We are now closing our LIVE coverage of events in the region for tonight. We will be back tomorrow morning with more news updates.
One of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Tuesday was identified as that of a Palestinian resident of Gaza, suspected by Hamas of collaborating with the Israeli army, according to Haaretz.
This contradicts statements by a senior Hamas official to Al Jazeera, who claimed the body was that of an Israeli army soldier kidnapped during a Hamas operation in May 2024.
Israel is expected to allow the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to reopen in the coming days, following diplomatic pressure from Egypt, Haaretz reports.
According to two sources interviewed by Reuters, people will be allowed to cross the border as early as Thursday.
Israel's defense minister has ordered the military to prepare a comprehensive plan to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza if war resumes, Reuters reports.
The Israeli army said the Red Cross received two coffins containing the bodies of deceased hostages, according to a message posted on X by its Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraae.
Gaza: Hamas says handed over all hostage remains it has access to
The armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement said Wednesday evening that it has handed over all the remains of hostages held in Gaza to which it had access, according to a statement.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, announced that it had "fulfilled its commitment under the agreement by handing over all living Israeli prisoners in its custody, as well as the bodies to which it had access."
Earlier, the Islamist movement announced that it planned to hand over the remains of two additional hostages in the Gaza Strip to the Red Cross.
Trump: Israel could resume fighting in Gaza 'as soon as I give the word' if Hamas fails to abide by cease-fire deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said Israeli forces could resume fighting in Gaza "as soon as I give the word" if Hamas fails to abide by the cease-fire agreement, according to CNN, as reported by Reuters.
For its part, Hamas' armed wing stated in a message posted on Telegram that it had committed to respecting the agreed terms of the truce, according to Reuters.
Red Cross heading to meeting point to receive hostage remains, Israeli army announces
The Israeli army announced that Red Cross teams are heading to a meeting point in northern Gaza, where the women will receive the remains of Israeli hostages.
"According to information received, Red Cross teams are heading to a meeting point in the northern Gaza Strip where they will receive several coffins containing the remains of the kidnapped martyrs," Israeli army Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X.
"Hamas is obliged to respect the agreement and do everything possible to return all the hostages killed," he added.
Hamas' armed wing announces it will return the bodies of two hostages at 10 p.m. local time, reports AFP.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, announced Wednesday evening that it planned to hand over the remains of two additional Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip to the Red Cross at 10 p.m. local time, AFP reported.
"As part of the [cease-fire agreement in effect since Oct. 10] for the exchange of prisoners, the al-Qassam Brigades have decided to hand over the bodies of two occupation prisoners in the Gaza Strip at 10 p.m.", according to a statement from the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
Gaza: France condemns 'summary executions' by Hamas
France "strongly condemns the summary executions carried out in recent days in Gaza by Hamas," according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, following the Islamist movement's publication of killings of people described as collaborators with Israel, reports AFP.
A few hours earlier, a senior US official for the Middle East (CENTCOM) had "urged Hamas to stop shooting innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza."
Rodolph Haykal received Druze leader Walid Joumblatt to discuss situation in country
The Lebanese Army's commander-in-chief received Druze leader and former head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), Walid Joumblatt, in Yarzeh for a meeting to discuss the situation in the country, without providing further details, according to the National News Agency.
The government of Nawaf Salam, which enshrined in a decision in early August the principle of restoring the state's arms monopoly, is facing opposition from Hezbollah, while the Lebanese Army has been able to begin the process south of the Litani River in South Lebanon, as well as in some Palestinian camps.
In June, Joumblatt stated that the PSP had handed over its weapons to the Lebanese Army three weeks earlier.
Israeli drone seriously injures 2 people in Assi
According to local residents, the drone fired two missiles at the area known as Assi.
The first targeted the vehicle but failed to hit it.
The driver then got out of the vehicle to flee, but the drone targeted him with the second missile, seriously injuring him.
Another person at the scene was also injured.
The drone continued to fly over the targeted area.
Drone equipped with 2 missiles targeted Rapid pickup truck on Siddiqine-Kafra road (Sour)
(Credit: Screenshot from video taken by Muntasser Abdallah)
A drone equipped with two missiles targeted a Rapid pickup truck on the Siddiqine-Kafra road (Sour district), in the area known as Assi, opposite the Al-Rammal cooperative.
