Israel’s war with Hamas resumes with airstrikes in Gaza after a weeklong truce ends

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s war with Hamas erupted again Friday, as airstrikes hit houses and buildings in the Gaza Strip minutes after a weeklong truce expired. Health authorities in the besieged territory reported dozens of Palestinians killed and Israel dropped leaflets over Gaza...

Blinken sees goals largely unfulfilled in Mideast trip, even as Israel pledges to protect civilians

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the Mideast this week pressing for agreements to extend the Gaza cease-fire, step up the release of hostages held by Hamas and limit Palestinian civilian casualties if fighting with Israel resumed. He left...

Bombs are falling on Gaza again. Who are the hostages still remaining in the besieged strip?

JERUSALEM (AP) — A weeklong cease-fire that brought the exchanges of dozens of hostages held by Hamas for scores of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel gave way Friday morning to resumed fighting between Israel and Hamas. As mediators scuttle between the warring sides in a last-ditch effort to...

Nearly 2 months into the war, many Israelis have no idea if their relatives are dead or alive

JERUSALEM (AP) — There was no trace of Hanan Yablonka — not on the 42-year-old Israeli's social media accounts nor on his phone, found in the bullet-riddled car he and four friends tried to flee in after Hamas militants attacked the music festival they were attending in southern Israel. ...

Mediators scrambling for Israel-Hamas truce extension, as hostages-for-prisoners swaps get harder

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Mediators were scrambling to extend an Israel-Hamas truce set to expire after daybreak Friday, as the two sides appeared to be struggling to agree on how to continue the daily exchanges of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel that have...

Families reunite with 17 Thai hostages freed by Hamas at homecoming at Bangkok airport

BANGKOK (AP) — Seventeen Thai workers released from captivity by the militant Hamas group were greeted Thursday by family and friends, officials and journalists in an emotional homecoming at Bangkok’s international airport. The 17 are among 23 Thais freed so far, with six left...

Live updates | More Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are released under truce

Eight Israeli hostages were released from Hamas captivity Thursday in the Gaza Strip as part of a temporary cease-fire deal that has lasted seven days, the Israeli military said. Israel freed 30 Palestinian prisoners in the early hours of Friday under the truce deal, which has paused...

The Israeli military says two more Israeli hostages have been released from captivity in the Gaza Strip

Live updates | Hamas and Israel free more hostages and prisoners as deadline to extend truce nears

Ten Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals held captive in Gaza were freed by Hamas, and Israel followed with the release of a group of Palestinian prisoners Thursday. It was the latest exchange of hostages for prisoners under a temporary cease-fire in the Gaza war. Two Russian-Israeli...

Families of American hostages in Gaza describe their anguish and call on US government for help

WASHINGTON (AP) — The last Omer Neutra's parents heard from him, he told them reassuringly that he anticipated a quiet weekend. But they checked the news anyway before getting ready for bed in New York, their nightly routine as parents of a soldier in the Israeli military tasked...