Hamas handed over the bodies of Israeli infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel, along with their mother Shiri Bibas and hostage Oded Lifschitz, on Thursday under the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Red Cross vehicles carried the four black coffins, each bearing a photo of the hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as "a very difficult day" for Israel. The bodies will undergo DNA testing for identification.
The Bibas family was abducted at Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Hamas initially claimed the boys and their mother were killed in an Israeli airstrike, but their deaths were never confirmed, keeping hope alive in their community.
The remains will be taken to Israel's forensic institute for final identification before a formal announcement and funeral. This handover marks the first return of bodies under the current ceasefire agreement, which has held despite both sides accusing each other of breaches.
Negotiations for a second phase of the agreement, involving the return of 60 more hostages and the potential end of the war, are underway. However, disagreements over Gaza’s future governance and U.S. proposals for Palestinian resettlement complicate the situation.
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The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, with two U.S. officials accusing Iran of the attack.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 25 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Israeli forces issued stop-work orders for 15 Palestinian homes in the village of Al-Walaja in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday (24 June), citing a lack of building permits, according to a local official.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
Brazil and Mexico secured statement wins at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Vinícius Jr starred in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Scotland, while Mexico beat Czechia to finish top of Group A. South Africa also made history by reaching the knockouts for the first time.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress of its intention to sell more than $700 million worth of jet engines to Türkiye. The move drew objections from lawmakers over Ankara’s continued possession of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems.
A federal judge has ordered Elon Musk to testify under oath in two proposed class-action lawsuits accusing him of misleading voters in swing states with his $1 million-a-day giveaway ahead of the 2024 U.S. election.
Torrential rain from Typhoon Mekkhala shut down large parts of southern Taiwan on Thursday (25 June), leaving more than five million people off work or school as flooding cut sections of the island’s main rail line and forced evacuations.
Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 235 people, trapping hundreds under rubble and leaving tens of thousands unaccounted for, as emergency crews and international rescue teams raced to respond.
The United Kingdom recorded a provisional high of 36.4°C on Thursday, according to the Met Office, making it the hottest June day on record. The extreme heat is part of a wider heatwave affecting much of Western Europe, with temperatures remaining well above seasonal averages.
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