Freed hostages bring signs of life from depths of Gaza tunnels
Jerusalem Reuters Families of some Israeli hostages in Gaza have received signs of life from their loved ones for the first time in more than a year via captives who have been freed over the past weeks in the ceasefire deal with Hamas. The messages, along with reports of their harsh conditions in captivity, have […]
Eight hostages freed; Israel releases 110 prisoner after delay amid chaotic hostage handover
Cairo, Egypt/Jerusalem/Ramallah Reuters Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai hostages in Gaza on Thursday and Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners after delaying the process in anger at the swarming crowds at one of the hostage handover points. Arbel Yehoud, 29, abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz in the Hamas-led assault on Israel on 7th October, […]
Gaza residents stream home to the north after hostage breakthrough
Cairo, Egypt/Jerusalem Reuters Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed along the main roads leading north in Gaza on Monday, jubilant to be returning home after months of living in temporary shelter but fearing what might remain of their homes amid the bombed-out ruins. Their return, which had been delayed at the weekend, went ahead after […]
Four Israeli soldiers swapped for 200 Palestinians; north Gaza shut over hostage still held
Jerusalem/Cairo/Gaza Reuters Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, but a delay in freeing another hostage prompted Israel to block hundreds of thousands of Gazans from returning to the enclave’s bombed-out north. The four Israelis freed in the second swap of the week-old Gaza truce were led onto […]
Hamas names four Israeli female soldier hostages to be freed in second swap
Jerusalem Reuters The Palestinian militant movement Hamas is expected to release four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners under a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the 15-month-old war in Gaza. The four soldiers – Karina Ariev, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag – were all stationed at […]
Gazans begin searching for people under rubble on day two of ceasefire
Gaza/Cairo, Egypt Reuters Palestinians began searching on Monday for thousands of Gazans believed still buried under rubble, as residents expressed shock at the devastation wrought by 15 months of war on the enclave on the second day of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The truce in the 15-month-old conflict, which has laid waste to […]
Israeli security cabinet approves ceasefire deal
Jerusalem/Cairo, Egypt Reuters The Israeli security cabinet approved a ceasefire deal on Friday, paving the way for the return of the first hostages from Gaza as early as Sunday and bringing a halt to 15 months of conflict that have devastated the Palestinian coastal strip. The Israeli-Hamas accord is still conditional on the approval of […]
A mother’s anguish: One son to be freed from Gaza, another left behind
Kfar Sava, Israel Reuters News that Israel and Hamas have reached a hostage release deal after 15 months of war in Gaza is bittersweet for Ruth Strum – one of her sons is expected to be freed, but a second will be left behind in captivity for now. “It is not easy for a mother […]
US says Gaza ceasefire to start as planned despite “loose end”
Doha, Qatar/Cairo, Egypt/Jerusalem Reuters The Gaza Strip ceasefire should begin on Sunday as planned, despite the need for negotiators to tie up a “loose end” at the last minute, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday. Israel delayed holding a cabinet meeting to ratify the ceasefire with Hamas, blaming the militant group for […]
Israel hostage families on roller coaster of hope and despair as Gaza deal reached
Tel Aviv, Israel Reuters Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza gathered on Wednesday in the Tel Aviv square where they have held rallies for more than a year, as news trickled out of the agreement struck with Hamas to halt the fighting in Gaza and bring the hostages home. After more than 15 months […]