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...
Hamas announced it will return the bodies of four Israelis, including the Bibas family, on Thursday and release six living hostages on Saturday as part of a fragile truce with Israel. The six hostages include Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who have been held for over a decade. The release is part of a three-stage ceasefire deal, with the six being the final living hostages to be freed in the first phase. The Bibas family's relatives have not yet received official confirmation of their deaths. Additionally, over $50 billion is needed to rebuild Gaza and the West Bank after the 15-month conflict, according to a joint assessment by the UN, EU, and World Bank. Beirut airport will close for four hours on Sunday during the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.