israel trip for free

ABOUT THE GIFT

A free trip to israel.

Learn more about the travel opportunity of a lifetime on Birthright Israel with Israel Outdoors. When you're ready to start the journey – LAUNCH YOUR REGISTRATION  

The basics - you must be between 18-26 years old with at least one (1) Jewish parent (or you’ve converted). You can’t be in high school or in a full-time Jewish studies program, and this has to be your first Jewish peer trip to Israel since you turned 18.

Choosing a trip organizer for your #Birthright gift makes all the difference! When you go with Israel Outdoors, you’ll get an itinerary that’s fun and active, an entirely welcoming environment, and perspectives that are open-minded and engaging.

The mission of Birthright Israel is to give every Jewish young adult the chance to explore Israel at least once in their lifetime. The gift is funded through the generous support of philanthropists and the State of Israel. Your journey is entirely free, including the flight!

Whether you want a classic journey or a specialized experience, we’ve got a trip that will speak to you. And with a huge selection of trip dates and departure airports, Israel Outdoors gives you the flexibility you need to fit your schedule, your location, and your interests.

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Thousands of people choose MAYANOT for their Birthright Israel trip each year for good reasons. We spare no expense to give you the experience of a lifetime! We are all about creating memories.

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This trip is a gift from Birthright Israel.

The gift of  a Birthright Israel trip is made possible thanks to tens of thousands of donors including individual donors and foundations, and alumni and their families that support Birtright Israel Foundation in the United States as well as the people of Israel through the Goverment of Israel and Jewish communities and Federations around the world. 

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Hillel International

Hillel: birthright israel faqs.

Do you have questions? Get them answered before applying for a life-changing adventure with Hillel: Birthright Israel.

Multiple trips depart every week from May–July and December–January. Summer and winter trips leave from New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. If you’re traveling with your campus, connect with your Hillel professionals regarding dates. 

You’re responsible for finding and paying for any domestic travel, but not for international travel. Don’t book any domestic travel until you receive a confirmation email from us.

Yes, the $360 deposit is fully refundable. The $25 deposit processing fee isn’t refundable. Shortly after your Birthright Israel trip, you’ll receive an email with instructions on how to request a refund for your deposit. You’ll also receive a refund if you’re waitlisted or you withdraw prior to the refund deadline for accepted participants (50 days prior to departure). 

Due to the limited number of spots on each trip, we need to ensure that all chosen participants will show up. When an applicant pays the $360* USD deposit, this lets us know that you’re serious about traveling with Birthright Israel and covers any fees that we might incur in the event of a late cancellation. It also helps guarantee that you follow Birthright Israel safety and behavior standards. In extreme cases in which participants violate these guidelines, their deposit may be confiscated.

Read more here

Fill out this form to request a refund, which may take up to two weeks to be processed. For other deposit issues from the United States, email [email protected] with the word DEPOSIT in the subject line and a detailed explanation of the issue in the message.

Besides the $360 refundable deposit and $25 processing fee, travel accommodations are cost-free because of generous donors. However, we suggest bringing $200–$500 USD on the trip to cover the following:

• One meal a day (roughly $10 USD)
• Tip for the tour educator, bus driver, and guard (Participants customarily leave a $100 USD tip at the end of the trip.)
• Gifts and souvenirs

Yes, you can transfer your deposit for up to THREE seasons in the future. For example, if you can no longer make your winter trip, your deposit can go toward a trip next summer or next winter.

There’s no catch. You are only responsible for a $360* USD deposit—which you can kindly donate to support future Birthright Israel educational activities or request a refund after successfully completing the program.

Learn more about the gift of Birthright Israel,  click here

Traveling with friends

We won’t know who you want to travel with unless you indicate it in your application. Under TRAVEL PREFERENCES (in the Birthright Israel application), list the name of the friend you want to travel with. If your friend has registered for Birthright Israel with Hillel, then their name will automatically populate in the section regarding travel buddies. If their name doesn’t automatically populate, use the space below to provide us with your friend’s name and email so we can be in touch with them about registering with Hillel. 

There’s a lag time between adding and updating information. This issue should be resolved within 24 hours. If not, submit a help request or call 202-449-6695.

Yes, you can still complete the application. Remember, the passport process takes a few weeks, so build in enough time. As soon as you have your passport information, add it to your application. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after your scheduled departure date from Israel .

An important note: The name on your Birthright Israel application MUST MATCH the name on your passport. Exactly. 

Review our “ Extend ” page for more information.

There is a common myth that Birthright Israel programs are funded by just a few donors, but in reality, they are funded by nearly 40,000 donors annually, including tens of thousands alumni, their families, and individual donors from around the world who believe in our mission. The program is also funded by the people of Israel through the government of Israel, The Jewish Agency for Israel, and Jewish communities and Federations.

Absolutely. There is no gift too small to make a difference. The future of the Jewish people is a shared responsibility, and every dollar counts and contributes to a stronger future for us all. To make a donation in support of Birthright Israel, please click  here.

This trip is a gift from Birthright Israel

This trip is a gift from Birthright Israel. The gift of a Birthright Israel trip is made possible thanks to tens of thousands of donors including individual donors and foundations, and alumni and their families that support Birthright Israel Foundation in the United States as well as the people of Israel through the Government of Israel, and Jewish communities and Federations around the world.

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Birthright is resuming its free trips to Israel for the first time since Oct. 7

( JTA ) — Birthright Israel on Tuesday announced that it would resume its free, 10-day educational trips to Israel in January after suspending them amid the ongoing war with Hamas.

Around 350 participants, students and young adults primarily from the United States, are expected to travel to Israel beginning the week of Jan. 5, 2024, the organization said in a statement.

The 350 participants are a small fraction of the 23,000 Birthright had planned to send to Israel this year. Still, the resumption of the programs is a powerful symbol of a potential return to normalcy for Israel, which has been in war mode since Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7. Even as Israeli leaders say they are unwilling to put an end date on their military operations in Gaza, universities are gearing up to reopen Dec. 31 and on Monday, the government raised limits on gathering sizes , citing reduced concerns about rocket attacks.

The decision to resume Birthright trips was made after “careful consideration and conversations” with the group’s local partners in Israel, the group’s statement said, and will “operate under strict safety and security standards” set by the Israel Defense Forces’ Homefront Command.

Birthright CEO Gidi Mark said that while the trips will continue to prioritize the organization’s goals of “positive Jewish identity building,” they will also incorporate a focus on the Hamas attack and its impact on Israeli society and Jewish communities around the world.

“Everything is different post-Oct. 7 from an educational perspective. The people of Israel are different and the young adults arriving to Israel are different,” Mark told JTA. “We are preparing the educational teams to deal with broad discussions and an open dialogue. We believe that participants will come to explore and learn about what happened and what is occurring now, and also share about the reality back home and the rise of antisemitism.”

Travel to and from Israel has been limited to Israeli carriers since Oct. 7, and the war has taken a steep toll on tourism .

Last month, Birthright announced the launch of volunteer programs in Israel after it canceled its regular scheduled trips for December amid security concerns. More than 3,300 of its alumni had applied to volunteer in kibbutzes and other Israeli communities “to harvest crops in the absence of the thousands of foreign field workers,” the organization said in a statement at the time.

Even with the resumption of its regular programs, the two-week volunteer trips – which are exclusively for Birthright alumni – would continue in tandem, Mark told JTA.

“Naturally, alumni of January classic trips will be able to extend their stay in Israel, for an additional two-week volunteering experience,” he added.

Birthright Israel has brought some 850,000 young Jewish adults to Israel on a free tour of Israel since its launch in 1999. The organization had previously canceled trips only once before, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Facing financial woes, it has scaled in the years since.

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Israel For Free? Here's How to Do Birthright

It feels great to turn your hard-earned points into travel. But you know what feels even better? Traveling for free.

Every year thousands of young Jewish people do just that through the Birthright Israel Foundation , a nonprofit with a mission to connect Jews to Israel. This popular trip is a favorite on college campuses, where students can partake in a once-in-a-lifetime experience — for free!

Wondering how to hop on board? Here's a one-stop guide to all things Birthright, from what to expect to how you can apply, plus a few exclusive pointers from several Points Guy team members who have taken the trip themselves.

What Is Birthright?

Birthright Israel is a nonprofit foundation that sends up to 40,000 young Jewish people to Israel every year for free. While the program's stated goal is to help Jewish youth explore their identity and build stronger ties to Israel, it doesn't have a religious agenda and accepts Jews of all denominations.

Who Can Go?

Going on a Birthright trip is pretty straightforward: Almost any Jewish non-resident from the US between the ages of 18 and 26 is eligible — check out Birthright Israel's FAQ section for more info. If you do qualify, you'll hop on a summer or winter trip and head out to explore the land on your air-conditioned coach bus chock-full of guides and new friends.

Should I Go With Friends?

A Birthright trip is what you make of it, and whether or not you know anyone else on the trip beforehand could have a huge impact on your time there. TPG Editor-in-Chief Zach Honig went solo back in 2011, a decision he said helped him open his mind to new experiences and people, while TPG Social Media Editor, Samantha Rosen, says she cherished the chance to go on Birthright with some of her closest friends from college.

Which Trip Should I Choose?

10 different tour providers work with Birthright Israel to coordinate trips, and while all follow similar itineraries, each brings a different taste to the table. Hillel International sends you to the Holy Land with other kids from your college campus, while Mayanot, Ezra World and Israel Free Spirit all tend to attract many Orthodox Jews. Every trip has a "mifgash" (or meeting) in which Israeli soldiers tag along for a portion the tour, but Shorashim has soldiers stay on for all 10 days. This was a key piece for Rosen, who went on a Shorashim trip in the summer of 2013.

"The soldiers give you insight into what life is like in Israel, to give you a perspective and become your friends," Rosen said. "They become a part of the group."

Many providers also offer single gender, LGBTQ, culinary and other specialty trips as well. If you do some research into what you want from your trip and what's available, and it will pay off in delivering exactly what you want when you get there.

What You'll Do in Israel

Think of Birthright as your passport to Israel's hottest spots. You'll place a note in Jerusalem's Western Wall, hike to the top of the Masada mountaintop fortress and explore the lively seaside streets of Tel Aviv. You'll also take some time to reflect on Jewish history by visiting the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center and Mount Herzl, Israel's national cemetery. In between, you and your new friends will get some time to explore on your own. Try plenty of street food to get a taste of the local flavor, but stay away from "Jerusalem mixed grill" if you're squeamish around mystery meats.

Can I Earn Miles on My Flight?

Honig traveled with Israel Outdoors in 2011, and like the points-hound he is, he managed to score some mileage out of his 5,500-mile flight. But it did take a bit of wrangling; though he didn't book the ticket himself, he was able earn miles by eventually adding his frequent flyer information to the Delta itinerary.

"It depends on how [the provider] books the tickets," Honig said. "Sometimes they have deep discounted group fares that aren't eligible for mileage accrual." While Honig's experience may be a fluke, there's no harm in trying.

Have you ever been on a Birthright Israel trip? Tell us about your experience, below.

Find A Trip

Israelnow   |   trips for teens   |   college & young adults, college students & young adults.

What is an Israel experience program? Israel experiences are identity-building, peer group programs run by non-profit organizations that allow participants to learn in-depth about the land, culture and people of Israel. The list of approved Israel programs is constantly changing as new programs are developed. For your convenience, we have included links below to various suggested organizations to help find the best possible Israel experience for you. Since there are many other programs and not every one is approved, please contact us ( [email protected] ) if you have a question about a specific Israel program.

Looking for high school trips or Gap Year programs? Visit Trips for Teens .

