TEL AVIV, Israel: The bodies of three more hostages killed on Oct 7. were recovered overnight from Gaza, Israel’s army said Friday, as the top United Nations court prepares to rule on whether Israel must halt its military operations and withdraw from the enclave.
The bodies of Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez Radoux were found and their families have been notified. The army said they were killed on the day of the attack at the Mefalsim intersection and their bodies were taken to Gaza.
The announcement comes less than a week after the army said it found the bodies of three other Israeli hostages killed on Oct. 7.
Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and abducted around 250 others in the Oct. 7 attack. Around half of those hostages have since been freed, most in swaps for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel during a weeklong ceasefire in November.
Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to both eliminate Hamas and bring all the hostages back, but he’s made little progress. He faces pressure to resign, and the US has threatened to scale back its support over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
On Friday Netanyahu said the country had a duty to do everything to return those abducted, both those killed and those who are alive.
The country is also expecting a ruling Friday afternoon by the International Court of Justice to decide on an urgent plea by South Africa to order Israel to cease operations. Israel is unlikely to comply with any such order. Even so, a ceasefire order by judges of the International Court of Justice would heap more pressure on an increasingly isolated Israel.
On the hostages, Israelis are divided into two main camps: those who want the government to put the war on hold and free the hostages, and others who think the hostages are an unfortunate price to pay for eradicating Hamas. On-and-off negotiations mediated by Qatar, the United States and Egypt have yielded little.
Anger is growing at home at the government’s handling of the hostage crisis.
Earlier this week a group representing the families of hostages released new video footage showing Hamas’ capture of five female Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border on Oct. 7.
The video shows several of the young soldiers bloody and wounded. In one scene, a militant tells one of the terrified women she is beautiful.
The video sparked more protests across the country calling for the hostages’ release.
The army said on Friday the hostages were found during an operation in Jabaliya. Military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a news conference that the army was able to retrieve the bodies based on “critical intelligence” uncovered last week by Israeli forces operating in Gaza.
The group representing the families of the hostages said the bodies had been returned to their families for burial.
Nisenbaum, 59, was a Brazilian-Israeli from the southern city of Sderot. He was taken hostage when he went to rescue his 4-year-old granddaughter.
Oryon Hernandez Radoux, 30, was a French-Mexican citizen taken from the Nova music festival, which he attended with his partner Shani Louk. Louk’s body was one of those found by the army nearly a week ago.
Yablonka, 42, a father of two, was also taken from the music festival. His family in December told the AP that he loved music. Yablonka’s family had no news of him for nearly two months after he’d been taken, not knowing if he was alive or dead.
Israel’s offensive since the war began has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and has caused a humanitarian crisis and a near-famine.
While it has weakened Hamas’ capabilities, after nearly eight months of war, militants are regrouping in some of the hardest-hit areas in northern Gaza and resuming rocket attacks into nearby Israeli communities. Israel says its troops are operating in Rafah in the south, in central Gaza and in Jabaliya in the north.
Israel’s army says the bodies of 3 more hostages killed on Oct 7. recovered overnight from Gaza
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Israel’s army says the bodies of 3 more hostages killed on Oct 7. recovered overnight from Gaza
- The announcement comes less than a week after the army said it found the bodies of three other Israeli hostages killed on Oct. 7
- Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more
Israelis want Trump to ‘make Israel normal again’
- During his first term, Trump broke with much of the international community and moved the US embassy to Jerusalem
TEL AVIV: For many Israelis yearning for a future free from war and for the release of hostages still held in Gaza, US President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House on Monday is a source of hope.
On the eve of his inauguration, three women hostages were released after 15 months in captivity by Hamas militants, after mediators Qatar, the United States and Egypt clinched a Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Trump, whose envoy took part in negotiations even ahead of his return to the presidency, claimed credit for the deal following months of fruitless negotiations.
But many Israelis have been looking forward to his return for a while, even ahead of the ceasefire.
In Tel Aviv’s Sarona commercial district, a massive banner bearing the president-elect’s image was erected weeks ago.
It shows Trump, his fist raised in defiance. The caption, a reference to the hostages, reads: “ALL OF THEM UNTIL THE 20.1 — OR THE FIRE OF HELL WILL OPEN.”
In early December, Trump warned of “hell” if, by his inauguration, Hamas did not release the dozens of Israeli hostages held since its October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the Gaza war.
With the first three releases on Sunday, 91 hostages remain in Gaza.
The Tel Aviv banner was the initiative of Tikva Forum, a campaign group of hostage relatives opposed to a deal with Hamas.
