Israel is set to begin negotiations on the second phase of its Gaza ceasefire deal, which is expected to include an exchange of the remaining Israeli hostages with Palestinian detainees, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Tuesday.
The discussions, which were planned to commence before the first phase of the ceasefire expires on March 2, have not yet officially started, according to Qatari officials.
At a press conference, Saar emphasized that a complete demilitarisation of Gaza is a core demand for Israel. “A Hezbollah model in Gaza would not be acceptable,” he stated, adding that Israel requires no presence of the Palestinian Authority in the enclave as part of the demilitarisation process.
Saar also mentioned that Israel is aware of an alternative plan proposed by Arab states for managing Gaza. This plan is seen as a counter to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to redevelop the strip under U.S. control—a proposal that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated is “worthy of exploration.” However, Saar made it clear that Israel would not support any arrangement that would see civilian control of Gaza transferred from Hamas to the Palestinian Authority.
The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts to solidify the ceasefire and address the long-standing challenges in the region, with hostilities and political tensions continuing to complicate prospects for a comprehensive resolution.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organise...
The Kremlin has confirmed that the next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States will be held in Abu Dhabi on 4–5 Feb...
Hungary has vowed legal action against the European Union over a planned ban on Russian gas imports by 2027, after Brussels said national objections w...
Kazakhstan’s Reform Commission has published a draft of a new Constitution that would mark the most extensive revision of the country’s law since ...
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of authorising intelligence operations aimed at eliminating...
Repeated violations of international law are casting doubts over the effectiveness of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, one political analyst told AnewZ.
At least 32 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip late Friday and into Saturday, according to Palestinian sources, as Israel and Hamas traded accusations over an alleged breach of the ceasefire.
Israel has reopened Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt in what Israeli media described as a “pilot operation,” marking the first opening of the crossing in two years.
Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue to shape regional tensions in the Middle East, particularly among key powers such as Israel and Türkiye, according to political analyst Dr Zaur Gasimov.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would spark a wider regional conflict, Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.
U.S. president Donald Trump said Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States and expressed hope that negotiations could lead to an outcome acceptable to Washington.
Any U.S. military strike on Iran would almost certainly trigger cross-border retaliation and could ignite a wider regional war, according to political analyst James M. Dorsey.
Iran's leadership warned of a regional conflict on Sunday (1 February) if the U.S. were to attack it, stoking the tension between Washington and Tehran, and it designated EU armies as "terrorist groups" in a retaliatory move.
Iranian media outlets have backtracked on claims President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered a return to nuclear talks with the United States, fuelling fresh uncertainty over the state of diplomacy between the two rivals.
Uzbekistan has suspended mandarin and pineapple imports from China following the discovery of dangerous plant pests in multiple shipments, according to the Agency for Quarantine and Plant Protection.
Tensions flared on X this week after German MEP Michael Gahler called leaders of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party “Moscow creatures”, criticising recent legislation he says threatens the country’s democratic path.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment