2 h. ago Israel releases some Palestinian prisoners after Hamas returns bodies of four hostages

Gaza ceasefire appears to hold, though it remains unclear whether exchange would include all 602 Palestinian prisoners who were due for release on SaturdaySee all our Middle East coverageHamas has handed over the bodies of four hostages, and Israel has released some Palestinian prisoners, as the five-week-old ceasefire appeared to get back on track after a breach that had brought fears of a return to war in Gaza.The bodies of the hostages were transferred to the Red Cross in southern Gaza and driven to the border point at Kerem Shalom at about midnight. Meanwhile, a convoy of buses carrying Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that 43 Palestinians being held in Ofer had been transferred to the Red Cross. Continue reading...

Events

4 h. ago Hamas returns bodies of four hostages as ceasefire appears to get back on track

Israel releases more Palestinian prisoners in exchange and says identities of deceased Israelis not yet confirmedHamas has handed over the bodies of four hostages, and Israel has released some Palestinian prisoners, as the five-week-old ceasefire appeared to get back on track after a breach that had brought fears of a return to war in Gaza.The bodies of the hostages were transferred to the Red Cross in southern Gaza and driven to the border point at Kerem Shalom at about midnight. Meanwhile, a convoy of buses carrying Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Continue reading...

Events

15 h. ago Thousands of Israelis line streets for funeral of Bibas family killed in Gaza

National outpouring of grief comes amid reports that deal reached to resume ceasefire with HamasThousands of Israelis have lined the route of a funeral procession for two small children and their mother who were held hostage and died in captivity in Gaza.The national outpouring of grief for Ariel, Kfir and Shiri Bibas came amid reports that a deal had been reached to resume the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, with the handover of more bodies of hostages in return for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Continue reading...

Events

19 h. ago Middle East latest: Hamas will return bodies of 4 dead Israeli hostages in exchange for prisoners

Hamas will return the bodies of four dead Israeli hostages on Thursday in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the group said, just days before the first phase of the ceasefire between the warring parties was to expire

Events

20 h. ago Hamas to turn over bodies of four Israeli hostages in exchange for release of hundreds of prisoners

Hamas says that it will return the bodies of four dead hostages on Thursday in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, two days before the first phase of the ceasefire between the warring parties is set to expire

Events

63 h. ago Netanyahu ‘preparing atmosphere’ to return to war with Gaza, says Hamas official – Middle East crisis live

Hamas official Basem Naim says Benjamin Netanyahu ‘intentionally sabotaging’ peace deal According to a report from Hebrew media outlet Ynet, Israel has told international mediators that it will release more than 600 Palestinian prisoners who were initially scheduled for release on Saturday if Hamas returns four bodies today without any ceremony. The Guardian has not confirmed this report.Israel suspended the handover of 620 Palestinians it was due to free from its prisons on Saturday, putting the ceasefire agreement in jeopardy after Benjamin Netanyahu criticised what he called “disgraceful ceremonies that dishonour our hostages and the cynical use of hostages for propaganda”.We have fulfilled all our obligations according to the deal.Unfortunately, all the time Netanyahu and his government have been trying to undermine and sabotage the deal.They have committed a lot of violations – killed more than 100 Palestinians, prevented most of the basic needs of the Palestinians to enter the...

Events

5 d. ago Middle East crisis live: Israel claims Hamas killed Bibas children with their ‘bare hands’

Statement from IDF spokesman contradicts Hamas claim the family was killed in an airstrikeOne of the four bodies returned by Hamas to Israel on Thursday is not that of Shiri Bibas, Israel’s military has said, calling it a “violation of utmost severity” of a ceasefire deal that was already precarious.The Israeli military confirmed that two of the bodies belonged to Bibas’ children, Ariel and Kfir, in the early hours of Friday. However, it added “During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body” Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Middle East crisis live: Shiri Bibas remains mixed with others after airstrike, Hamas claims after Israel says wrong body returned

Israel has demanded the return of Shiri Bibas after it said testing showed that one of the four bodies released by Hamas did not belong to any other hostageFull report: Israeli military accuses Hamas of ‘serious violation’, saying Shiri Bibas not among returned hostagesOne of the four bodies returned by Hamas to Israel on Thursday is not that of Shiri Bibas, Israel’s military has said, calling it a “violation of utmost severity” of a ceasefire deal that was already precarious.The Israeli military confirmed that two of the bodies belonged to Bibas’ children, Ariel and Kfir, in the early hours of Friday. However, it added “During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body” Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Middle East crisis live: Shiri Bibas remains have been mixed with other remains after airstrike, Hamas says