Ambulances were dispatched to the scene, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
Israel must "immediately" open all access to Gaza to humanitarian aid, a U.N. official told AFP.
Gaza: Senior US military official calls on Hamas to 'stop shooting at Palestinian civilians'
A senior U.S. Middle East Command (CENTCOM) official called on Hamas "to stop shooting at Palestinian civilians" after the Palestinian Islamist movement released a video showing summary executions of suspected "collaborators," AFP reports.
"We urge Hamas to stop shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza," Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, said on X.
Israel has returned the remains of 45 more people to Gaza, AFP reports.
Israel has returned the remains of 45 people to the authorities in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territory's Health Ministry announced, confirming the continuation of the body exchange process as part of the cease-fire in effect between Israel and Hamas, AFP reports.
"The Health Ministry announces the receipt of 45 bodies of martyrs returned today by the Israeli occupation and the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 90," said a statement from the Ministry, which is under the authority of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
The bodies arrived at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis (southern Gaza Strip), the hospital said. They were returned in exchange for the handover by Hamas the day before of three more bodies of Israeli hostages, whose identities were confirmed by authorities this morning.
Rafah border crossing scheduled to open tomorrow
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is expected to reopen tomorrow, with an EU mission expected to deploy there, two sources told Reuters.
The sources did not specify what restrictions might be imposed on people wishing to cross the border.
An Israeli bulldozer is carrying out excavation work inside Lebanese territory in Blida.
An Israeli bulldozer has crossed the border in the Ghasouna region, east of Blida, in the Marjayoun district, and is carrying out excavation work inside Lebanese territory, our correspondent reports.
A resident of southern Lebanon found an Israeli drone in a field in Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).
According to our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah, the device had crashed some time ago.
Hamas rejects Israeli claim over returned body in cease-fire deal
A senior Hamas source has rejected Israel’s claim that one of the bodies returned under the current cease-fire deal did not belong to an Israeli captive.
“The body the enemy claims is not that of an Israeli actually belongs to a soldier captured in a resistance operation,” the source told Al Jazeera Arabic.
According to the source, the soldier was captured and his body retrieved by the Al-Qassam Brigades during an operation in Jabalia camp in May 2024.
EU ready to deploy humanitarian mission at Rafah crossing
The European Union has announced it is on standby to deploy the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Rafah at the Egypt-Gaza border crossing, pending improved conditions on the ground. EUBAM Rafah, which began in 2005, is part of the EU’s longstanding humanitarian efforts in the region.
Anouar al-Anouni, spokesperson for the European Commission, said, “EUBAM remains on standby to deploy to the Rafah crossing point in support of the Gaza peace plan as soon as conditions allow. We remain on standby and stand ready to deploy at short notice,” according to Al Jazeera.
Germany condemns reported Hamas executions in Gaza but maintains support for humanitarian aid
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry condemned reported executions carried out by Hamas during clashes with local clans in Gaza, calling them acts of terror against the population.
Despite this, Germany affirms the continued need to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians, Reuters reports.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said he wants to “redefine” Damascus-Moscow relations during his first meeting with Vladimir Putin since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December, whose Kremlin was one of his main allies.
“We are trying to restore and redefine the nature of these relations in a new way so that Syria can enjoy its independence, sovereignty, as well as its unity and territorial integrity ... its security and stability,” he said during the televised meeting, AFP reports.
Gaza: Nine killed and thirty-five injured in the last 24 hours
Nine people have been killed and 35 injured in the past 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry reported in a statement.
The ministry added that sixteen bodies were recovered from the rubble and transferred to hospitals. This brings the death toll since Oct. 7 to 67,938, and the number of injured to 170,169, according to ministry figures deemed reliable by the U.N., which has a presence on the ground.
Putin praises 'deep' ties with Damascus during first meeting with al-Sharaa
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised the “deep” ties between Russia and Syria during his first meeting at the Kremlin with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
“Over all these decades, we have always been guided by one thing: The interests of the Syrian people. We truly have very deep ties with the Syrian people,” Putin said, according to televised remarks reported by AFP.
Sharaa told Putin he wants to “redefine” the Moscow-Damascus relationship, AFP reported.
Palestinian Authority steps up diplomatic campaign in Europe to gain state recognition
The Palestinian Authority is intensifying efforts to secure recognition of a Palestinian state across Europe.
