Hamas is ready to discuss any proposal for a truce in the Gaza Strip, an official of the Palestinian movement said today, after more than a year of war with Israel, while the Hamas delegation is in Cairo for negotiations, with the participation of Egyptian mediators.
The White House on Wednesday announced a new diplomatic effort by the US, with the help of Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, to secure an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.
"Hamas is ready to study proposals for a cease-fire and a gradual withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip," an unnamed Hamas official told AFP.
He added that "there should be international guarantees so that the agreement leads to a definitive end to the war, a complete (Israeli) withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and an exchange of prisoners."
However, Hamas has not yet received a new offer, the official said.
According to him, the Hamas delegation, led by Khalil al-Haya, will meet with the head of the Egyptian intelligence service, Hassan Rashad, and other officials responsible for mediating with Israel.
The visit to Egypt comes less than 48 hours after a cease-fire came into effect in Lebanon between Israel and the Hezbollah movement, an ally of Hamas.
(BETA)
The Syrian army confirmed today that rebels had entered "large parts" of the northern city of Aleppo, reporting dozens of soldiers killed in the clashes.
"Armed terrorist groups" launched a "massive multi-pronged attack on the Aleppo and Idlib fronts", in the north-west of the country, according to a statement in which the army reported intense fighting for "more than 100 kilometers".
"Dozens of people from our armed forces were killed, and others were injured," the statement adds, and confirms that the anti-regime fighters managed to "break into large parts of the neighborhoods of the city of Aleppo," reports Beta.
Anti-regime groups in Syria took advantage of Hezbollah's weakening in the war with Israel and Russia's focus on the war in Ukraine. Hezbollah and Russia are among the key allies of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The opposition offensive came after Israel intensified attacks on Syrian territory, targeting groups linked to Iran.
The Israeli Air Force launched an attack on locations used to smuggle weapons from Syria to Lebanon along the border of the two countries, the Israeli army announced today.
There was no comment from Syrian authorities or Hezbollah.
New instances of violence without reports of serious casualties reflected the unstable nature of the ceasefire. While Israel has accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire, Lebanon has also accused Israel of doing the same in the days since it took effect.
The Israeli strike, the latest of several since a ceasefire began on Wednesday, came as Syrian rebels pushed into the country's second-largest city, Aleppo, in a surprise offensive that added new uncertainty to a region rocked by multiple wars.
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Many of the 1,2 million Lebanese displaced by the conflict have headed south to their homes, despite warnings from the Israeli and Lebanese armies to stay away from certain areas.
The Israeli military said earlier today that its forces, which will remain in southern Lebanon until they are gradually withdrawn over a 60-day period, had located and seized the weapons found hidden in the mosque.
Israel says it reserves the right, under the terms of the ceasefire, to strike against any perceived violation of it. Israel has made the return home of tens of thousands of displaced Israelis a goal of its war with Hezbollah, but Israelis, worried that Hezbollah has not been deterred and could still attack northern communities, fear returning home.
(BETA)
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced today that three people, including a child, were injured in an Israeli attack on southern Lebanon.
Israel and Lebanon signed a cease-fire agreement a few days ago, but it was violated after the first day of signing.
"Israel fired at a car in Majdal Zoun, three people were injured, including a seven-year-old child," the statement said.
(BETA)
Iran and three European powers agreed to resume dialogue "in the near future" after a meeting in Geneva, as intelligence officials warned that the expansion of Iran's nuclear program posed a "critical threat" in the coming months.
Negotiators from Iran and the so-called E3 group of nations, Britain, France and Germany, met in Switzerland to discuss a range of issues, including the expansion of Iran's nuclear program, its military support for Russia and conflicts in the Middle East.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi wrote on the X social network on November 29 that talks in the Swiss city focused on the latest bilateral, regional and international developments, "especially the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions."
"We are firmly committed to pursuing the interests of our people, and our preference is the path of dialogue and engagement," Garibabadi said.
Ahead of the meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi said it would be a "brainstorming session" to see "if there really is a way out" of the current nuclear impasse, among other issues.
The intelligence chiefs of Britain and France have raised the alarm over Iran's growing relationship with Russia and its accelerating nuclear program.
The meeting in Geneva took place a week after the 35-member board of governors of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution condemning Iran.
It also tasked the UN agency with preparing a "comprehensive and updated assessment" of the state of Iran's expanding nuclear program, including past and current attempts to develop a bomb.
The report could allow Iran's case to be referred to the UN Security Council to trigger a so-called "snapback" mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions lifted under the terms of the 2015 deal with world powers.
In response to the resolution, Iran said it would begin enriching uranium with thousands of advanced centrifuges at its key nuclear facilities in Ford and Natanz, the IAEA announced on November 29.
Richard Moore, the head of Britain's secret intelligence service, known as MI6, said on November 29 that Iran's nuclear ambitions were a "constant threat" - a sentiment shared by Nicolas Lerner, the head of France's foreign intelligence service.
(RSE)
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Friday that the cease-fire agreement with Israel was a "divine victory" for the Lebanese political party and militant group.
In his first address since the ceasefire took effect on November 27, Qassem said the Iran-backed group had "won" because it had "prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah" and weakening the Lebanese "resistance".
Hezbollah, which controls most of southern Lebanon and has representatives in the parliament, is considered a terrorist organization by the US, while the EU has blacklisted only its military wing, but not the party that is represented in the Lebanese parliament.
The ceasefire ended nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. In October, Israel stepped up the pressure by launching a ground offensive in southern Lebanon and bombing Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon.
The terms of the ceasefire ended Hezbollah's presence in southern Lebanon. Israel must also withdraw its ground forces from Lebanon within 60 days of the agreement taking effect.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned earlier this week that Israel would take action if it suspected Hezbollah of violating the agreement.
Hours before Qassem's address, Israel said it had shot down a Hezbollah rocket launcher in southern Lebanon after detecting the militants' activities.
The US and France are overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire, which allows thousands of Lebanese troops to come to southern Lebanon to work with UN peacekeepers, as well as keep Hezbollah away from Israel's border.
Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel after the Gaza war broke out in October 2023. It has said it will stop its attacks only after Israel ends the war in the Gaza Strip.
Over the past 14 months, Israel has killed almost all of Hezbollah's leadership, including Qassem's predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, and decimated the group's military arsenal.
Israel has vowed to ensure Iran cannot continue to fund and arm the group, and has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad not to allow Iran to aid Hezbollah.
(RSE)
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