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Israeli soldier killed in the West Bank

The Israeli military says a soldier was killed and another was seriously wounded in the West Bank.

The military declined to provide further details. Israeli media reported Monday that the soldiers’ vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in the northern West Bank overnight.

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Syrians hope war-hit Damascus train station can be restored

A train station in Damascus was once the pride of the Syrian capital, an essential link between Europe and the Arabian Peninsula during the Ottoman Empire and then a national transit hub. But more than a decade of war left it a wasteland of bullet-scarred walls and twisted steel.

The Qadam station's remaining staff say they still have an attachment to the railway and hope that it, like the country, can be revived after the swift and stunning downfall of leader Bashar Assad last month.

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Turkey reopens consulate in Aleppo

Turkey reopened its consulate in Syria’s largest city, Aleppo, raising its flag at the building for the first time in 12 years, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The opening on Monday comes weeks after the Turkish Embassy resumed its operations in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Dec. 14.

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Houthis say they'll limit attacks in Red Sea to Israeli ships

Yemen's Houthi rebels have signaled they now will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships, just as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip entered its second day Monday.

The Houthis' announcement, made in an email sent to shippers and others on Sunday, likely won't be enough to encourage global firms to reenter the route that's crucial for cargo and energy shipments moving between Asia and Europe. Their attacks have halved traffic through the region, cutting deeply into revenues for Egypt, which runs the Suez Canal linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

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Missing US journalist's mother says new Syria leaders 'determined' to find son

The mother of U.S. journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in Syria in 2012, said on Monday in Damascus that the war-torn country's new leadership was committed to finding him.

"I have been privileged to meet with the new leadership of Syria," Debra Tice told journalists in the Syrian capital, adding: "It was so wonderful to learn that they are dedicated and determined to bring home my son, and your son."

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Israel releases 90 women and teens, fires at celebrating crowds

Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The release came early Monday, more than seven hours after three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza returned to Israel.

A large bus carrying dozens of Palestinian detainees exited the gates of Israel’s Ofer prison, just outside the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israel’s military, which occupies the West Bank, warned Palestinians against public celebration, but crowds thronged the buses after they left the prison, some people climbing on top or waving flags, including those of Hamas.

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Israeli far-right minister Ben Gvir's party quits ruling coalition

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's party announced on Sunday it was leaving Israel's ruling coalition in protest at what it called the "scandalous" ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

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Gaza ceasefire begins after nearly 3-hour delay

A long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza began after a three-hour delay as Hamas named the three female hostages it plans to free later on Sunday. Israel had vowed to keep fighting until it received the names, as the long and uncertain process aimed at ending the war got off to a bumpy start.

Celebrations erupted across the war-ravaged territory and some Palestinians began returning to their homes despite the delay, which underscored the fragility of the agreement. The truce, which started at 11:15 a.m. local time, is a first step toward ultimately ending the conflict and returning nearly 100 hostages abducted in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered it.

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Explosions and sirens in central Israel after rocket fired from Yemen

Explosions were heard over Jerusalem after sirens blared across the city and central Israel on Saturday morning, AFP journalists reported, while the Israeli military said a projectile had been launched from Yemen.

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Gaza ceasefire to begin Sunday morning, after Israeli approval

A ceasefire in the Gaza war will begin Sunday morning at 0630 GMT, mediator Qatar said on Saturday after Israel's cabinet voted to approve the truce and hostage-prisoner release deal.

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