Middle East latest: Israeli hostage found dead in Gaza, military says

Israeli forces have recovered the body of a hostage held in Gaza, the military said Wednesday, adding that it was identifying additional remains that could belong to another captive. The recovery of Yosef AlZayadni, 53, from an underground tunnel comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be dead.

Palestinian medics said Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including three infants — among them a 1-week-old — and two women. Israel’s military says it only targets militants, accusing them of hiding among civilians.

Israel’s air and ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza has killed over 45,800 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It does not say how many were fighters, but says women and children make up over half the fatalities. The military says it killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

And in Yemen, the U.S. military says it carried out a wave of strikes against underground arms facilities of the Houthi rebels. The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted shipping for more than a year and recently ramped up missile attacks on Israel, saying they seek to force an end to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Here's the latest:

Families of American hostages in Gaza will attend Trump inauguration

NEW YORK — Family members of Americans being held hostage in Gaza are planning to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration later this month.

Representatives for the family members said they plan to meet with officials in the incoming Trump administration and members of Congress to urge them to prioritize the safe return of the hostages.

Seven Americans are among the dozens of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.

Trump has sent his incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to Qatar this week for additional talks to work on their release. The Republican president-elect has threatened Hamas by warning that “All hell will break out” if the hostages aren't released.

US officials say a decision on lifting Syrian rebel sanctions will be up to Trump

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is expected to defer to the incoming Trump administration to decide whether to lift sanctions on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its leader, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the outgoing administration’s thinking on the matter.

The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday that the Biden administration has sought to take a careful approach on HTS, the new de facto authority in Syria after overthrowing President Bashar Assad.

The officials added that lifting a foreign terrorist designation is a cumbersome process and that it’s unlikely that the administration could come to a final decision on the matter with just 12 days to go before Trump takes office.

HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was once aligned with al-Qaida, met in December with the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, Barbara Leaf, who led the first U.S. diplomatic delegation into Syria since Assad’s ouster.

The U.S. on Monday eased some restrictions on Syria’s transitional government to allow the entry of humanitarian aid. And the Biden administration in December decided to drop a $10 million bounty it had offered for the capture of al-Sharaa.