GAZA CITY: A top Hamas official told AFP Saturday that the release of 48 mostly Israeli hostages held by Palestinians in Gaza would begin on Monday morning. &quot;According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed, and there are no new developments on this matter,&quot; Osama Hamdan said in an interview with AFP. Hamas on the ground have not yet notified the movement&#39;s leadership about the logistics of the hostages&#39; handover, Hamdan added. Following the return of the captives from Gaza, Israel will proceed with the release of about 2,000 Palestinian detainees from its prisons, according to the terms of the first stage of a ceasefire deal signed by the two parties under US mediation. Hamdan said that the list of Palestinian prisoners slated for release was still under negotiation. Hamas&#39;s &quot;prisoners office has said that, so far, the process has not been finalized. Israel is still refusing to release certain names. However, the negotiating delegation is making every effort to secure their release,&quot; the official said, adding that the final list would be ready on Saturday night or by Sunday morning &quot;at the latest.&quot; Hamdan further highlighted that under the agreement, five entry points for humanitarian aid are expected to be opened, and said that the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will reopen &quot;for individuals in both directions starting next Wednesday.&quot; Italy said that the Rafah crossing would reopen on Tuesday under the supervision of an EU monitoring mission, with a police presence from Italy, Spain, and France.

Middle East

The hostage-prisoner exchange will begin Monday, involving 48 hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Negotiations continue over final names; Rafah crossing set to reopen next week.

Hamas official says hostages release to begin Monday morning

JERUSALEM: Israel said on Thursday all parties have signed the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, adding that Hamas freeing the captives would &quot;bring the end to this war.&quot; The agreement in Egypt follows a 20-point peace plan for Gaza announced last month by US President Donald Trump, after more than two years of war sparked by Hamas&#39;s October 2023 attack on Israel. Trump said he planned to leave on Sunday for the Middle East. Egypt is planning an event to celebrate the conclusion of the agreement, with the US president also expected to stop in Israel and consider going to devastated Gaza. Despite celebrations in Israel and Gaza and a flood of messages from world leaders hailing the deal, numerous issues remain unsettled, including the plan&#39;s call for Hamas to disarm and a proposed transitional authority for Gaza led by Trump himself. Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said the Palestinian movement rejected the latter. &quot;No Palestinian would accept this. All the factions, including the Palestinian Authority, reject this,&quot; Hamdan told Qatar-based broadcaster Al Araby. Trump said the issue of Hamas surrendering its weapons would be addressed in the second phase of the peace plan. &quot;There will be disarming,&quot; he told reporters, adding there would also be &quot;pullbacks&quot; by Israeli forces. The Israeli government said the ceasefire was to take hold within 24 hours of meetings on Thursday to approve the deal, under which the military would withdraw from Gaza. Early on Friday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the government had &quot;approved the framework for the release of all the hostages &mdash; both the living and the deceased.&quot; Netanyahu had faced pushback from his far-right allies, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir saying he would vote against the agreement, calling the plan to release thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the 47 hostages remaining in Gaza &quot;an unbearable heavy price.&quot; &#39;Tears of joy&#39;&nbsp;Confirming that the first-phase draft had been signed by &quot;all parties&quot; early Thursday, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told journalists that &quot;all of our hostages, the living and the deceased, will be released 72 hours later, which will bring us to Monday.&quot; Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the release of the hostages &quot;should bring the end to this war.&quot; In a rare interview with an Israeli network, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas told the Channel 12 broadcaster that &quot;what happened today is a historic moment.&rdquo;&nbsp;&quot;Today, we are very happy that the bloodshed has ceased. We hope it remains this way, and that peace, security, and stability will prevail between us and Israel.&quot; US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump&#39;s son-in-law Jared Kushner travelled to Jerusalem on Thursday night, where they met both Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, their offices said. Israeli media reported that the pair later participated in the government meeting held to approve the plan. The deal, thrashed out in indirect, closed-door talks in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, also envisions a surge of aid into Gaza, where the UN has declared famine. The announcement sparked joy in Gaza, much of which has been flattened by Israel&#39;s offensive. &quot;Honestly, when I heard the news, I couldn&#39;t hold back. Tears of joy flowed. Two years of bombing, terror, destruction, loss, humiliation, and the constant feeling that we could die at any moment,&quot; displaced Palestinian Samer Joudeh told AFP. In Israel, thousands of people gathered in a Tel Aviv square to celebrate, some holding photos of hostages still in Gaza and waving Israeli and US flags. &quot;We have been waiting for this day for 734 days. We cannot imagine being anywhere else this morning,&quot; said Laurence Ytzhak, 54. While Arab leaders said they hoped the ceasefire would lead to a permanent solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, there was no indication the talks were addressing any of the deeper issues at stake. Hamas has submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants released from Israeli jails in the first phase. The list names 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment and 1,700 others arrested by Israel since the war began, according to a Hamas source. High-profile inmate Marwan Barghouti &mdash; from Hamas&#39;s rival, the Fatah movement &mdash; is among those the group wanted to see released, according to Egyptian state-linked media. However, Israel said Barghouti would not be part of the exchange. Explosions continue&nbsp;The talks were taking place under the shadow of the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Militants also took 251 people hostage into Gaza, where 47 remain, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel&#39;s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,194 people, according to the health ministry in the territory, figures the United Nations considers credible. The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children. Gaza&#39;s civil defense agency, a rescue force operating under Hamas&#39;s authority, reported several strikes on the territory after the announcement of the deal. AFP journalists and witnesses said more explosions and artillery fire could be heard Thursday evening in southern and central Gaza.

