Qatar: 'Closing on Friday', Trump: 'Maybe I'll go on Sunday' Hamas: 20 hostages alive

Hamas intends to obtain the release of Marwan Barghouti as part of the agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip: this is what the Times of Israel reports, citing sources close to the negotiations. Barghouti is currently serving a life sentence in an Israeli prison for planning attacks during the Second Intifada that cost the lives of five Israeli civilians, but he has always denied all charges.

Barghouti is considered a potential successor to Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas: an advocate of the two-state solution, he remains one of the most popular Palestinian leaders.ù

The most popular leader among the Palestinians, once the leader of Tanzim, the military wing of Fatah, was arrested in 2002, at the height of the Second Intifada, and sentenced to five life sentences. This 66-year-old man is a dangerous terrorist in the eyes of many Israelis, a hero in the eyes of most Palestinians, a potential interlocutor for many opposition figures in the Jewish state, but also for several Western leaders, and the only one considered capable of mending the deep rifts between the different Palestinian souls.

In quello che potrebbe essere il più grande scambio di prigionieri mai avvenuto nella storia di Israele ci sono tuttavia anche altri detenuti “illustri”. Sono i più scomodi, coloro che non dovevano mai essere liberati. Se per Ahmad Sa’adat, 72 anni, storico segretario generale del Fronte Popolare per la Liberazione della Palestina, arrestato nel 2006 per aver pianificato l’assassinio, nel 2001, del ministro del Turismo Rehavam Ze’evi, e condannato a 30 anni, chi era contrario potrà cercare di chiudere un occhio, la scarcerazione di Ibrahim Hamed, il comandante dell’ala militare di Hamas durante la Seconda Intifada, è un boccone del tutto indigesto. Di ergastoli, quest’uomo di 65 anni, da 19 in carcere, ne ha ricevuti 54. La giustizia israeliana lo ha ritenuto colpevole di aver orchestrato durante la Seconda Intifada numerosi attentati kamikaze, costati la vita a decine di civili. Abbas al-Sayed, anch’egli militante di Hamas arrestato nel 2002, accusato di essere il man

Ita Airways has decided to extend the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until 31 December 2025, including flights AZ809 and AZ815 scheduled for 1 January 2026, the company announced.

"The White House says President Trump currently has no plans to travel to the Middle East to oversee the signing of an agreement to end the war in Gaza," Axios reporter Barak Ravid writes in X.

The demonstrators of the Milanese demonstration in solidarity with Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla are parading between the cars, blocking the traffic on viale Molise on the outskirts of the city. Some of the motorists honked their horns in support of the demonstrators and they applauded. Among the spray-painted inscriptions on the asphalt along the route was a Star of David '= a swastika'. The procession is reportedly headed to Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci.

The Spanish Parliament has just approved a decree-law establishing an arms embargo on arms to and from Israel, a measure strongly supported by Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez with the declared aim of 'stopping the genocide' taking place in the Gaza Strip. The measure was adopted with 178 votes in favour and 169 against, thanks also to the support of the four deputies of the radical left-wing party Podemos, who had kept their position confidential until a few hours before. Spain introduced the embargo in a context of strong diplomatic tensions and growing international pressure on the Tel Aviv government over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Israel has vetoed the release of Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat from Israeli jails as part of indirect negotiations with Hamas on which Palestinians would be released in exchange for the release of the hostages still in the Gaza Strip, Israeli sources quoted by the Yediot Ahronot website as saying.

Il piano del presidente Usa Donald Trump per il futuro della Striscia di Gaza è attualmente la “migliore opzione esistente in termini di accettabilità per i Paesi arabi e di ’non rifiuto’ da parte di Israele”. Ad affermarlo è il ministro degli Esteri russo Sergej Lavrov. “Il presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump ha proposto i suoi 20 punti, che menzionano la parola ’essere uno Stato’. Ma tutto questo è formulato in modo abbastanza generico. In questo contesto, stiamo parlando solo di ciò che resta della Striscia di Gaza. La Cisgiordania non viene menzionata in questo contesto. Ma siamo realisti. Sappiamo che questa è la soluzione migliore sul tavolo in questo momento. Almeno, la migliore dal punto di vista dell’accettabilità per gli stati arabi, il ’non rifiuto’ da parte di Israele, ed è così che definirei la posizione di Benjamin Netanyahu”, ha dichiarato Lavrov in un’intervista per il progetto Bridges to the East.

