Palestine

Palestinian Sources say to Free Gaza Hostage Demanded by Israel Before Next Swap

Two Palestinian sources told AFP on Sunday that an Israeli woman held hostage in Gaza, and whose release Israel has demanded before allowing the return of displaced Palestinians, will be handed over within days. "Arbel Yehud is expected to be freed before the next (hostage-prisoner) exchange" scheduled for February 1, said a source from the ...

Trump Hints At Unblocking Delivery Of 2,000-Pound Bombs To Israel

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a ‘large number of things’ ordered by Israel from the US had now been delivered, in response to press reports that his administration had released a delivery of 2,000 pound (907kg) bombs. ‘A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but not sent by Biden, are now on ...

Gaza Officials say Tens of Thousands Blocked from Reaching North at Israeli Barrier 

Gaza's civil defence agency said tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians were blocked from returning to the north of the territory on Sunday at an Israeli military barrier. "Tens of thousands of displaced people are waiting near the Netzarim Corridor to return to the northern Gaza Strip," agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP, with Israel ...

Gaza: The Truce Enters Its Second Week After The Release Of Israeli Hostages And Palestinian Detainees

A fragile truce aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip entered its second week on Sunday, the day after the release of four Israeli hostages and some 200 Palestinian prisoners, greeted by scenes of joy on both sides. In a sign of the difficulties in implementing the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, a last-minute dispute on ...

Hamas, Israel in New Hostage-Prisoner Swap Under Gaza Truce

Palestinian militants and Israel carried out a hostage-prisoner swap on Saturday under a Gaza ceasefire deal, but a last-minute dispute blocked the expected return of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to devastated northern Gaza. As part of the exchange, the second since the truce took effect last Sunday, four freed Israeli women hostages, ...

70 Freed and 'Deported' Palestinian Prisoners Reach Egypt

Seventy Palestinian prisoners arrived aboard buses in Egypt Saturday after being released from Israel as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal, state-linked Egyptian media reported. Al-Qahera News, which is linked to state intelligence, said the prisoners were those "deported" by Israel, adding they would be transferred to Egyptian hospitals for ...

Israel Blocks Gazans' Return to Territory's North Unless Civilian Woman Hostage Freed

Israel said on Saturday it would block the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza until civilian woman hostage Arbel Yehud is released. "Israel will not allow the passage of Gazans to the northern part of the Gaza Strip until the release of civilian Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be released today, is arranged," Prime ...

US Senate Confirms Pete Hegseth as Pentagon Chief

The US Senate narrowly confirmed former Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth as Pentagon chief on Friday, despite allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and other fears about his ability to lead the world's most powerful military. Three Republican senators voted against Donald Trump's pick as secretary of defense, resulting in a 50-50 tie that ...

New Exchange Expected On Saturday Between Israeli Hostages In Gaza And Palestinian Detainees

On Saturday, Hamas is due to free four Israeli soldiers, held hostage in Gaza since 7 October 2023, in exchange for several dozen Palestinians detained in Israel, in the second exchange of this type under the truce agreement in the Gaza Strip. Nearly a week after the ceasefire came into force, which was generally respected, the Palestinian ...

Israel Asks Unrwa To Leave Jerusalem by 30 January (Letter To The UN)

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) must cease its operations in Jerusalem and vacate all the buildings it uses by 30 January, the Israeli ambassador to the UN wrote in a letter to the Secretary-General on Friday. ‘In accordance with applicable Israeli law (...), Unrwa must cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate all the ...