Category: World news

(LONDON) — A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal.

Meanwhile, the November ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.

Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.

Israel Prison Service says Palestinian prisoners released

The Israeli Prison says it has released the Palestinian prisoners slated for release on Saturday as part of the hostage and prisoner release.

Video shows busses carrying the prisoners leaving Ofer prison and some of the busses driving into Ramallah in the West Bank, still making their way to their destination. Other buses, carrying prisoners who will be taken to Gaza, and some to Egypt, drove to the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Prisoners being released into Gaza have not yet crossed the border, according to ABC News’ producer on the ground.

“The Israel Prison Service concludes the second imprisoned terrorist release in accordance with the agreement for the return of the hostages, as part of operation ” Wings of Freedom,” read the statement from Israeli Prison Service Statement. “As part of Operation ‘Derech Eretz,’ 200 terrorists were transferred from several prisons across the country to the ‘Ofer’ and ‘Ktziot’ prisons, escorted by officers from the Israel Prison Service’s ‘Nahshon’ Unit and with the assistance of the Israel Police.

“After the conclusion of the necessary activities in the prisons and the approval of political authorities, all the terrorists were released from the ‘Ofer’ and ‘Ktziot’ prisons. The prison officers of the Israel Prison Service are carrying out the release of the terrorists in accordance with the political directive, as agreed upon for the return of the hostages, and in full coordination with all security agencies,” the statement said.

Israel won’t allow Palestinians to return to north Gaza until Israeli female civilian released

Israel says it won’t allow Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza until Hamas releases Israeli civilian Arbel Yehud, who Israel says was supposed to be freed Saturday as part of the agreement.

“Israel today received four female soldiers kidnapped from the Hamas terrorist organization, and in exchange will release security prisoners according to the agreed-upon key,” read a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. “In accordance with the agreement, Israel will not allow Gazans to cross into the northern Gaza Strip – until the release of civilian Arbel Yehud, who was supposed to be released today, is arranged.”

Hamas has yet to comment on the situation.

Returning hostages to undergo medical assessment after reuniting with families in Israel

A joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security agency confirms that the four newly released hostages have been “reunited with their parents” in southern Israel and “will undergo an initial medical assessment” at a local hospital.

“The four returning hostages – Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy, and Karina Ariev – have arrived at the initial reception point in southern Israel where they are being reunited with their parents,” the statement said.

“IDF officers from the Manpower Directorate and IDF medical officials are accompanying the returning hostages, and they will undergo an initial medical assessment. IDF representatives are accompanying their families waiting at the hospital and updating them with the latest available information.”

Newly-released hostages meeting with parents, Hamas failed to release civilians

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, gave a televised statement Saturday morning, in which he confirmed that the four female IDF soldiers who were just released from captivity in Gaza are now meeting with their parents in Israel.

Hagari said Hamas failed to meet its commitment to the agreement for Saturday to also release civilians and that they must free Yehud Arbel and Agam Berger.

He said the IDF also expects them to release Shira Bibas and her children, saying there’s grave concerns about their wellbeing.

He called the event in which Hamas brought the hostages onto a stage in a crowded square in Gaza City before releasing them a “cynical” show.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

Hostages now on Israeli territory after being released in Gaza

The Four returning hostages — Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy and Karina Ariev — have crossed into Israeli territory with IDF and ISA Forces, according to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency.

“A short while ago, accompanied by IDF and ISA forces, the four returning hostages crossed the border into Israeli territory,” the statement read. “The returning hostages are currently on their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where they will be reunited with their parents

Hostages now with IDF, on the way to Israel

Four female hostages, who appeared to be wearing IDF uniforms and carrying paper bags, were just escorted by Palestinian fighters out of vehicles to a stage in the square, where they were seen smiling and waving at the cheering crowd. They were then escorted into the Red Cross vehicles, which are now slowly driving out of the crowded square.

“The Israeli government embraces the four returning Israel Defense Forces soldiers,” according to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. “Their families have been informed by the designated authorities that they have joined our forces. The Israeli government is committed to the return of all abducted and missing persons.”

Red Cross convoy arrives at Palestine Square in Gaza City

A Red Cross convoy has entered Palestine Square in Gaza City,

This comes as a large crowd of Hamas fighters and vehicles have also gathered ahead of the expected hostage release.

There is currently no indication of the presence of the hostages.

Hamas is expected to release Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19. In exchange, Israel will release 200 Palestinians being held in prisons.

IDF prepares for hostage release

The IDF says they have completed preparations for Saturday’s hostage release from Gaza, according to a statement.

“IDF completes preparations for the absorption of abductees returning to Israel from the Gaza Strip ahead of the second exchange,” the statement read. “The IDF, led by the Human Resources and Medical Corps, has completed its preparations for the second time to absorb abductees returning to Israel from the Gaza Strip.”

“The Human Resources and Medical Corps has established and trained initial absorption points where medical care and personal escort will be provided. After that, the returnees will proceed to hospitals and meet with their families.”

Israel kills 10 more in West Bank operation

Israel confirmed it killed 10 more Palestinians in an ongoing operation in the West Bank, bringing the death toll to 20 this week.

Israel also said it apprehended 20 wanted suspects and additional weapons were confiscated.

The Israel Defense Forces will continue with the “counterterrorism operation” in Qabatiya, the IDF said in a statement.

Israel announces names of hostages to be released Saturday

Four Israeli solidiers are expected to be released on Saturday in a hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel.

Hamas will release Karina Ariev, 20; Daniella Gilboa, 20; Naama Levy, 20; and Liri Albag, 19. In exchange, Israel will release 200 Palestinians being held in prisons.

The soldiers were seen in a video released in May.

Hamas to release 4 female soldiers

Hamas will release four female soldiers in the a hostage exchange on Saturday. Israel had been expecting the release of a civilian.

Israel is checking with Qatar to clarify why the civilian is not being released.

Israel has still not released the names of the 200 Palestinian prisoners it will release in exchange. Of those expected to be released, 120 have life sentences.

Israel to stay in southern Lebanon beyond ceasefire deadline

Israeli troops will remain in Lebanon beyond Sunday, when it was required to withdraw as per its November ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

“The outline for the ceasefire in Lebanon stipulates that the IDF’s phased withdrawal should be implemented within 60 days. The clause was worded this way with the understanding that the withdrawal process may continue beyond 60 days,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Friday.

