Israeli officials confirm the three Israeli hostages slated to be freed from Gaza tomorrow are Ofer Calderon, Keith Siegel and Yarden Bibas. Calderon, 54, and his two of his children, Erez and Sahar, were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, and they were both freed during the last ceasefire. Bibas, 35, was kidnapped separately from his wife and children, Shiri, Ariel and Kfir, who were all taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Hamas claims that Shiri and the two boys were killed by an Israeli airstrike.

Siegel, 65, a US national from North Carolina, was kidnapped with his wife, Aviva, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. She was freed in November 2023. This week has seen a steady stream of civilians returning to northern Gaza under the terms of the ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas earlier this month. Pictures taken in the city of Jabalia over the last two days show the scenes that await them and the scale of the destruction brought to Gaza since the start of the conflict.

President Trump reinforced his argument that Palestinians from Gaza should be resettled in Egypt and Jordan, despite leaders of those countries rejecting the notion. When asked how the US would pressure Egypt and Jordan to take in Palestinians, Trump said: “We do a lot for them and they’re going to do it.”. Hamas has confirmed that its military chief, Mohammed Deif, has been killed. Israel’s military said it had killed Deif in July last year, but Hamas had not confirmed this until now.

The US military says it killed a senior terrorist in Al-Qaida’s Syria branch in an air strike on northwestern Syria on Thursday. “US Central Command forces conducted a precision air strike in northwest Syria targeting and killing Muhammad Salah al-Zabir, a senior operative in the terrorist organisation Hurras al-Din, an Al-Qaida affiliate,” Centcom said in a statement. Three Israelis and five Thai citizens held in Gaza have been freed. The handover on Thursday of seven hostages in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, was delayed by a chaotic crowd surging towards the group, despite an escort of heavily armed militants, jostling and blocking their passage to waiting Red Cross vehicles.

Israel’s military confirmed that the Israelis Gadi Moses, 80, Arbel Yehoud, 29, and five Thai hostages – Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Seathao and Surasak Rumnao – had all been handed over at about 1pm local time. Agam Berger, 20, the last female soldier held in Gaza, had been released earlier from northern Gaza. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, attacked the “shocking scenes” in Khan Younis and suspended the planned release of Palestinian prisoners “until the mediators guarantee the safe exit of the hostages” in future.

France and Germany on Friday reiterated their “grave concern” over Israel implementing a law forbidding any contact between its officials and United Nations Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, Reuters reports. “We urge the government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations,” a joint statement from the three nations, published by the British government, said.

Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steven Witkoff, met hostages’ relatives, reportedly telling them he was optimistic the ceasefire would hold to allow the return of all the living and the dead. UN secretary-general António Guterres has called for 2,500 children to be immediately evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment after meeting with US doctors who said the children were at imminent risk of death in the coming weeks.

The Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and Gaza may reopen for the passage of Palestinian civilians today, Kan broadcaster reports. The border was scheduled to open on Sunday under the hostage-ceasefire deal. Liri Albag, a former hostage freed last week, has called for the release of the remaining captives still kept by Hamas and other Jihadi groups in Gaza since the 7 October attacks. “I was finally able to reunite with my family… but our struggle is not over and I will not stop fighting until everyone is home,” she posted on Instagram.

“I want us to continue to stay united because together nothing can break us. Our unity and hope scare our enemies, amazes our loved ones and comforts those among us. I hope everyone will see the light.”. The EU has restarted a civilian mission to monitor the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, according to foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Kallas announced on Monday that there was broad agreement across the EU states’ foreign ministers that the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) could play a “decisive role” in supporting the Israel-Gaza ceasefire.