The Middle East remains dominated by ongoing conflicts in the Gaza Strip and over Israel. Stay tuned for all the latest updates.
The most important things in brief:
- On October 8, 2025, Hamas and Israel announced their agreement to a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, under which all hostages would be released.In the summer of 2025, doctors and activists warned of a spreading famine in the Gaza Strip.
- On June 13, Israel launched a direct war of aggression against Iran through air strikes. The war ended with a US intervention, which bombed a uranium enrichment laboratory in Iran. On October 16, 2024, the Israeli army killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip. On September 27, 2024, a massive airstrike bombed Hezbollah's headquarters in Lebanon. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed, as were other high-ranking Hezbollah commanders. On September 17, 2024, thousands of pagers exploded in Lebanon, killing 39 and injuring nearly 300. On October 7, 2023, members of Hamas and allied Islamist groups killed a total of 1,205 people in several locations in Israel and at a music festival. 251 people were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip. Israel then launched an offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Thu 23:18
Attack after breakthrough in peace talks
Even after the breakthrough in peace negotiations, the Israeli army continues to launch air strikes in the Gaza Strip. This evening, a building in Gaza City allegedly housing fighters from the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas was attacked, an army spokesperson said. The Hamas fighters posed an immediate threat to Israeli soldiers, he said.
According to Palestinian sources, the building collapsed, burying about 40 people under the rubble. Four bodies have been recovered so far, it was reported.
Hamas has called on mediators and the US to intervene immediately to stop the attacks on civilians. (kle)
October 9, 2025
Thu 23:13
170,000 tons of relief supplies are ready to go
According to the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, around 170,000 tons of food, medicine, and other relief supplies are ready to be delivered to Gaza. During the first 60 days of the ceasefire, the goal is to send hundreds of truckloads of aid to the enclave every day, Tom Fletcher told journalists on Thursday.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic: due to strict Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, famine prevails, infrastructure is largely destroyed after two years of military operations, and a large part of the population has been displaced several times.
Aid organizations hope the ceasefire will allow for a sustained expansion of humanitarian aid. Representatives told CNN, however, that there is still uncertainty about when, where, and what type of aid will actually be allowed into the country. (kle)
October 9, 2025
Thu 23:04
Houthi militia wants to remain vigilant
Following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the radical Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the leader of the Houthi militia in Yemen announced that he would closely monitor the implementation of the peace plan."We will remain vigilant and fully prepared and monitor the first phase of the agreement," said the militia's leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, on Thursday. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 22:38
Right-wing extremist minister Ben-Gvir wants to vote against Gaza deal
Israel's far-right Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his party plan to vote against an agreement on the first points of the plan to end the Gaza war. He announced on Platform X that the reason is the release of thousands of terrorists, including 250 murderers. The Israeli government is expected to approve the deal shortly. A clear majority in favor of the agreement is expected.
In exchange for the release of the remaining hostages, Israel is to release approximately 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment from Israeli prisons. In addition, approximately 1,700 prisoners held after October 7, 2023, are to be released.
Ben-Gvir, who is also security minister, again threatened to resign from the government if Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip continues. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured him this would not be the case. The peace deal stipulates that after the end of the war, the Gaza Strip will initially be governed by an interim government of Palestinian technocrats under the supervision of an international body. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 20:19
Hamas leader: The war is over
The Reuters news agency reported on Thursday evening that Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, had just announced the end of the war and the beginning of a permanent ceasefire.
At this very moment, the Israeli government is still deliberating on US President Donald Trump's Gaza deal.
Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas's chief negotiator, said the terrorist organization had received assurances from the US and mediators from Egypt and Qatar that the agreement on the first phase of a ceasefire would permanently end the war in the Gaza Strip.
The first phase will involve an exchange of hostages and Israel's withdrawal from parts of the Gaza Strip. Al-Hayya further stated that under the agreement, 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment in Israel would be released, as would 1,700 Gaza residents arrested since the start of the war, and all Palestinian women and children in Israeli custody.
Israel and the Islamist Hamas had previously agreed to implement the first phase of the peace plan for the Gaza Strip presented by Trump after days of indirect talks in Egypt.
October 9, 2025
Thu 16:21
Trump is likely to travel to Israel on Sunday
Trump will travel to Israel on Sunday, he told the New York Post."Well, it's been a great time for Israel and the Middle East, and I'll probably go there on Sunday, Sunday evening," he said in a phone conversation with a New York Post reporter.
And I believe you're going to see some great things next week. It's an amazing time. The whole world has come together, but the Middle East has come together for the first time in 3,000 years.
October 9, 2025
Thu 15:24
Israel announces signing of Gaza agreement
A government spokeswoman announced that Israel would sign the agreement with Hamas, the AFP news agency reported Thursday afternoon.