Short-term programs for College Students and Young Adults

• Birthright Israel Free 10-day trips to Israel for college students and young adults who have not previously traveled to Israel on a peer trip. **Please note that Jewish Federation Israel Experience Savings Funds and Scholarships may not be used for Birthright Israel**
• Jewish National Fund Jewish National Fund (JNF) programs provide a Zionist education to empower students with the tools to advocate for Israel on college campuses.
• World Zionist Organization Hagshama offers information on various short- and long-term programs in Israel.
• Livnot U'Lehibanot Livnot programs combine community service with hiking, touring and learning, allowing participants to explore their Jewish roots. Programs range from one week to five months.
• Volunteers for Israel The mission of Volunteers for Israel (VFI) is to connect Americans to Israel through volunteer service.
• Jewish United Fund Missions Travel to Israel with other Young Leaders on the YLD National Leadership Mission! Participants have the opportunity to tour, learn and discover Israel with other young professionals from Chicago and across the country.
• Habonim Dror Habonim Dror is the Labor Zionist youth movement, with links to its Israel programs.
• Shorashim Shorashim's programs connect Americans directly with Israelis.
• Amirim A program for students who want to spend their summer during college doing an internship in Israel. Participants will spend two months interning in a field of their choice while also having the freedom to explore Israel.
• Camp Kimama Israel Kimama is the largest and leading international Jewish summer camp in Israel, offering an unforgettable experience for children and youth (ages 7-17).  Since 2004, Kimama has hosted a unique encounter for Jewish children, with over 1,800 campers from 42 countries around the world. Both English and Hebrew are the official languages at Kimama.
• Friends of Israel Scouts - Tzofim Information about Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet and Tzofim Keshet, programs of the Friends of Israel Scouts-Tzofim.
• Honeymoon Israel Spend nine exhilerating, romantic and memorable days exploring Israel with your partner, while building friendship and community with other couples from your city.
• Kefiada Each year, JUF's Partnership Together sends up to 16 counselors to KEFIADA, our English-speaking summer camps in our Partnership Together region.
• Onward Israel Onward Israel is a two month professional internship program in sunny Tel Aviv. Live in Israel, build your resume and tour the country with Onward's specialized educational programming.
• Israel Summer Business Academy ISBA is a collaboration between the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis and the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya.  This is an opportunity for undergrads to study and immerse themselves in the Israeli business environment.  The ISBA is a six-week summer program and course credit will transfer back to a student's home institution.
• Career Israel Short Track The Career Israel Short Track is a 2-4 month professional internship program open to college/university students and graduates from all over the world.
• Kibbutz Ulpan (Summer) This Kibbutz Ulpan provides the unique experience of working with Israelis on a kibbutz while at the same time offering classes in the language itself. Participants work on the kibbutz for half of the week and study in Ulpan for the other half, thus having the chance to utilize the Hebrew they are learning in an authentic Israeli setting.
• Magen David Adom The Magen David Adom volunteer program is an amazing opportunity for you to serve Israel, where it is most needed. Volunteers are trained for one intensive week of study in Jerusalem and work on ambulances in all of Israel's major cities for 4-5 weeks.
• Marva The Marva Course was created in 1981 with the objective of giving young Jewish adults in the Diaspora ages 18-28 the opportunity to experience life in Israel through an army experience.
• The Leadership Project at Oranim College The Leadership Project at Oranim College is a unique, month-long, academic summer program that offers students the opportunity to experience the real Israel, in all its complexity and nuance, while studying Israeli history, society and leadership with top professors. Academic credit is available. Located in the beautiful, multi-cultural Galilee, we invite you to join us!
• Pardes The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, a nondenominational coed institute of Jewish studies in Jerusalem, offers one week sessions in January and one month sessions over the summer.
• WWOOF   An organic farming organization that connects volunteers with different farms in Israel, including kibbutzim, moshavim, and smaller family farms. They provide an opportunity to work the land and learn about the movement for sustainable agriculture in Israel.
• Jewish Helping Hands   A US-based volunteer/funding organization which works with non-profits in several countries, primarily Israel. 
• Israel Way (Destination Israel) Israel Way (Destination Israel) offers a wide variety of options: Intern in Tel Aviv, become a social entrepreneur & volunteer in the North, teach English to children who live in co-existence, live on a kibbutz, learn how to become a winemaker, or work in the hospitality industry in Eilat - they have it all.  
• Israeli Leadership Seminar for Teachers and Community Executives of the Jewish World Sponsored by the MOFET Institute, this seminar will deal with models of Jewish/Israeli leadership by examining participant management styles and consolidating ways of promoting community leadership in the framework of the role they are currently performing or will perform in the future. July 9-18, 2013. 
• Technion- Israel Institute of Technology The Technion is Israel's premier technology university.  It is ranked among the world's most innovative universities.  Technion programs have special appeal to top international students and researchers as a result of a successful combination of high-level academic standards and its relevance to the needs of modern society, and proven record for educating leaders in science and technology.
• Hand in Hand - Project Harmony Started in 2009 by two American college students, Project Harmony has grown into a well-established camp setting serving over 150 Arab and Jewish youth in Jerusalem each summer. The camp serves youth in grades 4 through 8 in an English immersion environment, and is staffed by English-speaking international volunteers and local high school students. Project Harmony brings Jewish and Arab youngsters together for four weeks (including a one-week staff training) of day camp during the month of July at Hand in Hand’s campus in Jerusalem.
• Green Apprenticeship at Kibbutz Lotan The GA trains participants to understand and create sustainable solutions for the issues facing the modern world.  Short- and long- term options available.
• Maccabi USA Maccabi USA is a Jewish organization that uses sports as an engagement tool to build Jewish pride, identity, community, and connection to Israel for people of all ages. The Maccabiah features 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries, making it one of the largest global gatherings of Diaspora Jewry. The competition is two weeks, though athletes are brought to Israel a week early for the Israel Connect program. The curriculum was created with partners at The iCenter and JNF, and professional educators will lead the young athletes around Israel and facilitate meaningful activities and discussions. Some of the educators will stay on as a resource during the competition since athletes will have free time in between their games to explore Israel.

Programs from 5 months to 1 year

• Masa Israel Journey Masa Israel Journey, Your Gateway to Long-term Israel Programs, enables thousands of Jewish young adults to spend a semester to a year in Israel in over 150 approved programs by providing information, contacts, grants and more. To request information about specific Masa programs, contact Romi Rochwerger at [email protected] .
• Frontier Israel (Jewish National Fund) Designed to provide a real-life modern day pioneering experience via meaningful volunteer work in three regions of Israel.