“The IDF’s withdrawal process is conditional on the Lebanese Army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani. Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the State of Lebanon, the phased withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States. The State of Israel will not endanger its communities and citizens and will insist on the full implementation of the goal of the fighting in the north — the safe return of residents to their homes,” Netanyahu said.

On Thursday, the Lebanese army said it is ready to deploy to the country’s south after the Israeli army withdraws from the region.

Jenin will be a ‘different place’ after Israeli operation, IDF chief says

The Israel Defense Forces are not stopping their operation in Jenin, in the West Bank, with more raids reported overnight Thursday.

“We need to be prepared to continue in the Jenin camp that will bring it to a different place — we are denying the enemy opportunities to harm our forces,” LT. Gen. Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff, said on Thursday.

Israel says there is ‘much more work to do’ in Lebanon

While the Israeli government said there have been “positive movements” where the Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon have taken control from Hezbollah forces, there is still work to be done, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer told ABC News.

“There is much more work to do. Israel has made clear that they wish for this agreement to endure. Israel will certainly enforce this agreement as well as adhering to this agreement. But the movements have not been fast enough,” Mencer said.

Lebanese army says it’s ready to deploy to the south

The Lebanese army said it is ready to deploy to the country’s south after the Israeli army withdraws from the region, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement signed last year.

Civilians should not yet return to areas that Israel is withdrawing from, and should continue to follow the instructions of the military units until deployment ends, the Lebanese army said. Specialized units will still need to clear areas of mines and suspicious objects left by Israeli forces, the Lebanese army said.

Lebanese military units completed their deployment at several points in the town of Kfar Shuba, Hasbaya, in the eastern sector after the withdrawal of the Israeli troops.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon also said it is ready to support the Lebanese army after Israel withdraws.

Israel is required by the ceasefire to withdraw by Sunday.

At least 10 killed as Israel continues operation in Jenin

At least 10 Palestinians were killed and 40 injured as Israel continues a large operation in Jenin, turning its focus to the West Bank.

Israel launched a “significant” operation to “eradicate terrorism in Jenin,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday.

“This is another step towards achieving the goal we set — strengthening security in Judea and Samaria. We are acting systematically and resolutely against the Iranian axis wherever it extends its arms — in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Judea and Samaria — and with our hands still outstretched,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

4 injured in Tel Aviv stabbing attack

At least four people were injured in a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency services organization, said in a release.

Two men, ages 28 and 24, are being treated with upper-body stab wounds and are in moderate condition. Two other patients, ages 24 and 59, are in mild condition, the MDA said.

The injured are being taken to Ichilov Hospital.

The stabbing occurred on Nahalat Binyamin Street in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Police Spokesperson’s Unit said. The attacker has been killed by police, the spokesperson’s unit added.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Nasser Atta

At least 21 Palestinians injured in West Bank settler violence

At least 21 Palestinians were injured, 11 severely, after dozens of Israeli civilians, some of whom were masked, arrived at the area of Al Funduq, in the West Bank, and “instigated riots, set property on fire and caused damage,” according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Three homes were burned down and five cars were torched as well, the IDF said.

The civilians hurled rocks and attacked the security forces dispatched to the scene, according to the IDF.

Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz, despite freeing settlers who committed the same types of crimes, said he condemns the violence.

Over 1,500 aid trucks entered Gaza on day 1 and 2 of ceasefire, UN says

More than 1,500 trucks with humanitarian aid have entered the Gaza Strip in the first two days of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

That includes more than 630 trucks on Sunday and 915 trucks on Monday, according to OCHA. Of the ones that crossed into Gaza on Sunday, OCHA said at least 300 trucks went to the north, which the U.N. has warned is facing imminent famine.

OCHA cited “information received through engagement with Israeli authorities and the guarantors for the ceasefire agreement.”

“There is no time to lose,” the U.N.’s aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said in a statement Monday. “After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering.”

-ABC News’ Morgan Winsor

IDF says riots in the West Bank have dispersed

Israel Defense Forces and Israel Border Police Forces were dispatched to Al Funduq in the West Bank after reports of rioting in the area, the IDF said on Monday.

The alleged incident occurred shortly after Israel’s defense minister released all settlers being detained under administrative detention orders, though it cannot be certain that any of those settlers were involved in the reported riots. ABC News was able to confirm that fires had ignited in that location.

Shortly thereafter, the IDF confirmed that it had successfully dispersed rioters.

There have been no confirmed reports as to the extent of the damage or any injuries. Israeli officials are expected to conduct a formal inquiry in the area tonight.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Israeli forces recover body of fallen soldier in Gaza

Israeli forces recovered the body of Oron Shaul, an Israel Defense Forces soldier who was killed in 2014, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF announced Monday.

Shaul was killed during a battle in Gaza on July 30, 2014, and his body had been held by Hamas for the past 10 years, the IDF said.

“The recovery of Staff Sergeant, Oron Shaul’s body, was made possible due to a decade-long ongoing intelligence effort, which intensified during the war,” the IDF wrote in a statement about the operation on Monday.

Netanyahu spoke with Oron Shaul’s mother, Zehava Shaul, after the operation was successfully completed, a statement from his office said.

-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman and Jordan Miller

Next hostage exchange expected to take place Saturday

Both Israel and Hamas have confirmed the next hostage release will take place on Saturday.

A senior Israeli official confirmed the deal must take place on Jan. 25, as outlined in the ceasefire agreement. Hamas confirmed the date, saying “the second batch of prisoner exchange will take place on the scheduled date.”

Three hostages, all Israeli women, were released on Sunday, while 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israel in exchange.

Houthis say attacks on Israeli shipping will continue

Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced that they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea to only Israel-affiliated ships, signaling a temporary easing of their broader assault on commercial vessels.

The decision coincided with the ceasefire and hostage-release deal agreed between Israel and Hamas that went into effect on Sunday.

The announcement was made via an email sent to shipping companies by the Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, the Associated Press reported.

Attacks on Israeli-linked vessels will end “upon the full implementation of all phases” of the ceasefire, the Houthis said, adding that attacks on U.S.- or U.K.-linked shipping may resume if the two nations continue airstrikes in Yemen.

The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023, significantly affecting global shipping, particularly through Egypt’s Suez Canal.

The Houthis have also attacked American and allied military shipping in the region, plus launched drone and ballistic missile strikes into Israel.

-ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian

10,000 bodies may be under Gaza rubble, Civil Defense says

The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza said there could be as many as 10,000 bodies buried under rubble all across the strip, as many displaced Gazans try to return to their homes under a nascent ceasefire agreement.

The Civil Defense said in a post to Telegram that 10,000 missing people are believed to be “under the rubble of destroyed homes, buildings and facilities.” They are not counted in the 38,300 fatalities listed by the Civil Defense since Oct. 7, 2023.

The Gaza Ministry of Health — which has separately tracked deaths during the conflict — said on Sunday that 46,913 people had been killed in the Hamas-run territory during the war with Israel.

The Civil Defense said Israeli forces prevented its crews from accessing large areas of the strip during the fighting, “where there are hundreds of bodies” that have not yet been recovered.

The Civil Defense called for the entry of foreign rescue workers “to support us in carrying out our duty to deal with the catastrophic reality left behind by the war, which exceeds the capacity of the civil defense apparatus in the Gaza Strip.”

The organization called on Gazans to assist rescuers “with all necessary capabilities, including rescue, firefighting, and ambulance vehicles and equipment, as well as heavy machinery and equipment that will help us retrieve the bodies of martyrs from under the rubble of thousands of destroyed buildings and homes.”

Freed hostage is ‘happiest girl in the world,’ mother says
Mandy Damari, the mother of Emily Damari — who was among the three Israeli captives freed from Gaza on Sunday — released a statement thanking all those involved in her daughter’s release “from the bottom of my heart.”

“Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug that I have been dreaming of,” Mandy said in a statement shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters.

“I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated,” she added.

“In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back,” Mandy said.

“In this incredibly happy moment for our family, we must also remember that 94 other hostages still remain,” she added. “The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families.”

-ABC News’ Anna Burd

Red Cross details ‘complex’ hostage release operation

The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement that Sunday’s operation to collect three freed Israeli hostages from Gaza “was complex, requiring rigorous security measures to minimize the risks to those involved.”

“Navigating large crowds and heightened emotions posed challenges during the transfers and in Gaza, ICRC teams had to manage the dangers posed by unexploded ordnances and destroyed infrastructure,” the ICRC said in a Monday statement.

“More families are waiting anxiously for their loved ones to come home,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said. “We call on all parties to continue to adhere to their commitments to ensure the next operations can take place safely.”

The ICRC also stressed that “urgently needed humanitarian assistance must enter Gaza, where civilians have struggled for months to access food, drinkable water and shelter.”

Released Palestinian prisoners arrive in the West Bank amid high tensions

Tensions were high as people waited in Beitunia, in the West Bank, for the arrival of the 90 Palestinian prisoners who were released from Israeli custody just after 1 a.m. local time.

Israeli forces used cars and tear gas to attempt to clear the roads, ABC News reporters on the scene said.

ABC News’ team saw flash bangs where people were gathered waiting for the prisoners’ release.

Israeli Police did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the matter.

The prisoners were released from Ofer Prison in Ramallah, West Bank, as a part of the hostage exchange and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

People were seen on top of the buses waving flags and chanting as the prisoners arrived in Beitunia at approximately 1:42 a.m.

-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman, as well as Tom Soufi Burridge and Hugo Leenhardt in the West Bank

Photos show 3 Israeli former hostages reunited with their mothers

Photos were released by Israeli officials on Sunday showing the three released hostages hugging their mothers as they were reunited.

The images showed former hostages Romi Gonen, 24; Emily Damari, 28; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, all sharing emotional embraces with their mothers.

 

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it’s happening right now and affecting what matters most to us. Hurricanes intensified by a warming planet and drought-fueled wildfires are destroying our communities. Rising seas and flooding are swallowing our homes. And record-breaking heat waves are reshaping our way of life.

The good news is we know how to turn the tide and avoid the worst possible outcomes. However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings, and critical decisions that are shaping our future.

That’s why the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit is cutting through the noise by curating what you need to know to keep the people and places you care about safe. We are dedicated to providing clarity amid the chaos, giving you the facts and insights necessary to navigate the climate realities of today — and tomorrow.

Millions of students are missing school because of extreme weather

A new analysis from UNICEF finds that nearly a quarter of a billion children worldwide had their education disrupted by extreme weather events in 2024 — exacerbating what the organization calls an “existing learning crisis.”

The report found that at least 242 million students across 85 countries experienced schooling disruptions last year because of extreme weather like heat waves, storms, floods, droughts and tropical cyclones.

“Children are more vulnerable to the impacts of weather-related crises, including stronger and more frequent heatwaves, storms, droughts and flooding,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said. “Last year, severe weather kept one in seven students out of class, threatening their health and safety, and impacting their long-term education.”

Heat waves were the most common weather disruptor for education. UNICEF found that over 118 million students were impacted by extreme heat in April alone, with South Asia seeing some of the most widespread impacts.

The report also found that September had the most frequent weather-related disruptions, with at least 16 countries suspending classes for a time due to extreme weather events like Typhoon Yagi in East Asia.

While the analysis found that almost three-quarters of the students impacted were in low and lower-middle income countries, UNICEF says no region was free from these effects.

“Education is one of the services most frequently disrupted due to climate hazards. Yet it is often overlooked in policy discussions, despite its role in preparing children for climate adaptation,” Russell said. “Children’s futures must be at the forefront of all climate related plans and actions.”

-ABC News climate unit’s Kelly Livingston
 

Climate funders say they will cover US climate obligations after Paris Agreement withdrawal

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, the U.N.-backed international climate treaty. Bloomberg Philanthropies announced Thursday that they, along with a coalition of climate charities, would step up and ensure that the U.S. meets its obligations under the Paris Agreement, including any financial and reporting requirements.

“While government funding remains essential to our mission, contributions like this are vital in enabling the UN Climate Change secretariat to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris Agreement and a low-emission, resilient, and safer future for everyone,” said Simon Stiell, United Nations climate change executive secretary, in a press statement.

