56 h. ago Israel says ceasefire and aid to resume after wave of strikes kill 26 in Gaza

The Israeli military said on Sunday a ceasefire in Gaza had resumed after an attack killed two of its soldiers and prompted a wave of air strikes that Palestinians said killed 26 people, in the most serious test yet of this month’s US-brokered truce. Aid into the enclave was set to resume on Monday following US pressure, an Israeli security source said, shortly after Israel announced a halt in supplies in response to what it said was a “blatant” violation by Hamas of the truce. The Israeli...

Events

3 d. ago Hamas is planning attack on Gaza civilians in violation of ceasefire, US warns

The US State Department said Saturday that it has “credible reports” that Hamas could violate the ceasefire with an attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza. If the attack takes place, it “would constitute a direct and grave violation” of the agreement forged by US President Donald Trump to end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas, the statement said. No further details were disclosed about the potential attack. ”Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the...

Events

4 d. ago Hamas and Israel’s Gaza ceasefire hangs by a thread as Trump warns of war

Hamas moved on Friday to shore up its brittle ceasefire agreement with Israel by reaffirming its commitment to the terms of the deal that includes a pledge to hand over the remains of all dead Israeli hostages. The militant group’s statement released in the early hours on Friday follows a dire warning from US President Donald Trump that he would approve Israel to resume the war if Hamas doesn’t live up to its end of the deal and return all the hostages’ bodies. Hamas, however, maintains that...

Events

5 d. ago As fragile Gaza ceasefire holds, world powers plan stabilisation force

France and Britain, in coordination with the United States, were working to finalise a UN Security Council resolution in the coming days that would lay the foundation for a future international force in Gaza, France said on Thursday. With a shaky US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holding, planning has begun for an international force to stabilise security in the Palestinian enclave, two senior US advisers said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters in Paris, French Foreign Ministry...

Events

1 week ago ‘War is over’, but will fragile Gaza ceasefire hold amid deep divisions?

The US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza has halted two years of bloodshed, but analysts warn it will only hold if President Donald Trump, his administration and key Middle Eastern mediators remain deeply invested in preventing the conflict from reigniting. Neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Hamas readily agreed to the truce. Rather, observers say they were compelled to comply by Trump and the coordinated efforts of Qatar, Egypt and Turkey. “They are invested in the ceasefire and...

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1 week ago Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan

Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, a ceasefire and hostage deal that could open the way to ending a bloody two-year-old war that has upended the Middle East. Just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas militants’ cross-border attack that triggered Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza, indirect talks in Egypt yielded an agreement on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework to bring peace to the Palestinian enclave. The...

Politics

1 week ago Hamas submits prisoner list to Israel amid ‘optimism’ of Gaza talks

Hamas said on Wednesday that “optimism” was prevailing in indirect talks with Israel aimed at ending the Gaza war, with the militant group submitting a list of prisoners it wants to be released in exchange for freeing Israeli hostages under a deal. The talks aim to thrash out a plan to implement a 20-point peace proposal put forward last month by US President Donald Trump, to which both Israel and Hamas have responded positively. The plan calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages,...

Events

2 w. ago Trump says ‘real chance’ to end Gaza war, Hamas seeks US guarantees

US President Donald Trump voiced optimism that there was a “real chance” to end the war in Gaza, as Israel marked the second anniversary of the October 7 attack on Tuesday. In his message marking the anniversary, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to achieve all the goals of the war. “We are in fateful, decisive days. We will continue to act to achieve all the war’s objectives: the return of all abductees, the elimination of Hamas’s rule, and ensuring that Gaza will never again pose...

Politics

2 w. ago Israel shells Gaza on war anniversary, amid Hamas talks on Trump plan

Israeli tanks, boats and jets pounded parts of Gaza on Tuesday, giving Palestinians no respite on the anniversary of the Hamas attack that led to two years of war and underlining the challenges at talks on US President Donald Trump’s plan to halt the conflict. With no ceasefire in place, residents said Israel pressed on with its offensive after Hamas and Israel began indirect negotiations on Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on key issues such as Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and Hamas’...

Politics

2 w. ago Rubio says Gaza war ‘not yet ended’ despite peace plan progress

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the war in Gaza has not yet ended despite Israel and Hamas both agreeing to parts of US President Donald Trump’s plan for the strip, as Gazans called for its quick implementation to end their suffering. “We will know very quickly whether Hamas is serious or not by how these technical talks go in terms of the logistics,” Rubio told NBC News’ Meet the Press about the release of hostages from Gaza. Hamas had drawn a welcoming response from Trump...

Events

2 w. ago Israeli strikes kills dozens in Gaza despite Trump’s demand to halt bombing

Dozens were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza on Saturday, local health officials said, despite a demand from US President Donald Trump for Israel to stop bombing in response to a declaration by Hamas that it was ready to free hostages under his plan to end the two-year-old war. With ceasefire talks due to begin in Egypt in the coming week, Trump said on Saturday on social media that Israel had agreed to an “initial withdrawal line” inside Gaza and that “when Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will...

Events

2 w. ago Hamas ready for peace as Israel prepares ‘immediate implementation’ of Trump plan

US President Donald Trump told Israel on Friday to immediately stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, but vexing issues like disarmament appeared unresolved. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel was preparing for an “immediate implementation” of the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan for the release of Israeli hostages, following Hamas’ response. Shortly after, Israeli media reported that the...

Politics

2 w. ago Hamas says it accepts some elements of Gaza peace plan after Trump ultimatum

Hamas said on Friday that it has accepted some elements of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip, including giving up power and releasing all remaining hostages, but that others require further consultations among Palestinians. The statement came hours after Trump said that Hamas must agree to the deal by Sunday evening, threatening an even greater military onslaught nearly two years into the war sparked by the October 7 attack into Israel. It was unclear how the US...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says Hamas ready for peace, Israel must stop bombing Gaza ‘immediately’

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Israel must “immediately” stop bombing Gaza to allow for negotiations after Hamas said it was open to ceasefire talks. “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!” Trump posted on social media. Hamas said on Friday that it had accepted some elements of Trump’s plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip,...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s Gaza plan: Hamas seeks changes as Israel issues ‘last’ warning

Israel’s defence minister issued a final warning for Gaza City residents to flee south on Wednesday, as Hamas weighed US President Donald Trump’s plan to end nearly two years of war in the Palestinian territory. Witnesses reported heavy bombardment in Gaza’s largest urban centre, as Israel Katz warned the military was tightening its encirclement of the city. “This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas operatives isolated in Gaza City,” Katz...

Events

3 w. ago Hamas reviewing Trump Gaza plan as Netanyahu insists on Israeli control

Hamas was reviewing Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza on Tuesday, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli military would stay in most of the territory after he gave the US president his backing. The plan calls for a ceasefire, release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, disarmament of Hamas and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, followed by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump himself. “Hamas has begun a series of consultations within its political and military...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump gives Hamas ‘three or four days’ for Gaza ceasefire deal

US President Donald Trump gave Hamas an ultimatum of “three or four days” on Tuesday to respond to his plan for Gaza, as the militant group reviewed the proposal backed by Israel. The plan calls for a ceasefire, release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, disarmament of Hamas and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, followed by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump himself. World powers, including Arab and Muslim nations, welcomed the proposal, but Hamas had yet to issue its...

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