Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s ambassador to Jordan, Major General (Retd) Muhammad Ajmal Iqbal said Pakistan and Jordan are poised to deepen their diplomatic, defense and economic cooperation as King Abdullah II arrives in Islamabad tomorrow.&nbsp;&quot;Pakistan and Jordan share a relationship rooted in history, trust and religious affinity, dating back to 1948 when Jordan became one of the earliest states to recognize Pakistan&rsquo;s independence,&quot; said ambassador Ajmal Iqbal, in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV.&nbsp;He noted that this foundation has consistently shaped cooperation across diplomacy, defense and people-to-people contact.&nbsp;He highlighted that both countries hold &ldquo;complete commonality of views&rdquo; on developments in Gaza and the wider Middle East. Pakistan and Jordan, he said, participated together in discussions in Doha and Turkey, maintaining aligned positions on achieving a just, rational, and lasting peace for Palestinians.&nbsp;&nbsp;He emphasized that every past visit of King Abdullah II resulted in increased cooperation and expects similar momentum this time. &ldquo;The leadership will identify areas where economic relations can be expanded,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Discussing defense relations, Ambassador Iqbal referenced the recent 27 October 2025 meeting between Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and King Abdullah II. He described the interaction as &ldquo;highly significant,&rdquo; noting that multiple one-on-one sessions focused on security cooperation and Pakistan&rsquo;s role in safeguarding its sovereignty. King Abdullah II also commended Pakistan&rsquo;s military professionalism.&nbsp;Ambassador Iqbal also commented on Pakistan&rsquo;s decision to confer its highest civilian award on King Abdullah II, calling it a symbol of &ldquo;deep affection and respect&rdquo; for the Jordanian royal family. He recalled that a similar honour was last extended to King Hussain in the early 1960s.&nbsp;As Islamabad welcomes the Jordanian King, officials anticipate renewed momentum across diplomacy, defense, trade and cultural exchange&mdash;ushering in a new phase of cooperation between the two brotherly nations.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan and Jordan are set to deepen diplomatic, defense, and economic ties as King Abdullah II visits Islamabad. Both nations share aligned views on Middle East issues, with renewed cooperation expected across trade, security, and cultural exchange.

Visit of King Abdullah II to Deepen Defense, Economic Ties: Pakistani envoy

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will call for the full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories during the upcoming Coordination Meeting of Arab-Islamic Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.&nbsp;In an official statement, the Foreign Office confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will undertake a one-day visit to Istanbul on November 3 at the invitation of Turkish foreign minister.&nbsp;&ldquo;This meeting is part of ongoing diplomatic engagement following the Gaza Peace Agreement signed in Sharm El-Sheikh,&rdquo; the Foreign Office spokesperson said, noting that Pakistan has been working alongside seven other Arab-Islamic states to support the peace initiative.&nbsp;According to the statement, Pakistan will &ldquo;emphasize the need for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the complete Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially Gaza, as well as the provision of unfettered humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians and the reconstruction of Gaza.&rdquo;&nbsp;The spokesperson added that Pakistan will reaffirm its longstanding stance on the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan will reiterate the need for collective efforts aimed at achieving an independent, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative,&rdquo; the statement read.&nbsp;The Foreign Office stressed that Pakistan remains firmly committed to safeguarding Palestinian rights.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has been, and will continue to be, committed to efforts to restore peace, justice, and dignity to the Palestinian people, as well as to ensure the realization of their right to self-determination,&rdquo; it said.