October 9, 2025
Thu 12:15
Israel's cabinet to decide on Gaza agreement
According to government information, the Israeli cabinet will discuss the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip this evening and decide on its implementation. The government meeting will take place at 6:00 p.m. (local time, 5:00 p.m. CEST), with the agenda – a plan to release all Israeli hostages, according to the Israeli government website on Thursday. The agreement to release the hostages can only come into effect after cabinet approval, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
Contrary to Arab media reports, the 72-hour countdown will only begin after the agreement is approved at the cabinet meeting expected this evening, Netanyahu's office further stated. (AFP)
October 9, 2025
Thu 11:21
Ceasefire officially in force from 11 a.m.
As of 12:00 p.m. local time (11:00 a.m. CEST) Thursday, the ceasefire officially went into effect. This is based on an informal agreement between the two parties, Israel and Hamas, without a signed document, as the Jerusalem Post reports. The signature of both parties is expected to follow later on Thursday.
October 9, 2025
Thu 10:18
Israel's right-wing extremist ministers want to continue fighting
One of the two far-right ministers in Netanyahu's cabinet, Bezalel Smotrich, advocates for a continuation of the fighting on X. He attributes enormous responsibility to Netanyahu to ensuring that the agreement is not a case of hostages in exchange for a cessation of war. It is necessary to ensure that the State of Israel continues to work with all its might toward the genuine destruction of Hamas immediately after the hostages' return. He will vote against the ceasefire in parliament.
The other far-right minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, also said on Wednesday (even before the agreement was announced) that he prayed that the prime minister would facilitate a complete victory in Gaza – the destruction of Hamas.
In the past, the two have repeatedly been able to exert pressure on Netanyahu by threatening to withdraw their party from his governing coalition. Whether they will succeed this time and Netanyahu will break the agreement is questionable, because then Netanyahu would have to decide against Trump. However, this has also happened in the past.
October 9, 2025
Thu 09:09
Israel prepares withdrawal from Gaza Strip
Following the agreement on a ceasefire, the Israeli army says it is preparing to withdraw its soldiers stationed in the Gaza Strip. The armed forces have begun operational preparations for the implementation of the agreement, the army announced on Thursday. The positioning of troops in the Gaza Strip will be adjusted quickly.
The Israeli army controls three-quarters of the Gaza Strip. A Hamas representative stated that, in parallel with the agreed release of the hostages, Israeli soldiers would withdraw from parts of the Gaza Strip.
Israel and the Islamist Hamas agreed on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages last night after days of indirect talks in Egypt. In a first step, 20 hostages are to be released, according to Hamas sources. In return, around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners are to be released from Israeli custody. The signing of the agreement is scheduled for Thursday, according to sources close to the negotiations. (AFP)
October 9, 2025
Thu 06:59
Hamas Civil Defense: Israeli attacks after announcement of ceasefire agreement
According to the Hamas-controlled Civil Defense Agency, Israel has carried out several attacks on the Gaza Strip following the announcement of the ceasefire agreement. Several explosions were reported, a Civil Defense official said on Thursday. The north of the coastal strip was particularly affected. There were several intensive airstrikes on Gaza City.
US President Donald Trump had previously announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his plan to end the Gaza war following negotiations in Egypt. The signing is scheduled for Thursday, according to sources familiar with the agreement. (AFP)
October 9, 2025
Thu 03:31
Trump expects hostages to return on Monday
US President Donald Trump says he expects the hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip to be released on Monday."So much is being done to free the hostages, and we believe they will all be back on Monday," he said in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday. This included the bodies of the hostages who are no longer alive. (AFP)
October 9, 2025
Thu 03:02
UN Secretary-General welcomes Gaza deal
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the agreement between Israel and Hamas on the implementation of the first phase of the US peace plan. Guterres declared on Wednesday that a much-needed breakthrough had been achieved. The United Nations is ready to contribute to the full implementation of the agreement. A UN spokesperson had previously announced that, if an agreement is reached in the indirect talks, the UN would accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip stored on the borders of Jordan and Egypt.
