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Israel And Hamas Agree To ‘First Phase’ Of Plan To End Fighting And Release Hostages, Trump Says – KXL

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel and Hamas have agreed to pause fighting in Gaza and release at least some hostages and prisoners in an agreement that was put forward by the Trump administration and would represent the biggest breakthrough in months in the devastating two-year-old war.

“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” President Donald Trump wrote on social media. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Hamas said it had agreed to a deal that will lead to the end of the war in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the entry of aid into Gaza and the exchange of prisoners for hostages.

Hamas called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel implements all the provisions of the deal “without disavowal or delay in implementation of what was agreed upon.”

Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

While many questions remain, the sides appear to be closer than they have been in several months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed most of Gaza and triggered other armed conflicts across the Middle East.

The war has sparked worldwide protests and brought widespread allegations of genocide that Israel denies. Israel is more isolated than it has been in decades and bitterly divided over the failure to return the hostages. The Palestinians’ dream of an independent state appears more remote than ever despite recent moves by major Western countries to recognize one.

The deal was solidified in Egypt after days of negotiations centered on a Trump-backed peace plan that he hopes will ultimately result in a permanent end to the war and bring about a sustainable peace in the region.

The arrival of Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, on Wednesday at Sharm el-Sheikh for the peace talks, which were also attended by Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, was a sign that negotiators aimed to dive deeply into the toughest issues of an American plan to end the war. Netanyahu’s top adviser, Ron Dermer, was also present for the talks.

Trump expressed optimism earlier in the day by saying that he was considering a trip to the Middle East within a matter of days.

Yet another hint of an emerging deal came later in that event when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio passed Trump a note on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” Truth Social is the president’s preferred social media platform.

The note prompted Trump to proclaim, “We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East.”

The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 251 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.

This would be the third ceasefire reached since the start of the war. The first, in November 2023, saw more than 100 hostages, mainly women and children, freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners before it broke down. In the second, in January and February of this year, Palestinian militants released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel ended that ceasefire in March with a surprise bombardment.

Praying for a deal
A growing number of experts, including those commissioned by a U.N. body, have said that Israel’s offensive in Gaza amounts to genocide — an accusation Israel denies. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children, is part of the Hamas-run government. The United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

The ministry said Wednesday that the bodies of 10 people killed by Israeli strikes had been brought to local hospitals over the past 24 hours. In the Gaza Strip, where much of the territory lies in ruins, Palestinians have been desperate for a breakthrough. Thousands fleeing Israel’s latest ground offensive in northern Gaza and Gaza City have set up makeshift tents along the beach in the central part of the territory, sometimes using blankets for shelter.

Sara Rihan, a displaced woman from Jabaliya, said she was praying for an end to the war.

“I hope we return to our places and homes even if there are no homes,” she said. “Our existence in our land is the biggest happiness for us.”

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Jordan Vawter

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October 8, 2025

President Trump says Israel, Hamas agree to ‘first phase’ of plan to end fighting, release hostages

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Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday in announcing the outlines of the biggest breakthrough in months in the two-year-old war.“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote on social media. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Hamas said separately that the deal would ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops as well as allow for the entry of aid and exchange of hostages and prisoners.Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.It was not immediately clear whether the parties had made any progress on thornier questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas will demilitarize, as Trump has demanded, and eventual governance of the war-torn territory. But the agreement nonetheless marked the most momentous development since a deal in January and February that involved the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.The deal was solidified in Egypt after days of negotiations centered on a Trump-backed peace plan that he hopes will ultimately result in a permanent end to the war and bring about a sustainable peace in the region.The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 251 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.Trump expressed optimism earlier in the day by saying that he was considering a trip to the Middle East within a matter of days.Yet another hint of a deal came later in that event when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio passed Trump a note on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” Truth Social is the president’s preferred social media platform.The note prompted Trump to proclaim, “We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East.”

WASHINGTON —

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday in announcing the outlines of the biggest breakthrough in months in the two-year-old war.

“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote on social media. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Hamas said separately that the deal would ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops as well as allow for the entry of aid and exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

It was not immediately clear whether the parties had made any progress on thornier questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas will demilitarize, as Trump has demanded, and eventual governance of the war-torn territory. But the agreement nonetheless marked the most momentous development since a deal in January and February that involved the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The deal was solidified in Egypt after days of negotiations centered on a Trump-backed peace plan that he hopes will ultimately result in a permanent end to the war and bring about a sustainable peace in the region.

The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 251 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.

Trump expressed optimism earlier in the day by saying that he was considering a trip to the Middle East within a matter of days.

Yet another hint of a deal came later in that event when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio passed Trump a note on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” Truth Social is the president’s preferred social media platform.

The note prompted Trump to proclaim, “We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East.”

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October 8, 2025

Israel’s army says it will advance preparations for the first phase of Trump’s ceasefire plan

