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Hamas to release 3 more hostages, including US citizen, as part of fragile ceasefire deal

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Terror group Hamas has released two more hostages, with a third, an American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, expected to be freed later Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Hamas handed over Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas to the Red Cross, and both were expected to be given over to IDF soldiers.

Siegel, 65, was raised in North Carolina and immigrated to Israel as a young man, becoming a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen. He and his wife, Aviva, settled in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. He had been held in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when both were kidnapped from their home during the Hamas massacre.

Aviva Siegel, who was freed in the last hostage deal in November, previously told Fox News about her fears for his deteriorating health, emphasizing that the fight is not over until all hostages return. Alongside Siegel, French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were also freed. Bibas’ wife and two young children remain in captivity.

ISRAELI WOMAN BRAVELY DESCRIBES HORROR AS HAMAS HOSTAGE: ‘THEY WERE TAKING PLEASURE IN HURTING ME’

Siegel would be the first American freed under the current ceasefire deal. So far, 10 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals abducted on October 7 have also been released. Six Americans remain in Gaza. Among them, Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old father of three, is expected to be freed soon. Another captive, Edan Alexander, 21, from New Jersey, was serving in the IDF when taken. Hamas also holds the bodies of deceased hostages.

Hamas has named Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel and Ofer Kalderon as the next three hostages to be released. (The Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

Securing the release of U.S. citizens and other hostages remains a top priority for President Donald Trump, who warned Hamas would face “all hell to pay” if they failed to comply. White House envoy Steve Witkoff, closely monitoring the situation, recently became the first U.S. official to visit Gaza in 15 years. “There is almost nothing left of Gaza,” Witkoff told Axios, estimating that full reconstruction could take 10 to 15 years. He stressed that advancing the hostage deal is key to stabilizing the region and broader diplomatic efforts, including Saudi-Israeli normalization talks.

For the families of those still in captivity, the struggle is far from over. Yechi Yehoud, father of released hostage Arbel Yehoud who was released on Thursday, delivered an emotional statement upon his daughter’s return.

“Arbel has come back to us in reasonable health, considering the hell she endured. She survived heroically until the very end, displaying immeasurable courage. We are here also to express our gratitude to President Trump, and his Middle East Special Envoy Mr. Steve Witkoff, who knew how to speak ‘Trump language’ in the Middle East and leverage full diplomatic pressure for the hostages’ return… We won’t rest until we know they’re back with us, alive!”

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY

Scenes of chaos in Khan Younis, as hostages Gadi Moses and Arbel Yehud were forced to walk on foot through a Palestinian mob to waiting Red Cross vehicles on Jan. 30, 2025. (Majdi Fathi/TPS-IL)

The ceasefire, which has temporarily halted a brutal 15-month war, is unfolding in phases. Each stage involves the staggered release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, the process has faced setbacks, including horrific scenes this week when Hamas paraded hostages before an angry mob, endangering their safety. The chaotic handover to the Red Cross sparked outrage in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefly halted the reciprocal release of Palestinian prisoners, warning Hamas against further disruptions.

The current plan includes additional hostage releases in the coming weeks, with 33 captives expected to be freed over six weeks. In return, Israel will release 2,000 Palestinian security prisoners, including 250-300 convicted of deadly attacks, and allow increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. Whether Hamas will fully comply remains uncertain, putting the fragile truce at risk.

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PM Netanyahu Meets with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. (Photo by Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)

Amid high-stakes ceasefire negotiations, Netanyahu has accepted an invitation from President Trump to visit Washington on February 4, making him the first foreign leader to meet Trump in his second term. The visit will focus on the hostage deal, ceasefire discussions, and broader security concerns, including Iran and Gaza’s reconstruction.

February 1, 2025
First American hostage to be released from Gaza, Hamas says

American-Israeli Keith Siegel is set to be released on Saturday as part of Israel and Hamas’ ceasefire deal. He is the first of the American citizens taken on Oct. 7, 2023 to be released by the terror organization as part of this ceasefire deal.