Guterres urged the parties to the conflict to fully adhere to the terms of the agreement. He emphasized that all actors should seize this momentous opportunity to pave a credible political path toward ending the occupation, recognizing the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, and achieving a two-state solution that allows Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 02:41
US sources: Gaza deal will be presented to Israeli cabinet
According to US government sources, the agreement between Israel and Hamas in the indirect negotiations to end the Gaza war will be presented to the Israeli Cabinet for approval this Thursday. If the green light is given, Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip will begin withdrawing to an agreed-upon line, a senior White House official said on Wednesday. This is expected to take less than 24 hours. Hamas will then have 72 hours to release the remaining hostages, the source said. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 02:26
Hamas: Release of hostages within 72 hours of agreement signing
According to the Islamist Palestinian organization, the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are to be released within 72 hours of the signing of the agreement negotiated with Israel. During the first phase of the agreement, a total of 20 live hostages are to be released in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli prisons, Hamas sources told AFP on Thursday. 250 of the Palestinian prisoners to be released are serving life sentences. (AFP)
October 9, 2025
Thu 02:24
Netanyahu and Trump praise historic achievement
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump praised the agreement with Hamas on the release of the hostages as a historic achievement in a telephone call. Both congratulated each other on the agreement, Netanyahu's office announced Thursday night. It also described the phone call as warm and moving. Netanyahu reportedly thanked Trump for his efforts and global leadership. Trump, in turn, praised Netanyahu for his decisive leadership and drive. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 02:22
Hostage families welcome agreement between Israel and Hamas
The families of the hostages taken to the Gaza Strip have welcomed the breakthrough in the indirect negotiations between Israel and the Islamist Hamas. This is an important and significant step toward bringing everyone home, but our fight is not over and will not end until the last hostage has returned, the Hostage Families Forum said in a statement. They received the news of the agreement on the first phase of the US peace plan with a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and concern. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 01:36
Netanyahu relieved by announced hostage release
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed relief at the announced release of the hostages held by the Islamist Hamas. With God's help, we will bring them all home, the head of government wrote on Platform X. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 01:30
Hamas confirms agreement with Israel
The Islamist Hamas has confirmed an initial agreement with Israel on a settlement of the war in the Gaza Strip. The agreement provides for an end to hostilities in Gaza, a withdrawal of the Israeli military, access for humanitarian aid, and an exchange of hostages and prisoners, according to a statement from the terrorist organization. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 01:30
Qatar: Agreement between Israel and Hamas to end Gaza war
Israel and the Islamist Hamas have reached an agreement on the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire, according to mediator Qatar. The agreement encompasses all provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to an end to the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the provision of humanitarian aid, a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said. The al-Kahera News TV group, which is affiliated with the Egyptian intelligence service, also reported that an agreement had been reached. (AFP)
October 9, 2025
Thu 00:58
Trump: Israel and Hamas agree to first phase of peace plan
Two years after the start of the Gaza war, Israel and the Islamist Hamas have agreed to implement the first phase of a US peace plan, according to President Donald Trump. All hostages will soon be released, and Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed-upon line, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform following indirect negotiations between the warring parties in Egypt. (DPA)
October 9, 2025
Thu 00:20
Trump: Could travel to Middle East talks this weekend
US President Donald Trump could travel to the region this weekend for Middle East peace talks. The current indirect negotiations in Egypt between Israel and Hamas on a US plan to end the Gaza war are going well, Trump said during an appearance in Washington. If successful, he would likely depart on Sunday or late Saturday, Trump said.
Talks between Israeli negotiators and the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas have been ongoing for several days in the Egyptian coastal town of Sharm al-Sheikh.
Israeli media reported, citing a senior official, that both sides could reach an agreement on Thursday or Friday, after which the hostages could be released. This could happen as early as Saturday or early next week.
Hamas considers the 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, of whom only 20 are still alive according to Israeli information, as a crucial bargaining chip in the negotiations to achieve its own goals, such as an end to the Gaza war.
The basis for the talks is Trump's peace plan, which calls for the release of all remaining Hamas hostages in return for a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Other core goals of the 20-point plan include the disarmament of Hamas and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the largely devastated Gaza Strip, as well as large-scale humanitarian aid for the suffering civilian population of the coastal region, which is to be demilitarized and rebuilt.
At the beginning of the talks, Hamas demanded reliable guarantees that Israel would not resume its attacks after the hostages were released, according to information from negotiating sources provided to the German Press Agency. (DPA)
October 8, 2025
Wed 11:52
Hamas: Name lists exchanged with Israel
During the Gaza negotiations in Egypt, the radical Islamist Hamas reportedly exchanged lists of prisoners it has requested for release with Israel today. This likely refers to the hostages still being held in Gaza, on the one hand, and the Palestinians who are to be released from Israeli custody in return, on the other.
US President Donald Trump's peace plan calls for the Israeli army to withdraw to a line to be agreed upon in exchange for the release of the hostages. In exchange for the hostages, Israel is also to release approximately 250 Palestinians sentenced to life imprisonment, as well as approximately 1,700 others imprisoned after October 7, 2023.
Negotiations in Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt, have been ongoing since Monday. The state-affiliated Egyptian television station al-Kahira News reported that they were scheduled to resume around noon today. It could take several days for a result to be reached.
The mediators are making enormous efforts to remove all obstacles to the implementation of a ceasefire, Hamas media coordinator Taher al-Nunu said in a statement. All parties are optimistic. However, points of contention remain – including the details of Israel's partial troop withdrawal in the event of an agreement. (DPA)