Mohammed Shtayyeh, special envoy to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and former prime minister, announced following a meeting with the Swiss foreign minister that delegations will visit multiple European countries.
Upcoming trips include visits to the Netherlands, Austria, and the Baltic states, with hopes that President Abbas will travel to Italy and Germany. The campaign aims to expand the number of European countries officially recognizing the State of Palestine.
Palestinian bodies handed over by Israeli forces show signs of mistreatment
Medical sources have informed Al Jazeera that some of the Palestinian bodies handed over by Israeli forces yesterday were found blindfolded and handcuffed.
According to these sources, there are indications that several individuals may have been subjected to “field executions.”
Additionally, tank tracks were reportedly found on some bodies, suggesting that they may have been run over by Israeli vehicles.
Sharaa has arrived at the Kremlin
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has arrived at the Kremlin to meet Vladimir Putin, reports AFP.
Southern Lebanon: An Israeli army bulldozer is carrying out earthworks in the Marjeyoun district
An Israeli army bulldozer crossed the border into the area known as “Ghassouna,” east of Blida, in the Marjayoun district, and is conducting earthworks there, reports our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.
Israel and Hamas begin talks on phase 2 of US cease-fire plan
Israel and Hamas have begun negotiations on implementing the second phase of the ceasefire and hostage-release plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The talks, which follow weeks of indirect mediation, are focused on key issues such as a prolonged truce, further hostage releases, and guarantees around humanitarian aid. No immediate breakthrough has been reported.
Sharaa-Putin meeting: Kremlin confirms the two presidents will discuss Russian military bases in Syria
The Kremlin has confirmed that Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ahmad al-Sharaa will discuss the presence of Russian military bases in Syria during their meeting in Moscow on Wednesday.
This information had already been reported by an official Syrian source to Reuters on Tuesday.
Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives in Moscow
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has arrived in Moscow, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA and Russian media outlets. He is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
This marks Sharaa’s first visit to Russia since the overthrow last December of former Syrian leader and Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad, who has taken refuge in the Russian capital.
A Syrian official source told Reuters that Sharaa will hold talks on the continued presence of the Russian naval base in Tartous and the Hmeimim airbase.
He is also expected to formally request the extradition of former president Bashar al-Assad — an ally of Russia — so that he can be tried for alleged crimes against the Syrian people, according to various agencies.
Gaza: Israeli army chief says forces 'will not rest until all hostages are brought home'
The Israeli army “will not rest until all hostages are brought home,” said Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday, according to The Times of Israel.
“It is our moral, national, and Jewish duty,” he added.
According to Israeli authorities, 21 bodies of hostages are still believed to be in the Gaza Strip.
One of four bodies returned by Hamas does not belong to a hostage, says Haaretz
Following medical examinations, the Israeli army confirmed that one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Tuesday night does not correspond to any of the known hostages, reports Haaretz.
Netanyahu says Hamas must disarm or “all hell breaks loose,” in CBS interview
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope for a peaceful next phase in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal but stressed that U.S. President Donald Trump’s conditions are “very clear”: Hamas must disarm and demilitarize, or “all hell breaks loose.”
Speaking to CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said that now the living hostages have been returned, disarmament must be the next step.
“First, Hamas has to give up its arms,” he said. “And second, you want to make sure that there are no weapons factories inside Gaza. There’s no smuggling of weapons into Gaza. That’s demilitarization.”
To those questioning his commitment to peace, Netanyahu pointed to the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and four Arab League nations.
“We have an opportunity to broaden that peace,” he added. “It would be the greatest gift we can bring the people of Israel, the people of the region, and the people of the world.”
Over 100 Palestinian medical workers still detained, including prominent Gaza hospital director
Under the Gaza cease-fire deal, Israel has released dozens of Palestinian doctors, nurses, and paramedics detained during military raids on hospitals, according to The Guardian.
But over 100 medical workers remain in Israeli custody — including Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, who became a symbol of efforts to keep treating patients under siege.
Despite international calls for his release, Dr. Abu Safiya was not among the hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed Monday in exchange for 20 Israeli hostages. He has been held without charge for nearly 10 months, the Associated Press reports.
