Page 47 - Israel

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.

Palestinians trek across rubble to return home as Gaza ceasefire takes hold

Even before the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was fully in place Sunday, Palestinians in the war-battered Gaza Strip began to return to the remains of the homes they had evacuated during the 15-month war. Majida Abu Jarad made quick work of packing the contents of her family's tent in the sprawling tent city of Muwasi, just north of the strip's southern border with Egypt. At the start of the war, they were forced to flee their house in Gaza's northern town of Beit Hanoun, where they used to gather around the kitchen table or on the roof on summer evenings amid the scent of roses and jasmine. The house from those fond memories is gone, and for the past year, Abu Jarad, her husband and their six daughters have trekked the length of the Gaza Strip, following one evacuation order after another by the Israeli military. Seven times they fled, she said, and each time, their lives became more unrecognisable to them as they crowded with strangers to sleep in a school classroom, ..

Gaza ceasefire begins after delay as Hamas names hostages to be released

A long-awaited cease-fire in Gaza has begun after a nearly three-hour delay. The truce was postponed after Hamas did not name the three hostages it plans to release later on Sunday. Israel vowed to keep fighting until it received the names, which were posted on social media by Hamas' armed wing around two hours later. That appeared to pave the way for the start of the ceasefire, which Israel said would begin at 11.15 am local time.

Gaza ceasefire deadline passes as Hamas fails to provide hostages' names

Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on technical field reasons

Palestinians prepare to welcome relatives to be released from Israel

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 .

Israeli air force intercepts one ballistic missile launched from Yemen

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 Cabinet approves deal for ceasefire in Gaza, release of hostages

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 ...

Peace at last? Lasting truce demands good faith by Israel and Hamas

Lasting truce demands good faith by Israel, Hamas

Hostage exchange, withdrawal, ceasefire: What the 3-phase Gaza deal entails

Israel and Hamas have reached a three-phase deal, potentially leading to the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israel

MEA welcomes Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel, Hamas

India on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. The announcement on the deal comes after 15 months of conflict in Gaza. In its reaction, India hoped that the agreement will 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 have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," it said.

UN chief welcomes Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, says its critical 1st step

UN chief Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, describing the deal as a "critical first step and urging parties to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader region. In a significant breakthrough in the 15-month brutal conflict between Israel and Hamas, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire agreement which promises the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, UN Secretary-General Guterres said on Wednesday. Guterres commended the mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough. Guterres called on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this

Watch: Gazans celebrate as Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal brings hope

In Gaza, news of the truce was met with joy as crowds gathered in the streets. People chanted, embraced, and waved flags outside Deir el-Balah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a symbol of the war's toll

Israeli President Herzog calls on Cabinet to approve ceasefire deal

The most contentious aspect of the agreement is the phased nature of the hostage release

Joe Biden outlines three-phase ceasefire deal between Israel, Hamas

Biden also highlighted the diplomatic effort involved, noting the pressure from Israel and US support, as well as a coalition of 20 countries that stood against attacks from the Houthis

Gaza deal to take effect on Jan 19, Israel says details in flux: Qatari PM

Qatar's prime minister on Wednesday announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that will pause the devastating 15-month war in Gaza and clear the way for dozens of Israeli hostages to go home. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced the agreement in the Qatari capital of Doha, the site of weeks of painstaking negotiations. He said the deal would go into effect on Sunday. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, multiple officials announced on Wednesday, raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies. The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed ..

Global leaders welcome Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, express need for peace

Following the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, global leaders have expressed optimism while emphasising the need for further efforts toward peace.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the mediation efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, while former US President Barack Obama called the agreement a positive step. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the deal, stressing the need for a long-term political solution based on a two-state framework to secure lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.In a statement, Guterres said, "I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. I commend the mediators -- Egypt, Qatar and the USA -- for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. I call on all to uphold their commitments & ensure that this deal is fully implemented. From the outset of the violence, I have called for an immediate ceasefire & the ...

Trump's pressure & clarity of demand may secure Gaza ceasefire deal

As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to highlight in a valedictory speech at Washington's Atlantic Council on Tuesday, the deal on offer appears to have changed very little

Hostages, prisoners swap terms in Israel-Hamas draft ceasefire deal

If the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal goes according to the current draft, then fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed. In this first phase Israeli troops will pull back to the edges of Gaza, and many Palestinians will be able to return to what remains of their homes as stepped-up aid flows in. The question is if the ceasefire will survive beyond that first phase. That will depend on even more negotiations meant to begin within weeks. In those talks, Israel, Hamas, and the US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators will have to tackle the tough issue of how Gaza will be governed, with Israel demanding the elimination of Hamas. Without a deal within those 42 days to begin the second phase, Israel could resume its campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas even as dozens of hostages remain in the militants' hands. Hamas has agreed to a draft of the ceasefire deal, two officials confirmed, but Israeli officials say detai

Ceasefire in Gaza? What to know about Israel and Hamas hostage talks

The Biden and incoming Trump administrations are collaborating to secure a ceasefire agreement before January 20, focusing on hostages, troop withdrawals, and peace talks

Hamas likely to release 33 hostages in phase 1 of ceasefire-hostage deal

According to CNN, Israel believes most of the 33 hostages are alive, although some deceased hostages may also be included in the initial release