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The United States has gathered intelligence that Israeli military lawyers warned there was evidence that could support war crimes charges against Israel for its genocide in Gaza — attacks carried out with American-supplied weapons. The information circulated more widely within the US government only in the final weeks of the Biden administration, ahead of a December 2024 congressional briefing (Read more at TRT World).
A Foreign Ministry source told the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Thursday that "there is no truth to what Reuters published regarding American bases in Syria". The official said the current phase "is witnessing a shift in the American position toward direct engagement with the central Syrian government, supporting efforts to unify the country, and rejecting any calls for partition" (Read more at New Arab).
"Kazakhstan is the first Country of my Second Term to join the Abraham Accords, the first of many. This is a major step forward in building bridges across the World," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Today, more Nations are lining up to embrace Peace and Prosperity through my Abraham Accords. We will soon announce a Signing Ceremony to make it official, and there are many more Countries trying to join this club of strength. So much more to come in uniting Countries for Stability and Growth — Real progress, real results," he added (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
"Iran has been asking if the sanctions could be lifted. Iran has got very heavy US sanctions, and it makes it really hard for them to do what they'd like to be able to do. And I'm open to hearing that, and we'll see what happens, but I would be open to it," Trump said (Read more at TRT World).
The deal with the Cantor Fitzgerald-backed special purpose acquisition company comes as this unconventional route to the public markets has regained popularity in the U.S. after years of subdued activity, following poor share performance and regulatory roadblocks (Source: Reuters).
The US Department of the Treasury removed al-Sharaa, a former fighter linked to al-Qaeda, from the Specially Designated Global Terrorist list on Friday. The United Nations Security Council also removed al-Sharaa from a largely symbolic sanctions list on Thursday (Read more at Aljazeera).
The proposal would grant a two-year mandate for a transitional governing body and an international stabilisation force. The United States circulated the draft to all 15 council members on Wednesday evening, saying it already has regional backing from Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (Read more at Anews).
The sale would signify a significant change in policy, with the potential to alter the military balance in the Middle East while also challenging Washington’s commitment to maintaining Israel’s ‘qualitative military edge. Although Israel also has F-35 stealth fighter jets in its fleet, Saudi Arabia’s acquisition would help narrow its capability gap with Israel (Read more at India).
The draft resolution would also lift sanctions on Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab. It was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, the U.S., France or Britain to be adopted (Read more at Tass).
Sudani’s comments come ahead of Iraq's highly anticipated parliamentary elections on 11 November. Sudani is balancing between Washington, which is critical for Iraq’s dollar transactions, and neighbouring Iran, which backs a constellation of mainly Shia militias called the Popular Mobilisation Forces (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Cheney's family said in a statement that the former vice president died from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease. Later, whilst serving as defence secretary under President George HW Bush, Cheney became an outspoken figure advocating for military force against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, whose troops had invaded Kuwait (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The draft resolution would give the U.S. and other participating countries a broad mandate to govern Gaza and provide security through the end of 2027, with the possibility of extensions after that. The draft resolution will be the basis for negotiations over the coming days between UN Security Council members, with the goal of voting to establish it in the coming weeks and deploying the first troops to Gaza by January, a U.S. official said (Read more at Axios).
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) will visit Washington, DC, later this month for an official working meeting with US President Donald Trump, a White House official said, marking the Saudi Arabian leader’s second visit to the United States capital in seven years. The visit of the Saudi royal comes as Trump pushes countries to join the Abraham Accords (Read more at Aljazeera).
"He has said they won't join the Abraham Accords without a two-state solution. Do you believe that?" CBS correspondent Norah O'Donnell asked. "No, I think he's going to join," Trump responded. "I think we will have a solution." "I don't know if it's going to be two-state, that's going to be up to Israel - and other people, and me - but look, the main thing is, you could have never had any kind of a deal if you had a nuclear Iran," he added, seemingly deflecting to the ceasefire deal his administration helped broker in Gaza (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Ali Khamenei speaking on Monday at a meeting with students in Tehran, the Supreme leader said that the U.S. request for cooperation would be examined at a later date. Khamenei's comments came as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to increase pressure on Iran. "The Americans sometimes say they would like to cooperate with Iran. Cooperation with Iran is not possible as long as the U.S. continues to support the accursed Zionist regime, maintains military bases, and interferes in the region," Khamenei said (Read more at Anews).
As Abu Dhabi and Dubai kick off a significant week hosting annual energy and technology conferences, we want to share details of our ongoing and planned investments in the United Arab Emirates. Roughly two and a half years ago, we embarked on a new AI initiative with the encouragement and support of both the United States and UAE governments. Much of this progress has involved a new partnership with G42, the UAE’s sovereign AI company, with whom we’re making critical progress (Read more at Mircrosoft).
Iraq has pledged to bring all weapons under the control of the state, but that will not work so long as there is a US-led coalition in the country that some Iraqi factions view as an occupying force, the prime minister said on Monday. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani said a plan was still in place to have the multinational anti-Daesh coalition completely leave Iraq, one of Iran’s closest Arab allies, by September 2026 because the threat from Islamist militant groups had eased considerably (Read more at Arabnews).
Experts in Syria predict a security deal with Israel and a joint fight against ISIS could move a step closer when Mr Al Shara is received by US President Donald Trump. Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani, who said the visit will take place in early November, said the visit was "certainly historic". The trip, the first by a modern Syrian leader to Washington, is aimed at bringing Syria into the US-led ISIS coalition, other American officials said. Mr Al Shara turned against ISIS during the middle stages of his career as an insurgent, which ended when he led Hayat Tahrir Al Sham on an 11-day offensive that toppled the Bashar Al Assad regime in December (Read more at The National).
Fidan told reporters the meeting would “evaluate our progress and discuss what we can achieve together in the next stage.” The Turkish Foreign Ministry said ministers from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had been invited. All seven countries previously met with US President Donald Trump on September 23 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to discuss the same proposal (Read more at Turkish Minute).
John Hurley, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, will travel in the coming days to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Lebanon, according to the statement, in his first trip to the Middle East since taking office (Read more at RNZ).
Lebanese authorities have held indirect talks with Israel, but US envoy Tom Barrack said the key to easing tensions could be direct negotiations. “The conversation needs to be with Israel. It just needs to be with Israel. Israel is ready,” Barrack told reporters on the sidelines of the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain. “March to that door, to Israel, and have a conversation, it can’t hurt,” he added (Read more at Defense Post).
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine met with Israel Katz, the Israeli defense minister, in Israel on Saturday. “We discussed the close strategic and operational cooperation between the Israel Defense Forces and the U.S. military, a partnership that is shaping the new reality in the Middle East,” Katz stated (Read more at JNS).
“The U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) observed suspected Hamas operatives looting an aid truck traveling as part of a humanitarian convoy delivering needed assistance from international partners to Gazans in northern Khan Younis,” CENTCOM tweeted. The Command’s coordination center in the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, established in October to help monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saw the incident via a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone flying overhead, the U.S. military said (Read more at JNS).
Tom Barrack, the US envoy to Syria, told the Axios newspaper on Saturday that al-Sharaa is expected to sign an agreement to join an international US-led alliance against the ISIL (ISIS) group during his visit. The trip was expected to take place within the next two weeks (Read more at Aljazeera).