“Hamas has to realize that the rules are about to change in the Middle East and that it’s time to bring back the hostages immediately,” the group said in a statement.
Its members have been anticipating the US billionaire’s return to the helm in Washington, Israel’s closest ally and top military backer.
But it is not just Israelis opposed to a deal that are hopeful.
In the lead-up to the inauguration, his image has become a fixture at weekly rallies calling for the release of hostages.
Red caps handed out at protests alluded to the ones proudly worn by Trump supporters.
But instead of “Make America Great Again,” the ones worn in Israel read: “End this fuc*!ng war.”
Demonstrators carried posters that read: “Trump, thank you for handling this,” “President Trump, bring them home,” and “Make Israel normal again.”
“I know that when he’s going to be back, things will change, but I’m not sure to which extent,” said Gaya Omri, a protester at a recent rally in Jerusalem.
“My only hope is that he can finish this war. This is what we want,” she said.
During his first term, Trump broke with much of the international community and moved the US embassy to Jerusalem.
Israelis claim the city as their undivided capital, while Palestinians claim its eastern sector as theirs.
Trump oversaw landmark normalization deals between Israel and three Arab countries — Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.
He also recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, again going against much of the world and numerous UN resolutions.
As a show of gratitude, an Israeli settlement in the territory, which Israel has occupied since 1967, was renamed Trump Heights.
“President Trump put us on the map,” said Yaakov Selavan of the Golan Heights Regional Council.
“He gave us the best PR campaign we’ve ever had, and we hope the new US administration will continue this,” he said.
This time round, some of Trump’s cabinet picks again suggest a favorable line for Israel.
The incoming president’s pick for US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, is a staunch supporter of Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank.
Arab Gulf leaders, Jordan’s king, Palestine’s president congratulate Trump on his inauguration
- Trump says he wants to be ‘peacemaker, unifier’
- Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq expresses wish for Trump’s success in second term as US president
LONDON: Arab Gulf leaders, the king of Jordan, and Palestine’s president have congratulated Donald Trump on his inauguration as the 47th president of the US.
The leadership of the UAE, including President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the prime minister and ruler of Dubai; and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE’s deputy prime minister and chairman of the Presidential Court, each sent a congratulatory message to Trump on Monday.
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq expressed his wish for Trump’s success in his second term as US president.
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa expressed his wishes for Trump’s good health, happiness, and success in his role, highlighting his pride in the relations and close partnership between the US and Bahrain.
Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the emir of Kuwait, affirmed in his message to Trump the aspiration to strengthen the well-established relations between the two countries.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II said on X that Jordan highly valued its partnership with the US and was committed to working with Trump toward a peaceful world.
In his speech at the Capitol Rotunda, Trump said he wanted to be a “peacemaker and unifier,” while mentioning the recently released hostages in a deal between Hamas and Israel which brought a ceasefire to the Gaza Strip this week.
Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, said in a message that the PA was ready to work with Trump to achieve peace during his administration, based on the two-state solution.
PLO is the ‘only legitimate representative’ of Palestinians, minister tells UN Security Council
- Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian calls for all Palestinians to work ‘under one regime, one law and a single armed forces’
- Israeli representative calls on council members to condemn Hamas and designate it as a terror group
NEW YORK CITY: Palestine’s foreign minister on Monday said that the State of Palestine has “legal and political” jurisdiction over the Gaza Strip and all occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, and warned that any attempt to annex the West Bank would be a violation of international law.
Varsen Aghabekian told a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York that the “imperative” to uphold the legitimate rights of Palestinians requires “unity of our land and our people under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which is the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”
She added: “It also requires everyone to commit to the PLO political program and international commitments, and to work under one regime, one law and a single armed forces.”
Her statement came as debates continue about the future role of Hamas in Gaza. Israel and several other countries believe the group, which was responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and hundreds taken hostage, should be disqualified from playing any part in the future of the battered territory.
Aghabekian called for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on Sunday to be fully implemented, in order to allow the Palestinian Authority “to shoulder its full responsibilities in Gaza,” and for the reunification of the Strip with the West Bank “under the management of the Palestinian Authority.”
She also called for a return to a political process that would end Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, and lead to the implementation of a two-state solution.
The high-level meeting of the Security Council was convened as the signature event of Algeria’s presidency of the council for the month of January. More 70 countries attended, including Saudi Arabia.
Aghabekian said the Palestinian government stands ready to govern Gaza and the West Bank in cooperation with “friendly and sisterly” countries and international organizations.
