Page 46 - Israel

Israeli military sets up roadblocks in Lebanon, won't withdraw by deadline

Israel's military Saturday set up roadblocks across border towns and roads in a strategic valley in southern Lebanon, a day before the deadline for it to withdraw from the area under an agreement that halted its war with the Hezbollah militant group. The Israeli military, meanwhile, confirmed that it will not complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday as outlined in the ceasefire agreement. The deal that went into effect in late November gave both sides 60 days to remove their forces from southern Lebanon and for the Lebanese army to move in and secure the area, along with U.N. peacekeepers. Israel says Hezbollah and the Lebanese army haven't met their obligations, while Lebanon accuses the Israeli army of hindering the Lebanese military from taking over. In a statement Saturday, the Israeli military said the agreement is progressing. But it said in some sectors, it has been delayed and will take slightly longer. The Lebanese military has said that they had deployed in

Hamas frees 4 Israeli women soldiers in major prisoner swap under ceasefire

Hamas released four Israeli female soldiers in a prisoner swap, handing them to the Red Cross in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, under a ceasefire deal aiming to end Gaza's 15-month conflict

Israel, Hamas set to swap more hostages for prisoners in latest exchange

Israel and Hamas were expected to swap more hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, the second such exchange since a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip last weekend and another test for the deal. The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the militant group. The fragile deal has so far held, quieting airstrikes and rockets and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory. When the ceasefire started Sunday, three hostages held by the militants were released in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners. On Saturday, four hostages are expected to be freed for 200 prisoners, including 120 who are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks on Israelis. They will likely be released into Gaza or sent abroad. The four Israeli soldiers, Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19, were captured in Hamas' Oct 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war. They were .

Netanyahu defends Musk amid 'Nazi salute' row, calls him 'great friend'

Calling Musk a 'great friend of Israel,' Netanyahu recalled how the Tesla CEO visited Israel after the October 7 attack and supported its right to defence and thanked him for it

US suspends most foreign aid: What Trump admin's order means for the world

US foreign aid faces a major overhaul as Secretary of State Marco Rubio suspends most funding, sparing only military aid to Israel and Egypt

Hamas names 4 hostages it plans to release today in new ceasefire exchange

The Hamas militant group on Friday published the names of four hostages it said it would release the following day as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. There was no immediate confirmation of the names from Israel. The hostages are to be freed Saturday in exchange for the release of dozens of Palestinians imprisoned or detained by Israel. Relatives of hostages still being held by militants in Gaza had earlier Friday called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure that all remaining captives are freed, while also appealing to US President Donald Trump to continue pressing for their release. As a fragile six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas entered its sixth day, Israelis were waiting anxiously for the names of the next four hostages who will be released from among the more than 90 still held in Gaza. In the Palestinian enclave, civilians in the central and southern part of the Gaza Strip faced an agonising wait before they can return to the remnants of the

News Highlights: India will continue buying Russian crude if available at discount, says Puri

Latest news updates: Catch all the major news updates from around the world

Will topple govt if war doesn't resume after ceasefire: Israel minister

Israel's far-right finance minister has threatened to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition if he doesn't resume the war in Gaza after the first phase of ceasefire expires in six weeks. Bezalel Smotrich made the threat on Monday, a day after the ceasefire went into effect. "If, God forbid, the war is not resumed, I will bring the government down," Smotrich told reporters. Smotrich, who leads an ultranationalist religious party, voted against the deal but has remained in the governing coalition for the time being. His departure would rob Netanyahu of his parliamentary majority, setting the stage for the government's collapse and early elections. Smotrich said he has received assurances that Israel will resume the war after the first phase, during which 33 hostages held in Gaza are to return home and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are to be freed. The second phase, which must still be negotiated, is to work out an end to the war and return of all remaining hostage

After 15 months of war, Hamas still rules over what remains of Gaza

As a ceasefire brought calm to Gaza's ruined cities, Hamas was quick to emerge from hiding. The militant group has not only survived 15 months of war with Israel among the deadliest and most destructive in recent memory but it remains firmly in control of the coastal territory that now resembles an apocalyptic wasteland. With a surge of humanitarian aid promised as part of the ceasefire deal, the Hamas-run government said Monday that it will coordinate distribution to the desperate people of Gaza. For all the military might Israel deployed in Gaza, it failed to remove Hamas from power, one of its central war aims. That could make a return to fighting more likely, but the results might be the same. There was an element of theatre in Sunday's handover of three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, when dozens of masked Hamas fighters wearing green headbands and military fatigues paraded in front of cameras and held back a crowd of hundreds who surrounded the vehicles. The scenes ...

Will target only Israel-linked vessels after Gaza ceasefire: Yemen's Houthi

The Iran-backed Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023 and sunk two vessels

Three Israeli women freed after 471 days captivity by Hamas: Who are they?

Gaza ceasefire: Israel released 90 Palestinians after Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, crossed back into the country

Israel frees 90 Palestinian prisoners as Hamas returns 3 Israeli hostages

The first three hostages were released from Gaza and the first Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli custody as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold following 15 months of war, with mixed emotions and more difficult steps ahead over the next six weeks. Palestinians across Gaza began making their way home, and the first trucks with a surge of humanitarian aid began to enter the devastated territory. The ceasefire that began on Sunday morning raises hopes for ending the devastating conflict and returning the nearly 100 remaining hostages abducted in Hamas' Oct 7, 2023, attack. But major questions remain about whether fighting will resume after the six-week first phase. First came the release of Emily Damari, 28; Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, in a tense handover to the Red Cross on a Gaza City street. Footage showed them surrounded by a crowd of thousands, accompanied by masked, armed men wearing green Hamas headbands. The women were taken to

Israel-Hamas epic ceasefire result of historic victory in November: Trump

Donald Trump won a second term as President of the United States after securing 312 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election

Gaza ceasefire: Hamas frees hostages, Israel releases prisoners on day 1

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

Biden urges Americans to 'keep faith' as he spends final day as President

Joe Biden spent his final full day as president Sunday in South Carolina, urging Americans to keep the faith in a better day to come and reflecting on the impact of the civil rights movement in pushing him into politics. On the eve of Monday's inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, Biden delivered a final farewell from a state that holds special meaning after his commanding win in its 2020 Democratic primary set him up to achieve his life's goal of being elected president of the United States. Biden spoke to the congregation of Royal Missionary Baptist Church about why he entered public service Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were political heroes, he said and he thanked South Carolina for its support: I owe you big. Monday is the federal holiday honouring King, the slain civil rights leader. We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing," Biden said. We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must alwa

Israel committed to getting all hostages: Netanyahu after 3 women released

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

3 Israeli hostages with Israel army in Gaza as ceasefire passes 1st hurdle

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

Want to thank India for supporting our right to self-defence: Israeli envoy

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

Andhra should state it is against Vizag Steel Plant privatisation: YSRCP

A similar package was given to the neighbouring state and there were no conditions, while there are many riders for the Rs 11,000 crore given to the Vizag steel plant

Images of 3 hostages to be released from Gaza broadcast during handover

Israeli media, carrying live footage from Qatar-based Al Jazeera, is showing the first images of the first three hostages to be released. They are seen walking between vehicles as their convoy moves through Gaza City. There is a huge crowd, with many people holding up phones and filming. There is a large number of armed men with green Hamas headbands nearby, apparently to secure the vehicles.