PM finishes discussions on hostage deal, deadline passes without success

IDF instructed to prepare to defend Druze in Syria • Netanyahu to convene meeting on hostage deal • Hostage families call for continuation of deal

Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025
Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025
(photo credit: YAEL GADOT)

Prime Minister's Office: This is what happened on the night of October 7

ByANNA BARSKY
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 (L-R) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi
(L-R) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi
(photo credit: FLASH90, IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a harsh statement on Saturday night in response to comments allegedly made by the IDF chief of staff regarding the performance of an intelligence officer in the prime minister’s military secretariat on the night of October 7.

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Israel to adopt Wiktoff's proposal for temporary ceasefire over Ramadan, Passover

ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF, AMICHAI STEIN
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'59 more to go': An illustrative image shows US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
'59 more to go': An illustrative image shows US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(photo credit: LIOR SEGEV, REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN, REUTERS/Nathan Howard)

Israel has decided to adopt the US's proposal for a temporary ceasefire spanning the Ramadan and Passover period, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office on Saturday night.

This comes shortly after the end of a four-hour security meeting commandeered by Prime Minister Netanyahu, which coincided with the official end of the Gaza ceasefire deal at midnight.

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Hamas stalls Gaza ceasefire talks, betting Israel won't resume fighting – analysis

BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
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Hamas terrorists stand guard in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, February 22, 2025
Hamas terrorists stand guard in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, February 22, 2025
(photo credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

Hamas is playing for time in Cairo, Doha, and Gaza. It hopes that Israel has gambled on extending a ceasefire deal, and that it can hold out and get the best of both worlds.

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Israel, Hamas fail in talks as Gaza hostage deal reaches dead end, source tells 'Post'

ByAMICHAI STEIN
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 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a background of Israeli protesters (illustrative)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a background of Israeli protesters (illustrative)
(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90, YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

No progress has been made in the ceasefire talks in Cairo, and Israel is reaching a dead end, a source familiar with the details of the negotiations told The Jerusalem Post Saturday.

There were many technical discussions but no results, the source said.

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Israel attacks Damascus neighborhood - report

ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Israel is attacking the Al-Maza neighborhood in Damascus, Syrian media reported Saturday night.

This is a developing story.

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Israelis call on gov't to free all hostages in Tel Aviv protests

ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Israelis rallied across Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, calling for the release of all 59 hostages who remain held in captivity in the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists.

Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025 (credit: LIOR SEGEV)
Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025 (credit: LIOR SEGEV)

Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025 (credit: Adar Eyal)
Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025 (credit: Adar Eyal)

Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025 (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)
Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025 (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

 Chained hostages performance art on Begin Road in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025. (credit: YAEL GADOT)
Chained hostages performance art on Begin Road in Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025. (credit: YAEL GADOT)

 Demonstrators chain themselves together in front of sign reading first all the hostages, now, Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025.  (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)
Demonstrators chain themselves together in front of sign reading first all the hostages, now, Tel Aviv, March 1, 2025. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)


Netanyahu, Katz instruct IDF to prepare to defend Druze village in Syria

ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
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 Druze people from Israel, the Golan Heights and Syria use speakers and microphones to communicate across the Syrian-Golan Heights border, after children and teens were killed at a soccer pitch by a rocket Israel says was fired from Lebanon, near Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Golan Heights
Druze people from Israel, the Golan Heights and Syria use speakers and microphones to communicate across the Syrian-Golan Heights border, after children and teens were killed at a soccer pitch by a rocket Israel says was fired from Lebanon, near Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Golan Heights
(photo credit: RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF on Saturday evening to prepare to defend a Druze village in Syria which is currently under attack by Syrian forces.

The village that is currently under attack is the town of Jaramana, which is on the outskirts of Damascus, and has been targeted by Syrian rebel forces.

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Gaza hostage, ceasefire deal reaching a dead end, Israeli official tells ‘Post'

ByAMICHAI STEIN
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Chained hostages performance art on Begin Road in Tel Aviv. Sign reads: "First of ALL the hostages," March 1, 2025..
Chained hostages performance art on Begin Road in Tel Aviv. Sign reads: "First of ALL the hostages," March 1, 2025..
(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)

No progress has been made in the ceasefire talks in Cairo, and Israel is reaching a dead end, a source familiar with the details of the negotiations told The Jerusalem Post Saturday.

There were lots of technical discussions but no results, the source added.

Israel and mediating countries believe that only the Trump administration can perhaps break the talks out of the impasse.

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'Don't destroy our lives': Hamas propaganda video shows Iair, Eitan Horn prior to separation

ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Hamas propaganda video shows hostage Eitan Horn with recently freed brother Iair, March 1, 2025. (credit: Section 27A Copyright Act)

Hamas released a propaganda video to its social media of brothers Iair and Eitan Horn on Saturday, right before Iair was released from captivity.

The video shows the Horn brothers hugging and saying their goodbyes a day before Iair was to be released back to Israel, in what appears to be in the underground Hamas tunnels.

"I am very happy to see that my brother is being released, but this is not logical in any way, to separate families," Eitan said in the video. "Get everyone out, and don't separate families. Do not destroy all our lives."

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Gazanomics: A look at Israel's wartime economy and what could derail it - analysis

BySHLOMO MAITAL
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 Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

An economist is someone who states the obvious in words that are incomprehensible.

I am an economist who, for many years, spoke and wrote incomprehensible, mathematical babble.

Lately, I have tried my best to reform. Keenly aware of the gobbledygook I and my fellow economists favor, I now try hard not to confuse readers with jargon.

Let me state a non-obvious, somewhat ignored fact. Israel’s economy has proven to be remarkably resilient. This, despite more than 16 months of a costly seven-front war, which at one point saw nearly 10 percent of the labor force called up for IDF reserve duty. Many reservists still do long stretches of active service; the newly appointed Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir quickly asserted that 2025 will be a year of combat, too.

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Israel at war: What you need to know


  • Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza.
  • Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 at the Re'im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities.
  • 59 hostages remain in Gaza.
  • 49 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says.
  • The IDF launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30.
  • The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect on November 27 at 4:00 a.m.
  • Netanyahu confirmed the first phase of the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire on January 17, 2025
  • 735 terrorists will be released as part of the hostage deal