The vote was a crucial next step for the fragile ceasefire and efforts to outline Gaza’s future following two years of war between Israel and Hamas.
Middle East Peace
The remains of four hostages are still in Gaza after Palestinian militants released the remains of another on Sunday.
With Monday’s return, the bodies of 270 Palestinians have been handed back since the start of the ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect on Oct. 10, Palestinian militants had released the remains of 17 hostages, with 11 remaining in Gaza.
Had President Donald Trump not been re-elected, terrorist entities would try to “wipe out” the State of Israel, Sen. Rick Scott told a packed crowd in Las Vegas.
Militants had previously returned the remains of 15 hostages since the start of the ceasefire, with 13 more still to be recovered.
Israel and Hamas completed the sixth exchange of hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners on Saturday.
The trio were abducted from one of the hardest-hit communities in southern Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attack that ignited the war.
Israel, with the support of President Donald Trump, has said it will resume fighting if the hostages are not freed.
Israel’s defense minister vowed that “all hell will break loose” on Hamas if it fails to free hostages this weekend as planned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to withdraw from the ceasefire in Gaza and told troops to prepare to fight if Hamas doesn’t release more hostages on Saturday.
Hamas said it will delay the further release of hostages in the Gaza Strip after accusing Israel of violating a fragile ceasefire.
New details and growing shock over emaciated hostages renewed pressure Sunday on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend a fragile Gaza ceasefire beyond the first phase.
As Gillian Brisley and her husband, Pete, watched their son-in-law’s release from captivity on Saturday morning, she clutched a teddy bear to her chest.
The three men, captured by Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, are set to be freed Saturday.
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel, a close U.S. ally.
Egypt has launched a diplomatic blitz behind the scenes against the proposal, warning it would put its peace deal with Israel at risk, officials said.
President Trump’s top diplomat and his main spokesperson walked back the idea of the permanent relocation of Palestinians from Gaza after disapproval by American allies and Republican lawmakers.
During a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump said he isn’t ruling out deploying U.S. troops to support reconstruction of Gaza.
Hamas released five Thai hostages last week along with three Israeli captives who were freed as part of a ceasefire agreement in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel and Hamas are beginning to negotiate a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely.