hostages

The EU’s most pointless job

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Josep Borrell loves to condemn things — sometimes in the “strongest possible terms.” Does it ever have any impact?

Biden approaches limits of influence on Israel

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After a year of effort, the U.S. may be unable to stop full-scale regional war.

Netanyahu sows doubt about cease-fire with Hezbollah in UN speech

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The Israeli prime minister described the UN as a “contemptuous farce,” pushing back on criticisms for Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Meat is murder (if you accidentally mention it in a speech)

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Keir Starmer’s sausages/hostages mix-up was a gaffe for the ages.

White House says it proposed cease-fire deal between Israel and Hezbollah

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The proposal would pause the fighting for 21 days, and U.S. officials are optimistic that Israel and Hezbollah will agree.

Trump rips FBI, suggests apparent assassination attempts may have been tied to Iran

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The former president made the accusation without evidence.

Inside the break between the US and Israel over how to handle Hezbollah

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It marked the first time in almost a year that the U.S. and Israel so starkly disagreed on how to handle Hezbollah.

Keir Starmer’s Labour conference speech: 7 things we learned

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PM forgoes ‘easy answers that may move a crowd’ but bungles a statement on Gaza.

Keir Starmer calls for release of Israeli … sausages?

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Gaffe comes amid pressure on UK prime minister over his party’s handling of the Gaza conflict.

Humanity has been a casualty in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Biden can leverage tools available to the U.S. government to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to hold those who peddle in hate and facilitate abuse to account.

Biden’s foreign policy goals slip as clock ticks

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Biden’s top foreign policy priority right now is a Gaza cease-fire deal. That’s not looking likely.

Netanyahu says UK has ‘undermined’ Israel with arms embargo

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The Israeli prime minister accused Keir Starmer’s government of “sending mixed messages.”

Israeli defense minister: A ‘new phase of war’ has begun

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Army chief says Israel has “many more goals” to accomplish in the ongoing conflict.

3 Israelis killed at Jordan-West Bank crossing

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The attack comes amid a tense military and political situation for Israel, with many people protesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to reach a cease-fire deal.

World order ‘under threat,’ US and UK spy chiefs warn

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MI6 boss Richard Moore and CIA chief Bill Burns said in an op-ed in the Financial Times that there was work being done to “disrupt the reckless campaign of sabotage” across Europe by Russia.

PMQs scorecard: Sunak punches Starmer over pensioners and Israel

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The PM was probed on issues where he faces rumbling discontent from his backbenchers.

Progress toward Gaza cease-fire in peril after Israeli hostage deaths

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Recent optimism has deflated and worries mount that tensions between Israeli leadership and Hamas will only continue to increase.

Netanyahu blasts ‘shameful’ UK ban on Israel arms exports

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Israeli PM vows: “With or without British arms, Israel will win this war and secure our common future.”

Boris Johnson accuses UK Labour of ‘abandoning Israel’

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Former prime minister asks if the British government “want Hamas to win” after it partially suspends arms sales to Israel.

Massive protests hit Israel after six hostages killed in Gaza

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Massive protests swept Israel on Sunday (1 September) following the death of six hostages in Gaza as frustration mounted over the failure of the country’s leadership to secure a ceasefire deal that would free Israeli captives.

Israel recovers bodies of 6 hostages, including a US citizen

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The bodies were located in an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip.

Talk of peace deals in the Levant, Ukraine is for the birds

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Exhaustion and want — the two key ingredients for successful peace talks — are as absent in Kyiv as they are in the Middle East.

France extends detention of Telegram chief Pavel Durov

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Telegram said its CEO “has nothing to hide” as his surprise detention became an online flashpoint over free speech.

Gaza crisis tears Scotland’s independence warriors apart

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The SNP’s latest crisis follows a meeting with an Israeli diplomat

Israeli ambassador to US: Israeli strike on Hezbollah averted larger war

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“I believe that the success of our operation yesterday prevented an escalation to a major war,” Michael Herzog said.

Russian snipers kill Islamist hostage-takers to end prison siege

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Russia’s security services shot dead four inmates on Friday (23 August) who had taken hostages at a penal colony, fatally stabbed four of its staff and posted online videos describing themselves as Islamic State militants, officials said.

Russian special forces free hostages taken by four men linked to Islamic State

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Prisoners who carried out attack that left several guards dead at high-security jail ‘liquidated’, says national guardRussia-Ukraine war – latest news updatesRussian special forces have freed hostages taken by four men linked to the Islamic State who c…

Biden, in call with Netanyahu, stresses urgency of Gaza ceasefire

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US President Joe Biden, in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday (21 August), stressed the urgent need to conclude a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal and pointed to upcoming Cairo talks as crucial, the White House said.

Blinken wraps up Mideast trip with Gaza deal still elusive

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought during a whirlwind trip to the Middle East to inject urgency into efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire deal, but departed the region on Tuesday (20 August) with an agreement between Israel and Hamas still elusive.

US officials say Gaza deal on edge of collapse

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Negotiators are headed back to Cairo this week to see if they can convince Hamas to agree to the bridge proposal.

