The Telegraph reports that a 12-year-old Palestinian girl, who was detained for planning a stabbing attack in an Israeli West Bank settlement, has been released. A wave of attacks by Palestinians since October has killed at least 31 Israelis, although incidents have dropped during the past month.

The Daily Mail online covers a new report from the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, which says that Israeli approvals for new construction in West Bank settlements have increased during the first quarter of 2016. The Guardian online includes a feature on Palestinian West Bank farmers who complain of being impeded by border checkpoint restrictions and lack of water.

The Daily Mail online also reports that the Palestinian representative at the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour has confirmed that Arab delegations have received a draft UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction, which the Palestinian leadership plans to bring to a vote.

Meanwhile, in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the Daily Mail online says that the sole power station there has ground to a halt mainly over a tax dispute with the Palestinian Authority. However, energy is imported to Gaza from both Egypt and Israel.

The Daily Mail online also reports that the Pentagon confirmed yesterday that it is looking to restructure the United States’ observer peacekeeping force in the Sinai Peninsula. The troops are in place to oversee adherence to the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. However, the Sinai region has become increasingly unstable due to Islamist terror groups there, including the ISIS-affiliated Sinai Province. The Pentagon said it is considering the size of its force and relocating to a quieter part of Sinai, increasingly conducting observation remotely.

The Times reports that Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin confirmed yesterday that Moscow has sent its first shipment of the S-300 advanced air defence system to Iran. The weaponry could significantly complicate any future efforts to take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Rogozin said that all S-300 deliveries to Iran should be completed by the end of the year.

The Times says that Israel’s regulator has blocked the proposed merger between two of the country’s mobile phone operators, Cellcom and Golan Telecom.

The Metro includes a profile of Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who stars as Wonder Woman in the current blockbuster “Batman vs Superman.”

In the Israeli media, there is widespread coverage of a press briefing given yesterday by Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon, who covered a range of strategic issues. Yediot Ahronot focuses on Ya’alon’s satisfaction over Israel’s deterrent in Gaza, coupled by a note of caution that Hamas is continuing to rebuild its strength. Meanwhile, Maariv highlights the increasingly close relations with Egypt and the likelihood that Israel is also building ties with Saudi Arabia, due to the common threat of Iran’s regional ambitions. Ya’alon confirmed that Israel had given its consent to Egypt’s handover of two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, announced earlier this week.

The top story in Haaretz, also reported prominently in Israel Hayom is apparent calls by Zionist Union MKs for party leader Isaac Herzog to suspend himself while the investigation into corruption allegations against him unfolds. Herzog is thought to be suspected of breaching campaign funding regulations over his successful party leadership campaign in 2013.

Israel Hayom leads with a poll it commissioned into the attitudes of Israeli high school students. 85 per cent of respondents said they loved their country and 89 per cent said they envisioned their futures in Israel. 60 per cent described themselves as holding right-wing views.