According to the sources, "the goal of the US proposal, which was conveyed to Hamas on Wednesday by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, was to stabilize the ceasefire and clear the roughly half of Gaza that Israel controls of Hamas militants." A source in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told Axios that "there are dozens of Hamas militants still hiding in tunnels on the Israeli side of the ‘yellow line,’ which separates the zones of control, particularly in the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah." (Read more at Tass).
The Trump administration on Friday said it supports repealing the Caesar Act sanctions on Syria, urging the US lawmakers to include it in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is currently under discussion in Congress. “The administration supports repealing the Caesar Act. Congress should include the repeal in the NDAA,” a State Department spokesperson said (Read more at Anadolu).
The proposed force, part of President Donald Trump’s plan and referred to as the International Stabilization Force (ISF), raises politically delicate questions for Israel, Hamas, and the countries that might contribute troops. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is leading the planning, which envisions the creation of a new Palestinian police force trained and vetted by the U.S., Egypt, and Jordan, alongside contingents from Arab and Muslim countries (Read more at This is Beirut).
An American airstrike in April on a prison run by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that killed over 60 detained African migrants should be investigated as a possible war crime, activists said. The call by Amnesty International renews scrutiny on the April 28 strike in Yemen’s Saada province. The attack came as part of an intense campaign of airstrikes waged under U.S. President Donald Trump targeting rebels for disrupting shipping through the Red Sea corridor amid the Israel-Hamas war (Read more at Politico).
Qatar’s ambassador to the US sent a rare, direct rebuke to Republican Congressman Randy Fine for Islamaphobic and anti-Qatar comments he made during an interview with far-right social media personality Laura Loomer. Fine, a Jewish-American lawmaker, is a staunch defender of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has been recognised as a genocide by the United Nations. Over 68,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war. Throughout Israel’s onslaught, Fine, who has a history of Islamophobic rhetoric, called for Israel to “nuke” the enclave and for Palestinians in Gaza to “starve away” (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Joel Rayburn’s nomination to lead the State Department’s Middle East bureau was withdrawn after he lacked enough support from lawmakers. Rayburn, a former US Army officer, served as US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Syria from 2018 to 2021 and concurrently as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Levant Affairs until November 2020 (Read more at Anadolu Ajansi).
Zohran Mamdani is closing in on the mayor's office. His final pitch: Guilt-tripping America for not loving Muslims enough after 9/11. Alex Marlow joins Blake and Andrew to react to this gross attack on the American people and looks at the bigger picture of Islamic migration into America, and they debunk the Left's meltdown over Trump's East Wing construction (Listen here).
After he was interviewed on Jewish far-right commentator Laura Loomer’s show, Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) told JNS that he received a letter from the Qatari ambassador to Washington stating that his “observations about Qatar” are inaccurate. “You said that Qatar ‘funds most of the institutions that are damaging’ the United States, adding that Qatar is ‘responsible for’ protests on U.S. college campuses,” Meshal Al Thani wrote in the letter, dated Oct. 22 (Read more at JNS).
“This assistance will support life-saving needs of approximately 60,000 people through targeted provision of food, water and hygiene items, as well as the rehabilitation of houses and water systems for when people can safely return home,” the State Department said. The assistance comes as part of efforts to restore stability to the region (Read more at The National).
“Until The New York Times takes accountability for its biased coverage and commits to truthfully and ethically reporting on the US-Israeli war on Gaza, any putative 'challenge' to the newsroom or the editorial board in the form of a first-person essay is, in effect, permission to continue this malpractice,” the signatories to the letter wrote (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Israel claimed it struck a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group on Saturday, accusing the individual of planning to attack Israeli troops. However, Islamic Jihad denied it was planning an attack. The US top diplomat added that Israel has not surrendered its right to self-defence as part of the agreement brokered by Washington, Egypt and Qatar that saw Hamas release the remaining living hostages held in Gaza this month (Read more at Dawn).
Lebanon fears the bombing shows Israel intends to ramp up its air campaign, despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was intended to end a year-long war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Ortagus, the White House’s deputy Middle East envoy, is expected to attend a meeting on Wednesday reviewing the Lebanese army’s efforts to clear Hezbollah arms caches in the country’s south, in line with the 2024 truce (Read more at Arabnews).
Many foreign carriers halted flights to Tel Aviv after October 7 and stayed away for long stretches during the past two years due to intermittent missile fire from Iran and Yemen. In the wake of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, many foreign airlines have restarted flights to Tel Aviv. British Airways, SAS, Iberia and Swiss are slated to resume flights this week (Read more at Reuters).
US President Donald Trump says an international stabilisation force will operate in Gaza soon. Hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel can veto which countries take part. What are the challenges facing such a force and in setting it up? (Listen here)
Trump’s Gaza plan is in danger of going the way of the Oslo Accords, argues US journalist Chris Hedges: Never to be implemented beyond the first phase. Hedges tells host Steve Clemons that there are no guarantees that the US-brokered deal “will actually thwart the genocidal project that Israel is intending to carry out in Gaza and … the West Bank”. While a parade of US officials visited Israel to signify commitment to the ceasefire, Israel continued to restrict food and medicine to millions of Palestinians, and Israeli forces continued to occupy more than half of the Gaza Strip (Listen here).
“We will not forget the lives of the hostages who died in the captivity of Hamas,” Rubio said on X. “Today I met with the families of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. We will not rest until their — and all — remains are returned,” he said, before wrapping up his three-day visit to Israel (Read more at Defense Post).
The U.S. military has begun flying surveillance drones over the Gaza Strip in recent days, as part of an effort to ensure that Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization uphold the ceasefire agreement, Israeli and American military officials said (Read more at JNS).
The State Department said that Steve Fagin, a career diplomat, will work alongside US Army Lieutenant General Patrick Frank, the military head already appointed to the hub set up after the October 10 ceasefire. The Civil-Military Coordination Centre was set up in southern Israel on October 17 to observe the ceasefire for any violations and handle logistics, including aid delivery into war-ravaged Gaza (Read more at Defense Post).
"Many of the countries that have expressed an interest in participating at some level -- whether it be monetary or personnel or both -- are going to need that (a UN resolution or international agreement) because their domestic laws require it," Rubio told reporters traveling on his plane between Israel and Qatar en route to Asia. "So we have a whole team working on that outline of it." (Read more at Al-Monitor)
"We’ve done a lot together, especially in the last year,” Trump said on Air Force One. "What we’ve done is incredible – peace to the Middle East – and they were a very big factor in it, so I just want to thank you.” The comments came as several senior Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were in Israel this week to ensure the top US ally abides by the deal and to discuss the details of phase two of the US-led plan (Read more at Qatar-Tribune).
Sen. Bernie Sanders blasted AIPAC and Israel's right-wing government, accusing the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group of using billionaires' money to silence U.S. progressives and shield Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza (Read more at Axios).
"It won't happen. It won't happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. And you can't do that now. We've had great Arab support," Trump said when asked what the consequences would be for Israel if it did so (Read more at TRT Afrika).
According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the proposal also includes "voluntary reconciliation facilities for militants to surrender their weapons and receive amnesty", as well as forward bases "for the forces expected to assist the international stabilisation force in disarming Gaza" (Read more at New Arab).
The Israeli parliament votes to annex the occupied West Bank - a move unlikely to become law but described as an 'insult' by the U.S. vice president. Donald Trump insists annexation won't happen, but settler violence is escalating. Are US-Israeli relations in upheaval? (Listen here)
In his conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Leifer also discussed the way in which Trump “has completely scrambled American Jewish politics.” On one hand, he said, “American Jewish liberals loathe him and experience him and his followers as racist, sexist, homophobic and antisemitic” while “on the other hand, it's true that he managed to do what Joe Biden couldn’t: end the war and bring the hostages home.” (Listen here)
During a visit to Israel, Mr Rubio said the US was committed to making the plan work, as there was no alternative. “This is the best plan, it's the only plan, it's one that we think can succeed,” he said during a press conference (Read more at The National).
While in Israel, state leaders will promote Nebraska-made kosher beef, encourage agricultural technology (ag tech) partnerships, and develop relationships with civil associations. During the mission, Gov. Pillen will hold high-level diplomatic meetings and discuss the critical role played by U.S. defense technologies to secure Israel from attack. The delegation will also have an opportunity to see humanitarian work in Israel being supported by organizations in Nebraska (Read more at Ruralradio).
NATO member Turkiye, one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, has joined the ceasefire negotiations as a mediator after largely indirect involvement. Its increased role followed a meeting last month between Erdogan and US President Donald Trump at the White House. “As Turkiye, we are doing our utmost for the ceasefire to be secured. The Hamas side is abiding by the ceasefire. In fact, it is openly stating its commitment to this. Israel, meanwhile, is continuing to violate the ceasefire,” Erdogan told reporters on his return flight from a regional Gulf tour (Read more at Arabnews).
At a hearing of the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control earlier in the week, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) described the ties between the Lebanese terrorist group and the regime of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. “Hezbollah collaborates extensively with government officials in Venezuela on intelligence infrastructure, securing arms, identification documents, bank accounts and pipelines for moving operatives and equipment,” Cornyn said, citing a 2025 RAND study (Read more at JNS).
Rubio added that the future of governance in Gaza still needs to be worked out among Israel and partner nations but could not include Hamas, adding that any potential role for the Palestinian Authority has yet to be determined (Read more at Middle East Online).
The Muslim and Yemeni-American mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, was on the defensive about past social media posts and BDS views. His outspoken criticism of Israel and other comments on social media from his days as a private citizen have emerged as a major obstacle to his confirmation, particularly after being amplified by the staunchly pro-Israel Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and some right-wing news outlets (Read more at Middle East Eye).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was in the process of “standing up” a civil-military coordination centre to monitor the Gaza ceasefire and would then consider “going to the UN potentially and getting the international mandate, building the international defense security forces” (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Palestinian factions met in Cairo on Friday to lay out the beginnings of a "national dialogue" that will address Gaza's governance and future as part of a Palestinian state, a joint statement on Friday indicated. "We agreed to continue working together to unify our visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause, including calling for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy, and to activate the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," the Palestinian factions said after the meeting (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Hard-liners in the Knesset narrowly passed a preliminary vote in support of annexing the West Bank on Wednesday, in an apparent attempt to embarrass Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while Vance was still in Israel. While many members of Israel's coalition support annexation, they have backed off those calls since US President Donald Trump said last month that he opposes the move (Read more at Euronews).
Global oil prices rose by 5% on Thursday following the news that also prompted India to consider cutting Russian imports. "I expect that any decision to impose sanctions will certainly have a positive impact on prices," Kuwaiti Minister Tariq Al-Roumi said in response to a Reuters question (Read more at Market Screener).
The White House did not respond to a request for comment about Trump’s deliberations on the matter. But the president’s acknowledgment of the internal discussions underscores the difficult task of finding credible political figures to oversee governance in Gaza as the U.S. and Israel say they are committed to preventing Hamas from continuing to rule the territory (Read more at AP).
In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Brian Katulis about US policy in the Middle East under Donald Trump’s second administration. Nine months into Trump 2.0, how much has really changed? Katulis breaks down the administration’s approach to major issues, including the cease-fire in Gaza and broader prospects for peace, the aftermath of the 12-Day War with Iran, and how Washington is managing ties with regional partners. He also previews his upcoming quarterly report card, which grades the administration on key policy areas (Listen here).
Iran will not return to negotiations with the United States as long as Washington makes "unreasonable demands," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday, according to IRGC media site Tasnim News Agency. "Talks that were ongoing with the US, as well as New York negotiations, were suspended and did not go forward because of US excessive demands," Araghchi said (Source: Yahoo)
Out of those polled, 59 percent supported the U.S. recognizing statehood, while 33 percent were opposed. The rest of the respondents were not sure or did not have an answer. Most surveyed Democrats, at 80 percent, support U.S.-backed statehood, while 41 percent of Republicans support it (Read more at The Hill).
Turkey’s ties to Hamas, once a liability in Washington, have turned into a geopolitical asset. By persuading Hamas to accept U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza deal, Ankara has reasserted itself on the Middle East chessboard, to the dismay of Israel and Arab rivals (Read more at Japan Times).
Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup, has been named co-chair representing the US side, while Lubna Olayan, Chair of Olayan Group, will serve as co-chair representing Saudi Arabia. Fraser succeeds Steve Demetriou, former CEO of Jacobs Engineering Group, who held the position from 2018 to 2024 (Read more at Saudi Gazette).
A US-backed stabilisation force, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Centre, or CMCC, is meant to ensure security in Gaza. Its composition, role, chain of command, legal status and other issues are yet to be agreed. A small contingent of British military planning officers has been sent to Israel to join a task force led by the United States to support stabilisation efforts in Gaza, the UK Ministry of Defence said (Read more at Daily Star).
President Donald Trump ordered the lifting of most US sanctions on Syria in May after meeting President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, but the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 that authorizes them remains US law. “We have to do some push and some lobbying to continue with this path that started in the right direction, and we’re hoping by the end of the year the bill (to scrap the act) will reach the president (Trump), and hopefully he’ll sign it,” Al-Shaar told Reuters during a conference in London (Read more at Arab News).
Mr Vance, though, said events since the truce took effect had given him "great optimism the ceasefire's going to hold". US envoy Steve Witkoff added: "We are exceeding where we thought we would be at this time." Donald Trump warned Hamas it would meet a "fast, furious and brutal" end if it breaches the Gaza ceasefire deal, as his Vice President visited Israel to keep the truce on track (Read more at The National).
“Numerous of our NOW GREAT ALLIES in the Middle East, and areas surrounding the Middle East, have explicitly and strongly, with great enthusiasm, informed me that they would welcome the opportunity, at my request, to go into GAZA with a heavy force and ‘straighten our Hamas’ if Hamas continues to act badly, in violation of their agreement with us,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday (Read more at Aljazeera).
VP JD Vance visits Israel to discuss Gaza ceasefire after weekend flare-up; Trump vows Hamas will face “eradication” if truce breaks. The ultimatum came as fighters returned the body of another dead hostage under the ceasefire deal, with the Israeli military confirming the remains were back in Israel where they would be positively identified (Read more at New Arab).
During their visit that began on Monday, the U.S. envoys, Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, were expected to try to shore up the truce then start talks on the next, more difficult, phase of the 20-step plan. Trump, keeping pressure on both Hamas and Israel as he seeks to salvage the signature foreign policy achievement of the first year of his second term, said on Monday the U.S. was taking many steps to maintain the ceasefire (Read more at Japan Times).
Progressive lawmaker Ayanna Pressley says Washington should do all it can to ensure the release of teenage captive Mohammed Ibrahim, a US citizen held by Israel since February. “Right now, Mohammed Ibrahim, a US citizen, is being held in an Israeli prison. His health is deteriorating. The circumstances are desperate,” Pressley wrote in a social media post (Read more at Aljazeera).
