Hamas said on Wednesday (8 October) it had exchanged a list of the names of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be released under a swap deal and that it was optimistic about talks in Egypt on U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.
Negotiations are focused on the mechanisms to halt the conflict, withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the swap deal, the group added.
The timing of the implementation of the first phase of President Donald Trump's 20-point initiative has not been agreed so far during talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, said a Palestinian source close to the negotiations.
President Trump, however, expressed optimism about progress toward a deal on Tuesday, the second anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel that triggered Israel's assault on Gaza.
A U.S. team including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who served as Middle East envoy during Trump's first term, will take part in the talks over a plan that has come closest to silencing the guns.
But officials on all sides urged caution over the prospects for a rapid agreement.
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's close confidant - was due to join the talks on Wednesday afternoon, according to an Israeli official.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, a key mediator, and Turkish spymaster Ibrahim Kalin, will also take part in the ceasefire negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Hamas wants a permanent, comprehensive ceasefire, a complete pullout of Israeli forces and the immediate start of a comprehensive reconstruction process under the supervision of a Palestinian "national technocratic body".
Israel wants Hamas to disarm, which the group rejects.
U.S. officials suggest they want to initially focus talks on a halt to the fighting and the logistics of how the Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian detainees in Israel would be freed.
In the absence of a ceasefire, Israel has pressed on with its offensive in Gaza, increasing its international isolation.
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Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was not ready to make what he called the "right deal" with Washington as tensions persisted over the war and the Strait of Hormuz.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of August, covering the latest developments.
Kazakhstan has concluded its first election to the new unicameral Kurultai, with turnout reaching 74.19 per cent, as vote counting begins following a major overhaul of the country’s parliamentary system.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Syria has called for international action after an Israeli drone strike hit a civilian vehicle near Damascus, warning that continued Israeli attacks could deepen instability and put civilians at greater risk.
Pakistan says it has added 12 sites to its UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, taking the total from 25 to 37 and widening the country's roster of potential future nominations.
Uzbekistan and Georgia have launched an electronic permit system for international road freight, replacing paper documents in a move aimed at speeding up cross-border transport and cutting bureaucracy.
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