Trump's remarks suggest the possibility of direct US military involvement in Gaza, marking a shift from earlier statements that the US would support renewed Israeli action if the ceasefire was broken
Hamas hastened on Tuesday to ease the pressure on a fragile ceasefire in its war with Israel by returning the bodies of more dead hostages. The move came after an Israeli military agency said it would slash aid deliveries to Gaza by half over concerns that the militant group was handing remains over slower than agreed. The Israeli Prime Minister's office confirmed late on Tuesday that authorities received four deceased hostages that the Red Cross handed over to Israeli military authorities inside Gaza. The bodies will be taken to the National Centre for Forensic Medicine where they will be identified and the families notified. This latest transfer of remains comes a day after Israel received the bodies of four other dead hostages. Despite the development, it was unclear if the Israeli military agency known as COGAT will follow through with its decision to allow into Gaza only half of the 600 aid trucks called for under the deal. The United Nations' humanitarian office in ...
Biden also emphasised the efforts of his administration during his presidency to address the humanitarian crisis and bring an end to the conflict
President Donald Trump is declaring Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip over and has already barrelled ahead toward far larger goals arguing that the fragile ceasefire his administration helped broker is a chance to bring a lasting peace to the greater Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is equally exuberant about the present, but far more measured in his assessments going forward. He's characterised the deal, which is still in its early stages, as a proposal to free hostages and end the war while also saying that his country used two years of often brutal war in Gaza to showcase its military might. The pair seemingly offering strikingly different perspectives about the prospects for future peace is noteworthy given just how much each lavished the other with praise during speeches before the Knesset, Israel's parliament, on Monday. But it also reflects just how different the political and diplomatic stakes may be for each leader going forward. That's ...
Hamas has announced that 20 living hostages in total will be exchanged for more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel
Israel-Gaza war: Hamas freed 20 remaining hostages as part of the first phase of Trump's initiative
Israeli President Herzog announced that Trump will be awarded the 'Presidential Medal of Honour' for his role in brokering a ceasefire with Hamas, supporting Israel, and advancing peace in the region
An Israeli defence official said that the handover of the hostages by Hamas to the Red Cross was expected to begin at 8 am local time in northern Gaza, though possible delays could occur
Releases are planned to start at 8 a.m local time even as huge crowds gather at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv to view the release of those kidnapped during Hamas massacre two years ago
Israelis on Monday prepared to welcome home the last 20 living hostages from devastated Gaza and mourn the return of the dead, in the key exchange of the breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war. Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. US President Donald Trump was arriving in the region along with other leaders to discuss the US-proposed deal and postwar plans. A surge of humanitarian aid was expected into famine-stricken Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless. While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners marked a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group. Living hostages expected first Major Israeli TV stations were airing special overnight broadcasts ahead of the hostages' release as anticipation grew. People began to gather near a large screen in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv before dawn. The hostages' return cap
Aboard Air Force One en route to the Middle East, Trump said he might address the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict on his return, claiming confidence in "solving wars"
Anticipation built across Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on Sunday as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held before a critical day for all sides and the region. Preparations appeared underway for the freeing of the 48 hostages both alive and dead still in Gaza, and for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. More ramped-up aid was being readied for Gaza, much in ruins after two years of war that began when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023 killing some 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. In Israel's ensuing offensive, more than 67,600 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. U.S. President Donald Trump was scheduled to arrive in Israel on Monday, staying a few hours before heading to Egypt. What we know and what remains unknown: 737 days since hostages taken Sunday was day 737 since the hostages were taken a number many Israelis have updated daily on strips of adhesive tape worn in national ...
US President Trump departed for Israel on Sunday aboard Air Force One, marking the beginning of a high-stakes diplomatic visit focused on advancing peace in the Middle East
President Donald Trump set off for Israel and Egypt on Sunday to celebrate the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas and urge Middle East allies to seize the opportunity to build a durable peace in the volatile region. It's a fragile moment with Israel and Hamas only in the early stages of implementing the first phase of the Trump agreement, designed to bring a permanent end to the war sparked by the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants. Trump thinks there is a narrow window to reshape the Mideast and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours. It is a moment, the Republican president says, that has been helped along by his administration's support of Israel's decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Very excited about this moment in time, Trump told reporters before Air Force One took off. He said many people in both Israel and Arab countries were cheering the agreement,
Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said the operation marks a significant achievement for Israel following sustained military and diplomatic efforts
Israel said Sunday that it expected all living hostages held in Gaza to be released Monday in its breakthrough ceasefire deal with Hamas, as Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held in Israel and a surge of aid into the famine-stricken territory. In a few hours, we will all be reunited, Israel's military chief of staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said in a statement. US President Donald Trump planned to visit Israel and Egypt on Monday to celebrate the ceasefire announced last week in the two-year war. Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said all 20 living hostages were expected to be released at one time to the Red Cross, then driven to a military base to reunite with families or, if needed, immediately to a hospital. After the hostages are freed, Israel would release about 2,000 Palestinian detainees and receive the 28 hostages believed to be dead. An international task force will start working to locate deceased hostages who are not returne
Hamas rejects Trump-led peace plan as doubts linger over hostages, Israeli withdrawals, and post-war governance in Gaza, casting uncertainty over durable peace
In the crowd, a group of youngsters, shy and reluctant at the beginning, but happy to talk after some encouragement, open up their hearts
The Gaza ceasefire held in its second day as tens of thousands of Palestinians returned to their neighbourhoods Saturday and Israelis cheered Monday's expected release of remaining hostages. Gaza is completely destroyed. I have no idea where we should live or where to go, said Mahmoud al-Shandoghli in Gaza City as bulldozers clawed through the wreckage of two years of war. A boy climbed debris to raise the Palestinian flag. Israelis applauded US President Donald Trump, and some booed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner addressed a weekly rally in Tel Aviv that many hoped would be the last. To the hostages themselves, our brothers and sisters, you are coming home," Witkoff told the crowd estimated in the hundreds of thousands. Kushner said they would celebrate on Monday, when Israel's military has said the 48 hostages still in Gaza would be freed. The government believes around 20 remain alive. Kushner also noted the ...
The meeting will see the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries