Reuters World News Summary

Israel and Hamas agreed early on Wednesday to a ceasefire in Gaza for at least four days, to let in aid and free at least 50 hostages held by militants in the Palestinian enclave in exchange for at least 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel. Finland may shut entire Russian border, foreign minister says Finland is considering closing some of the four remaining crossing points on its frontier with Russia or even the whole border if a flow of asylum seekers from its neighbour continues, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told Reuters on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Israeli children held hostage in Gaza face long road to recovery after release

Dozens of Israeli children held hostage by the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza for more than six weeks face a difficult return when they return home under a prisoner swap agreement, doctors and child psychology specialists said. At least 50 hostages, most of them children, are expected to be returned under a deal which includes a four-day pause in the fighting in Gaza and the return of around 150 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli army displays tunnel beneath Al Shifa it says served as Hamas hideout

The Israeli army showed a reinforced tunnel beside Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza on Wednesday, complete with a bathroom, kitchen and an air conditioned meeting room that it said had served as a command post for Hamas fighters. The tunnel shaft, some two meters (6-1/2 feet) high, was accessed through an outdoor shaft in the hospital complex grounds, which were once crowded with tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians the army said had served as a human shield from war.

Gaza hostage release will not start before Friday, Israel says

The release of hostages under a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas militants will not happen before Friday, Israel's national security adviser said on Wednesday night. Israel and Hamas agreed early on Wednesday to a ceasefire in Gaza for at least four days, to let in aid and free at least 50 hostages held by militants in the Palestinian enclave in exchange for at least 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel.

Finland may shut entire Russian border, foreign minister says

Finland is considering closing some of the four remaining crossing points on its frontier with Russia or even the whole border if a flow of asylum seekers from its neighbour continues, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told Reuters on Wednesday. In November, more than 600 people without valid travel documents to the European Union have come to Finland via Russia, prompting Helsinki to shut several crossings and accuse Moscow of funnelling migrants. The Kremlin denies the charge.

Italy's parties unanimously back clampdown on violence against women

Italian lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously backed a raft of measures to clamp down on violence against women after the killing of a university student, and the arrest of her ex-boyfriend triggered a nationwide debate over the issue. The upper house Senate passed the bill proposed by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by 157-to-0, a rare show of unity between the ruling parties and the opposition.

US thwarted plot to kill Sikh separatist in America

United States authorities thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States and issued a warning to India over concerns the government in New Delhi was involved, a senior Biden administration official said. The U.S. is treating the plot with utmost seriousness and has raised the issue with the Indian government "at the senior-most levels," the White House said on Wednesday.

Vehicle explodes at Niagara Falls, forcing US-Canada border closings

A vehicle exploded on Wednesday on the Rainbow Bridge linking Canada with the United States at Niagara Falls, prompting authorities to close that border crossing and the three others between western New York and southern Ontario, officials said. The vehicle's driver and a passenger were killed in the explosion, and one U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer was injured, a person with knowledge of the situation told Reuters.

North Korea scraps military deal with South, vows to deploy new weapons at border

North Korea said on Thursday it would restore all military measures it had halted under a 2018 deal with South Korea designed to de-escalate tension along their shared border, vowing to forward deploy stronger armed forces and new weapons. The announcement by the North's defence ministry came a day after South Korea suspended part of the inter-Korean deal in response to Pyongyang's launch of a spy satellite and said it would immediately step up surveillance along the heavily fortified border with the North.

Geert Wilders: the anti-Islam, anti-EU populist who could be next Dutch PM

Geert Wilders, the Dutch populist whose anti-Islam comments have led to death threats, could become the next leader of the Netherlands following an election upset for his Freedom Party (PVV) on Wednesday. After 25 years in Dutch politics without holding office, Wilders was set to lead coalition government talks and has a good chance of becoming prime minister.

Iraq condemns US strikes that killed Iran-aligned fighters

Iraq's government condemned overnight U.S. airstrikes south of Baghdad that killed eight members of Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah, saying they were a "dangerous escalation" not coordinated with authorities. The U.S. has carried out two series of strikes in Iraq since Tuesday, in response to more than 60 attacks by Iran-aligned militias against forces in the region, and destroyed a Kataib Hezbollah operations centre and a command and control node.