Hamas announced that an Israeli-American citizen will be released this weekend. Keith Siegel, 65, is the first of the American citizens taken hostage on October 7, 2023, to be released.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly criticized Hamas for the disorderly and dangerous conditions surrounding the recent release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
On Wednesday, Hamas declared its plans to release eight hostages on Thursday, including three Israelis—two women and an 80-year-old man—and five Thai nationals.
As part of a fragile ceasefire, Hamas militants in Gaza released four Israeli female soldiers on Saturday. In exchange, Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners, including individuals convicted of deadly attacks, marking a critical moment in the ongoing conflict.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump made significant changes within the intelligence community, stripping security clearances from 50 former officials, including retired Air Force General and former CIA and NSA Director Michael Hayden. The move was part of Trump's efforts to address what many conservatives viewed as entrenched anti-Trump sentiment within the intelligence and defense establishments.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing the military’s inability to anticipate the deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. His resignation, effective March 6, 2025, comes alongside the intended resignation of Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of the IDF Southern Command.
Emily Damari, one of three Israeli hostages freed from captivity in Gaza, endured a harrowing ordeal during her 471 days in Hamas custody. Israeli media reports, citing her family, revealed that Damari lost two fingers during her abduction by Hamas.
A day before President Donald Trump is set to return to the presidency, reports have emerged that three Israeli hostages have been released and handed over to the Red Cross.
