The IDF boarded the 'Madleen' early on Monday, taking the crew and the ship to the Port of Ashdod, where they would be sent back to their respective countries.

Israel says it has retrieved the body of a 35-year-old Thai hostage who was abducted into Gaza during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war.

Numerous attempts have been made to mend the Fatah-Hamas rivalry, including a dialogue hosted last June among Palestinian factions hosted by China, though without a breakthrough. Hamas today remains the most dominant group in Gaza, though a number of other influential factions continue to operate there.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Israeli military has retrieved the body of Thai hostage, Nattapong Pinta, who had been held in Gaza since Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday.

Hayya, said in a pre-recorded speech on Thursday the group had not rejected the latest U.S. proposal for a ceasefire with Israel but demanded changes that would secure the end of the war in the enclave.

A senior Hamas official has slammed America's decision to exercise its veto power against a United Nations Security Council draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, arguing the decision ran contrary to the ideals that Washington purports to promote on the world stage.

Israel is arming local militias in Gaza in an effort to counter Hamas in the besieged enclave, officials say, as opposition politicians warned that the move endangers national security.

Throughout the current war, the IDF has recommended that media outlets be wary of reports and casualty statistics provided by Gaza's "civil defense" team.