“They don’t care about the hostages. It’s about continuing the genocide

As Donald Trump tries to take credit for a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel continues to kill Palestinians. And as both Israeli and Palestinian captives are released, the glaring double standards in coverage lay bare how this genocide was allowed to go on for so long.

Netanyahu’s hostage dilemma

Through eight months of war in Gaza, the issue of the hostages has obsessed the Israeli public above all else but the dramatic operation to rescue four Israelis held captive in Gaza last week – which resulted in a massacre of more than 270 Palestinians – has revealed that a ceasefire deal remains the best option to secure their safe return.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has paid lip service to the public’s demand to bring the captives home but Israelis are coming to the realisation that the issue is a headache for him – it gets in the way of what seems to be his effort to prolong this war in order to prolong his own political career.

After six months of war, are hostages in Gaza being forgotten?

Six months after the Hamas terror attacks on Israel, vigils are taking place around the world to commemorate the victims. In Jerusalem, people gathered to remember approximately 1,200 who were killed and the more than 200 kidnapped in the attacks.

Hamas, Qatari, US envoys in Cairo for cease-fire, hostage release talks

Hopes for cease-fire in the Gaza war are growing with the arrival of a Hamas delegation for talks in Cairo. US officials say Israel has broadly approved a deal being presented to Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by most Western countries. Pressure is mounting for the meeting to result in a truce as starvation looms in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, over 30,000 people have been killed in the territory since the war started. On Sunday, the Israeli army intensified operations in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. It says it had destroyed dozens of Hamas targets.

Hamas releases 10 Thai hostages taken from Israel in separate deal

Hamas has released ten Thai nationals and one Filipino taken during the October 7 attacks. Thai authorities released images of them in an Israeli hospital. Bangkok had been engaging for weeks in its own diplomatic talks to free its nationals held by Hamas. The deal was separate from the one that saw the Israeli hostages released but happened at the same time.

 

Release of Israeli hostages delayed

Israel has announced that a deal to release dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas has been delayed. A temporary ceasefire which is supposed to come into force with the hostages’ release has also been delayed. Israel says negotiations are continuing with Hamas. It had been expected that 50 of around 240 hostages held in Gaza would be released over four days with a truce taking place at the same time. In return around 150 Palestinian women and teenagers would be released from prison in Israel.

Israel, Qatar say deal with Hamas to release hostages is close

Israel and Hamas are close to agreeing on a deal to release some of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip according to Israel's ambassador to the US Michael Herzog. Herzog's comments echo a similar statement by Qatar's prime minister, which he gave during a joint press conference with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell. Mohammed Al Thani said only minor details remain to be agreed for Hamas to free at least some of the more than 240 people kidnapped by militants in the October 7 attacks.

Israeli recounts phone call with her sons as Hamas captured them

 

Renana Gomeh is one of many Israelis whose lives changed forever on October 7th, when Hamas terrorists crossed into Israel, killing more than 1,400 people and kidnapping over 200 others. Her two sons were among those taken hostage.