The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza and aid access, after the United States vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council last week.

The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and the opening of all Israeli border crossings for d

The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly backed a resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional, and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, with 149 countries including Germany voting in favour.

The war began when Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. More than half the captives have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight and recovered the remains of dozens more.

Gaza’s Hamas-run police force said it killed 12 members of an Israeli-backed militia after detaining them early Thursday

At least 36 Palestinians were killed while attempting to get aid in southern Gaza on Tuesday, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.

The bodies of two deceased hostages were recovered from southern Gaza in a military operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security agency announced Wednesday evening.

Yair Yaakov was kidnapped by Islamic Jihad in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The other hostage will be named later, the Israeli military said.

One of the two hostages was Yair Yaakov, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, Benjamin Netanyahu says.