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Israel’s army said Saturday that it would advance preparations for the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and return all the remaining hostages, after Hamas said it accepted parts of the deal while others still needed to be negotiated.Related video above: President Trump announces ceasefire proposal to end Gaza conflictThe army said it was instructed by Israel’s leaders to “advance readiness” for the implementation of the plan. An official who was not authorized to speak to the media on the record said that Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike. The official said no forces have been removed from the strip.This announcement came hours after Trump ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza once Hamas said it had accepted some elements of his plan. Trump welcomed the Hamas statement, saying: “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.”Trump appears keen to deliver on pledges to end the war and return dozens of hostages ahead of the second anniversary of the attack on Tuesday. His proposal unveiled earlier this week has widespread international support and was also endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.On Friday, Netanyahu’s office said Israel was committed to ending the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, without addressing potential gaps with the militant group. Netanyahu has come under increasing pressure from the international community and Trump to end the conflict. The official told the AP that Netanyahu put out the rare late-night statement on the sabbath, saying that Israel has started to prepare for Trump’s plan due to pressure from the U.S. administration.The official also said that a negotiating team was getting ready to travel, but there was no date specified.A senior Egyptian official says talks are underway for the release of hostages, as well as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention. The official, who is involved in the ceasefire negotiations, also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians. The talks are aimed at unifying the Palestinian position towards Gaza’s future.On Saturday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second most powerful militant group in Gaza, said it accepted Hamas’ response to the Trump plan. The group had previously rejected the proposal days earlier.Also on Saturday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said that the death toll in the nearly two-year Israel-Hamas war has topped 67,000 Palestinians. The death toll jumped after the ministry said it added more than 700 names to the list whose data had been verified.Gaza’s Health Ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half of the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.Progress, but uncertainty aheadYet, despite the momentum, a lot of questions remain.Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive — within three days. It would also give up power and disarm.In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of the territory, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction.Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Its official statement also didn’t address the issue of Hamas demilitarizing, a key part of the deal.Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli general and chairman of Israel’s Defense and Security Forum, said while Israel can afford to stop firing for a few days in Gaza so the hostages can be released, it will resume its offensive if Hamas doesn’t lay down its arms.Others say that while Hamas suggests a willingness to negotiate, its position fundamentally remains unchanged.This “yes, but” rhetoric “simply repackages old demands in softer language,” said Oded Ailam, a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. The gap between appearance and action is as wide as ever and the rhetorical shift serves more as a smokescreen than a signal of true movement toward resolution, he said.Unclear what it means for Palestinians suffering in GazaThe next steps are also unclear for Palestinians in Gaza who are trying to piece together what it means in practical terms.Israeli troops are still laying siege to Gaza City, which is the focus of its latest offensive. On Saturday, Israel’s army warned Palestinians against trying to return to the city, calling it a “dangerous combat zone.”Experts determined that Gaza City had slid into famine shortly before Israel launched its major offensive there aimed at occupying it. An estimated 400,000 people have fled the city in recent weeks, but hundreds of thousands more have stayed behind.Families of the hostages are also cautious about being hopeful.There are concerns from all sides, said Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is held in Gaza. Hamas and Netanyahu could sabotage the deal or Trump could lose interest, he said. Still, he says, if it’s going to happen, it will be because of Trump.”We’re putting our trust in Trump, because he’s the only one who’s doing it. … And we want to see him with us until the last step,” he said.Magdy reported from Cairo.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) —

Israel’s army said Saturday that it would advance preparations for the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and return all the remaining hostages, after Hamas said it accepted parts of the deal while others still needed to be negotiated.

Related video above: President Trump announces ceasefire proposal to end Gaza conflict

The army said it was instructed by Israel’s leaders to “advance readiness” for the implementation of the plan. An official who was not authorized to speak to the media on the record said that Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike. The official said no forces have been removed from the strip.

This announcement came hours after Trump ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza once Hamas said it had accepted some elements of his plan. Trump welcomed the Hamas statement, saying: “I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE.”

Trump appears keen to deliver on pledges to end the war and return dozens of hostages ahead of the second anniversary of the attack on Tuesday. His proposal unveiled earlier this week has widespread international support and was also endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Friday, Netanyahu’s office said Israel was committed to ending the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, without addressing potential gaps with the militant group. Netanyahu has come under increasing pressure from the international community and Trump to end the conflict. The official told the AP that Netanyahu put out the rare late-night statement on the sabbath, saying that Israel has started to prepare for Trump’s plan due to pressure from the U.S. administration.

The official also said that a negotiating team was getting ready to travel, but there was no date specified.

A senior Egyptian official says talks are underway for the release of hostages, as well as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention. The official, who is involved in the ceasefire negotiations, also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians. The talks are aimed at unifying the Palestinian position towards Gaza’s future.

Abdel Kareem Hana

Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli army strike, outside Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.

On Saturday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second most powerful militant group in Gaza, said it accepted Hamas’ response to the Trump plan. The group had previously rejected the proposal days earlier.

Also on Saturday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said that the death toll in the nearly two-year Israel-Hamas war has topped 67,000 Palestinians. The death toll jumped after the ministry said it added more than 700 names to the list whose data had been verified.

Gaza’s Health Ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half of the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

Progress, but uncertainty ahead

Yet, despite the momentum, a lot of questions remain.

Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive — within three days. It would also give up power and disarm.

In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of the territory, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction.

Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Its official statement also didn’t address the issue of Hamas demilitarizing, a key part of the deal.

Ohad Zwigenberg

People look at photos of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Jerusalem, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. A Hebrew sign reads, “don’t forget us.”

Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli general and chairman of Israel’s Defense and Security Forum, said while Israel can afford to stop firing for a few days in Gaza so the hostages can be released, it will resume its offensive if Hamas doesn’t lay down its arms.

Others say that while Hamas suggests a willingness to negotiate, its position fundamentally remains unchanged.

This “yes, but” rhetoric “simply repackages old demands in softer language,” said Oded Ailam, a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. The gap between appearance and action is as wide as ever and the rhetorical shift serves more as a smokescreen than a signal of true movement toward resolution, he said.

Unclear what it means for Palestinians suffering in Gaza

The next steps are also unclear for Palestinians in Gaza who are trying to piece together what it means in practical terms.

Israeli troops are still laying siege to Gaza City, which is the focus of its latest offensive. On Saturday, Israel’s army warned Palestinians against trying to return to the city, calling it a “dangerous combat zone.”

Experts determined that Gaza City had slid into famine shortly before Israel launched its major offensive there aimed at occupying it. An estimated 400,000 people have fled the city in recent weeks, but hundreds of thousands more have stayed behind.

Families of the hostages are also cautious about being hopeful.

There are concerns from all sides, said Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is held in Gaza. Hamas and Netanyahu could sabotage the deal or Trump could lose interest, he said. Still, he says, if it’s going to happen, it will be because of Trump.

“We’re putting our trust in Trump, because he’s the only one who’s doing it. … And we want to see him with us until the last step,” he said.

Magdy reported from Cairo.

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October 4, 2025

Hamas demands Israel halt attacks, warns hostages’ lives at risk

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The Palestinian militant organization Hamas has urgently called on the Israeli army to cease its attacks on Gaza City for 24 hours.

The lives of two Israeli hostages are in real danger, according to a statement from the military wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam Brigades.

The troops must also immediately withdraw to an area south of Street 8 in Gaza City so that an attempt can be made to “extract” the two hostages. This, they said, is a warning.

The demand for a halt to the attacks is to take effect from 6 pm (1500 GMT), the statement said.

The al-Qassam Brigades had earlier stated that contact with the two hostages had been lost in the last 48 hours due to the intense Israeli attacks in the city.

It was initially unclear whether Israel would comply with the demand.

The relatives of the 48 remaining hostages - including 20 still alive - have repeatedly warned of the danger a ground offensive in Gaza City poses to their loved ones.

People are seen outside a building damaged in an Israeli air strike. Hasan Alzaanin/TASS via ZUMA Press/dpa

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September 28, 2025

Hamas responds to Trump’s ultimatum

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Pro-Palestinian militant group Hamas said it was ready enter negotiations with the United States over the release of hostages after President Donald Trump issued a new ultimatum.

“This is my last warning, there will not be another one!” Trump said. Hamas, however, said any talks would not be unconditional—underscoring the entrenchment on both sides.

Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.

Freed Israeli hostages stand on stage with fighters of the Islamic Jihad and Ezz al-Din Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, before being handed over to representatives of the Red Cross in the southern…

Abed Rahim Khatib/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

Why It Matters

Trump is pressing Hamas to “end the war” by releasing all Israeli hostages taken during the attack on October 7, 2023. Israel has expanded its military presence and intensified airstrikes deeper into Gaza City, saying it is the group’s stronghold.

Hamas insists on the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area and refuses to disarm. It continues to clash with Israeli forces on the ground, even as the group’s capabilities appear to be waning and Israeli casualties continue to rise.

Globally, frustration is mounting over the conflict, with Palestinian civilian deaths numbering in the tens of thousands and famine risks growing amid the ongoing hostilities.

What To Know

In a statement on Monday, Hamas said it had received U.S. ceasefire proposals through mediators, but said any deal must include a public commitment by Israel to uphold the terms and avoid repeating past breaches.

Hamas holds nearly 50 Israeli hostages, of which 20 are still thought to be alive. On Friday, it released footage showing two hostages appealing for the war to end and for their safe return to their families, adding to growing public concerns in Israel for their safety amid intensifying combat.

Trump said Israel had accepted his proposal for a comprehensive deal but that Hamas had not. Hamas says it accepted a separate ceasefire plan from Arab mediators on August 18, to which Israel has yet to respond.

The U.S. is proposing that Hamas release all remaining hostages on the first day of a ceasefire in exchange for Israel freezing its assault on Gaza City, according to CNN.

The proposal Hamas has accepted stipulates a temporary 60-day ceasefire, during which the Israeli army would relocate to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, while half of the 50 Israeli captives would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners within the same time frame, Al-Jazeera reported.

Israel strikes Gaza — The Israeli military said it struck a high-rise in Gaza City on September 5, shortly after announcing it would target tall buildings identified as being used by Hamas ahead of its forces’ planned conquest of…

OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP/Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s stated goal is to end Hamas’ rule over the Gaza strip. Since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, the frequency and intensity of rocket attacks on Israel have escalated with major clashes previously occurring in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, and 2021.

The October 7 attacks nearly two years ago were the most significant to date, with hundreds of militants crossing the border amid a barrage of nearly 5,000 projectiles. The attack killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Hamas has said it wants to see “the formation of a committee of independent Palestinians” to run Gaza—an Arab suggestion put forward by Egypt.

Egypt, acting as the U.S.’s co-mediator along with Qatar, has expressed concern over the large numbers of Palestinians crossing the border from Gaza into the Sinai Peninsula, which it says undermines its national security interests.

The Health Ministry of the Hamas-controlled Gaza government said on Sunday that 64,445 had been killed and more than 162,776 injured since the outbreak of war with Israel in fall 2023. Its data did not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

What People Are Saying

Hamas said in a statement via Telegram on Monday: “Hamas welcomes any step that supports the efforts to stop the aggression on our people and confirms readiness to immediately sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all prisoners in exchange for a clear declaration of ending the war, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the formation of a committee of independent Palestinians to run the Gaza Strip and to start its work immediately.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Sunday: “Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X on Monday: “Today, a powerful hurricane will strike the skies of Gaza City, and the roofs of the terror towers will. This is a final warning to the murderers and rapists of Hamas in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your weapons—or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated.”

What Happens Next

Israel will continue expanding its attacks, Katz said, while details of what the Trump administration could do next are yet to be revealed.

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September 8, 2025

Nigerian military airstrikes free 76 hostages, including children

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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 76 hostages, including children, have been freed after Nigeria’s military targeted militants with precision airstrikes in the country’s northwest, local authorities said.

The airstrikes were launched on targets around Pauwa Hill, located in the Kankara area of Katsina state, in the early hours of Saturday, Nasir Mu’azu, the state’s commissioner for internal security, said in a statement. The air assault was launched in a manhunt for a notorious kidnapper.

The rescued hostages include some of those kidnapped during an attack on a mosque in Unguwan Mantau that led to the death of at least 50 people, the commissioner said.

“However, it was regrettably noted that one child tragically lost his life during the ordeal,” Mu’azu said.

In recent months, there has been an uptick in attacks on communities in the northwest and north-central regions of Africa’s most populous country, where farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. An attack last month in north-central Nigeria killed 150 people.

The conflict has become deadlier in recent years, with authorities and analysts warning that more herdsmen are taking up more sophisticated arms.

The commissioner said the air assault is “part of a broader strategy to dismantle criminal hideouts, weaken their networks and put an end to the cycle of killings, kidnappings, and extortion that have plagued innocent citizens.”

The West African country is also dealing with an insurgency in its northeast region that has resulted in the death of around 35,000 civilians and the displacement of more than 2 million others, according to the United Nations.