Siegel and his wife, Aviva, were taken captive during Hamas’ brutal surprise attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. In November 2023, Aviva was released from Hamas captivity as part of a ceasefire and hostage deal early in the war.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

January 31, 2025
Netanyahu furious about chaotic handover of Israeli hostages from Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dropped the hammer in response to what he described as “shocking scenes” when terrorists released hostages on Thursday.

Terrorists released Israeli and Thai hostages on Thursday, but Israeli President Isaac Herzog noted in a post on X that “the scenes of abuse and terror towards the hostages as they were transferred to the Red Cross were horrifying …”

Netanyahu responded by ordering a delay in the planned release of terrorists, demanding assurance regarding the release of hostages, but the prime minister’s office later indicated that the demand had been satisfied.

THIRD ROUND OF HOSTAGE RELEASES BEGINS AS PART OF HAMAS’ GAZA CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on Dec. 9, 2024. (MAYA ALLERUZZO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz, has ordered that the release of the terrorists slated to be released today be delayed until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is assured. Israel demands that the mediators see to this,” the office noted on X.

But it later seemed to indicate that the issue had been resolved, stating, “Pursuant to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand, the mediators have conveyed a commitment, according to which the safe exit of our hostages who are due to be released in the next phases has been assured.” It added, “Israel insists that the lessons be learned and that strict care be taken in the next phases regarding the safe return of our hostages.”

Netanyahu had indicated there were “shocking scenes” when the hostages were released.

ISRAEL ORDERS UNRWA TO CEASE OPERATIONS IN COUNTRY OVER TERROR TIES: ‘MISERABLY FAILED IN ITS MANDATE’

“I view with utmost severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is additional proof of the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas terrorist organization,” Netanyahu noted, according to the prime minister’s office. “I demand that the mediators make certain that such terrible scenes do not recur, and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.”

Terrorists perpetrated a heinous attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, slaughtering, kidnapping, and raping victims.

Israel responded by launching a war effort to wipe out Hamas.

FOX NEWS ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ NEWSLETTER: TRUMP MOVES TO DEPORT HAMAS-SYMPATHIZING STUDENTS

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The release of hostages on Thursday came amid a ceasefire agreement.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

January 30, 2025
President Donald Trump to deport Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, defund CRT with new executive orders

President Donald Trump is expected to order a law enforcement crackdown on antisemitism on college campuses, including removing pro-Hamas activists with student visas from the country, Fox News has learned.

Trump’s directive gives all federal agencies a 60-day window to identify civil and criminal authorities available to combat antisemitism and deport anti-Jewish activists who broke any laws.

“Immediate action will be taken by the Department of Justice to protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities,” a White House fact sheet obtained by Fox News states.

Additionally, Trump is expected to sign two education-related executive orders: one that will strip federal funding from K-12 schools that teach Critical Race Theory or radical gender ideology and another that will support school choice.

COACH SUSPENDED AFTER HANGING UP PALESTINIAN FLAG, REFUSING TO SHAKE HANDS WITH JEWISH COACHES

Police officers set up fences at the scene of the anti-Israel protest at Columbia University. (AP/Yuki Iwamura)

House Republicans released report last month that urged the federal government to do more to combat antisemitism, including by conditioning federal aid to colleges to incentivize more strict policies against anti-Jewish bias, the New York Post reported.

The report came after Columbia University and other major schools were host to anti-Israel encampments on campus, where numerous antisemitic incidents were reported in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks in southern Israel.

Republicans accused Biden’s State Department and Department of Homeland Security of stonewalling requests for the number of visa holders among those anti-Israel agitators, the GOP report said, according to the Post.

“Immediately after the jihadist terrorist attacks against the people of Israel on October 7, 2023, pro-Hamas aliens and left-wing radicals began a campaign of intimidation, vandalism, and violence on the campuses and streets of America,” the Trump White House fact sheet states.

WASHINGTON POST CRITICIZES PRO-PALESTINIAN GROUP US GOVERNMENT DECLARED A ‘SHAM CHARITY’ FOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

Anti-Israel demonstrators deface property on the day of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint meeting of Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 24, 2024. (Katie Pavlich)

The White House said the previous administration turned a “blind eye” to campus antisemitism and a “coordinated assault on public order” that Trump has promised to reverse.