Gap Year Programs

• Masa Israel Journey More and more colleges and universities are encouraging teens to take a year between high school and college. Known as the Gap Year, this special year enables high school graduates to volunteer, learn, travel, and expand their horizons. Masa Israel Journey provides a directory of Gap Year programs in Israel.  For more information about Masa gap year programs, contact Romi Rochwerger at  [email protected] .

Scholarship Applications Available

Israel Programs & Scholarships

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The Best Free Virtual Tours of Israel

There are times when it’s impossible or not convenient to travel to Israel, like now, when there’s a war going on. If you already bought a flight ticket and had to postpone or completely cancel your trip, it’s probably frustrating. But you can use this time to learn more about Israel from the comfort of your home and understand Israel better before coming here. You can watch recommended movies about Israel , read interesting books, and check out some free virtual tours of Israel.

In some cases, you can get even more information from virtual tours than from touring the place in reality. That’s because you can explore the sites at your own pace, focus on what really interests you, and won’t get distracted by the heat, the cold, or other people walking around the place. 

Here are some of the best free virtual tours of Israel today.

Table of Contents

Virtual tour of the City of David

The City of David is the most ancient part of Jerusalem, where you can feel the Bible come to life. This is where the city existed in the time of the First Jewish Temple, in the time of King David, King Solomon, and King Hezekiah. When you come to Israel, this place should definitely be on your list. But until then, they have a beautiful free virtual tour. 

Their virtual tour includes commentary, written descriptions of points of interest, and videos that show how things looked in the ancient past. There are even points where you can read phrases from the Bible that are connected to the locations. The only downside is that you must subscribe to their newsletter to view it.

The virtual tour covers all the sites of the City of David, including Warren’s Shaft, King David’s Palace, the Siloam Tunnel, and the Givati Parking Lot, the newest area excavated in the City of David. It even covers part of the Davidson Center Jerusalem Archeological Park!

Click here for the free virtual tour

Virtual tour of the Israel Museum

The Israel Museum is the leading museum in Israel, with the most comprehensive collection of Bible time archeology. Apart from the archeology wing, the Israel Museum has an extensive art exhibition and changing exhibitions focusing on different aspects of Israel.

The museum offers a virtual tour of its galleries through the Google Arts & Culture Street View platform. You can virtually “walk” around the exhibitions and see the different displays, but it’s very hard – and in some cases impossible – to read the signs that explain what you are seeing.

There are also other virtual tours on the Israel Museum’s website. Some of them lead to an insecure link, while others, like the Maimonides Exhibition , the Veiled Women of the Holy Land Exhibition , and the To Go Exhibition , are powered by 4panorama and are actually quite good! You can clearly read the signs in the exhibitions, get “up close” to the displays, and view videos showing the story of each display. The problem is that in some of the tours, the description inside is only in Hebrew. But in some, there is also English, so it’s okay.     

If you want to enjoy commentary of the main museum exhibitions, you can book me for a virtual guided tour of the museum. We’ll “walk” around the museum using Google’s Street View platform, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the museum’s highlights. Contact me at [email protected] for a price quote and more information.

Read more about the highlights of the Israel Museum .

Virtual tour of Yad Vashem

Yad Vashem is the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. It’s a huge center that includes memorial monuments, a history museum, and other spaces that focus on researching the Holocaust. You can find a lot of online resources about the Holocaust on Yad Vashem’s website , but I want to focus on their free virtual tour.

The virtual tour doesn’t enter the Yad Vashem Museum. Instead, it takes you to an online space where you can explore six different exhibitions, each focusing on a different aspect of the Holocaust – life in the Ghetto, Nazi ideology, the Beginning of the Systematic Murder and its Spread to Occupied Poland, the Europe-wide murder of Jews, Liberation and a New Life, and Historical Figures from the Holocaust. Each exhibition has several videos that tell more about each topic. If you’re interested in the Holocaust, this is definitely an enriching resource!

Yad Vashem also uploaded a fascinating virtual tour to YouTube, which uses the 4panorma platform to explore the different exhibition halls. The tour is about an hour long and can be viewed here:

Virtual tour of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art

Another top-notch museum in Israel is the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, which displays both international and local Israeli art. The museum offers free virtual tours of some of its changing galleries. The best virtual tours of the museum are the 360-degree tours, but not all of them are perfect. In most of them, you can clearly read what is written on the explanation signs, but in some, the signs are too small to view.

Click here for the free virtual tours

Virtual tour of Israel by Taglit

Taglit, or Birthright Israel , is an educational tourism program for young Jewish people in the Jewish diaspora. The program lets them travel to Israel free of charge and explore the country’s highlights. During the Coronavirus pandemic, Taglit created a fun interactive virtual tour powered by Eko that shows you the best of Israel from the comfort of your home.

The tour is an interactive video that lets you choose where your guide will take you. It is guided by tour guide Navee Cohen and other tour guides who join him at the different sites. The footage is fantastic, but the explanations are pretty basic. I think it’s meant more to give you a taste of Israel and less to explain each point. Also, there’s no option to skip forward, so you’ll have to make time to view the entire tour.

Click here for the free virtual tour  

My virtual tours of Israel (not free)

If you prefer a private guided virtual tour of Israel, I’ll be happy to show you the highlights of Israel through a Zoom or Google Meet meeting. On my virtual tours, I guide you using platforms such as Google Street View and Google Earth and show original photos and videos I’ve taken during my travels in Israel. I’m a certified Israeli tour guide and would love to share my knowledge about the different sites and topics.

The virtual tours are usually one hour long, starting from 280 ILS (around 70 USD) for one group. Contact me at [email protected] for a quote, availability, and more information.

Here are some of my top virtual tours, but you can request any topic that interests you.

Temple Mount virtual tour

On this virtual tour, we’ll talk about the history of Temple Mount, the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions connected to it, and understand a bit about the Status Quo from 1967.

