Remains of three Israeli hostages recovered from Gaza
The military identified the remains as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war.
The militant group is still holding 50 hostages, with less than half of them believed to be alive.
The military did not provide any details about the recovery operation, and it is unclear if an air strike which killed four Palestinians was related to it.
'The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan's 23rd birthday.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack. More than half the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Four people were killed on Sunday in an air strike in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Al-Awda Hospital, where the bodies were brought. It said another 22 people were injured while waiting for aid trucks.
Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds seeking desperately needed food, killing hundreds of people in recent weeks. The military says it has fired warning shots at people it said approached its forces in a suspicious manner.
The Hostages Families Forum, the main organization representing families of the hostages, has repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining captives.
'Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory,' it said in a statement on Sunday.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Mr Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying Israel will continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. Even then, he has said Israel will maintain lasting control over Gaza and facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary emigration of much of its population, plans the Palestinians and others view as forcible expulsion.
Separately, World Central Kitchen, the charity run by celebrity chef Jose Andres, said it had resumed the distribution of hot meals in Gaza for the first time in six weeks after shutting down because of Israel's blockade, which was loosened last month amid fears of famine.
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The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why some key Tehran allies have stayed out of the Israel-Iran conflict
Hezbollah has long been considered Iran's first line of defense in case of a war with Israel. But since Israel launched its massive barrage against Iran, triggering the ongoing Israel-Iran war, the Lebanese militant group has stayed out of the fray — even after the U.S. entered the conflict Sunday with strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. A network of powerful Iran-backed militias in Iraq has also remained mostly quiet. Domestic political concerns, as well as tough losses suffered in nearly two years of regional conflicts and upheavals, appear to have led these Iran allies to take a back seat in the latest round convulsing the region. 'Despite all the restraining factors, wild cards remain,' said Tamer Badawi, an associate fellow with the Germany-based think tank Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient. That's especially true after the U.S. stepped in with strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran. The 'Axis of Resistance' Hezbollah was formed with Iranian support in the early 1980s as a guerilla force fighting against Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon at the time. The militant group helped push Israel out of Lebanon and built its arsenal over the ensuing decades, becoming a powerful regional force and the centerpiece of a cluster of Iranian-backed factions and governments known as the ' Axis of Resistance.' The allies also include Iraqi Shiite militias and Yemen's Houthi rebels, as well as the Palestinian militant group Hamas. At one point, Hezbollah was believed to have some 150,000 rockets and missiles, and the group's former leader, Hassan Nasrallah once boasted of having 100,000 fighters. Seeking to aid its ally Hamas in the aftermath of the Palestinian militants' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel and Israel's offensive in Gaza, Hezbollah began launching rockets across the border. That drew Israeli airstrikes and shelling, and the exchanges escalated into full-scale war last September. Israel inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah, killing Nasrallah and other top leaders and destroying much of its arsenal, before a U.S.-negotiated ceasefire halted that conflict last November. Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon and to carry out near-daily airstrikes. For their part, the Iraqi militias occasionally struck bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, while Yemen's Houthis fired at vessels in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and began targeting Israel. Keeping an ambiguous stance Hezbollah has condemned Israel's attacks but did not immediately comment on the U.S. strikes on Iran. Just days before the U.S. attack, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said in a statement that the group 'will act as we deem appropriate in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression.' Lebanese government officials have pressed the group to stay out of the conflict, saying that Lebanon cannot handle another damaging war, and U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who visited Lebanon last week, said it would be a 'very bad decision' for Hezbollah to get involved. Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia — a separate group from Hezbollah — had said prior to the U.S. attack that it will directly target U.S. interests and bases spread throughout the region if Washington gets involved. The group has also remained silent since Sunday's strikes. The Houthis last month reached an agreement with Washington to stop attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea in exchange for the U.S. halting its strikes on Yemen, but the group threatened to resume its attacks if Washington entered the Iran-Israel war. In a statement on Sunday, the Houthis' political bureau described the U.S. attack on Iran as a 'grave escalation that poses a direct threat to regional and international security and peace." The Houthis did not immediately launch strikes. Reasons to stay on the sidelines Hezbollah was weakened by last year's fighting and after losing a major supply route for Iranian weapons with the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally, in a lightning rebel offensive in December. 