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Israel-Hamas

Israel-Hamas
World Bank supports international oversight of Gaza
The World Bank has reportedly supported the United States’ plan for an international body to govern Gaza, saying this would allow it to provide financial resources to the region. The United Nations Security Council began negotiations on the U.S.’ draft resolution on Thursday. This would include a two-year mandate for an international transitional body to administer Gaza, which would be headed by U.S. President Donald Trump. “Our engagement in Gaza will require the ability to work with international partners who enjoy the full support of the international community and full authorisation to undertake their efforts,” World Bank President Ajay Banga wrote to the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz on Saturday, Reuters reported. “The proposal to establish an authority, in the current draft the Board of Peace, by the U.N. Security Council with the authorisations set out in the resolution would provide the needed framework for engagement by the Bank.” The draft resolution calls for the World Bank and other financial institutions to provide resources for Gaza’s redevelopment. Banga reportedly said the World Bank “will be ready on day one” to do so. The U.N. has estimated that the cost of rebuilding Gaza will be around U
Israel-Hamas
Israel strikes kills over 100 in the midst of the ceasefire
Over 100 people were killed in Gaza from an Israeli strike, despite Israel saying it was committed to the United States-backed ceasefire. The strikes were in retaliation for the killing of an Israeli soldier in Gaza earlier this week. Israel said the soldier was attacked by gunmen on territory within the “yellow line” where its troops withdrew under the truce. Hamas has denied blame for the soldier's death, and Israel’s following strikes marked the escalation of violence in Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October. The Gaza health ministry said 46 children and 20 women were among the 104 killed in the airstrikes. While Israel affirmed its intent to hold up the ceasefire, it announced it had carried out another air strike in the north of Gaza, where its weapons had been stored, killing two people. The strikes targeted dozens of Hamas militants across the enclave as well as weapons depots and tunnels belonging to the group. In response to the airstrikes, U.S. President Donald Trump said nothing was going to jeopardise the ceasefire. "As I understand it, they took out an Israeli soldier," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "So the Israelis hit back and they should hit back. When that hap
Israel-Hamas
US steps up diplomacy amid cracks in Gaza ceasefire
The United States has stepped up its diplomacy in Israel following cracks in the Gaza ceasefire. President Donald Trump, alongside his son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day after Israel launched dozens of strikes across Gaza in retaliation for claimed violations of the deal by Hamas. Vice President JD Vance is also set to arrive in Israel in the coming days, while Hamas mediators hold further talks in Egypt. This also comes after both sides recommitted to the ceasefire deal following a flare-up on Sunday in which a Palestinian attack killed two soldiers and prompted an Israeli bombardment in which 28 people were killed in Gaza. Israel has also accused Hamas of delaying the return of the bodies of dead Israeli soldiers. Last Monday, 20 living hostages were freed, and the process of returning the remains of 28 dead hostages began. Only 12 of the dead hostages have been delivered so far to Israeli authorities. Hamas has signalled that it will hand over another body to the Red Cross sometime after 4 am AEDT Tuesday. Trump said he is keeping pressure on Hamas and Israel as he seeks to salvage the signature foreig
Israel-Hamas
World leaders celebrate Gaza ceasefire
Political leaders from around the world have convened in Egypt to sign a ceasefire deal in Gaza, led by United States President Donald Trump and mediated by partners including Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye. "A new and beautiful day is rising, and now the rebuilding begins," Trump said, praising regional leaders who helped cement the truce between Israel and Hamas. Israel is set to release 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 other Palestinians detained during the two-year military operations in Gaza in exchange for the last 20 living hostages held by Hamas. This is part of the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan and is also due to include the return of 28 dead Israeli hostages. Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi called the day a "historic milestone that ends an agonising chapter". Trump said the second phase of negotiations are underway. “Phase two has already started. The phases are all a little bit mixed in with each other. You can start cleaning up. You look at Gaza, it’s a lot of clean-up,” Trump said. The U.S. has already asked wealthy Arab states to commit large sums to rebuilding Gaza, with estimated reconstruction costs reaching more than US$30 billion.