This tour will include only images of Temple Mount, without videos or Google Street View. It’s more of a lecture and less of a tour.

The Via Dolorosa virtual tour

On this virtual tour, we’ll virtually walk along the Via Dolorosa – the traditional route Jesus took to the crucifixion point. We’ll view the different stations and also learn about the history and stories behind the Via Dolorosa. 

This tour will include images and a walkthrough using Google Street View. 

Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967 virtual tour

This online lecture will tell Jerusalem’s story from the 1948 Independence War to the 1967 Six-Day War. We’ll talk about the fall of the Jewish Quarter, the life along the border from 1948 to 1967, and the unification of Jerusalem after 1967.  Did East Jerusalem really unite with the West? 

This tour will include images and a few parts with Google Street View. It’s more of a lecture and less of a tour. 

Israel Museum Highlights virtual tour

On this virtual tour, we’ll virtually walk through the main exhibitions of the Israel Museum and talk about its highlights, focusing on the archeology wing. This is an excellent tour for those interested in ancient archeology and history.

This tour will include images and a walk-through using Google’s Street View platform.

When it’s impossible to travel to Israel, it’s the perfect time to delve into the virtual tours of Israel. Sometimes, you can learn much more from a virtual tour than an actual tour of the site because there are no distractions, and you can focus more on the information that interests you. I hope you’ll have a good time exploring the free virtual tours of the Israel Museum, the City of David, Yad Vashem, and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. They’re all interesting!

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If you liked this post or found it useful, please don’t hesitate to like, share or comment (:

If you need any more advice, please don’t hesitate to send me a message on my  Facebook page  or to contact me at [email protected] .

If you’re searching for a tour guide in Israel, I also offer private tours in Israel .

You can also support my work by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi .  Your support helps me maintain the site and keep creating content about Israel. It’s greatly appreciated!

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Israel cancels high-level talks in Washington after cease-fire vote clears the U.N.

Jaclyn Diaz

Michele Kelemen

The United Nations Security Council meets on the situation in the Middle East, including the war in Gaza, at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The United Nations Security Council meets on the situation in the Middle East, including the war in Gaza, at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday.

JERUSALEM — The United Nations Security Council has voted 14-0 in favor of a resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza for the rest of Ramadan. The United States abstained from the vote, clearing the way for the measure to pass.

The U.S. decision to abstain drew a swift response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cancelled a visit by an Israeli delegation that had been set to travel to Washington, D.C., for talks on Israel's planned military operation in Rafah, in southern Gaza.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear last night that if the US withdraws from its principled position, he will not send the Israeli delegation to the US. In light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that the delegation would not go," the prime minister's office said in a statement.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Netanyahu's statement was "a bit surprising and unfortunate."

The U.S. abstention was seen as a sign of a growing rift between the two close allies. Washington is urging Israel not to launch an offensive in Rafah — where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering. Israel says it has to go in to destroy remaining Hamas battalions there.

The high-level delegation, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, was due to meet with Biden administration officials to hear U.S. concerns over the Rafah operation and discuss an alternative strategy.

Despite the cancellation, a planned visit by the Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, continued. Gallant was in Washington on Monday to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Adivser Jake Sullivan.

What this resolution says

The cease-fire resolution calls for the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages taken captive by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people. Israel's military offensive in Gaza in response to the attack has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Ramadan is set to end in just over two weeks, on April 9, so if any cease-fire does manifest from the vote it may only be short-lived.

Monday's vote followed several failed attempts by the Security Council at brokering a cease-fire resolution — including one as recently as three days ago.

The U.S. had supported calls for a cease-fire only if they were directly connected to the release of some 130 hostages still in captivity under a deal being negotiated by diplomats from four nations.

"This resolution further explicitly recognizes the painstaking, non-stop negotiations being conducted by the Governments of Egypt, Israel, Qatar, and the United States to achieve such a release in the context of a ceasefire, which would also create space to surge more lifesaving humanitarian assistance for Palestinian civilians, and to build something more enduring," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement.

But because the final text of the resolution did not include "key language we view as essential, notably a condemnation of Hamas, we could not support it," Blinken added.

U.S Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield is now urging Security Council members to put pressure on Hamas to accept a deal being negotiated in Doha.

Goats and Soda

There's already 'catastrophic' hunger in gaza. who decides when to call it a 'famine'.

"We're getting closer to a deal for an immediate cease-fire with the release of all hostages, but we're not there yet," said Thomas-Greenfield after the vote.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby was adamant that the vote did not reflect a change in U.S. policy.

"We have been clear and we've been consistent in our support for a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal," Kirby said on a call after the vote with reporters. He reiterated that because the final text did not include a condemnation of Hamas for the Oct. 7 attacks, the U.S. abstained rather than voting in favor of the resolution.

"It seems like the prime minister's office is choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don't need to do that," Kirby said.

He added, "Of course we still have Israel's back."

Representatives for Hamas and Israeli are still in Qatar for indirect negotiations over a cease-fire, but remain far apart on several details.

Blinken urges Netanyahu not to attack Rafah as cease-fire resolution fails at the U.N.

Hamas said it welcomed the call from the Security Council for an immediate cease-fire, but called on the international body to pressure Israel to adhere to the cease-fire and stop the war.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, "This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable."

Jaclyn Diaz reported from Jerusalem. Michele Kelemen reported from Washington, D.C.

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Israel Agrees to Open Erez Crossing for Gaza Aid After Biden Pressure

Israel has come under rising pressure from U.S. officials and humanitarian agencies to allow more aid into Gaza, amid warnings that famine is looming.

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By Cassandra Vinograd and Erica L. Green

• April 4, 2024

Israel has agreed to open another crossing and increase the flow of aid getting into Gaza, a move seemingly aimed at tempering the U.S. president’s growing frustration over the dire humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The Israeli government confirmed the new measures in an overnight statement, after the Biden administration announced them late Thursday after a tense phone call between President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the call, Mr. Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council said that Israel had agreed to open the Erez crossing to allow aid into northern Gaza, to use the port of Ashdod to direct aid into the enclave and to significantly increase deliveries from Jordan — “at the president’s request.”

