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In the Middle East, a breakthrough deal between the Israeli government and Hamas after more than six weeks of fighting means 50 Israeli hostages will be returning home during a four-day pause in the fighting in Gaza. The deal also involves the release of up to 150 Palestinians being held in Israeli jails 鈥� teenage boys and young men.

Good news for the families and friends of the hostages and detainees, but it鈥檚 evidence also of a worrying use of civilians as "bargaining chips" according to Sari Bashi, programme director at Human Rights Watch, and co-founder of Gisha - an Israeli group promoting the right to freedom of movement for Palestinians in Gaza.

鈥淗amas and Islamic Jihad hostages should all be released unconditionally,鈥� she says, adding that the Israelis should not make delivering aid to Palestinians in Gaza conditional on the release of hostages.

(Pic: Demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel calling for release of hostages taken to Gaza; Credit: EPA)