Hamas has begun detaining and torturing its rivals in underground prison facilities in Gaza, stepping up its internal repression even as the ceasefire with Israel holds, Israel Hayom reported Thursday.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a stark warning to Hamas on Monday, saying any violation of the Gaza ceasefire “would be taken care of quickly,” as the U.S. continues efforts to stabilize the fragile truce.
Hamas has refused to commit to disarming under U.S. and Israeli ceasefire terms, even as reports and footage emerge of the terrorist group executing dozens of Palestinians in Gaza accused of opposing its rule.
Israel’s Cabinet on Sunday officially approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to rename Operation Iron Swords as the War of Revival, even as clashes with Hamas resumed in southern Gaza following a week-long ceasefire.
Israel announced Tuesday it would not reopen the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt as planned under the ceasefire agreement, accusing Hamas of failing to fulfill its obligation to return the bodies of all slain hostages still held in Gaza.
All 20 living Israeli hostages freed by Hamas on Monday have been transferred to hospitals in central Israel aboard Israeli Air Force helicopters, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed. The final helicopters departed from the Re’im base near Gaza carrying released captives including Matan Zangauker, Maxim Herkin, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or, Evyatar David, Eitan Horn, and brothers David and Ariel Cunio.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared the Gaza war officially over at a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he unveiled a sweeping 20-point peace framework and the creation of a “Board of Peace” — an international body that will guide Gaza’s transition toward civilian governance and reconstruction.
Hamas has launched a bloody campaign to reassert control over the Gaza Strip, killing more than 30 people in recent days as the group seeks to stamp out rival factions and reestablish dominance following a fragile ceasefire.
World leaders gathered Monday evening in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to witness the signing of a landmark ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, marking what U.S. President Donald Trump called “a great day for the Middle East.”
U.S. President Donald J. Trump confirmed Thursday that he will visit Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and deliver a major address to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, amid rising hopes that his proposed ceasefire plan could end the devastating war with Hamas and bring peace to the Jewish nation and the region.
Rocket sirens sounded in southern Israel on Tuesday after fire from Gaza as Israelis began to mark the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack in which Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Monday that Iran is advancing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking major U.S. cities, saying the Islamic Republic could soon “put New York City, Boston, Washington, or Miami under their atomic guns.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a rare phone conversation Monday focusing on regional stability, the Gaza peace proposal backed by Washington, and ongoing Middle East tensions, according to official statements from both sides.
At least hundreds of thousands of people marched through European cities Sunday in anti-Israel protests ahead of the second anniversary of the worst massacre against Jews since the Holocaust, but some rallies expressed support for the Jewish nation.
Israel has intercepted the largest Gaza-bound flotilla in years, detaining dozens of international activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, in a dramatic escalation over the besieged territory, organizers and officials confirmed Thursday.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Wednesday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are close to fully encircling Gaza City, urging remaining residents to flee south through Israeli checkpoints in what he described as their “last opportunity” before the city is sealed off.
A senior Hamas official told the BBC on Wednesday that the group is likely to reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly unveiled 20-point ceasefire and peace proposal for Gaza, saying the package “serves Israel’s interests” and “ignores those of the Palestinian people.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare apology Monday to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani for an Israeli strike in Doha earlier this month that killed a Qatari guard during an attempted assassination of Hamas leaders.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump on Monday unveiled what he described as a “comprehensive and fair” 21-point plan to end the war in Gaza immediately, secure the release of hostages, and set the foundation for rebuilding the enclave under international oversight. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly endorsed the proposal, calling Trump “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
The White House is preparing to host a pivotal summit Wednesday as President Donald Trump seeks to present a “comprehensive plan” for Gaza’s future, with his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff underscoring the administration’s insistence on full hostage freedom and Hamas accountability.