Israel and Hamas say the militant group will release three Israelis, including two women and an 80-year-old man, along with five Thai nationals in the next hostage release on Thursday
More than 14 months into the Israel-Hamas War, “and we still don’t have a plan for the North,” Mateh Asher Regional Council head Moshe Davidovich said.
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Soldiers disrupted a Jerusalem gathering to mark the early release of an imprisoned Palestinian, arresting his brother and roughing up his father. A Times reporter conducting interviews was also assaulted.
The expected release will keep up the momentum of the fragile ceasefire​ between Israel and the militant Hamas group that paused the 15-monthlong war in Gaza.
Hamas identified four female soldiers abducted from a military base as those who will be freed in the next exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
On Thursday, laws passed by Israel in October come into effect banning the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, known as UNRWA, from Israeli territory and prohibiting Israeli officials from any contact with the agency.
Four Israeli soldiers held captive for 477 days by Hamas were released Saturday under the second hostage swap in the Gaza cease-fire deal.
Hamas's failure demonstrates how quickly years of diplomatic work can be jeopardized by chaos on the ground, which could derail future releases.
Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages and five Thai workers. The release marks the third round of exchanges.
Hamas freed three Israelis and five Thai nationals in exchange for more than 100 Palestinians. But the militant group struggled to control crowds, prompting a delay.