Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, on Thursday confirmed the killing of its military leader Mohammed Deif and deputy military commander Marwan Issa in combat.

Hamas is rushing to reassert control over the territory it has ruled since 2007. Its leaders are exuberant—at least in public. In private, they are arguing bitterly. The war has deepened a longtime struggle between the group’s political and military leaders and has saddled it with enormous challenges.

Former hostage Amit Soussana, who was the first Israeli woman to speak about being sexual assaulted while in Hamas captivity, says kidnapped IDF soldier Liri Albag saved her life.

The chaotic release of several hostages in Khan Younis Thursday was described by Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu as “shocking.”

A British couple whose daughter and two granddaughters were killed by Hamas have no idea whether their son-in-law, who was taken hostage, knows his family is dead. Gill and Pete Brisley, who are from Bristol but now live in Bridgend,

The expected release will keep up the momentum of the fragile ceasefire​ between Israel and the militant Hamas group that paused the 15-monthlong war in Gaza.

Hamas has confirmed that its military chief, Mohammed Deif, was killed in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip last year. Israel's military said in August that it had killed Deif the previous month, but Hamas had not confirmed this until now.

Hamas plans to release three Israeli hostages Thursday — two women and an 80-year-old man — as well as five Thai nationals abducted during the Oct.

He negotiated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to receive guarantees that the deal would not prevent Israel from completing its other war goals – destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities,

The five hostages were among the 31 Thai agricultural workers who were captured by Hamas from four farms close to the Gaza border. Earlier, 23 hostages were released and two, Sudthisak Rinthalak and Sonthaya Oakkharasri, were confirmed dead in May of last year.

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