Middle East latest: Hamas says 3 Israeli hostages will be freed on Saturday as planned

The militant Hamas group said Thursday it would release the next group of three Israeli hostages as planned, in a reversal of its previous statement and raising the prospect of resolving a major dispute over the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas had threatened to delay the next release of Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow in tents and shelters, among other alleged violations of the truce. Israel had threatened to renew its offensive if hostages were not freed.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on Hamas’ announcement but if the hostages are freed, that would allow the ceasefire to continue for now, though the its future remains in doubt.

The fragile ceasefire has mostly held since it started on Jan. 19. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas has committed to freeing a total of 33 hostages captured in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack in exchange for Israel releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The sides have carried out five swaps since Jan. 19, freeing 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian prisoners so far. The war could resume if no agreement is reached on the more complicated second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of all remaining hostages and an indefinite extension of the truce.

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Israeli military says it shot at a Palestinian suspect in northern West Bank; Palestinians say a man was killed

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it opened fire on a Palestinian who approached a base in the north of the occupied West Bank and was acting suspiciously.

The army statement did not elaborate on Thursday’s shooting. The Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry said Israeli authorities informed it that Issa Jabali, 28, was killed. The ministry did not provide further information.

Tensions have soared in the Israeli-occupied West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of the Gaza Strip triggered the war there.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for a future state.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies wants to expand its reach in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria — The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said during a visit to Damascus on Thursday that he hopes to expand its reach in Syria after the fall of former President Bashar Assad.

During nearly 14 years of civil war, the country was divided between government and opposition-controlled areas, and its emergency services were also divided. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent at the time worked in government-controlled areas and a separate civil defense organization known as the White Helmets in opposition areas.

IFRC Secretary-General Jagan Chapagain said his organization “will support the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to work across Syria” including in formerly rebel-controlled enclaves like Idlib in the northwest, while “collaborating with all other humanitarian organizations.”

Chapagain said the group hopes to be able to move beyond handing out food boxes to more sustainable aid as the country rebuilds.

Many humanitarian organizations have been reeling from the Trump administration’s freeze on U.S. foreign assistance. Chapagain said that USAID is a “very crucial partner for us.”

“We are in very constructive discussion with the new administration,” he said. “We have received waivers for some of our lifesaving programs and we continue to engage with them.”