Middle East

Asia

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will attend an Arab-Islamic coordination meeting in Istanbul to press for full Gaza ceasefire implementation, Israeli withdrawal, humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and renewed efforts toward an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Pakistan to press Gaza ceasefire implementation at Istanbul ministerial meeting

ISLAMABAD: The situation in Gaza remains tense as Israeli military operations continue amid mounting challenges on the ground. While US President Donald Trump says that the truce is holding, the ceasefire appears to be faltering, with disruptions to humanitarian aid and continued strikes raising questions about whether a lasting agreement can hold. Trump, who brokered the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, has insisted that the truce &ldquo;was still in place,&rdquo; adding that Hamas leadership &ldquo;may not be involved&rdquo; in the latest violations. But he acknowledges uncertainty over whether Israel&rsquo;s strikes were justified, saying he would &ldquo;have to get back&rdquo; on that when questioned by reporters. The exchange of attacks and counterattacks in Gaza has left the truce fragile. Israeli airstrikes have hit several areas in Gaza, including a former school sheltering displaced civilians in Nuseirat, killing at least 26 people, according to local health authorities, Reuters reported.&nbsp; A month after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, violence and uncertainty have continued to shadow the truce, with reports of repeated violations, suspended aid deliveries, and warnings that Palestinians remain without real guarantees for safety or relief. According to a statement issued by the Gaza Government Media Office (Press Release No. 1009), Israel has violated the ceasefire 80 times since October 10, killing 97 Palestinians and injuring 230 others in renewed attacks across the enclave. The statement said the violations included &ldquo;direct gunfire at civilians, deliberate bombardment, the execution of fire belts, and arrests of civilian citizens,&rdquo; describing them as &ldquo;grave and repeated breaches&rdquo; of international humanitarian law.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 641px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1980006715698335850&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=36be07a670230f94c3110bd939a39b581fc278f3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The office said Israeli forces used tanks, drones, and combat aircraft to target residential neighborhoods in all governorates of Gaza. It called on the United Nations and guarantor states to intervene and &ldquo;compel the occupation to cease its continuous aggression and protect the defenseless civilian population.&rdquo; The Israeli military said its airstrikes were in response to a ceasefire violation by Hamas that killed two soldiers, though Hamas denied involvement. Aid deliveries falter againOn Sunday, Israel briefly halted all supplies to Gaza following what it called a &ldquo;blatant&rdquo; violation of the agreement. The decision came despite US pressure to resume deliveries, which an Israeli security source said could restart on Monday. The Rafah border crossing with Egypt remains closed. Israel said its reopening depends on Hamas completing the handover of hostages&rsquo; bodies, while Hamas said many of the deceased remain trapped beneath rubble and require specialized recovery equipment, Reuters reported. No real guarantees for PalestiniansThe ceasefire had raised expectations that the flow of aid would increase and that reconstruction could begin after two years of war. But the United Nations says that, despite some progress, the amount of food, fuel, and medicine entering Gaza remains far below what is required. Meanwhile, the US State Department has warned that it received &ldquo;credible reports&rdquo; that Hamas may be planning an attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, an act it said would represent a &ldquo;grave violation&rdquo; of the ceasefire, AP reported. Fragile truce, fading hopeHuman rights advocate and former United Nations Relief and Works Agency spokesperson Chris Gunness told a Middle-East-based digital news outlet that Palestinians &ldquo;don&rsquo;t have the means to prevent the resumption of genocide.&rdquo; He said the ceasefire&rsquo;s terms made it &ldquo;bound to collapse,&rdquo; as Gaza&rsquo;s devastation has left authorities unable to recover hostages&rsquo; remains or oversee large-scale reconstruction. The ceasefire agreement, which was intended to end two years of bloodshed, is now faltering both in letter and in spirit. With Israeli strikes continuing, aid flows disrupted, and both sides accusing each other of violations, the path to peace remains uncertain.

The ceasefire, brokered to end two years of war, has unraveled under repeated violations, deadly airstrikes, and stalled aid. With 97 Palestinians killed and humanitarian relief blocked, the truce offers little protection, leaving Gaza civilians trapped between diplomatic ambiguity and escalating violence.

