Herald section
The latest world reporting from The Belfast Herald.
The remains of two Israeli hostages, Arie Zalmanowicz and Tamir Adar, were transferred to Israel by Hamas via the Red Cross on 21 October 2025, confirmed by military authorities and forensic teams.
Hamas returned the body of Tal Haimi, a 41-year-old civil defence chief from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, who was killed defending his community on 7 October 2023. The casket arrived at Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv on 20 October 2025.
Israeli airstrikes in Khan Yunis and Rafah killed at least 44 Palestinians, with the IDF and Hamas accusing each other of breaching the ceasefire. The conflict follows a series of deadly incidents near the so-called Yellow Line.
The remains of two deceased Israeli hostages, Inbar Haiman and Muhammad el-Atrash, were transferred to Israel through the Red Cross from Hamas in Gaza City on 16 October 2025. Their identities were confirmed by the IDF after forensic examination at Abu Kabir institute.
An Israeli military strike killed eleven Palestinians, including seven children, in a minibus in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood. The vehicle was carrying a displaced family attempting to return to their home.
A 10-year-old Palestinian boy was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers in a village south of Hebron. The incident occurred during reported rock-hurling and confrontations.
Hamas has delivered the remains of two additional hostages to the Red Cross, leaving 19 still unaccounted for in Gaza. The Gaza peace plan's deadline passed without full compliance, prompting U.S. and Israeli responses.
Hamas hands the remains of three more dead hostages over to the Red Cross following the release of four bodies on Monday. Twenty-one bodies of hostages remain in Gaza. A fourth body was found not to be a hostage.