“These steps,” the spokeswoman, Adrienne Watson, said, “must now be fully and rapidly implemented.”

The Israeli government did not say when it would open Erez crossing, a checkpoint between Israel and northern Gaza that Hamas attacked on Oct. 7 and that Israel had refused to re-open since. It said only that Israel would allow the “temporary delivery” of aid through the Erez crossing and the port of Ashdod, which sits about 16 miles north of Gaza on Israel’s Mediterranean coast.

Israel has come under rising pressure from U.S. officials and humanitarian agencies to open more border crossings for aid amid warnings from the United Nations that famine looms after nearly six months of war.

Mr. Biden has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s approach to the war against Hamas in Gaza, saying that more must be done to protect civilians. The killing of seven aid workers this week by Israeli forces appeared to bring that to a head, with Mr. Biden saying he was “outraged” and that Israel has “not done enough to protect civilians.”

That frustration carried over into his call with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday, when Mr. Biden tried for the first time to leverage American aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas — prompting Israel to commit to letting more food and supplies into Gaza.

“As the president said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers,” Ms. Watson said in the statement.

The most dire shortages are in northern Gaza, where desperation has prompted people to swarm trucks carrying assistance and where aid groups say they have struggled to deliver supplies because of Israeli restrictions and widespread lawlessness.

Nearly all of the aid allowed into Gaza since the war began has entered through two main crossing points: Kerem Shalom and Rafah, which are both in the southern part of the enclave. But getting truck convoys from the southern border crossings to the north is difficult and dangerous, and the route is sometimes blocked by roads damaged by Israeli bombardment, Israeli checkpoints or battles between Hamas fighters and Israeli troops.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, in a call with his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday, also “raised the need for the rapid increase of aid coming through all crossings in the coming days,” according to the Pentagon.

Late last month, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered Israel to ensure the “provision of unhindered aid” into Gaza, using some of its strongest language yet. Israel has rejected accusations that it is responsible for delays in the delivery of aid.

Patrick Kingsley contributed reporting.

Erica L. Green is a White House correspondent, covering President Biden and his administration. More about Erica L. Green

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

Faced with deepening Democratic resistance to arming Israel , President Biden threatened to condition future support on how Israel addresses concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza . The threat is not idle, aides said, but Biden hopes to force a course correction  rather than follow through.

A grandmother taken captive on Oct. 7 by Hamas was probably killed when an Israeli helicopter, in response to the attack, fired on the vehicle in which she was being held , said Israel’s military.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is facing challenges on multiple fronts:   domestic support is eroding, there is  international fury over the death toll in Gaza, and the fallout from the killing of seven aid workers has heightened global anger.

Internal Roil at TikTok: TikTok has been dogged for months by accusations that its app has shown a disproportionate amount of pro-Palestinian and antisemitic content to users. Some of the same tensions  have also played out inside the company.

Palestinian Detainees: Israel has imprisoned more than 9,000 Palestinians suspected of militant activity . Rights groups say that some have been abused or held without charges.

A Hostage’s Account: Amit Soussana, an Israeli lawyer, is the first former hostage to speak publicly about being sexually assaulted  during captivity in Gaza.

A Power Vacuum: Since the start of the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has done little to address the power vacuum that would appear after Israeli forces leave Gaza. The risks of inaction are already apparent in Gaza City .

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What aid routes will Israel open into Gaza and what happens next?

Israel has bowed to US pressure to allow more aid into the strip but questions remain about how quickly it will take effect

Israel has announced it will reopen a key crossing into Gaza and allow more aid through another crossing and a port after a warning from Joe Biden that future US support for Israel will depend on it taking concrete action to protect civilians and aid workers. But will this make a substantial difference for Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel’s war has now killed an estimated 33,000 people and created a humanitarian crisis?

What is the significance of Israel’s announcement that it will reopen land aid routes?

Humanitarian organisations have long said that the most effective way to get urgently needed aid into Gaza , where the population is facing catastrophic levels of hunger, is via land routes. Before the war began, with Hamas’s attack on 7 October last year, which killed 1,200 people, up to 500 trucks a day were crossing into Gaza.

The World Food Programme said last month that to meet the most basic needs in Gaza, at least 300 trucks would need to cross daily into the territory. While Jordan, the US and other countries have been airdropping aid, and World Central Kitchen – seven of whose workers were killed by Israel this week , including three Britons – had been distributing supplies, the aid they have been able to deliver has been nowhere near the level needed.

What routes will be opened?

According to an Israeli government statement released on Thursday night, it “will allow the temporary provision of humanitarian aid through Ashdod and Erez crossing and increase Jordanian aid through Kerem Shalom.”

Kerem Shalom, in southern Israel, is a well-established truck crossing, while Erez, in northern Gaza, is the site of the main passenger terminal for entry into the territory from Israel. Use of the port of Ashdod appears to be the most significant. With its established handling and inspection capacity, Ashdod, which lies about 40km (25 miles) north of Gaza, potentially represents the closest and most direct route for large volumes of humanitarian aid to enter.

How quickly can the routes be used?

While Israel has tried to suggest that the Erez crossing was not viable because of the damage done to it on 7 October, the reality is that Israeli military traffic has been using ad hoc crossing points where the IDF has taken down sections of the border fence since the beginning of the ground offensive last year.

Any route through Erez leads quickly to Gaza’s paved road system, including the main north-south road, and will provide access to the area of immediate greatest need: northern Gaza, where tens of thousands of people are experiencing famine and subsisting on barely 250 calories a day.

Could Israel have done this sooner?

For weeks Israeli officials tried to claim there was sufficient aid entering Gaza, despite repeated accusations by the UN and aid and humanitarian groups that it was actively obstructing the delivery of supplies.

Last night’s announcement by Israel, after the US warning that its support depended on immediate steps being taken to assist Gaza’s civilian population, underscores the fact that Israel could have made this decision sooner, when confronted with the growing starvation of Gaza’s population, but chose not to.