West Bank: 57-year-old Palestinian beaten to death by Israeli soldiers near Jerusalem
Palestinian Salim al-Far, 57, from the town of al-Zababdeh in the Jenin governorate, was killed after being beaten to death by Israeli soldiers near the separation wall in the city of al-Ram, northeast of Jerusalem, just outside the municipal boundary, according to local media reports.
According to some reports cited by The Times of Israel, the alleged lynching took place at the Israeli Kalandia checkpoint, near Ramallah. The Israeli army has not yet commented on the incident.
Israel believes fourth body returned by Hamas is not that of a hostage
Israel believes that the fourth body returned last night by Hamas is not that of a hostage, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The three other bodies were identified earlier by the families of the hostages.
Israeli drone flying at low altitude over Beirut and surrounding areas
According to eyewitness accounts, an Israeli drone has been flying at low altitude over Beirut and its surrounding areas this morning.
Families confirm identification of three Israeli hostages
Three of the four bodies of Israeli hostages returned from Gaza last night by Hamas have been identified, the families confirmed this morning after receiving official confirmation from the National Forensic Institute.
“It is with immense sorrow and pain that we announce the return of the body of our beloved Ouriel Baruch from the Gaza Strip, after two long years of prayers, hope and faith,” said the family of the Jerusalem resident, who was kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, at the Nova techno festival at the age of 35.
The families of Tamir Nimrodi and Eitan Levy also confirmed the return of their loved ones to Israel. Eitan Levy, a 53-year-old taxi driver, was killed after dropping off a friend at Kibbutz Be’eri on the morning of the Hamas attack. Tamir Nimrodi, an 18-year-old soldier, was captured at a military base on the Gaza border.
Trump warns Hamas: 'We will disarm them if they don’t disarm themselves'
Donald Trump also said yesterday that the United States would “disarm” Hamas if the group does not disarm itself. “It will happen quickly and maybe violently,” he added while speaking to the press at the White House.
This came after several days of tension and clashes in Gaza City between the Palestinian movement and armed clans and gangs, some of which are allegedly supported by Israel. The “Deterrence Force,” a newly created unit within Hamas’s security apparatus, “is carrying out an operation” to “neutralize wanted individuals,” a Palestinian security source in Gaza told AFP.
As part of this operation, Hamas released a video showing what it claimed was the execution of eight men accused of “collaborating” with Israel, carried out in broad daylight on the streets of Gaza City.
Southern Lebanon: One injured in Wadi Jilo drone strike, Health Ministry confirms
On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, the Israeli army carried out a drone strike near Wadi Jilo, in the Sour district, seriously injuring the driver of the targeted motorcycle, according to information from our correspondent and a toll confirmed by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Gaza: Israel to reopen Rafah crossing today
Israel will allow the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza to enable the passage of humanitarian aid, reports Israeli public broadcaster KAN, cited by AFP.
With this reopening, "600 trucks of humanitarian aid will be delivered [Wednesday] into the Gaza Strip by the U.N., accredited international organizations, the private sector and donor countries," the media outlet states on its website, without citing sources.
KAN specifies that this reopening of Rafah for aid delivery, decided by the “political echelon,” follows Hamas’s return of four more bodies of Israeli hostages on Tuesday evening, as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The U.S. president had urged Hamas to return the remains of deceased hostages, calling it a necessary step to move forward with his plan for the Palestinian territory.
Southern Lebanon: Israel blows up a house in Mais al-Jabal
At 5 a.m., a unit of the Israeli army infiltrated the town of Mais al-Jabal, in the Marjayoun district, where it rigged a house in the al-Ksayer neighborhood in the eastern part of the locality with explosives before detonating it, reports our correspondent in the South.
The explosions were heard in nearby villages, he adds.
During the first two months of the cease-fire, in December and January, the Israeli army — which at the time was still occupying a large area of southern Lebanon — carried out the demolition of many buildings and infrastructure in Mais al-Jabal and its surroundings, which overlook Israel’s fertile “Finger of Galilee” region.
Since then, Israeli soldiers have regularly infiltrated to demolish buildings along the border.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
We will be following the aftermath of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as the situation in Lebanon, particularly in the South, where Israel continues to carry out strikes despite the truce.
We will also cover developments in Syria, Yemen, and Iran.
Catch up on everything you missed yesterday and what to look out for today by reading our Morning Brief 👉here.
