Hamas says it has accepted a proposal from mediators to release one living American-Israeli hostage and the bodies of four dual-nationals who had died in captivity.

The Israeli government has extended an emergency provision that bars public gatherings, including widespread protests against Netanyahu, for an additional week. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)JERUSALEM – The Israeli government has extended an emergency provision that bars public gatherings, including widespread protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for an additional week. Israel imposed a nationwide lockdown ahead of the Jewish High Holidays last month to rein in the country's surging coronavirus outbreak. The government then declared the state of emergency, limiting all public gatherings to within a kilometer (half a mile) of a person's home. Israel was initially praised for its swift imposition of restrictions in February to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

JERUSALEM The head of Israel's Shin Bet security service reportedly said Monday that he opposes the continued use of his agency's phone-snooping technology to track coronavirus cases. The Israeli government authorized the Shin Bet to use its technology in March to help halt a burgeoning coronavirus outbreak. The government defended the practice, normally used by the Shin Bet to track suspected Palestinian militants, as a way to save lives. But critics said it violated privacy rights. Even the head of the ISA understands that civil rights were sacrificed in favor of this surveillance," she said, referring to the Shin Bet.