"Should an agreement be reached today, a ceasefire will be announced" in the Gaza Strip. This was stated by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan referring to the ongoing Hamas-Israel negotiations in Egypt during a joint press conference in Ankara with Syrian diplomacy chief Asaad al Shaibani. "The parties have shown great willingness for the release of prisoners and hostages," he added, explaining that the talks are focusing on four priorities and "a lot of progress has been achieved so far." The priorities Fidan referred to are the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the IDF withdrawal lines from Gaza, humanitarian aid and the terms of a potential ceasefire.

The IDF reports that it launched raids in Gaza to eliminate numerous terrorists who were about to attack the troops. Operations are underway to find other cells that took part in the operation against the army, the IDF adds.

Israel called tomorrow's ministerial meeting in Paris on the post-war Gaza transition "unnecessary and harmful". "The new initiative of the French government, at such a delicate moment of the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, is superfluous and harmful, like the previous ones. We see a further attempt by President Macron to divert attention from his problems," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X. According to the Israeli diplomacy holder, "the invitation to governments that are openly hostile to Israel, such as that of Sanchez (the Spanish prime minister, ed.), is particularly unacceptable." "Of course, the participants can address the issues they wish, but no agreement on Gaza can ever be concluded without Israel's consent," he concluded.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Egypt are proceeding in a positive manner and are moving towards an agreement on a number of points within a day or two, according to a Palestinian source briefed on the developments in statements to the Times of Israel. According to the source, the talks would focus on the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees and also on a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. The issue of Hamas disarmament and the post-war administration of Gaza will have to be addressed in further rounds of talks, according to the source.

Some 52 billion dollars will be needed to rebuild the Gaza Strip destroyed by Israeli raids. This is the estimate of Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the United Nations Office for Services and Projects (UNOPS), who pointed out in an interview with the broadcaster al-Jazeera that 80 per cent of the Gaza Strip's infrastructure has been destroyed. The priority now is to remove the rubble, he explained.

This morning, according to reports from the Israeli army, Hamas attempted to carry out a raid on an IDF post in the Netzarim corridor area, in central Gaza. According to the first information provided by the army, the attempted attack on the camp where the troops of the Golani Brigade reconnaissance unit were stationed was carried out by at least five Hamas gunmen, who came out of a tunnel. The Israeli armed forces say that the troops, with air support from the Israeli air force, hit and killed at least three of the Hamas gunmen who were seen approaching.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Egypt are progressing positively towards an agreement, which could come within a day or two, writes the Times of Israel, citing a Palestinian source with knowledge of the talks. According to the source, the talks are focusing on the release of the remaining 48 hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, along with a partial Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The issues of Hamas disarmament and post-conflict management of Gaza will instead be defined in subsequent rounds of negotiations, the Palestinian source explained. Separately, an Israeli source told the Saudi daily Al Arabiya that negotiators are "cautiously approaching" an agreement on the first phase of the plan.

Se il Piano per Gaza avrà successo, Donald Trump meriterebbe il Premio Nobel per la Pace. Ad affermarlo è l’editorialista del New York Times Thomas Friedman, che non nasconde le difficoltà dei negoziati in corso, ma dà credito al presidente Usa per il tentativo di porre fine al conflitto israelo-palestinese, aprendo la strada alla prospettiva di una soluzione a due Stati. “Donald Trump afferma da tempo che ciò che desidera davvero è il Premio Nobel per la Pace. Pensa già di meritarlo. Beh, se Donald Trump riuscisse a ottenere un cessate il fuoco, il ritiro israeliano da Gaza, il ritorno degli ostaggi israeliani, e questo mantenesse e aprisse la strada ai negoziati sull’unica soluzione possibile: due stati per due popoli – per citare il mio amico israeliano Nahum Barnea, editorialista di Yedioth – Trump non meriterebbe solo il Premio Nobel per la Pace, ma anche il Premio Nobel per la Fisica e la Chimica. Perché sarebbe un’impresa notevole”, afferma Friedman nel podcast ’The Opinion’ s

Parlando al Bundestag della situazione in Israele e Palestina il ministro degli Esteri tedeschi Johann Wadephul ha affermato che “per la prima volta nella regione c’è speranza”, che lui stesso ha avuto modo di constatare tornando oggi da un viaggio nella regione. Wadephul ha annunciato l’intenzione di organizzare una conferenza sulla ricostruzione di Gaza insieme all’Egitto e ha poi ribadito che Hamas deve accettare il piano di pace statunitense. A suo avviso la Germania gode “della fiducia degli Stati arabi, abbiamo un rapporto particolarmente stretto con Israele e abbiamo quindi qualcosa da offrire alla regione”. Il ministro ha assicurato che, in caso di amministrazione internazionale temporanea della Striscia di Gaza, la Germania darà il suo contributo “sia per quanto riguarda gli aspetti della stabilizzazione e della ricostruzione, sia per quanto riguarda l’amministrazione e, naturalmente, anche l’aiuto umanitario”. Per il ministro tedesco la soluzione nella regione resta quella

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to a publication on the US website 'Politico' claiming that the prime minister's apology to Qatar during his visit to the White House was dictated by the Americans and that a representative from Doha was present to oversee the conversation. "This is fake news. Prime Minister Netanyahu's statements in his conversation with the Qatari prime minister were decided by the prime minister (Netanyahu, ed.), after consultation with his professional team," the Ynet newspaper reported, citing the note. "As for the Qatari official, he was present at the conversation only at the invitation of the American team and there was no contact with the Israeli team," the Israeli prime minister's office specified.

Israel's Shin Bet security agency reveals that it recently foiled an attempt by Iran to smuggle large quantities of advanced weapons to terrorists in the West Bank for use in attacks against Israeli targets. The recently seized shipment - explains the Times of Israel - included 29 Claymore-type explosive devices; four drones, two of which were loaded with explosives; 15 anti-tank rockets, along with one RPG and three RPG launchers; 20 hand grenades; 53 pistols; seven assault rifles; nine machine guns; and 750 rounds of ammunition. "This shipment, like the previous ones, is part of an ongoing Iranian effort to undermine security in the region by arming terrorist cells on the ground whose aim is to carry out attacks against Israelis and IDF troops," the Shin Bet said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to attend a meeting tomorrow in Paris with European, Arab and other representatives to discuss the post-war transition in Gaza, three European diplomatic sources tell Reuters. The meeting, which will take place in parallel with the negotiations between Israel, Hamas and the mediators in Sharm el-Sheikh, will focus on ways to implement Donald Trump's proposed plan, assessing in particular the role of each country involved.

Israel is preparing for the possibility of US President Donald Trump arriving in the country in case an agreement is signed on the release of the hostages and the truce in Gaza. This is revealed by Ynet. In Israel, it is estimated that Trump wants to travel to the region to 'celebrate' the great achievement in his presence. Everything depends on the outcome of the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, but the indications are positive. Egypt, a key mediator in the process, has invited Trump to attend the ceremony that could be held in Cairo.

"For more than 700 days, children in Gaza have been killed, maimed and displaced in a devastating war that is an affront to our common humanity. Israeli attacks on Gaza City and other parts of the Strip continue. The world cannot and must not allow this to continue. Over the past two years, a staggering 64,000 children have reportedly been killed or maimed across the Gaza Strip, including at least 1,000 newborns. We don't know how many more have died from preventable diseases or are buried under rubble," says UNICEF Director-General Catherine Russell.

the Italian Embassy and Consulate in Tel Aviv have been following the blockade of the new Flotilla by the Israeli navy since dawn," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X. "There are about ten Italians who have been detained," the minister assured, "and they will receive all the necessary consular assistance, asking the Israeli government to guarantee respect for their individual rights at the time of expulsion. The Farnesina crisis unit is also at work.

A young man was wounded this morning by bullets in the town of Tarqumiya, west of Hebron, in the southern West Bank. According to Wafa, the young man, 24 years old, was shot in the leg by Israeli forces while standing near the 'wall'- He was later transported to hospital, where his injuries were described as moderate. Israeli settlers also stormed the outskirts of the al-Tira neighbourhood in Ramallah and performed Talmudic rituals, according to local sources in contact with Wafa. The settlers, protected by Israeli occupation forces, broke into the al-Tira neighbourhood from the village of Ein Qiniya, northwest of Ramallah, in several vehicles.

Israel and Hamas exchanged "lists of prisoners to be released", a Hamas leader told Afp. "Optimism prevails between all parties" in the Gaza talks.