His selection of Israel ally Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has already signaled strong support for the Jewish state against Israel’s critics around the world.

Since 2023, Stefanik has served as a conservative firebrand who has repeatedly grilled “morally bankrupt” college leaders over their handling of antisemitism on campus following the Hamas terror attacks on Israel.

Most notably, Stefanik grilled Ivy League college administrators from Penn and Harvard, her alma mater, in December 2023 regarding whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” violates the respective school’s codes of conduct. The school leaders, however, waffled in their responses.

ISRAELI COLUMBIA PROFESSOR WANTS TRUMP TO BLOCK CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS FROM RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDING

Anti-Israel protestors hang signs from Columbia University in New York City on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Columbia announced earlier today that its campus would remain closed “until circumstances allow otherwise”, after students occupied Hamilton Hall early this morning. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

“It can be, depending on the context,” Harvard’s then-President Claudine Gay responded when asked if “calling for the genocide of Jews” violated school conduct rules.

“Antisemitic speech when it crosses into conduct that amounts to bullying, harassment, intimidation – that is actionable conduct, and we do take action,” Gay said when pressed to answer “yes” or “no” if calls for the genocide of Jews breaks school rules.

Both Gay and Penn’s then-President Liz Magill resigned from their high-profile positions shortly after the hearing, while footage of the exchanges spread like wildfire on social media.

Trump’s attempt to crack down on funding for schools that fail to fight antisemitism or promote Critical Race Theory comes amid intense controversy over an Office of Management and Budget memo announcing a temporary freeze to all federal aid and assistance programs – with potentially trillions of taxpayer dollars halted.

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A federal judge on Tuesday paused the freeze in response to a lawsuit brought by nearly two dozen Democratic attorneys general.

In his first term, Trump threatened to strip federal funding from cities that failed to stop anti-police riots that followed the May 2020 murder of George Floyd, but he left office before he could make good on that threat, the Post reported.

Chris Pandolfo is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.

January 29, 2025
Former Hamas hostage details horrors of captivity, credits kidnapped IDF soldier with saving her life

Former Hamas hostage Amit Soussana is sharing more details about her time in captivity, and she says there was another hostage who was instrumental in her survival. Liri Albag, one of the IDF soldiers who was kidnapped on Oct. 7, “saved” Soussana.

Speaking on Israeli TV, Soussana recalled her captors tying her up and beating her, demanding that she admit to being in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Soussana says her hands and feet were bound, and she was beaten with a stick before one of the captors pointed a gun at her and said, “You have 40 minutes to tell us the truth, or else I kill you.”

Amit Soussana was released after 55 days of hell in a hostage deal. (Getty Images)

ISRAELI WOMAN BRAVELY DESCRIBES HORROR AS HAMAS HOSTAGE: ‘THEY WERE TAKING PLEASURE IN HURTING ME’

Fellow hostage Albag was apparently able to convince their captors that Soussana was not in fact in the military. Soussana who calls Albag “something special, a force,” believes this act saved her life.

“I told her when she came back: ‘I don’t know if they would have killed me or not; as far as I’m concerned, you saved my life,” Soussana said in the interview.

Released Israeli hostage Liri Albag, a soldier who was kidnapped from her army base during Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, embraces loved ones after being released, in an unknown location, in a handout photo obtained by Reuters on Jan. 25, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS)

Hamas terrorists kidnapped Soussana from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the brutal Oct. 7 attacks. She was forced to walk barefoot in pajamas from her burning house to the Gaza border, being beaten along the way. Soussana fought her kidnappers in what was called “the battle of my life,” trying to stall them in hopes that the IDF would rescue her before she was dragged into Gaza.

Soussana was released from Gaza in November 2023 after 55 days in captivity as part of Israel’s first hostage deal with Hamas.