97 killed in Gaza since ceasefire, Trump says it is 'still in place'

GAZA CITY:&nbsp;Gaza&#39;s civil defence agency and hospitals said a series of Israeli air strikes across the territory killed at least 45 people on Sunday, updating an earlier toll of 33. The Israeli military said it had struck dozens of Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip, as both Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating the nine-day-old ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump. &quot;At least 45 people were killed as a result of Israeli air strikes on various areas of the Gaza Strip,&quot; Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the civil defence agency, which operates as a rescue service under Hamas authority, told AFP. Four hospitals in Gaza confirmed the death toll to AFP, saying they had received the dead and wounded. Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat reported 24 dead and 73 wounded from multiple strikes in central Gaza. Al-Aqsa Hospital said it received 12 dead from nearby bombings, while Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reported five dead, and Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed four fatalities. Earlier, Bassal detailed several of the strikes. He said six people were killed when an Israeli strike targeted a &quot;group of civilians&quot; in Zuwaida town in central Gaza. Six other people, including children, were killed and 13 others injured in two separate strikes near Nuseirat in central Gaza, Bassal said. A woman and two children were killed when a drone strike hit a tent housing displaced people near Asdaa City, north of Khan Yunis. Two people, including a journalist, were killed and several others injured in an Israeli strike in the western part of Zuwaida town in central Gaza. In another attack, two people were killed and several injured when an Israeli strike hit a tent in the Al-Ahli Club area in Nuseirat, central Gaza, Bassal said. Two more people were killed in an Israeli air strike in eastern Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip, he added. One individual was killed in a strike on an apartment in a building in western Gaza City, the civil defence agency said. The others succumbed later on Sunday to injuries received in these strikes, Bassal said. The Israeli military told AFP it was checking reports of casualties. Later on Sunday, the Israeli military said it had resumed enforcing the ceasefire in Gaza.

Israeli air strikes kill at least 45 across Gaza Strip

**35-word summary:**
Gaza’s civil defence said Israeli air strikes on Sunday killed at least 15 people, including women and children, across central and northern Gaza, as both Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating the ceasefire.


At least 45 killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza 

Reuters

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CAIRO/JERUSALEM: The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed until further notice, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, adding its reopening will depend on Hamas handing over the bodies of deceased hostages as the two sides continued to trade blame over ceasefire violations. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netanyahu&#39;s statement came shortly after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt announced that the Rafah crossing, the main gateway for Gazans to leave and enter the enclave, would reopen on Monday for entry into Gaza. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netanyahu&#39;s government and Hamas have been trading blame over violations of the US-mediated ceasefire for days. Late Saturday in Washington, the State Department said it had received &quot;credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas against the people of Gaza.&quot; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The State Department said the planned attack against Palestinian civilians would be a &quot;direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement.&quot; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&quot;Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire,&quot; the department said in a statement, without providing further details. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trump had said he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas fails to uphold its end of the ceasefire deal that he brokered. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hamas did not immediately respond to a request for comment. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The militant group has launched a security crackdown in urban areas vacated by Israeli forces, demonstrating its power through public executions and clashes with local armed clans. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dispute over aid, return of bodies&nbsp; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hamas, in a statement late on Saturday, said Netanyahu&#39;s decision &quot;constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement and a repudiation of the commitments he made to the mediators and guarantor parties.&quot; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It also said the continued closure of the Rafah crossing would prevent the entry of equipment needed to search for and locate more hostage bodies under the rubble, and would thus delay the recovery and handover of the remains. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel said it received two more bodies late on Saturday, meaning 12 out of 28 bodies have been handed over under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal agreed between Israel and Hamas last week. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The war has caused a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with nearly all inhabitants driven from their homes, a global hunger monitor confirming famine and health authorities overwhelmed. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The dispute over the return of bodies, and shipments of life-saving humanitarian aid, underlines the fragility of the ceasefire and still has the potential to upset the deal along with other major issues that are included in U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s 20-point plan to end the war. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As part of the deal, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages it had been holding for two years, in return for almost 2,000 Palestinian detainees and convicted prisoners jailed in Israel. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Formidable obstacles to peace <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Israel says that Hamas has been too slow to hand over the bodies of deceased hostages it still holds. The militant group says that locating some of the bodies amid the vast destruction in Gaza will take time. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The deal requires Israel to return 360 bodies of Palestinian militants for the deceased Israeli hostages and so far it has handed over 15 bodies in return for each Israeli body it has received. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rafah has largely been shut since May 2024. The ceasefire deal also includes the ramping up of aid into the enclave, where hundreds of thousands of people were determined in August to be affected by famine, according to the IPC global hunger monitor. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After cutting off all supplies for 11 weeks in March, Israel increased aid into Gaza in July, scaling it up further since the ceasefire. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Around 560 metric tons of food had entered Gaza per day on average since the US-brokered truce, but this was still well below the scale of need, according to the UN World Food Programme. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Formidable obstacles to Trump&#39;s plan to end the war still remain. Key questions of Hamas disarming and how Gaza will be governed, the make-up of an international &quot;stabilization force&quot; and moves towards the creation of a Palestinian state have yet to be resolved.

