Today
Thousands of Gaza residents stream back to the north on foot
Palestinians began returning to the ravaged territory and what was left of their homes and families, after Israel and Hamas agreed to keep a ceasefire in place.
- Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell
Yesterday
Trump’s Palestinian refugee idea falls flat with Arab allies
Middle East nations rejected Donald Trump’s idea to resettle Gaza’s population as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in the enclave held after a major crisis.
- Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss
This Month
Hamas frees four Israeli hostages in second swap
The four hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19, are all conscripts from a military surveillance unit.
- Maayan Lubell, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas
Is Hamas back?
The sight of militants on the streets of Gaza since the ceasefire raises the possibility that they may again run the enclave.
- Heba Saleh and Neri Zilber
Israel’s top general resigns over October 7 failures
Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi is the most senior Israeli figure to resign over the security and intelligence breakdown on October 7, 2023.
- Melanie Lidman and Aref Tufaha
Drone vision shows Gaza families returning to ‘nothing but rubble’
Palestinians have been picking their way through crushed neighbourhoods and trying to salvage what they can from the wreckage of former homes.
- Patrick Kingsley, Aaron Boxerman, Adam Rasgon, Isabel Kershner and Eric Nagourney
- Analysis
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Behind Israelis’ joy, a painful truth: Hamas still runs Gaza
Footage of Hamas fighters escorting freed Israeli hostages highlights the high price Jerusalem paid to secure their freedom.
- Andrew Tillett
Skies above Gaza, Israel silent as ceasefire takes hold
In Israel, the joy of seeing freed hostages reunited with their families was tempered by questions over the fate of the nearly 100 others abducted by Hamas.
- Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick
Mandatory jail plan for anti-Jewish hate sets up political fight
Jewish groups have backed the federal Opposition’s promise of tougher laws for displaying Nazi symbols and the flags of banned terror groups.
- Andrew Tillett
Cheers and weeping as Israelis watch Gaza hostages return
Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari embraced their mothers after 471 days, as friends and family breathed a sigh of relief.
- Miro Mamman and Avi Ohayon
Gaza ceasefire begins after nearly three-hour delay over hostage list
A long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza began after a three-hour delay as Hamas named the three female hostages it plans to free later on Sunday.
- Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy and Tia Goldberg
- Updated
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israel delays Gaza ceasefire over hostage list
Benjamin Netanyahu said the truce would not go ahead until militant group Hamas provided the names of hostages to be released.
- Maayan Lubell and Nidal al-Mughrabi
Toddler, female soldiers expected among first hostages released
The hostage release is expected to be the first such major exchange since a weeklong ceasefire early in the Gaza war.
- Alexandra E. Petri and Aaron Boxerman
A Sheikh, a mogul and a diplomat: the unlikely trio behind Gaza truce
The Qatari prime minister worked with both President Biden’s envoy and President-elect Donald Trump’s representative to bring about a deal.
- Patrick Kingsley, Adam Rasgon and Michael D. Shear
- Updated
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli cabinet approves Gaza ceasefire, hostage release deal
Israel’s government has approved the ceasefire with Hamas, paving the way for the first phase of the agreement to come into effect on Sunday.
- Sam Magdy, Wafaa Shurafa and Josef Federman
Hamas set to release first hostages under ceasefire deal, Israel says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said hostages would be released on Sunday as cabinet meets to approve the deal with Hamas.
- Andrew Mills, Nidal al-Mughrabi and James Mackenzie
- Analysis
- Trump diplomacy
Trump’s plans to make the world great again face three big hurdles
A threat from the US president-elect helped broker a Middle East ceasefire deal. How else will he influence foreign affairs?
- Andrew Tillett
Netanyahu delays cabinet vote on ceasefire, blames Hamas
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the cabinet would not convene until the militant group accepted all elements of the deal.
- Washington Post staff
Ceasefire welcome but Jewish Australians fear it won’t end hate here
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and terror group Hamas is a constructive step towards peace.
- Andrew Tillett and Matthew Cranston
- Opinion
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
There is no big winner in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal
While Israel won the military battle, and Hamas will glory in the horrors of October 7, Gaza’s civilians were undoubtedly the big losers of this conflict.
- Jamie Hyams
- Analysis
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Ceasefire brings peace but not closure
While the deal between Israel and Hamas will free Jewish hostages and end the Gaza war, it only freezes the Middle East conflict until it inevitably flares up again.
- Andrew Tillett
- Analysis
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Trump helped secure a Gaza ceasefire deal. Can it last?
US and Israeli administrations face tough political calculations – and vast undertaking of rebuilding the Palestinian enclave.
- Andrew England
How the Biden and Trump teams worked together to secure a ceasefire
The political rivals won’t share the credit publicly but the deal was a joint effort, with both teams involved in the negotiations.
- David E. Sanger and Michael D. Shear
- Opinion
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli right may soon be disenchanted with Trump
The result is a diplomatic paradox: Thanks largely to the incoming president, a deal demanded by the Israeli left and reviled by the right is about to come into effect.
- Bret Stephens
- Analysis
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Gaza hostage deal brings joy – but four painful months lie ahead
While for some families the peace deal will bring immediate joy, for others the process will dash the last embers of hope as loved ones are returned broken or in body bags.
- Paul Nuki