Israeli raid of famous Palestinian bookstore stokes censorship fears
Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images
(JERUSALEM) — Two Palestinian men found themselves handcuffed and in shackles, detained by Israeli police in a Jerusalem courtroom. To an outside observer, they may have appeared to be criminals; however, the reality of their situation was far more troubling. Their so-called “crime”? Simply selling books.
Mahmoud Muna and his nephew Ahmad were arrested after Israeli police raided their family-owned Educational Bookshop in East Jerusalem and confiscated books.
“Jerusalem District police officers have arrested two residents of East Jerusalem suspected of selling books containing incitement and support for terrorism at bookstores in Jerusalem,” Israeli police said in a statement.
The statement continued: “During a focused operation by detectives from the David subdistrict, searches were conducted at two bookstores suspected of selling books with inciting content. The suspects who allegedly sold the books were taken into custody by police detectives. As part of the investigation, detectives discovered numerous books containing inciteful material with nationalist Palestinian themes, including a children’s coloring book titled ‘From the River to the Sea.'”
Ahmad and Mahmoud are both in their 30s. While they are no longer under house arrest, they are still banned from entering the bookstores they know and love, despite not being charged with any crimes.
“It was heartbreaking for me,” Ahmad said. “And I mean, I really mean it, every time he chucks the books out, I was like, ‘for God’s sake, like, why are you doing this?'”
Security footage from the store shows the moment when plainclothes officers raided the men’s well-known bookstore in predominantly Muslim East Jerusalem. The officers sifted through the shelves, took photos, and stuffed some books into plastic bags.
Ahmad and Mahmoud were placed under house arrest for five days, following approximately 48 hours in police custody.
“Google Translate became handy,” Ahmad said. “Each of them opened their phone and started taking photos of the books and trying to Google translate it. Does it have the Palestinian flag? Does it have a drawing, does it have the image of the [West Bank] wall? Then the search became about the contents. But the decision was made according to the cover and the design of the book rather than what’s inside it.”
The children’s coloring book titled “From the River to the Sea,” cited in the police statement, serves as a rallying cry for some activists advocating for the liberation of Palestinians from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River, an area that includes modern-day Israel. Many consider it offensive code for wiping Israel off the map, as Hamas has vowed to do.
The owners claim that the book was not on display; it was in the back where they review all submitted books before putting them up for sale.
“Nothing has changed about the books,” Ahmad said. “Nothing has changed about the bookshop. But what has changed is the place that we live in. That’s what have changed. We live in a place that in the last few years have become more radical.”
Ahmed and Mahmoud are only one floor apart, but for a period were not allowed to interact due to the terms of their arrests. Their bookshops, which have been operating for more than 40 years, have become vital hubs for the community.
People gather at their local bookshop, including residents, foreigners, journalists and diplomats, to learn more about this region and beyond.
While there are many books about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the shop also offers a diverse selection of literature from around the world, including classics, encyclopedias, cookbooks and books on architecture.
“The bookshop represents success, lights, (and) beauty,” Mahmoud said. “Some sort of happiness in the midst of bleakness. And once you step into the bookshop, it’s very colorful, it’s very bright, there’s lots of light, there’s lots of knowledge, there’s lots of good conversations. So for the community, the way they describe it often is that this is almost a refuge. This is a place to escape to.”
Family member Murad Muna is now running the store after it was briefly closed. He says the Israeli police took a lot of merchandise, about 100 books.
“They try to shut down the Palestinian voices,” Murad Muna said. Regarding some of the confiscated books, he said, “You can find them at the library of the Hebrew University. You can find them at the bookshops on the other side of the city. So they just target the Palestinian culture and try to shut it down.”
(WASHINGTON) — In a stunning proposal, President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. will “take over” the Gaza Strip, “level the site” and rebuild it, after earlier saying Palestinians living there should leave.
“They instead can occupy all of a beautiful area with homes and safety, and they can live out their lives in peace and harmony” in other areas or countries, he said at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site. Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings. Level it out,” he said.
“Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” he added. “Do a real job. Do something different.”
“We should go to other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts, and there are many of them that want to do this, and build various domains that will ultimately be occupied by the 1.8 million Palestinians living in Gaza, ending the death and destruction and frankly, bad luck,” he said. “This can be paid for by neighboring countries of great wealth. It could be one, two, three, four, five, seven, eight, 12. It could be numerous sites, or it could be one large site,” he said.
“But the people will be able to live in comfort and peace and will get sure — we’ll make sure something really spectacular is done. They’re going to have peace. They’re not going to be shot at and killed and destroyed like this civilization of — of wonderful people has had to endure. The only reason the Palestinians want to go back to Gaza is they have no alternative,” he said.
“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East and maybe the entire Middle East. And everybody I have spoken to, this was not a decision made lightly,” he continued. “Everybody I have spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent in a really magnificent area that nobody would know.”
Asked who would live there, Trump responded, “the world’s people,” saying, “the potential in the Gaza Strip is unbelievable.”
“History, as you know, just can’t let it keep repeating itself. We have an opportunity to do something that could be phenomenal. And I don’t want to be cute. I don’t want to be a wise guy. But the Riviera of the Middle East, this could be something that could be so … magnificent,” he said.
Earlier, in the Oval Office, when he also raised the idea, a reporter asked if Palestinians relocated would have the right to return.
“Why would they want to return?” he responded.
“It would be my hope that we could do something really nice, really good, where they wouldn’t want to return,” he said. Why would they want to return? That place has been hell. It’s been one of the meanest, one of the meanest, toughest places on earth,” he said.
Asked about sending U.S. troops to Gaza, Trump appeared open to the possibility.
“As far as Gaza is concerned, we’ll do what is necessary. If it’s necessary, we’ll do that,” Trump said. “We’re going to take over that place and we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs.”
Netanyahu, delivering remarks after Trump, praised the president for his “fresh ideas” to accomplish their goals, which he said included ensuring Gaza is not a threat to Israel.
“I believe, Mr. President, that your willingness to puncture conventional thinking, thinking that has failed time and time and time again, your willingness to think outside the box with fresh ideas will help us achieve all these goals,” he said.
Asked if his view that Palestinians should be relocated from Gaza is a sign that he is against the two-state policy that has been the foreign policy approach of the United States for decades, Trump said no.
“It doesn’t mean anything about a two-state or one state or any other state. It means that we want to have, we want to give people a chance at life,” he said. “They have never had a chance at life because the Gaza Strip has been a hellhole for people living there. It’s been horrible.”
The president argued that his proposal would benefit the Middle East as a whole and not only Israel.
“I have to stress, this is not for Israel,” he said. “This is for everybody in the Middle East. Arabs, Muslims, this is for everybody. You have to learn from history. You can’t keep doing the same mistake over and over again. Gaza is a hellhole right now,” he said.
“I’ve studied it. I’ve studied this very closely over a lot of months, and I’ve seen it from every different angle,” he said. “And it’s a very, very dangerous place to be. And it’s only going to get worse. And I think this is an idea that’s gotten tremendous — and I’m talking about from the highest level of leadership — gotten tremendous praise.”
He said he had “a feeling” that despite Jordan’s king and Egypt’s president opposing his idea to “clean out” Gaza and have them take in Palestinians, they “will open their hearts and will give us the kind of land that we need to get this done. And people can live in harmony and peace,” he said, as the extraordinary news conference ended.
(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.
A view of the destruction after Russian forces launched a guided aerial bomb (KAB) attack, in Kherson, Ukraine on February 19, 2025. As a result of attack fifteen apartments were destroyed. At least 6 people wounded, including two 14-year-old children. (Photo by State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said Thursday that officials in Kyiv “need to tone it down” after a fierce back and forth between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy related to a potential deal to end Russia’s three-year-old invasion of its neighbor.