We are now closing our LIVE coverage of events in the region for tonight. We will be back tomorrow morning with more news updates.
One of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Tuesday was identified as that of a Palestinian resident of Gaza, suspected by Hamas of collaborating with the Israeli army, according to Haaretz.
This contradicts statements by a senior Hamas official to Al Jazeera, who claimed the body was that of an Israeli army soldier kidnapped during a Hamas operation in May 2024.
Israel is expected to allow the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to reopen in the coming days, following diplomatic pressure from Egypt, Haaretz reports.
According to two sources interviewed by Reuters, people will be allowed to cross the border as early as Thursday.
Israel's defense minister has ordered the military to prepare a comprehensive plan to "defeat Hamas" in Gaza if war resumes, Reuters reports.
The Israeli army said the Red Cross received two coffins containing the bodies of deceased hostages, according to a message posted on X by its Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraae.
Gaza: Hamas says handed over all hostage remains it has access to
The armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement said Wednesday evening that it has handed over all the remains of hostages held in Gaza to which it had access, according to a statement.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, announced that it had "fulfilled its commitment under the agreement by handing over all living Israeli prisoners in its custody, as well as the bodies to which it had access."
Earlier, the Islamist movement announced that it planned to hand over the remains of two additional hostages in the Gaza Strip to the Red Cross.
Trump: Israel could resume fighting in Gaza 'as soon as I give the word' if Hamas fails to abide by cease-fire deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said Israeli forces could resume fighting in Gaza "as soon as I give the word" if Hamas fails to abide by the cease-fire agreement, according to CNN, as reported by Reuters.
For its part, Hamas' armed wing stated in a message posted on Telegram that it had committed to respecting the agreed terms of the truce, according to Reuters.
Red Cross heading to meeting point to receive hostage remains, Israeli army announces
The Israeli army announced that Red Cross teams are heading to a meeting point in northern Gaza, where the women will receive the remains of Israeli hostages.
"According to information received, Red Cross teams are heading to a meeting point in the northern Gaza Strip where they will receive several coffins containing the remains of the kidnapped martyrs," Israeli army Arabic-speaking spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X.
"Hamas is obliged to respect the agreement and do everything possible to return all the hostages killed," he added.
Hamas' armed wing announces it will return the bodies of two hostages at 10 p.m. local time, reports AFP.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, announced Wednesday evening that it planned to hand over the remains of two additional Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip to the Red Cross at 10 p.m. local time, AFP reported.
"As part of the [cease-fire agreement in effect since Oct. 10] for the exchange of prisoners, the al-Qassam Brigades have decided to hand over the bodies of two occupation prisoners in the Gaza Strip at 10 p.m.", according to a statement from the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
Gaza: France condemns 'summary executions' by Hamas
France "strongly condemns the summary executions carried out in recent days in Gaza by Hamas," according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, following the Islamist movement's publication of killings of people described as collaborators with Israel, reports AFP.
A few hours earlier, a senior US official for the Middle East (CENTCOM) had "urged Hamas to stop shooting innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza."
Rodolph Haykal received Druze leader Walid Joumblatt to discuss situation in country
The Lebanese Army's commander-in-chief received Druze leader and former head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), Walid Joumblatt, in Yarzeh for a meeting to discuss the situation in the country, without providing further details, according to the National News Agency.
The government of Nawaf Salam, which enshrined in a decision in early August the principle of restoring the state's arms monopoly, is facing opposition from Hezbollah, while the Lebanese Army has been able to begin the process south of the Litani River in South Lebanon, as well as in some Palestinian camps.
In June, Joumblatt stated that the PSP had handed over its weapons to the Lebanese Army three weeks earlier.
Israeli drone seriously injures 2 people in Assi
According to local residents, the drone fired two missiles at the area known as Assi.
The first targeted the vehicle but failed to hit it.
The driver then got out of the vehicle to flee, but the drone targeted him with the second missile, seriously injuring him.
Another person at the scene was also injured.
The drone continued to fly over the targeted area.
Drone equipped with 2 missiles targeted Rapid pickup truck on Siddiqine-Kafra road (Sour)
(Credit: Screenshot from video taken by Muntasser Abdallah)
A drone equipped with two missiles targeted a Rapid pickup truck on the Siddiqine-Kafra road (Sour district), in the area known as Assi, opposite the Al-Rammal cooperative.
