Live: Israel delays release of 602 Palestinian prisoners

Three empty buses exploded in separate car parks in Bat Yam, a city south of Tel Aviv, in what Israeli police called a “terrorist” attack.

Authorities are searching for suspects and have said the blasts may be linked to a “nationalist” motive.

Details remain scarce, but the incident has heightened tensions, with critics accusing Israel’s policies of fuelling violence and instability.

Arab leaders are gathering in Saudi Arabia for an emergency meeting on Friday to address the future of Gaza, following Donald Trump’s widely condemned proposal to resettle its residents and transform the enclave into a “Middle Eastern Riviera.”

The plan, which critics have labelled as ethnic cleansing, has sparked outrage across the region.Countries including Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and Kuwait are expected to discuss a $20bn regional initiative for Gaza’s reconstruction, offering an alternative to Trump’s plan.

The meeting precedes an emergency Arab summit on 4 March aimed at presenting a unified stance against the displacement of Palestinians and rejecting any plans that undermine their rights and sovereignty.

Many view Trump's proposal as an attempt to erase Palestinian identity, legitimise Israeli expansionism and perpetuate decades of injustice against the Palestinian people.

Israeli Channel 14, citing a political source, reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to intensify military operations in Gaza and restart the war once the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement ends.

The channel, which is closely aligned with Netanyahu, revealed that his government is considering prolonging the first phase of the agreement for up to two weeks, with the objective of securing the release of as many captives as possible, particularly those still alive, even if it means freeing additional Palestinian detainees in exchange.

Amy Pope, head of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), condemned the devastation inflicted on Gaza after visiting the southern part of the enclave on Thursday.

“The scale of destruction is staggering,” Pope said. “Families who have lost everything are now exposed to the cold, without shelter, infrastructure, or basic services, and with no certainty about their future.”

She described the desperate conditions of displaced families: “I spoke with parents doing whatever they can to keep their children alive, building makeshift shelters from scraps because they have nowhere else to go.”

Pope stressed the urgent need to expand humanitarian efforts, adding that Palestinians must be able to rebuild their lives in Gaza “with dignity and the security they have every right to expect”.

US Senator Lindsey Graham urged Israel to escalate its military aggression in Gaza unless Hamas surrenders and vacates the territory.

"If Hamas does not leave willingly, Israel must resume its offensive with the aim of wiping them out entirely," Graham said, comparing Israel’s assault to the US campaigns against Germany and Japan.

He said that "the only acceptable outcome is Hamas's total military and political destruction," adding that without it, peace and coexistence would be impossible.

A US official told Al Jazeera that Israel is pressuring Washington to take a more active role in the Middle East, warning that if the US does not comply, Israel will act unilaterally.

The official also acknowledged an unspoken pause in hostilities between the Houthis and American forces, stating, "We are monitoring their compliance with the order."

He said that any renewed Houthi attacks would prompt a US military response, adding that President Donald Trump had granted military leaders full authority to retaliate against any perceived aggression.

US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, expressed cautious optimism on Thursday regarding negotiations for the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire despite significant obstacles.

Speaking at a Saudi investment summit alongside Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former Middle East advisor, Witkoff admitted that advancing the deal is “more difficult” but insisted that “if we work hard, there’s a real chance for success.”

He said that all parties agreed mutual captive releases between Israel and Hamas should continue, calling it “a good thing” that “ought to happen”.

However, he pointed to Israel’s refusal to allow Hamas any role in Gaza’s governance as a key sticking point. “It’s hard to square that circle, but we’re making a lot of progress,” he said, expressing hope that “goodwill” from the initial phase would carry over.

Witkoff also attempted to justify Trump’s Gaza takeover plan, which would involve forcibly removing nearly two million Palestinians. He dismissed criticism of the proposal, which has been widely called a plan to "ethnically cleanse" Palestinians, arguing that negative media coverage had misrepresented the president’s intent.

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) opened on Thursday with a resolution affirming unconditional support for Israel, calling it “America’s greatest ally”.

Conference organiser Mercedes Schlapp said, "America stands with you, America stands with Israel, and we will ensure Hamas is eradicated. We will bring peace to the Middle East under President Trump."

CPAC head Matt Schlapp said that Trump’s presidency would not only aid those affected but also prevent “future victims”, echoing the Republican Party’s pro-Israel stance.

US Vice President JD Vance also spoke at CPAC, praising the ceasefire agreement, which he said resulted from US President Donald Trump's leadership.

Israeli forces are dropping leaflets across Gaza in an attempt to spread fear and intimidation among the civilian population and cause psychological distress. The messages are direct threats of mass displacement and Trump’s plan to "ethnically cleanse" Gaza.

Key messages in the leaflets:

1. The implementation of Trump’s expulsion plan, "which will force you to be forcibly displaced whether you like it or not".

2. "The map of the world will not change if all the people of Gaza disappear from existence, and no one will ask about you".

3. "Neither America nor Europe care about Gaza at all, nor even your Arab countries, which are our allies now and provide us with money, oil and weapons, and they send you shrouds."

4. Promises of aid in exchange for collaboration, an effort to sow division amongst the population.

Hamas on Thursday released the bodies of four Israeli captives, including a mother and her two children of the Bibas family, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians to be released later this week.

Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya announced the release of the four bodies on Tuesday, adding that another six living hostages, including Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, who have been detained in Gaza since 2014, are expected to be released this Saturday.

The four other Israeli captives, taken on 7 October 2023, include Tal Shoham, Omer Shem-Tov, Omer Wenkert, and Eliya Cohen.

Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel, were reportedly killed in an air strike in November 2023, according to Hamas. Yarden Bibas, Shiri's husband, was released last month during phase one of the ceasefire deal. 

The body of Oded Lifshitz was also released. Lifshitz was 83 when he was abducted from the Nir Oz settlement he established with his wife, Yocheved.

Read more: Hamas hands over bodies of four Israeli captives

The latest round of exchanges in the prisoner swap agreed between Israel and Hamas is under way. 

On Thursday, Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli captives, including two young children, killed in Gaza during the war. 

In return, Israel is reportedly expected to release all women and minors it has detained since 7 October 2023 who were not involved in the Hamas-led surprise attack that day. 

Israelis held in Gaza are mostly referred to as “hostages” and “captives”, while Palestinians jailed by Israel are referred to as “prisoners” and “detainees”.

Several of those Palestinian prisoners have been handed lengthy, often decades-long sentences, including for murder. 

READ MORE: Did Israel round up women and children after 7 October as bargaining chips?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to Hamas' release of the bodies of four dead Israeli captives, saying Israelis are "united in unbearable grief".

"We all ache with pain that is mixed with rage. We are all furious at the monsters of Hamas," he said in a video message, adding that his country must "settle the score with the vile murderers — and we will settle the score."

Quoting Psalm 94 from the Old Testament, he said, "O God of vengeance, O Lord; O God show vengeance".

"We will bring back all our hostages, destroy the murderers, eliminate Hamas, and together — with God’s help — we will secure our future."

Gaza's health ministry said that 22 bodies were recovered over the past 24 hours and brought to hospitals, bringing the total number of killed in Israel's war to 48,319.

Additionally, 16 injured people were hospitalised, bringing the total to 111,749 since 7 October, 2023.

Commenting on the incident where Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man in Gaza, the Israeli army says there were "a number of suspects who approached the soldiers and posed a threat to them".

It says the soldiers fired "warning shots" but that one man posed an "immediate threat" so they opened fire on him.

The army did not provide evidence to back up its claims.