Three more Israeli hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners
Hamas has released three more Israeli hostages in the fifth such swap of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy were freed this morning in front of a crowd of heavily armed fighters.
Both Mr Ami, 56, and Mr Sharabi, 52, were taken from Kibbutz Be'eri during the 7 October attack. Mr Levy, 34, was abducted from the Nova music festival.
The cross-border attack saw around 1,200 Israelis killed and around 250 people taken hostage.
In return for the captives' release, 183 Palestinian prisoners are due to be released.
The Israeli hostages, who appeared thin, were paraded in front of dozens of masked and armed Hamas fighters, as well as a small crowd of onlookers.
They were then handed over to the International Red Cross Committee, which will transport them to Israeli forces in Gaza.
Some 18 Israeli hostages and more than 550 Palestinian prisoners have been freed since the ceasefire began on 19 January.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Searching for answers about US-backed aid agency in Gaza
The road to Dover, Delaware, is lined with barns and giant wheat fields and all the other signs of American on this journey, the scene only highlights the devastating contrast between peace and driving here because in this rural heartland lie clues to what's behind a highly contested development thousands of miles away on the ground in new US- and Israeli-backed entity created to feed the territory, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), was registered here in Delaware two weeks after US President Donald Trump took is known about the group, which has been at the centre of global headlines amid scenes of chaos and deadly incidents nearly every day as desperate Palestinians have tried to reach its sites. Eyewitnesses recently reported Israeli forces firing on crowds heading to an aid site. Israel says it is investigating while also accusing Hamas of trying to sabotage the GHF said on Thursday that eight of its local Palestinian workers were killed when Hamas attacked one of their in the latest deadly incident, at least 15 Palestinians were killed on Saturday by Israeli fire, local hospitals said. The Israeli military said troops fired warning shots at a group they believed posed a potential threat, and an aircraft struck one person who moved towards killed by Israeli fire near Gaza aid site, say hospitalsVideo shows Palestinians climbing fence and rushing to aid site On our journey in Delaware to find out more about the GHF, the search yields many clues but few definitive established itself saying it intended to feed civilians in Gaza, where the United Nations has said more than two million people are at risk of foundation, which uses armed American security contractors, bypasses the UN as the main supplier of aid in see the GHF as enabling a plan by the Israeli government to displace Palestinians south into smaller areas of Israel - which has long sought to remove the UN as the major humanitarian provider to Palestinians - argues the alternative system was needed to stop Hamas stealing denies that, while the posture of the previous US administration of President Joe Biden was that if supplies were being diverted, it was not at any scale that possibly could justify blockading aid to March, Israel cut off all food and other aid supplies to Gaza as it resumed its war against Hamas following a two-month ceasefire. Israel said the step, which has been widely condemned, was taken to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining UN and aid groups demanded access, while international condemnation of Israel grew. In the midst of this standoff emerged the GHF, promoted by Israel and championed by the Trump virtually nothing was known about its provenance and, crucially, who was funding early May, a 14-page leaked document circulated among aid groups and set out the concept behind GHF - to provide aid to Palestinians from several collection super-hubs in Gaza, secured by armed private contractors and ultimately, beyond their perimeter, by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).The initiative appeared to be designed to bypass the UN as the major the executives or advisers listed in the document were Nate Mook, a former boss of the charity World Central Kitchen; David Beasley, a former World Food Program chief (listed as "to be finalized"); and Jake Wood, a US Marine Corps veteran and disaster-response also listed a retired US lieutenant-general on its advisory by phoning around those who knew some of the background, it became clear that neither Mr Mook nor Mr Beasley was in fact part of the document appeared to be a wish list to try to build support and possibly private donations for the fund. Questions unanswered There were no clues as to the authorship of the leaked text, however. So who was really running the GHF?Jake Wood did indeed become the executive director, but within a fortnight he resigned saying the project breached the humanitarian principles of "humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence", which he said he would not our search to find out more, we pull up in Dover's quaint downtown. A woman in costume is giving a guided history tour. This is a place you come to hear about wars past not drive to the address listed in a public records search for the GHF. It's a red brick building with wooden doors and no doorbell. Inside, in a corridor, two women emerge from an office. They try to assist but say they can't help because they don't know anything specifically about address is in fact an agent for incorporating firms - registering them legally - in Delaware, a state known for a less intrusive approach to company transparency.I ask the women why an organisation would have its registered address here, but not be based here."So they're not bothered," says one with a back on the road, and I send some messages to the spokesman of the GHF, a newly appointed role that is being undertaken by a US-based public relations professional.I've been asking for days for an on-the-record interview with him, or the new executive director. I've asked for confirmation about who is