Also on Saturday, separate airstrikes in the northwest of Nigeria killed 35 militants in a targeted attack.

Despite the efforts by the government of President Bola Tinubu to curb jihadi attacks, the militancy has persisted.

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August 24, 2025

Netanyahu says he’ll push ahead with Gaza City takeover and renewed ceasefire talks

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he will give final approval for takeover of Gaza City while also restarting negotiations with Hamas aimed at returning all of Israel’s remaining hostages and ending the war on Israel’s terms.The wide-scale operation in Gaza City could start within days after Netanyahu grants final approval at a meeting with senior security officials. Hamas said earlier this week that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators, which, if accepted by Israel, could forestall the offensive.The Israeli military began calling medical officials and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip to encourage them to evacuate to the south ahead of the expanded operation. The military plans to call up 60,000 reservists and extend the service of 20,000 more.Israeli strikes meanwhile killed at least 36 Palestinians across Gaza on Thursday, according to local hospitals. A renewed offensive could bring even more casualties and displacement to the territory, where the war has already killed tens of thousands and where experts have warned of imminent famine.Many Israelis fear it could also doom the remaining 20 or so living hostages taken by Hamas-led militants in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war.Gaza City operation could begin in daysIsraeli troops have already begun more limited operations in the city’s Zeitoun neighborhood and the built-up Jabaliya refugee camp, areas where they have carried out several previous major operations over the course of the war, only to see militants later regroup.The military says it plans to operate in areas where ground troops have not yet entered and where it says Hamas still has military and governing capabilities.So far, there has been little sign of Palestinians fleeing en masse, as they did when Israel carried out an earlier offensive in Gaza City in the opening weeks of the war. The military says it controls around 75% of Gaza and residents say nowhere in the territory feels safe.Hundreds gathered for a rare protest in Gaza City on Thursday against the war and Israel’s plans to support the mass relocation of Palestinians to other countries.Women and children held placards reading “Save Gaza” and “Stop the war, stop the savage attack, save us,” against a backdrop of destroyed buildings as Palestinian music played. Unlike in previous protests, there were no expressions of opposition to Hamas.”We want the war on Gaza to stop. We don’t want to migrate. Twenty-two months … it’s enough. Enough death. Enough destruction,” said Bisan Ghazal, a woman displaced from Gaza City.Protests in IsraelIn Israel, families of some of the 50 hostages still being held in Gaza gathered in Tel Aviv to condemn the expanded operation. Israel believes around 20 hostages are still alive.”Forty-two hostages were kidnapped alive and murdered in captivity due to military pressure and delay in signing a deal,” said Dalia Cusnir, whose brother-in-law, Eitan Horn, is still being held captive. Eitan’s brother, Iair Horn, was released during a ceasefire earlier this year.”Enough to sacrifice the hostages. Enough to sacrifice the soldiers, both regular and reservists. Enough to sacrifice the evacuees. Enough to sacrifice the younger generation in the country,” said Bar Goddard, the daughter of Meni Goddard, whose body is being held by Hamas.Additional protests are planned for Thursday night in Tel Aviv.Plans for widening the offensive have also sparked international outrage, with many of Israel’s closest Western allies — but not the United States — calling on it to end the war.”I must reiterate that it is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza, and the unconditional release of all hostages to avoid the massive death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause,” United Nations chief António Guterres said at a conference in Japan.Dozens killed across GazaAt least 36 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, including 14 who were seeking humanitarian aid, according to local hospitals.The Israeli military said it killed several armed militants in the Morag Corridor, a military zone where people seeking aid have repeatedly come under fire in recent weeks, according to witnesses and health officials. Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza had earlier reported that six people were killed in that area while seeking aid on Thursday. It was not possible to reconcile the two accounts.The Media Freedom Coalition, which promotes press freedoms worldwide, called Thursday for Israel to allow independent, foreign news organizations access to Gaza. Aside from rare guided tours, Israel has barred international media from the war, which has killed at least 184 Palestinian journalists and media workers.”Journalists and media workers play an essential role in putting the spotlight on the devastating reality of war,” said a statement signed by 27 of the coalition’s member countries.Witnesses, health officials and the U.N. human rights office say Israeli forces have killed hundreds of people since May as they headed toward sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor, and in the chaos surrounding U.N. aid convoys, which are frequently attacked by looters and overrun by crowds.The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces. GHF says there has been almost no violence at the sites themselves, and that its armed contractors have only used pepper spray and fired into the air on some occasions to prevent deadly crowding.Israeli strikes destroy evacuated tent campIsraeli airstrikes also destroyed a tent camp in Deir al-Balah, the only city in Gaza that has been relatively unscathed in the war and where many have sought refuge. Residents said the Israeli military warned them to flee shortly before the strikes set the camp ablaze, and there were no reports of casualties.Families, many with children, could later be seen sifting through the ashes for the belongings they had managed to take with them during earlier evacuations.Mohammad Kahlout, who had been displaced from northern Gaza, said they were given just five minutes to gather what they could and evacuate. “We are civilians, not terrorists. What did we do, and what did our children do, to be displaced again?”The Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday that at least 62,192 Palestinians have been killed in the war. Another two people have died from malnutrition-related causes, bringing the total number of such deaths to 271, including 112 children, the Health Ministry said.The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. It does not say whether those killed by Israeli fire are civilians or combatants, but it says around half are women and children. The U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties. Israel disputes its toll but has not provided its own.Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.___Abou Aljoud reported from Beirut and Lidman reported from Jerusalem. Mari Yamaguchi contributed from Tokyo.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip —

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he will give final approval for takeover of Gaza City while also restarting negotiations with Hamas aimed at returning all of Israel’s remaining hostages and ending the war on Israel’s terms.

The wide-scale operation in Gaza City could start within days after Netanyahu grants final approval at a meeting with senior security officials. Hamas said earlier this week that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators, which, if accepted by Israel, could forestall the offensive.

The Israeli military began calling medical officials and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip to encourage them to evacuate to the south ahead of the expanded operation. The military plans to call up 60,000 reservists and extend the service of 20,000 more.