The Israeli cabinet’s decision followed briefings by foreign ministry officials who warned that if the humanitarian aid were not increased, Israel would risk international sanctions and even an arms embargo, saying they had received “very clear signals” from their counterparts in the US and in Europe that Israel would face unprecedented sanctions if the aid were not increased immediately.

What are the potential hold-ups?

Israel has been accused of slow-walking security inspections for trucks already waiting to cross into Gaza, which could continue, but the warning from Washington has been clear. “In the coming hours and days, we will be looking for concrete, tangible steps that they’re taking,” said White House spokesperson, John Kirby, on Thursday.

Biden’s own language was also unusually precise in suggesting that Israel would be closely watched for concrete compliance.

A read-out of Biden’s call with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Biden “made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers”. The White House summary added: “He made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

How will aid be distributed?

International aid agencies are operating inside Gaza and could bring in more personnel. Unrwa, the main UN agency for Palestinian refugees, employs thousands of staff inside Gaza and would be best placed to be involved – although Israel has blocked it from distributing aid in northern Gaza.

The Biden administration has suggested previously that problems of theft and looting of convoys could be addressed by flooding Gaza with aid, dramatically reducing the sense of desperation.

Does this mean the war is coming to an end?

The US, UN and other governments, including the UK, have made it clear they are deeply unhappy with the very high level of Palestinian civilian deaths in Israel’s campaign. Biden’s reference to the need to mitigate “civilian harm” and protect humanitarian workers suggests that Israel is unlikely be able to continue conducting the war with its current high tolerance for civilian fatalities.

While the Israeli government has suggested that increased aid access would allow it to continue fighting, the US has made clear that it strongly opposes the plans for an attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where a million people are sheltering, not least Israel’s “unrealistic plans” to evacuate civilians before an assault.

All of which suggests that the space for Israeli operations at the scale seen over the past six months is shrinking and with that there is potential for a decrease in violence.

Guardian Newsroom: Crisis in the Middle East On Tuesday 30 April, 7-8.15pm GMT, join Devika Bhat, Peter Beaumont, Emma Graham-Harrison and Ghaith Abdul-Ahad as they discuss the fast-developing crisis in the Middle East. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live

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Israel to open new border crossing in northern Gaza to increase aid delivery

Israel’s wartime Cabinet approved the opening of a key border crossing in northern Gaza as pressure has mounted for the region to get more critical humanitarian aid access to struggling Palestinians.

The government will take immediate steps to open the Erez border crossing in northern Gaza, according to a statement from Israel’s prime minister’s office shared by Israeli media channels.

“This increased aid will prevent a humanitarian crisis and is necessary to ensure the continuation of the fighting and to achieve the goals of the war,” according to the statement.

The Erez checkpoint will be the third open access point for aid deliveries in Gaza after the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel and another at the border with Egypt in the city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering from the war.

The Israeli government will also increase the amount of “Jordanian aid through Kerem Shalom,” according to the statement.

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has claimed the wartime Cabinet did not approve the opening of a new crossing, according to a statement shared by Israeli media channels. Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician, has been opposed to sending more aid to Gaza, raising concerns about equipment landing in the hands of Hamas.

On Thursday, White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson welcomed the steps by the Israeli government, stating they “must now be fully and rapidly implemented.”

“As the President said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers,” the White House said in a press release.

“We are prepared to work in full coordination with the Government of Israel, the Governments of Jordan and Egypt, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations, to ensure that these important steps are implemented and result in a significant increase in humanitarian assistance reaching civilians in dire need throughout Gaza over the coming days and weeks.”

The apparent move to open Erez comes after significant pressure on Israel from the U.S. and the international community to get more humanitarian aid into the besieged strip.

The United Nations is warning of famine in northern Gaza as Palestinians are struggling to access basic needs like food and water amid Israel’s war against Hamas.

President Biden, who has pressed for more humanitarian aid into Gaza, called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss his concerns about the war, including the need for a cease-fire and a hostage release deal. Hamas is holding some 100 hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza.

Biden has ordered the U.S. military to airdrop aid into Gaza, while the Pentagon is also overseeing an effort to build a pier off the coast of the strip to facilitate more aid.

But critics say that is not enough and there is no substitute for land crossings, making the new entry point crucial for Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has also been accused of slow-walking aid deliveries into Gaza and turning back trucks, while some Palestinians have also accused the military of attacking aid convoys.

Israel came under intense criticism this week after a Monday strike killed seven aid workers from the charity aid group World Central Kitchen, which has since suspended operations in Gaza.

Updated at 8:38 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

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Israel-Gaza latest: Israel explains why troops withdrawn from southern Gaza | War latest

Today marks six months since the 7 October attacks by Hamas that left more than 1,100 Israelis dead and prompted Israel's ongoing military operation in Gaza, which has killed more than 33,000 people. We'll be bringing you updates on this throughout the day.

Sunday 7 April 2024 20:50, UK

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• Israeli military withdraws almost all ground troops from southern Gaza
• Israel's defence minister gives reason for troops withdrawal  
• Netanyahu 'desperate' for ceasefire deal
• Today marks six months since the 7 October attacks
• Iranian official says Israeli embassies are no longer safe | Top military commander promises retaliation
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• Podcast: Should the UK stop selling arms to Israel?
• Live reporting by Jess Sharp and (earlier)  Josephine Franks

Today marks six months since Hamas launched its 7 October attacks on Israel. 

With frustration growing in Israel, deaths rising in Gaza and a humanitarian crisis continuing to grow, many have been calling for a ceasefire deal to be struck. 

Around 130 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza  - about a quarter of whom Israel says are dead. 

Here our Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall takes a look at some of the key moments in the conflict so far...

Israel will hold a military exercise tomorrow morning, the country's military has announced. 

In a post on X, the Israel Defence Forces says the drill will be held in the northern coastal strip and the Galilee area - a region close to the Lebanon and Syria border. 

It adds that the "lively movement of vessels, aircraft and security forces" will be felt in the area and is part of the "IDF's readiness for combat in the various sectors". 

"There is no fear of a security incident," it says. 

It comes after the military said earlier today that it has completed another phase in preparing for a possible war on its northern front with Lebanon and Syria.

The United States and its allies have dropped humanitarian aid into the isolated northern part of Gaza, where the United Nations and aid groups have warned famine is imminent.

The US Central Command said it dropped the packages alongside the Royal Jordanian Air Force. 

It said the delivery will provide "essential relief to civilians in Gaza affected by the ongoing conflict". 

"The combined joint operation included Jordanian-provided food and three US Air Force C-130 aircraft," it added. 

"The US C-130s dropped over 38,000 meal equivalents, providing life-saving humanitarian assistance in northern Gaza." 

To date, the US has dropped 739 tons of humanitarian assistance in the region. 

The British armed forces have dropped 40 tonnes of aid into Gaza in recent weeks to tackle the bottleneck in supplies reaching Palestinians.

The five air drops have seen supplies including water, flour and baby formula parachuted into the territory.

Thousands of Israelis have rallied outside the parliament in Jerusalem, calling for a "hostage deal" to be reached. 

The demonstration, organised by the families of the hostages, also marks six months to the day since they were captured by Hamas.

The six-month mark has been met with growing frustration in Israel, where anti-government protests have swelled and anger has mounted, with more than 100 hostages still being held in Gaza. 

"People are waiting for their children for their parents, for their sisters and their brothers and our government doesn't seem to care," said Talia Ezrahi who attended the protest with her daughter. 

Negotiations for a ceasefire in exchange for the release of the hostages have resumed in Cairo today. 

Iraq has agreed to send 10 million litres of fuel to Gaza, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has announced. 

Iraq also agreed to accept wounded Palestinians into the country from the besieged region and provide them treatment. 

The lack of fuel in the strip has crippled hospitals, water systems, bakeries and relief operations. 

Israel imposed a strict blockade on all goods entering Gaza when it launched its military campaign in the region. 

Since then, supplies have dwindled and only a fraction of the amount of fuel needed has been allowed in. 

By Mark Stone, US correspondent 

As we mark six months of the most brutal of conflicts in Gaza, a few thoughts.

First, we're at the end of the most consequential of weeks in this bloody six-month period.

I say it with a great deal of hesitation and perhaps some naivety (given how many moments of hope have come and gone) but maybe there is a little sense of momentum right now.

After the killing of foreign aid workers, it's been a week in which American influence seemed finally to have a humanitarian impact.

After a call between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Israeli government announced it would open Ashdod port for the delivery of aid. 

It also said a key northern border crossing to Gaza, Erez, would open.

Then came the announcement that Israeli troops would pull out of southern Gaza, leaving just one battalion inside the strip.

The White House spokesman, John Kirby, says this is a temporary "rest and refit" for the soldiers but also says he doesn't believe it's the prelude to a new offensive.

Some reporting from Israel suggests the IDF might be shifting to targeted anti-terror operations over large ground offensives.

Israeli negotiators have also gone back to the table in Cairo, reportedly with a new mandate for hostage/ceasefire talks. The CIA director, the prime minister of Qatar and the Egyptian spy boss are also there.

Could all this amount to a moment for the guns to fall silent, the hostages to come home and a flood of aid to get in? 

Well, many of us have wondered this before over the past six months, and we've been wrong.

My second observation? Well, in all of this, a key piece of the path to peace is still totally absent. Who will have authority in Gaza?

Who governs Gaza? A UN blue beret force? An Arab peacekeeping mission? Palestinian leaders? But which ones?

Six months of war and the 'day after' is, just maybe, getting closer.

But no one has any sense of what it looks like. That represents a profound political and damning failure of American leadership.

The number of people killed in Gaza has been underestimated and there are still thousands of people unaccounted for, the ambassador of the State of Palestine to the UK has said. 

The Hamas-led health ministry has reported more than 33,000 people have been killed in the region during the conflict so far, but Husam Zomlot told Sky News the figure was a "big underestimation". 

"We are waiting for the worst because there are thousands of people who are still under the rubble unaccounted for. There are thousands who are missing, so this in the absolute minimum number," he said.

While some Israeli officials have sought to cast doubt on fatality figures, a number of independent groups say they have proved to be largely reliable and broadly in line with those later produced by the UN and Israel itself.

Examination of data from previous Gaza conflicts - the Hamas-run health ministry's counts compared with the post-war United Nations analysis - shows that the initial data is largely accurate with, at most, a 10-12% discrepancy.

"We are always interrogated, always our story is disputed," Mr Zomlot added. 

Israel's military can handle any Iranian threat, its chief has said. 

Speaking in a televised address, Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi said his forces can "act forcefully" against the country. 

"The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) can handle Iran," he said. 

"We can act forcefully against Iran in places near and far. We are cooperating with the United States and with strategic partners in the region," he added. 

It comes after a top Iranian military adviser warned Israel that none of its embassies are safe following a strike in Damascus last week. 

The strike, which has been widely blamed on Israel, killed 12 people, including two elite Iranian generals.

Israel has been preparing for an Iranian response to the strike without directly acknowledging its involvement. 

As we have been reporting throughout the day, Israel has withdrawn almost all its troops from southern Gaza. 

The move, which came hours before ceasefire talks were expected, has sparked questions over what Israel is planning to do next. 

The country's defence minister Yoav Gallant has said the troops withdrew to prepare for future operations - including in the southern Gaza city, Rafah. 

"The forces are exiting and preparing for their next missions, we saw examples of such missions in the Shifa operation, and also of their coming mission in the Rafah area," Mr Gallant said. 

Rafah shelters some 1.4 million people - more than half of Gaza's population.

The prospect of an offensive there has raised global alarm, including from the US, which has demanded to see a credible plan to protect civilians.

Palestinians have started to return to Khan Younis in southern Gaza after the Israeli military withdrew the majority of its troops from the area. 

People were seen inspecting the destruction caused by the six-month conflict, with several buildings now just piles of rubble.

Just one Israeli brigade remains in the south of the region, and has been tasked with securing the 'Netzarim corridor' that divides the Gaza Strip, according to a report from The Times of Israel. 

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