“The Palestinian government is ready to provide basic services, including health, education, water and electricity; to guarantee the return of the displaced to their homes; and to prepare for the reconstruction phase,” the minister told the council.
“We are also committed to managing the (border) crossing points, in collaboration with the EU and Egypt.”
Aghabekian also underscored the important role of the UN Relief and Works Agency, the largest aid agency for Palestinians, describing it as “indispensable and irreplaceable.” A ban by the Knesset that would prevent the agency from working in Israel and the territories it occupies is due to take effect at the end of this month.
“The Israeli occupation powers do not have the right to prevent UNRWA from working,” Aghabekian said.
Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly, the political coordinator at Israel’s UN mission in New York, told the Security Council: “The families of the hostages and the people of Israel know that this moment is only the beginning. This war will not end until every hostage is returned and Hamas’ ability to terrorize is dismantled.”
She said Hamas has turned Gaza into “a fortress of terror, sacrificing their own civilians to shield their operations. It has weaponized schools, hospitals and mosques, transforming them into instruments of war.
“This barbarity demands a resolute and united response from the international community.”
Ben Naftaly added: “Failing to act decisively against Hamas sends a dangerous message to other terrorist organizations that such tactics are permissible.
“It is a test of our collective will to uphold international law and human dignity.”
The diplomat called on the Security Council to take “the most basic, moral step” and “unequivocally condemn Hamas and designate it as the terrorist organization it is.”
Palestinian president Abbas ‘ready to work’ with Trump on two-state solution
- “We are ready to work with you to achieve peace during your term, based on a two-state solution,” Abbas said
- Trump has taken credit for securing a ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza
RAMALLAH: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas congratulated US President Donald Trump on his inauguration on Monday and said he was ready to work for peace with Israel based on a two-state solution.
“We are ready to work with you to achieve peace during your term, based on a two-state solution,” Abbas said in a statement published by the official Wafa news agency.
Abbas said it would mean “the State of Palestine and the State of Israel living side-by-side in security and peace, ensuring security and stability in our region and the world.”
In his first presidential term, from 2017 to 2021, Trump’s administration put together a peace proposal which would have involved Israel annexing much of the occupied West Bank while handing over some territory to a future Palestinian state in return.
The Palestinians strongly rejected the proposal, and Israel abandoned its annexation plans when some Gulf Arab states normalized ties with it under US-brokered agreements.
Trump has taken credit for securing a ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff taking part in negotiations that finally produced an agreement that came into effect on Sunday.
A two-state solution has been the basis for the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians going back decades, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly refused to countenance an independent Palestinian state.
He has also rejected any role for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, which Abbas leads, in a post-war Gaza Strip.
On Friday, Abbas had said the PA was ready to assume “full responsibility” for Gaza.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II also congratulated Trump, saying: “We greatly value our partnership with the United States and are committed to working with you toward a more prosperous and peaceful world.”
Relatives of freed Gaza hostages call for release of remaining captives
- Mandy Damari, the mother of British-Israeli Emily Damari, said her daughter was “in high spirits.”
RAMAT GAN, Israel: The relatives of the three Israeli hostages released from Gaza by Palestinian militants Hamas called on Monday for all those remaining in the territory to be freed.
Speaking at a press conference at the Sheba hospital where the three women are being treated, they gave no details on the conditions in which their relatives had been held for 471 days or on their health.
Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher were released on Sunday as part of the first round of exchanges that also saw around 90 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails.
Meirav Leshem Gonen, the mother of Romi Gonen, said: “We got our Romi back, but all families deserve the same outcome, both the living and the dead. Our hearts go out to the other families.”
“We are a people who desire peace but are ready for war when needed,” she added.
Yamit Ashkenazi meanwhile passed on a message from her sister Doron Steinbrecher.
“Everyone needs to return, until the last hostage comes home. Just as I was fortunate to return to my family, so must everyone else.”
Mandy Damari, the mother of British-Israeli Emily Damari, said her daughter was “in high spirits.”
She called for all the hostages to be released and for humanitarian aid that was going into the Gaza Strip to also go to the remaining captives.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, 91 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military has said are dead.
A further two hostages who are presumed alive have been held in Gaza since 2014 and 2015 respectively, as has the body of a soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war. The three are also due to be released as part of the deal.
Before the press conference, the Israeli military released new footage of the moment the three freed hostages were reunited with their mothers at an Israeli military base.
In the footage, the three women are seen embracing their mothers tightly as they meet for the first time after their release.