Israeli strikes meanwhile killed at least 36 Palestinians across Gaza on Thursday, according to local hospitals. A renewed offensive could bring even more casualties and displacement to the territory, where the war has already killed tens of thousands and where experts have warned of imminent famine.

Many Israelis fear it could also doom the remaining 20 or so living hostages taken by Hamas-led militants in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war.

Gaza City operation could begin in days

Israeli troops have already begun more limited operations in the city’s Zeitoun neighborhood and the built-up Jabaliya refugee camp, areas where they have carried out several previous major operations over the course of the war, only to see militants later regroup.

The military says it plans to operate in areas where ground troops have not yet entered and where it says Hamas still has military and governing capabilities.

So far, there has been little sign of Palestinians fleeing en masse, as they did when Israel carried out an earlier offensive in Gaza City in the opening weeks of the war. The military says it controls around 75% of Gaza and residents say nowhere in the territory feels safe.

Hundreds gathered for a rare protest in Gaza City on Thursday against the war and Israel’s plans to support the mass relocation of Palestinians to other countries.

Women and children held placards reading “Save Gaza” and “Stop the war, stop the savage attack, save us,” against a backdrop of destroyed buildings as Palestinian music played. Unlike in previous protests, there were no expressions of opposition to Hamas.

“We want the war on Gaza to stop. We don’t want to migrate. Twenty-two months … it’s enough. Enough death. Enough destruction,” said Bisan Ghazal, a woman displaced from Gaza City.

Protests in Israel

In Israel, families of some of the 50 hostages still being held in Gaza gathered in Tel Aviv to condemn the expanded operation. Israel believes around 20 hostages are still alive.

“Forty-two hostages were kidnapped alive and murdered in captivity due to military pressure and delay in signing a deal,” said Dalia Cusnir, whose brother-in-law, Eitan Horn, is still being held captive. Eitan’s brother, Iair Horn, was released during a ceasefire earlier this year.

“Enough to sacrifice the hostages. Enough to sacrifice the soldiers, both regular and reservists. Enough to sacrifice the evacuees. Enough to sacrifice the younger generation in the country,” said Bar Goddard, the daughter of Meni Goddard, whose body is being held by Hamas.

Additional protests are planned for Thursday night in Tel Aviv.

Plans for widening the offensive have also sparked international outrage, with many of Israel’s closest Western allies — but not the United States — calling on it to end the war.

“I must reiterate that it is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza, and the unconditional release of all hostages to avoid the massive death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause,” United Nations chief António Guterres said at a conference in Japan.

Dozens killed across Gaza

At least 36 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, including 14 who were seeking humanitarian aid, according to local hospitals.

The Israeli military said it killed several armed militants in the Morag Corridor, a military zone where people seeking aid have repeatedly come under fire in recent weeks, according to witnesses and health officials. Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza had earlier reported that six people were killed in that area while seeking aid on Thursday. It was not possible to reconcile the two accounts.

The Media Freedom Coalition, which promotes press freedoms worldwide, called Thursday for Israel to allow independent, foreign news organizations access to Gaza. Aside from rare guided tours, Israel has barred international media from the war, which has killed at least 184 Palestinian journalists and media workers.

“Journalists and media workers play an essential role in putting the spotlight on the devastating reality of war,” said a statement signed by 27 of the coalition’s member countries.

Witnesses, health officials and the U.N. human rights office say Israeli forces have killed hundreds of people since May as they headed toward sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor, and in the chaos surrounding U.N. aid convoys, which are frequently attacked by looters and overrun by crowds.

The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces. GHF says there has been almost no violence at the sites themselves, and that its armed contractors have only used pepper spray and fired into the air on some occasions to prevent deadly crowding.

Israeli strikes destroy evacuated tent camp

Israeli airstrikes also destroyed a tent camp in Deir al-Balah, the only city in Gaza that has been relatively unscathed in the war and where many have sought refuge. Residents said the Israeli military warned them to flee shortly before the strikes set the camp ablaze, and there were no reports of casualties.

Families, many with children, could later be seen sifting through the ashes for the belongings they had managed to take with them during earlier evacuations.

Mohammad Kahlout, who had been displaced from northern Gaza, said they were given just five minutes to gather what they could and evacuate. “We are civilians, not terrorists. What did we do, and what did our children do, to be displaced again?”

The Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday that at least 62,192 Palestinians have been killed in the war. Another two people have died from malnutrition-related causes, bringing the total number of such deaths to 271, including 112 children, the Health Ministry said.

The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. It does not say whether those killed by Israeli fire are civilians or combatants, but it says around half are women and children. The U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties. Israel disputes its toll but has not provided its own.

Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.

___

Abou Aljoud reported from Beirut and Lidman reported from Jerusalem. Mari Yamaguchi contributed from Tokyo.

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August 21, 2025

Relatives say military pressure puts Israeli hostages in Gaza at risk

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Relatives of the Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and other Islamist organizations demonstrated on Wednesday in the border area near the Gaza Strip for the release of their loved ones.

The march from Kibbutz Be’eri to the site of the Nova music festival led to two locations of the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023 – on a day when, according to a military spokesman, the next phase of the war was initiated.

The relatives of the remaining 50 hostages, of whom at least 20 are believed to still be alive, fear the worst for their family members.

Military pressure does not save hostages but kills them, said Ofir Braslavski, the father of Rom Braslavski. Hamas had released a video of the young man in early August, showing him emaciated and severely weakened.

“42 hostages entered Gaza on their feet – and returned in body bags … I don’t want my child to be number 43!” said Braslavski. “My child is hungry, thirsty, scared, tortured, dying. And no one – no one! – has the right to sentence him to death.”

Macabit Mayer, the aunt of twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of recruiting tens of thousands more reservists for “a mission without a purpose” that endangers their “precious ones.”

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August 20, 2025

Who were the 6 hostages whose bodies were recovered from Gaza?

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JERUSALEM — Israel said early Sunday that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages captured during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that ignited the Gaza war, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents had led a high-profile campaign for the captives’ release.

