The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) restarted its military campaign in the Gaza Strip on Friday following a week-long ceasefire. Hamas, a terrorist organization, violated the ceasefire by launching rockets into Israel and failing to submit a list of hostages intended for release by 7 a.m.
On Thursday, Hamas released eight Israeli hostages, constituting the seventh group of individuals freed by the terrorist organization as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
Hamas said Thursday that 10 more Israeli hostages would be released from the Gaza Strip late Thursday, two of them also holding Russian citizenship, as part of a one-day truce extension.
At least three people, including a rabbi, were killed and five others wounded in a shooting attack at the entrance to Jerusalem for which Hamas claimed responsibility.
After spending 54 days in captivity, Hamas released a total of 16 hostages on Wednesday. The released individuals comprise 12 Israelis and 4 Thai nationals who were freed from Gaza.
The European Union and the heads of a number of Arab states agreed on Monday that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be resolved through a two-state solution, with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell adding that the Palestinian Authority should rule the Gaza Strip once the Hamas terror group has been removed from power there, Reuters reports.
The US has informed Israel that if it resumes its ground offensive to dismantle Hamas in Gaza, it must operate with greater precision to avoid “significant further displacement” of Palestinian civilians in the southern part of the Strip, the Associated Press reports.
Israel said Tuesday that Hamas had released 12 more hostages, including 10 Israeli citizens and two Thai nationals.
The Israeli government has approved Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system to operate in Israel, including the Gaza Strip.
Warning Israel that it is expected to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip even after the current ceasefire with Hamas is over, the US on Tuesday sent the first of three military planes to Egypt with medicines, food, and winter items for Gaza civilians, Axios reports. The other two US planes will arrive in Egypt in the coming days.
“Hamas terrorists” violated a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday by attacking Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip, but efforts were underway to extend the truce, Israeli sources said.
Israel’s military said Monday that 11 hostages, including two mothers and nine children, were en route to Israel after being released by Hamas, seen as a terrorist group by the West.
Fourteen Israeli citizens who were taken hostage in Gaza were released by the Palestinian terror group Hamas and brought back into Israel by the Israel Defense Force (IDF) as confirmed by Israel on Sunday evening. Additionally, three Thai citizens were also released through the Rafah crossing on Sunday night.
In the recent hostage releases by Hamas, despite the explicit stipulation in the details of the release deal that families cannot be separated, several families have been split up in the first two batches. This action by Hamas is seen as a form of “psychological warfare” and a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
On Saturday night, over 100,000 Israelis gathered in what is now referred to as “Hostage Square” outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The assembly marked the “50 Days of Hell” since Hamas’ attack on Israel on November 7, known as the “Black Sabbath,” during which the terrorist organization abducted approximately 240 hostages.
The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday that Hamas released 17 hostages, including 13 Israelis and 4 Thai citizens.
A Gaza hostage release deal was back on track Saturday night after a row with Hamas over aid supplies to the north of the Palestinian enclave was resolved following mediation by Qatar and Egypt, several sources confirmed.
Exhausted but hopeful, twenty-four former hostages enjoyed their first Jewish Sabbath in freedom since Hamas released them Friday, ending a near seven-week ordeal.
The first group of Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas and taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross in ambulances from Khan Younis in southern Gaza to the Rafah crossing with Egypt in preparation for their transfer to Israel, Israeli sources said Friday.
A tense ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in the Gaza Strip early Friday ahead of a long-anticipated release of hostages.