Hamas is expected to release Israeli hostages in two stages beginning at 8 AM Monday, as Israel confirms preparations for the first exchanges under the Gaza ceasefire brokered by the U.S.
Israel said on Sunday that hostages held in Gaza are expected to be freed early Monday as part of the first phase of a ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas under a plan announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Israel Hayom, Hamas will release the Israeli hostages in two batches, with the first group expected to be freed starting at 8 AM local time. “Israel is ready to receive hostages if they are released earlier,” said Shosh Bedrosian, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
Bedrosian added that Israel will free Palestinian detainees once the hostages are safely returned from Gaza. Under the current arrangement, 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 detained since October 2023, will be released in exchange for 48 Israeli hostages, including 20 alive.
The truce marks the implementation of the first phase of a 20-point plan unveiled by President Trump on 29 September. The proposal seeks to secure a full ceasefire in Gaza, ensure the release of all Israeli captives, and oversee a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave. The first phase took effect on Friday.
A second phase of the plan calls for the formation of a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas participation, the deployment of a multinational force, and the disarmament of the group.
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Israeli forces killed a Palestinian father, mother, and two of their children as they drove in the occupied West Bank on Sunday (15 March), Palestinian health authorities said, and the Israeli military said the incident was under review.
Although against international humanitarian war, targeting desalination plants and other key locations is increasingly being used as a way of making an opponent weaker in battle. Water-related violent events have increased rapidly since 2022.
Israeli strikes killed five people in Gaza on Thursday (26 February), according to health officials in the territory. The Israeli military said separately that it had killed a militant who posed an imminent threat to its forces in southern Gaza.
A group of sick and injured Palestinians and their caregivers left Gaza through the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday (25 February) for medical treatment abroad, as limited evacuations continue under tight restrictions.
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues to launch wide‑scale strikes on Iranian infrastructure in the west. This live report tracks the latest developments.
President Trump called on countries to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Starmer said the UK is working with allies to restore navigation and stabilise oil markets. It comes as a strike near Iraq’s western border killed several Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, raising regional tensions.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 15 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
Governments around the world are responding cautiously to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for countries to send naval ships to the Strait of Hormuz to protect commercial shipping and help restore the flow of global oil supplies.
Kyrgyzstan lawmaker Shairbek Tashiev has resigned from parliament after being questioned by investigators. The Central Election Commission confirmed it has formally terminated his parliamentary mandate.
Kazakhstan’s next presidential election will be held in 2029 in line with the Constitution, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said after voting in a referendum on a draft new Constitution amid debate over whether the reforms could signal a future transfer of power.
China’s special envoy for Afghanistan has begun visits to Kabul and Islamabad to mediate between the two countries, as cross-border clashes continue following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan in February.
Israel is set to approve the mobilisation of up to 450,000 reserve troops at the request of the military, as Israeli forces begin further ground attacks in southern Lebanon against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
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