From top left, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, from bottom left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat.

The Hostages Families Forum via AP

The military said the six were killed shortly before Israeli forces were to rescue them and that the bodies were found in a tunnel beneath the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The news sparked calls for mass protests by families of the hostages who said they could have been returned alive in a cease-fire deal.

Goldberg-Polin and four other hostages were taken from a music festival where Palestinian militants killed scores of people. The sixth was captured from a nearby farming community.

Here’s a look at the hostages:

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23

This undated photo shows Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza.

The Hostages Families Forum via AP

His parents, U.S.-born immigrants to Israel, became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage. They met with U.S. President Joe Biden, Pope Francis and others and addressed the United Nations, urging the release of all hostages.

On Aug. 21, his parents addressed a hushed hall at the Democratic National Convention – after sustained applause and chants of “bring him home.”

“This is a political convention. But needing our only son – and all of the cherished hostages – home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said his father, Jon Polin. His mother, Rachel, who bowed her head during the ovation and touched her chest, said: “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.”

They sought to keep their son and the other captives from being reduced to numbers, describing Hersh as a music and soccer lover and traveler with plans to attend university since his military service had ended. At events, Rachel often addressed her son directly, urging him to live another day.

Both wore stickers with the number 320, representing the number of days their son had been held. It had long become part of a morning ritual – tear a new piece of tape, write down another day.

Eden Yerushalmi, 24

This undated photo shows Eden Yerushalmi, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza.

The Hostages Families Forum via AP

She was working as a bartender at the open-air Tribe of Nova music festival. When Hamas’ initial rocket attack set off air raid sirens she sent a video to her family, saying she was leaving the party. During the attack, she called the police and was in contact with her sisters over the next four hours, the forum said.

“They’ve caught me,” were her last words to them.

Carmel Gat, 40

This undated photo shows Carmel Gat, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza.

The Hostages Families Forum via AP

She was staying with her parents in Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the hardest-hit communities, when militants broke into their home and kidnapped her on the morning of Oct. 7. Her parents were killed in the attack.

Hostages who were released during a cease-fire in November said she taught them meditation and yoga exercises to help them survive in captivity.

Alexander Lobanov, 33

The forum, citing witnesses, said he helped evacuate people from the festival and ran with others before being abducted. It said the others managed to escape.

Almog Sarusi, 27

This undated photo shows Almog Sarusi, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza.

The Hostages Families Forum via AP

The forum said Sarusi stayed with her after she was wounded, and was then abducted.

Ori Danino, 25

This undated photo shows Ori Danino, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza.

The Hostages Families Forum via AP

It said he was kidnapped from the Nova festival while driving back and trying to help others to escape.

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September 2, 2024

Israel recovers the bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza

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Israel on Sunday said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including a young Israeli-American man who became one of the most well-known captives held by Hamas as his parents met with world leaders and pressed for his release. Video above: Parents of Israeli-American hostage speakThe military said all six had been killed shortly before the arrival of Israeli forces trying to rescue them. Their recovery sparked calls for mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many families of hostages and much of the wider Israeli public blame for failing to bring them back alive in a deal with Hamas to end the 10-month-old war. Negotiations over such a deal have dragged on for months.Netanyahu expressed sorrow over the deaths and said Israel would hold Hamas accountable for killing them in “cold blood.” he said the killings prove that the militant group does not want a a cease-fire agreement.“Whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal,” he said.Militants seized Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, and four of the other hostages at a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which triggered the war.The native of Berkeley, California, lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, a Hamas-issued video showed him, his left hand missing and clearly speaking under duress, sparking new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure his and others’ freedom.The army identified the other dead hostages as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; and Alexander Lobanov, 33; who were also taken from the music festival. The sixth, Carmel Gat, 40, was abducted from the nearby farming community of Be’eri.It said the bodies were recovered from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, around a kilometer (half a mile) from where another hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued alive last week.“According to preliminary information, they were cruelly murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, told reporters.Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, blamed the hostages’ deaths on Israel and the United States, saying they would still be alive if Israel had accepted a cease-fire proposal that Hamas said it had agreed to back in July. He did not mention the hostages by name.Families of hostages call for a ‘complete halt of the country’Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed and says military pressure is needed to bring home the hostages.Israel’s Channel 12 reported that he got into a shouting match at a security Cabinet meeting late Thursday with his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who accused him of prioritizing control of a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border — a major sticking point in the talks — over the lives of the hostages. The Cabinet reportedly voted in favor of remaining in the corridor over the objections of Gallant, who said it would prevent a hostage deal.An Israeli official confirmed the report and said three of the hostages — Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi and Gat — had been slated to be released in the first phase of a cease-fire proposal discussed back in July. The official was not authorized to brief media about the negotiations and spoke on condition of anonymity.“In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness,” Gallant said Sunday after the remains were recovered. He later called for the Cabinet to reverse its decision.A forum of hostage families called for a massive protest on Sunday, demanding a “complete halt of the country” to push for the implementation of a cease-fire and hostage release.“A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. Were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses those whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive,” it said in a statement.U.S. President Joe Biden, who has met with Goldberg-Polin’s parents, said he was “devastated and outraged.”“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible,” he said. “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”Vice President Kamala Harris said her prayers were with the Goldberg-Polin family and condemned Hamas.A high-profile campaignGoldberg-Polin’s parents, U.S.-born immigrants to Israel, became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage. They met with Biden, Pope Francis and others and addressed the United Nations, urging the release of all hostages.On Aug. 21, his parents addressed a hushed hall at the Democratic National Convention — after sustained applause and chants of “bring him home.”“This is a political convention. But needing our only son — and all of the cherished hostages — home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said his father, Jon Polin. His mother, Rachel, who bowed her head during the ovation and touched her chest, said “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.”She and her husband sought to keep their son and the others held from being reduced to numbers, describing Hersh as a music and soccer lover and traveler with plans to attend university since his military service had ended. At events she often addressed her son directly in the hope he could hear her, urging him to live another day. Some 250 hostages were taken on Oct. 7. Before the military’s announcement of the latest discovery of bodies, Israel said it believed 108 hostages were still held in Gaza, of which about one-third were dead. In late August, the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages in southern Gaza.Eight hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces, the most recent found on Tuesday. More than 100 were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.Two previous Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, when they stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, attacking army bases and several farming communities.Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were fighters and how many civilians. It has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory into a humanitarian catastrophe.In a separate development Sunday, Palestinian militants killed three people when they opened fire on an Israeli vehicle in the occupied West Bank, where Israel has been carrying out large-scale military raids in recent days. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service confirmed the casualties.

