live U.S. clears way for $2.7 billion sale of air-defence development upgrades to Ukraine
The U.S. State Department approved a potential $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence develo...
Israeli officials have confirmed that they are closely studying the 60-day ceasefire proposal to which Hamas agreed to on Monday.
The proposal includes the release of all 50 Israeli hostages who are still alive, a source close to the matter says.
One Israeli official however insisted that for the war to end, every single Israeli hostage must be returned.
Hamas agreed to the deal on Monday in a post made via Facebook where it said that other Palestinian factions also approved its agreement.
A source familiar with the negotiations said the proposal closely mirrored an earlier plan put forward by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, which Israel had accepted.
Here are key details of the ceasefire proposal, as outlined to Reuters by a senior Hamas leader and two Egyptian security sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity:
- Ten Israeli hostages held in Gaza will be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. Israel says that of 50 hostages held by Hamas and its allies, 20 are believed to be alive.
- In exchange, Israel will release 150 detained Palestinians it sentenced to life in prison and 50 Palestinians it sentenced to more than 15 years.
- For each body Hamas returns, Israel will return the bodies of 10 Palestinian militants.
- Israel will permit aid to enter Gaza with the involvement of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
- The Israeli army will remain in Gaza, but will withdraw to an approximately 1-kilometre-wide (0.6-mile-wide) zone along the enclave's north and eastern borders that also includes the areas of Beit Lahiya and Shejaia.
- Once the ceasefire takes effect, Hamas and Israel will begin negotiations on a permanent ceasefire.
Israel's Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir, said his country was at a turning point in the Gaza war, "with its focus on enhancing the strikes against Hamas in Gaza City," the military spokesman said in a statement.
In a video issued by his office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "I, like you, hear the reports in the media, and from them you can get one impression - Hamas is under immense pressure."
Over sixty thousand people have died in the Israel - Hamas war which began on October 7 2023 leading to one of the worst humanitarian crisis in recent times.
An earlier ceasefire was agreed in January 2025 with hostage swaps going on from both sides and the seizure of strikes.
Originally billed to happen in three phases each over a six week period, it came to an end on 18th March after Israel launched a surprise attack on Gaza.
Russian air strikes injured 13 and damaged buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port city of Odesa in the early hours of Thursday, officials said on the Telegram messaging app.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped the war against Iran was nearing its end and that Tehran wanted to reach a deal, but Iran dismissed his comments as “mixed signals” as the conflict approaches its seventh month.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 18 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the field of science.
The U.S. State Department approved a potential $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said in a congressional notification late on Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that additional news organisations could be barred from the White House, hours after announcing bans on CNN, MS NOW and Politico over coverage he described as “fake news”.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Denmark and Greenland on Friday that would significantly expand Washington’s military presence on the Arctic island and give the United States what he described as permanent authority over its security.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russia’s first State Duma election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine is testing the country’s political system as voters choose a new parliament amid wartime and economic pressures.
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