Israel-Hamas Conflict: 8 Hostages To Be Freed As Ceasefire Extended Another Day

Hamas says willing to free Israeli civilian men under new deal: Report

Hamas official Basem Naim said Thursday that the militant group is willing to negotiate a new, comprehensive deal that includes the release of male Israeli hostages, local media reported, citing the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper.

Naim also revealed that the bodies of three Israelis whom he said were killed in Israeli military operations in Gaza, will be returned Thursday.

Israeli army to train over the weekend

Israeli forces will train in different training areas across the country during the weekend, the IDF announced Thursday. "Gunshots and explosions may be heard in nearby settlements" during the training sessions, the IDF added.

It also warned civilians from entering the training areas as it could be dangerous and also hampers the troops' activities.

17 freed Thai hostages have returned home

17 Thai nationals released by Hamas in recent days have arrived in Bangkok Thursday, Thailand's foreign ministry revealed. So far, 23 Thai citizens have been freed by the terror group. Nine are believed to still be in captivity.

Hamas militants killed 39 Thai laborers on Oct. 7, along with more than a thousand other people, mostly civilians, across several Israeli settlements.

Siblings freed on different dates reunite

Itai Regev, who was freed by Hamas Wednesday night, has reunited with his sister, Mia, who was released by the terror group a few days earlier.

There are still more than 150 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, as per IDF estimates.

Blinken meets Netanyahu

The U.S. Secretary of State and the Israeli Prime Minister are holding a private meeting in Jerusalem, as per Netanyahu's office.

US, Israel discuss idea of placing thousands of Hamas militants into exile: WSJ

Some Israeli and U.S. officials are discussing the idea of expelling "thousands of lower-level militants" from Gaza "as a way to shorten the war," the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The notion is similar to the U.S.-brokered agreement that allowed for Palestinian political leader Yasser Arafat's exit from Lebanon to Tunisia in 1982. At the time, around 11,000 Palestinian combatants were also allowed safe exit to Tunisia.

News of the talks come as the Israeli army prepares to resume the war with Hamas after the ceasefire.

IDF intercepts 'suspicious aerial target' from Lebanon

Israel's air defense forces successfully intercepted "a suspicious aerial target that crossed from Lebanese territory" Thursday, the IDF said on X. The said target triggered alerts in the settlements of Sasa, Matat and Dobb.

The latest launch from Lebanese territory came after weeks of fire exchanges between Israeli forces and Iran-backed paramilitary group Hezbollah near Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

Government will expand distribution of weapons to Israelis: Netanyahu

Netanyahu on Thursday announced that the Israeli government will "continue expanding the distribution of weapons to citizens" following the shooting attack in Jerusalem earlier in the day. He added that the "quick reaction" of two Israeli fighters and one civilian "prevented an even more serious attack."

Three people have been killed in the said shooting attack carried out by Hamas-affiliated brothers. One was declared dead by emergency responders, while the other two succumbed to their injuries a few hours after the shooting. Six others were wounded in the attack.

Israeli president thanks Blinken for 'deep friendship'

Israel's president Isaac Herzog thanked Blinken during a meeting Thursday with the U.S. Secretary of State.

"I thank you for your deep friendship and support for Israel's right to defend itself, and for your continued efforts to return the abductees from Hamas captivity to their families," Herzog said in a post on X, along with a photo of him and Blinken.

Blinken previously visited Israel twice since the Oct. 7 massacre. For Thursday's itinerary, he is also expected to visit the West Bank.

Hamas demands 'another price' for men hostages' release: Official

Hamas is demanding "another price" to free men hostages the terror group is keeping captive in Gaza, Kan reported, citing an Israeli official. The said demand could bring the current ceasefire deal to an end, the official added.

Israel renews call to Gazans attempting to move north

The Israeli army renewed its calls to Gaza residents trying to move to the northern part of the strip, saying the north "is still considered a war zone" even with the ceasefire.

Freed Thai hostage says Israelis beaten, 'treated extremely harshly' in captivity: Report

An unnamed Thai national who was held captive by Hamas in Gaza for more than 50 days told the IDF that Israeli hostages "were treated extremely harshly," local media reported. At times, the Israelis were "beaten with electrical cables," the freed Thai hostage said.

The said released captive and three others with him were given "one pita a day," as per the report. They were also given cans of tuna and cheese "sometimes" to share between each other.

3 bodies expected to be returned: Report

The bodies of three deceased hostages are expected to be returned to Israel by Hamas Thursday, following the agreement to extend the truce by one more day, local i24 News reported.

Israel has yet to confirm that three hostages died in Hamas captivity, but the terror group claimed earlier Thursday that its youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir, as well as the baby's mother and brother, were killed in an Israeli air strike before the ceasefire started.

US ambassador to Israel condemns 'abhorrent' attack in Jerusalem

U.S. ambassador to Israel Jack Lew condemned the "abhorrent terrorist attack" in Jerusalem Thursday morning. He said the U.S. "unequivocally condemns such brutal violence."

The attack was reported to Israel's emergency services agency minutes after Qatar announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend the ceasefire deal by another day.

Thailand welcomes release of Thai hostages

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) welcomed the release of the fourth and fifth groups of Thai nationals that were held in Gaza by Hamas militants for more than 50 days.

Hamas freed two Thai hostages on Tuesday and four more Thai citizens were released Wednesday. "Currently, all six Thais are at a hospital provided by Israel for a health check," the MFA said in a statement Thursday.

