Summary
We’re closing our live coverage of the Middle East for the day. In case you missed anything, here’s a quick round-up of the day’s developments.
Hamas has confirmed which three of the remaining hostages will be released on Saturday, naming Ofer Calderon, 54, Keith Siegel, 65, and Yarden Bibas, 35
The health needs in Gaza are “immense” and there is “large-scale devastation of the health system”, the World Health Organisation has said
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, one of the main routes for getting humanitarian aid into Gaza, will reopen on Saturday after the fourth phase of the hostage-for-prisoners exchange, a Hamas official has told the AFP
The first 50 people requiring medical evacuation will be allowed to leave Gaza on Saturday
The European Union has restarted its civilian mission at the crossing, with the bloc’s high representative for foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, saying the mission would “support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care”
Britain, France and Germany have reiterated their “grave concern” about Israel’s ban on the UN’s agency for the Palestinians, UNRWA, saying in a joint statement: “We urge the government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations.”
Hundreds of people have gathered on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing waving Egyptian and Palestinian flags to protest President Trump’s suggestion that the people of Gaza should be moved into Egypt and Jordan
Trump has repeated the proposal, saying when asked how he would pressure Egypt and Jordan to take so many people: “We do a lot for them, and they’re going to do it”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has spoken by phone with Emily Damari, a freed British-Israeli hostage who was released on 19 January after spending 471 days in captivity
Thanks for joining us. You can find all our latest coverage on our Middle East page.
Starmer holds call with freed hostage
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has spoken by phone with freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari.
Emily was released on 19 January as part of the first group of hostages freed under the ceasefire deal. She had been held for 471 days.
Her mother, Mandy Damari, posted a photo of her holding the call to social media and said: “Thank you Keir_Starmer for calling us today and all your support in getting Emily home.”
She went on to say Hamas had held Emily in facilities run by UNRWA – the UN’s aid agency for the Palestinians – and “denied her access to medical treatment after shooting her twice”.
“It’s a miracle that she survived, and we need to get aid to remaining hostages now,” she said.
On Thursday, Israel cut off contact with UNRWA and told the agency to vacate its offices in Jerusalem, having previously claimed that members of UNRWA’s staff had taken part in the 7 October attacks.
In a statement to the BBC, UNRWA said: “Claims that hostages have been held in UNRWA premises, even if previously vacated, are very serious.
“We have repeatedly called for independent investigations into claims of misuse and disregard of U.N. premises by Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas.”
Updated
