israel

Qatar PM Confirms Israel and Hamas Reach Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal

Qatar's prime minister announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed Wednesday to a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza, adding he hoped the deal would pave the way for a permanent end to the fighting. After mediators earlier said a deal had been reached, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned that some ...

Key Stages of the Expected Gaza Truce Agreement

Just days before Donald Trump returns to the White House, a comprehensive agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza. First announced by sources close to the talks, the agreement was confirmed a few hours later by the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed ben Abderrahmane al-Thani. Here are the points of the agreement ...

Qatar Says Gaza Truce Talks in 'Final Stages'

Key mediator Qatar said negotiations for a Gaza truce and hostage release deal were in their "final stages" on Tuesday, adding that it was hopeful an agreement could be reached "very soon". Qatar, Egypt and the United States have stepped up efforts to broker a ceasefire to enable the release of hostages held in Gaza since ...

Gaza: What We Know About the Evolving Ceasefire Agreement

Hamas is set to release 33 hostages held in Gaza in return for approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. This exchange marks the first phase of an evolving ceasefire agreement, according to Israeli and Palestinian sources. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have intensified efforts in recent weeks to finalize the ...

Blinken Claims Hezbollah Is Now 'Just a Memory'

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday, referred to "Hezbollah's retreat to the north of the Litani River," noting that "Iran has lost the ability to supply the party with weapons." "Hezbollah has lost and is now a thing of the past. His attacks have harmed the Lebanese and the Israelis," he said at a press conference on the situation ...

Israel Army says Attempted to Intercept Missile Fired from Yemen

Israel's military said early Tuesday it had tried several times to shoot down a missile fired from Yemen which sent sirens blaring across the centre of the country. The latest attack came less than a day after Yemen's Houthis said they launched a missile towards Tel Aviv, which Israeli forces said they intercepted. "Following the sirens that ...

Tensions Persist as Israeli Forces Remain Along Lebanon's Southern Border

With less than two weeks to go before the end of the ceasefire introduced on November 27, Israeli forces are still present in the areas along Lebanon's southern border. For the second consecutive day, the Israeli army continued its incursion into the villages of Mfaylha and Ras al-Dahr, west of Mays al-Jabal. Sweep operations are underway, ...

The Shiite Duo Concedes to Regional Shifts by Electing Joseph Aoun

“I did not come to engage in politics, but to build a state that can only be founded on justice and equality for all its components.” This statement, delivered by General Joseph Aoun, Lebanon's first president after its centenary, during his first official meeting with a congratulatory delegation, succinctly summarizes his vision and ...

Gaza Truce and Hostage Release Deal Nearing Finalization

A Gaza truce and hostage release deal is close and could be finalized in the final week of US President Joe Biden's term, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Monday. "We are close to a deal, and it can get done this week. I'm not making a promise or prediction, but it is there for the taking, and we are going to work to make ...

Israel Far-Right Minister Vows to Oppose Gaza Deal

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday vowed to oppose any deal to end the Gaza war, while a senior Palestinian official said "significant progress" had been made in negotiations in Doha. Since early January, indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have resumed in Doha to ...

The Lebanese President and CENTCOM Chief Discuss the Israeli Withdrawal from South Lebanon

President Joseph Aoun and a top US general discussed on Monday the implementation of a fragile truce between Hezbollah and Israel in South Lebanon, the presidency said. The President and the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Kurilla, met as a January 26 deadline to fully implement the terms of the ceasefire ...