Newspaper headlines: Sunak's by-election blues and US hostages freed

Hamas video shows mother and daughter hostage release

By BBC News
Staff

Many of Saturday's papers give prominence to the release of the two American hostages by Hamas on Friday. In an apparent moment of mercy against the backdrop of misery, President Biden thanked Qatar and Israel for helping free Judith and Natalie Raanan who were among about two hundred people taken hostage during a deadly attack on Israel earlier this month.

Elsewhere in the war coverage, the Times suggests despite hopes of further releases before Israel's expected offensive, Hamas is likely to consider remaining hostages as key bargaining chips. They include up to seven British people.

Next to a photo of the two hostages, the Daily Mail carries a report about a young female conscript getting ready to fight for Israel against Hamas - when just two weeks ago she was working in an advertising agency in Tel Aviv.

The Financial Times talks about a three-stage phase of the conflict finishing with cutting ties with Gaza completely. The paper quotes officials as saying border crossings will not be reopened after the war, nor would Israel allow in Palestinians from the enclave for work.

Under the headline "deadly wait", the Daily Mirror's front page features two photographs - one of Israeli tanks waiting to go into Gaza, the other of a Palestinian medic tending a child, as people in Gaza continue to wait for the arrival of urgent food, medicines and fuel.

An asylum seeker bent on avenging deaths in Gaza has carried out a suspected terror attack in the UK, according to the main story in the Daily Telegraph. No details have been given, for legal reasons, but it is understood the suspect arrived in Britain in 2020. Senior politicians are said to be concerned that the details haven't been made public at a time of heightened terror alerts because of events in Israel.

Turning to domestic news, some papers take a look at a buoyant Labour Party after two historic swings in the Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth by-elections.

The Guardian says the defeats will lead the Tories into another round infighting and "acrimony" over the prospect of a Labour landslide at the next election.

In sport, the i news paper looks ahead to England's crunch Rugby World Cup semi-final clash against the Springboks in Paris. Former England captain Dylan Hartley offers his five-point plan to beat South Africa for a place in the final against New Zealand.

Finally, the Daily Express focuses on the by-elections blues for Rishi Sunak highlighting "furious" MPs' calls for the Tories to return to "true blue" values. It said they had urged Rishi Sunak to slash taxes and get a grip on illegal immigration to give the party a "fighting chance" at the next election.