Live update: Palestinian resistance hands over Israeli soldier to Red Cross

0848 GMT — The Palestinian group Hamas set free a female Israeli soldier in Gaza under a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Agam Berger was handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Al-Razan area in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, according to an Anadolu reporter.

Two more Israeli captives are set to be released on Thursday in swap for 110 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The Israeli army confirmed that it received the freed Israeli soldier from the Red Cross and she will be brought out of Gaza to an army facility near the border settlement of Re’im for an initial checkup.

During the handover ceremony, Red Cross representatives were taken on stage to sign a protocol for the soldier’s release.

0429 GMT — Israel cuts ties with UN aid agency supporting Palestinians

Israel will cut ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Thursday following accusations it provided cover for Hamas, a move likely to hamper delivery of its vital services after 15 months of war in Gaza.

The agency, UNRWA, will be banned from operating on Israeli soil, and contact between it and Israeli officials will also be forbidden.

UNRWA has provided support for Palestinian refugees around the Middle East for over 70 years, but has long clashed with Israeli officials, who have repeatedly accused it of undermining the country's security.

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0341 GMT — Jewish group slams Trump’s executive order on pro-Palestinian protesters

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) has strongly criticised an executive order signed on Wednesday by US President Donald Trump that paves the way for deporting pro-Palestinian student activists, calling it a "violent crusade" against free speech and political dissent.

“We are disgusted by Trump's reported plans to continue his violent crusade aimed at gutting freedom and democracy,” the leading progressive anti-Zionist organisation wrote on X, denouncing the move as a "vile" attempt to silence opposition to US-backed Israeli actions in Gaza.

The executive order states that the US government will use “all available and appropriate legal tools” to combat anti-Semitism, including prosecuting and deporting those accused of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment.

The measure targets student-led anti-war demonstrations that have erupted on college campuses in response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has killed over 47,000 people.

0309 GMT — No US funding used for family planning in Gaza: Aid group

No US government funding was used to procure or distribute condoms or to provide family planning services in Gaza, the International Medical Corps (IMC) has said, refuting claims made by the Trump administration.

The humanitarian organisation, which said it has received more than $68 million in funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) since Oct. 7, 2023, when Israel's war on Gaza broke out, emphasised that the financial support has been used solely for lifesaving medical operations in the besieged enclave.

“With the generous support of USAID and the American people, we’ve used these resources to operate two large field hospitals currently located in central Gaza - one in Deir al Balah and one in Al Zawaida - offering a combined total capacity of more than 250 beds, including 20 in the emergency room and 170 in the surgical department,” IMC said in a statement.