Middle East

One of four bodies returned to Israel by Hamas last night doesn’t match any of hostages, IDF says

Israel's military has said the fourth body handed over by Hamas on Tuesday night doesn't match any of the hostages. In a statement, the IDF said Hamas is "required to…

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Trump says Hamas must disarm or be disarmed, perhaps violently

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had communicated to Hamas that the militant group must disarm or it will be forced to. On Monday, Hamas freed the…

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Trump declares end of Gaza war as last Israeli hostages swapped for Palestinian detainees

Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza on Monday under a ceasefire deal and Israel sent home busloads of Palestinian detainees, as U.S. President Donald Trump declared the…

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The Gaza peace plan – what comes next?

On 29 September, US President Donald Trump alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new plan to address the war in Gaza. Commonly referred to as Trump’s 20-point plan,…

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Hamas deploys armed fighters and police across parts of Gaza

Hamas has started deploying armed fighters and police across parts of Gaza in an apparent attempt to reassert authority in the devastated Palestinian territory after the ceasefire deal agreed with…

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UPDATED: Hamas hands over all remaining hostages to Israel

-o- Hamas freed the last 20 surviving Israeli hostages on Monday under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal, a big step towards ending two years of shattering war in Gaza as President…

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Israeli cabinet approves Trump’s plan for Gaza ceasefire and release of hostages

Israel’s cabinet approved early on Friday US President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, after a deal was…

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UPDATED: Israel and Hamas agree to Gaza ceasefire and return of hostages

Israel and Hamas said they had agreed to a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage deal, the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end a war in Gaza that…

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Hamas says it handed over list of Israelis and Palestinians for swap deal

Hamas said on Wednesday it had exchanged a list of the names of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be released under a swap deal and that it was optimistic…

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Hamas says it’s ready to reach Gaza deal, but conditions remain

Hamas said it was ready to reach a deal to end the war in Gaza based on President Donald Trump's plan but still has demands, as Qatar's prime minister and…

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UPDATED: From October 7 2023 to Today: Two Years of Conflict and Consequence

Hamas led a series of surprise attacks on Israel in the early hours of 7 October 2023, initially firing rockets into Israel before launching a ground operation which saw almost…

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Europe has essentially become irrelevant: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

Europe has been absent from a ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas because it has "basically caved in to Palestinian terrorism (and) radical Islamist minorities," Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…

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Hamas readies for Gaza talks that US hopes will halt war, free hostages

Hamas officials arrived in Egypt on Sunday ahead of talks with Israel that the U.S. hopes will lead to a halt in fighting and the freeing of hostages in Gaza,…

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Israel intercepts last boat in Gaza flotilla

The Israeli military intercepted the last boat in an aid flotilla attempting to reach blockaded Gaza on Friday, a day after stopping most of the vessels and detaining some 450…

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Israel stops 13 Gaza aid boats

Israeli forces have stopped 13 boats carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza, but 30 boats are continuing to sail towards the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave, flotilla organisers said on…

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Trump secures Netanyahu’s agreement to Gaza deal but Hamas support in question

President Donald Trump secured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's backing for a U.S.-sponsored peace proposal to end a nearly two-year-old war in Gaza, but questions loomed over whether Hamas would…

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Italy warns of dangers challenging Israeli naval blockade

An international aid flotilla that paused for several days in Greek waters for repairs has set sail again for Gaza, where activists aim to challenge Israel's naval blockade and deliver…

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‘Time to stop’: Trump vows Israel will not annex West Bank

U.S. President Donald Trump said that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting calls from some far-right politicians in Israel who want to extend sovereignty over…

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Spain, Italy sending warships to protect Gaza aid flotilla

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he will join Italy in sending a military warship to protect an international flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza after it was attacked…

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22 people die in major Israeli attack on Gaza

Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City today killed 22 people, including nine children. The attack struck the Souq Firas area, where video footage showed children’s bodies being pulled…

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Syria to hold parliamentary elections on October 5

Syria will hold its first parliamentary election under its new Islamist-led administration on October 5, state news agency SANA reported. The new assembly is expected to lay the groundwork for…

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Sharaa to become first Syrian leader to attend UN meetings since 1967

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in New York to attend meetings of the UN General Assembly, the first participation of a Syrian president since 1967, the state news agency reported…

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Four major Western nations recognise Palestinian state, to fury of Israel

Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal all recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday in a move borne out of frustration over the Gaza war and intended to promote a two-state solution,…

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What would wider recognition of Palestine mean for Palestinians and Israel?

