Liri Albag, a former Hamas hostage, will return to military service this week. She has decided not to return to her previous position as an observer, and instead seeks a role in communication and advocacy efforts.

Israel and Iran have reached a ceasefire after 12 days of war, according to the U.S. and later confirmed by officials from both Israel and Iran. The ceasefire will take effect in stages, and the war will be considered officially over after 24 hours without fighting. Just hours before the ceasefire began, Iran launched several missiles toward Israel, one of which hit an apartment building in Beersheba, killing four people.

The IDF has recovered the bodies of three slain hostages, Ofra Keidar, Jonathan Samerano, and Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, in a joint operation with Shin Bet. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged the government to take advantage of the current situation and reach a hostage deal to bring the remaining 50 hostages home.

Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli who was held hostage by Hamas since October 7, 2023, was released in May 2025 and returned home to Tenafly, New Jersey this past weekend. He was greeted by hundreds of supporters lining the streets to welcome him back with signs and chants. His homecoming was celebrated by New Jersey leaders from across the political spectrum, including U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

In response to the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, Birthright Israel rerouted approximately 1,500 participants from the Israeli port city of Ashdod onto a cruise ship bound for Cyprus. The decision was made to ensure student safety. The participants were eventually routed to other parts of Europe before returning safely home to the U.S. and Canada.

In response to Israel’s preemptive strike against Iranian nuclear facilities and military leaders, Iran launched a wave of ballistic missiles at Israel, hitting major cities including Haifa and Tel Aviv. The attack killed eight civilians and left 300 injured, marking one of the deadliest escalations in the region since the start of direct hostilities.