr. Khan’s office has also been investigating allegations of war crimes committed during the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas; one of the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity believes the new arrest warrants would be an extension of that investigation.

Hamas and the Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment. The office of Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister, declined to comment.

In general, Israeli officials say that they fight according to the laws of war and that they take significant steps to protect civilians, accusing Hamas of hiding inside civilian areas and forcing Israel to pursue them there. Hamas has denied committing atrocities on Oct. 7, saying — despite video evidence to the contrary — that its fighters tried to avoid harming civilians.

Marlise Simons , Gabby Sobelman and Myra Noveck contributed reporting.

— Ronen Bergman and Patrick Kingsley The reporters spoke to Israeli and foreign officials.

World Central Kitchen plans to resume working in Gaza.

World Central Kitchen said on Sunday that it would resume operations in Gaza with a local team of Palestinian aid workers, nearly a month after the Israeli military killed seven of the organization’s workers in targeted drone strikes on their convoy.

Israeli military officials have said the attack was a “grave mistake” and cited a series of failures , including a breakdown in communication and violations of the military’s operating procedures.

The Washington-based aid group said that it was still calling for an independent, international investigation into the April 1 attack and that it had received “no concrete assurances” that the Israeli military’s operational procedures had changed. But the “humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire,” the aid group’s chief operating officer, Erin Gore, said in a statement .

“We are restarting our operation with the same energy, dignity, and focus on feeding as many people as possible,” she said.

The aid group said it had distributed more than 43 million meals in Gaza so far and that it had trucks carrying the equivalent of nearly eight million meals waiting to enter the enclave through the Rafah crossing in the south. World Central Kitchen said it was also planning to send trucks to Gaza through Jordan and that it would open a kitchen in Al-Mawasi, a small seaside village that the Israeli military has designated as a “humanitarian zone” safe for civilians, though attacks there have continued.

Six of the seven workers killed on April 1 were from Western nations — three from Britain, one from Australia, one from Poland and one with dual citizenship of the United States and Canada. The seventh was Palestinian. They were killed in back-to-back Israeli drone strikes on their vehicles as they traveled toward Rafah after unloading food aid that had arrived by sea.

The attack prompted World Central Kitchen to immediately suspend its operations in Gaza and elicited outrage from some of Israel’s closest allies.

The World Central Kitchen convoy’s movements had been coordinated in advance with the Israeli military, but some officers had not reviewed the coordination documentation detailing which cars were part of the convoy, the military said.

Some 200 aid workers, most of them Palestinians, were killed in Gaza between Oct. 7 and the attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy, according to the United Nations. A visual investigation by The New York Times showed that, well before the World Central Kitchen attack, six aid groups in Gaza had come under Israeli fire despite sharing their locations with the Israeli military.

The episode forced World Central Kitchen to decide between ending its efforts in Gaza or continuing, “knowing that aid, aid workers and civilians are being intimidated and killed,” Ms. Gore said in the statement.

“Ultimately, we decided that we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest of times,” she said.

At a memorial in Washington for the World Central Kitchen workers on Thursday, the group’s founder, the celebrity chef José Andrés, said that there were “many unanswered questions about what happened and why,” and that the aid group was still demanding an independent investigation into the Israeli military’s actions.

The seven aid workers had “risked everything to feed people they did not know and will never meet,” Mr. Andrés said. “They were the best of humanity.”

— Anushka Patil

Arab ministers suggest ways to ‘force peace’ amid Israel’s refusal to recognize a Palestinian state.

At a conference in Saudi Arabia’s capital on Monday, senior diplomats from around the world appeared to agree on one thing: The pathway to a durable peace between Israel and the Palestinians is the creation of a Palestinian state.

But with Israel’s refusal to recognize a Palestinian state, three Arab foreign ministers posited how best to proceed, with Ayman Safadi of Jordan presenting the bluntest proposal among them. The international community, he said, should find a way to “force peace” against the will of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

“If we come up with the best plan ever, and all of us in the international community agree that this is the plan to go forward, and then Netanyahu and his government say no, what happens then?” Mr. Safadi said during a World Economic Forum panel discussion in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. “Will he face consequences?”

He added, “The party that is responsible for denying Palestinians, Israelis and the whole region peace must be held accountable.”

Israel’s foreign ministry declined to comment, and the prime minister’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Both before and during this war in Gaza, which began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, Mr. Netanyahu has rebuffed calls for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Analysts say that the attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and about 240 people taken captive, according to the Israeli authorities, has made it even more unlikely that the Israeli government would agree to such a path. Israeli officials have said that they are trying to eradicate Hamas.

“There is a contrary move, an attempt to force, ram down our throats, a Palestinian state, which will be another terror haven,” Mr. Netanyahu said this month.