File Photo - Trucks carrying humanitarian aid enter the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, following an agreement between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohamed Arafat)

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed until further notice, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, adding its reopening will depend on Hamas handing over the bodies of deceased hostages as the two sides continued to trade blame over ceasefire violations.

Israel says Rafah crossing will stay closed until further notice

Reuters/AP

JERUSALEM/GAZA:&nbsp;The Hamas-run Prisoners Office said&nbsp;on Monday that&nbsp;buses carrying the freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah and in the Gaza Strip. Israel freed more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees after Hamas freed all remaining living hostages held in Gaza under the two sides&rsquo; ceasefire deal. The buses arrived in Ramallah after leaving Ofer prison, in the Israel-occupied West Bank, said the Prisoners Office. At least one bus also crossed into the Gaza Strip, it said. Earlier, Hamas handed over 20 surviving Israeli hostages to the Red Cross as part of US President Donald Trump&#39;s ceasefire deal. News agencies quoting Israel&rsquo;s public broadcaster reported Hamas had handed over all 20 surviving Israeli hostages to Red Cross representatives. Earlier, President Donald Trump arrived in Israel to celebrate the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, an agreement that he declares has effectively ended the war and opened the door to building a durable peace in the Middle East. The moment, however, remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of the plan, which includes the release of Israeli hostages that have been held since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led militants. With families overjoyed at the impending reunions and Palestinians eager for a surge of humanitarian assistance, Trump thinks there is a narrow window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. &ldquo;The war is over, OK?&rdquo; Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One while on his way from Washington DC to Israel. &ldquo;I think people are tired of it,&rdquo; he said, emphasizing that he believed the ceasefire would hold because of that. While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners marked a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and Hamas. As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire. With the hostages&rsquo; release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over. While Israel considers the prisoners to be terrorists, Palestinians view them as freedom fighters against Israeli occupation. Israel has warned Palestinians in the West Bank against celebrating after people are released, according to a prisoner&rsquo;s family and a Palestinian official familiar with the plans. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retribution. Trump in Israel, Egypt&nbsp;Trump is first visiting Israel, where a White House schedule said he would meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel&rsquo;s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages. &ldquo;The war is over,&rdquo; Trump asserted to reporters as he departed, adding he thought the ceasefire would hold. Trump will continue to Egypt, where President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi&#39;s office said he will co-chair a &ldquo;peace summit&rdquo; on Monday with regional and international leaders. Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, will attend, a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash, told The Associated Press. Netanyahu has rejected any role in postwar Gaza for Abbas, though the US plan leaves the possibility open if the Palestinian Authority undergoes reforms. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007. Other key questions in the ceasefire deal remain unresolved, including the future governance of Gaza and the funding for a billion-dollar reconstruction process. Israel wants to ensure that the weakened Hamas disarms, and Netanyahu has warned that Israel could do it &ldquo;the hard way.&rdquo; Hamas refuses to disarm and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza. The Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis, and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza&rsquo;s far north, and the wide strip along Gaza&rsquo;s border with Israel. Under the US plan, an international body will govern Gaza, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said that Gaza&rsquo;s government should be worked out among Palestinians. The plan calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 US troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire. The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.