Trump says he planned to leave on Sunday for Middle East; Egypt planning an event to celebrate conclusion of the agreement.



Israel says 'all parties' signed phase one of Gaza deal

<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;">MADRID: Spanish lawmakers on Wednesday approved the enshrinement in law of an arms embargo on Israel that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez introduced to end what he called &ldquo;the genocide in Gaza.&rdquo;<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;">Parliament backed the decree by 178 votes to 169. It was announced in September by Sanchez, one of the most vocal critics among world leaders of Israel&rsquo;s devastating two-year-old war in the Palestinian territory.<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 support of the far-left party Podemos, which has four MPs and had criticized the decree, helped swing the vote in the leftist minority coalition&rsquo;s favor after days of speculation about the lawmakers&rsquo; position.<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 government said it had already banned buying weapons from or selling them to Israel since the start of the war, sparked by the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israeli soil on Oct. 7, 2023.<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;">Sanchez announced last month a decree to &ldquo;consolidate in law&rdquo; the embargo as part of a series of measures against Israel&rsquo;s offensive.<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;">&ldquo;Israel&rsquo;s response to the terrible attacks committed by terrorist group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, has ended up becoming an indiscriminate attack against the Palestinian population that the majority of experts have called genocide,&rdquo; reads the preamble of the law.<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 bans all exports of defense equipment, products or technology to Israel and imports of such goods from the country.<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 decree also outlaws the transit of aviation fuel with potential military use and bans the advertising of products &ldquo;coming from illegal colonies in Gaza and the West Bank.&rdquo;<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 text allows the government to make exceptions for dual-use defense equipment &ldquo;if the application of the ban harmed general national interests.&rdquo;<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;">September&rsquo;s announcement triggered furious condemnation from Israel, which had already withdrawn its ambassador to Madrid in 2024 after Spain recognized a Palestinian state.<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 vote was initially scheduled for Tuesday, but Spanish media said it was held a day later to avoid coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attack.<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&rsquo;s embassy in Spain criticized the original plan, calling it &ldquo;a cynical and reprehensible decision&rdquo; in a letter released late Monday.

Reports said:  Spanish lawmakers debate and vote on a bill formalizing an arms embargo on Israel during a parliamentary session in Madrid, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Screengrab/Reuters)

Europe

Spanish lawmakers on Wednesday approved the enshrinement in law of an arms embargo on Israel that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez introduced to end what he called “the genocide in Gaza.”