About 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are expected to formally recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday at a summit before the annual leaders' gathering at the…

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Reports Greta Thunberg left the leadership of global flottila over of internal disagreements

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has stepped down from the steering committee of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a mission seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing disagreements over the group’s…

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US casts 6th veto at United Nations over war in Gaza

The United States vetoed on Thursday a draft United Nations Security Council resolution that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and that Israel lift all…

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Syria’s Sharaa says talks with Israel could yield results ‘in coming days’

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa said that ongoing negotiations with Israel to reach a security pact could lead to results "in the coming days." He told reporters in Damascus the security…

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Israel says ‘Gaza is burning’ as it launches ground assault

Israel has launched its long-planned major ground offensive on Gaza City, conducting heavy air strikes overnight as troops pushed into the edges of the city. Thousands of Palestinians have been…

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UN inquiry finds top Israeli officials incited genocide in Gaza

A United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and that top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu incited these acts -…

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Netanyahu does not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders abroad

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not ruled out further strikes on Hamas leaders following last week's attack in Qatar, saying they would not have immunity "wherever they are". Speaking…

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Israeli military says it controls 40% of Gaza City, plans to expand operation in coming days

Israel controls 40% of Gaza City, a military spokesperson said on Thursday, as its bombardment forced more Palestinians from their homes there, while thousands of residents defied Israeli orders to…

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Israel intensifies attacks on Gaza City

At least 20 Palestinians have been killed since on Sunday as Israeli forces intensified their bombardment of Gaza, a day after 77 people lost their lives, including 11 waiting in…

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Israel recovers body of hostage and remains of another

Israel’s military recovered the body of one hostage and the remains of another in Gaza on Friday, as it declared Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone” ahead of a major…

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UN votes to end its peacekeeping force in Lebanon after nearly five decades

The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to end the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, marking the conclusion of nearly half a century of international…

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Israeli Foreign Minister Saar says there will not be a Palestinian state

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, asked on Wednesday what the plan was for a Palestinian state, said there would not be any. Saar made the comment to reporters following a…

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Israel hits Gaza hospital, killing at least 15 people, including journalists

Israeli strikes on Nasser hospital in Gaza on Monday killed at least 15 people, including four journalists, one of whom worked for Reuters, Palestinian health officials said. Cameraman Hussam al-Masri,…

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The Muslim world has been strong on rhetoric, short on action over Gaza and Afghanistan

By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor's Strategic Fellow, Victoria University When it comes to dealing with two of…

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Famine has officially struck Gaza, says global hunger monitor

Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, a global hunger monitor determined on Friday, an assessment that will escalate pressure on Israel…

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Syria to revalue currency, dropping two zeros in bid for stability

Syria will issue new banknotes, removing two zeros from its currency in an attempt to restore public confidence in the severely devalued pound, according to seven sources familiar with the…

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Most Americans believe countries should recognize Palestinian state, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

A 58% majority of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize Palestine as a nation, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, as Israel and Hamas considered…

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Israel takes first steps of military operation in Gaza City

Israel's military has taken the first steps of a planned operation to take over Gaza City, Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Following a clash with Hamas south…

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Israel to call up 50,000 reservists before Gaza City offensive

Israel will call up 50,000 reservists before a planned offensive to take Gaza City but most forces that would operate in the Gaza Strip's largest urban centre would be active…

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Syrian foreign minister met Israeli delegation for regional stability talks

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met an Israeli delegation in Paris on Tuesday to discuss bolstering stability in the region and southern Syria, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. Syrian…

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Hamas accepts proposed deal for ceasefire with Israel and hostage release

Hamas has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel that includes the return of half the hostages held in Gaza and Israel's release of some Palestinian prisoners, an Egyptian…

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Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand end to Gaza war and release of hostages

Thousands of Israelis took part in a nationwide strike on Sunday in support of families of hostages held in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement…

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Israel in talks with South Sudan to resettle Palestinians from Gaza

Israel is reportedly in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from Gaza to the war-torn East African country, part of a wider effort by Israel to facilitate…

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Anger after Israel strike kills Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza

A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday in an attack condemned by journalists…

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Israel approves plan to take control of Gaza City

Israel's political-security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City early on Friday, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of the…

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Israeli cabinet may order complete Gaza takeover

Israel's cabinet could authorise on Tuesday a complete military takeover of Gaza for the first time in two decades, media reported, despite international pressure for a ceasefire to ease appalling…

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Israel to decide next steps in Gaza

Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet this week to decide on Israel's next steps in Gaza following the collapse of indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas, with one senior Israeli…

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Hamas says it will allow aid for hostages if Israel halts airstrikes, opens permanent humanitarian corridors

Hamas said it was prepared to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver aid to hostages it holds in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions, after a video it released…

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Portugal makes cautious move towards recognising Palestinian state

Portugal's centre-right government will consult the main political parties and conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa about the potential recognition of a Palestinian state, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said on…

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Israel announces daily pauses in Gaza fighting as aid airdrops begin

Israel on Sunday announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and new aid corridors as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates airdropped…

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Syria expected to hold parliamentary election in September

Syria is expected to hold its first parliamentary election under the new administration in September, the head of the electoral commission told state news agency SANA. Voting for the 210-member…

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Israel will let foreign countries drop aid into Gaza

Israel will allow foreign countries to parachute aid into Gaza starting on Friday, Israeli army radio quoted a military official as saying. An Israeli military spokesperson did not immediately reply…

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Germany not planning to recognise Palestinian state in short term

Germany is not planning to recognise a Palestinian state in the short term and said its priority now is to make "long-overdue progress" towards a two-state solution, a German government…

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Israel and US recall teams from Gaza truce talks, US says Hamas not showing good faith

Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Gaza ceasefire talks for consultations on Thursday, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff accusing the Palestinian militant group Hamas of failing to…

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