German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday that the initial stage of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict in Gaza must be implemented by the beginning of next week at the latest, while acknowledging that other elements of the proposal would take longer to resolve.
Wadephul explained that the first phase, involving a ceasefire, the release of hostages and prisoners, de-escalation of military actions, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza was achievable.
Speaking at a news conference in Tel Aviv following his meeting with Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar, Wadephul said Israel would need to make compromises to secure the hostages' release while emphasizing that Trump's plan would provide security assurances for Israel.
"We are now in the first phase of the US plan, which aims for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and restraint in military operations," he said, adding that this will also enable sufficient humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip.
“We must complete this first phase this week, or at the latest by the beginning of next week. This is feasible, and it must be our goal. After that, we should address all other issues, and these other issues will also take a certain amount of time,” he added.
Germany's top diplomat reiterated that Berlin is ready to make financial contributions for the reconstruction of Gaza and provide personnel to implement US President Trump's ceasefire plan. He also said Germany is willing to organize a reconstruction conference alongside Egypt.
Prior to arriving in Israel on Monday, Wadephul visited Qatar and Kuwait over the weekend. He plans to travel to Egypt on Tuesday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdel Aaty.
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A proposed nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia is facing criticism from Democratic lawmakers and non-proliferation experts, who say the deal lacks the strongest safeguards designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partnership set to shape the South Caucasus corridor for decades to come.
The first-ever “WUF13 NGO Forum” in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF) was held on 19 May 2026 at Azerbaijan’s initiative in Baku.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A proposed nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia is facing criticism from Democratic lawmakers and non-proliferation experts, who say the deal lacks the strongest safeguards designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Estonia said on Tuesday (19 May) that a NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone over its territory, in the latest reported airspace violation in the region amid ongoing Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
Sweden has agreed to buy four naval frigates from France’s Naval Group in a deal worth more than $4 billion, as Stockholm moves to strengthen its defence capabilities in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.
Spanish police said on Tuesday they had detained a 25-year-old man suspected of killing his two parents and injuring four other people, including his son, in a shooting in the southern city of El Ejido in Almeria province overnight.
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