Spanish parliament approves Israel arms embargo

ROME: Israel&rsquo;s World Cup qualifying match at Italy next week is expected to attract more pro-Palestinian protesters outside the soccer stadium in Udine than ticket-holding spectators inside the arena.&nbsp;Protesters already approached the gates of Italy&rsquo;s training center in Florence last week to demand that the match isn&rsquo;t played because of the war in Gaza, part of a national strike that saw millions of activists take to the streets.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not going to be a calm environment,&rdquo; Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso acknowledged Tuesday from inside the Coverciano training center that was targeted. &ldquo;There will be 10,000 people outside the stadium and 5-6,000 inside the stadium.&rdquo;&nbsp;As of Monday, only 4,000 tickets were sold for next Tuesday&rsquo;s match at Stadio Friuli.&nbsp;While UEFA had been considering suspending Israel over the war and Udine Mayor Alberto Felice De Toni had called for the game to be postponed, with Italy desperately attempting to avoid failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, the four-time champion doesn&rsquo;t plan to risk not playing.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have to play this match. Because if we don&rsquo;t, we&rsquo;ll lose it 3-0,&rdquo; Gattuso said, referring to the rule for forfeited matches. &ldquo;(Italian soccer federation) president (Gabriele) Gravina explained that very well.&rdquo;&nbsp;There was also tension on the field between the two squads after the final whistle when Italy edged Israel 5-4 in a nine-goal thriller last month in neutral Hungary, where Israel has been playing its &ldquo;home&rdquo; matches during the war.&nbsp;The protesters in Italy and elsewhere have also been reacting to an international aid mission blocked by Israeli forces.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s upsetting to see what&rsquo;s happening to innocent people and children,&rdquo; Gattuso said. &ldquo;It hurts your heart.&rdquo;&nbsp;Italy and Israel are level six points behind group leader Norway, with only the first-place finisher in the group to qualify directly for next year&rsquo;s tournament in North America.&nbsp;The second-place finishers progress to a playoff, the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;Israel could also face protests during a visit to Norway on Saturday.&nbsp;The Norwegian soccer federation pledged to give its profits from ticket sales for the game in Oslo to humanitarian work in Gaza by Doctors Without Borders.&nbsp;Italy played Israel in Udine last October in the Nations League. That game went off without incident amid a heavy police presence and despite a pro-Palestinian demonstration before the game. Italy won 4-1.

Football

Protests are expected during next week’s Italy-Israel World Cup qualifying match in Udine, raising security concerns amid anger over the Gaza war and increasing calls for the game’s cancellation.


