Iranian schools and offices shut as cold snap bites

The family of Israeli hostage Tal Shoham, among six captives released by Hamas in Gaza, watched tearfully as he walked free in a hostage-prisoner swap. Avera Mengistu, held captive for over a decade, was also released, sparking celebrations in Israel. Three more Israeli hostages were paraded by Hamas before being handed over to the Red Cross, marking a significant moment in the ongoing truce between Israel and Palestinian militants. Full Article

The seventh hostage-prisoner exchange under a fragile Gaza ceasefire proceeded despite Israel's grief and anger after Hamas returned the remains of two child hostages without their mother. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Hamas as "monsters" for the killings of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, promising retribution. Hamas admitted to a possible mix-up of bodies but affirmed commitment to the ceasefire, with more prisoners and bodies to be exchanged, as the Bibas family and Israel mourn the...

Archaeologists have uncovered a royal tomb near Egypt’s Valley of the Kings belonging to Thutmose II, a pharaoh from around 1480 B.C., making it the first such discovery since Tutankhamen’s chamber in 1922. The tomb, originally thought to belong to a royal consort, sheds light on Hatshepsut's pivotal role in Egyptian history and features evidence of Thutmose II's burial and the Amduat royal netherworld book. Although the tomb had been emptied due to flooding, the...

For 16 months, the Bibas family's abduction to Gaza faded from Israeli consciousness until their disturbing deaths were revealed, casting doubt on the fragile cease-fire. Israeli military announced Ms. Bibas's body was not hers, and an autopsy showed her sons were killed in Gaza. Hamas denied responsibility, leading to renewed tensions and calls for vengeance or calm as the truce with Gaza hangs in the balance. Full Article

Argentina declared two days of national mourning after Hamas handed over the bodies of two Israeli Argentine children who had been taken hostage; three members of the Bibas family were confirmed dead, with the mother missing. Israel's National Center of Forensic Medicine determined that the children were brutally murdered by Hamas in November 2023. Argentine President Javier Milei condemned Hamas and called for the immediate release of all hostages, expressing condolences to the Bibas family...

Three buses exploded in Tel Aviv area parking lots, prompting suspicions of a coordinated terrorist attack, leading to the halt of all buses and trains nationwide; no injuries were reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a military operation in the West Bank and increased security measures in Israeli cities to prevent further attacks. Unclaimed bus explosions followed the repatriation of hostages' remains from a Hamas-led attack, potentially complicating truce negotiations with Hamas and intensifying Israeli...