Blinken says Israel accepts Gaza proposal, urges Hamas to do same

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday (19 August) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a US proposal to tackle disagreements blocking a ceasefire deal in Gaza, and urged Hamas to do the same.

Blinken: ‘Probably the best, maybe the last’ chance to save Gaza hostages

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“It is time for it to get done,” says top U.S. diplomat as he arrives in Israel.

19 killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza as Blinken looks to broker cease-fire deal

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Washington has put forward a “bridging proposal” toward an accord, but Hamas is dismissive of the proposition.

The US is confident in its Gaza cease-fire proposal. Hamas has issues with it.

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Mediators hope to close a deal at next week’s talks in Cairo.

Hamas rejects ‘new’ Gaza truce conditions as Biden says deal closer than ever

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Hamas said Friday (16 August) the Palestinian group rejected “new conditions” in a Gaza ceasefire plan the United States presented after two days of talks with Israeli negotiators in Qatar.

Gaza cease-fire talks to resume next week

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Washington presents “bridging proposal” meant to resolve key gaps between Hamas and Israel.

Cease-fire talks resume as Gaza death toll tops 40,000

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American, Egyptian and Qatari leaders emphasize the urgency of restarting cease-fire negotiations.

Hamas to stay out of Gaza truce talks but may meet mediators afterwards

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Hamas said on Wednesday (14 August) it would not take part in a new round of Gaza ceasefire talks slated for Thursday in Qatar, but an official briefed on the talks said mediators expected to consult with the Palestinian group afterwards.

An ‘uncommitted’ delegate finds hope in Tim Walz

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Asma Mohammed, one of 30 “uncommitted” delegates for the Democratic National Convention, thinks the new ticket needs a cease-fire deal and an arms embargo to win.

Iran ‘will bear responsibility’ for attacking Israel, warn UK, France and Germany

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Israeli intelligence believes Tehran will strike within days, according to reports.

Israel faces anger over Gaza school strike rescuers say killed 93

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Rescuers in Gaza said an Israeli air strike on a religious school housing displaced Palestinians killed 93 people on Saturday (10 August), sparking international condemnation despite Israel’s insistence that it was targeting militants.

US, Egypt, Qatar intensify push for Israel and Hamas to resume cease-fire talks

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Joint statement urges resumption of peace negotiations next week.

Don’t forget about Belarus, Tsikhanouskaya says after prisoner swap snub

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The largest prisoner swap since the Cold War freed several leading members of the Russian opposition.

How even in death, Navalny helped Biden and Scholz get to a ‘yes’ on the prisoner swap

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The leaders of the U.S. and Germany navigated competing goals and dicey politics as they discussed an exchange for the Russian opposition leader.

EU’s top diplomat condemns Gaza starvation that Israeli minister called ‘moral’

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The death toll in Gaza has risen to close to 40,000.

Trump congratulates Putin on ‘great’ hostage swap

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The Republican nominee painted the Russian leader as the clear winner of a historic prisoner swap that led to the release of several Americans.

‘This is breaking him’: Putin’s prisoner swap leaves hundreds behind

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The deal that freed Evan Gershkovich was bittersweet for those political detainees still trapped in Russia.

‘That had to be bittersweet’ — how Biden managed a historic prisoner swap as his campaign was disintegrating

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Just as President Biden was deciding to step off the ticket, he pulled off one of the biggest and most complex prisoner deals in U.S. history.

Biggest Russia-West exchange since Cold War sees 24 prisoners freed

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Russia freed US journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-US Marine Paul Whelan on Thursday (1 August) as part of the biggest prisoner exchange of its kind since the end of the Cold War.

Israel confirms death of Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif

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Deif was second in command of the militant group and described by Israelis the mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attacks.

US bets on Gaza cease-fire talks as assassinations tilt Mideast toward bigger war

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American officials don’t seem to have a realistic plan B and are not thrilled with Israel’s suspected actions.

What the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh means for the war in Gaza

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Here’s what the assassination of the Hamas chief means for a cease-fire, a broader war, and the United States’ role in the region.

Russian dissidents disappear from prison in sign a prisoner swap may be close

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A number of Russian dissidents and people convicted for their opposition to Moscow’s war in Ukraine have disappeared from Russian prisons in recent days, in what rights activists say is a possible sign that a prisoner swap with the West may be close.

Netanyahu wraps US visit with a meeting to woo Trump

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Trump and Netanyahu have been at odds over how and when to wind down the war in Gaza.

UK drops objection to ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu

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Labour U-turns on the previous government’s opposition to the warrant, arguing for judicial independence and everyone being subject to international law.

Harris makes a forceful case for Israel-Gaza cease-fire after Netanyahu meeting

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The vice president did not diverge from Biden administration policy except in tone.