“The struggles, connecting the dots with the working class, doesn’t exclude the liberation of Palestinians,” he said. “One of the motto that I stand by is a motto that’s well-known in the labour movement: an injury to one is an injury to all.” (Read more at Aljazeera)
A Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) survey of 322 randomly selected Americans conducted after the recent ceasefire in the Israel–Gaza war reveals nuanced and complex attitudes toward the conflict and its aftermath. While sympathy for Israel remains stronger than for Hamas, there is a growing empathy for Palestinians as distinct from Hamas. Most respondents believe no side truly “won” the war, though those who did choose a winner overwhelmingly named Israel (Read more at JNS).
“At Times Square, our message is clear: Barely days into a ceasefire, Hamas turned its weapons on Palestinians to reassert control through fear & violence,” the Foreign Ministry tweeted on Sunday afternoon. “The world watches. The ceasefire must be upheld. Hamas must go. Gaza must be demilitarized,” added the ministry in the X post (Read more at JNS).
Their visit comes a day after Israel launched its fiercest wave of attacks in Gaza over the weekend since a fragile ceasefire took effect. Witkoff and Kushner's travel to the region was planned before the apparent ceasefire violations had occurred, according to a Trump administration official (Read more at ABC News).
Barrack warned that if Beirut "fails to act now", Hezbollah's military wing will inevitably face "a major confrontation with Israel". Barrack also revealed an offer the United States made to Lebanon earlier this year, part of a plan called "One More Try", which included a framework for phased disarmament, verified compliance, and economic incentives under American and French supervision (Read more at New Arab).
Meanwhile, Hamas politburo member Mohammed Nazzal has told Reuters that the group is only committed to a ceasefire lasting up to five years, with guarantees for what happens next depending on Palestinians being given “horizons and hope” for statehood. Some Hamas leaders once envisioned a “multi-front confrontation” involving coordinated attacks by Iran, Hezbollah, and allied groups across the region — but “that vision never materialized,” he said. “Hezbollah was quickly neutralized and forced into a ceasefire, and Iran stepped back (Read more at Arab News).
“Trump says he is a dealmaker, but if a deal is accompanied by coercion and its outcome is predetermined, it is not a deal but rather an imposition and bullying,” Mr Khamenei said. Last week, Mr Trump told the Israeli Parliament that it would be great if Washington could negotiate a “peace deal” with Tehran , following the start of a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. “The US president proudly says they bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry. Very well, keep dreaming!” Mr Khamenei added (Read more at Straits Times).
US State Department claims the Palestinian group is planning an attack against civilians in Gaza ‘in grave violation of the ceasefire’. Hamas called on the US to “stop repeating the [Israeli] occupation’s misleading narrative and to focus on curbing its repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement” (Read more at Aljazeera).
The United States judge has slashed an earlier damages award of $168m to just $4m. “Part of what companies such as WhatsApp are ‘selling’ is informational privacy, and any unauthorised access is an interference with that sale,” she said (Read more at Aljazeera).
“Today at Masjid At-Taqwa, I had the pleasure of meeting with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, one of the nation’s foremost Muslim leaders and a pillar of the Bed-Stuy community for nearly half a century,” Mamdani wrote on X. During trials, Wahhaj testified in support of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman — the infamous “blind sheikh” and leader of a terrorist sect out of Egypt — calling the man a “respected scholar.” (Read more at New York Post)
A Norwegian court has sentenced a former US embassy security guard to three years and seven months in prison for spying for Russia and Iran. The 28-year-old Norwegian man was convicted of providing floor plans, personal details of embassy staff and their families, and information about activities at the US embassy between March and November 2024 (Read more at Defense Post).
US Representative Seth Moulton has said that he is returning donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and will not accept any future contributions from the lobby as he begins his bid for the Senate in Massachusetts (Read more at TRT World).
The deal in discussion was similar to the recent US-Qatar pact that pledged to treat any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to the United States. Last month, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia entered into a landmark mutual defence agreement, under which any aggression against one state will be considered an attack on both (Read more at Dawn).
“I hope to see Saudi Arabia go in, and I hope to see others go in. I think when Saudi Arabia goes in, everybody goes in,” Trump said. The US president called the pact a “miracle” and “amazing” and hailed the United Arab Emirates’s signing of it. The “Abraham Accords” secured agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan (Read more at Aljazeera).
Omar Fateh, the state senator born to Somali parents, said he 'would love' for the fake rabbi 'to get more involved' in his campaign. "I would love to do a fundraiser for you," Rabbi Linda Goldstein wrote. "How do I get in touch? This anti-Zionist rabbi loves and supports you." Fateh replied on August 11. "Thank you for reaching out," he wrote. "Can you share with me your phone and email? I'll have my finance director reach out to you." (Read more at Washington Free Beacon)
Whether the performance reviews came in from the Democratic establishment's must-read paper, The New York Times, the right-wing Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal, or the more straight-laced Politico magazine, there was a certain agreement that New York City assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is a winning communicator (Read more at Middle East Eye).
“The International Stabilisation Force is starting to be constructed and once that occurs, there'll be more efforts, but there's a lot of planning and a lot of very positive conversations between the sides,” a senior US adviser said. Another adviser said the US is in contact with Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Azerbaijan and other nations on the possibility of their joining the effort (Read more at The National).
Trump said he had received word from Hamas “through my people” that the group would agree to disarm following recent talks at what he called “the highest level”. He also claimed that Hamas had “taken out two very evil gangs” in Gaza and “killed a number of them,” adding that “it didn’t bother me much” (Read more at Indian Express).
Former Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Bill Clinton on Monday praised US President Donald Trump for helping broker a ceasefire in the Gaza war, a rare show of bipartisan approval for the Republican leader. “I commend President Trump and his team for their work to get a renewed ceasefire deal over the finish line,” Biden, who served as president until January, said on X. With support from the United States and global partners, the Middle East was now “on a path to peace,” he said (Read more at Qatar Tribune).
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang welcomed Mr Avinatan Or from “two unimaginable years in Hamas captivity” in Gaza, saying a number of the chip giant’s families had suffered losses during the war. An electrical engineer at Nvidia in Israel, 32-year-old Or was kidnapped from the Nova music festival on Oct 7, 2023 along with 250 others including his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, whose desperate cries on the back of a motorcycle became one of the most haunting images of the Hamas attack (Read more at Starits Times).
Despite the ceasefire that took effect on Friday, Hamas has not publicly committed to ceding power. The group has gradually returned its personnel to Gaza’s streets, maintaining law-and-order measures while asserting control over the enclave. According to a Palestinian security source, Hamas has killed more than 30 members of a “gang” in Gaza City, though the group did not specify which gang (Read more at First Post).
How will Donald Trump enforce his plan for Gaza? In his address to the Israeli Knesset and in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, the US President urged leaders to move past conflicts. But how challenging will that be? (Listen here)
Gavin Newsom, the governor of California and a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, vetoed a bill on Monday that would have required social media companies to pay fines every time their algorithms promoted posts deemed violent or discriminatory (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Trump expressed enthusiasm about a rally held in Tel Aviv on Saturday in support of the captives, which featured his daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff as speakers. "It was an incredible rally. It was a great thing," he said (Read more at Royanews).
"As we welcome this moment of light after so much darkness, we remain deeply concerned about Hamas's commitment to abide by the full terms of a peace agreement," the leaders of B'nai B'rith said (Read more at JNS).
