Israeli officials say they have recovered bodies of 2 hostages
People hold posters of Ilan Weiss at the “International Rally – United We Bring Them Home” rally in Hostage Square on May 18th, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — The bodies of two Israeli hostages — including Ilan Weiss who was killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel — have been recovered, according to a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“The hostage families embrace the family of Ilan Weiss during this difficult time. Ilan’s return fulfills the State of Israel’s fundamental duty to its citizens,” the statement read. “Our hearts are with the family today. Alongside the grief and pain, his return provides some comfort to the family after 692 days of waiting in the nightmare of uncertainty.”
Ilan Weiss, was killed on Oct. 7, 2023, while his wife and daughter were kidnapped but later released during the first ceasefire in November 2023.
The remains of the second body recovered has not been identified, officials said.
“We wish to express our deep gratitude to the IDF and security forces who have worked and continue to work with dedication and courage,” the statement continued. “Only by bringing home all hostages can we achieve healing and national recovery.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Trucks carrying food aid and fuel, accompanied by a United Nations team, passed through the Kerem Shalom border crossing and arrive in the Gaza Strip on October 16, 2025. (Photo by Hani Alshaer/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A U.S.-led coordination center based in Israel that will oversee implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza is expected to become operational in coming days, two U.S. officials tell ABC News.
The command center, which is tasked with coordinating security, aid and rebuilding efforts inside Gaza, will be led by a U.S. three-star general, at least initially, who has not been identified publicly. The commander will have a foreign deputy, who would be the equivalent of a two-star officer, the officials said.
The center is located inside Israel, just northeast of Gaza at a location not being disclosed to the public for security reasons. Officials said the center will not be located on an Israeli military base to ensure it can remain open to officials from other countries involved in the rebuilding of Gaza.
The center is seen as key to being to execute the extraordinary logistics involved in trying to rebuild and secure Gaza after two years of war. The U.S. and other countries are still discussing what an international security force might look like and how it would operate inside the strip, as well as how food and other aid will be distributed.
Trump has already sent 200 U.S. troops to coordinate the heavy lift; those military units specialize in transportation, planning, logistics and security. They will be working alongside representatives from other partner nations, the private sector and non-governmental organizations.
Sources say the command center is starting off slow, reaching what the military calls “initial operational capability” in coming days.
Senior White House advisers told reporters Wednesday that creation of the International Stabilization Force is under way. They said that Indonesia, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Azerbaijan and other Arab and Muslim countries have offered to play a role.
“The International Stabilization Force is starting to be, starting to be constructed and and once that occurs, there’ll be more efforts, but there’s a lot of planning and a lot of very positive conversations between the sides,” one senior U.S. official said.
ABC News’ Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
(LONDON) — Giraffes, long considered a single species, have now been recognized as four genetically distinct species in a major decision by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) that scientists say could reshape conservation efforts across Africa.
The announcement comes after more than a decade of research by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and Germany’s Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre where scientists found that the genetic differences between the four species — Masai, northern, reticulated, and southern — are as significant as those between brown bears and polar bears.
“This recognition is more than academic,” said Dr. Julian Fennessy, GCF’s Director of Conservation. “Each giraffe species faces different threats, and now we can tailor conservation strategies to meet their specific needs.”
The most at-risk is the northern giraffe, with fewer than 6,000 individuals left in the wild, while the reticulated giraffe, mostly found in northern Kenya, is estimated at around 16,000 — though that is more than a 50% decrease from the 36,000 individuals estimated to have lived 35 years ago.
The Masai giraffe, a common sight in Tanzania’s national parks, has a population of approximately 45,400. Only the southern giraffe, whose numbers count approximately 49,850 individuals, is considered relatively stable by GCF.
According to GCF’s 2025 status report, giraffes have disappeared from almost 90% of the regions once considered prime habitats, including several West African countries where they are now extinct.
“This announcement will surprise many — how could we have overlooked something so fundamental?” said Fennessy. “But it underscores the importance of combining fieldwork with genetics to drive real-world conservation outcomes.”
The current classification had remained unchanged since 1758, when all giraffes were placed under a single species. That view persisted until 2016 when researchers first published genetic data suggesting deeper divisions.
The studies involved DNA samples from thousands of giraffes collected across 21 African countries, along with a recently published morphological study of giraffe skulls. The findings led the IUCN’s Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group to formally recognize four species this week.
“To describe four new large mammal species after more than 250 years of taxonomy is extraordinary,” said Prof. Axel Janke. “Especially for animals as iconic as giraffe, which roam Africa in plain sight.”
The new classification could lead to a change in global conservation policies and each species will now be independently assessed for the IUCN Red List, opening the door to targeted protections under agreements like the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which is currently considering a listing for giraffes.
The move also allows countries to potentially direct conservation funding more precisely.
The GCF says the next step is to implement species-specific strategies, including habitat protection, anti-poaching patrols and community conservation, instead of treating giraffes as a uniform population.
“What a tragedy it would be to lose a species we only just learned existed,” said Stephanie Fennessy, GCF’s Executive Director.
The Venezuelan Armed Forces and army tanks drive along a highway during a military exercise in Caracas, Venezuela on September 20, 2025. (Photo by Ivan McGregor/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(VENEZUELA) — Venezuelan officials say that they have bolstered their armed forces after the United States conducted another strike on vessel that originated from the country, which he claimed carried drugs.
Venezuelan leaders said roughly 284 battle fronts are operational, poised for either land or sea conflict, two officials with knowledge of the Venezuelan government’s plans told ABC News Friday.
Militias, which are heavily armed, have also been assigned to protect the coastal region at high alert, according to the officials. The officials claimed some 4.5 million militia members were deployed.
Qatar, a key U.S. ally that assisted with negotiations in the Israel-Gaza conflict, is helping with the conversations between the American and Venezuelan governments, the sources said. In the meantime, Venezuelan embassies in Norway and Australia were closed by the government.
On Thursday, the Trump administration announced that it had issued an airstrike against a vessel that originated from Venezuela, claiming it was a drug-smuggling craft operated by narcoterrorists, the sixth such strike since the summer.
At least two survivors from the strike are now in custody aboard an American vessel after being rescued by helicopter, according to a person familiar with details of the incident.
Earlier this week, Trump threatened to attack Venezuela by land, confirmed ongoing covert operations inside the country and ordered bombers to fly in circles off its coast in what appears to be an unprecedented show of force intended to pressure the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, to step down.
“President Trump believes that Nicholas Maduro is an illegitimate president, leading an illegitimate regime that has been trapped in drugs,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
When asked on Friday about the alleged CIA operations in Venezuela, Trump told reporters, “I wouldn’t say that.”
“But some interesting things are happening around the world, I will say that,” he said.
Sources with the Venezuelan government said that Trump’s threat of covert operations is “purely staged,” and refuted the president’s drug trafficking allegations.
When a reporter asked Trump about Maduro offering “everything” including natural resources for mediation, the president shot back:
“He has offered everything. You know why? He doesn’t want to f— around with the United States,” Trump said and ended the news conference.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