'Hezbollah has been degraded on the strategic level while cut off from supply chains in Syria,' said Andreas Krieg, a military analyst and associate professor at King's College London. Still, Qassem Qassir, a Lebanese analyst close to Hezbollah, said a role for the militant group in the Israel-Iran conflict should not be ruled out. 'The battle is still in its early stages," he said. "Even Iran hasn't bombed American bases (in response to the U.S. strikes), but rather bombed Israel.' He said that both the Houthis and the Iraqi militias "lack the strategic deep strike capability against Israel that Hezbollah once had." Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London, said Iraq's Iran-allied militias have all along tried to avoid pulling their country into a major conflict. Unlike Hezbollah, whose military wing has operated as a non-state actor in Lebanon — although its political wing is part of the government — the main Iraqi militias are members of a coalition of groups that are officially part of the state defense forces. 'Things in Iraq are good for them right now, they're connected to the state — they're benefitting politically, economically,' Mansour said. 'And also they've seen what's happened to Iran, to Hezbollah and they're concerned that Israel will turn on them as well.' Badawi said that for now, the armed groups may be lying low because 'Iran likely wants these groups to stay intact and operational.' 'But if Iran suffers insurmountable losses or if the Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) is assassinated, those could act as triggers," he said.
The Herald Scotland
44 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
John Swinnney: 'This situation is a threat to us all'
He said he agreed with the UN Secretary General on the need for an end to the conflict through diplomacy. Mr Swinney said: 'The conflict in the Middle East has escalated to an intensely more dangerous and alarming level as a result of the US intervention overnight, which risks spiralling into disaster for the region and the wider world. 'The world finds itself at a profoundly dangerous moment and must pull itself back from the brink.' READ MORE: He added: 'I agree with the Secretary-General of the United Nations that we need to see immediate de-escalation and an end to the conflict through diplomacy. It is vital that the UK Government takes any and all steps it can through diplomatic channels to insist upon that. We also call on Iran to return to negotiations. 'And while the danger is clearly greatest for those in the region, make no mistake that this situation is a threat to us all. The consequences for international peace and security could be severe and it is vital that all nations work through the United Nations to de-escalate this conflict and bring about peace.' United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said earlier on Sunday he was "gravely alarmed by the use of force" by the United States against Iran. 'This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security," he said. President Donald Trump in the White House on Saturday 21 June (Image: AP) He added that there is a 'growing risk' that this conflict could 'rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world'. Mr Guterres called on member states to 'de-escalate' and 'uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law'. He said: 'At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.' The First Minister's response to the developments in the Middle East came after Sir Keir Starmer urged Iran to return to negotiations. US President Donald Trump said early on Sunday that three key nuclear sites in Iran were 'completely and fully obliterated' in the military strikes. The US is thought to have used B-2 stealth bombers to drop bunker-busting munitions on the sites – including the deeply-buried Fordo facility – as well as 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from submarines. The US-UK base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean is not thought to have been used in the operation. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted its nuclear programme will not be stopped. Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said there are no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. The strikes came just days after President Trump said a decision on whether to join Israeli attacks on Iran would be delayed as international leaders, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urged restraint. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday the US president was still hopeful of reaching a negotiated solution with Tehran and would decide on military action within two weeks. But speaking after the strikes on Iran early on Sunday, President Trump said: 'Iran's nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. 'Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat.' Trade policy minister Mr Alexander, who is the MP for Lothian East and a former international development minister, spoke to the BBC's Sunday Show. He said: 'I understand that people have woken up this morning to the news that was breaking overnight with a real sense of concern. 'I want to assure your viewers that the British Government has been putting contingencies in place. 