JERUSALEM, Jerusalem District —

Israel on Sunday said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including a young Israeli-American man who became one of the most well-known captives held by Hamas as his parents met with world leaders and pressed for his release.

Video above: Parents of Israeli-American hostage speak

The military said all six had been killed shortly before the arrival of Israeli forces trying to rescue them. Their recovery sparked calls for mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many families of hostages and much of the wider Israeli public blame for failing to bring them back alive in a deal with Hamas to end the 10-month-old war. Negotiations over such a deal have dragged on for months.

Netanyahu expressed sorrow over the deaths and said Israel would hold Hamas accountable for killing them in “cold blood.” he said the killings prove that the militant group does not want a a cease-fire agreement.

“Whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal,” he said.

Militants seized Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, and four of the other hostages at a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which triggered the war.

The native of Berkeley, California, lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, a Hamas-issued video showed him, his left hand missing and clearly speaking under duress, sparking new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure his and others’ freedom.

The Hostages Families Forum via AP

This combination of six undated photos shows hostages, from top left, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, from bottom left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat, who were held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza.

The army identified the other dead hostages as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; and Alexander Lobanov, 33; who were also taken from the music festival. The sixth, Carmel Gat, 40, was abducted from the nearby farming community of Be’eri.

It said the bodies were recovered from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, around a kilometer (half a mile) from where another hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued alive last week.

“According to preliminary information, they were cruelly murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, told reporters.

Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, blamed the hostages’ deaths on Israel and the United States, saying they would still be alive if Israel had accepted a cease-fire proposal that Hamas said it had agreed to back in July. He did not mention the hostages by name.

Families of hostages call for a ‘complete halt of the country’

Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed and says military pressure is needed to bring home the hostages.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that he got into a shouting match at a security Cabinet meeting late Thursday with his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who accused him of prioritizing control of a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border — a major sticking point in the talks — over the lives of the hostages. The Cabinet reportedly voted in favor of remaining in the corridor over the objections of Gallant, who said it would prevent a hostage deal.

An Israeli official confirmed the report and said three of the hostages — Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi and Gat — had been slated to be released in the first phase of a cease-fire proposal discussed back in July. The official was not authorized to brief media about the negotiations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness,” Gallant said Sunday after the remains were recovered. He later called for the Cabinet to reverse its decision.

A forum of hostage families called for a massive protest on Sunday, demanding a “complete halt of the country” to push for the implementation of a cease-fire and hostage release.

“A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. Were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses those whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive,” it said in a statement.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has met with Goldberg-Polin’s parents, said he was “devastated and outraged.”

“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible,” he said. “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said her prayers were with the Goldberg-Polin family and condemned Hamas.

A high-profile campaign

Goldberg-Polin’s parents, U.S.-born immigrants to Israel, became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage. They met with Biden, Pope Francis and others and addressed the United Nations, urging the release of all hostages.

On Aug. 21, his parents addressed a hushed hall at the Democratic National Convention — after sustained applause and chants of “bring him home.”

“This is a political convention. But needing our only son — and all of the cherished hostages — home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said his father, Jon Polin. His mother, Rachel, who bowed her head during the ovation and touched her chest, said “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.”

She and her husband sought to keep their son and the others held from being reduced to numbers, describing Hersh as a music and soccer lover and traveler with plans to attend university since his military service had ended. At events she often addressed her son directly in the hope he could hear her, urging him to live another day.

Some 250 hostages were taken on Oct. 7. Before the military’s announcement of the latest discovery of bodies, Israel said it believed 108 hostages were still held in Gaza, of which about one-third were dead. In late August, the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages in southern Gaza.

Eight hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces, the most recent found on Tuesday. More than 100 were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Two previous Israeli operations to free hostages killed scores of Palestinians. Hamas says several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, when they stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, attacking army bases and several farming communities.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were fighters and how many civilians. It has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory into a humanitarian catastrophe.

In a separate development Sunday, Palestinian militants killed three people when they opened fire on an Israeli vehicle in the occupied West Bank, where Israel has been carrying out large-scale military raids in recent days. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service confirmed the casualties.

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September 1, 2024

Israel rescues 4 hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack; at least 94 Palestinians are killed

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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel on Saturday carried out its largest hostage rescue operation since the latest war with Hamas began, taking four to safety out of central Gaza amid the military’s heavy air and ground assault. At least 94 dead Palestinians, including children, were brought to local hospitals, a health official said.

Israelis were jubilant as the army said it freed Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41, in a daytime operation in the heart of Nuseirat, raiding two locations at once while under fire. All were well, the military said. They were taken by helicopter for medical checks and tearful reunions with loved ones after 246 days held.

Argamani had been one of the most widely recognized hostages after being taken, like the three others, from a music festival. The video of her abduction showed her seated between two men on a motorcycle as she screamed, “Don’t kill me!”

Her mother, Liora, has brain cancer and had released a video pleading to see her daughter before she dies. Israel’s Channel 13 said Argamani was moved to the hospital where her mother is being treated. Her father, Yaakov, on Saturday had his birthday. “I never believed I would receive a present like this,” he said.

In a video message released by the government, an elated Argamani told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone she was “very excited,” saying she hasn’t heard Hebrew in so long.

Netanyahu in a statement vowed to continue the fighting until all hostages are freed. The operation was “daring in nature, planned brilliantly, and executed in an extraordinary fashion,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said.