UN FINALLY RECOGNIZES THAT ISRAELI WOMEN WERE RAPED, SEXUALLY ATTACKED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS

In March 2024, Soussana became the first Israeli woman to speak publicly about being sexually assaulted while in Hamas captivity. She recalled the horrifying incident in an interview with The New York Times. Soussana later testified before the UN Security Council in October 2024 about her experience.

Amit Soussana spoke before the UN on Wednesday, sharing her harrowing experience as a hostage. Hamas terrorists abducted her on Oct. 7, 2023. (UNTV)

During her captivity, Soussana was chained by her ankle, unable to move. “I had to ask for permission to use the bathroom,” she explained, detailing her experience. “In that house, I was sexually assaulted by the Hamas terrorist who had guarded me.”

She described the assault, saying, “He forced me to go to the shower and entered the room, pointed his gun at me. He was breathing heavily and had a monstrous beast-like face.” She recalled his intrusive questioning while he sat next to her in his underwear, lifting her shirt and touching her. “I knew exactly what he was planning to do, and yet I couldn’t do anything to prevent it. I was utterly helpless.”

Soussana said that after the assault she was not “allowed to cry or to be sad.” She recalled feeling isolated and being “forced to act nice to the person who had just sexually assaulted me.”

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Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a deadly war for over 15 months following the terror group’s devastating surprise attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas is expected to release Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud and 80-year-old Gadi Moses on Jan. 30 as part of the current ceasefire deal with Israel.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

January 29, 2025
Former Hamas hostage Naama Levy breaks silence in first message since her release

Naama Levy, one of the four female IDF soldiers released from Hamas captivity on Saturday, is speaking out for the first time.

“After 477 days, I’m finally home,” Levy wrote on Instagram. “I’m safe and protected, surrounded by family and friends, and I am feeling better by the day.”

In the post, Levy expressed her gratitude to “Israeli combat soldiers and the Israeli people,” saying she saw how they were fighting for her release. “Thank you all. I love you,” Levy wrote.

Released hostage Naama Levy sees her parents for the first time in 477 days after being violently kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023. (IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE DEAL

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists kidnapped Levy alongside Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, and Agam Berger. All the girls, except Berger, were released as part of Israel and Hamas’ ceasefire deal.

Levy revealed that she was alone most of the time for the first 50 days of captivity. However, once she was reunited with the other soldiers taken from her base, they stuck together and “strengthened each other every day until our release and also after it.”

“We are waiting for Agami and the rest of the hostages to return so we can complete the recovery process.”

Berger, who Levy mentioned in the post, is expected to be released on Thursday along with Arbel Yehoud and an unnamed male hostage.

Left to right: Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Naama Levy. (Handout/Bring Them Home Now)

ISRAEL, HAMAS REACH DEAL TO RELEASE HOSTAGES AND ALLOW PALESTINIANS TO RETURN TO GAZA STRIP

A video of Levy on the day she was kidnapped went viral. She was seen wearing a black shirt and blood-soaked gray sweatpants as an armed man pulls her from a Jeep. Her ankles slashed, Levy was clearly struggling to walk after her apparently violent abduction. Levy became a symbol for the plight of the female hostages and victims of Hamas’ surprise attacks.

A woman stands next to a poster with an image of Israeli soldier Naama Levy as supporters of hostages kidnapped during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack stage a performance calling for her release in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 19, 2024. (REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)

In a November 2023 essay for The Free Press, Levy’s mother, Ayelet Levy Shachar, emphasized that though the video of her daughter’s kidnapping was seen around the world, it was “totally unrepresentative of the life she had led until October 7.”

“When she is released, I pray that the image of her abduction, and the experience of what that image represents, isn’t how she comes to see the world,” Shachar wrote at the time.

WHAT WAS IN THE BROWN BAGS HANDED TO ISRAELI HOSTAGES RELEASED BY HAMAS?

Upon Levy, Albag, Gilboa and Ariev’s release, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters said that “their return today represents a moment of light in the darkness, a moment of hope and triumph of spirit, while serving as a painful reminder of the urgency to bring back the 90 hostages still in Gaza.”