Israel has demanded the return of Shiri Bibas after it said testing showed that one of the four bodies released by Hamas did not belong to any other hostageFull report: Israeli military accuses Hamas of ‘serious violation’, saying Shiri Bibas not among returned hostagesOne of the four bodies returned by Hamas to Israel on Thursday is not that of Shiri Bibas, Israel’s military has said, calling it a “violation of utmost severity” of a ceasefire deal that was already precarious.The Israeli military confirmed that two of the bodies belonged to Bibas’ children, Ariel and Kfir, in the early hours of Friday. However, it added “During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body” Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Jewish community in London mourns as Hamas returns bodies of 4 Israeli hostages

Jewish community in London mourns as Hamas returns bodies of 4 Israeli hostages  The Associated Press

Events

6 d. ago Shiri Bibas not among returned hostages, Israeli military says, accusing Hamas of ‘serious violation’

Statement from IDF comes hours after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders further crackdown on occupied West Bank over bus explosionsOne of the four bodies returned by Hamas to Israel on Thursday is not that of Shiri Bibas, Israel’s military has said, calling it a “violation of utmost severity” of a ceasefire deal that was already precarious.The Israeli military confirmed that two of the bodies belonged to Bibas’ children, Ariel and Kfir, in the early hours of Friday. However, it added “During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body.” Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Israeli mum slaughtered with children not among hostages' bodies returned by Hamas in 'serious violation'

Shiri Bibas' body was supposed to be in the caskets released by Hamas but the Israeli Defence Forces have reportedly told the Bibas family that only Ariel, 4, and nine-month-old baby Kfir's remains were positively identified

Events

6 d. ago Hamas hands over bodies of four Israeli hostages including 10

Hamas has returned the bodies of four hostages, including the two youngest captives seized in its 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.

Events

6 d. ago Sickening moment armed Hamas soldiers stand over coffins of dead children in latest Gaza exchange

Shocking images released from the south Gaza city Khan Younis show Hamas soldiers returning the bodies of four Israeli hostages - including two young children - in black coffins

Events

6 d. ago Watch live: Hamas returns bodies of four Israeli hostages, including four

Watch live as Hamas returns the bodies of four hostages on Thursday, 20 February, including the two youngest captives seized in its October 7 attack on Israel.

Events

6 d. ago Hamas returns bodies of four Israeli hostages, including two young children

Hamas releases bodies said to be those of Shiri Bibas and her two young children after their father Yarden was freed earlier this month

Events

6 d. ago Middle East crisis live: Hamas to return bodies of four Israeli hostages, including two children

Bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, who Hamas says were killed in an Israeli airstrike, as well as Oded Lifshitz, 83, to be handed overAhead of today’s release, Hamas said it is ready to release all its remaining hostages in a single exchange if the ceasefire agreement with Israel moves forward to a second phase next month.The offer came as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, signalled his readiness to talk about a second phase of the Gaza ceasefire after an extended delay, by appointing one of his closest advisers, Ron Dermer, a US-born cabinet minister and former ambassador to Washington, to lead the Israeli delegation to the talks.Hamas has said it is ready to release all its remaining hostages in a single exchange if the ceasefire agreement with Israel moves forward to a second phase next month. A senior Hamas official, Taher al-Nunu, told Agence France-Presse “We have informed the mediators that Hamas is ready to release all hostages in one b...

Events

6 d. ago Hamas to return 4 Israeli bodies, including a mother and her 2 young children

Hamas is set to return the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including a mother and her two children who have long been feared dead and had come to embody the nation’s agony following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack

Events

8 d. ago Middle East crisis live: Hamas says it will return bodies of four Israelis on Thursday and release six living hostages on Saturday

Militant group will release hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners as Israel confirms it will begin negotiations on second phase of ceasefire dealGeneva Abdul is a reporter for the GuardianMore than 200 organisations worldwide have called on nations involved in producing F-35 fighter jets to “immediately halt all arms transfers to Israel” amid fears they have failed to prevent the planes from being used to violate international law. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Hamas's youngest hostages Kfir and Ariel Bibas, 2 and 5, and mum confirmed dead

Youngest hostages Kfir and Ariel Bibas, aged two and five, as well as their mother have been confirmed dead by Hamas, with their bodies to be returned to Israel next week

Events