funding GHF and who else is on the board, but nothing is an apparent lack of transparency for a humanitarian group is a "critical" issue, says Bill Deere, Washington DC office director for the UN's Palestinian refugee agency agency has been the core focus of the Israeli government's attempts to sever the relationship between the UN and Gaza's population, and it was this year banned from operating in Deere says: "For folks who like or dislike the UN and its agencies, you can always track our money."We're very transparent about where our funding comes from. By contrast… no-one really knows very much about this [GHF]." Across the front lines He describes the new aid project as "a Hunger Games distribution network", a reference to a dystopian fiction Deere is calling for the UN to be allowed fully back into Gaza to get food aid to Palestinians again professionally, and at scale."I do not know, I cannot fathom, as a UN employee or even as an American, how the world can accept this situation," he UN agencies and aid groups have escalated their criticism of the GHF believe the GHF is breaching the fundamental humanitarian principle of other words, they argue that if aid providers working in a conflict are seen as taking a side, those workers and the aid recipients risk becoming say the GHF has militarised the aid supply, endangering civilians who also have to cross front lines to get to the distribution sites, while disadvantaging the weak and its part, Israel alleges that UNWRA is not neutral. Last year, after accusations made by Israel, the UN fired nine staff out of UNRWA's 17,000-strong workforce, saying they may have been involved in the October 7 attacks. It didn't specify what they were accused of, while UNRWA says the initial claims have still not been proven. In the Gaza war, according to the agency, at least 310 UNRWA workers have been killed, the vast majority of them by the Israeli army.I press Bill Deere, of UNRWA, on Israel and GHF's criticism, that Hamas was diverting aid under the UN system. He says Israel has never offered proof."This is just a made-up excuse in order to create a system that looks like it's helping people without actually helping people," he we continue our search to find out more about GHF, I make my way to the official Delaware state building that holds company team has requested GHF's certificate of incorporation and other linked documents. A woman who works in the records office hands us three pages stapled reveal only the address of the agents we've just visited, and that the GHF changed its name from the "Global Humanitarian Fund" to the "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" on 28 signed "Loik Henderson, President".According to the leaked May document, Mr Henderson is a lawyer "with decades of experience [including] Fortune 500 companies". We try to reach him by phone, but get no next day, a statement arrives from a GHF email address, which isn't attributed to any named press officer and contains no numbers to reach its media says the foundation has given out 19 lorry loads of food that day. The UN system was getting in 600 per day during the ceasefire. For a population of more than two million people, the current daily amount is clearly nowhere near enough; borne out by images of an apocalyptic scene as desperate crowds have descended from barren, sandy dunes over fences into one aid site this email contains a section entitled "inaccurate news reporting", having earlier in the week heavily criticised media organisations for "fabricated and exaggerated narratives". The foundation has distanced itself from the series of deadly incidents, saying no-one was shot at its executive director John Acree is quoted in the email as saying the foundation has so far given out 8.5m meals "without incident". The BBC can't verify the accuracy of GHF's measure for the number of meals in each of its food Saturday, the GHF controversy deepened as one of the world's top consulting firms, Boston Consulting Group, said it had sacked two partners for their role in helping to set up the chief executive apologised to staff saying the group was "shocked and outraged" that the two senior employees had carried out unauthorised work on the de Waal, an expert in famine and aid supply in war at Tufts University in Massachusetts, likens the concept currently being rolled out in Gaza to colonial-era counter-insurgency attempts."The thinking of the military as they mount operations like this is that they will be able to deny all resources to an insurgent group, forcing its members to surrender through hunger and forcing a civilian population to turn against it," he strongly rejects any suggestion it uses hunger as a weapon of war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said Israel "must avoid famine [in Gaza], both for practical reasons and diplomatic ones".Israel has also rejected mounting international criticism of the GHF project. Desperate for food And it has denied allegations in the Israeli media, and raised by opposition leader Yair Lapid, that the Israeli government has secretly funded office says Israel and the US are working in co-ordination "to cut off aid from reaching Hamas", as he escalates Israel's offensive in Gaza, arguing that "military pressure" will help force Hamas to release the hostages it adds that "Israel does not fund the humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip".The US government has also said it is not funding the on the road, we try to reach the GHF executive director John month, contacted via LinkedIn, he told me he would not be doing interviews, but did later put me in touch with the foundation's new spokesman, who has so far declined any on-the-record Wednesday last week, a woman at Mr Acree's home told me he was currently in Tel foundation also emailed a press release saying that it had appointed an executive chairman, Reverend Johnnie Moore, a Christian evangelical preacher and public relations Moore is a strong supporter of Israel and was among President Trump's evangelical "advisory board" of faith leaders who laid hands on the president and prayed for him in the Oval a Fox News website article, Mr Moore launched a scathing attack on the UN system."Activists disguised as humanitarians clutch their pearls and rush out press releases in support of these failed systems," said Mr Moore."They keep spreading with no scrutiny the profane lies of Hamas."We return to Washington DC after our searches in phones buzzes with a message from a colleague saying thousands of hungry Palestinians have looted an aid truck in central Gaza, as desperation over food shortages the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation released videos of Palestinians thanking President Trump behind the wire fences of its distribution has become a main ingredient of Gaza's aid - but we find few real answers about who's really behind reporting by Alex Lederman
