World

Hamas says deal reached with Israel to release more than 600 Palestinians

Published

1 year ago

February 26, 2025

Hamas says deal reached with Israel to release more than 600 Palestinians

The prisoners will be released in the coming days while Hamas hands over the bodies of four Israeli captives.

Hamas has said it reached a deal to end Israel’s delay in releasing 620 Palestinian prisoners who were supposed to be freed last week, after it upheld its side of the ceasefire deal by freeing six Israeli captives from Gaza.

Hamas confirmed Wednesday that Israel will release more Palestinian women and children from its prisons on Thursday, while the group will simultaneously hand over the bodies of the four Israeli captives.

Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, said the exchange was expected to take place on Thursday, with Egypt overseeing the process to ensure that both sides fulfil their commitments.

Hamas accused Israel of “sabotaging” the Gaza truce by delaying the release of the 620 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday. Israel justified the delay by citing concerns over the large public gatherings during which the Israelis were freed, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing the process as “humiliating ceremonies”.

The latest agreement would complete both sides’ obligations under the first phase of the ceasefire, during which Hamas is returning 33 captives, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Washington’s Middle East envoy said talks for a second phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal remained on track. The first phase is scheduled to end on Saturday.

“We’re making a lot of progress. Israel is sending a team right now as we speak,” Steve Witkoff told an event for the American Jewish Committee.

“It’s either going to be in Doha or in Cairo, where negotiations will begin again with the Egyptians and the Qataris,” he said.

Talks were supposed to begin weeks ago but did not.

Witkoff, who is expected in the region in the coming days, has said he wants the sides to move into negotiations on the second phase, during which all remaining captives held by Hamas are to be released and an end to the war is to be negotiated.

Abu Azzoum said there were growing indications that Israel was looking to obtain an extension of the first phase of the deal rather than engage in negotiations on the second phase.

“Next Saturday, Israel is supposed to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor as part of the first phase,” Al Jazeera’s correspondent said, adding this will be an occasion to put the strength of the deal to the test.

The Philadelphi Corridor, a 14km (8.7-mile) long strip of land that represents the entirety of the border area between Gaza and Egypt, has been a point of contention as Israel attempted to retain control of the area.

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World

The EU's recipe for trade deals : easy on beef, tough on wine

Published

1 minute ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Within weeks, the European Commission has wrapped up deals with Mercosur, India and Australia. Yet despite the backlash over the Latin America agreement, Brussels is sticking to a familiar playbook: offensive on wine and cars, defensive on beef.

World

Secret Service Agent Assigned to Jill Biden Shoots Self in Leg

Published

10 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Secret Service Agent Assigned to Jill Biden Shoots Self in Leg

A U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to former First Lady Jill Biden accidentally shot himself in the leg early on Friday near Philadelphia International Airport, according to a source familiar with the incident.

In a statement that did not mention Biden, the Secret Service said the incident occurred just after 8:30 a.m. EST and the agent suffered a non-life-threatening injury.

“There was no impact to the protectee’s movement and they were not present at the time of the incident,” the statement said.

The agent “accidentally discharged his firearm” while traveling in an unmarked SUV near the airport, Philadelphia Police Department Cpl. Jasmine Colón-Reilly said in a statement.

Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and the agent was transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in stable condition, Colón-Reilly said.

“The Secret Service’s Office of Professional Responsibility will be reviewing the facts and circumstances of this incident,” the Secret Service said.

The Secret Service is responsible for providing security to current and former presidents, vice presidents and their families and foreign leaders and is also an investigative agency.

—

(Reporting by Christian Martinez in Los Angeles; editing by Scott Malone and Chris Reese)

World

Body found in search for missing American Airlines flight attendant in Colombia: mayor

Published

11 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Body found in search for missing American Airlines flight attendant in Colombia: mayor

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A mayor in Colombia announced that a corpse had been discovered and was likely that of an American citizen who had gone missing.

Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, a 32-year-old American Airlines flight attendant from Texas, had gone missing while in the foreign country, according to reports.

“Since last Sunday, we have been searching for Eric Gutiérrez, a U.S. citizen who is missing,” Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez noted in a Friday post on X, according to a translation from Spanish.

AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT ATTENDANT VANISHES DURING COLOMBIA LAYOVER: ‘HIS FAMILY IS DESPERATE’

Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez speaks during a press conference on Dec. 19, 2025. (JAIME SALDARRIAGA / AFP via Getty Images)

“Unfortunately, a lifeless body has just been found between the municipality of Jericó and Puente Iglesias,” he noted.

“There is a very high probability that it is this person,” the mayor explained.

COLOMBIAN MILITARY PLANE CRASH KILLS AT LEAST 66, HEAD OF ARMED FORCES SAYS

Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina (CDColExt/X)

“We are heartbroken by the tragic passing of our colleague,” American Airlines noted in a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Saturday.

‘AMERICAS COUNTER CARTEL COALITION’: INSIDE THE US STRATEGY TO COMBAT NARCO TERROR, CONFRONT CHINA, OTHER FOES

An American Airlines Airbus A321 departs from Harry Reid International Airport on March 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

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“Our thoughts and support are with his family, loved ones and colleagues during this difficult time, and we are doing all we can to assist Colombian law enforcement in its investigation,” the company added.

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.