Fincantieri CEO on Trump, defense spending and consolidation

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SNEAK PEEK — Fincantieri boss Pierroberto Folgiero is looking to the Middle East and Southeast Asia for growth, he told Jacopo. — The U.K.’s new government is under pressure to halt arms sales to Israel. — F-35s, Eurofighters and GCAP: Morning Defense brings you the latest news on fighter jets. Good morning, and welcome to […]

Israel privately pressures Biden admin to fast-track more weapons during Netanyahu visit

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The delegation traveling with the prime minister is circulating a list that lays out weapons systems they want greenlit.

Biden expected to take tougher tone with Netanyahu in high-stakes meeting

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The Israeli prime minister is also set to sit down this week with Vice President Kamala Harris and GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

US Republican leaders urge members: Stop making race comments about Harris

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Leadership warned lawmakers during a closed-door meeting to focus on the vice president’s record, not her race.

Trump will meet with Netanyahu at Mar-A-Lago this week

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Relations between Trump and the Israeli leader have grown tense in recent years following the 2020 election.

Moscow jails Russian-American journalist Kurmasheva for over six years

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A Russian court has sentenced Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist for US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), to 6-1/2 years in prison for spreading false information about the Russian army, the court revealed on Monday (22 July).

Harris may not be the savior on Gaza some dems want

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In most ways, Harris’ policy toward the Israelis and Palestinians isn’t necessarily going to differ that much from Biden’s.

Netanyahu requested meeting with Trump this week during US visit

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It wasn’t clear if Donald Trump, who has been critical of Benjamin Netanyahu, would agree to the sitdown.

Russian court jails US reporter Gershkovich for 16 years in sham trial

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A Russian court found US reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage on Friday (19 July) and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony in what his employer, the Wall Street Journal, called “a disgraceful sham conviction.”

Russia’s trial of US reporter Gershkovich moves quickly through secret witness testimony

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Russia’s espionage trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich moved quickly through witness testimony behind closed doors on Thursday (18 July) and will now proceed to lawyers’ closing arguments in a case his employer called a sham.

Monday briefing: French opposition to the far right comes out on top

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In today’s newsletter: A shock defeat for the far right National Rally in France, while in the UK the new Labour government gets down to work• Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.The far right were riding high from the firs…

Hamas drops key demands on cease-fire deal: Reports

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The militant organization would accept a U.S. proposal to begin talks on releasing Israeli hostages, according to multiple media reports.

Labour’s top policy priorities

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A deep dive into what Keir Starmer’s government will tackle in their first 100 days and then in their first year.

Biden speaks with Netanyahu as Israel and Hamas move closer to cease-fire

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The talks comes as negotiations had stalled over the last few months between Israel and Hamas.

Fighting in Gaza will continue, Netanyahu tells Cabinet amid tense cease-fire talks

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The U.S. has been pushing Israel to agree to a three-part cease-fire deal, backed by several countries including France, the U.K., Egypt, Qatar and by the European Commission.

White House knows it can do little to push back on ‘problematic’ Netanyahu

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The Biden administration has no choice but to work with the Israeli prime minister to get a cease-fire and hostage deal done.

500 medical workers killed during Israel’s military assault on Gaza, UN says

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“This equates to an average of two health care workers killed every day,” British charity warns.

US officials don’t see clear path to ending war in Gaza as cease-fire talks stall

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Biden officials say Hamas and Israel disagree on how to end all hostilities in Gaza.

Biden’s Israel policy may hasten Trump’s rise, US allies fear

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As the president begins his last international trip before the election, the fear in the crowd is that conflict in Gaza is tripping him up.

UN Security Council approves Gaza cease-fire resolution

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The U.S.-led resolution increases pressure on Hamas and Israel to end hostilities.

US supported Israel in hostage rescue in Gaza

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Sullivan also said there was no confirmation any Israeli hostages were killed in the rescue mission.

Borrell condemns ‘bloodbath’ in Gaza as death toll from Israeli hostage raid soars

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More than 270 Palestinians were reportedly killed in Saturday’s raid to free 4 hostages in the Gaza Strip.

Biden and Macron stress a shared vision on Ukraine and Gaza even amid bubbling disagreements

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The two leaders met on Saturday as questions persist over the future of Ukraine funding and a peace proposal for Gaza.

Russia, China wrangle with US over UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire plan

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Russia and China, which hold veto powers in the UN Security Council, raised concerns on Thursday with a US draft resolution that would back a proposal – outlined by President Joe Biden – for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.

Russia arrests French scholar suspected of collecting intelligence

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Russia said on Thursday (6 June) it had detained a Frenchman suspected of gathering information about the Russian military, an incident French President Emmanuel Macron described as part of a campaign of disinformation by Moscow.

Only a lasting cease-fire in Gaza will let Biden off the hook

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Washington arguably jumped too quickly to push through a cease-fire deal that wasn’t oven-ready.

Biden squeezes Netanyahu on cease-fire talks

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The multi-pronged effort targets Hamas leaders, too, but the Israeli prime minister could prove the more complicated get.

White House prods Israel to accept Gaza peace plan

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U.S. national security spokesperson John Kirby said that if Hamas accepts the deal to end the Gaza war, Washington expects Israel to accept the plan too.

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