Red Cross buses carrying Palestinian prisoners arrive in Ramallah and Gaza; Hamas hands over hostages to the Red Cross; Trump to address Israeli parliament; later, attend the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in Egypt, which aims to strengthen peace in Gaza after two years of devastation by Israel.

All surviving Israeli hostages, 1,900 Palestinian prisoners released

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Sunday said talks on implementing a truce for Gaza will take days, while his foreign policy chief, Marco Rubio, warned that Israel needs to stop bombing for a hostage release to happen.&nbsp;&quot;They&#39;re in negotiations right now as we speak. They&#39;ve started the negotiations. It&#39;ll last a couple of days,&quot; Trump told reporters at the White House.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;ll see how it turns out. But I&#39;m hearing it&#39;s going very well,&quot; he added.&nbsp;In a text exchange with CNN released Sunday, Trump said &quot;yes&quot; when asked if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on board with ending the military campaign in Gaza. Trump urges negotiators to &#39;move fast&#39;In a separate post on his Truth Social platform, Trump urged Hamas and Israeli negotiators to &quot;move fast,&quot; adding that there had been &quot;very positive discussions&quot; with the Palestinian group. &quot;There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the hostages, end the war in Gaza, but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East,&quot; he said. &quot;These talks have been very successful, and are proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST.&quot; Negotiators from Israel and Hamas were set to hold talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, with Netanyahu expressing hope that hostages held in Gaza could be released within days. However, Hamas called for a swift start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel. &quot;Hamas is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions,&quot; a senior Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Separately, Rubio called for a halt to Israeli bombing on Gaza.&nbsp;&quot;I think the Israelis and everyone acknowledge you can&#39;t release hostages in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop,&quot; the secretary of state told CBS News talk show &quot;Face the Nation.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;There can&#39;t be a war going on in the middle of it.&quot;&nbsp;The diplomatic push follows the positive response by Hamas to Trump&#39;s roadmap for an end to the fighting and the release of captives in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.&nbsp;Rubio told NBC&#39;s &quot;Meet the Press&quot; that there were &quot;logistical challenges&quot; to address to pave the way for the hostage release.&nbsp;He also predicted that the longer-term goals would be &quot;even harder&quot; to attain, in terms of how the war-ravaged territory will be governed and disarming militants.&nbsp;&quot;You can&#39;t set up a government structure in Gaza that&#39;s not Hamas in three days. I mean, it takes some time,&quot; Rubio told NBC.&nbsp;Trump told CNN he expected clarity &quot;soon&quot; on whether the Palestinian group that carried out the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the conflict was committed to peace.&nbsp;The US president added that if Hamas were to refuse to cede power, they would face &quot;Complete Obliteration!&quot;

Americas

US president urges negotiators to 'move fast'; Hamas calls for swift start to hostage-prisoner exchange; Rubio says Israel must pause bombing for hostages to be safely released.





Trump says Gaza deal talks to go on 'couple' days

ROME: Some of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to describe abuse and humiliation at the hands of Israeli guards.&nbsp;Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel&rsquo;s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory. Those detained between Wednesday and Friday were brought to Israel, where many remain in prison.&nbsp;Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners &ldquo;like monkeys.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;This is called torture. It&rsquo;s called torture, a denial of human rights, even the most basic ones,&rdquo; he said on his return at Rome&rsquo;s Fiumicino Airport late Saturday.&nbsp;&ldquo;They took away everyone&rsquo;s medicine: people with heart disease, asthma, even an 86-year-old man they took away his inhaler.&rdquo;&nbsp;Among those detained were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela&rsquo;s grandson Mandla Mandela and several European lawmakers.&nbsp;Tommasi said Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested.&nbsp;&ldquo;We also saw Greta Thunberg at the port, in that case with her arms tied and an Israeli flag next to her, just a mockery,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s say the mockery was part of the verbal and psychological violence they always carried out, in order to demean, ridicule and laugh in situations where there is nothing to laugh about.&rdquo;&nbsp;The inteception of the flotilla came as US President Donald Trump was appearing to be brokering a fresh peace initiative in Gaza, including a proposed ceasefire, as he ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza.&nbsp;Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D&rsquo;Agostino, said detainees were repeatedly woken during the two nights he spent behind bars. They were also intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns at prisoners &ldquo;to scare us.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Overall, I felt I was being held by a terrorist organization,&rdquo; he said after landing at Istanbul Airport, where 137 activists from 13 countries arrived from Israel on Saturday.&nbsp;D&rsquo;Agostino added that his belongings and money had been &ldquo;stolen by the Israelis.&rdquo;&nbsp;Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a prison van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties.&nbsp;&ldquo;Constant stress and humiliation,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;You weren&rsquo;t allowed to look them in the face, always had to keep your head down and when I did look up, a man came and shook me and slapped me on the back of the head.&rdquo;&nbsp;In a statement, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was &ldquo;proud&rdquo; of the way staff behaved at Ketziot prison, a facility in the Negev desert.&nbsp;&ldquo;I was proud that we treat the &lsquo;flotilla activists&rsquo; as supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpets they were mistaken. They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.&rdquo;&nbsp;The arrests led to criticism from several governments including Turkey, Colombia and Pakistan. Greece, which had 27 of its nationals in Israeli custody, issued a &ldquo;strong written protest&rdquo; to Israel over the &ldquo;unacceptable and inappropriate behavior of an Israeli minister.&rdquo;&nbsp;The complaint is thought to refer to footage of Ben-Gvir upbraiding the activists for supporting &ldquo;terrorism&rdquo; and mocking their aid initiative after they were brought ashore at the southern port of Ashdod on Friday.&nbsp;The Swedish Foreign Ministry said it had &ldquo;acted intensively to ensure that the detained Swedes&rsquo; rights are observed.&rdquo;&nbsp;The interception of the flotilla also led to large-scale demonstrations in cities across the world.

About 450 activists detained after Israel intercepted the Gaza flotilla report abuse, humiliation, and withheld medicine. Israel denies mistreatment, labeling them terrorists. The arrests sparked protests and criticism from multiple governments worldwide.

Activists accuse Israel of abuse during Gaza flotilla detention

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Saturday to discuss regional developments and the ongoing crisis in Gaza. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two leaders reviewed diplomatic efforts among eight Arab-Islamic countries and the United States in New York, focused on achieving an immediate and durable ceasefire and ensuring unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.<div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 745px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1974404763472253102&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=7476a1b91bc03244c33e93e80c45f9a3cb0e8dc6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div></div> Dar appreciated Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s constructive role and continued engagement in advancing peace efforts. Both sides also discussed recent developments, including Hamas&rsquo;s response to a US peace proposal, which they described as a hopeful step toward ending hostilities. The deputy prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s firm commitment to the Palestinian cause and expressed support for all regional and international initiatives aimed at securing a comprehensive and lasting peace. Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination with Arab and Islamic partners, as well as the international community, to promote a just resolution of the conflict based on the two-state solution.&nbsp; &#39;Key areas&#39; not addressedOn Tuesday, Dar clarified Pakistan&rsquo;s position on the Gaza peace plan presented by the US and Israel earlier this week, saying the proposal did not address &ldquo;key areas.&rdquo; The 20-point plan, supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages within 72 hours, disarmament, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. US President Donald Trump said his administration was waiting for Hamas to accept the plan. Pakistan&rsquo;s stanceSpeaking to reporters in Islamabad, Dar said the document did not reflect several crucial points discussed in the joint commitment issued by the foreign ministers of eight Muslim-majority countries. &ldquo;If these issues are not addressed, they will be,&rdquo; he said, emphasizing the group&rsquo;s immediate goal of stopping displacement, ending the bloodshed, and ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza. He stressed that Pakistan&rsquo;s stance was aligned with the joint position of the eight countries and was not an independent statement. &ldquo;This is the collective commitment of eight countries, not just mine or the Prime Minister&rsquo;s,&rdquo; Dar said. Earlier, a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, and Jordan welcomed the US initiative and lauded President Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;sincere efforts to end the war.&rdquo;