Israeli aircraft hummed overhead as the bodies of nearly 100 Palestinians killed were taken to Al-Aqsa Hospital, where spokesperson Khalil Degran told The Associated Press more than 100 wounded also arrived. AP reporters saw dozens of bodies brought from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas, as smoke rose in the distance and armored vehicles rolled by.

A baby was among the dead. Small children wailed, covered in blood. Bodies were placed on the ground outside, their feet bare, as more wounded were rushed in.

“My two cousins were killed, and two other cousins were seriously injured. They did not commit any sin. They were sitting at home,” one relative said in the chaos. As Palestinians explored the newly destroyed buildings, a small child sat on a collapsed metal door, overwhelmed.

Neighboring Egypt condemned “with the strongest terms” Israel’s attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp, with its foreign ministry calling it a “flagrant violation of all rules of international law.” Neighboring Jordan also condemned it.

Israel’s military said it had attacked “threats to our forces in the area,” adding that one commando died from his wounds.

A U.S. hostage cell provided advice and support throughout the process of locating and rescuing the hostages, according to a Biden administration official, who was not authorized to comment and requested anonymity. The hostage cells are multi-agency teams.

“We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a cease-fire is reached,” U.S. President Joe Biden said.

Hamas took some 250 hostages during the Oct. 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people. About half were released in a weeklong cease-fire in November. About 120 hostages remain, with 43 pronounced dead. Survivors include about 15 women, two children under 5 and two men in their 80s.

Saturday’s operation brought the total number of rescued hostages to seven. Two were freed in February and one was freed in the aftermath of the October attack. Israeli troops have recovered the bodies of at least 16 others, according to the government.

The latest rescue was expected to lift spirits in Israel as divisions deepen over the best way to bring hostages home. Many Israelis urge Netanyahu to embrace a cease-fire deal Biden announced last month, but far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if he does. Netanyahu, whose support has fallen, rushed to the hospital to greet the freed hostages.

It was unclear what effect it might have on apparently stalled cease-fire efforts. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East next week, seeking a breakthrough.

“The hostage release and cease-fire deal that is now on the table would secure the release of all the remaining hostages together with security assurances for Israel and relief for the innocent civilians in Gaza,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

International pressure is mounting on Israel to limit civilian bloodshed in its war in Gaza, which reached its eighth month on Friday with more than 36,700 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians.

Palestinians also face widespread hunger because fighting and Israeli restrictions have largely cut off the flow of aid.

Israel is intensifying operations across central Gaza, where the hostages were rescued. On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike hit a U.N.-run school compound in Nuseirat, killing over 33 people inside the school, including three women and nine children.

Israel said some 30 militants were inside and on Friday released the names of 17 it said were killed. However, only nine of those matched records from the hospital morgue. One of the alleged militants was an 8-year-old boy, according to hospital records.

Israel’s military on Saturday asserted that “Hamas is a terror organization that often uses fake documents disguising terrorists as women or children.”

Meanwhile, Benny Gantz, a popular centrist member of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet who had threatened to resign from the government if it didn’t adopt a new plan by Saturday for the war in Gaza, postponed an expected announcement.

Mednick and Jeffrey reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

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June 8, 2024

Israel rescues 4 hostages kidnapped in a Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7

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JERUSALEM — Israel said Saturday it rescued four hostages who were kidnapped in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, the largest such recovery operation since the war began in Gaza. At least 55 Palestinians including children were killed as heavy fighting continued around the sites in central Gaza, the Health Ministry said.

Israel’s army said it rescued Noa Argamani, 25; Almog Meir Jan, 21; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 40, in two locations in a complex daytime operation in the heart of Nuseirat on Saturday morning, raiding the two places at once and under fire.

Argamani had been one of the most widely recognized hostages after being abducted from a music festival in southern Israel. The video of her abduction was among the first to surface, with Argamani detained between two men on a motorcycle as she screamed, “Don’t kill me!”

Her mother, Liora, has stage four brain cancer and in April released a video pleading to see her daughter before she dies.

An elated Argamani spoke by phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In an audio message released by the government, Netanyahu is heard asking how she’s feeling. She tells him she is “very excited,” saying she hasn’t heard Hebrew in so long.

The bodies of the dozens of Palestinians killed were taken to Al-Aqsa Hospital, where they were counted by Associated Press reporters. They later saw more dead arrive at the hospital from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas as smoke rose in the distance.

Israel’s military said it attacked “threats to our forces in the area.” The military said one fighter was seriously wounded.

Hamas took some 250 hostages during the Oct. 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people. About half were released in a weeklong cease-fire in November. Israel says more than 130 hostages remain, with about a quarter of those believed dead. Divisions are deepening over the best way to bring them home.

International pressure mounts on Israel to limit civilian bloodshed in its war in Gaza, which reached its eighth month on Friday with more than 36,700 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. Palestinians face widespread hunger because fighting and Israeli restrictions have largely cut off the flow of aid.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East next week, seeking a breakthrough in the apparently stalled cease-fire negotiations.

Saturday’s hostage recovery operation brings the total of rescued captives to seven. Two men were rescued in February when troops stormed a heavily guarded apartment, and a woman was rescued in the aftermath of the October attack. Israeli troops have recovered at least 16 bodies of hostages from Gaza, according to the government.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called Saturday’s rescue “a heroic operation” and said the army will fight until all hostages are returned.

Netanyahu faces growing pressure to end the fighting in Gaza. Many Israelis urge him to embrace a deal announced last month by U.S. President Joe Biden, but far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if he does.

Israel is intensifying operations across central Gaza, where the hostages were rescued. On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike hit a U.N.-run school compound in Nuseirat, killing over 33 people inside the school, including three women and nine children.

Israel said some 30 militants were inside at the time and on Friday released the names of 17 militants it said were killed. However, only nine of those names matched with records of the dead from the hospital morgue.

One of the alleged militants was an 8-year-old boy, according to hospital records.

Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip.

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June 8, 2024