Donald Trump won a second term as President of the United States after securing 312 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election
Israeli military said Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari had been reunited with their mothers and released a video showing them in apparent good health
Joe Biden spent his final full day as president Sunday in South Carolina, urging Americans to keep the faith in a better day to come and reflecting on the impact of the civil rights movement in pushing him into politics. On the eve of Monday's inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, Biden delivered a final farewell from a state that holds special meaning after his commanding win in its 2020 Democratic primary set him up to achieve his life's goal of being elected president of the United States. Biden spoke to the congregation of Royal Missionary Baptist Church about why he entered public service Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were political heroes, he said and he thanked South Carolina for its support: I owe you big. Monday is the federal holiday honouring King, the slain civil rights leader. We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing," Biden said. We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must alwa
As a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Sunday, the charg d'affaires of the Palestine Embassy in India, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, urged the international community to implement every detail in the long-awaited agreement. The envoy also sought India's assistance in the reconstruction work in war-torn Gaza. The deal involves numerous technical details that are complex and challenging. It requires not only a follow-up by the Trump administration or the UN but also by all the powerful countries around the world," Abu Jazer told PTI. "We urge the international community to ensure the implementation of every detail in the ceasefire agreement," he said. The ceasefire and hostage-release deal between the two sides followed 15 months of conflict that was triggered by a shocking attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. The deal is expected to stop the ongoing war in Gaza and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Seeking India's assistance in the .
Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on technical field reasons
Israel's justice ministry has published a list of more than 700 Palestinian prisoners who are to be released under the ceasefire deal pausing the war with Hamas in Gaza. The list came hours after Israel's full Cabinet approved the ceasefire deal. The ministry said the Palestinian prisoners will be released no earlier than 4 pm local time on Sunday, the day the exchange is set to begin. The list includes members of Hamas and Islamic militant groups, some of whom are serving life sentences and are convicted of serious offences such as murder. The list did not appear to include Marwan Barghouti (64), the highest-profile prisoner held by Israel and seen by many Palestinians as a prime candidate to become their president in the future. Barghouti was a leader in the West Bank during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s. Hamas has demanded that Israel release him as part of any ceasefire agreement, a possibility Israeli officials have ruled out.
The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect in less than 24 hours, Qatar's foreign ministry said on Saturday. In a post on X, foreign minister Majid al-Ansari said the ceasefire will go into effect at 8:30 am (6:30 GMT) on Sunday, and advised people to exercise caution and wait for directions from officials. Early Saturday morning, Israel's Cabinet approved the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages and pause the 15-month war with Hamas, bringing the sides a step closer to ending their deadliest and most destructive fighting ever. Under the deal, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Key questions remain about the ceasefir
Israel's Cabinet approved a deal early Saturday for a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages held there and pause the 15-month war with Hamas, bringing the sides a step closer to ending their deadliest and most destructive fighting ever. Mediators Qatar and the US announced the ceasefire Wednesday, but the deal was in limbo for more than a day as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted there were last-minute complications that he blamed on the Hamas militant group. The ceasefire just the second achieved during the war will go into effect Sunday, though key questions remain, including the names of the 33 hostages to be released during the six-week first phase of the ceasefire and who among them is still alive. The Cabinet met well past the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath, in a reflection of the moment's importance. In line with Jewish law, the Israeli government usually halts all business for the Sabbath except in emergency cases of life or death. Netanyahu ...
Presidency urges the international community to offer urgent humanitarian aid to enable the government to shoulder its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people, a statement said
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed a hostage exchange deal involving Palestinian prisoners, coupled with a ceasefire to address the ongoing Gaza conflict
As per an Israeli official, the full cabinet vote on the agreement is now expected to take place on January 19, but the smaller security cabinet will meet on Friday to vote on the deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday his Cabinet won't meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down, accusing the group of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. His office did not elaborate. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire deal was announced, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength. Under the deal expected to begin Sunday, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second ..
Lasting truce demands good faith by Israel, Hamas
Hamas senior official Izzat el-Reshiq said that the group remained committed to the ceasefire deal that was scheduled to take effect from Sunday to bring an end to months of bloodshed
Israel and Hamas have reached a three-phase deal, potentially leading to the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israel
India on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. The announcement on the deal comes after 15 months of conflict in Gaza. In its reaction, India hoped that the agreement will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," it said.
UN chief Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, describing the deal as a "critical first step and urging parties to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader region. In a significant breakthrough in the 15-month brutal conflict between Israel and Hamas, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire agreement which promises the release of hostages held by militants in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, UN Secretary-General Guterres said on Wednesday. Guterres commended the mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough. Guterres called on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this
In Gaza, news of the truce was met with joy as crowds gathered in the streets. People chanted, embraced, and waved flags outside Deir el-Balah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a symbol of the war's toll
The most contentious aspect of the agreement is the phased nature of the hostage release
Biden also highlighted the diplomatic effort involved, noting the pressure from Israel and US support, as well as a coalition of 20 countries that stood against attacks from the Houthis