This is the second time Trump has withdrawn the country from the Paris Agreement. During his first term, Trump justified backing out of the treaty by claiming that participating in the agreement would result in the loss of jobs and cost the U.S. trillions of dollars. In reality, in 2023, clean energy jobs grew at more than twice the rate of the overall U.S. labor market and accounted for more than 8.35 million positions, according to a Department of Energy report. In terms of spending, the U.S. has committed several billion dollars to the effort, not trillions.

Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and a U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, said he also plans to continue supporting a coalition of states, cities and businesses that are working to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66% below 2005 levels by 2035.

“More and more Americans have had their lives torn apart by climate-fueled disasters, like the destructive fires raging in California. At the same time, the United States is experiencing the economic benefits of clean energy, as costs have fallen and jobs have grown in both red and blue states. The American people remain determined to continue the fight against the devastating effects of climate change,” Bloomberg said.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LONDON) — A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal.

Meanwhile, the November ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.

Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.

Israel to stay in southern Lebanon beyond ceasefire deadline

Israeli troops will remain in Lebanon beyond Sunday, when it was required to withdraw as per its November ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

“The outline for the ceasefire in Lebanon stipulates that the IDF’s phased withdrawal should be implemented within 60 days. The clause was worded this way with the understanding that the withdrawal process may continue beyond 60 days,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Friday.

“The IDF’s withdrawal process is conditional on the Lebanese Army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani. Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the State of Lebanon, the phased withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States. The State of Israel will not endanger its communities and citizens and will insist on the full implementation of the goal of the fighting in the north — the safe return of residents to their homes,” Netanyahu said.

On Thursday, the Lebanese army said it is ready to deploy to the country’s south after the Israeli army withdraws from the region.

Jenin will be a ‘different place’ after Israeli operation, IDF chief says

The Israel Defense Forces are not stopping their operation in Jenin, in the West Bank, with more raids reported overnight Thursday.

“We need to be prepared to continue in the Jenin camp that will bring it to a different place — we are denying the enemy opportunities to harm our forces,” LT. Gen. Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff, said on Thursday.

Israel says there is ‘much more work to do’ in Lebanon

While the Israeli government said there have been “positive movements” where the Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon have taken control from Hezbollah forces, there is still work to be done, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer told ABC News.

“There is much more work to do. Israel has made clear that they wish for this agreement to endure. Israel will certainly enforce this agreement as well as adhering to this agreement. But the movements have not been fast enough,” Mencer said.

Lebanese army says it’s ready to deploy to the south

The Lebanese army said it is ready to deploy to the country’s south after the Israeli army withdraws from the region, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement signed last year.

Civilians should not yet return to areas that Israel is withdrawing from, and should continue to follow the instructions of the military units until deployment ends, the Lebanese army said. Specialized units will still need to clear areas of mines and suspicious objects left by Israeli forces, the Lebanese army said.

Lebanese military units completed their deployment at several points in the town of Kfar Shuba, Hasbaya, in the eastern sector after the withdrawal of the Israeli troops.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon also said it is ready to support the Lebanese army after Israel withdraws.

Israel is required by the ceasefire to withdraw by Sunday.

At least 10 killed as Israel continues operation in Jenin

At least 10 Palestinians were killed and 40 injured as Israel continues a large operation in Jenin, turning its focus to the West Bank.

Israel launched a “significant” operation to “eradicate terrorism in Jenin,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Wednesday.

“This is another step towards achieving the goal we set — strengthening security in Judea and Samaria. We are acting systematically and resolutely against the Iranian axis wherever it extends its arms — in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Judea and Samaria — and with our hands still outstretched,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

4 injured in Tel Aviv stabbing attack

At least four people were injured in a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency services organization, said in a release.

Two men, ages 28 and 24, are being treated with upper-body stab wounds and are in moderate condition. Two other patients, ages 24 and 59, are in mild condition, the MDA said.

The injured are being taken to Ichilov Hospital.

The stabbing occurred on Nahalat Binyamin Street in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Police Spokesperson’s Unit said. The attacker has been killed by police, the spokesperson’s unit added.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Nasser Atta

At least 21 Palestinians injured in West Bank settler violence

At least 21 Palestinians were injured, 11 severely, after dozens of Israeli civilians, some of whom were masked, arrived at the area of Al Funduq, in the West Bank, and “instigated riots, set property on fire and caused damage,” according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Three homes were burned down and five cars were torched as well, the IDF said.

The civilians hurled rocks and attacked the security forces dispatched to the scene, according to the IDF.

Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz, despite freeing settlers who committed the same types of crimes, said he condemns the violence.

Over 1,500 aid trucks entered Gaza on day 1 and 2 of ceasefire, UN says

More than 1,500 trucks with humanitarian aid have entered the Gaza Strip in the first two days of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

That includes more than 630 trucks on Sunday and 915 trucks on Monday, according to OCHA. Of the ones that crossed into Gaza on Sunday, OCHA said at least 300 trucks went to the north, which the U.N. has warned is facing imminent famine.

OCHA cited “information received through engagement with Israeli authorities and the guarantors for the ceasefire agreement.”

“There is no time to lose,” the U.N.’s aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said in a statement Monday. “After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering.”

-ABC News’ Morgan Winsor

IDF says riots in the West Bank have dispersed

Israel Defense Forces and Israel Border Police Forces were dispatched to Al Funduq in the West Bank after reports of rioting in the area, the IDF said on Monday.

The alleged incident occurred shortly after Israel’s defense minister released all settlers being detained under administrative detention orders, though it cannot be certain that any of those settlers were involved in the reported riots. ABC News was able to confirm that fires had ignited in that location.

Shortly thereafter, the IDF confirmed that it had successfully dispersed rioters.

There have been no confirmed reports as to the extent of the damage or any injuries. Israeli officials are expected to conduct a formal inquiry in the area tonight.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Israeli forces recover body of fallen soldier in Gaza

Israeli forces recovered the body of Oron Shaul, an Israel Defense Forces soldier who was killed in 2014, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF announced Monday.

Shaul was killed during a battle in Gaza on July 30, 2014, and his body had been held by Hamas for the past 10 years, the IDF said.

“The recovery of Staff Sergeant, Oron Shaul’s body, was made possible due to a decade-long ongoing intelligence effort, which intensified during the war,” the IDF wrote in a statement about the operation on Monday.

Netanyahu spoke with Oron Shaul’s mother, Zehava Shaul, after the operation was successfully completed, a statement from his office said.

-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman and Jordan Miller

Next hostage exchange expected to take place Saturday

Both Israel and Hamas have confirmed the next hostage release will take place on Saturday.

A senior Israeli official confirmed the deal must take place on Jan. 25, as outlined in the ceasefire agreement. Hamas confirmed the date, saying “the second batch of prisoner exchange will take place on the scheduled date.”

Three hostages, all Israeli women, were released on Sunday, while 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israel in exchange.

Houthis say attacks on Israeli shipping will continue

Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced that they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea to only Israel-affiliated ships, signaling a temporary easing of their broader assault on commercial vessels.

The decision coincided with the ceasefire and hostage-release deal agreed between Israel and Hamas that went into effect on Sunday.

The announcement was made via an email sent to shipping companies by the Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, the Associated Press reported.

Attacks on Israeli-linked vessels will end “upon the full implementation of all phases” of the ceasefire, the Houthis said, adding that attacks on U.S.- or U.K.-linked shipping may resume if the two nations continue airstrikes in Yemen.

The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023, significantly affecting global shipping, particularly through Egypt’s Suez Canal.

The Houthis have also attacked American and allied military shipping in the region, plus launched drone and ballistic missile strikes into Israel.

-ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian

10,000 bodies may be under Gaza rubble, Civil Defense says

The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza said there could be as many as 10,000 bodies buried under rubble all across the strip, as many displaced Gazans try to return to their homes under a nascent ceasefire agreement.

The Civil Defense said in a post to Telegram that 10,000 missing people are believed to be “under the rubble of destroyed homes, buildings and facilities.” They are not counted in the 38,300 fatalities listed by the Civil Defense since Oct. 7, 2023.

The Gaza Ministry of Health — which has separately tracked deaths during the conflict — said on Sunday that 46,913 people had been killed in the Hamas-run territory during the war with Israel.

The Civil Defense said Israeli forces prevented its crews from accessing large areas of the strip during the fighting, “where there are hundreds of bodies” that have not yet been recovered.

The Civil Defense called for the entry of foreign rescue workers “to support us in carrying out our duty to deal with the catastrophic reality left behind by the war, which exceeds the capacity of the civil defense apparatus in the Gaza Strip.”

The organization called on Gazans to assist rescuers “with all necessary capabilities, including rescue, firefighting, and ambulance vehicles and equipment, as well as heavy machinery and equipment that will help us retrieve the bodies of martyrs from under the rubble of thousands of destroyed buildings and homes.”

Freed hostage is ‘happiest girl in the world,’ mother says
Mandy Damari, the mother of Emily Damari — who was among the three Israeli captives freed from Gaza on Sunday — released a statement thanking all those involved in her daughter’s release “from the bottom of my heart.”

“Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug that I have been dreaming of,” Mandy said in a statement shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters.

“I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated,” she added.

“In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back,” Mandy said.

“In this incredibly happy moment for our family, we must also remember that 94 other hostages still remain,” she added. “The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families.”

-ABC News’ Anna Burd

Red Cross details ‘complex’ hostage release operation

The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement that Sunday’s operation to collect three freed Israeli hostages from Gaza “was complex, requiring rigorous security measures to minimize the risks to those involved.”

“Navigating large crowds and heightened emotions posed challenges during the transfers and in Gaza, ICRC teams had to manage the dangers posed by unexploded ordnances and destroyed infrastructure,” the ICRC said in a Monday statement.

“More families are waiting anxiously for their loved ones to come home,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said. “We call on all parties to continue to adhere to their commitments to ensure the next operations can take place safely.”

The ICRC also stressed that “urgently needed humanitarian assistance must enter Gaza, where civilians have struggled for months to access food, drinkable water and shelter.”

Released Palestinian prisoners arrive in the West Bank amid high tensions

Tensions were high as people waited in Beitunia, in the West Bank, for the arrival of the 90 Palestinian prisoners who were released from Israeli custody just after 1 a.m. local time.

Israeli forces used cars and tear gas to attempt to clear the roads, ABC News reporters on the scene said.

ABC News’ team saw flash bangs where people were gathered waiting for the prisoners’ release.

Israeli Police did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the matter.

The prisoners were released from Ofer Prison in Ramallah, West Bank, as a part of the hostage exchange and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

People were seen on top of the buses waving flags and chanting as the prisoners arrived in Beitunia at approximately 1:42 a.m.

-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman, as well as Tom Soufi Burridge and Hugo Leenhardt in the West Bank

Photos show 3 Israeli former hostages reunited with their mothers

Photos were released by Israeli officials on Sunday showing the three released hostages hugging their mothers as they were reunited.

The images showed former hostages Romi Gonen, 24; Emily Damari, 28; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, all sharing emotional embraces with their mothers.

 

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(LONDON) — Astronomers have detected fast-repeating radio bursts from a distant “dead” galaxy that should not contain the energy to produce these types of signals, according to new research.

The source of the fast radio bursts (FRBs) — sudden flashes of radio waves that last just milliseconds — has previously been linked to young, magnetized neutron stars that expend a lot of energy when they are forming. But the dormant galaxy from which these radio bursts are originating should not contain this type of young star, according to a paper published Wednesday in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Researchers expect FRBs to originate inside of a galaxy and, because these FRBs are so energetic, within a region of a galaxy in which new stars are actively forming, Vishwangi Shah, a PhD student in the Department of Physics at McGill University in Montreal, told ABC News. These FRBs, named FRB 20240209A, are located outside of the massive ancient elliptical galaxy it is associated with that only contains old and dead stars, Shah said.

“This discovery was really surprising and exciting,” she said.

Shah and her team used the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment — also known as the CHIME telescope — to detect the multiple bursts from the same location, Shah said. But because the CHIME telescope could not pinpoint the exact location of the radio waves, they used the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to precisely pinpoint where the bursts were coming from, theorizing that there was a faint galaxy they were not yet aware of.