Tension builds as Italy-Israel World Cup qualifying match faces protests

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

Web Desk

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

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

<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;">TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza &ldquo;in the coming days,&rdquo; as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on Monday on a new US 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;">In a brief statement late Saturday, Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt &ldquo;to finalize technical details,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;our goal is to contain these negotiations to a time frame of a few days.&rdquo; <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 Netanyahu signaled there would not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, something Hamas has long demanded. &ldquo;(Doubters) told me it&rsquo;s too good to be true. It&rsquo;s true. And with God&rsquo;s help, it will happen very soon,&rdquo; he said. <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 prime minister spoke after Hamas said it has accepted some elements of the US plan. President Donald Trump welcomed the militant group&#39;s statement but on Saturday warned that &ldquo;Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off.&rdquo;<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 also ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza. Some in Gaza City reported a notable easing of Israeli strikes Saturday, though hospital officials said at least 22 people were killed, including women and children. <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&#39;s army said leaders instructed it to prepare for the US plan&#39;s first phase. Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said an official who was not authorized to speak to the media on the record.<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;">Still, an Israeli strike on Gaza City&#39;s Tuffah neighborhood killed at least 17 and injured 25 others, said Al-Ahli hospital director Fadel Naim. &ldquo;The strikes are still ongoing,&rdquo; Naim said. Israel&#39;s military said it struck a Hamas member and &ldquo;regrets any harm caused to uninvolved civilians.&rdquo; <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;">Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah earlier Saturday said Israeli strikes killed five Palestinians across Gaza City. <h4 style="line-height: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><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;">Momentum ahead of war&rsquo;s anniversary</h4><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 appears determined to deliver on pledges to end the war and return all hostages ahead of the second anniversary on Tuesday of the attack that sparked it. His proposal unveiled earlier this week has widespread international support. On Friday, Netanyahu&#39;s office said Israel was committed to ending the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. <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 indirect talks on Monday are meant to prepare the way for the release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinians from Israeli detention, mediator Egypt said. <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;">A senior Egyptian official said US envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to head the US negotiating team. The talks also will discuss maps showing the expected withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas in Gaza, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn&rsquo;t authorized to brief the media. <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 official also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position toward Gaza&#39;s future. <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 Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second most powerful militant group in Gaza, said it accepted Hamas&rsquo; response to the Trump plan. The group had rejected the proposal days earlier. <h4 style="line-height: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><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;">Progress, but uncertainty ahead</h4><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;">Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages &mdash; around 20 of them believed to be alive &mdash; within three days. It also would give up power and disarm. <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;">In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of Gaza, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction. <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 said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Its statement also didn&#39;t address the issue of Hamas demilitarizing, a key part of the deal. <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;">Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli general and chairman of Israel&rsquo;s Defense and Security Forum, said while Israel can afford to stop firing for a few days in Gaza so the hostages can be released, it will resume its offensive if Hamas doesn&#39;t lay down its arms.<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;">Others said that while Hamas suggests a willingness to negotiate, its position fundamentally remains unchanged. <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;">This &ldquo;yes, but&quot; rhetoric &quot;simply repackages old demands in softer language,&quot; said Oded Ailam, a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli army shelling in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days,” as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on Monday on a new US plan to end the war.

Netanyahu hopes to release hostages from Gaza 'in coming days'

<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;">THE HAGUE: The Netherlands&rsquo; Supreme Court is set to deliver a ruling Friday on the government&rsquo;s appeal against a ban on exporting F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, a case that could influence European arms trade policies amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.<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 began in 2023 when three Dutch rights groups challenged the transfers, arguing that providing F-35 parts risked making the Netherlands complicit in alleged violations of international law. Israel has denied accusations of war crimes.<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;">While a district court initially allowed the exports, an appeals court in February 2024 ordered the government to halt shipments, citing a clear danger that the parts could be used in breaches of humanitarian law. The government then turned to the Supreme Court, asserting that foreign policy decisions should rest with elected officials rather than the judiciary.<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 Netherlands hosts one of three regional warehouses for US-owned F-35 components. Dutch government lawyers argue that even if Amsterdam bans transfers, the United States could reroute parts through other facilities, making the ruling largely symbolic.<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;">A legal advisor to the Supreme Court recommended last year that the government&rsquo;s appeal be dismissed, though the opinion was nonbinding.<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 case comes as several European countries reconsider defense exports to Israel. Slovenia announced in August it would ban all weapons trade with Israel, the first such step by a European Union member. Spain halted sales in October 2023, and Britain suspended certain exports last year. Similar legal challenges are under way in France and Belgium.<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&rsquo;s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 66,200 Palestinians and wounded nearly 170,000 others, according to Gaza&rsquo;s Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children account for about half the deaths. United Nations agencies regard its figures as the most credible available.<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 began Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. Israel says Hamas still holds 48 hostages, about 20 believed to be alive.<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 Dutch ruling is being closely watched across Europe as governments balance domestic legal challenges, international law obligations and strategic alliances with Israel and the United States.

Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli military strike in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The Netherlands’ Supreme Court is set to deliver a ruling Friday on the government’s appeal against a ban on exporting F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, a case that could influence European arms trade policies amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.

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