North Wales Chronicle
5 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Israeli military says latest missiles from Iran incoming as explosions heard
Both Israel's military and Iran state television announced the latest round of missiles as explosions were heard overhead in parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv. Israel's military quickly noted that it was currently striking 'military targets' in Tehran. Jordan said it has closed its airspace. Israel's ongoing 'widespread strikes' in Tehran and elsewhere have left Iran's surviving leadership with the difficult decision of whether to plunge deeper into conflict with Israel's more powerful forces or seek a diplomatic route. Oman's foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, said on social media the sixth round of indirect nuclear talks on Sunday 'will not now take place', adding that 'diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace'. Although the talks are off for now, 'we remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon', said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomacy. Israel and Iran signalled more attacks are coming, despite urgent calls from world leaders to deescalate and avoid all-out war. The attack on nuclear sites set a 'dangerous precedent', China's foreign minister said. The region is already on edge as Israel makes a new push to eliminate the Iranian-backed militant group Hamas in Gaza after 20 months of fighting. Israel — widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East — said its hundreds of strikes on Iran over the past two days killed a number of top generals, nine senior scientists and experts involved in Iran's nuclear programme. Iran's UN ambassador has said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded. Iran retaliated by launching waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel, where explosions lit the night skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook buildings. Israel said three people were killed and over 170 wounded. 'If (Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn,' defence minister Israel Katz said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made the destruction of Iran's nuclear programme his top priority, said Israel's strikes so far are 'nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days'. In what could be another escalation if confirmed, semi-official Iranian news agencies reported an Israeli drone struck and caused a 'strong explosion' at an Iranian natural-gas processing plant. It would be the first Israeli attack on Iran's oil and natural gas industry. Israel's military did not immediately comment. The extent of damage at the South Pars natural gas field was not immediately clear. Such sites have air defence systems around them, which Israel has been targeting. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran was not actively pursuing the bomb. But its uranium enrichment has reached near weapons-grade levels, and on Thursday, the UN's atomic watchdog censured Iran for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran's top diplomat said on Saturday the nuclear talks were 'unjustifiable' after Israel's strikes. Abbas Araghchi's comments came during a call with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat. The Israeli airstrikes were the 'result of the direct support by Washington', Mr Araghchi said in a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. The US has said it is not part of the strikes. On Friday, US President Donald Trump urged Iran to reach a deal with the US on its nuclear programme, adding that 'Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left'. – US helps to shoot down Iranian missiles Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel late on Friday and early on Saturday. Iranians awoke to state television airing repeated clips of the strikes, as well as videos of people cheering and handing out sweets. The Iranian attacks killed at least three people and wounded 174, two of them seriously, Israel said. The military said seven soldiers were lightly wounded when a missile hit central Israel, without specifying where — the first report of Israeli military casualties since the initial Israeli strikes. US ground-based air defence systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the measures. Israel's main international airport said it will remain closed until further notice. – Indications of a new Israeli attack Israel's army spokesman, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, said Israel had attacked more than 400 targets across Iran, including 40 in Tehran, where dozens of fighter jets were 'operating freely'. He said it was the deepest point Israel's air force had operated. Brig Gen Defrin said fighter jets struck over 40 'missile-related targets and advanced air defence array systems' across Iran. A governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province in north-western Iran said 30 troops and a rescuer had been killed there, with 55 others wounded. Governor Bahram Sarmast's remarks were the latest acknowledgment of mass casualties. Iranian state television reported online that air defences were firing in the cities of Khorramabad, Kermanshah and Tabriz. Footage from Tabriz showed black smoke rising. The sound of explosions and Iranian air defense systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported a fire at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport.