At 4:59 a.m. on Monday on the East Coast, Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) posted about the hostages returning to Israel from Gaza and reached across the aisle to credit U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, stated that, “for the first time in 738 days, there are no living Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) used a biblical Hebrew expression that refers to praising God and stated, “to President Trump and his team, thank you so much. Well done.” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Mike Lawler, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, stated that “this is a day of celebration for families across Israel, the United States and around the world.” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) stated that “today is the result of great American leadership, led by President Trump and his team, and also the tireless efforts of the Biden administration.” Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) praised Trump for “unwavering leadership and tireless efforts to bring the hostages home” and “strength made this historic moment possible.” Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) said that “no other president could have done this.” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was one of the Democrats who posted about the freed hostages on Monday morning. “May the hostages have a full recovery and may we never forget those who didn’t make it out alive,” he said. “Credit to President Trump for a breakthrough ceasefire of this awful war.” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, didn’t mention the U.S. president or Israeli prime minister in a statement on social media. “For more than two years, we’ve prayed for the return of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, stated that “today is a day of great relief, as after 738 days, the last 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas have finally come home to their families.” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, stated that “this day brings deep relief, but our thoughts remain with the families still grieving those who did not return.” (Read more at JNS)
What's the US planning for the Middle East? President Donald Trump came to the region on Monday to cement his plan for peace in Gaza. He says the end of the war ushers in a historic new dawn. But can he succeed where his predecessors have failed? (Listen here)
“I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody,” Trump said, without naming specific leaders who could be weighing in on his choice of Blair (Read more at Dawn).
"Well, they [Hamas] are standing because they do want to stop the problems, and they've been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time," Trump said. "We want it to be safe. I think it's going to be fine. Who knows? Who knows for sure?" he said. "But I think it's going to be fine." (Read more at Yahoo News)
"We have noted that Donald Trump's peace plan only addresses the Gaza Strip. It mentions statehood, but in rather general terms," Lavrov told reporters from Arab countries. "It's imperative to flesh out these approaches, including defining what will happen in the West Bank." (Read more at Yahoo News)
California-based artificial intelligence chip designer Cerebras Systems plans to deploy its AI infrastructure to the United Arab Emirates to support the Stargate UAE project (Read more at DC Pulse).
Netanyahu and his wife Sara are accused in one case of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewellery and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favours. "Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that?" Trump joked, declaring his ally Netanyahu's one of Israel's greatest wartime leaders. "Hey, I have an idea, Mr President," Trump said, addressing his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog, "Why don't you give him a pardon?" (Read more at France 24)
Tehran and Washington held five rounds of nuclear talks, prior to a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, which Washington joined by striking key Iranian nuclear sites. The talks faced major stumbling blocks such as the issue of uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, which Western powers want to bring down to zero to minimise any risk of weaponisation, a plan that Tehran has rejected (Read more at Straits Times).
President Donald Trump, in a speech to Israel’s parliament, spotlighted mega-donor Miriam Adelson’s outsized influence on U.S. policy toward Israel, recalling her frequent White House visits with her late husband, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. Sheldon Adelson, who died in 2021, assembled the world's largest casino empire as head of Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS.N), opens new tab and put much of his fortune into nurturing conservative politicians and policies in the United States and Israel (Read more at Reuters).
US President Donald Trump hailed a “tremendous day for the Middle East” as he and regional leaders signed a declaration Monday meant to cement a ceasefire in Gaza, hours after Israel and Hamas exchanged hostages and prisoners. “The document is going to spell out rules and regulations and lots of other things”, Trump said (Read more at Arabnews).
The Palestinian Authority is ready to work with US President Donald Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on their effort to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire and start rebuilding, a senior Palestinian official told Mr Blair on Oct 12. Mr Trump’s plan for ending the Gaza war holds out the prospect of the Palestinian Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and led by President Mahmoud Abbas, eventually taking control of Gaza, but only after it completes reforms. Mr Abbas lost control of Gaza to the Hamas militant group in 2007 (Read more at Straits Times).
Vice President JD Vance on Sunday characterized the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas as “a remarkable achievement” by the Trump administration. Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Vance said, “We have to remember this is a remarkable achievement from an administration that really chose a non-conventional path to diplomacy. And I think that’s the major takeaway. The President of the United States instructed Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, he said, get a deal done, talk to the Gulf Arab states, talk to Israel, find where there’s common ground here, and actually, let’s go and find a way to get it done.” (Read more at Politico)
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran is exchanging messages with the United States through some mediators. He made it clear that Iran will not stop enriching uranium but will consider measures to build trust that its nuclear program is peaceful (Read more at Hindustan Times).
For the past couple of months, the billionaire father-son duo of Larry and David Ellison have been making deals involving major media brands. Having acquired Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, they appointed Bari Weiss - an outspoken supporter of Israel - as the network’s editor-in-chief. The moves by the Ellisons are not just about growing their media empire, but about shaping the narrative around Israel in the US, where public support continues to decline (Listen here).
“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality, interoperability,” Hegseth said during a meeting with his Qatari counterpart Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the Pentagon. “It’s just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, Your Excellency, that you can count on us.” (Read more at CNN)
"Iran will never recognize an occupied regime that has committed genocide and killed children," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Iranian state television (Read more at AOL).
The U.S. State Department announced sanctions on Thursday against a support network for Iranian armed forces and Tehran-backed militias in Iraq. The designation falls on eight people and entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its elite Quds Force, along with the Kata’ib Hezbollah and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq militias in Iran (Read more at JNS).
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, but questions will quickly turn to whether that can now be made into a lasting peace. The Paris meeting, which brought together key European and Arab foreign ministers, was seen as an opportunity to add details on core issues such as an international stabilisation force, post-war governance in Gaza and reconstruction (Read more at Reuters).
The White House said it expects hostages to be released Monday. Forty-eight hostages remain to be returned, 20 of whom Israel says it believes are still alive. Trump said he plans to travel to Egypt for an official signing of the ceasefire deal in opening remarks at his White House Cabinet meeting (Read more at NBC News).
The US Treasury included Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal Co Ltd among several entities sanctioned for facilitating Iranian oil shipments. The company, based in the port city of Lanshan in Shandong province, was designated to receive Iranian crude delivered by already sanctioned vessels (Read more at Industry Insider).
American defense tech firm VisionWave Holdings has entered a strategic collaboration with PVML, an Israeli company that focuses on keeping sensitive data safe while using artificial intelligence (AI). The partnership links VisionWave’s radar and AI-powered computer vision tools with PVML’s secure data infrastructure (Read more at Defense Post).
An email sent by the National Education Association—the largest labor union in the United States—to its approximately 3 million members with resources for “teaching about indigenous peoples” included a map that “erases Israel completely.” (Read more at JNS)
Exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya said on Thursday the group has received guarantees from the United States, Arab mediators, and Turkey that the war in Gaza has permanently ended. Under the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza, and Hamas will free all remaining 48 hostages it captured in the attack that precipitated the war, in exchange for prisoners held by Israel. At the White House, Trump said he believed it would lead to "lasting peace." (Read more at NDTV)
"After two years of unimaginable loss and suffering for Israeli families and the people of Gaza, we should all be encouraged and relieved that an end to the conflict is within sight; that those hostages still being held will be reunited with their families; and that vital aid can start reaching those inside Gaza whose lives have been shattered," Obama posted on X on Thursday. Many users criticised the choice to reference "Israeli families" while referring to Palestinians as "the people of Gaza" (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The US president long refused to use his influence over the prime minister. Last month, that appeared to change. But Trump appears to have soured on Netanyahu last month, after Israel launched an attack against Qatar. Two weeks after the attack on Qatar, Trump met with a group of Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the UN general assembly. The US administration then circulated a 21-point peace plan (Read more at Guardian).
