Closing summary
We’re closing this blog shortly, here’s a summary of the day’s developments:
The remains of two young children, their mother, and an elderly man taken hostage by Hamas have been returned to Israel in what onlookers described as one of the “worst days” for Israelis since the Palestinian militant group attack that ignited the war in Gaza
The bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, who Hamas says were killed in an Israeli airstrike, as well as Oded Lifshitz, were handed to the Red Cross in coffins after a ceremony in Khan Younis
The United Nations rights chief said the parading of bodies in Gaza was abhorrent and flies in the face of international law
Isaac Herzog, Israel’s president, has asked for “forgiveness” for not protecting the nation’s citizens in the Oct 7 attack, as bodies of hostages were returned.
You can read Jerusalem correspondent Bethan McKernan’s full report here:
Updated
In an update to our earlier post about the Saudi crown prince inviting leaders for a meeting in Riyadh on Friday, the Saudi state news agency SPA has further details.
Arab states have pledged to work on a postwar plan for the Gaza Strip’s reconstruction to counter US president Donald Trump’s proposal to redevelop the territory as an international beach resort after resettling its Palestinian inhabitants elsewhere.
Saudi Arabia said Friday’s meeting would be unofficial and held within “the framework of the close brotherly relations that bring together the leaders”, SPA said.
“As for joint Arab action and the decisions issued regarding it, it will be on the agenda of the upcoming emergency Arab summit that will be held in the sisterly Arab republic of Egypt,” SPA added, referring to plans for an emergency Arab summit on 4 March to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
