A woman who survived the terrorist attack at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023 has been chosen to represent Israel at this year’s Eurovision.

Yuval Raphael, who survived the 7 October attack in 2023, has been chosen to represent Israel at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Raphael, 24, was at the Nova musical festival when Hamas attackers killed 360 young partygoers and took 40 more hostage.

Yuval Raphael, survivor of the Nova music festival terrorist attack by Hamas in October 2023, has turned to music to help her process her trauma and will represent Israel in the Eurovision contest.

The Israeli government is seeking to keep military positions in southern Lebanon past a Sunday withdrawal deadline, set in a November ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, the country’s ambassador to the US said on Thursday.

The Israeli army's withdrawal from southern Lebanon will last beyond 60 days because the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Friday.

Days into the Gaza ceasefire, the head of Israel's Shin Bet security service has signalled that the country's focus is switching to Palestinian armed groups in the occupied West Bank. Ronen Bar said Israel was in the midst of a multi-front campaign, but that "right now, it's Samaria's [northern West Bank] time".

The action came a day after President Donald Trump said he will lift sanctions on ultranationalist Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian villages.

Palestinian activist Bushra Al-Tahil was released from an Israeli prison in exchange for hostages held by Hamas. Although Al-Tahil was held for more than 10 months, she was never charged with a crime.

Under the terms of the Gaza cease-fire, Hamas was expected to share the names of four female hostages to be released Saturday, and Israel would name the more than 100 Palestinian prisoners to be freed in exchange.

Relatives of hostages still being held by militants in Gaza have called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure all remaining captives are freed

Columbia University says it is boosting security after an incident on campus involving protesters. Earlier this week, the university said in a statement a class on "The History of Modern Israel" was disrupted Tuesday by a group of students who handed out fliers showing violent imagery.

Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted a History of Modern Israel class at Columbia University on the first day of the spring semester and handed out antisemitic flyers.