“There’s no other galaxy there,” Shah said.

The ancient elliptical galaxy where astronomers discovered the radio waves is about 2 billion light-years from Earth and is about 11.3 billion years old, according to the paper.

Thousands of radio bursts have been recorded since 2007, when they were first discovered by astronomers, Shah said, adding that they only know the origins of about 100 of them — all near actively forming stars.

“This particular FRB is really an outlier, and it challenges our theories about what is producing FRBs,” Shah said.

Astronomers hypothesize that the FRBs could be originating from two supernoir remnants, called neutron stars, that are merging or collapsing onto themselves, Shah said.

Continuing to study these FRBs will allow researchers to further understand the space between its origination and the Milky Way as well as what is happening in distant regions of space, Shah said.

“That is why it is a really useful probe of our universe,” she said.

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(LONDON) — A massive storm is battering parts of the U.K. and Ireland today, bringing devastating winds, heavy rain and snow, according to the Met Office, the United Kingdom’s national weather and climate service.

“This is probably going to be the most consequential wind storm for most people across the island of Ireland and across the U.K. in their lived experience,” Peter Thorne, a climate change professor at Maynooth University in Ireland, told ABC News.

Red warnings for high winds have been issued for Northern Ireland along with central and southwestern areas of Scotland. The storm, named Éowyn, will also impact Northern England, Southern England and Wales, according to officials.

“We reserve the issuing of Red Warnings for the most severe weather which represents a likely danger to life and severe disruption,” according to Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gunderson.

“Storm Éowyn is a multi-hazard event, with snow likely for some, rain for many and strong winds for much of the U.K.,” Gunderson added. “As a result, a number of weather warnings have been issued, with all parts of the U.K. covered by one warning at some point on Friday.”

Wind gusts in excess of 90 mph were recorded in Northern Ireland and parts of Wales early Friday as the storm approached, with record peak gusts of 114 mph recorded in Mace Head, on the west-central Irish coast, according to the Met Office.

The initial forecast was for heavy rain and wind starting early Friday morning in southwestern parts of the U.K., according to the Met Office, traveling northeast across the rest of the country. Along with destructive winds, the storm will bring snow to Northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, but will quickly transition back to rain, the Met Service said.

In Ireland and Scotland, wind gusts were expected to reach up to 80-90 mph, and potentially up to 100 mph for exposed coastal areas, according to Gunderson.

In the U.S., winds of that velocity would be found in a Category 1 or Category 2 hurricane.

“I’ve never seen a red warning cover the entirety of the island,” Thorne told ABC News.

Thorne said that the cold weather system from the U.S. is what’s making Éowyn a major storm.

“At the same time [as the cold weather], you have a North Atlantic that is near a time-of-year record warmth,” Thorne said. “That huge temperature gradient is kicking off a very active jet stream. This particular storm is hitching a ride on the jet stream that supercharges it.”

Thorne told ABC News he expects half a million to a million properties or businesses will be without power after this storm.

“It’s important to note that even those away from the immediate Red Warning areas will still likely see disruptive weather, with travel plans likely to be severely impacted, as well as the possibility of power cuts for some,” according to Gunderson.

The Met Service also notes that although the snow is unlikely to last long, it will change to rain which in turn could cause surface-water flooding in some places. The weather event will likely cause significant challenges and disruption to travel, according to the Met Office, which advises motorists to visit the U.K.’s National Highways website for hazardous weather travel safety tips.

After Éowyn barrels through on Friday and early Saturday, a series of additional storms are expected to arrive in northwest Europe, bringing more wet and windy weather on Sunday and continuing into the beginning of next week, according to the Met Office.

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(LONDON) — A teenager has been sentenced to 52 years in prison for fatally stabbing three girls at a children’s Taylor Swift-themed event in the United Kingdom last year.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty to all charges, including three counts of murder, earlier this week, avoiding a trial.

The horrific stabbing spree unfolded in July in Southport, a seaside town about 20 miles north of Liverpool. Merseyside police said the children were attending a Taylor Swift-themed event at a dance school.

Three girls — 6-year-old Bebe King, 7-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and 9-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar — were killed. Ten people were also injured in the attack, police said.

Rudakubana, from Banks in Lancashire, was initially charged with three counts of murder, as well as 10 charges of attempted murder and one charge of possession of a knife in the incident. He subsequently faced a terror charge for possessing a jihadi training manual and was charged with producing ricin, a toxin.

He pleaded guilty to all 16 charges on Monday.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(NEW YORK) — The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it’s happening right now and affecting what matters most to us. Hurricanes intensified by a warming planet and drought-fueled wildfires are destroying our communities. Rising seas and flooding are swallowing our homes. And record-breaking heat waves are reshaping our way of life.

The good news is we know how to turn the tide and avoid the worst possible outcomes. However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings, and critical decisions that are shaping our future.

That’s why the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit is cutting through the noise by curating what you need to know to keep the people and places you care about safe. We are dedicated to providing clarity amid the chaos, giving you the facts and insights necessary to navigate the climate realities of today — and tomorrow.

Climate funders say they will cover US climate obligations after Paris Agreement withdrawal

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, the U.N.-backed international climate treaty. Bloomberg Philanthropies announced Thursday that they, along with a coalition of climate charities, would step up and ensure that the U.S. meets its obligations under the Paris Agreement, including any financial and reporting requirements.

“While government funding remains essential to our mission, contributions like this are vital in enabling the UN Climate Change secretariat to support countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris Agreement and a low-emission, resilient, and safer future for everyone,” said Simon Stiell, United Nations climate change executive secretary, in a press statement.

This is the second time Trump has withdrawn the country from the Paris Agreement. During his first term, Trump justified backing out of the treaty by claiming that participating in the agreement would result in the loss of jobs and cost the U.S. trillions of dollars. In reality, in 2023, clean energy jobs grew at more than twice the rate of the overall U.S. labor market and accounted for more than 8.35 million positions, according to a Department of Energy report. In terms of spending, the U.S. has committed several billion dollars to the effort, not trillions.

Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and a U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, said he also plans to continue supporting a coalition of states, cities and businesses that are working to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66% below 2005 levels by 2035.

