Mossad, Shin Bet officials to resume negotiations as Israel awaits Hamas’ list of detainees amid concerns about Trump’s Gaza remarks.
An Israeli negotiating team will travel to Qatar on Saturday to restart talks with Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, Israel’s public broadcaster reported Thursday.
The delegation composed of officials from Shin Bet and Mossad, has been instructed by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to finalize the first phase of the deal and begin discussions on the second phase.
Israel expects the Palestinian resistance group to release a list of hostages Friday, ahead of their scheduled release Saturday, the report added.
But officials in Israel, however, have expressed concerns that recent statements by US President Donald Trump on a plan to “take over” Gaza and forcibly relocate Palestinians could jeopardize negotiations.
Trump has repeatedly suggested since Jan. 25 that Palestinians in Gaza should be taken in by regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan -- an idea rejected by those Arab states and Palestinian leaders.
Talks on implementing the second phase of the deal were initially set to begin Monday, the 16th day of the ceasefire agreement, but were delayed. The Haaretz newspaper quoted an unnamed source from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s entourage in Washington who indicated that Netanyahu would not proceed with the second phase unless Hamas is eliminated.
A ceasefire agreement took effect Jan. 19 in Gaza, halting Israel’s genocidal war that has killed nearly 47,600 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
The incident took place on Saturday in Boulder, Colorado, during a regular event held to raise awareness for Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Israel’s military chief has ordered an expansion of the Gaza ground offensive amid growing warnings of famine and international criticism over aid restrictions.
Hamas said on Saturday it had officially responded to a ceasefire plan put forward by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who represents President Donald Trump in Middle East diplomacy. The group said its reply includes a key demand: a complete end to the war.
A breakthrough US plan for a Gaza ceasefire, involving a phased hostage-prisoner exchange and humanitarian aid, has gained traction as Hamas agrees to the proposal following Israel’s acceptance.
Israel has approved 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, triggering sharp backlash from Palestinians and warnings from international allies.
Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders announced the collapse of the ruling coalition on Tuesday after his PVV party quit the government, citing disagreements over asylum policy—paving the way for fresh elections and heightening political uncertainty in the Netherlands.
A Russian missile strike hit Ukraine's Sumy on Tuesday morning, killing three people and injuring several others, as emergency crews responded to the attack that targeted civilian vehicles in the heart of the city.
Europe is facing yet another climate-driven drought, with hotspots like Spain, Cyprus, and Greece under severe alert. Hydropower, agriculture, and tourism are already feeling the pressure after an unusually hot spring.
Azerbaijan plans to save 1.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually by 2030, thanks to expanded renewable energy capacity, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said at the Baku Energy Forum.
Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has embarked on an official visit to Kenya to inaugurate Azerbaijan’s new embassy and hold bilateral meetings.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
Taxi drivers across France are protesting government plans to cut payments for driving patients to medical appointments. These cuts are part of a broader effort by Prime Minister François Bayrou to save €40 billion in the 2026 budget and reduce the country’s large deficit.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
A groundbreaking study presented at ASCO reveals that AstraZeneca’s experimental pill camizestrant, when used based on blood test results, can halve the risk of breast cancer progression or death—potentially reshaping treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer
Azerbaijan plans to save 1.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually by 2030, thanks to expanded renewable energy capacity, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said at the Baku Energy Forum.
Pakistan is aiming to strengthen its energy partnership with Azerbaijan, focusing on sustainable development and expanding gas infrastructure, Pakistan's Minister for Petroleum announced at the Baku Energy Forum.
Iran has appointed Mojtaba Demirchilou as its new ambassador to Azerbaijan.
Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister, met with Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), on the sidelines of the Baku Energy Week.
Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders announced the collapse of the ruling coalition on Tuesday after his PVV party quit the government, citing disagreements over asylum policy—paving the way for fresh elections and heightening political uncertainty in the Netherlands.
A Russian missile strike hit Ukraine's Sumy on Tuesday morning, killing three people and injuring several others, as emergency crews responded to the attack that targeted civilian vehicles in the heart of the city.
Europe is facing yet another climate-driven drought, with hotspots like Spain, Cyprus, and Greece under severe alert. Hydropower, agriculture, and tourism are already feeling the pressure after an unusually hot spring.
Azerbaijan plans to save 1.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually by 2030, thanks to expanded renewable energy capacity, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said at the Baku Energy Forum.
Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has embarked on an official visit to Kenya to inaugurate Azerbaijan’s new embassy and hold bilateral meetings.
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