Hamas

February 21, 2025 12:55 PM

Israeli military says body released by Hamas is not of a hostage

The Israeli military said on Friday that one of the bodies released by Hamas did not belong to any of the hostages held in Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating an already shaking ceasefire. Two of the bodies were identified as infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel, while a third body that was supposed to be their mother, Shiri, was found not to match with any hostage and remained unidentified, the military said. "This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organi...

February 20, 2025 1:51 PM

Hamas hands over bodies of youngest Gaza hostages taken from Israel

Hamas handed over the bodies on Thursday of Israeli infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel, the two youngest captives taken by Hamas in their October 7, 2023 attack and among the most potent symbols of the trauma inflicted that day. Red Cross vehicles drove away from the handover site in the Gaza Strip with four black coffins that had been placed on a stage. Each of the caskets had a small picture of the hostages. Hamas handed over the bodies of the two ...

February 17, 2025 9:04 PM

Israeli military says it killed Hamas official in southern Lebanon

The Israeli military on Monday killed a Hamas leader in southern Lebanon's Sidon area, it said in a statement. The army said Muhammad Shaheen was the head of the operations department of Hamas in Lebanon and that he had recently been involved in promoting "terrorist plots" with Iranian direction and funding from Lebanese territory against Israeli citizens. An Israeli strike on a car in Lebanon's southern port city of Sidon targeted an official in the Palestinian militant group, two Lebanese se...

February 13, 2025 3:15 PM

Hamas says it does not want Gaza ceasefire to collapse

Hamas does not want the Gaza ceasefire agreement to collapse, the Palestinian militant group said on Thursday, ahead of a Saturday deadline for it to release more Israeli hostages. Hamas agreed under the deal to free three more hostages on Saturday but said this week that it was suspending the handover over what it said were Israeli violations of the terms. U.S. President Donald Trump responded by saying all hostages must be freed by noon on Saturday or he would "let hell break out". Israeli P...

February 12, 2025 1:05 AM

Netanyahu says Israel will end Gaza ceasefire if hostages not returned on Saturday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that if Hamas did not release Israeli hostages by noon on Saturday a fragile ceasefire in Gaza would end and the Israeli army would resume its offensive in the Palestinian enclave until the militant group is defeated. "In light of Hamas' announcement of its decision to violate the agreement and not release our hostages, last night I ordered the IDF to gather forces inside and around the Gaza Strip," Netanyahu said, speaking after a meeti...

February 11, 2025 8:51 AM

Trump says Hamas should free all hostages by midday Saturday or ‘let hell break out’

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Hamas should release all hostages held by the militant group in Gaza by midday Saturday or he would propose canceling the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and "let hell break out." Trump cautioned that Israel might want to override him on the issue and said he might speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But in a wide-ranging session with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump expressed frustration with the condition of the last group of host...

February 10, 2025 9:07 AM

Trump wants US to own Gaza, suggests Middle East states aid in reconstruction

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he is committed to buying and owning Gaza, but could allow sections of the war-ravaged land to be rebuilt by other states in the Middle East. “I'm committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it, other people may do it, through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back.” Trump made his remar...

February 6, 2025 8:46 AM

Trump aides defend Gaza takeover proposal but walk back some elements

President Donald Trump's top aides staunchly defended his push to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza and have the U.S. take over the war-ruined enclave, but they also backed away from elements of his proposal in the face of international condemnation. A longtime New York property developer, Trump drew rebukes on Wednesday from world powers Russia, China and Germany, which said it would foster "new suffering and new hatred." Regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia rejected the proposal outright. Bare...

January 27, 2025 2:52 PM

Gaza residents start to return north as crossing opened after hostage breakthrough

Tens of thousands of Palestinians began moving along the main roads leading north in Gaza on Monday as Israel opened roadblocks after the militant group Hamas agreed to hand over female Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud and two other hostages. Television images showed large crowds on the move and witnesses said the first residents arrived in Gaza City in the early morning after the first crossing point in central Gaza opened at 7.00 a.m (0500 GMT). Another crossing was due to open at 9.00 a.m. As ...

Palestinians, who were forcibly displaced as a result of Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months, try to get warm by lighting fire as they continue to wait at a point close to the Netzarim Corridor on al-Rashid Street to return to their homes in the north after the completion of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement on January 26, 2025 in Gaza City, Gaza. Photo by Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images

January 27, 2025 9:33 AM

Hamas to release three Israeli hostages as Israel allows Gazans to return home north

Palestinian militant group Hamas will hand over female Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud and two other hostages before Friday, mediator Qatar said on Sunday, and Israel said it would allow residents of the northern Gaza Strip to go back home early on Monday. In a statement, Qatar's foreign ministry also said Israel will in return allow displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza starting Monday morning. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that civilian Arbel Yehud, so...