Ambulances were dispatched to the scene, reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.
Israel must "immediately" open all access to Gaza to humanitarian aid, a U.N. official told AFP.
Gaza: Senior US military official calls on Hamas to 'stop shooting at Palestinian civilians'
A senior U.S. Middle East Command (CENTCOM) official called on Hamas "to stop shooting at Palestinian civilians" after the Palestinian Islamist movement released a video showing summary executions of suspected "collaborators," AFP reports.
"We urge Hamas to stop shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza," Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, said on X.
Israel has returned the remains of 45 more people to Gaza, AFP reports.
Israel has returned the remains of 45 people to the authorities in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territory's Health Ministry announced, confirming the continuation of the body exchange process as part of the cease-fire in effect between Israel and Hamas, AFP reports.
"The Health Ministry announces the receipt of 45 bodies of martyrs returned today by the Israeli occupation and the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 90," said a statement from the Ministry, which is under the authority of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
The bodies arrived at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis (southern Gaza Strip), the hospital said. They were returned in exchange for the handover by Hamas the day before of three more bodies of Israeli hostages, whose identities were confirmed by authorities this morning.
Rafah border crossing scheduled to open tomorrow
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is expected to reopen tomorrow, with an EU mission expected to deploy there, two sources told Reuters.
The sources did not specify what restrictions might be imposed on people wishing to cross the border.
An Israeli bulldozer is carrying out excavation work inside Lebanese territory in Blida.
An Israeli bulldozer has crossed the border in the Ghasouna region, east of Blida, in the Marjayoun district, and is carrying out excavation work inside Lebanese territory, our correspondent reports.
A resident of southern Lebanon found an Israeli drone in a field in Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).
According to our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah, the device had crashed some time ago.
Hamas rejects Israeli claim over returned body in cease-fire deal
A senior Hamas source has rejected Israel’s claim that one of the bodies returned under the current cease-fire deal did not belong to an Israeli captive.
“The body the enemy claims is not that of an Israeli actually belongs to a soldier captured in a resistance operation,” the source told Al Jazeera Arabic.
According to the source, the soldier was captured and his body retrieved by the Al-Qassam Brigades during an operation in Jabalia camp in May 2024.
EU ready to deploy humanitarian mission at Rafah crossing
The European Union has announced it is on standby to deploy the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Rafah at the Egypt-Gaza border crossing, pending improved conditions on the ground. EUBAM Rafah, which began in 2005, is part of the EU’s longstanding humanitarian efforts in the region.
Anouar al-Anouni, spokesperson for the European Commission, said, “EUBAM remains on standby to deploy to the Rafah crossing point in support of the Gaza peace plan as soon as conditions allow. We remain on standby and stand ready to deploy at short notice,” according to Al Jazeera.
Germany condemns reported Hamas executions in Gaza but maintains support for humanitarian aid
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry condemned reported executions carried out by Hamas during clashes with local clans in Gaza, calling them acts of terror against the population.
Despite this, Germany affirms the continued need to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians, Reuters reports.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said he wants to “redefine” Damascus-Moscow relations during his first meeting with Vladimir Putin since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December, whose Kremlin was one of his main allies.
“We are trying to restore and redefine the nature of these relations in a new way so that Syria can enjoy its independence, sovereignty, as well as its unity and territorial integrity ... its security and stability,” he said during the televised meeting, AFP reports.
Gaza: Nine killed and thirty-five injured in the last 24 hours
Nine people have been killed and 35 injured in the past 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry reported in a statement.
The ministry added that sixteen bodies were recovered from the rubble and transferred to hospitals. This brings the death toll since Oct. 7 to 67,938, and the number of injured to 170,169, according to ministry figures deemed reliable by the U.N., which has a presence on the ground.
Putin praises 'deep' ties with Damascus during first meeting with al-Sharaa
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised the “deep” ties between Russia and Syria during his first meeting at the Kremlin with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
“Over all these decades, we have always been guided by one thing: The interests of the Syrian people. We truly have very deep ties with the Syrian people,” Putin said, according to televised remarks reported by AFP.
Sharaa told Putin he wants to “redefine” the Moscow-Damascus relationship, AFP reported.