The image of a vast board of stakeholders, all with their own objectives, somewhat captures the spirit of the ceasefire Trump has ushered in. While Israel is still left in control of more than half the enclave and has vast leeway about further withdrawals, Trump’s plan delivered a blow to Netanyahu’s government in two key areas: it rejected Israeli annexation or occupation of Gaza and the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The meeting will follow up a conference on a “two-state solution” at the United Nations. The note had said Washington's participation would depend on advances in the negotiations (Read more at Arabnews).
Exxon Mobil signed an agreement with Iraq on Wednesday to help it develop its large Majnoon oilfield and expand its oil export infrastructure, marking a return to the country two years after leaving (Read more at Yahoo Finance).
Marking the second anniversary of the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, federal lawmakers announced legislation to honor those whom Hamas took hostage or killed on Oct. 7, condemn the terror group and develop a curriculum for schools to teach about the attack and about Jew-hatred. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), lead sponsor of the three bills, unveiled the bipartisan legislation as he stood outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, alongside a former hostage and a relative of one murdered by Hamas (Read more at JNS).
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) praised the signing of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas on Thursday while criticizing the actions of the Israeli government over the past two years. The legislator said the agreement “is long overdue but welcome news.” “While not every issue has been resolved, Israel and Hamas have taken the first and needed step towards peace,” she wrote (Read more at JNS).
The United States will deploy up to 200 troops to Israel to support the ceasefire agreement, two senior White House officials said. The officials said that the troops, under U.S. Central Command’s Adm. Brad Cooper, would not enter Gaza. “He’ll initially have 200 people on the ground. His role will be to oversee, observe, make sure there are no violations-incursions. Everybody’s worried about the other side,” one of the senior officials said (Read more at JNS).
Two years after Hamas’ October 7 attack and Israel’s punishing response, both sides say they accept in principle President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to halt the war and chart a path toward enduring peace. MEI Senior Fellow Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack what’s in the plan, how compatible it is with earlier Arab and European proposals, and whether its vague “credible pathway” to Palestinian statehood can withstand politics in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Washington. They also explore the sticking points—Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and Palestinian Authority reform—as well as what success would actually look like on the ground (Listen here).
The lesson of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest diplomatic gambit is that in Middle East deal-making, “the devil is in the details, but the most important thing is political willpower,” said Anshel Pfeffer, The Economist’s Israel correspondent and former Haaretz columnist, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast (Listen here).
A ceasefire agreement for Gaza - and cautious hopes among Palestinians of an end to two years of genocide. US president Donald Trump announced the deal - after putting pressure on Israel to agree. What impact has the war had on Israeli-US relations? (Listen here)
The approved shipments are for American companies operating facilities in the UAE, but permits were not issued for Nvidia shipments to local customers such as Abu Dhabi AI company G42 (Read more at Bloomberg).
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the coming hours will be decisive for cementing peace in Gaza and that the current conference on the matter held in Paris aimed to work in parallel with the U.S. initiative. France is hosting a meeting of foreign ministers from Western and Arab countries in Paris on Thursday to discuss an international peacekeeping force and reconstruction assistance for Gaza once the fighting stops (Read more at Global Banking and Finance).
The US and Saudi Arabia are advancing on an agreement that would allow US chip companies to export semiconductors to Saudi Arabia and a deal could be finalized soon, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter (Read more at Economic Times).
Sustained effort needed to keep ceasefire from unraveling. Negotiators must tackle other parts of Trump’s 20-point plan over which the two sides remain bitterly at odds, including the disarmament of Hamas, which the militant group rejects, a formal end to the conflict and Gaza’s post-war governance (Read more at Reuters).
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were stalling this week until U.S. emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner swept in to dictate key compromises. The issues included where Israeli troops would withdraw to, the mechanics of the hostage release and prisoner exchange, how aid would flow into the Gaza Strip and which Palestinian prisoners would come out of Israel, said the person, who like others in this story was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations (Read more at Politico).
10 China companies in sanctions list for facilitating the purchase of components allegedly found in weaponized Houthi drones. 5 more companies also sanctioned after components were found in weaponized drones operated by Hamas (Read more at Arabnews).
Turkey, which has voiced support for the plan and joined the negotiations in Egypt, has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel's offensive, which it calls a genocide. It has halted all trade with Israel, called for international measures against its government, and demanded a two-state solution (Read more at Global Banking and Finance).
Trump said at the White House that a deal is “very close,” and that he may depart Saturday for the region. He spoke after talking to his team about the talks. Negotiators have been meeting in Egypt to try to complete an agreement (Read more at CNBC).
“US President Donald Trump proposed his ‘20 points,’ which mention the word ‘statehood,’ but in rather general terms,” Lavrov said. “It only concerns what remains of the Gaza Strip. The West Bank isn’t mentioned, but we are realists. We understand that this is the best thing on the table right now.” (Read more at Anadolu Ajansi)
“We affirm our full readiness to reach (a deal to) end the war, withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza, and release all Israeli captives – both alive and dead – in exchange for Palestinian prisoners specified under (US President Donald) Trump’s plan,” Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya (Read more at Anadolu Agensi)
Under the proposal that was discussed, which included additional conditions, the bank would not admit guilt in the case - a key priority for Ankara. Halkbank (HALKB.IS), opens new tab is facing fraud, money laundering and conspiracy charges in the United States for allegedly helping Iran evade U.S. economic sanctions related to its nuclear program. The bank has pleaded not guilty (Read more at Reuters).
The Israeli Foreign Ministry blasted New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday for “acting as a mouthpiece for Hamas propaganda” over his statement on the second anniversary of the October 7 massacre accusing the Jewish state of genocide and war crimes (Read more at JNS).
Trump has laid the groundwork for the moment by squeezing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and showing new deference to Arab allies who are expected to coax Hamas to halt the fighting. Many of the same sticking points for Hamas remain, such as where the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw to in Gaza, whether Hamas can deliver all of the remaining hostages including those not held by the group, when prisoners will be released from Israel and the channels through which humanitarian assistance will be delivered (Read more at Politico).
He then pivoted to denounce Israel’s military response: "In the aftermath… Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government launched a genocidal war… A death toll that now far exceeds 67,000; with the Israeli military bombing homes, hospitals, and schools into rubble… Every day in Gaza has become a place where grief itself has run out of language… Our government has been complicit through it all. The occupation and apartheid must end." Pro-Palestine social media users were quick to respond to his statement, with many pointing out that neither "Palestinians" or "Palestine" was used once (Read more at Middle East Eye).
A new report released yesterday by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and the Costs of War Project at Brown University has found that the US has provided at least $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since October 7, 2023. The damning findings directly implicate US support in what many human rights groups and UN officials have labelled a genocide (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
Jordan’s King Abdullah discussed the latest developments related to US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the fighting in Gaza in a phone call hours ago with the American president (Source: Dawn).
Alexander, an Israeli-American citizen from New Jersey, was freed by the Palestinian terror group in May and was believed to be the last surviving US hostage. The president will meet with Alexander, 21, in the Oval Office at around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, according to the White House (Read more at NY Post).
Among Hamas officials, Qatari and Egyptian diplomats, and a Turkish spy chief huddling for Gaza peace talks in Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh resort is a key American interlocutor: US President Donald Trump's son-in-law. Jared Kushner has no official title in the Trump administration, but his involvement is being read as a sign of Trump's seriousness about reaching a deal to end Israel's war on Gaza (Read more at Middle East Eye).
“At this stage, it is not appropriate to discuss what the obstacles are, we will wait for the results of the talks in the coming days,” Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson said. “Last night there was a detailed negotiation that lasted more than four hours, focusing mainly on identifying the obstacles to implementing the agreement. Many details still need consensus regarding the agreement’s implementation — including the international force, the release of hostages, the prisoner exchange, and the entry of humanitarian aid. Meetings will continue today, and there is no doubt that in this round of talks, all parties are pushing toward an agreement — but there is still a lot of work to do.” (Read more at Yahoo News)
"These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST," Trump said in a social media post (Read more at Business Standard).
"Whether you believe it was justified or not, right or not, you cannot ignore the impact that this has had on Israel's global standing," Rubio told CBS News' Face the Nation. The United States has for decades diplomatically shielded its ally Israel at the U.N. Here's how that has played out during the Gaza war (Read more at Reuters)
Today on the show, Fareed is joined by Dan Senor, analyst and author, on why President Trump’s Gaza plan is an all-around win for Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world. Then, Fareed speaks with Diana Buttu, a Palestinian human rights lawyer and former advisor adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization, on why she believes Trump's Gaza plan does not go far enough to ensure peace (Listen here).
US Secretary of State describes the release of the hostages held by Hamas as the first phase, while details on what happens after that still need to be worked out. “No one can tell you it’s a 100 percent guarantee," he said. Rubio told NBC the US would know "very quickly" whether Hamas was serious or not during the current technical talks to coordinate the release of the hostages (Read more at Middle East Online).
Under pressure from Donald Trump to end the two-year-old war, Netanyahu is facing a backlash from ultra-nationalist allies whose opposition to the U.S. president's Gaza proposal could force the Israeli leader into early elections (Read more at Reuters).
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has embarked on a global fundraising initiative spanning East Asia and the Middle East, seeking financing and manufacturing partners to meet the company’s demand for its computing capacity. Altman has planned to visit investors in the United Arab Emirates to raise money to help fund OpenAI’s infrastructure expansion and research (Read more at Hindu Business Line)
This deal follows previous ceasefire attempts - one shortly after the war began in 2023 and another earlier this year - that lasted only a few weeks before war erupted again. Israel and Hamas seem intent on showing a positive response to Trump, but face their own political calculations. There are plenty of hurdles ahead this time too (Read more at Reuters).
Trump said "when Hamas confirms," a ceasefire will be effective "immediately" and a prisoner exchange will begin, setting the stage for the next phase of Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave (Read more at Yahoo News).
“In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of President Trump’s plan for the immediate release of all the hostages,” the PMO statement read. “We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision.” It was the perfect way to remind everyone involved that unless every last hostage is released ASAP, Israel will have carte blanche in the Strip. Since this is in keeping with Trump’s own threats and promises, it was safe to assume that he’d consider it both sufficiently respectful of his wishes and appropriately tough from Israel’s perspective (Read more at JNS).
Türkiye was hit with two categories of sanctions after the S-400 purchase. U.S. officials communicated to Türkiye that lifting sanctions imposed by Congress under the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, would be more difficult than lifting the other penalties placed under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or also known as CAATSA. Multiple sources familiar with U.S.-Türkiye discussions said Trump privately linked Türkiye's Russian oil imports to the sanctions imposed in 2020 after Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system (Read more at Turkiye Today).
The funding includes $190 million for the Lebanese Armed Forces and $40 million for the Internal Security Forces. The funding was released at a time when the Republican president’s administration has been slashing many foreign assistance programs, saying that its priority in spending taxpayer dollars is America First (Read more at Arabnews).
The countries had proposed a full Israeli withdrawal from the besieged Palestinian territory during a September 22 meeting with Trump. However, Trump’s plan calls for a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces to pave the way for Palestinian militant group Hamas to release the remaining hostages it holds (Read more at Scroll).
Hamas said it would release Israeli hostages in Gaza both living and dead "according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump's proposal, with the necessary field conditions for implementing the exchange." The Trump plan says the panel would be supervised by a new international transitional body that Trump would head and which would include other members, including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Hamas said it would agree to hand over Gaza's administration "to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing." Hamas has previously offered to hand over Gaza's administration to a different body (Read more at Yahoo News).
President Trump has released a Gaza “peace” plan that would put Gaza under a Trump-chaired “Board of Peace”. While some in the international community have welcomed the move, some question the fact that it bypasses Palestinians and offers no path to statehood. So, with Netanyahu pledging not to fully withdraw from Gaza, will this deal bring genuine peace or cement the status quo? This week on an UpFront special, Marc Lamont Hill speaks with one of the world’s foremost experts on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Norman Finkelstein (Listen here).
At least 36 people were killed in bombardments and airstrikes in the devastated Palestinian enclave since Trump demanded Israel halt its attacks late on Friday (Read more at Yahoo News).
The US plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza is designed, supervised and administered “primarily by people who are very staunchly pro-Israel,” and has little chance of delivering peace, argues Stephen Walt, professor of international relations at Harvard University. “We’ve seen this movie before,” Walt tells host Steve Clemons. According to the terms announced by US President Donald Trump, Israel can argue at any time that the Palestinian side isn’t fulfilling its obligations and thus resume the war. Increasingly seen as a threat by other countries in the region, Israel “is in for a very troubling future”, Walt says (Listen here).
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: "We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive. "Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough," he said (Read more at RTE).
Donald Trump has called for Israel to halt its bombing of Gaza after Hamas said it was ready to release hostages and agreed to some aspects of the U.S. president's plan to end the war, although Israeli strikes still killed several people on Saturday. Here are some reactions from around the world to Hamas' comments and Trump's reaction (Read more at Reuters).
Hope-filled reactions follow Hamas’s response, which marks a potential turning point in Israel’s two-year war on Gaza. Global reactions, including from key mediators, to Hamas’s partial acceptance of United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza, have been tinged with hope as the prospect of halting the two-year genocidal assault appears within reach (Read more at Aljazeera).
He warned that an agreement must be reached by 6pm US Eastern time (22:00 GMT) on Sunday, or else Gaza would face further violence. “If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,” Trump wrote (Read more at Aljazeera).
Special rapporteurs warn the 20-point plan for Gaza risks entrenching human rights violations against Palestinians. The experts identified a wide range of concerns, raising questions about the plan’s compatibility with international law and with the International Court of Justice’s 2024 Advisory Opinion, which affirmed that Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and must end unconditionally (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Badr Abdelatty said the time had come for Hamas to disarm, and that Israel should be given no excuse to continue its offensive in Gaza. He added that while there were “a lot of holes” in the Trump proposal, there was full agreement that “Hamas has no role in the day after” (Read more at Guardian).
Türkiye last month signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. on civilian nuclear cooperation as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House (Read more at Daily Sabah).
The delays are a setback to Huang and White House AI Czar David Sacks, who hoped to see the deal advance quickly to highlight a new U.S. tech strategy focused on exports, according to people familiar with the matter. They see agreements like the U.A.E. deal as key to the U.S. staying ahead of China in the AI race (Read more at MSN).