A Thai-Muslim group previously said it held "direct" talks with Hamas to secure the release of Thai nationals that were abducted from Israel on Oct. 7.

3 dead, 6 injured in Jerusalem shooting attack: MDA

Israel's national emergency services agency Magen David Adom (MDA) said it received a report Thursday morning of a "shooting terror attack" on Weizmann Boulevard in Jerusalem.

A 24-year-old woman was first declared to have been killed in the attack, while some victims were seriously wounded. Two others who were seriously injured have since succumbed to their injuries, multiple local outlets reported.

Israel's security service Shin Bet identified the terrorists as brothers being affiliated with Hamas.

8 hostages to be freed Thursday: Report

Eight hostages -- six women and two children -- are expected to be freed by Hamas Thursday under the extended ceasefire agreement, national broadcaster Kan reported. The new list of hostages "meets the terms" of the truce deal, the report added.

Hamas understood Israel was 'serious' about its hostage release demands: Official

A few minutes before the truce deal ended Thursday morning, Hamas delivered a new list of hostages to be freed, an Israeli politics journalist for Axios reported, citing a senior Israeli official.

"Hamas agreed in the morning to what it did not agree to at night. We were tough and they understood that we were serious," the official said. There were previous reports that Israel had insisted Hamas should prioritize freeing women and children for the Thursday list.

U.S. urges Israel to narrow combat zone if it targets southern Gaza after truce

The Biden administration is urging Israel to be more cautious if it decides to target southern Gaza after the ceasefire, so as to prevent civilian casualties in the area where many Gazans have sought shelter due to the fighting in the north, Reuters reported, citing U.S. officials.

Two officials said Washington understands Israel's goal of rooting out Hamas in the south but it also believes that "greater caution" is necessary when operating in the heavily populated region, as per the report.

Qatar confirms truce extended for 1 more day

Qatar announced in a Google-translated statement on X on Thursday that the Israel-Hamas ceasefire has been extended for another day under the existing terms of hostage-prisoner releases and more humanitarian aid to be allowed entry into Gaza.

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also said it was intensifying mediation efforts "with the aim of reaching a permanent ceasefire" in Gaza.

IDF says truce will continue

"In light of the mediators' efforts to continue the process of releasing the abductees and subject to the terms of the agreement, the ceasefire will continue," the IDF said in a Google-translated post on X, several minutes before the truce deal was set to expire.

Hamas claims youngest hostage killed along with mother and brother

Hamas claimed Wednesday that its youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir, the baby's mother, Shiri, and his 4-year-old brother, Ariel, were killed in an Israeli air strike prior to the ceasefire.

The family had been abducted by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 and became the highest-profile civilian hostages since the war started, particularly because of the children's age. Demonstrators have staged protests calling for the family's release in recent weeks.

The IDF said it was "examining the reliability of the information" and had informed the relatives of the Bibas family regarding Hamas' claims. The Israeli army previously said the abducted family had been handed over to another Palestinian group.

Israel refused to extend truce: Hamas

Israel refused to extend the ceasefire deal for another day in exchange for seven women hostages and children, and three hostage bodies, Hamas claimed, as per Israeli political reporter for Axios, Barak Ravid.

"Israel refused our offer even though we made it clear that these were all the women and children we were able to locate," Hamas said.

Fighting will resume if there's no new hostage list: Israeli officials

Senior Israeli officials said that if Hamas does not deliver a new list of hostages to be freed before the ceasefire expires, the fighting will continue, local media reported.

The news comes less than an hour before the six-day truce expires.

Hamas orders its combatants to be ready if truce isn't extended

The armed wing of Hamas has ordered its fighters to "maintain high combat readiness" during the last hours of the ceasefire should the warring sides not reach an agreement to extend the truce, as per Reuters.

Blinken to spend Thursday in Israel

U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken is set to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leadership Thursday "to discuss continued efforts" in freeing "all the remaining hostages" in Gaza and to push for more humanitarian aid into Gaza, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. Blinken will also visit the West Bank.

Israel's three main war goals 'still stand': Netanyahu

Netanyahu said in a message Wednesday that Israel's three main goals since the war started "still stand." The first is eliminating Hamas, the second is securing the release of all hostages being held in Gaza and finally, ensuring that the terror group can no longer threaten Israelis.

He reiterated that Israel will resume fighting against Hamas after its hostages are freed. "There is no situation in which we do not go back to fighting until the end," he said.

Russia in direct talks with Hamas: Ambassador

Russian ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov said in a recorded message Wednesday night that the release of two Israeli-Russian nationals was made possible due to the "direct" negotiations Russian officials had with Hamas, among other efforts.

10 Israelis, 2 Russians freed

Hamas freed a total of 10 Israelis, four Thai nationals and Israeli-Russian citizens, Netanyahu's office confirmed Wednesday in a series of posts on X.

Israel's prison service also said it released a total of 30 Palestinians Wednesday in compliance with the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Among the freed Palestinian detainees was high-profile activist Ahed Tamimi, whose slapping of an Israeli soldier went viral in 2017.

Hamas said earlier Wednesday that it was freeing two hostages of Russian origin in "appreciation" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Talks are still on for a truce extension

Israel and Hamas have not yet reached an agreement for a truce extension that could see more hostages and prisoners freed, Reuters reported, citing two Palestinian officials.

There are less than two hours left before the ceasefire agreement expires at 7 a.m. local time (midnight ET). Qatari mediators have expressed hope for the truce to be extended, as well as international groups urging the warring parties to sustain the ceasefire momentum.