After 15 months of conflict, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire that could halt the war in Gaza. The deal, brokered by the U.S. and Qatar, includes a hostages-for-prisoners exchange and a surge in humanitarian aid, offering a fragile hope for peace.
Israel and Hamas have reportedly agreed on a ceasefire deal that could halt the Gaza war, as announced by the U.S. and Qatari mediators. If finalized, the agreement marks a major breakthrough after 15 months of conflict, which began with Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023.
While details are not yet fully disclosed, the deal involves halting hostilities and an exchange of hostages and prisoners. Hamas, which initially took 251 hostages, still holds 94, though Israel estimates only 60 remain alive. In return, Israel is expected to release around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, some held for years.
The ceasefire will roll out in three stages:
Stage 1: A six-week ceasefire includes the release of 33 hostages, primarily women and children, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli troops will withdraw from Gaza’s populated areas, allowing displaced residents to return. Humanitarian aid will also be ramped up, with hundreds of trucks delivering supplies daily.
Stage 2: Negotiations will aim for a permanent end to the war, releasing the remaining hostages and additional Palestinian prisoners. Israeli troops would fully withdraw from Gaza.
Stage 3: Focused on rebuilding Gaza, this phase includes infrastructure reconstruction and the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies.
However, significant uncertainties remain. Deep distrust between Israel and Hamas complicates the agreement. Israel has resisted Hamas’s demands to release certain prisoners, and the fate of some hostages is unknown. The durability of the ceasefire is also uncertain, as previous agreements have collapsed due to skirmishes.
This fragile deal offers hope but leaves critical questions unanswered, including the long-term presence of Israeli troops in buffer zones and whether the ceasefire will lead to lasting peace.
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Desperate residents in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, are facing severe cash shortages as banks remain shut following the M23 rebel group’s seizure of the city. With no access to their funds, many are struggling to afford food, electricity, and basic necessities.
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The city of Buriticupu, in Brazil’s northeastern Amazon, is facing a worsening crisis as massive sinkholes continue to expand, forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency. More than 1,200 residents are at risk of losing their homes.
Hamas has handed over the bodies of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, deepening national mourning in Israel. Their fate had remained uncertain for months after their abduction during the October 7, 2023 attack.
Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering health insurance executive Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street in December, appeared in a New York court on Friday. He faces state murder and terrorism charges, as well as a federal case where he could face the death penalty.
USAID has long promoted itself as a supporter of press freedom, but reports suggest its media funding may have influenced domestic narratives in Europe and post-Soviet states. With the Trump administration freezing its grants, the agency’s role in shaping global information is under scrutiny.
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Desperate residents in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, are facing severe cash shortages as banks remain shut following the M23 rebel group’s seizure of the city. With no access to their funds, many are struggling to afford food, electricity, and basic necessities.
Burundi is struggling to cope with a rapid influx of over 40,000 refugees fleeing intensified fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UN has warned of an escalating humanitarian crisis as thousands arrive daily, many in urgent need of aid.
German police have arrested a suspect in connection with a stabbing at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial on Friday evening. The attack, which left one man seriously injured, comes just days before a pivotal national election.
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Pope Francis is showing improvement, the Vatican said, as the pontiff began his eighth day in hospital. Francis was admitted after struggling with breathing and is being treated for pneumonia.
Desperate residents in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, are facing severe cash shortages as banks remain shut following the M23 rebel group’s seizure of the city. With no access to their funds, many are struggling to afford food, electricity, and basic necessities.
Burundi is struggling to cope with a rapid influx of over 40,000 refugees fleeing intensified fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UN has warned of an escalating humanitarian crisis as thousands arrive daily, many in urgent need of aid.
The city of Buriticupu, in Brazil’s northeastern Amazon, is facing a worsening crisis as massive sinkholes continue to expand, forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency. More than 1,200 residents are at risk of losing their homes.
Hamas has handed over the bodies of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, deepening national mourning in Israel. Their fate had remained uncertain for months after their abduction during the October 7, 2023 attack.
Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering health insurance executive Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street in December, appeared in a New York court on Friday. He faces state murder and terrorism charges, as well as a federal case where he could face the death penalty.
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