President Tayyip Erdogan told US counterpart Donald Trump in a phone call on Friday that Turkiye welcomed efforts to reach peace in the region, but that Israel must stop its attacks for efforts to be successful, the Turkish presidency said (Read more at Arabnews).
Judge Analisa Torres of the Federal District Court in Manhattan ruled that the UN agency is protected by immunity as part of the United Nations. According to the report, the suit, filed on behalf of roughly 100 Israeli plaintiffs, including survivors of the attack, the estates of those killed, and at least one hostage, alleged that the UNRWA allowed Palestinian resistance group Hamas to divert funds for its own use (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
Eighty percent of all respondents said the US should reduce its support for Israel, and 72 percent agreed that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. Sixty-five percent of respondents said they want some form of sanctions to be imposed as a result. All those figures increased among respondents aged 18-29, at times by 10 percentage points or more (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Foreign Agents Registration Act (Fara) records filed with the US Department of Justice show that Israel’s government has set aside $900,000 to pay influencers from mid-June until the end of November this year. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs pays a company called Bridges Partners LLC to manage the influencers. Israel transfers the money to Bridge Partners LLC’s via Havas Media Group in Germany, who then transfer the money across to Bridge Partners LLC (Read more at Middle East Eye).
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out,” Trump wrote on social media (Read more at Arabnews).
More than two decades ago, in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq War, a group of UK-based international lawyers, myself included, wrote a letter to then Prime Minister Tony Blair, explaining that the war would be illegal under international law. Again, a warning of illegality is required for another global adventure - an international trusteeship over Gaza - involving the same individual, this time as a possible leader of the proposed protectorate, alongside US President Donald Trump (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Sheikh Tamim reiterated Qatar's support for peace efforts and expressed confidence the countries backing the plan could reach a just settlement that guarantees regional security and stability and protects Palestinian rights, it added (Read more at MSN).
The Pentagon recommitted itself in a statement on Tuesday to scaling back its military mission in Iraq, a process that a U.S. official said will see Baghdad command efforts to combat remnants of Islamic State inside its own country. Under the plan, the U.S. and its coalition allies would instead focus on combating Islamic State remnants in Syria and shift most of their personnel to Iraq’s Kurdistan region to carry out that mission (Read more at DD News).
The Sanaa-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), a body set up last year to liaise between Houthi forces and commercial shipping operators, sanctioned 13 U.S. companies, nine executives and two vessels, HOCC said. The sanctions are in retaliation for U.S. sanctions imposed on the Houthis this year despite a truce agreement with the Trump administration in which the Yemeni group agreed to stop attacking U.S.-linked ships in the Red Sea and the wider Gulf of Aden, HOCC said (Read more at Straits Times).
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) crossed party lines on Tuesday and endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas. “I welcome the president’s proposal to finally bring this war to an end,” Rep. Lois Frankel said (Read more at JNS).
President Trump has signed an executive order saying that any armed attack against Qatar would be considered "a threat to the peace and security of the United States." "In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability," reads the executive order, which was dated Monday, Sept. 29 (Read more at CBS).
The United States is planning to deport some 400 Iranians, most of whom entered the country illegally, as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's broader crackdown on immigration (Source: MSN).
The plan announced in Washington was substantially different to the one they agreed to in New York. The Qataris are furious they were written out of a mediation role and that Trump refused to delay the announcement. The Egyptians, too, are furious that the role of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been downgraded and that Israeli forces will always remain in Rafah and along the border with Sinai (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Much of the US president's proposal is open to interpretation. Some analysts believe that ambiguity is “by design”. Parts of the document lack detail on timelines, as well as consequences - particularly for Israel - if terms of the deal are not adhered to (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The plan focuses on Gaza's future in what resembles a post-Iraq war rebuilding plan, this time run by Trump and disgraced former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Palestinians will have no role in the process as the Palestinian Authority gets cast aside, and Hamas is forced to disarm and exit the enclave (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The fact that Trump is doing this unilaterally is, in itself, remarkable. The Constitution explicitly gives the power over treaties to the Senate, and here’s the president bypassing Congress over something as serious as potentially committing the US military to war. Not only because Trump is asserting a power that is traditionally the Senate’s, but because he’s making a security guarantee on behalf of a country that many Republicans are quite suspicious of (Read more at CNN).
Netanyahu says the Palestinian Authority needs to end its 'lawfare' against Israel at world courts to fulfil the 'reforms' required for running Gaza. But is that even possible? a senior Palestinian diplomat denied to Middle East Eye that the PA would ever end its efforts to pursue accountability for alleged Israeli crimes internationally. Additionally, South Africa’s case has not been the sole legal development at the ICJ related to Israel’s alleged international law violations (Read more at Middle East Eye).
By forcing Palestinian disarmament and external control of Gaza while allowing Israel to maintain its occupation, the US-Israeli plan ensures more instability in the future. Despite these seemingly positive features, the plan is highly Israel-centric - an Israeli plan dressed up as American diplomacy - and reads as a demand for Palestinian surrender rather than a genuine call for peace (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Proposal to end the Gaza war entails the corporatisation of an entire traumatised people under the 'leadership' of billionaires. While the new plan seeks to “de-radicalise” and “re-educate” Palestinians - the people who have been displaced, occupied, tortured and continuously massacred - Israelis continue to play the victim (Read more at Middle East Eye).
In a blistering opinion on Tuesday, Federal District Judge William Young, an appointee of former President Ronald Reagan, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem misused their powers in the deportation campaign (Read more at Aljazeera).
Analysts say Trump’s ceasefire plan has no guarantees for the Palestinians and, once again, favours the Israelis. While the Palestinian Authority (PA) is mentioned in the plan, there is no immediate role for it until it completes a reform programme. While Trump listed his 2020 peace plan and the Saudi-French proposal, it’s unclear which reforms he specifically means. Meanwhile, the plan says aid will be provided by the United Nations and the International Red Crescent, but does not mention whether the notorious Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has led to more than 1,000 Palestinians killed waiting for aid, will be disbanded (Read more at Aljazeera).
Most of the Senate Democratic caucus sought an explanation from Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, on Monday over his recent decision to stop issuing temporary visas for Gazans who need medical care. The visas allowed Palestinians in Gaza to come to the United States for medical treatment once vetted to ensure that they did not pose security threats. “These civilians include severely wounded children, who are especially vulnerable and, through no fault of their own, have been caught in the crossfire and forced to endure horrible impacts from the war in Gaza,” the senators wrote (Read more at JNS).
Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage who was freed in May after 584 days in Hamas captivity, was honored Monday with a street named for him in the borough in which he grew up. “Every time I see this road, I will remember not just the struggle but the love and unity that brought me back home,” Edan Alexander said (Read more at JNS).
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to speed up the process by which confiscated Iranian weapons are transferred to U.S. partners and allies. “Iran, the world’s largest state-sponsor of terror, continues to arm terror proxies that threaten American troops, our bases and our allies,” the legislator stated (Read more at JNS).
“A paradigm shift is needed in how Israel presents itself to the world,” the late conservative activist wrote in a May letter to the Israeli prime minister. Recommendations included creating a rapid response team to combat misinformation, sending former hostages on press tours to discuss their experiences and providing ways for everyday Israelis to showcase their country “in their own words.” (Read more at JNS)
US President Donald Trump has promised “something special” is coming for Gaza as Israeli officials say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reservations about the White House’s 21-point ceasefire and post-war governance plan (Read more at CNN).