Israel-Hamas
Gaza ceasefire holds ahead of hostage release
The ceasefire continues to hold for a third day in Gaza ahead of the release of hostages and U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit. Thousands of Palestinians have continued to travel north towards Gaza City in hopes the ceasefire will end the war. This comes as the Israeli government revealed that it expects all living hostages held in Gaza to be released on Monday and that it is preparing for the release of around 2,000 Palestinian detainees. This includes 250 Palestinians serving life sentences. “We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at one time to the Red Cross and transported among six to eight vehicles,” said the Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian. The hostages will be driven to a military base to their families or to hospitals for medical care, and the remains of deceased hostages are expected to be sent to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification. Al Jazeera were told that living hostages have been moved to three locations in the enclave ahead of their transfer to Red Cross officials. There are currently 48 hostages in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive. This is the first part of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. While a cease

Israel-Hamas
Dozens await Israel's decision on Gaza peace deal
Israel and militant group Hamas have signed a deal to stop the fighting and trade Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees in the most significant step to end the war in Gaza after two years. The two sides have signed off on the first phase of the U.S. Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Dozens were waiting at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square as Israeli ministers were meeting to discuss whether they should approve the Gaza ceasefire plan. If the deal is approved, Hamas will have 72 hours to release all 20 hostages believed to be alive, and Israel will release around 250 prisoners serving life sentences in its jails and 1,700 detainees from Gaza. The Israeli military will also withdraw to a line that will leave it in control of around 53% of the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of lorries carrying humanitarian aid will also enter Gaza, where a famine was confirmed by UN-backed experts in August. Key Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya said he had received assurances from the mediators and U.S. officials that if the peace plan was approved, the war in Gaza would be “completely over”. It would lead to the opening of the Rafah border crossing on the Egypt-Gaza border to allow aid to enter the Palestinian territory and exchange prisoners
Israel-Hamas
Israel and Hamas reach agreement on peace deal
The first phase of a peace plan for Gaza has been agreed upon by both Israel and Hamas. The plan, orchestrated by United States President Donald Trump, will begin with a ceasefire and hostage deal. The agreement came the day after the anniversary of the 7 October musical festival attacks from Hamas. In the two years following, Israel has continued to ramp up its military assault on Palestine, including the blocking of aid resources, despite outcry from the international community. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported recently that in those two years, more than 67,000 people have been killed, including more than 20,000 children, accounting for 30% of the total fatalities. These numbers do not include further fatalities from famine, and the United Nations human rights office also notes that the Palestinian authorities' number is likely an undercount. Trump's full peace plan for the region is outlined across 20 points, but details are not currently known. "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. He said that “All Parties will be treated fairly” and thanked mediators from Qatar, E
Israel-Hamas
Peace negotiations continue on anniversary of Gaza war
On the second anniversary of the war in Gaza, Hamas and Israel are still trying to reach an agreement to end it. The two sides have concluded two days of indirect negotiations on President Donald Trump’s proposals to end the war. This also comes as Israel pressed on the offensive as they pounded tanks, boats and jets on parts of Gaza, giving Palestinians no respite. Speaking at the White House on the second anniversary, Trump said there was a “real chance” of a Gaza deal as talks wrapped up in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. The talks on the U.S. President's side have been widely seen as the most promising to end the war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza since the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, where 1,200 people were killed. In acknowledgement of the anniversary, an umbrella of Palestinian factions, including Hamas, promised a “resistance stance by all means”. "No one has the right to cede the weapons of the Palestinian people. This legitimate weapon... will be passed through the Palestinian generations until their land and sacred sites are liberated," the statement issued in the name of "Factions of the Palestinian Resistance" said. To mark the second anniv
Israel-Hamas
Trump gives Hamas deadline to accept Gaza peace plan
United States President Donald Trump has given Hamas three to four days to accept a U.S.-backed peace plan for Gaza, warning of "a very sad end" if the Islamist group rejects the proposal, which he said was close to ending the two-year-old conflict. The 20-point plan was delivered to Hamas late on Monday by mediators Qatar and Egypt, following a White House meeting where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed the document, saying it met Israel’s war objectives. Hamas was not involved in the negotiations. The plan calls for Hamas to disarm, a demand it has consistently opposed. An official briefed on the talks told Reuters the group "would review it in good faith and provide a response". Trump told reporters in Washington that Israeli and Arab leaders had already endorsed the plan, saying "we’re just waiting for Hamas" to respond. He gave the group "three or four days" to make its decision. "Hamas is either going to be doing it or not, and if it’s not, it’s going to be a very sad end," Trump said before leaving the White House. The proposal outlines an immediate ceasefire, the exchange of all hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Ha