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More than 15 months into the Israel-Hamas war, which started with the brutal surprise attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, dozens of hostages remain in Gaza.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

January 28, 2025
Israel, Hamas reach deal to release hostages. Palestinians to return to Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced Sunday that an agreement has been reached with Hamas to release additional hostages starting this Thursday, while also allowing Palestinians to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip beginning Monday morning.

Qatar helped mediate the agreement, which is expected to ease the first major crisis of the fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

“After firm and determined negotiations led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Hamas has backed down and will conduct an additional phase of hostage releases this coming Thursday,” Netanyahu’s office said. “As part of this phase, Israeli citizen Arbel Yehud, soldier Agam Berger, and one additional hostage will be released.”

The statement also noted that three additional hostages will be released on Saturday as part of the agreement.

ISRAELI MILITARY CHIEF STEPS DOWN OVER OCTOBER 7 HAMAS MASSACRE: ‘WEIGHS ON ME EVERY DAY’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and Hamas reached an agreement for the release of additional hostages and for Palestinians to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. (Getty Images)

Israel confirmed Hamas handed over a list that specified the condition of the hostages expected to be released in the first stage. Local media also reported the list specified the number of living and dead hostages, though names were not included.

Israeli officials claim most of the 26 remaining hostages are alive, which coincides with the list Hamas provided.

Netanyahu’s office also said Israel will allow Palestinians to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip beginning Monday morning under the agreement with Hamas.

CEASEFIRE DISPUTES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH THROW REGION INTO TURMOIL

Hamas is believed to be holding 26 hostages, as of Sunday. (Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File Photo)

Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will not tolerate any violation of the agreement between the two parties, adding that he will continue to push for the return of all hostages, dead or alive.

Likewise, the White House released a statement on Sunday afternoon saying the arrangement between Israel and Lebanon will be monitored by the U.S. and will remain in effect until Feb. 18, 2025.

“The Government of Lebanon, the Government of Israel, and the Government of the United States will also begin negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023,” the statement read.

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on July 26. (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO) / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The agreement between Israel and Hamas comes after the former accused the latter of changing the order of hostages it had planned to release. As a result, Israeli forces blocked thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza.

Israeli forces also announced Friday that they would not withdraw from southern Lebanon as the ceasefire requires until the Lebanese government fully implements its own responsibilities. According to the agreement, both groups were expected to make withdrawals by Sunday.

“IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon fired warning shots to remove threats in a number of areas where suspects were identified approaching the troops,” the IDF wrote in a statement earlier Sunday.

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate back in July. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The disputes came just after President Donald Trump called for Egypt and Jordan to accept refugees from Gaza to “clean out” the region.

“I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump said. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over.’”

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Trump said he applauded Jordan for accepting Palestinian refugees but that he told the king: “I’d love for you to take on more, because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.”

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter @GregWehner.

January 27, 2025
Ceasefire disputes between Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah throw region into turmoil

Palestinian security prisoners arrive in Gaza

Gazans chant “The army of Mohammed will return!” as they celebrate the return of Palestinian security prisoners released by Israel as part of the ceasefire for hostages deal in Khan Younis, Gaza. (Video: Majdi Fathi/TPS-IL)

Ceasefire disputes between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah are threatening to derail deals Sunday as arguments break out over several key details.

Israel accused Hamas of changing the order of hostages it planned to release. As a result, Israeli forces blocked thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza.

Israeli forces also announced Friday that they will not fully withdraw from southern Lebanon as the ceasefire requires until the Lebanese government fully implements its own responsibilities. According to the agreement, both groups were expected to make withdrawals by Sunday.

“IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon fired warning shots to remove threats in a number of areas where suspects were identified approaching the troops,” the IDF wrote in a Sunday statement.

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE

The ceasefire agreement between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah remains fragile as disagreements rise over details.

“Additionally, a number of suspects in proximity to IDF troops that posed an imminent threat to the troops were apprehended and are currently being questioned at the scene.”

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expressed concern over the situation in a statement on X, saying Lebanese civilians had been attempting to return to their homes that were still occupied by Israeli forces.

“The IDF must avoid firing at civilians within Lebanese territory. Further violence risks undermining the fragile security situation in the area and prospects for stability ushered in by the cessation of hostilities and the formation of a Government in Lebanon,” UNIFIL wrote.

The disputes come just after President Donald Trump called for Egypt and Jordan to accept refugees from Gaza to “clean out” the region.

Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, three Israeli hostages who were held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack, return to Israel as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas on Jan. 19, 2025. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)

“I’d like Egypt to take people,” Trump said. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘You know, it’s over.’”

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Trump said he applauded Jordan for accepting Palestinian refugees but that he told the king: “I’d love for you to take on more, because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.”

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

January 26, 2025
Hamas releases 4 female hostages as part of Israel cease-fire deal

The terrorist group Hamas released four additional hostages from Gaza on Saturday after a ceasefire deal with Israel took effect nearly a week ago.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag — all of whom are members of the Israeli Defense Forces —were freed on Saturday in the second round of hostage releases.

In exchange, Israel was expected to free 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.

The first round of hostage releases on Sunday freed Romi Gonen, Emily Demari, and Doron Steinbrecher.

Video from Palestine Square in Gaza shows the four newly released women hostages being taken from the cars. They are alive and walking, wearing uniforms.

HAMAS RELEASES NAMES OF 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES TO BE RELEASED NEXT, POSSIBLY VIOLATES DEAL

L: Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Naama Levy. (Handout/Bring Them Home Now)

“The Red Cross has communicated that four Israeli hostages were transferred to them and are on their way toward IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF and Israeli Securities Authority said in a joint statement.

The four female soldiers were believed to have been, at least at one time, held all together.

Under the ceasefire deal, a total of 33 hostages are to be set free over the course of six weeks, including those already released, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, three female hostages who have been held in Gaza, return to Israel as part of a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, January 19, 2025. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)

Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on the seventh day and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.

This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war that began more than a year ago.

SURVIVOR OF NOVA MUSIC FESTIVAL HAMAS TERROR ATTACK WINS SLOT TO REPRESENT ISRAEL AT EUROVISION

Naama Levy had been held hostage for more than a year. (The Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

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The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

January 25, 2025
Hamas releases names for 4 female hostages to be released next, possibly violates deal

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The families of Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag have been informed that that their daughters, held in Gaza for 475 days, are slated to be freed on Saturday in the second round of hostage releases.

Hamas revealed the names of the four women, all of whom are members of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Friday, though the media was asked to wait until their families had been informed before releasing their identities.

While the exchange of another four hostages under the deal is a positive step forward in the continued ceasefire, it also could be in direct violation of the agreement as female civilians were supposed to be released ahead of all female soldiers, followed by the elderly and wounded men.

SURVIVOR OF NOVA MUSIC FESTIVAL HAMAS TERROR ATTACK WINS SLOT TO REPRESENT ISRAEL AT EUROVISION

A combination picture shows Israeli hostages from left-to-right: Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Liri Albag and Daniella Gilboa soldiers who were seized from their army base in southern Israel during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, in these undated handout pictures. Courtesy of Bring Them Home Now/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY (Courtesy of Bring Them Home Now/Handout via REUTERS.)

Of the 30 remaining people Hamas has agreed to release in the first phase of the ceasefire following the release of three women last week, two others were female civilians, including Arbel Yehud and Shiri Bibas, along with her two sons Kfir, who was just 9 months old when he was abducted with his 4-year-old brother Ariel.

Israel had instructed Hamas to release Yehud this week amid concerns that her captivity may be prolonged as she is believed to be held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, not Hamas.

The world has also been waiting for news of the Bibas family.

Hamas claimed in November 2023 that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel were killed in an Israeli airstrike, though Israel has said it has no intelligence to support these claims.

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Shiri and her sons have therefore never been assessed by Israeli officials to be deceased, and many have held out hope they will be reunited with Yaren Bibas, husband to Shiri and father to two boys, who was separated from his family following their abduction on Oct. 7, 2023.

He is also slated to be released within the first phase of the ceasefire.

Check back on this developing story.

January 24, 2025