"There are 9 Italians on board the mission intercepted by Israel. 6 of them were on the Conscience", explains the coordinator of the Freedom Flotilla Italy, Zaher Darwish. "We have no more contact with them since the boarding - he says - we have already alerted the international legal team of Adalah that has already reached the port. The lawyers are waiting for their arrival to try to give legal assistance. We are also contacting the group of Italian lawyers and the organisers of the demonstrations in the various cities scheduled for today".

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told the Saudi broadcaster al Arabiya that "other Arab countries will sign peace agreements with Israel if the war in Gaza ends". He added that the main guarantor for the success of the talks in Egypt is the US President Donald Trump himself.

He also stated that the current talks in Sharm el-Sheikh focus on the first phase of the US plan: ending the war, bringing aid, freeing hostages and releasing Palestinian security prisoners.

"The Italian Embassy and Consulate in Tel Aviv have been following the blockade of the new Flotilla by the Israeli navy since dawn. There are about ten Italians who have been detained. They will be given all the necessary consular assistance with the request to the Israeli government to guarantee respect for their individual rights until they are expelled. The Farnesina Crisis Unit is also at work," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote on X.

The first phase of US President Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza could be finalised before Friday, provided the current optimistic tone surrounding the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh continues, an Egyptian source familiar with the matter told the Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.

Hamas demands the return, as part of the ongoing negotiations in Egypt for the release of the hostages, of the bodies of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the 7 October attack, and his brother Muhammad, who was also eliminated after taking over as the organisation's leader in the Gaza Strip. The Wall Street Journal reports this, citing Arab mediators, pointing out that this is a demand that Israel has already rejected in the past.

"They attacked them in international waters, once again a pirate action. We expected that for the Conscience ship there would be, for once, more understanding given that there are medical professionals and 18 tons of medical equipment on board, but there wasn't". Michele Borgia, spokesperson for the Italian delegation of the Freedom Flotilla, told Adnkronos, commenting on tonight's boarding of eight sailboats and a ship of the Freedom Flotilla and the Thousand Madleens intercepted at dawn by the Israeli armed forces, about 120 nautical miles from Gaza.

According to reports, the boarding of the ship Conscience took place at 4.30 a.m. (Italian time), while that of the boats of the Thousand Madleens, a little later in the journey, at around 2.30 a.m.: 'This time, too, they stopped them with an even more instantaneous action than in the past,' adds Borgia. 'They didn't have time to notice. They arrived in the night, with the lights off to board them: they approached very quickly and even hacked one of our circuits.

Strong 'written international guarantees' are needed to ensure that Israel fulfils its obligations, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told the Saudi Al-Arabiya news agency, adding that Qatar wants to ensure that what is currently being negotiated in Egypt - the return of hostages, the release of Palestinian prisoners and a pause in the fighting - will lead to Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, the entry of more aid and a definitive end to the war.

Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, to participate in indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Axios reports. Witkoff and Kushner are the architects of Trump's 20-point plan, which includes, among other conditions, a gradual Israeli withdrawal and the release of all remaining hostages within 72 hours of the start of the truce.

Israel confirms that it has intercepted the new Gaza-bound Flotilla. "Another vain attempt to violate the legal naval blockade and enter a combat zone ended in a deadlock," reads the X account of the Jewish State's Foreign Ministry. "The ships and passengers," the note continues, "were transferred to an Israeli port. All are safe and sound. They are expected to be expelled promptly.

Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the new flotilla of boats approaching the Strip, says that "about 120 nautical miles from Gaza, Israel has attacked" the expedition. "Currently at least three boats have been boarded and most of the live streaming has been interrupted," reads the new flotilla's social channels. "The army is trying to divert" our route, it is added. Jewish state media had previously claimed that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were preparing to take action against the expedition.

"Freedom Flotilla Coalition (Ffc) and Thousand Madleens to Gaza (Tmtg) confirm that the three boats Gaza Sunbirds, Alaa Al-Najajr and Anas Al-Sharif were illegally attacked and intercepted by the Israeli army," reads a statement published on Ffc's website. "At the moment," the expedition's note continues, "sources indicate that the unarmed crew on board, including doctors, journalists and elected officials, have been abducted, as well as aid workers. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza government press office issued a statement saying that Israeli forces have launched 230 airstrikes on Gaza since Saturday morning, killing at least 118 people, Al Jazeera reported. The office said the victims include women and children, and 72 people in Gaza City alone. 'The Israeli occupation continues its brutal aggression against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, ignoring calls for a ceasefire by US President Donald Trump and the positive response offered to the proposal,' the press office said in a statement shared on Telegram.