Palestinian Authority steps up diplomatic campaign in Europe to gain state recognition
The Palestinian Authority is intensifying efforts to secure recognition of a Palestinian state across Europe.
Mohammed Shtayyeh, special envoy to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and former prime minister, announced following a meeting with the Swiss foreign minister that delegations will visit multiple European countries.
Upcoming trips include visits to the Netherlands, Austria, and the Baltic states, with hopes that President Abbas will travel to Italy and Germany. The campaign aims to expand the number of European countries officially recognizing the State of Palestine.
Palestinian bodies handed over by Israeli forces show signs of mistreatment
Medical sources have informed Al Jazeera that some of the Palestinian bodies handed over by Israeli forces yesterday were found blindfolded and handcuffed.
According to these sources, there are indications that several individuals may have been subjected to “field executions.”
Additionally, tank tracks were reportedly found on some bodies, suggesting that they may have been run over by Israeli vehicles.
Sharaa has arrived at the Kremlin
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has arrived at the Kremlin to meet Vladimir Putin, reports AFP.
Southern Lebanon: An Israeli army bulldozer is carrying out earthworks in the Marjeyoun district
An Israeli army bulldozer crossed the border into the area known as “Ghassouna,” east of Blida, in the Marjayoun district, and is conducting earthworks there, reports our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.
Israel and Hamas begin talks on phase 2 of US cease-fire plan
Israel and Hamas have begun negotiations on implementing the second phase of the ceasefire and hostage-release plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The talks, which follow weeks of indirect mediation, are focused on key issues such as a prolonged truce, further hostage releases, and guarantees around humanitarian aid. No immediate breakthrough has been reported.
Sharaa-Putin meeting: Kremlin confirms the two presidents will discuss Russian military bases in Syria
The Kremlin has confirmed that Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ahmad al-Sharaa will discuss the presence of Russian military bases in Syria during their meeting in Moscow on Wednesday.
This information had already been reported by an official Syrian source to Reuters on Tuesday.
Ahmad al-Sharaa arrives in Moscow
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has arrived in Moscow, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA and Russian media outlets. He is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
This marks Sharaa’s first visit to Russia since the overthrow last December of former Syrian leader and Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad, who has taken refuge in the Russian capital.
A Syrian official source told Reuters that Sharaa will hold talks on the continued presence of the Russian naval base in Tartous and the Hmeimim airbase.
He is also expected to formally request the extradition of former president Bashar al-Assad — an ally of Russia — so that he can be tried for alleged crimes against the Syrian people, according to various agencies.
Gaza: Israeli army chief says forces 'will not rest until all hostages are brought home'
The Israeli army “will not rest until all hostages are brought home,” said Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday, according to The Times of Israel.
“It is our moral, national, and Jewish duty,” he added.
According to Israeli authorities, 21 bodies of hostages are still believed to be in the Gaza Strip.
One of four bodies returned by Hamas does not belong to a hostage, says Haaretz
Following medical examinations, the Israeli army confirmed that one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Tuesday night does not correspond to any of the known hostages, reports Haaretz.
Netanyahu says Hamas must disarm or “all hell breaks loose,” in CBS interview
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope for a peaceful next phase in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal but stressed that U.S. President Donald Trump’s conditions are “very clear”: Hamas must disarm and demilitarize, or “all hell breaks loose.”
Speaking to CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said that now the living hostages have been returned, disarmament must be the next step.
“First, Hamas has to give up its arms,” he said. “And second, you want to make sure that there are no weapons factories inside Gaza. There’s no smuggling of weapons into Gaza. That’s demilitarization.”
To those questioning his commitment to peace, Netanyahu pointed to the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and four Arab League nations.
“We have an opportunity to broaden that peace,” he added. “It would be the greatest gift we can bring the people of Israel, the people of the region, and the people of the world.”
Over 100 Palestinian medical workers still detained, including prominent Gaza hospital director
Under the Gaza cease-fire deal, Israel has released dozens of Palestinian doctors, nurses, and paramedics detained during military raids on hospitals, according to The Guardian.
But over 100 medical workers remain in Israeli custody — including Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, who became a symbol of efforts to keep treating patients under siege.
Despite international calls for his release, Dr. Abu Safiya was not among the hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed Monday in exchange for 20 Israeli hostages. He has been held without charge for nearly 10 months, the Associated Press reports.