Polling shows that a majority of Israelis oppose creating a Palestinian state.

In the Biden administration’s plan for resolving the underlying conflict — and end a war in which Israel’s military has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to officials from the Gazan Health Ministry — it envisions Saudi Arabia agreeing to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.

In exchange, Saudi Arabia would receive advanced weapons and security guarantees, including a mutual defense treaty from the United States and U.S. commitment for cooperation on a civilian nuclear program in the kingdom .

For its part, Israel would have to commit to the founding of a Palestinian nation, with specific deadlines, U.S. and Saudi officials say.

“In the absence of a real political horizon for the Palestinians, it’s going to be much harder, if not impossible, to really have a coherent plan for Gaza itself,” Antony J. Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said on Monday during the conference in Riyadh.

On Sunday at the same event, the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said that the only solution was “a credible, irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state.”

He added, “We need to move from talk to action, to concrete steps, and it can’t be left up to the warring parties.”

Prince Faisal implied that diplomats could maneuver around an Israeli refusal, referring to “mechanisms within the toolbox of the international community that can overcome the resistance of any party.”

“If we make that decision, the pathway will unfold before us, even if there are those that will try to stop it,” he said. “There are levers clear, there are levers hidden, that can push us in that direction.”

Mr. Safadi, the Jordanian foreign minister, said that the challenge Arab states had faced while trying to resolve the conflict was that “we don’t have a partner in Israel now.”

“Do we allow Netanyahu to doom the future of the region to more conflict, war and destruction — or do we do what it takes to force peace?” he said.

Speaking on the same panel, Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s foreign minister, said that if the international community made a “categorical” commitment to creating a Palestinian state, there were “points of leverage that can fulfill that requirement.”

“We have the mechanisms, but is there the political will to utilize it?” he asked.

— Vivian Nereim reporting from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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Blinken says Israel still must do more to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday began his seventh diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began more than six months ago. (Apr. 29, 2024)

Middle East experts on state of Israel-Hamas war ceasefire talks, humanitarian aid to Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Monday. Earlier on Monday, Blinken said Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second right, walk to a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Partnership to discuss the humanitarian crises faced in Gaza, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends the U.S.-Arab Quint Meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, shakes hands with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken walk to a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Partnership to discuss the humanitarian crises faced in Gaza in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, sitting second from left, attends the U.S.-Arab Quint Meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

U.S.Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds files as walks to the U.S.-Arab Quint Meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, sitting third from left, attends the U.S.-Arab Quint Meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip and that he would use his Middle East trip — his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October — to press that case with Israeli leaders.

Speaking at events in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive cease-fire agreement , which also would release Israeli hostages held by Hamas since its Oct. 7 attacks launched the war. Hamas has been presented with an “extraordinarily generous” offer by Israel that he hoped the group would accept, he said.

“Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, and in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas ,” he said at a World Economic Forum gathering in Riyadh.

“They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, we’re looking to that, and I’m hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic,” Blinken said.

Although talks continue, Hamas has so far balked at a series of offers negotiated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States and agreed to by Israel. Even without a deal, Blinken said it was critical to improve conditions in Gaza now.

“We’re also not waiting on a cease-fire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza,” Blinken told Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers earlier Monday, when he arrived in Saudi Arabia for the first stop on his Middle East tour, which includes stops in Jordan and Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the U.S. maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks. But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza,” he said.

He said safety for humanitarian relief workers must be improved and that there’s a focus on ensuring the aid is making a proper impact for Palestinian civilians.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and an Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza this month that killed seven aid workers only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them. Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved .

World Central Kitchen said it would resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.

Blinken, who also is meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, has his work cut out for him.

The war in Gaza has ground on with little end in sight: More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed , hundreds of thousands more are displaced and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening.

The conflict has fueled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses . U.S. support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for U.S. President Joe Biden in an election year.

Blinken’s trip comes as there are renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider one of the Saudis’ main conditions for normalized relations: the creation of a Palestinian state .

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been warning Israel against a major military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting farther north. Israel has not yet launched such an offensive, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that one will take place, asserting that it is the only way to wipe out Hamas .

Both topics were discussed during a Biden-Netanyahu phone call on Sunday, according to the White House and U.S. officials.

During his trip, Blinken said he would also underscore the absolute importance of not allowing the Israel-Hamas conflict to engulf the region .

The danger of conflagration was underscored this month when a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria prompted an unprecedented direct missile and drone response by Iran against Israel . An apparent retaliatory Israeli strike on Iran followed.

Although the tit-for-tat cycle appears to have ended for now, deep concerns remain that Iran or its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or Yemen could act in such a way as to provoke a greater response from Israel or that Israel might take action that Iran feels it must retaliate for.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war