'There have been a whole series of meetings, I and other have been attending Cobra meetings in the course of the week.' He said plans are being put in place to move UK nationals in affected countries to safety, stressing the UK 'took no part in this military action'. The Prime Minister had earlier said Iran should 'return to the negotiating table', noting the region remains 'volatile'. Former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf was critical of the Prime Minister's response. He posted on social media: 'An awful statement from the PM, which ignores our collective responsibility to uphold international law. 'Supporting illegal military action in Iran, and gas-lighting us about an imminent nuclear threat, is hauntingly reminiscent of the lies told in the run up to the Iraq war.' During a protest march in London, Mr Yousaf had earlier accused the UK Government of 'abusing' anti-terror laws against the Palestine Action group, which vandalised two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. Meanwhile, business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said today it would be 'naive' to think the risk of Iranian-backed terrorism in the UK will not increase as a result of the US strikes on Irainian nuclear sites. Speaking to Sky News this morning Mr Reynolds said the UK was not involved in the strikes against Iran but was informed in advance by the US. He said "no request was made" was made to the UK by the US for support. He told Sky News: "We were not and have not been involved in these attacks." But asked about the potential risk to the UK, he added: 'This is not hypothetical. There is not a week goes by without some sort of Iranian cyber attack on a key part of UK critical national infrastructure. 'There is Iranian activity on the streets of the UK, which is wholly unacceptable.' He added: 'It's already at a significant level. I think it would be naive to say that that wouldn't potentially increase. The Iranian ambassador to the UK branded the US military strikes on Iran as a violation of a United Nations charter.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
No more hesitation – Starmer must do these five things now
The despotic and authoritarian Iranian regime has posed a serious threat to regional and global security for far too long. The recent actions by the US and Israel to degrade Iran's nuclear weapons programme and military capabilities were necessary. But now the Government must urgently clarify its role – protecting British nationals, securing our interests and influencing the outcome of this escalating conflict. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency left no doubt about the scale and acceleration of Iran's nuclear programme. Hundreds of kilograms of highly enriched uranium are being produced – far beyond civilian energy needs. The IAEA noted Iran's failure to co-operate with inspections and suggested that the regime may have enough material for nine nuclear weapons. This is not just a theoretical threat. Iran has explicitly stated its aim to annihilate Israel, the world's only Jewish state, and continues to fund and arm terrorist groups like Hamas, which are responsible for widespread bloodshed. Iran's malign activities reach beyond the Middle East, posing direct threats to Britain as well. Inaction would be reckless – a nuclear-armed Iran would endanger global stability. That said, military action carries obvious consequences. We need to know what the UK Government is doing to manage these risks. British nationals in the region may now be in danger, our military assets are exposed, and Iranian proxies will be looking to retaliate, possibly even on British soil. Urgency and clarity As His Majesty's Opposition, the Conservative Party will always put the defence and security of our nation first. In moments of international crisis, we will support the Government when it takes the right steps – but we will also press for greater urgency and clarity when required. There are five key areas where the Government must act. First, it must facilitate the safe and swift repatriation of British nationals in the region. Thousands are seeking to return home, yet with airspace closed, action is slow. The UK must work with allies to open land, sea, or air routes to ensure evacuations. The United States and European partners have already acted. The UK, however, has only just begun conversations – a dangerous delay. Second, the Government must clarify its position on recent military actions by the US and Israel. While the Prime Minister has commented on the situation, he has failed to say whether he supports these targeted strikes. Reports suggest the UK's Attorney General has questioned the legal basis for involvement, possibly affecting allied operations such as those based out of Diego Garcia. The public deserves transparency. Will the UK support future strikes? Will we offer operational or intelligence support? Another dangerous chapter for the world Third, whether or not Britain joins any direct military operations, our forces and assets in the region must be protected. Iran retains the capacity to strike, and their proxies – particularly the Houthis – may increase attacks on British and allied interests. Defensive readiness is essential. Fourth, the Government must ensure our homeland is secure. Iranian agents are known to operate on British soil, with multiple plots disrupted by our intelligence services. This week, a British national was arrested in Cyprus for suspected terrorism and espionage linked to Iran. The risk is real. The Government must reassure the public that law enforcement and security agencies are resourced and prepared to meet this heightened threat. Finally, we must ask: where is Britain's global influence? As the US and Israel lead, the UK has appeared hesitant and peripheral. Ministers talk tough on Iran but have spent the past year straining relations with Israel, our key regional ally. We should be helping shape the international response, not reacting late from the sidelines. The world is entering another dangerous chapter. The Government must step up, working with partners to ensure Iran no longer threatens our security, sponsors terrorism, or destabilises the Middle East. Conservatives will keep pressing for the answers and action that Britain needs.