West Bank: 57-year-old Palestinian beaten to death by Israeli soldiers near Jerusalem
Palestinian Salim al-Far, 57, from the town of al-Zababdeh in the Jenin governorate, was killed after being beaten to death by Israeli soldiers near the separation wall in the city of al-Ram, northeast of Jerusalem, just outside the municipal boundary, according to local media reports.
According to some reports cited by The Times of Israel, the alleged lynching took place at the Israeli Kalandia checkpoint, near Ramallah. The Israeli army has not yet commented on the incident.
Israel believes fourth body returned by Hamas is not that of a hostage
Israel believes that the fourth body returned last night by Hamas is not that of a hostage, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The three other bodies were identified earlier by the families of the hostages.
Israeli drone flying at low altitude over Beirut and surrounding areas
According to eyewitness accounts, an Israeli drone has been flying at low altitude over Beirut and its surrounding areas this morning.
Families confirm identification of three Israeli hostages
Three of the four bodies of Israeli hostages returned from Gaza last night by Hamas have been identified, the families confirmed this morning after receiving official confirmation from the National Forensic Institute.
“It is with immense sorrow and pain that we announce the return of the body of our beloved Ouriel Baruch from the Gaza Strip, after two long years of prayers, hope and faith,” said the family of the Jerusalem resident, who was kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, at the Nova techno festival at the age of 35.
The families of Tamir Nimrodi and Eitan Levy also confirmed the return of their loved ones to Israel. Eitan Levy, a 53-year-old taxi driver, was killed after dropping off a friend at Kibbutz Be’eri on the morning of the Hamas attack. Tamir Nimrodi, an 18-year-old soldier, was captured at a military base on the Gaza border.
Trump warns Hamas: 'We will disarm them if they don’t disarm themselves'
Donald Trump also said yesterday that the United States would “disarm” Hamas if the group does not disarm itself. “It will happen quickly and maybe violently,” he added while speaking to the press at the White House.
This came after several days of tension and clashes in Gaza City between the Palestinian movement and armed clans and gangs, some of which are allegedly supported by Israel. The “Deterrence Force,” a newly created unit within Hamas’s security apparatus, “is carrying out an operation” to “neutralize wanted individuals,” a Palestinian security source in Gaza told AFP.
As part of this operation, Hamas released a video showing what it claimed was the execution of eight men accused of “collaborating” with Israel, carried out in broad daylight on the streets of Gaza City.
Southern Lebanon: One injured in Wadi Jilo drone strike, Health Ministry confirms
On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, the Israeli army carried out a drone strike near Wadi Jilo, in the Sour district, seriously injuring the driver of the targeted motorcycle, according to information from our correspondent and a toll confirmed by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Gaza: Israel to reopen Rafah crossing today
Israel will allow the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza to enable the passage of humanitarian aid, reports Israeli public broadcaster KAN, cited by AFP.
With this reopening, "600 trucks of humanitarian aid will be delivered [Wednesday] into the Gaza Strip by the U.N., accredited international organizations, the private sector and donor countries," the media outlet states on its website, without citing sources.
KAN specifies that this reopening of Rafah for aid delivery, decided by the “political echelon,” follows Hamas’s return of four more bodies of Israeli hostages on Tuesday evening, as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The U.S. president had urged Hamas to return the remains of deceased hostages, calling it a necessary step to move forward with his plan for the Palestinian territory.
Southern Lebanon: Israel blows up a house in Mais al-Jabal
At 5 a.m., a unit of the Israeli army infiltrated the town of Mais al-Jabal, in the Marjayoun district, where it rigged a house in the al-Ksayer neighborhood in the eastern part of the locality with explosives before detonating it, reports our correspondent in the South.
The explosions were heard in nearby villages, he adds.
During the first two months of the cease-fire, in December and January, the Israeli army — which at the time was still occupying a large area of southern Lebanon — carried out the demolition of many buildings and infrastructure in Mais al-Jabal and its surroundings, which overlook Israel’s fertile “Finger of Galilee” region.
Since then, Israeli soldiers have regularly infiltrated to demolish buildings along the border.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
We will be following the aftermath of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as the situation in Lebanon, particularly in the South, where Israel continues to carry out strikes despite the truce.
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