Hamas has signaled acceptance of a Gaza ceasefire plan put forward by mediators Egypt and Qatar, according to the group’s chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya. In a televised speech on Saturday, al-Hayya stated that Hamas had received the proposal two days prior and responded positively.
In a televised speech on Saturday, al-Hayya stated that Hamas had received the proposal two days prior and responded positively.
“We hope that the (Israeli) occupation will not undermine (it),” said al-Hayya, who leads the Hamas negotiating team in indirect talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire to end the ongoing Hamas-Israel war in Gaza that erupted in October 2023.
Security sources reported that Egypt had received positive indications from Israel over a new ceasefire proposal that would involve a transitional phase. The proposed agreement suggests that Hamas release five Israeli hostages each week.
Israel, in consultation with the United States, has conveyed a counter-proposal to the mediators, though it has not yet publicly confirmed acceptance of the ceasefire plan.
The ceasefire plan is structured in three phases. The first phase, which went into effect on January 19, 2025, involved a temporary halt to fighting, the release of some Israeli hostages, and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners.
The second phase aims to negotiate the release of remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas insists that any proposals must include the commencement of this phase, while Israel has proposed extending the initial 42-day period.
The final phase is intended to address broader diplomatic resolutions and security arrangements for Gaza.
Despite ongoing negotiations, Hamas has rejected calls from Israel and the United States to disarm, describing its arsenal as a “red line” that will not be crossed as long as Israeli occupation exists.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continued on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians, according to health authorities. Israel's military stated it had initiated ground operations in the Jneina neighbourhood of Rafah, aimed at expanding a security zone in southern Gaza.
Since resuming its offensive on March 18, Israel has issued evacuation orders to tens of thousands of residents in various areas of Gaza, citing ongoing rocket attacks into Israeli territories
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The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It comes after a deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people last week.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called it “a disgrace” that Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries. Attacks are continuing from Russia and Ukraine as media reports say Ukraine has almost run out of Patriot interceptor missiles.
Kenya has confirmed a second case of Ebola, intensifying efforts to prevent the spread of the virus after the country recorded its first-ever infection earlier this month.
In an interview with AnewZ’s Sabir Safarov, Houthi-aligned journalist Hussain al-Bukhaiti warns of possible attacks on Saudi Arabia’s water and power infrastructure, dismisses concerns over global trade and acknowledges Iranian assistance in developing the group’s missiles.
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Student organisations, opposition groups and youth-led activists took to the streets in Patna and Mumbai on Friday (16 October), demanding the resignation of India's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, amid a row over changes to voter lists.
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From international tourism and major reconstruction projects to a film premiere and political developments, Garabagh’s transformation takes centre stage in the AnewZ Daily Brief for 16 October 2026.
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