Powys County Times
6 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Israeli military says latest missiles from Iran incoming as explosions heard
The latest US-Iran talks on Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme will not take place, mediator Oman said on Saturday, as Iran launched another missile barrage a day after Israel's blistering attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites. Both Israel's military and Iran state television announced the latest round of missiles as explosions were heard overhead in parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv. Israel's military quickly noted that it was currently striking 'military targets' in Tehran. Jordan said it has closed its airspace. Israel's ongoing 'widespread strikes' in Tehran and elsewhere have left Iran's surviving leadership with the difficult decision of whether to plunge deeper into conflict with Israel's more powerful forces or seek a diplomatic route. Oman's foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, said on social media the sixth round of indirect nuclear talks on Sunday 'will not now take place', adding that 'diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace'. Although the talks are off for now, 'we remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon', said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomacy. Israel and Iran signalled more attacks are coming, despite urgent calls from world leaders to deescalate and avoid all-out war. The attack on nuclear sites set a 'dangerous precedent', China's foreign minister said. The region is already on edge as Israel makes a new push to eliminate the Iranian-backed militant group Hamas in Gaza after 20 months of fighting. Israel — widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East — said its hundreds of strikes on Iran over the past two days killed a number of top generals, nine senior scientists and experts involved in Iran's nuclear programme. Iran's UN ambassador has said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded. Iran retaliated by launching waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel, where explosions lit the night skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook buildings. Israel said three people were killed and over 170 wounded. 'If (Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn,' defence minister Israel Katz said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made the destruction of Iran's nuclear programme his top priority, said Israel's strikes so far are 'nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days'. In what could be another escalation if confirmed, semi-official Iranian news agencies reported an Israeli drone struck and caused a 'strong explosion' at an Iranian natural-gas processing plant. It would be the first Israeli attack on Iran's oil and natural gas industry. Israel's military did not immediately comment. The extent of damage at the South Pars natural gas field was not immediately clear. Such sites have air defence systems around them, which Israel has been targeting. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran was not actively pursuing the bomb. But its uranium enrichment has reached near weapons-grade levels, and on Thursday, the UN's atomic watchdog censured Iran for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran's top diplomat said on Saturday the nuclear talks were 'unjustifiable' after Israel's strikes. Abbas Araghchi's comments came during a call with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat. The Israeli airstrikes were the 'result of the direct support by Washington', Mr Araghchi said in a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. The US has said it is not part of the strikes. On Friday, US President Donald Trump urged Iran to reach a deal with the US on its nuclear programme, adding that 'Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left'. – US helps to shoot down Iranian missiles Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel late on Friday and early on Saturday. Iranians awoke to state television airing repeated clips of the strikes, as well as videos of people cheering and handing out sweets. The Iranian attacks killed at least three people and wounded 174, two of them seriously, Israel said. The military said seven soldiers were lightly wounded when a missile hit central Israel, without specifying where — the first report of Israeli military casualties since the initial Israeli strikes. US ground-based air defence systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the measures. Israel's main international airport said it will remain closed until further notice. – Indications of a new Israeli attack Israel's army spokesman, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, said Israel had attacked more than 400 targets across Iran, including 40 in Tehran, where dozens of fighter jets were 'operating freely'. He said it was the deepest point Israel's air force had operated. Brig Gen Defrin said fighter jets struck over 40 'missile-related targets and advanced air defence array systems' across Iran. A governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province in north-western Iran said 30 troops and a rescuer had been killed there, with 55 others wounded. Governor Bahram Sarmast's remarks were the latest acknowledgment of mass casualties. Iranian state television reported online that air defences were firing in the cities of Khorramabad, Kermanshah and Tabriz. Footage from Tabriz showed black smoke rising. The sound of explosions and Iranian air defense systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran.
