Skip next section Israeli forces kill three militants in West Bank raid, army says
10/28/2025October 28, 2025Israeli forces kill three militants in West Bank raid, army says
Israeli forces have killed three militants in the northern West Bank during what the military described as an anti-terror operation.
The army said troops discovered the men in a cave near Jenin and opened fire after identifying them as individuals involved in militant activity in the area. The operation took place in a nearby village known as a stronghold for armed Palestinian groups, according to the statement.
Palestinian media, including the Wafa news agency, also reported that three men were killed in a cave but said their identities had not yet been confirmed.
Tensions in the occupied West Bank have escalated since the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Gaza war. The Palestinian Health Ministry said hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in Israeli raids, clashes, and attacks since then. At the same time, rights groups have accused Israeli settlers of increasing assaults on Palestinians, saying the army often fails to intervene.
Is the two-state solution being buried in the West Bank?
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Skip next section Israel says Hamas returned remains of hostage already recovered
10/28/2025October 28, 2025Israel says Hamas returned remains of hostage already recovered
Israel has said that partial hostage remains handed over by Hamas on Monday belonged to a captive whose body had already been recovered nearly two years ago.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the identification confirmed that the remains were those of Ofir Tzarfati, an Israeli hostage who was brought back from Gaza in a previous military operation. The statement said the return of the same remains “constitutes a clear violation of the agreement” by Hamas.
Netanyahu’s office said he would meet with defense officials to discuss “Israel’s next steps” in response to the breach.
Israeli media reported that if the remains are confirmed as Tzarfati’s, 13 hostages’ bodies would still be held in Gaza. Neither the Israeli military nor the government commented on the reports.
The remains were handed over Monday as part of the first phase of a US-brokered peace plan requiring Hamas to transfer 28 bodies to Israel. Hamas released all living hostages on October 13 in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli hostage protests continue amid fragile ceasefire
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Skip next section Welcome to our coverage10/28/2025October 28, 2025Welcome to our coverage
Welcome to DW’s coverage of Gaza, Israel and the wider Middle East on Tuesday, October 28.
Israel says Hamas has returned partial remains of a hostage whose body was already recovered nearly two years ago.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office identified the remains as those of Ofir Tzarfati and called the move a “clear violation” of the ceasefire agreement.
Netanyahu is set to meet defense officials to decide on Israel’s response.
Israeli media say if confirmed, 13 hostages’ bodies are still in Gaza. The remains were handed over under a US-brokered plan requiring Hamas to return 28 bodies in total.
Follow along as DW brings you the latest reports, explainers and analysis on developments across the Middle East.
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