“More and more Americans have had their lives torn apart by climate-fueled disasters, like the destructive fires raging in California. At the same time, the United States is experiencing the economic benefits of clean energy, as costs have fallen and jobs have grown in both red and blue states. The American people remain determined to continue the fight against the devastating effects of climate change,” Bloomberg said.

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(LONDON) — Russia is “very closely monitoring all the rhetoric” from Washington, a Kremlin spokesperson said, after President Donald Trump threatened to impose new sanctions unless Russia ends its war against Ukraine.

“We don’t see any new elements here,” Dimitry Peskov, the spokesperson, said on Thursday.

He added, “You know that in his first iteration of the presidency, Trump was the president of America who most often resorted to sanctions methods. He likes these methods. At least he liked them during his first presidency.”

The comments came the morning after Trump’s social media message to Russian President Donald Trump, calling on him to make a deal to “settle” Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“It’s time to ‘MAKE A DEAL.’ NO MORE LIVES SHOULD BE LOST!!!” Trump wrote in a new social media post.

Peskov on Thursday said financial actions against Russian assets held in the West would not go unanswered.

“We are very closely monitoring all the rhetoric, all the statements, we carefully record all the nuances,” he said.

ABC News’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — Donald Trump returned to office as president on Monday, reassuming his duties as commander in chief. His position once again puts him in charge of the world’s most powerful military, which — often at his discretion — can either engage in lethal warfare or act as a deterrent and a force for peace.

How Trump behaved as commander in chief during his first administration may offer a guide for the next four years.

In Monday’s inauguration speech, Trump set the tone for a significant change in U.S. foreign policy that could have seismic implications for America’s friends and foes.

“Our armed forces will be free to focus on their sole mission — defeating America’s enemies,” he said.

His recent comments about taking over the Panama Canal and Greenland — refusing to rule out the use of military force to do so — raised eyebrows, along with referring to neighboring Canada as “the 51st state.” He also signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as “Gulf of America” on Monday.

“It was an intent to grab that media attention and put himself at the center of the news cycle,” retired Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO, told ABC News. “This unpredictability means that all paths lead back to the Oval Office and his next statement.”

However, Trump’s slogans about making America great and putting America first may soon bump up against his need for the world to see him as a dealmaker. The war in Ukraine has been raging since 2022, but he’s promised to bring it to an end.

“Shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled,” he said last August. “I’ll get it settled very fast.”

Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that if the war doesn’t end soon, Ukraine could get substantially more aid.

At the same time, he has told Ukraine it won’t receive more U.S. support unless it enters into peace talks. Last week, White House budget director nominee Russell Vought declined during his Senate confirmation hearing to fully commit to doling out $3.8 billion in aid that Congress has already approved.

China’s threats against Taiwan and international shipping may also embolden Trump to show Chinese President Xi Jinping that America believes it has the upper hand militarily.

“He will always defer to a solution that makes him appear strong and in charge,” Lute told ABC News. “So I don’t think that there’s an easy way to simply walk away from a big competition with China.”

The situation at the border between the U.S. and Mexico is also top of mind, with Trump declaring a national emergency in his inaugural address.

“I will end the practice of catch and release and I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country,” he said.

The biggest difference in American foreign policy may be seen in the Middle East, and the war between Israel and Hamas. On Jan. 7, he created a deadline for a Gaza ceasefire deal in exchange for Hamas releasing hostages they took in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

“If the deal isn’t done before I take office, which is now going to be in two weeks … all hell will break out,” he said during a news conference.

Then, last week, the outgoing Biden administration — along with incoming Trump envoys — helped broker a ceasefire and hostage exchange that went into effect on Sunday. However, the agreement is fragile and fraught with pitfalls. In particular, it remains unclear who will govern Gaza if the peace lasts.

The images on the streets betray an uncomfortable reality. It’s still the gunmen of Hamas in charge — a situation unacceptable to the Israeli government. The Trump administration is also unlikely to accept Hamas being in control.

Beyond Gaza, the situation in the Middle East has gone through considerable changes since Trump was last president. Iran, a major power in the region, has seen many of its allies weakened by various conflicts.

Hamas has been left devastated and weakened by months of conflict with Israel. Lebanese political party and armed group Hezbollah — designated as a terror group by the U.S. — is a shadow of its former strength, with its leader Hassan Nasrallah killed in an Israeli strike in September.

Former Syrian President Bashar Assad also fled from his country, his family held power for more than 50 years, after his regime was toppled by a rebel offensive in December.

Amid this new balance of power, Trump wants to normalize diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Such a pact could bring peace and stability in the region — the Biden administration was working to broker this agreement prior to Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel.

The Trump administration faces immense international challenges — and America going it alone may not be a viable option.

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(LONDON) — A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal.

Meanwhile, the November ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.

Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.

4 injured in Tel Aviv stabbing attack

At least four people were injured in a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency services organization, said in a release.

Two men, ages 28 and 24, are being treated with upper-body stab wounds and are in moderate condition. Two other patients, ages 24 and 59, are in mild condition, the MDA said.

The injured are being taken to Ichilov Hospital.

The stabbing occurred on Nahalat Binyamin Street in Tel Aviv, the Israeli Police Spokesperson’s Unit said. The attacker has been killed by police, the spokesperson’s unit added.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Nasser Atta

At least 21 Palestinians injured in West Bank settler violence

At least 21 Palestinians were injured, 11 severely, after dozens of Israeli civilians, some of whom were masked, arrived at the area of Al Funduq, in the West Bank, and “instigated riots, set property on fire and caused damage,” according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Three homes were burned down and five cars were torched as well, the IDF said.

The civilians hurled rocks and attacked the security forces dispatched to the scene, according to the IDF.

Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz, despite freeing settlers who committed the same types of crimes, said he condemns the violence.

Over 1,500 aid trucks entered Gaza on day 1 and 2 of ceasefire, UN says

More than 1,500 trucks with humanitarian aid have entered the Gaza Strip in the first two days of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

That includes more than 630 trucks on Sunday and 915 trucks on Monday, according to OCHA. Of the ones that crossed into Gaza on Sunday, OCHA said at least 300 trucks went to the north, which the U.N. has warned is facing imminent famine.

OCHA cited “information received through engagement with Israeli authorities and the guarantors for the ceasefire agreement.”

“There is no time to lose,” the U.N.’s aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said in a statement Monday. “After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering.”

-ABC News’ Morgan Winsor

IDF says riots in the West Bank have dispersed

Israel Defense Forces and Israel Border Police Forces were dispatched to Al Funduq in the West Bank after reports of rioting in the area, the IDF said on Monday.

The alleged incident occurred shortly after Israel’s defense minister released all settlers being detained under administrative detention orders, though it cannot be certain that any of those settlers were involved in the reported riots. ABC News was able to confirm that fires had ignited in that location.

Shortly thereafter, the IDF confirmed that it had successfully dispersed rioters.

There have been no confirmed reports as to the extent of the damage or any injuries. Israeli officials are expected to conduct a formal inquiry in the area tonight.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

Israeli forces recover body of fallen soldier in Gaza

Israeli forces recovered the body of Oron Shaul, an Israel Defense Forces soldier who was killed in 2014, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF announced Monday.

Shaul was killed during a battle in Gaza on July 30, 2014, and his body had been held by Hamas for the past 10 years, the IDF said.

“The recovery of Staff Sergeant, Oron Shaul’s body, was made possible due to a decade-long ongoing intelligence effort, which intensified during the war,” the IDF wrote in a statement about the operation on Monday.

Netanyahu spoke with Oron Shaul’s mother, Zehava Shaul, after the operation was successfully completed, a statement from his office said.

-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman and Jordan Miller

Next hostage exchange expected to take place Saturday

Both Israel and Hamas have confirmed the next hostage release will take place on Saturday.

A senior Israeli official confirmed the deal must take place on Jan. 25, as outlined in the ceasefire agreement. Hamas confirmed the date, saying “the second batch of prisoner exchange will take place on the scheduled date.”

Three hostages, all Israeli women, were released on Sunday, while 90 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israel in exchange.

Houthis say attacks on Israeli shipping will continue

Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced that they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea to only Israel-affiliated ships, signaling a temporary easing of their broader assault on commercial vessels.

The decision coincided with the ceasefire and hostage-release deal agreed between Israel and Hamas that went into effect on Sunday.

The announcement was made via an email sent to shipping companies by the Houthi Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, the Associated Press reported.

Attacks on Israeli-linked vessels will end “upon the full implementation of all phases” of the ceasefire, the Houthis said, adding that attacks on U.S.- or U.K.-linked shipping may resume if the two nations continue airstrikes in Yemen.

The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023, significantly affecting global shipping, particularly through Egypt’s Suez Canal.

The Houthis have also attacked American and allied military shipping in the region, plus launched drone and ballistic missile strikes into Israel.

-ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian

10,000 bodies may be under Gaza rubble, Civil Defense says

The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza said there could be as many as 10,000 bodies buried under rubble all across the strip, as many displaced Gazans try to return to their homes under a nascent ceasefire agreement.

The Civil Defense said in a post to Telegram that 10,000 missing people are believed to be “under the rubble of destroyed homes, buildings and facilities.” They are not counted in the 38,300 fatalities listed by the Civil Defense since Oct. 7, 2023.

The Gaza Ministry of Health — which has separately tracked deaths during the conflict — said on Sunday that 46,913 people had been killed in the Hamas-run territory during the war with Israel.

The Civil Defense said Israeli forces prevented its crews from accessing large areas of the strip during the fighting, “where there are hundreds of bodies” that have not yet been recovered.

The Civil Defense called for the entry of foreign rescue workers “to support us in carrying out our duty to deal with the catastrophic reality left behind by the war, which exceeds the capacity of the civil defense apparatus in the Gaza Strip.”

The organization called on Gazans to assist rescuers “with all necessary capabilities, including rescue, firefighting, and ambulance vehicles and equipment, as well as heavy machinery and equipment that will help us retrieve the bodies of martyrs from under the rubble of thousands of destroyed buildings and homes.”

Freed hostage is ‘happiest girl in the world,’ mother says
Mandy Damari, the mother of Emily Damari — who was among the three Israeli captives freed from Gaza on Sunday — released a statement thanking all those involved in her daughter’s release “from the bottom of my heart.”

“Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug that I have been dreaming of,” Mandy said in a statement shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters.

“I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated,” she added.

“In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back,” Mandy said.

“In this incredibly happy moment for our family, we must also remember that 94 other hostages still remain,” she added. “The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families.”

-ABC News’ Anna Burd

Red Cross details ‘complex’ hostage release operation

The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement that Sunday’s operation to collect three freed Israeli hostages from Gaza “was complex, requiring rigorous security measures to minimize the risks to those involved.”

“Navigating large crowds and heightened emotions posed challenges during the transfers and in Gaza, ICRC teams had to manage the dangers posed by unexploded ordnances and destroyed infrastructure,” the ICRC said in a Monday statement.

“More families are waiting anxiously for their loved ones to come home,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said. “We call on all parties to continue to adhere to their commitments to ensure the next operations can take place safely.”

The ICRC also stressed that “urgently needed humanitarian assistance must enter Gaza, where civilians have struggled for months to access food, drinkable water and shelter.”

Released Palestinian prisoners arrive in the West Bank amid high tensions

Tensions were high as people waited in Beitunia, in the West Bank, for the arrival of the 90 Palestinian prisoners who were released from Israeli custody just after 1 a.m. local time.

Israeli forces used cars and tear gas to attempt to clear the roads, ABC News reporters on the scene said.

ABC News’ team saw flash bangs where people were gathered waiting for the prisoners’ release.

Israeli Police did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the matter.

The prisoners were released from Ofer Prison in Ramallah, West Bank, as a part of the hostage exchange and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

People were seen on top of the buses waving flags and chanting as the prisoners arrived in Beitunia at approximately 1:42 a.m.

-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman, as well as Tom Soufi Burridge and Hugo Leenhardt in the West Bank

Photos show 3 Israeli former hostages reunited with their mothers

Photos were released by Israeli officials on Sunday showing the three released hostages hugging their mothers as they were reunited.

The images showed former hostages Romi Gonen, 24; Emily Damari, 28; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, all sharing emotional embraces with their mothers.

 

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