Hamas hands over bodies of four hostages, Israel frees Palestinian prisoners
Jerusalem Reuters Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages while it waited for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel in return, in an overnight exchange marking the final swap as part of a fragile truce in Gaza. The ceasefire came into effect on 19th January and has largely held, despite […]
Israel mourns Bibas family as Hamas signals breakthrough on hostages
Rishon Lezion, Israel/Cairo, Egypt Reuters Israelis mourned the family that symbolised the trauma their country suffered in the Hamas-led attack of 7th October, 2023, as the Palestinian militant group agreed to free the last hostage bodies included in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire. Hamas said the bodies of Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad […]
Hamas says talks with Israel contingent on release of prisoners as agreed
Cairo, Egypt Reuters Talks with Israel through mediators on further steps in a ceasefire agreement are conditional on Palestinian prisoners being released as agreed, Hamas official Basem Naim said on Sunday. Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners it had planned to free the day before until militant […]
Israel says it is postponing release of Palestinian prisoners
Jerusalem Reuters Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners it had planned to free the day before until militant group Hamas met its conditions, underscoring the fragility of the Gaza ceasefire accord. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement in the early hours of Sunday saying that […]
Hamas frees three hostages, Israel begins releasing Palestinians
Gaza/Jerusalem/Cairo, Egypt Reuters Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday handed over three Israeli hostages whose gaunt appearance shocked Israelis, and Israel began freeing dozens of Palestinians in the latest stage of a ceasefire aimed at ending the war in Gaza. Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, who were taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri during the […]
Hamas names hostages to be freed after accusing Israel of breaching ceasefire
Cairo, Egypt/Jerusalem Reuters Hamas on Friday announced the names of three Israeli hostages to be released on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners after a delay that underlined the obstacles hanging over a fragile deal meant to end the war in Gaza. Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, both taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri during […]
Israeli hostages, Palestinian prisoners released in latest Gaza exchange
Updated: 8am, 2nd February (AEST) Gaza/Cairo, Egypt Reuters Palestinian militant group Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages on Saturday, and dozens of Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released in exchange, in the latest stage of a truce aimed at ending the 15-month war in Gaza. Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national, and Yarden Bibas were […]
Three Israeli hostages, including dual US and French citizens, set for release in Gaza on Saturday
Jerusalem Reuters Hamas said on Friday it would free the father of the youngest hostages seized in its 7th October, 2023 attack on Israel and two others including a dual US citizen and a dual French citizen in the next exchange of Gaza hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel and Ofer Kalderon will […]
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, […]
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 […]