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar speaks during a Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Central Asia

Europe

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Saturday to discuss regional developments and the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Dar, Saudi FM reaffirm commitment to Gaza two-state solution

International reactions have been pouring in following Hamas&rsquo;s positive response on Friday to US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s plan to free Israeli hostages in Gaza and end the nearly two-year conflict. Here are some of the main reactions from around the world: From the US, &ldquo;Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay,&rdquo; Trump said on Saturday, on his Truth Social page.&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s get this done, FAST.&rdquo; Trump on Friday had expressed appreciation that &ldquo;Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing&rdquo; &mdash; but Israel said on Saturday it was continuing with its military offensive in Gaza. Israel also took a stance. &ldquo;In light of Hamas&rsquo;s response, Israel is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of the Trump plan for the release of all the hostages,&rdquo; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&rsquo;s office said. &ldquo;We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set out by Israel, which align with President Trump&rsquo;s vision,&rdquo; the statement added. QatarQatar welcomed &ldquo;the announcement by Hamas of its agreement to President Trump&rsquo;s plan,&rdquo; said foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari, also expressing support for Trump&rsquo;s call for an immediate ceasefire. Egypt said it hoped &ldquo;this positive development will lead all parties to rise to the level of responsibility by committing to implementing President Trump&rsquo;s plan on the ground and end the war.&rdquo; United NationsUN Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres &ldquo;welcomes&rdquo; Hamas&rsquo;s response and &ldquo;urges all parties to seize the opportunity to bring the tragic conflict in Gaza to an end,&rdquo; spokesman St&eacute;phane Dujarric said. UN rights chief Volker T&uuml;rk said he hoped the plan would &ldquo;pave the way for a permanent cessation of hostilities... in line with international human rights and humanitarian laws.&rdquo; It was, he said, a &ldquo;vital opportunity for all parties and influential states to pursue in good faith and stop &mdash; once and for all &mdash; the carnage and the suffering in Gaza, to flood the strip with humanitarian aid, and to ensure the release of the hostages and numerous detained Palestinians.&rdquo; The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, added: &ldquo;In two years, we have never been closer to securing peace than now. We cannot miss this opportunity. Too many lives have been lost and shattered,&rdquo; he wrote on X. Europe &ldquo;The release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach!&rdquo; French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, joining a chorus of hopeful European reactions to Hamas&rsquo;s response. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the plan represented &ldquo;the best chance for peace&rdquo; in the conflict and that Germany &ldquo;fully supports&rdquo; Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;call upon both sides.&rdquo; Britain&rsquo;s Keir Starmer called Hamas&rsquo;s acceptance &ldquo;a significant step forward&rdquo; and urged all sides &ldquo;to implement the agreement without delay.&rdquo; TurkeyTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he believed Hamas was showing, &ldquo;as it has done many times before, that it is ready for peace.&rdquo; The foreign ministry said the Palestinian group&rsquo;s response &ldquo;provides an opportunity for the immediate establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza.&rdquo; JordanJordan&rsquo;s foreign ministry welcomed Hamas&rsquo;s response. It &ldquo;stressed the need to immediately halt the Israeli aggression on Gaza, open the border crossings to allow the immediate, adequate, and sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of the strip, and launch a genuine effort to achieve a just peace.&rdquo; Lebanon&rsquo;s HezbollahThe head of the Hamas ally in Lebanon, Naim Qassam, said Washington&rsquo;s Gaza ceasefire plan was &ldquo;full of dangers&rdquo; and accused Israel of using it to achieve what it &ldquo;failed&rdquo; to do during the war. &ldquo;It is Israel&rsquo;s project, which it seeks to achieve through politics after failing to achieve it through military action, aggression, genocide, and famine,&rdquo; he added.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

International reactions pour in following Hamas’s positive response to US President Donald Trump’s plan to free Israeli hostages in Gaza and end the nearly two-year conflict.

Articles tagged with "gaza"