U.S.-Russia talks began this week in Saudi Arabia without Ukrainian participation, Kyiv’s exclusion prompting condemnation in Ukraine and across Europe as well as a vow from Zelenskyy that his country would not sign any deal agreed over its head. Zelenskyy also pushed back on a proposed deal that would give the U.S. access to hundreds of billions of dollars worth of minerals.
Responding to the discord, Waltz told Fox News that the Ukrainians “need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal,” referring to the proposed minerals agreement.
“There’s obviously a lot of frustration here,” Waltz said after Wednesday’s war of words.
Seeking to explain the strong remarks from Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Waltz said, “We presented the Ukrainians really an incredible and historic opportunity to have the United States of America co-invest with Ukraine, invest in its economy, invest in its natural resources and really become a partner in Ukraine’s future in a way that’s sustainable, but also would be — I think — the best security guarantee they could ever hope for, much more than another pallet of ammunition.”
Trump on Wednesday attacked European allies and the Ukrainian leadership for having failed to end Russia’s war. The president went on to call Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections,” claiming — without providing evidence — that his Ukrainian counterpart’s public approval rating was as low as 4%.
Trump also wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left.”
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, suggested Trump is in a “disinformation space,” attributing at least some of the U.S. leader’s criticism to Russian disinformation campaigns.
Vance then warned that Zelenskyy’s approach to dealing with the Trump White House was “atrocious.”
In Moscow, meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that Ukrainian officials had made “unacceptable and impermissible” remarks about foreign leaders “in recent months.”
“Rhetoric used by Zelenskyy and numerous other representatives of the Kyiv regime in general leaves much to be desired,” Putin’s spokesperson said.
The diplomatic spat was set against the backdrop of continued Russian strikes across Ukraine. On Thursday, Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 14 missiles and 161 drones into the country in a massive overnight bombardment.
Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 80 of the drones launched in the latest Russian barrage, with another 78 lost in flight without causing any damage. The 14 missiles targeted energy infrastructure, the air force said, adding it would not reveal how many were intercepted.
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko wrote on Facebook that Russia conducted a “massive” missile and drone attack on “gas infrastructure.”
The aim of the “criminal attacks” was to “stop the production of gas, which is necessary to provide citizens’ household needs and centralized heating,” he said.
“While Russia continues to blatantly lie about not attacking civilian critical infrastructure, we are witnessing multiple missiles targeting Ukrainian gas mining facilities at once,” Galushchenko wrote.
“Such actions of the enemy prove only once again that Russia is trying to hurt ordinary Ukrainians, plunged into the cold in the middle of winter,” he added. “This is outright terrorism.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its strike targeted “gas and energy infrastructure facilities that ensure the operation of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine.”
“The strike’s objective has been achieved,” the ministry said. “All facilities have been hit.”
Russia’s long-range strikes into Ukraine have not eased despite the opening of talks aimed at ending Moscow’s three-year-old full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s latest salvo came with Trump’s Ukraine-Russia envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders. Items of discussion are expected to include the proposed deal with the U.S. for access to the country’s mineral resources and the larger possible peace deal with Moscow.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy marked the anniversary of the culmination of Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan Revolution — in which pro-Western protesters overthrew Moscow-aligned President Viktor Yanukovych.
“It was in these days of 2014 that Russia chose war — it began the first steps towards the occupation of Crimea,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “While people were being killed in Kyiv, and people were defending their freedom, Putin decided to strike another blow.”
“Since then, the world has been living in a new reality, when Russia is trying to deceive everyone,” the president wrote. “And it is very important not to give in, to be together. It is very important to support those who defend freedom.”
Ukraine is continuing its own long-range campaign against Russian military and industrial infrastructure, especially targets linked to the country’s lucrative fossil fuel industry. Ukrainian security services have referred to the campaign as “drone sanctions.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday that its forces shot down 13 Ukrainian drones over the previous 24 hours.
ABC News’ Nataliia Popova, Oleksiy Pshemyskiy, Fidel Pavlenko, Kelsey Walsh and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
