Summary
We are now closing the live blog. Here is a summary of events today:
The Israeli government has signalled that it intends to stick to the hostage-release schedule agreed in the ceasefire deal with Hamas, but warned that if the anticipated three hostages are not released on Saturday, it would go back to war.
Hamas said on Thursday it will continue implementing the Gaza ceasefire deal, including hostage exchange.
Yemen’s Houthis say they will immediately take military action if the US and Israel attack Gaza, the group’s leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said in a televised speech on Thursday, reports Reuters.
Israeli settlers are pushing ahead with a largely unnoticed de facto annexation of large areas of rural land in the occupied West Bank that has already seen the almost total displacement of Bedouin in large areas.
A humanitarian catastrophe continues in the Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire agreement that brought a “much-needed respite”, the head of the United Nation’s infrastructure agency warned on Thursday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that Tehran’s enemies may be able to strike the country’s nuclear centres but they cannot deprive it of its ability to build new ones. He added that US sanctions were depriving his people of basic necessities, vowing his government would find a way to overcome the country’s challenges.
Ohad Ben Ami, an Israeli hostage released by Hamas at the weekend, has left hospital, and was greeted by schoolchildren as he arrived near a home his family have rented in Tel Aviv.
Two British nationals have been arrested in Iran and given access to the UK ambassador, Hugo Shorter, according to reports.
Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, said two people had been taken to hospital after being beaten by Israeli forces at a checkpoint north of Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
More than 350 rabbis, alongside additional signatories including Jewish creatives and activists, have signed an ad in the New York Times in which they condemn Donald Trump’s proposal for the effective ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Palestinians from Gaza.
The Israeli military said on Thursday it had “identified” a rocket fired from inside Gaza, which fell back to earth within the Palestinian territory, Agence France-Presse reported.
The UK said on Thursday it would adapt its Syria sanctions regions following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s rule late last year, but will ensure asset freezes and travel bans imposed on members of the former government remain in place, reports Reuters.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France is ready to do more to fight terrorist groups in Syria and that Syria should not see the return of Iran militias.
The Danish government said on Thursday it was pledging an additional 10.2 million kroner ($1.4m/£1.12m) to the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa), which has been banned from operating in Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France is ready to do more to fight terrorist groups in Syria and that Syria should not see the return of Iran militias.
“Syria must clearly continue to fight against terrorist organisations that spread chaos in your country and who want to export it. That’s why the fight against Islamic State and all terrorist groups is an absolute priority,” Macron said, adding that the transition should consider working with the Western-led Inherent Resolve operation in neighbouring Iraq.
