Israeli military said Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari had been reunited with their mothers and released a video showing them in apparent good health
Three women who had been in captivity for 471 days since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel killing over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting over 200 others
As a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Sunday, the charg d'affaires of the Palestine Embassy in India, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, urged the international community to implement every detail in the long-awaited agreement. The envoy also sought India's assistance in the reconstruction work in war-torn Gaza. The deal involves numerous technical details that are complex and challenging. It requires not only a follow-up by the Trump administration or the UN but also by all the powerful countries around the world," Abu Jazer told PTI. "We urge the international community to ensure the implementation of every detail in the ceasefire agreement," he said. The ceasefire and hostage-release deal between the two sides followed 15 months of conflict that was triggered by a shocking attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. The deal is expected to stop the ongoing war in Gaza and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Seeking India's assistance in the .
Three Israeli hostages released from Gaza have been handed over to Israeli forces there in the first test of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The three hostages are Romi Gonen, 24, kidnapped from the Nova music festival, and Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Later on Sunday, Israel is expected to release around 90 Palestinian prisoners. A gradual release of 33 captives over the next six weeks has been agreed on. In exchange, Israel will release almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and Palestinians from Gaza who have been detained. The truce has sparked hope and trepidation. Many Israelis fear that the three-phase deal could collapse before all hostages return, and they worry who has died in captivity. Some 250 people were kidnapped during Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack that triggered 15 months of war. Almost 100 hostages had remained in Gaza after the rest were released or their bodies recovered. The first three hostages set
As a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect in Gaza, Israeli ambassador Reuven Azar on Sunday thanked New Delhi for supporting his country's "right" to self-defence. The ceasefire and hostage-release deal between the two sides followed 15 months of conflict that was triggered by a shocking attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. The deal is expected to stop the ongoing war in Gaza and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. "I would like to thank the Indian government for supporting our right for self-defence and we specially appreciate the overwhelming support of the Indian people," Azar said in a video released by the Israeli embassy. Israel had launched a massive military offensive in Gaza as part of its retaliation to the October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli cities by Hamas. While strongly condemning the attack by Hamas, India consistently called for a ceasefire and creating conditions for direct peace negotiations towards a two-s
Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on technical field reasons
Ahead of the first day of the ceasefire, some Palestinians in the West Bank are preparing to welcome home their relatives, some of whom have spent years in Israeli prisons. Israel's justice ministry has published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners set to be released on Sunday. Most of them are accused of crimes such as incitement, vandalism, supporting terror activities or attempted murder. In the village of Kafr Niema in the West Bank, the Ataya family is hoping to mark their son's birthday on Sunday with his release. "He will turn 19 and begin his 20th year. It will be a celebration of both a new year of his life and God willing, his release," his father, Nasser Ataya, said. His son Osama's name is on the list. He was arrested after the war broke out in October 2023, accused of conducting terror activities, Ataya said. Israel's Prison Services has said it will carry out the transportation of the prisoners when they're released, rather than the International Red Cross, to avoid .
Meanwhile, IDF announced that it is making preparations for the ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas, which was given approval by the government overnight
Israel's justice ministry has published a list of more than 700 Palestinian prisoners who are to be released under the ceasefire deal pausing the war with Hamas in Gaza. The list came hours after Israel's full Cabinet approved the ceasefire deal. The ministry said the Palestinian prisoners will be released no earlier than 4 pm local time on Sunday, the day the exchange is set to begin. The list includes members of Hamas and Islamic militant groups, some of whom are serving life sentences and are convicted of serious offences such as murder. The list did not appear to include Marwan Barghouti (64), the highest-profile prisoner held by Israel and seen by many Palestinians as a prime candidate to become their president in the future. Barghouti was a leader in the West Bank during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s. Hamas has demanded that Israel release him as part of any ceasefire agreement, a possibility Israeli officials have ruled out.
The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect in less than 24 hours, Qatar's foreign ministry said on Saturday. In a post on X, foreign minister Majid al-Ansari said the ceasefire will go into effect at 8:30 am (6:30 GMT) on Sunday, and advised people to exercise caution and wait for directions from officials. Early Saturday morning, Israel's Cabinet approved the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages and pause the 15-month war with Hamas, bringing the sides a step closer to ending their deadliest and most destructive fighting ever. Under the deal, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Key questions remain about the ceasefir
Israel's Cabinet approved a deal early Saturday for a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages held there and pause the 15-month war with Hamas, bringing the sides a step closer to ending their deadliest and most destructive fighting ever. Mediators Qatar and the US announced the ceasefire Wednesday, but the deal was in limbo for more than a day as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted there were last-minute complications that he blamed on the Hamas militant group. The ceasefire just the second achieved during the war will go into effect Sunday, though key questions remain, including the names of the 33 hostages to be released during the six-week first phase of the ceasefire and who among them is still alive. The Cabinet met well past the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath, in a reflection of the moment's importance. In line with Jewish law, the Israeli government usually halts all business for the Sabbath except in emergency cases of life or death. Netanyahu ...
Presidency urges the international community to offer urgent humanitarian aid to enable the government to shoulder its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people, a statement said
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Israel's security Cabinet on Friday recommended approval of a ceasefire that would pause the fighting in Gaza and release dozens of hostages held by militants. The deal will now go to the full Cabinet. The prime minister's office said Friday that if the deal is passed, ceasefire could start as soon as Sunday with the first hostages released then.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed a hostage exchange deal involving Palestinian prisoners, coupled with a ceasefire to address the ongoing Gaza conflict
As per an Israeli official, the full cabinet vote on the agreement is now expected to take place on January 19, but the smaller security cabinet will meet on Friday to vote on the deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday his Cabinet won't meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down, accusing the group of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. His office did not elaborate. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire deal was announced, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength. Under the deal expected to begin Sunday, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second ..
Hamas senior official Izzat el-Reshiq said that the group remained committed to the ceasefire deal that was scheduled to take effect from Sunday to bring an end to months of bloodshed
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India on Wednesday welcomed the announcement on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal which would halt the war in Gaza and see the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the US and mediators Qatar have said. The deal between Israel and Hamas came after months and it is expected to come into effect on Sunday if both sides fully approve it. In its reaction, India hoped that the agreement would lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza," it said in a statement. The MEA added: "We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy." The full details of th